The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-04-27 00:00:00

19) to any leadin; featv,rC!,' Of the present
it-Jeliikarmerely as ‘4 a system,"
as to a thousand and one overbights in the
MOre 4iinute piictical details of the *Working
out of hat &.y ten); 'as it - Tlibn
agar fie en %.**it the sytit,eii and its practical
jfar:liine±cepticinitble, there `must be*
some other peculiar cansesoPerating behind the
whale •fO lead, .its-iii'paSt to,. the
rebuilding of alni6st every shii), Oder and over
again. Thus ships may be originally well and
cheaply built ; but when rebuilt times without
number. the result is as likely to be, nnsatisfac-
tory' as the cast is conversely:increased. After
the question of eonstruction, of course, naturally
follows that of refitting and repairing, and this
involves :the other consideration as to how far
the tear and *ear to, which! our vessels are pre-
sently subjected is unnecessary and unproductive
of good.
that ancient anomaly; the City of London
'COrporation, is again the subject Of legislations
and of public discussion. Every municipal corpo-
ration in the kingdom owns the authority of the
great Reform Act, except that of London ; and
yet there reform is admittedly most requisite.
The means by which this singular exception has
succeeded in staving off the ruthless hand of the
reformer are described as having been among the
most.base, corrupt, and unpatriotic that ever were
employed for a bad purprose; and the odium is
variously apportioned among sovereigns, states-
men, and officials, froma king John in times past
to Lord John of the preSeht day. There is abso-
lutely no reason whate-C,er,, it is contended, why
the entire Metropolis shmild not instantly be put
upon the same footing as other municipal corpo-
rations, except that Lord John Russell would, in
all likelihood, at the next-elect-loft cease to enjoy
the honour of representing "the City w--ari iheon.-
venience to his lordship which would scarcely
attract much public attention. On the other
hand, the advantage gained - would he, that a
community of about three millions of inhabitants
would then enjoy a suitable system of municipal
government, instead of remaining, as they now
are, without the Power of any corporate action or
administration worthy of the name,
An 'occasion of extraordinary interest has
occurred in the Prussian f .Chanibersi in conse-
quence of an thiSuceessfal attempt to censure the
Government for its liberal telidericies, displayed
iri their opposition to the 'Alecto'. of Hesse-Cassel
in hiS unconstitutional treatment of the people Of
his states. The contest involves a principle with
the triumph of which the future . history of
Prussia and all Germany must be nearly con-
nected. The determination of the Priissiat GoVern-
ment to denounce the destruction of, the. Hesse-
Cassel Constitution, and to endeavour to procure
its restoration, was announced as a leading fea-
ture in the programMe at the opening of the
Chambers. Whatever degree of vacillation may
be chargeable against Prussia in other affairs of
importance, it must be admitted that she had early
formed and pronounced a clear and intelligent
opinion on this vital topic, and.that she has con-
sistently adhered to it. Her great opponent is
in reality Austria, acting through her myrmidons,
who have countenanced and supported the Elector
in- his illegal and unconstitutional procedure.
This is the old question revived in another sphere,
as between despotic princes and free peoples. In
espousing the just-cause of the people as against
the unlimited power of princes, Prussia makes a
great step towards aisuniing her proper position
and influence in the noble work of the regenera-
tie)) of Germany ; and thereby towards the
establishment of the only power which can be
sufficient to resist the encroachments of France