The Express. — London, England, 1867-03-28 00:00:00

VONSTITUTIONAL LIBERALISM. NJ "THE DAY." Price One Penny.—Office, 49 Ewa-street, Strand. BENSON'S WATCHES and CLOCKS. By Special Appointment to M.R. U. THE PRINCE OF %VALI:4. Prize Medal. London. (lass 33: Dublin. Clam 10. WATI`lllll4—Pho .'meters, K eyless, Repeaters.Chropwraphake. CIA s— For I/Mite:Mid DlTl•ing Roonoo,rorriocearloarclicsAo, JED ELLEItY eprcbolities In Monograms, rrystals, Diamonds, mai fine gold. PL.ATE. and WORKS of ART in Bronze, by Leading Artists. PRICEs and Deoliptions. see Illustrated Pamphlet, post free Watches and clocks sent to all parts of the world. J. W. 1:1:\v ,N, .OLD IIDND-sTRRET. Stearn Fact .17 and City Show RoUTUS. and i. LUDGATS•HILL. Pork Is, English Section. elms 23. B ROWNand POLSON'S CORN FLOUR for CHILDREN'S DIET. To obtafn extra pr ftt by the Ws other kinds on Somoitstro offered instead , •1 lIROWN and polan:srs. "John Prosru, - "John Potion.* Is signed by She nab= at each packet. eitt erarregiO. TftRUIPONDWTS. Advertise:heats httewled for .Tho Express," London Ironing lam must, be at the Oeo, 10, bouveriwettwat, by Two dank ou the day of pulaicatloa. DRKILY LANE. TIM ETinsind, ROB ROY. Mews. Phelps, T. Sitinhourne,W, Harrison, Wintyre. Barrett, and Harcourt . Mesdames E. eras, It. G. Le Thiene. iludsp,th, and E. Brougham.—To conclude with WANTED litrsE.iNDll FOR SIX. Miss Hudspeth. MATMAILIL Thu Evßernto, D \VII) (lAititlCK. Mews. Sothern, Bork stone, I'hipven.l3le. Kocers, Clark, Re. ; Mc.lames Nacre, Chip pendale. &,:,--'111k: SEICIOIN FAMILY. Mews. Buckstone, Howe, Farren. Re.—And PISILFECTION. Miss Burke. !sn!TAlts• Tim nygNIN4, NO. i, RlO'irTfilt CORNER. Mama. Shorn and F.lrrnat3. —And IT 13 NEVER TOO LATE TO MEND. Mews. Vil.,nz V. VIIIi<33, Veriscr, Shure, Calhaem, and Manna; Minas Page and Rodgers. LYrM. Tins Everlrn , Bt tKI Wl7.Lt Y,77Mr. Pricy and Mks Rate 1t1.dt0p.—.%14.1 THE DUI: MirTrtl. Mr. Vrchter, M rams. Jordan. Entrry. Widdleotah. Iltrpatrirk. Rc. ; Mires llamado, ltlaworthy. Gruttua, and Carlotta Leclercq. TwT Ev MAREIV.77OAt MITERS AND YOTTNG ars- BA N %I 10111.1)A : OR. THE SENSATION Of/AT. Messrs. Th , rne , Lame.. IGrlw , n . ant 'Dunce Me,lantes Swanhoron g h, Hughes, Newton, Wenthersly,ae.—And A SUIT Or rwszara. lIOLSORN.. Tun Benirnall, YY TF&S NERT. Mr. &bum: Misses late and Lena:.—Not vLiallo !CUD. Messrs. Neville. &1- more. Make, Vahan. ll...dames V. Josephs, C. Saunders, Bessie too4e. Addis, Lam; lltsvinced, Bs. BIZTANNU TAU EVENING, I , ll'BT ; M AROVERITE' mANGLE. 3lra. Lane, dr. —NI r. W. Randall. Mr. N ogden, and Nice Llama Xerridge.—With THE TICKET tor LEA VY.. Molt WALTZ AT LONDON DE/DOS Till DAT —morning. 616 "461 Atiersuoa. TL j TO-Mooooll—Morning, 71. Atkinoon, 60. 24m. LONDON, THUR.SDAT, MARCH 28. THE removal of the dual vote from the field of controversy enables us to concentrate our atten tion on the remaining substantial provisions of the Government Before' Bill. Two of these now stand in the foreground—the distinction that is to be made between persons qualifying on occupa tions above 101. and below 101., and the applica tion of the compound-householding principle to diminish thenumber whom household suffrage would enfranchise. The invidious distinctions directed solely against the proposed new class of voters below 101. rental will, it may be expected, not survive a fair discussion. It will be found im possible and unreasonable to try to maintain a two-years period of residence in the case of the one class, when six months is considered adequate for the other. The occupancy, again, may properly consist, for the new as for the old voters, of premises other than a d house, since the use of such premises in addition to a dwelling-house argues in general a higher position than occupancy of a dwelling-house only. Discrepancies of privilege between the voters above and the voters below 101. will be at once useless and irritating, and Conservatives as well as Liberals must be ready on reflection to abandon distinctions which are absolutely indefensible. The great conflict, then, will probably be on the compound householding restriction. But whatever might be said for this limitation if it were uniformly applied, the fact that it is not at present capable of uniform application ought to satisfy Government that it cannot be accepted as it stands. The restriction must be understood to aim at some practical effect. If nobody were to be kept off the register by its means, it could not be worth the support of any party. But if a certain number of persons are to be ex cluded from the franchise by itsoperation, then Par liament cannot delegate to Bumbledom the selection of these individuals. The Legislature cannot ab dicate in favour of the vestries. It cannot in decency profess itself unable to draw a line at which free enfranchisement should end, and hand the duty over to the pot-house politicians of the parishes. Whatever it does it must do in its own name, and on its own responsibility. And having contemptuously laughed the idea of dual voting out of the Bill, it cannot for very shame leave plural voting in vestries to determine the limits of the suffrage in each locality. Plural voting may be very proper when nothing else is affected by it than the fixing of rates, the election of collectors and surveyors, and the regulations for paving and lighting the parish ways. But if it should be invoked to settle the line at which Englishmen shall be admitted to or excluded from the full privileges of citizenship, its operation would be a most offensive anomaly. The anomaly would bo ludicrous u well as hateful in those cases in which it was not even co-extensive with the limits of the individual borough, but in which different parishes in one town were left free, as in fact they are at present, to establish different rules. The nature and degree of variety in the franchise which such a scheme contemplates ex ceed in extravagance the most fantastic dream of a political visionary. Mr. DISRAELI, indeed, approached near enough to such a dream when he gravely defended the idea of a diversified franchise in different boroughs on the ground that it would break the " oppres " sive monotony " of the House. It would be interesting to know what the CHANCELLOR of the ExcEsquza exactly means by that observation. To persons less gifted with imagination, it seems as if the House was yearly tending to comprise elements more various, and less amenable to party discipline. Where formerly we had two parties we now have twenty. If we have not the heights of a Mountain, we have the hollow abysses of at least two Caves. We have eccentricity that is rollicking and eccentricity that is funereal. We have more distinct crotchets than Mr. DISRAELI has fingers to count them on, and we have cases that almost verge on inter esting studies of monomaniacal tendency. Mr. DISRAELI is unreasonable in calling for more vs- I riety in the performances or more diversified ca pacities in the actors. It may be all very well to have one Bill in a session presented once a week in an entirely altered and never-before-witnessed shape, but if every member were to put whatever Bill he brings in through similar trans formations, the whole business of the House would resemble those ingenious figures of blue upon a red ground which dazzle the eye as they dance before it, till everything seems mixed up with every thing else, and nothing remains but a same of Oriental gorgeousness, and a desire to have the brilliant effect removed. More variety in the House ! Why the one thing we are all praying for just now is to have less variety in the Ministry, and, if it were only possible, a little more cohe rence in their ideas. But whatever may be the normal House of the future for which Mr. DISRAELI'S fancy may se cretly sigh, we must seriously protest against ar riving at it through manipulation of the parish rate book. Why is the parish to be made the basis of Imperial arrangements? Why are parish deductions and parish compromises to be reflected in the composition of the House of Com mons ? There are a thousand objections of de tail to the scheme, but for the present we confine ourselves to this broad inquiry. If we merely re sorted to the local valuations as convenient moans for ascertaining rental, there would be some reason for the course proposed. Even for such a purpose, however, it is hard to see why we should not re quire the parishes to put the real rental on their books, instead of that fluctuating proportion which is called the rating value, and which, as it is got at by a propel Uonate deduction from every one, is no relief to any one, and is purely fictitious and useless. But at whatever proportion we choose to fix it we may surely insist that the rating shall be uniform. And this is, indeed, confessed by Mr. DISRARLI'S own Rating Bill now in Parliament. But when the doctrine of uniformity of rating is admitted for the purpose of securing uniformity of franchise, it is to the last degree inconsistent to allow diversity of compounding for the purpose of creating a variety of franchise. It is clear that Parliament cannot abdicate its functions in favour of the vestries. It must make up its mind whether Household Stiffra‘e is right or not, and if it thinks the time for its adoption not yet come it must dare to say so in its own person, and not throw the responsi bility on the chance operation of a parish bye-law. By its own wisdom, and not by the parish wisdom, it must deal with the selection of the classes who are fit for admission to the franchise. Loss of all sense, not only of dignity, but of self-respoct, would follow from so weak and absurd a delega tion of its proper powers to the bodies which of all in the country are the least regarded. If this notable scheme were really carried out, agitation would not be appeased, but embittered. The voters in one parish or town would see themselves deprived of a right which the Legislature had con ferred on them, by the irresponsible action of a few rich gentlemen or ladies with a plurality of pariah votes. There would be perpetual quarrel ling, angry recriminations, and all the fury of local disputes. The unenfranchised may consent to wait for the action of Parliament, but they would certainly not endure limitation of a parliamentary gift at the option of local magnates. OUR CONTEMPORARIES. (THIS DAY.) THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 28, 1867. FOREIGN AFFAIR-9. The Times sees no contradiction to the treaty of Prague in the alliance contracted by Wurtemburg, Baden, and Bavaria. with Prussia. Austria had consented to her exclusion from the whole of Germany, and the three southern states, with a portion of the gr►nd duchy of Hesse, were at liberty to form such combinations be tween themselves and with foreign states as they might think fit. Germany, like Italy, longed for political unity, and Count Bismarck, in making himself the interpreter, ham only destroyed as much of the old building as would constitute a basis for the new one. Whatever may be thought of the work now in progress in the North German Diet, the final result of the national movement must be the total ►bsorption of all the minor States by Prussi►. Towards the Germans themselves the Times thinks Count , Bismarck has not shown himself harder than circumstances required, and his harsh unprincipled dealing with the Poles and MUMS it attributes to his determin►tion to play any part, even to flatter his countrymen in their most ungenerous animosities, to bring the Germans together, and, by consolidating and extending Prussia, to render any conflict with it a gigantic and almost hopeless under , taking. Those who might have flattered themselves to overcome 29,000,000 Germans must now think twice before they take the field against 40,000,000. If the rumours are true which state that in contempla tion of a ministerial defeat in the recent elections in Italy, something like a coup d'ltat had been projected, the Daily Newt thinks there is little doubt that the advice proceeded from an imperial ally whose own sovereignty is founded on the overthrow of parliamentary government, The idea could never for a moment have dazzled the senses of any responsible foreign minister, but other advisers may have insisted on the prudence of dispensing with the parliament as long as the terms of the constitu tion would permit. Admitting th►t the present cabinet of Baron Ricasoli is too weak to encounter • compact and reckless parliamentary opposition, the Daily News proceeds to refer to various names which have been mentioned of late, and which it thinks would give material strength to the Cabinet. The pressing peril of Italy lies in that political pusillanimity of many loyal and well-meaning but shortsighted men of business who, while they angrily condemn the Piedmontese and the Republican factions, are ready to acclaim with the alacrity of French Imperialists just as much of a coup d'etat as might be safely performed in these days, when coups d'etat are going out of fashion, and parliamentary government is coming in again. The Doily News points out various misconceptions which are entertained in this country respecting the reconstruc tion which is now being carried out in the Southern States of America. Its disqualifying clauses apply only to that small class of Southern statesmen and officers who having, previous to 1861, served in some public capacity, and sworn to uphold the Federal constitution, afterwards participated in the rebellion by which that constitution was sought to be destroyed. The mass of the people are untouched by it, and probably ninety-nine out of every hundred white persons in the South will find that they are at liberty to vote, and will come forward and take their share in framing the new constitution of their states. They may feel that they are practically disfranchised by the enfranchisement of the freedmen, but that at least is no greater grievanoe than that against which the vanished safeguard of the duel vote was contrived by conservatism here. That the South will be organised under this act there can be little doubt. 1 . 7111 AItTIRANPI . AND t' nwri.Lniam mu. The Timex thinks Mr. Torrens's measure ought to be very much curtailed before it passes into law, and is even of opinion that the object would be better attained by a simple extension of the Public Health Act of last session. By all mean, let us inertia* the powers of local authorities to enforce sanitary regulations, but let the duty of observ ing such regulations remain where it now lies—with the owners and occupiers of property. Provisions for the in epection and regulation of lodging-houses can hardly be too stringent, and the MN(' would gladly support any measure which would strengthen the hands of public authorities in compelling landlords to render the houses on their property habitable. But it is something quite different to take the responsibility out of their hands and to do it for them. If, as our Sanitary Acta acknowledge, it is the duty of a landlord to keep his houses in a whole. some condition, he should be compelled to do Sc. And for what just reason should the inhabitants of the metropolis be saddled with a threepenny rate in order to r elieve him from his obligation The Herald heartily approves of the bill, as also does the Telegraph, which calls it an admirable and nobly revolutionary measure. The scheme, says the Telegraph, is the proper companion of a reform bill, and may be hardly inferior to that measure in effect, if the right men carry it out in the right way. It will enable the artisan and the labourer to get what they can hardly ever get without such help--a fair, salubrious, and pleasant dwelling, at • rental that will certainly not be larger than that which they pay now in weekly doles for sickly and shameful holes, called " homes " only in bitter irony. THE REFORM BILL. The Times speaks of the progress of reform as having now taken a happy turn, and says no one doubts that the last obstacle to the passing of a reform sot in 1867 will disappear. The ministry has assented to the alterations essentially necessary in their measure, and the good augn riejof the early part of the sesaion, though often overcast since, will be fulfilled. When pediment rises, some four months hence, it may look upona greatdued accomplished, upon the admission of a large number of citizens now un enfranchised to the privilege of voting, upon an enlarge ment and a reform of our representative system ; and it may look forward to a career of renewed activity, undis turbed by the agitation of organic changes. The Herald ranks Mr. Disraeli's speech on Tuesday night with the most famous efforts of parliamentary ora tory, and n numerous qualities thinks it has never been surpassed in our generation. He succeeded, it says, in re commending the measure to the house, to the liberals, as well as the conservatives, as one which offers a fair pro spect of a settlement. The .Star insists that Mr. Disraeli has conceded nothing of the slightest importance. The liberal leaders have ex plained their views with the utmost fulness and clearness, and they must now proceed to enforce them. They will, in all probability, indeed we may say almost certainly, pro. pose • series of propositions as an amendment to the motion that the Speaker now leave the chair. If ministers accept the proposals embodied in these propositions, which relate to the franchises, the clauses in the bill will be altered accordingly, and the question of redistribution of seats probably struck out entirely to be dealt with more leisurely after the importance of the new constituencies is appreciated. As regards the county franchise, a single resolution will probably suffice ; but the several important points relating to the borough franchise must be compre hended within the propositions offered. To grapple with all these 'questions in committee, as they come up in their natural order, would be, for many reasons, inconve nient and impolitic. The Dor thinks the amendment proposed by Lord Gros venor comes nearest to the proposition of the government, and might be accepted by them without any sacrifice of principle. That principle is the personal payment of rates, adopted without any reference whatever to the numbers whom it would enfranchise, or the numbers waom it would exclude. the Court. WINDSOR CASTLE, MAtten 27. The Queen drove out yesterday afternoon accom panied by Princess Louise and Princess Beatrice. Prince Leopold, attended by Mr. Legg, also drove out. Her Majesty, accompanied by Princes Louise, drove out this morning, attended by Lady Churchill. - . Princess Christian, attended by Lady Susan Melville, also went out driving. Princess Beatrice walked in the grounds of the Castle. Prince Leopold and Prince Henry of Prussia also went out walking, attended by Mr. Leaf. The Duke of St. Album!, the Hon. Mrs. Grey and Blis s Grey, arrived at the Castle yesterday, and had the honour of dining with the Queen and the Royal Family. Lieut.. General Hon. C. Grey had also the honour of being invited. The King of Denmark and the Prince of Niles rode on horseback yesterday morning, attended by Lient.-Colonel Keppel ►nd M. de Scheele. A deputation from the Hull Ragged and Industrial Schools, consisting of Lord Hotham, M.P., Hon. Admiral Buncombe, 31. P., Sir Henry Edwards, Bart., M.P., Mr. Norwood, M.P., the Mayor of Hull, and Mr. J. F. Krugh, had an interview with the Dukeof Richtnond,at the office of the Board of Trade, yesterday, for the pur• pan of obtaining a training ship for the port of Hull. THE QUEEN'S COURT.-(THIS DAY.) Her Majesty the Queen held a court to-day at Buckingham Palace, when the presentations and recep tions already arranged for took place. It is announced that the Queen will hold another court in June, but the precise day has not yet been fixed. VISIT OF HER MAJESTY TO THE METRO POLIS.-(THIS DAY.) This morning her Majesty the Queen, accom panied by their Royal Highnesses Princesses Louise and Beatrice and Prince Leopold, attended by Major-General the Hon. A. N. Hood, Colonel Hardinge, and Lady Churchill, left Windsor Castle at a quarter-past 11 o'clock on a visit to the metropolis. Her Majesty and the other members of the royal family drove to the Windsor station of the Great Western Rail way, where a special train, furnished by the directors, had been placed in readiness for the royal trip. The royal party were received at the private waiting room by Mr. Tyrrell, superintendent of the line, Mr. Alfred Higgins, divisional superintendent, and Mr. Fraser, of the carriage department; and the Queen having entered the state saloon, the special train quitted Windsor at 11.20 a.m., the route being over the flooded district between Windsor and Slough, and thence by way of West Drayton and Southall to Paddington, where the Queen arrived at 11 o'clock. Here a large number of ladies and gentlemen had assembled to see the Queen arrive. Her Majesty, on quitting the train, entered her carriage, and, escorted by a guard of honour, left for Buckingham Palace. The Queen will also meet their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales and the King and Queen of Denmark. Her Majesty wore a dark pelisse trimmed with miniver, and black dress. l The intelligence this morning was to the effect that the health of her Royal Highness the Princess of Wales was gradually improving. The Queen is expected to return to Windsor Castle about 6 o'clock to-night. The Duchess of Cambridge, the Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelitz, and the Princess Mary Adelaide and his Serene Highness the Prince de Teck have arrived at Belvoir Castle on a visit to the Duke of Rutland. Their royal highnesses will be the guests of the iuke till after the Creston Park meeting. The Count and Countess de Paris honoured Frances Countess Waldegrave and the Right Hon. Chichester Forteecue, ILF., by their presence at dinner last evening, at their residence in Carlton•gardens. Among the company present to meet the royal guests were—His Excellency the Italian Minister, his Excellency the Ameri can Minister and Mrs. Adams, the Duchess of Argyll, the Marquis and Marchioness of Clanricarde, the Marquis of Lorne, the Earl and Countess Grey, the Earl and Countess of Airlie, the Right Hon. W. E. Gladstone, M.P., and Mrs. Gladstone, Hon. Frederick Ryng, the Right Hon. Robert Lowe, M.P., and Mrs. Lowe, Mr. Smith B►rry, M.P., Mr. Bernal Osborne, M.P., and lladlle. Boerio, in waiting on the Counter de Paris. Last night Lady Stanley of Alderley had a re ception at the family residence in Dover-street. Picca dilly. Previously to the reception Lord and Lady Stanley of Alderley entertained a large party at dinner. _ . . The Countess of Derby will have reception► on the 6th and 13th of next month, at the noble premier's mansion in St. J►mea's-square. Lord and Lady Chelmsford entertained at dinner last erening, at his lordship's mansion in Eaton.square, the Duke and Duchess of Buckingham, the Right Hon, H. T. L Cony and Miss Cony, Hon. Captain and Lady Constance Stanley, Mr. and Lady Jane Dundee, Mr. Dyke, Mr. William Peel, ►nd Hon. Major and Mrs. C. Thesiger. Her ladyship afterwards held an assembly. Last evening the Duke and Duchess of Marl borough had a dinner and evening party at the family mansion in St. James's-square. The dinner party com prised the Duke of Cambridge, his Excellency the French Ambassador, the Marquis of Blandford, the Earl and Countess of Derby, the Earl Cadogan, the Earl of Shrews. bury, the Countew d'Apponyi, Viscount Canterbury, Vis count Jocelyn, Lord and Lady Cairns, General the Right Hon. J. Peel, M.P., and Lady Alice Peel, Hon. Charles Carington, Sir Henry and Lady Sophia des Vceux, and Colonel Tyrwhitt, in waiting on the Duke of Cambridge. Her Majesty has been graciously pleased, at th e _ _ _ _ recommendation of the Barl of Derby, to raise the follow ing gentlemen to the haronetage :—The Right Hon. J. Napier ; Mr. Bagge, ALP. for West Norfolk ; Mr. William Lawrence, Berjeant Surgeon to her Majesty ; and Mr. B. L. Guinness, M.P. for the City of Dublin. All four gentlemen are of conservative opinions. LATEST INTELLIGENCK. THE AMERICAN HOUSE OF REPRESEN TATIVES AND THE FENIANS. A telegram from New York, dated yesterday, published by the Times, says:—" The House of Representatives have passed resolutions expressing the popular solicitude regarding the Canadian Con federation, and sympathy with the people in Ire land and Canada in their struggle for nationality. An amendment condemning Fenianism was re_ jected. The China, the Chicago, and the Olympus have arrived out." THE AUSTRIAN PRESS ON THE GERMAN TREATIES. The Frew/cub/aft of Vienna counsels Austria to form an intimate alliance with Prussia, and to give a quasi adhesion to the fundamental statutes of the Northern Confederation. The Wanderer thinks very differently, and pronounces with violence against Count de Bismarck. It says : The constitution of North Germany which M. de Ms. marck has recommended to the adoption of the Reichstag is one of military despotism, accompanied by commercial and custom-house provisions as a safety valve. It is a con stitution which ignores the rights of the people aithout giving them the power of voting for the taxes, without control over the finances, without responsibility of min isters, without a federal tribunal —one, in fact, in which the most powerful state alone has the right to speak and the others have only to obey. Such a constitution is con demned from the first day of its existence, and its dura tion is only a question of time. The Press of Vienna is no less indignant with the partisans of the Prussian alliance, its lan guage running thus : Certain politicians recommend Austria to make a mani festation of the most complete impuissance. Those people counsel an understanding with Prussia—even an alliance with that power. Naturally, if the consolidation of the state is to be sought for in its dismemberment, tbef oreign I policy which would place Austria's head in the lion's mouth is easily understood. If foreign nations believed seriously that public opinion in Austria is capable of listen. ing to such advice they would certainly be right in pro foundly despising this country. What! France, Eng land, Russia, and Prussia, should have the right to select their alliances according to their sentiments or their interests, and Austria should be con demned, like the miserable fellahs, to carry the stones fur the construction of the pyramids raised to the glory of Prussia ! The syren voice of the Gazette of Northern Gcr litany of Berlin cannot fascinate us. We love Austria,and shall not allow ourselves to be misled. We are far from wishing to enter a Germany whose violent unification has been effected by M. de Bismarck. We do not like to make • traffic of the destinies of the monarchy. We know more over that Austria would acquire in M. de Bismarck only a very doubtful friend, and that by such an unskilful change she would draw upon herself dangerous enmities. Let her at least endeavour to assume a practical attitude in foreign policy. Is there at this moment any pressing necessity to seek a positive alliance ! No ; any motive for such •course would be looked for in vain. Hereafter, perhaps, the hour may come when she will have to seek an alliance, and then only will she have to weigh the situation and decide in virtue of her specific interests. (lIETTER'S TELEGRASIS.) PRUSSIA. BERLIN, MARCH 28. At the sitting of the North German Parliament to-day, the debate upon the Federal Constitution was continued. Herr Ansfeld's motion that the mover of an amendment might still speak for five minutes after the close of the debate upon the amendment was rejected by 128 to 125. A treaty has been concluded between tho ad ministration of the North Hessian Railway and the directors of the Bergish-Miirkisch line. The latter company undertakes to work the line, en gaging to substitute & per cent. Bergish-Markische Preference shares for North Hessian shares. FRANCE. PARIS, ituica 28. The Emperor has commissioned several naval officers and hydrographers to proceed to various points of the globe in order to determine a certain number of fundamental meridians which will serve to fix the geographical position of intermediate places• FRANCE AND HOLLAND. HAMBURG, MARCH 28. The Hamburg Corresputukut of to-day publishes a semi-official communication from Berlin, which says : " In any arrangement effected between France and Holland, with regard to Luxemburg, tho other European powers will also be entitled to a voice in the matter." ITALY. FLORENCE. MARCH 28. In yesterday evening's sitting the Chamber of Deputies elected Signori Pianelli, Restelli, and Cavern, as vice-presidents. ROME. ROME, MARCH 27. In a oonsistory held to-day the Pope preoonised the Archbishops of Milan, Rheims, and Algiers to their sees. Twenty-one bishops were also ap pointed, of whom four were French, one Hunga rian, and sixteen Italian. His Holiness delivered a short allocution to the cardinals. PORTUGAL. LISBON, limits 27. Popular tumults have taken place in Oporto on account of the new taxes. Troops were ordered out to restore order. The city is now tranquil. THE BOMBAY MAILS. SOUTHAMPTON, lifAscw 28. _ The Peninsular and Oriental Company's steam ship Euxine, with the heavy portion of the above mails, has arrived here. She brings 34 passengers, 3,121/. in specie, 72 bundles of ivory, and 9C) packages of sundries. Across the bay and up channel she experienced westerly winds. On the 20th inst. she spoke the steamer Syria, and on the 24th the China. Gibraltar 23rd March. The French frigate Pomone, from Vera Cruz, with 600 men of the Ist battalion of the foreign legion, arrived here on the 21st instant. These troops are destined for Oran on the Morocco coast. Her Majesty's ships Galatea, Skylark, and Red pole, were in the harbour. Exchange on London 491, on Paris 5.24, Madrid 1 dis, Cadiz, Seville, and Valencia par. Freights unchanged. AMERICA. On =rano Tausatura.) NEW YORK, DlAaca 27. _ _ _ General Sheridan has removed Mr. Herron from the post of Attorney-General of Louisiana, and has also dismissed from their offices Mayor Monroe and Judge Abell. Their successors have been nominated. The levee of the Mississippi is giving way, and an inundation of the lower valley is apprehended. The Guion Company's steamer Chicago arrived here this morning. She was detained by ice in let. 45 N., lon. 48 W. EXPRESS FROM PARIS. (nom OUR ow CORRESPONDENT.) PARIS. WEDIPEADAT Evarixa. The partisans of imprisonment for debt are doing battle for the cause in the Corps Legislatif with extraordinary zeal. The Tribunal of Commerce of the Department of the Seine has declared unani mously that the test " produces no useful result ; is not resorted to by any respectable traders, and ought to be abolished." But the deputies Jossean, Seneca, and Nogent St. Laurens, cite Montesquieu, Napoleon 1., and Troplong to prove that imprison ment for debt is the head corner stone of com merce, and in particular they insist upon its main tenance in the interest of poor men, who, they say, will not be able to get any credit if it shall be abolished. They go so far as to predict that the passing of the government bill will deprive Paris of a main part of the harvest she expected to reap this year from the Exhibition. Twenty five millions is the estimated value of the busi ness done with foreigners in a year. This year 50 millions was calculated upon ; but if the Paris bourgeois is to be prevented from clap ping his foreigner into prison whenever he pleases and without a moment's notice, he will, it is alleged, be afraid to do business with him at all. Again, large numbers of English resort to St. Malo and other porta of Normandy to buy cattle and provisions. We are told that the English will get no more credit in these places if imprisonment for debt is to be done away with. These exaggerations were extremely well answered by the champions on the other side, MM. Jules Simon, Mege, and Mario, who contend that the possibility of putting a debtor in gaol never enters into the calcula tions of tradesmen whol give credit. They look, on the contrary, only to the honesty and means of the persons they trust. M. Baroche is speaking to-day as government com missioner. The result of the debate is ex tremely doubtful. M. Baroche threatens to resign if the Chamber throws out the bill. This is a very striking fulfilment of the prophecy that when ministers came to defend their own measures be fore the house they must necessarily consider themselves responsible to it. There is a rumour that Baron Jersime David is likely to resign his seat on his appointment to an important ministerial department. He had been talked of as likely to succeed to the Speakership, which Count Walewski wishes to resign. The papers contain a story of a crime committed at St. Denis of so appalling and unheard-of a cha racter that I cannot but suspect some inaccuracy in the report. The statement is that a party of 11 waiters and cooks employed in some of the St. Denis restaurants met together at the lodgings of one of them to have a supper with provisions and wine stolen from their masters. A girl aged 19, of bad character and in the last stage of pregnancy, sat down with them. They got drunk. A horrible and indescribable orgie followed. In the course of the night the girl was delivered of a child, which was strangled as soon as born, and the body thrown into a water-closet. The girl made no complaint, but on being questioned by the commissary of police, in consequence of her altered appearance, she made disclosures which led to the arrest of the 11 men. At the Bourse, in the absence of any political news, the market took a favourable turn for the speculators for the rise. Rente raw 25c., both for cash and account, closing at 69fr. 20c. and 69fr. 171 c. Mobilier rose 6fr. 23c., and yet the great affair pending between the SocigtiS Immobiliere and the Comptoir d'Escompte is not supposed to be settled. Italian rose 25c. The new Danubian scrip was in favour, and quoted at 70fr. 01c., or within i of par. The annual commemorative anniversary of the return of the First Emperor from the Island of Elba was celebrated on Sunday at Catelain's restaurant. Falai' RoyaL As usual, the poet-deputy, U. Belmontet, was re. quested to preside, which he accordingly did. Naturally the number of heroes of the First Empire diminishes rapidly. M. Belmontet designated the medallists as " medailles vivantes " of the imperial epopee. All the victories of the Grand Army were represented, from Ma• range to Montmirail, which, when one considers the date of the first Italian campaign, is truly marvellous. The bust of the First Emperor occupied the centre of the table. overshadowed by branches of the traditional chestnut tree of the Tuileries. The huge ration loaf was surmounted by a magnificent bouquetof Parma violets, sent from Toulouse for the occasion. The flowers were distributed among the old medallists, who cheered the Emperor heartily and re ' peatedly. The following is the text of the report addressed to the King of Italy for the decree ordering the removal of the remains of Daniel klanin to Venice :—" The ashes of that patriot repose still in the Liendly soil which was for him, MI for so many others, the hospitable land of his exile. But since the happy deliverance of Venetia they await restoration to the country of his birth. After hav ing valiantly assisted at the defence of Venice so long ns that was possible, he took refuge in France, and there, joining in admirable unison the most disinterested patriot. ism to the sincerest practical sense, he was one of the first to sustain the idea of national unity under the constitu tional sceptre of the august House of Savoy. By his en. lightened counsels and an incessant devotedness he foresaw and prepared the way for the triumph of that unity which in 1866 ceased to be a wish. He had not the consolation of witnessing the long-awaited success ; but Venice and Italy desire, and justly, to restore the remains of the illus trious deceased to that country for which during his life time be laboured and suffered so much." Verdi has just arrived at Genoa, where he will in future take up his winter residence ; during the remainder of the year he will continue to occupy hie house at Santa Agate, near Busseto. The municipality of Genoa, wishing to show the value it attaches to his presence, has decided that his name should be inscribed on the golden register of the city, and has at the same time conferred on him civic rights. A street is also to receive the name of the Via Verdi. The first hopeful sign that the Chinese are begin ning to appreciate the superior knowledge of Western races has just been given in the shape of a proposal by the Foreign Board so establish at Pekin a college for the in struction of educated Chinese in foreign science. According to the Melbourne papers just received, enormous swarms of beetles Lave been notioed lately in Victoria, Australia. In the early part of January ► swarm was notion! near Ararat, in Victori►, flying in a column about 20 yards broad, and keeping in compact order. They oast a dark shadow on the ground, and they were an L ou r in passing the spot from which they were seen. At a certain point they turned off at right angles. The oca &ITU in the neighbourhood of these insects have been stripped of every particle of foliage. Great numbers of the beetles fall to the ground during the flight. The noise they make while flying is like th►t of a hurricane playing in the rigging of a ship. The colour of these beetles is a dark bronze. Mrs. Aloock, mother of Major Henry Aloock, Deputy• Lieutenant of Wilton, county of Wexford, was burnt to death atWilton Castle on Sunday evening. She was alone in the servants' hall when her clothe' took fire, and she was dead before help came. The gentlemen of the Wexford bunt were to have dined there next day. Nine or ten lives have been lost by the recent floods in the county of Wicklow. At a place called Askinagap, a herd named Mulball, with his wife and four children, were found overwhelmed with mow in their cabin, lying dead in their beds, as if they were asleep. In another place a woman was carried away several hundred yards by a torrent, while her infant was found floating in its cot on ► distant stream. 4 VISIT TO PRESIDENT GEPPRARD. The Marquis of Lorne, in a volume just pub lished, called "A Trip to the Tropics," gives the follow. ing account of en interview which he had with President Geifrard, of Hayti, who, according to a telegram which we published yesterday, has fled before popular insurree. tion :—" After we had waited some time Geffrard came in. He was dressed in black, with white necktie, and began to talk immediately. His manners are charming, quite those of a polished French gentleman, and he is evidently more accustomed to speak than to be spoken to. He is of about middle height, his figure rather spare, but well knit. The white wool is brushed back from a high but not broad forehead. His eyes are very black, and quick in their ex pression, and the mouth and jaw seem Ito show deciake and firmness. He has white blood, but is so dark that no one unitise practised in the ?swims shades by which the distinction of race are marked would say so. He and his government are quite looked upon as representing the coloured, not the black class. He has been elected Preei• dent for life, but I doubt if he will be in his present posi tion many more years, unless aided by foreign power, They say here that Seward offered to send him a gunboat for protection. If so, it is in contradiction to the pokey of Captain Walker, the commander of the Federal man.of.n ae the De Mots. This officer, it is almost known, hadentered into eorrespondencewith Salnave, who had held out hopes that, in case of assistance being given him, he would do his best to give the Americans a large island off the north coast of Hayti. We told the President we had come from deceit!, and were going to leave by this day's steamer. ' Messieurs,' said he, 'I am afraid you have had a rough journey, and over bad roads.' We could, of course, not deny that the roads were bad, but praised the scenery and the polite. ness of the people. He said, Yes, they are a polite and good people. Great crimes are unknown ; one never bear, of a murder. A man may travel alone with large sums of money, and be perfectly secure. Arms are carried, act for defence or to hurt others, but because it is the custom of the people. It originated in the number of wan in which they were engaged. Larceny and small offences are the only crimes.' We told him of the town school we had seen, and asked if the education system was carried on under government alone. ' Yes, messieurs ; nearly all the school. are under government. There only • few that are partiewher.' Eley talked of the exertions of the Pro sident to farther education. 'Oh yes !' the President said,' but we are quite ashamed of the poverty of our insti tenons, when they are seen by foreigners. Remember that we had everything to do ; that this is • new state which we had to build from the ground.' After much in the •me strain, he said he wished we would come in another twenty years to see the progress they would make in that time. We spoke of the imperfection of schools even in England. Yes ; you are not NO far advanced as they arc in Switzerland. We have now 15,000 children in our schools, lint most of them are in the towns, where are chiefly the coloured men. We have schools also in the country, but there the children are so scattered, and there is such a distance to be travelled, that it makes teaching very difficult. In this arrondissement of Port aa-Prince we have one-tenth of the whole population of the Republic' (this is put down at H,OOO, which gives %0,000 as the total population). Referring to the soldiers, he said there was no sickness to speak of among them, and that, as there were no large barracks, they always lived in the neighbourhood or in the town. We asked him about the laws against the settling of strangers, which made him speak a good deal on that subject. Yea,' he said, we do not allow strangers to hold landed properties. Our laws are against it. They are not the class of people we want as immigrants. Rut several of your countrymen do occupy land ; there is Mr. William Lloyd, for instance, but others bold the title. Strangers are allowed to be feratitrs, not proprietors. This is the difference, and the unwillingness to have foreigners is owing to political reasons. If they were allowed to have lar.tl as they liked, their influence might soon be dominant, and their presence might excite stern feelings of enmity, leading to war, that Imu so anxious to avoid. You have the same laws in England against foreigners possessing land. I got the chambers to strike out the word white in their laws and substitute for it the word stranger. The animosity be tween the white and the black is much decreased here, and our people will receive and satisfy your demands with even greater alacrity than they will ours. This is espe cially the case with Englishmen, whose country was the first to acknowledge the equality of the human race, and to recognise that the colour of the skin alone should not cause such a separation. I wish for fusion, not only of blood, huh of sentiment.' We spoke of the abolition of slavery in America, and asked him about Seward. He said the secretary had come to the palace to visit him, and seemed to suffer much still from his wound, in conse quence of which it was difficult to hear him speak. 'lt was the Case with me ; my tongue is too large for my jaw. When I was young I used to stamp my feet with rage at the difficulty I experienced in expressing myself.' After staying for about half an hour he rose to take leave ; bat when out of the door we were recalled with the exclama tion, ' Ab, messieurs, quelle iinpoliteste !` and, on re entering, he gave us some sherry, apologising that the wine was not of the best, and again saying he hoped we would return twenty years Bence—a long invitation, which we accepted. I wonder if the old Pre.ident or we shall be alive at that time ! He is se likely to be in England as we in Hayti. We left the island on board of one of the fine Glasgow transatlantic boats, which was taking out troops to Jamaica. We foiind the officers engaged in attempting to catch three large shark. that were swimming about under the stern ; one was hooked, but got off almost immediately. The officers wont land, not expecting to find anything to their taste in a negro republic. Haw—where have you been! Devilish long ride.' What's to be seen' Nothings I'm sure, in such a d—d hole. Fancy a black republic! Haw—haw ! I would'nt land for anything. I always feel inclined to knock a nigger down when be's impudent; and what they must be when they're free, like that, I don't know,' were some of the sensible remarks addressed to us. We remembered the courtesy and refinement of President Getfrard's conversation, and we made our own reflections. I forgot to say that eleffrard re. marked, aa if convinced of its truth, that the com merce of the Haytians anti the quantity of goods ex ported were enormous for the size of the country and the number of people. This was almost the only sub ject on which he spoke with satisfaction of anything in the land be governs. It is a magnificent country, and t o r n iuu future-" one cannot pttrhelp wishing it a happier and a more Wu. Mr. Corry will move the navy estimates in °um. mittee of supply on Monday. The workmen have begun to excavate the site ef the new buildings for the Royal Academy in Burlington gardens, and before the summer of next year ends every thing, it is thought, will be in readiness for the migration of the academy from Trafalgaraquare to its new abode. No lees than three architects are engaged. Maws. Banks and Harry have charge of the buildings intended for the learned societies ; Mr. Sydney Suiirke is the architect of the Academy, and to him is due the improvement of the aspect of Burlington House by the addition of a storey 1 0 it. Mr. Pennethorue is the architect for the London University. A new church is about to be built at St. Dents, a populous suburb of Southampton, which has been built up very recently. The church is to be erected near the ruins of the ancient priory of St. Denys, on the banks of the lichen river, and is to coat about 7,000/. St. Deny' is the station for the branch railway to Netley Abbey. UNIVERSITY COLLEGE HOSPITAL.—The annul dinner in connection with the North London or University College Hospital was held last evening at Willis's Rooms, the treasurer, Sir F. H. Ooldsnilil, q.v., M.P., in the chair. The hospital is situated in a part of the metropdha I inhabited by a dense and increasing population, including a very large number of the labouring aml indigent clsoca During the past year upwards of 1,560 in.putients nee admitted, nursed, and cured ; 10,400 received medial and surgical treatment as outpatienta ; nearly 12,550 were attended to as casualties ; relief was administered in up- wards of 1,200 ophthalmic cases, and in 500 cases of diseased of the skin ; 740 women in childbirth were attended at their own habitations; and during the prevalence of cholera 101 cases were taken into the hospital, and $, 0 •. 3 persons su ff ering from diarrhiea received advice and me+ . eines. The yearly cost of maintaining the hospital in its present state is 7,5001., whilst its certain income from all sources does not exceed 4,400/. ; so that a de. ficieney of upwards of 3,0001. has to be provided for. Owing to various sources of additional outlay, the debt at the end of the financial year in October lost was no lea than 9,600/. The hon. chairman, and other gentlemen who addressed the company, earnestly pleaded for sub scriptions to remove this debt, and to enable the manse-ell of the institution to enlarge their operations. Subetnr Rona in the room were announced to the amount of 1,10 1 . During the evening some excellent vocal music was gi!' n by Messrs. J. L. Hatton, Chaplin Henry, Moutem Swap FisMing, Donald King, and a few chorister boys. 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