The Express. — London, England, 1867-03-01 00:00:00

' I, MAPPIN BROTHERS. —Eitabliahed A.D. 1810. CHESTS of SILVER PLATE for the COLONIES, CUTLERY and SILVER PLATE for lURN BEIM. MAPPIN BROTHERS, LONDON-BRIDGE. .APPIN BROTHERS, 222, REGENT STREW. B E r.,, N2 6o, o th 'N S hin; f6,WATCHES. B ROWN and POLSON'S CORN FLOUR for CHILDREN'S DIET. T.' "lain ettra profit the sale other kinds WO somacinua offered ind,a lof otr and POISON'S •• Jou ail "II n," "John Poison." is signed by the maces on each packet. Ehe erprelSlS. TO CORRKSPONDINT9. LArertlsernents Intended The Express." London Evening Paper, most at the °dice, 10, litirurie-strtut, by Two o'rluuk 1.11.111 in day of publication. DRI'RY LANK THIN F,ArPNING, THE ' VENICE. Mr. ftelps, E 111.1 p.. I.arn•tt, and Canby: Mesdames 11. .t ININ th.—And NUMI4KR SIP: OR, H.tlCl,li- QUIN AI)N t:NoSIE KING mr THE ULANT bIUUNTALti. HAYMkitkET. EVIIINO, A LF.:;:::11.NT FUR LIFE. Messrs. Sothern, Ro.:ers, coniptisi. Ac.: Mn. Clilpisenilsle, Nlisses Hill, Virtlit. —1.II:D lii NI.H.E.IItY MARRIED AND NINE FuLl. Mr. Svtlii ru.—Aud, JEN N Y LIND AT LAST. Miss Burke. PRINCMrk Taw Evoinie, Illi L.1•71 ; 1..kiih3l — Reaps. Verner et Fenton; Mrs. B. White and M, Wentworth hi lALiuW TREE 1511 AFC. Nle“ri %. ming. Venier, V. Villiers, Forrester, Mellon, and Cathcart l 1,.0 s Montagu, Edmonds, and Itochien 1.l C/.ltM. Tniq EvirrrNo, illE TIII,I I IILTI4. Mr. Widdloomb.—And 101.'0 EEIN. Mt Nit:Airs. I e.hier. Emery, JeriLiu. !loreland, Ylts;.strit k. I It o. lieyteil , le, Lomas, Ateirewii, Price, he. Mrs. L. Hurray, iael Ileerate, tiratteu, and C. Lie:lerect. STRAND. TnIR EvrsrNa, NI A1:1:1 TE RA AND YOUNG HUR RAN Di. —1.,“ Ni„;114, of tiCY FAWKLA.—..ud A SUIT OF HOLBORN. Tnie EIMMIN6, MY TI ItN NEXT. Mr. Delmore: Muses Foote and Jr •x—.bid ' , LYING SCI'D. Mean. Neville, Bel more, Blake, Voltaire, ; Sleadamea F. Josephs, C. Saunders, Beale Foote, ridden, Lennox, Raymond, de. RR TTANNIA. ...... P:TENrIn, TIIP. LA`IT LINK 11 , Id IV E. —To conclude with I'EAKI. INLAND; )K, TILE THREE KINCDOMS OF PEARL. GOLD. AND IILVEIC. Mrs. LAW, S Ml3l Jacob*. —lienot of NI el. sly . First-rate l'autougnusts. RIGR W,‘TER AT LONDON BRIDGE. TITIA DAY —gornilt;, --- 91;.5 , ;rti . lott 4. To-Mouitvw—Murniug, Ith. 17m Mtamotm,lll2. LONDON, FRIDAY, MARCI 7 1. THE metropolitan commanding officers of the Volunteer Corps met on Wednesday to consider, snit mg other matters, the position and duties of, lunteeis in times of mailar tumult. If the subject does not seem just now of great importance, it is one which may easily beccine so by association with error or uncertainty. The Mayor of Chester was in great doubt the other day concerning his authority to call out the Volunteers when an attack upon the Castle of that city, with its stores of ammunition and arms, was apprehended. He appealed to the Home-office fur instructions, and received a reply which must have increased his perplexity. Discussions have since taken place in the House of Lords which have further involved the question iu difficulty ; and lastly, it has been referred by the Government to the law officers of the Crown. We do not know precisely' what amount of authority can be claimed for the resolutions of commanding officers of Volunteers. It would seem that if meetings for deliberation are permitted at all in this branch of the public military force, the body at large might expect to be consulted on such a matter. It is always well, however, to know what is thought and felt on subjects of public interest by those who are in a position favourable to the formation of a judgment. The officers who met on Wednesday expressed, together with a de sire for a clearer determination of the existing law, the opinion that while on the one hand it would not ho desirable to renew the proNisions of the old Volunteer Act, under which Volurteers are liable to he called out to suppress riot and tumult ; on the other hand, " on any great emergency or " raid supposed upon good information to be fo " mented by foreign or external influences, and to " affect her MAJESTY'S supremacy, and in all " cases of threatened attack upon armouries or " magazines, Volunteers might be called upon to " act in their military capacity." This resolution expresses in a loose, general manner, though without sufficient discrimina tion or the safeguard of precise phraseology, the view which many Englishmen would be inclined to take of the matter. It certainly would st.ein absurd that when a lawless body was about to advance upon a barrack or an armoury, the Volunteers, who form a part of the public force of the country, should not be available for its protection—if, for instance, the Volunteers could not have been used to defend Chester Castle the other day. Whatever the cause or complexion of a riot may be, it must always be a good thing to prevent the public property, and especially arms, from f into the hands of rioters. And not only is this duty one as to the necessity of which no doubt or scruple can ever be entertained, but it is at the same time well and distinctly defined. In the performance of other duties, when passions are excited, it is easy for zeal to hurry armed men into excess, but this one is definitively marked off by its own strong outlines, and there seems no sound reason why Volunteers should not be available for it. The same cannot be said of Earl GROSVENOR'S proposition, that the legality of the employment of Volunteers in time of tumult shall be made to depend on the view taken of the relation of the disorder to anything that has been or is being done abroad. No commanding officer or civil magistrate would like the lawfulness of his acts to depend on the question whether the troubles with which he had to deal constituted a "great emergency" which might fairly be " supposed to be fomented by foreign or external " influences." This is just one of those questions which persons in authority should not be called on to decide under great stress and urgency. The considerations by which duty should be made to turn ought to be as simple as possible, and should rest on something capable of being at once brought to the test. No Govern ment would he justified in accepting the services of Volunteers without surrounding both offi cers and men with the protection which can only he given by clear and definite instructions in conformity with the law. If Chester should again be in peril, the duty of the couniumiling officer must not depend on any thing which he " supposes" as to the doings of people on the other side of the Atlantic, but the I warrant of the action must be found on the spot, I and be matter of observation, nut of speculation or recondite inference. The grounds on which the employment of Volunteers in the suppression of riots and tumults is to be depre...ated are so obvious, that a very little re!!ection would suffice to bring about perfect unanimity of opinion on the subject. The force THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, MARCH 1, ma. was not called into existence for any Bush pur pose, and it would not be proper to turn a purely voluntary organiz.ation from its first ends. Our Volunteer Army was raised to defend the cutmtry against the foreign foe, not to be used against Englishmen. Its members may withdraw from it except when it is actually called Ont,'and there are abundant reasons for believing that a large proportion of them would do so rather than remain subject to a liability which they con sider most objectionable. For in the next place the composition of the various corps makes them most unsuitable for employment as a military force in cases of civil disorder arising from domestic causes. The Volunteer, who, towards the invader, is every inch a soldier, is, towards the persons whom he might encounter in civil strife, a neighbour, a fellow-townsman, a master, an employi;. And while these are his permanent relationships, his military character is the assump tion of a few hours, a thing put on to-day, but put off to-morrow, when he returns to the general body of citizens. The employment of the yeomanry fifty years ago to put down tumults in towns was bad enough, and engendered a class feeling, and fostered enmity, or at least alienation, which has descended to our own day ; but the employment of one set of townsmen against another would have worse consequences. Civil tumults generally arise out of some question which strongly agii:ates and divides opinion or represents class interests which are supposed, often erroneously, to he antagonistic. Rut the Volunteer Corps are composed of persons of all classes and opinions, Reform leaguers, Saturday Reviewers, West-end shopmen, and me chanics from over the water, artizans who want to pass political resolutions in Hyde-park, and trades men who have lost a day's profits through a Reform procesaion. No doubt all these persons would do their duty as volunteers if called upon, but it would not be wise to engage theta in an occupation which would he intensely distasteful to some, although it might be highly exhilarating to others. The heart-burnings and misapprehensions to which such a use of the force would give rise are easy to be foreseen, and if any mischance occurred, the consequences might be disastrous and indelible. If some eminent but unpopular Conservative minister were accidentally injured, it would be inconvenient if it were found that the careless Volunteer in fault had once moved a reso lution on Clerkenwell-green ; or, again, if a working man should happen to fall, it would be unfortunate if the corps nearest him could be shown to include many members of the Carlton. Amidst the sus picions and exacerbations which would follow an untoward event, every foolish letter in the Tinos, every indiscriminate eulogy of the efficacies of grape shot that might have appeared in a Tory journal, would be remembered, and the social dis organization that would ensue would be worse than the consequences of any riot which we have real reason to apprehend. All moderate and sensible persons would unite, should it become necessary, to discourage legislation which would make such a state of things even possible. OUR CONTEMPORARIES. (THIS DAY.) aervatives, who have pnvented the countri , _from . getting the best which the sew ministry is capable of *ring es. The conservative party is geserned by its baser consti tuents. Poor Lord Derby ! (waelairos the Daily News). He ma v eil declare that nothini shall bailee him to become nee Minister agaiii. The Tthyrupitprepares its readere to expect the resig nation of Lord Derby as an event far from improbable or distant. the Court. WINDSOR CASTLE, FEB. 28. The Queen, with Princess Louise, Prince Leo lad, Princess Beatrice, and Prince Christian, arrived at Windsor Castle at a quarter before seven o'clock last even. lag from Buckingham Palace. The Duchess of Itoxburghe, Lord Charles Fitzroy, and Colonel the Hon. D. de Ros were in attendance. pier biajo.ty and Princess Beatrice walked, and rode on ponies in the grounds this morning. Prince and Princess Christian Trent out walking. Prin cess Louise also walked out. Prince Leopold took a drive, attended by Mr. Legg. Lord Begot bat succeeded Viscount Hawarden u lord. in-waiting to the Queen (not Viscount Hamilton, a erro neously stated in the Court Circular of the 27th). MARLBOROUGH-HOUSE, FEB. 28, 2.30 P.M. Her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales has recovered from all ordinary events of confinement. The general disturbance from the acute rheumatism has ceased, and the local affection, limited to the right knee, is leu severe. The infant Princess continues well. No bulletin will be issued for some days. (Signed) ARTHUR FARRE, M.D. W. JENNIE, M.D. JAM PAGET. EH. SIEVEKING, M.D. The Prince of Wales, attended by Viscount Hamilton, General Knollys, and Major Teesdale, presided yesterday at a meeting held at the Mansion•house in aid of the funds of the Royal National Lifeboat Institution. Hie loyal Highness was afterwards entertained at luncheon by the Lord Mayor and the Lady Mayoress. Mr. Saul Immo had an interview with Lord Stanley at the Foreign-office yesterday with reference to his screw steamer Tornado. A deputation, consisting of Lord (ourtenay, M.P., Mr. Kekewich, M.P., the Mayor of Exeter, and the Town Clerk of Exeter, had an interview with the Lord President of the Council and the Right Hon. H. Corry, at the Privy Coun cil-office, yesterliy, with reference to the licenaing of Exeter-market. A deputation from the Worrell (Cheshire) Board of introduced by Mr. J. Tollemaohe, M.P., and Mr. Laird, M.P., and consisting of the Rev. M. Coxon, Chairman, the Rev. T. Redhead, Vice-Chainnan, the Rev. P. Rohn, and Mr. C. Bushell, Guanlian, had an interview with the Lord President of the Council and the Right Hon. Spencer H. Walpole, at the Privy Council-office, White hall, yesterday, on sanitary matters. LATEST INTELLIGENCE. ELECTORAL MANIFESTO 01%914.11.18ALD1. The AvOiliguardia, a new dernocedtic journal; published in Florence, contains in Its first =mbar and in very large type, the following maniksto, addressed by General Garibaldi to the people? of Italy : Citizens! to the electoral urn. We must secure for Italy liberty, menaced and imperilled by the clerical party and its accomplices. The efforts of every freeman should be directed to this vital aim. The new chamber should have no p a rtisans of liberticide projects nor the satellites of fallen dynasties—all accomplices of the empire and of the papacy. The general elections may either wive or ruin the nation, may make an arena for reaction or a focu s of progress. The clergy are the subjects and soldiers of a foreign power—an authority mixed and universal, political and spiritual, which commands'iand sill not permit dis mullion, which sows discord and which corrupts. From these obstinate enemies of oar country and of civili• sation we must take the means of mischief. The patriotism of priests should be devoted to the intellectual, moral, and material progrem of the people and come for. ward to assist the public fortune. As our contest with the clergy is intently watched by the whole civilised world our victory over them will be the restoration of liberty of conscience, and the triumph of reason over prejudices. To the urn, then, citizens. To the urn, all of you. Your votes will proclaim to the world what kind of government we are worthy of, and whether we are fit to be a nation great and free. Florence, Feb. n. (izuris's nisoLaws.) WEST INDIAN, MEXICAN, PACIFIC, AND AUSTRALIAN MAILS. IN, MARCH 1. The Royal Mail Company's steam-ship Tasmanian, with the above mails, has arrived here, with 81 passengers, 3,364,275 dollars in specie, 2,905 pack ages of cargo, consisting chiefly of cigars, tobacco, cocoa, and cochineal. She left St. Thomas's on the 15th ult., and experienced head-winds and heavy sea for the first seven days ; since favourable weather. On the 27th she passed the Hamburg brig Elizabeth Nicholson, homeward-bound. Her Majesty's ship Simoom was to leave Jamaica for England on the 10th February. The French troop ship Gironde went ashore at Bare Busk Key, 20 miles from Port Royal on the 9th February, and it was expected she would be come a total wreck. The mail steamer Matuara, from New Zealand, arrived at Panama on the bth ult., with 23 pas sengers, and gold dust value 38,7011. sterling for England. The passengers and crew of the Tasmanian are all healthy, and the ship has been admitted to pratique. The weather at Jamaica was favourable for sugar making, and most of the estates had commenced operations. In some districts the prospects were good and the weather dry. The coffee crop is smaller than was anticipated. A few cases of yellow fever had occurred amongst the shipping, otherwise the island was healthy. Coffee, 425. to 565. ; sugar, lls. to 20e. Ex change on London, per cent. Sir Peter Grant had returned from Honduras to Jamaica. His visit to Belize appears to have had no effect upon the question in dispute between the colonists and the Indians. On the day his excel lency left Colonel Harley with 400 men was to march against the marauders. The colony re mained in a very unsettled state. The weather at Demerara was fine and dry. The sugar crop was an average one. Freights were im proving, being quoted 21d. to 24d. At Barbadoes sugar making was progressing, with prospects of a good return. The weather was fine and dry, and the island healthy. The weather at Antigua was still unfavourable, and the sugar crop has fallen far short of last year's. At Grenada the weather was improving, and the prospects of the crops were moderately good. The island was healthy. The cholera has disappeared at St. Thomas. The quarantine regulations were enforced at all the islands on vessels arriving from St. Thomas. At Chile the secret policy of the government was still maintained ; but it was generally believed that the conclusion of peace had been resolved upon. Business was good. Largo shipments of copper and wheat had affected freights, which had ad vanced. For copper produce to Liverpool and Swansea they were quoted 575. to 60a. Exchange on London, 45 to 46 ; on Paris, 7.40. The news from Bolivia was unsatisfactory, many respectable citizens having been imprisoned for political offence.. In Peru the government were affording every facility for the encouragement of immigration. A decree had been issued for establishing an agency in Liverpool, the chief object of which is the chartering of vessels with guano on government account. The government expedition for exploring the Amazon found it navigable for 1,300 miles. The Bunk of La Providencia was expected to resume operations. The contract for a railroad from Ica to Jisia, had been annulled, the contractor forfeiting 40,000 dollars. The Chinchas Islands were healthy. Eighty vessels of large tonnage were loading. CENTRAL AMERICA. At Salvadore the cotton crop had been destroyed by worms and rains. Coffee, sugar, and rice were being largely cultivated in several parts of the state, and the republic was represented in a pro mising condition. Peace prevailed and agricul ture was increasing. The revenue was improving, with a fair prospect of the public debt being soon paid of At Nicaragua the revolution was suppressed, and the epidemic was disappearing. The Costa Rica government had concluded a contract for a railway from Simon Bay, on the Atlantic, to Caldera, on the Pacific. Great uneasiness was felt on account of the cholera at Nicaragua. The coffee crop was large, and estimated at 150,000 quintals, half of which was already picked. AUSTRALIA. SYDNEY, JAN. 1. Parliament was prorogued on the 22nd Decem ber, after passing the Education Bill. The Aberdeen clipper ships Jason and Australian have arrived out. The John Duthie, from London, has been burnt in the harbour. A large fire occurred on the 22nd ult. The low; is estimate! at 30,0001., which is principally insured in English offices. The Premier and Colonial Treasurer have left for Melbourne to attend a conference between the Australian colonies on the postal arrangements. Tha harvest *unusually large and satisfactory. The Victoria parliament has been prorogued until March. The Intereolonial Exhibiton has been largely attended. Markets unaltered. WELLINGTON, JAN. 8. The ?governor has returned from s visit to the east coast. He spent some time with the natives at lisinpo, 'shore one imperial regiment will be quartered. News arrived yesterday from Auckland of tho death of Wirimu Janihama, angtice William Thompson, the great chief of the Waikato', on the 26th ult. The gold fields on the West Coast were flourishing. Hawkey Bay was perfectly quiet. __ __ The New South Wales government have voted their share of the subsidy for the Panama mail service for two years, amounting to 55,000/. THE EGYPTIAN ARMY. CAIRO, Fes. 28. The Viceroy has decreed the diminution of his army by one half. THE BRAZILS. BUENOS AYRES, JAN. 27. Exchange on London, 501 ; dollars, 25. Wet salted bides, 32 for 60. Wool, 47 to 87. Tallow, 14. Sugar, 19. BOMBAY MAIL. ALEXANDRIA, FEB. A. _ _ The Tanjore and Pere left at 10.30 a.m. to-day. The former may be expected at Marseilles on the oth, and the latter at Southampton about the 13th March. TIIE CANADIAN CoNFIDERATION. While well able to understand that politicians at home should represent the several objections which have b •en urged to the scheme of federation, the Times con eludes that {the duty of parliament is to interfere in no way with the compact to which the four colonies have constitutionally agreed. Some of the provisions, however, are not trained with as much wisdom and foresight as might have been desired. Senators who have been merely nominated by governors-general cannot possess the autho rity which an Cpper House ought to have, and will be ob jects of jealuesy and dislike to a large portion of the community. We must also look forward to a time when the chief of the government shall be elected by the people. Parliament is justified in passing the measure as it is if it be too late to alter its details, but there would be no harm in inserting a provision for constitutional amend ment whenever the provinces, or any one of them, shall think fit to alter any legislative or executive institution. 'lnc Times looks to confederation as the means of relicv. ing this country of much expense, and no delicacy ought to prevent our statesmen and parliament from ►etting it be known that when through our assistance there is easy com munication between the colonies there ought too to be an end of British garrisons on the American continent. The Daily Ness thinks that though the House of Com mons seldom shines in the discussion of colonial questions, something snore than the meagre debate of last evening should have been given to the bill for the confederation of British North America. As to the subject matter, the one wish which every Englishman must entertain is that the colonists should form such connections as they may be led to desire, apart on the one hand from severe despatches from Downing-street, and on the other from subsidies in the form of railways which are neither more nor less than gigantic jobs. In the mean time the home government is year by year pursuing a policy which would debauch the loyalty of the moat devoted colony that ever existed. What allegiance the Canadians will own in ten years time none of us knows; but they will never become a self-reliant people while colonial secretaries and speculative capitalists on this aide the Atlantic ply them with subsidies more or less disguised, to be lavished on objects which would not find a place in any system of prudent economy. The Teleovaph. warmly approves of the new scheme, especi►lly on the ground that it practically lightens the burden of the defence of the confederation to which Eng land is ple.lged. REFORM. The Times treats Mr. Bright's suggestion that the Minis try should oon6ne their efforts to an attempt to pass a franchise bill as scarcely made in seriousness. His pro- bable reason is a belief that it is impossible to obtain a real reform from the present government. This, however, is not the temper of parliament, which is as ardent as ever to carry a complete reform bill this session. The enfran chising clauses of the bill need present no difficulty. If the Ministers be wise, they sill avoid the discredit of de feat by spontaneously adopting the occupying qualification in boroughs and counties which the House of Commons has resolved to carry. A generous offer is the best safe guard against exorbitant demands. The clauses dealing with the redistribution of seats will present more per plexing, though not insurmountable, difficulties. The union of the liberal party, the Daily News says, is a question which will settle itself, and needs not to be made the subject of elaborate negotiation or formal overtures. At present the Adullsmites have done nothing more than adhere to the tactics proposed by Mr. Gladstone, no agree ment having been made as to the nature of the pro visions which should be substituted for Mr. Dis raeli's proposals. The union with Lord Grosvenor and the handful of politicians for whom be speaks will ho best secured by rejecting the timid com promises which secure only the semblance of concord, and which sow the seeds of future dissension. Judging from covert suggestions, some of those who preach union really mean disunion. The Adnllamites, they hint, are to be conciliated at the expense of advanced libenils. A real and lasting reform can, however, be achieved only in alliance with reformers ; and Mr. Gladstone's course last session, and the keenness of his political insight, make it impassible that he should fall into the trap that is Pet for him. Mr. Gladstone's courtesy awl forbearance to that section of the liberal party with which his differ ences have been greatest, do not involve any concession of prin. iple to them, but rather express the desire not to embitter by personal antagonisms a necessary but tem porary divergence of opinion. In another article the Daily News roints out the die cr.pancy between the statements of the Strintherd and the r;foi, as to the causes which have compelled Lord Derby to change his reform bill for the worse. According to the former journal, it was all the doing of the liberals ; but the Globe of last night attributes it to souse perverse con- MEETING OF CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS. A meeting of non-official conservative members of the House of Commons was held yesterday at the Carl. ton Club, convened by the following circular : "We, the undersigned, holding clear and definite opinions as to the desirability of an alteration in the fran chise presumed to be contemplated by the Cabinetorish to consult the opinion of the non-official members of the con servative party, and desire to call by circular a meeting of non-official members, at the Carlton Club, on Thursday, 2sth February, at 12 o'clock. (Signed) "J. BANKS STANHOPE. W. W. BRACH. HENRY EDWARDS. J. E. Goner. HOWKLL Gwric. E. HILL TREVOR. PERCY WYNDHAM. C. F. SORTERS. M. W. RIDLEY. IL T. Wool,. HENNIKER•JMAJOR. H. BARNET. J. R. (honor GORE. JOHN LAIRD. MICHAEL BRACH. S. K. GRAVES. H. E. SUKTRES. J. ToLLEIIACHE. JOHN HARDY. W. GREY (Colonel) GEORGE. BEECROPT. EDWARD O'NEILL. .1. C. Cosnou,. W. Jou.irre. FITZWILLIAII DICK. N. KENDALL." In response to this circular 150 members assembled at the time appointed, and, the chair having been taken by Sir Matthew White Ridley, the business of the meeting was formally opened. In the discussion which ensued (says one account), and which soon became general, one section declared itself in favour of substituting 5/. for 6/. rating ; another was for household suffrage. A third section, again, mooted the combination of household suffrage with the principle of plurality, or, at least, duality, of votes. The general opinion was in favour of some further con cession on the question of the county franchise. But Mr. Bankes Stanhope, supported bya few, discountenanced any coucessions. The prevailing sentiment of the meeting, however, was that if Lord Cranhorne and General Peel continued to oppose a conciliatory course, their resigna tion ought to be accepted. No definite conclusion was reached on any one of the points brought under discus. sion, excepting an agreement that, in the event of • ministerial defeat, Lord Derby should be recommended to resign, and not dissolve parliament. It was at the same time unanimously decided to urge upon his lordship the neces sity of framing a bill by which the government should stand or fall, with the understanding that, if any conces sion is to be wade, it must be made at once, before the I bringing in of the bill, net in the acceptance of an ameudment from the opposite side. The Standar., allows most fully that the government Lill would not enfranchise the elite of the working class, nor even succeed as • parliamentary settlement. The conservatives clearly cannot carry it, or any modification of it that their party could support. To persist would be to break up their party, and incur both defeat and disgrace. They may then re sign at once ; and content themselves with acting in opposition as a drag on the democratic tendencies of their successors. In that case they will fall with honour, but they sill have lost themselves with the country as states men. On the other hand, they may take a truly dignified and statesmanlike course, by falling back on their original idea, if not on its detailed application, and endeavouring to frame a scheme fully satisfying the claims of the unen franchised, while calming all the apprehensions of the actual possessors of power. Boldness is the only safe policy. Household suffrage in the boroughs, limited only by the unexceptional requirement of rating, and not demanding the personal payment of rates, qualified pro bably by the requirement of • two years' residence, so 41 to include only the settled and respectable house. holder., but to include all these is the only possible basis of • satisfactory scheme. We must come to this. If the conservatives make this offer they may reasonably expect to make their own terms as to a lateral extension of the franchise, the general application of the cumulative vote, and justice to the counties. The Standard believes that such • scheme would meet the hearty adhesion of the conservative party, who are simply dismayed and con. founded by the hopeless impolicy of the present proposals. Even from the present House of Commons it might extort approval, breaking up and disconcerting as it would the combinations, of faction, and dividing the counsels of the opposition. If not, it would form an excellent ground for an appeal to the country, whose response could hardly be other than favourable. Perseverance in offering the present scheme would be attended, as regards the con servative party with discredit, disunion, national distrust, and by the certain passage of a bill of • very different kind. NFVTRAL!TY Laws Comarmarorr.—A meeting of the commissioners was held yesterday at 2, Victoria.strect, Westminster. Present: Lord Cranworth, Lord Houghton, Lord Cairns, Right Hon. Stephen Lushington, Sir Wil liam Erie; Sir R. J. Phillimore. Q.C.; Sir Round,•ll Palmer, M.P., Q.C.; Mr. Travers Twiss, Q.C.; Mr. W. V. Vernon Harcourt. Q.C. ; Mr. Thomas Baring. M. P. ; Mr. W. H. Gregory, M.P.; Mr. W. E. Forster, M.P.; Mr. C. S. A. Abbott; and Mr. F. P. Onslow, secretary to the commission. FRIENDLY SOCTETTER.—This morning was issued a return of the number of societies which have deposited their rules with the registrars of friendly societies in England, Scotland, and Ireland respectively, under the Act 18th and 19th Viet., c. 1;3, sec. 44, with the name and objects of each, and when established. Since the passing of the act 389 societies have deposited their rules with the Registrar of Friendly Societies in England, under sec. 44, and of this number 313 have been established for one or more of the purposes uientioned in sec. 9. The registrar gives extracts from the rules of several of these societies. EXPRESS FROM PARIS. SHOCKING MURDER OF A GIRL. (Paoli ova OWN CORRESPONDENT.) PARIS. THURSDAY EVENING. Murders are now so frequent that it is impossible to notice them all. I have read of three or four this week the particulars of which did not strike me as worth recording. But there is a very shock ing case in the Droit to-day of the murder, pre ceded by the violation, of a pretty and modest country girl while she was walking home by herself across some fields, which I mention on account of the success with which a provincial advocate-general struggled against the tendency of country juries to find " extenuating circumstances " even in the worst cases. The case in question was tried at the Poitiers assizes, on Feb. 20. The public prose cutor, M. Gast, after stating the horrible facts, about which there was no doubt, concluded his address to the jury with the following remarkable peroration : And now, gentlemen, look at the case how you will, you must be convinced that the prisoner is in no point of view deserving of your pity. Nevertheless, the feeling against capital punishment is so strong that my duty is to ask my conscience, not merely whether, in this case, it is deserved, but whether it is absolutely necessary. On this head I submit to your judgment an argument which seems to me peremptory and decisive. It has pleased Providence to distribute the goods of this world in a very unequal manner. But happiness does not consist in the possession of riches ; it depends above all things upon a contented mind. Where in any station of life can you find greater or sweeter joys than those of family affection! It is by and through these affections that the poor is the equal of the rich, and on this ground the outcast of fortune is often more blessed than the great ones of the land. But the peasant and the artisan, the poor man in short, is forced by the conditions of his existence to suffer his wife and children to work alone in the field@ and to go from place to place along lone and un• frequented path., unaccompanied. When he thus neces sarily confides the objects of his dearest affection@ to the public sense of right and wrong, he should be able to reckon on the unswerving protection of the law. And of what value is that protection against wretches like the prisoner whose whole lives are one continual rebellion against law and humanity For such men capital punish ment alone has any terrors. Ah ! uo doubt it is as painful to you to award as it is for me to ask for such a verdict. But the voice of duty calls on me too loudly to allow me to yield to the tendency of the heart of man which leans towards mercy when he sees captive before him a disarmed helpless criminal. All of us here, whether judges, ma gistrates, or jurymen, have charge of souls. We must not, because our own children are safe from such attacks, neglect the interests of classes below us which are confided to our care. Every day the prisons and central houses of correction vomit forth upon society men like the prisoner. We must not by fatal indulgence encourage their crimes. It must not be that in some future day the mother of an other victim may be in a position to reproach us with our weakness, and call us to account for the life and honour of her child. I beseech you to weigh these considerations in your heart of hearts, and then judge and decide. The jury found the prisoner, a man named Beau regard, guilty, and he is sentenced to be guillo tined in the market-place of Chatellierault, the principal town of the commune in which the crime was committed. ADDRESB OF ROMAN EXILES TO GARIBALDI.--ON the 24th ult. a deputation from the Roman exiles residing iu Florence waited upon General Garibaldi and presented an address to him, drawn up at very short notice, yet nevertheless bearing two hundred signatures. The address WAS thus worded :—" General,—The Roman exiles resid ing in Florence, making themselves the interpreters of the unanimous desire of their brethren in misfortune, to you, the first citizen of Rome—you, the chosen regenerator of oppressed nations, offer to you a fraternal greeting— the greeting that is continually sent to you from the heights of the seven hills by the Roman people chafing under the fetters of isicerdotzd tyranny. May this greeting remind you that the exiles who are to go and free their country impatiently await the hour of action. The hour sounds, general, and awakens the hope that with your assistance they will be able to rescue their native land, and restore the head to the scattered members, making the wished-for shout of true liberty re sound from the heights of the Campialoglio throughout expectant Italy." The DiriUo says that the general re ceived the address with much gratification, and among the many remarks made to the deputation expressive of his affection for Rome, and of the necessity for proceeding in all conconl to expel the temporal power, he observed, " I hope Providence will enable me to aid you in your holy mission." Ladies have taken to ask for admissions to the legislative sittings at Paris, and in the galleries may now be seen many elegantly-dressed female politicians. Price Louis-Lucien Bonaparte is at present in Lower Navarre with the object of studying the dialects of that ancient province. He is accompanied by the Abbe Inchauspe, author of the " Verbs Basque Souletin," and the Abb.:, Cann:iv°, of Beyrie, noar Bayonne. The Politica of Madrid states that a subterra nean patrol has been established in that city, US a class of thieves who have made themselves thoroughly ac quainted with the ramification, of the sewers an in the habit of working their way upwards from them into various houses and committing robberies. In the last sitting of the Belgian Chamber of Re presentatives, after the formation of a committee charged to congratulate the King on the marriage of the Count de Flandre, his brother, the Minister of Finance presented a bill to raise to 200,000 fr., with reversion to the widow of one-quarter of that stun, the annual income fixed for the Prince at 150,000 fr. by the law of March 14, 1x56. With regard to the prevailing rates of wages for farm labour in the United States, the Agricultural Bureau reports that during January last the average rate of wages for white labour was 28 dole. a month a:thout board, and 15 dole. 50c. a month with board. The average rate of freedmen's labour in the southern states is 16 dole. a month without board, and 9 dole. 75e. with board. The highest rate in any state is in California, 45 dole. In the New England states the average rate is 33 dolt. 30c., though Massachusetts pays 38 dolt. In the middle states 30 dole. 7c. is the average, and in the western states 24 dohs. The wages of farm labour have increases! about 50 per cent. since 1860, and about 70 per cent. since 1835. Excepting in California, all payments are made in paper currency, which just now rules at about 6 dole. 60c. to the pound. ROYAL NATIONAL LIFEMIAT INSTITUTIN.Y. Tho Prince of Walton presidol over the annual meeting of this society, held yesterday in the Egyptian. hall at the Mansion-house. The announcement that his royal highn.s would take the chair attracted a nu. ineroux audience within, and large crowds without, from both of whom the royal party received a warm welcome. A preliminary announcement having been made, The Prince of WALES opened the proceedings by deliver. ing a brief speech, in the course of which he said :—lt affords me very great pleasure to occupy the chair upon so interesting an occasion as the present. Among the many benevolent and charitable institutions of tiara country there are, I think, few which more demand our sympathy and support, and in which we can feel more interest than the National Lifeboat Institution. (Cheers.) An in. stitution of this kind is an absolute necessity iu a great maritime country like ours. It is wholly dif ferent in one respect to many other institations, because, although Hate are to be saved, they ran in those cases in which this society operates, only be saved at the risk of the loss of other lives. (Hear, hear.) I am happy to be able to congratulate the institution upon its high state of efficiency at the present moment, and on the fact that by its means very nearly one thousand lives have been saved in the course of the pant year. (Cheers.) Lifeboats have been given by many benevolent individuals, some as thankofferings from the friends of those whose lives have been saved, and others it memory of those who are now unhappily no more. I am happy also to be able to say that life. boats exist not only upon our coast, but our bright example in this matter has been emulated by Elan, foreign maritime countries who have chosen to model their institutions upon our own. (Cheers.) I beg to tender in the name of the institution our warmest thank' for the kindness and courtesy of the Lord Mayor, for allowing to to hold our meeting in this hall. (Cheers.) It is, indeed, a peculiarly fitting place in which to hell it, from theintimate connection which must naturally exist between the City of London and the institution. Half a century ago it originated in this city. In the late Duke of Northumberland became its president. My lamented father was also the vice-patron, and took the warmest interest in its prosperity. (Cheers.) I am happy to say that the respected secretary, Mr, Lewis, occupied that position in 18:0). He has held it ever since, and much of die success of the in. stitution is owing to his long experience ; and the energetic manner in which he has directed its working has raised the institution to its present high state of effi ciency. (Cheers.) I should also mention that Mr. Thomas Chapman, Sir Edward l'errott, Bart., Captain .1. H. Ward, lt.N., the inspector of lifeboats to the institution, sad many other gentlemen, have rendered, and du render, to the institution most important service. I may say that there are 174 lifeboats afloat, and that in the course of the past year many have been called into existence at a cost of no less than 17,0001., the whole of which has been defrayed by benevolent individuals. Before cow eluding the brief remarks which I have addressed to yea, I call upon you once more to offer your support to so ex cellent an institution. lam certain that you mast be convinced that it is one which is really a necessity for a great maritime nation like this. I congratulate you that it has arrived at so excellent a state, and I feel quite sure that you would be the last to wish it to decay fur the want of support to its fund. (Cheers.) The annual report was read by the SECRET %RT. It stated that during the 4:1 years of its existence, the life boats and other special exertions of the institution had I been the mamas of saving 15,901 lives. The adoption of this report was moved by Sir .T. PAKINGTON (First Lord of the Admiralty), and seconded by the Earl of HARI/MIME, who, in the course of some ' practical observations, pointed out that among the clan:rem that gave the sailor so strong a claim upon our sympathies, the credulity and " liberality" of the insurance offices, as illustrated by a recent trial, was not to be omitted. The resolution was carried unanimously. A resolution, declaring that the institntion was emf nently deserving of continued public support, was moved by Sir S. Nostritorre (President of the Board of Trade), and seconded by Lord Ammer, PAGET. Lord Alfred. in • concise and pointed manner, urged that the ectahlishimnt along the most exposed portions of our coast Sine of har bours of refuge was essential to the proper wet king of the lifeboats. Before this motion was put from the chair, a gentlemn, who afterwards proved to Le Mr. BANTINc, claimed a few moments' attention. As he spoke from the body of the hall, the in:ijority present appeared to he app,eh:• - • -of this deviation hum the programme, but horn wore soon exchanged for applause when the speaker 11, 0.101 Up a cheque for tiOW. It was the gift of a lady who e 'lame he was forbidden to mention, and who d e ..i re d th e m o ney to be devoted to the purchase of a new lifeboat and loges an soon as a station could be found for 0n... It ap peared that Mr. Rutting himself once gave the 'agitation a boat, which wax unfortunately wrecked within s few days of her launch, and the meeting sletre.l with him the gratification he expressed that he was now 'urinated to assist in the performance of an act which was " a kind of child's dream" of his own for litany yearn. Thanks were %sited to the Bonill of Train unit the Cisots guard Service for the assistance they hii‘e rendered to the institution, the motion being proposed by N. (iiiscuros;, seconded by Sir E. L and acknowledged by Mr. CA VF, Vice-President of the Bead of Trade. On the motion of Sir A. MILNE, seconded by General KvnLl.t a vote of thanks was to the cone mittee of management and the local o a tittees of the various branches throughout the country. The secretary o: the Manchester branch, which is one of the largest in the country, responded to the compliment. The Prince of Wales here announced that he hail receisiiil a chwiiie for 4& guineas from Captain Harris, of Poehanip ton. This will provide a lifeboat, her equipment, life-belta for the crew, and a transporting carriage. Thanks for the use of the hall were proposed by the Duke of St. Albans, seconded by Mr. T. D. Potter, M.P., and acknowledged by the Lord Mayor. The latter gentleman announced a subscription of PM guineas from Mr. S. Morley, who was prevented from iitteniling through illness. Earl Percy. president of the institution, and Mr. Raring, M.P., chairman of the committee of III:I tiagerov.r, moved a vote of thanks to the Prince of Wales for presid ing, a duty that was rendered something more than formal lay the noble earl presenting to the Prirxe on behalf of the institution an elegant model Its a glans case) of the Albert Victor lifeboat. which. with eight others, had been given to the society I.v Moldiest. r, and which, although oho is the Isla contribution of the kind, has already done the state good service. The Prince of Wales accepted the model, and thanked the society nit giving it to him. He added that lie recciocil it with peculiar pleasure on account of its name, and it was grr tifying to feel that when his eldest son grew up be woad he able to reflect that a life-boat, christened after him, had saved between 30 and 40 lives by the tit., be Wa three years old. . Cheers were given as the Prince and suit• left the till Amongst the gentlemen on the platform., in addition tc Vione mentioned as taking part in the prooeohngs. w..re the Earl of Shrewsbury and Talhot, Mt. Tit, M.P., Nr N. Rothschild, and several members of the cot isnAtion. Earl Grosvenor sends to the Times a sketch of his speech at Mr. Gladstone's on Tueohv. " After v ing my humble tribute," he says, "to the dignity aid moderation both of the views and the language of ! , IT. Gladstone in dealing with the measure of his opponent' , and which tended to reunite the liberal part. I assured him of the cordial support of those with whom I Acted year to bring this great question to a s di-fa..tory issue, but on the express conditions that such issue pi.. Geed on sound constitutional principles. eiri iG to class a full equal share of representation. :aid, a is,ve all, giving preponderance to none. I added th.tt we who IA year found it necessary to separate from out fronds OA not consider ourselves, in the ordinary a ; that our difference with the liberal patsy ~n question of reform, and I sincerely hotel that Merin:: might be of no long continuance." The Archbishop of York and the RiOit li do V. E. Gladstone will be present at the meetin.; of the Net port.market Refuge on Thursday nest, and t.,k.. pal I the proceedings. • The experiment of universal sierra :,• is length to be tried in one American state. branch of the legislature of Kansas have ailoptvl a i m aalaients : • the state constitution, granting the ri•;lit ~,t e to - 11 persons, male or tem ils, white or 1.1,1.. first success the ni.-itatorti for female R 1 0 . 1 . 1 -., 11.1 , e achieved. In Washington a negro lias i t J lc d• in the Treasury department. •- Mr. Minicreiff, M.P., has addrt•ssed a la P2:O 1 ,10,1 * ing of the Aggregate Liberal Comiiiittoe r.t the suhject of the n.:-reactitat ion of the city. Ili.. ..ddr,z consisted of a justification of his conduct in with the Annuity-tax Bill, to wlslet Mr. M•Lar , n h. I committed himself without any previous cototiscatesfl'' with him. Referring to the tlee,ratioa of lio*t•litt at the meeting of Mr. l'l.aren's frien-Is its (Mc , I.•stre , l• hall, on Monday evening, he took up the glov , k• then bean thrown down, and declared his int• at ion ,t firmly maintaining his ground, because he behoved dui. the uttestion was not now merely One of taxation, but eve °fleeting the character and credit of the city. A coedit,: vote of thanks was given to Mr. Monona tor his .oltizess. I