The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-16 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, MAY 16, 1863.

like the old French Parliaments. While on the
other hand it may communicate the judicial office
Very widely, as by our system of juries, and thus
may educate • very large portion of the nation,
but yet may not succeed in obtain* the greatest
certainty of just legal decisions. It ma lightly that
some among us are prepared to think f this
secondary and educational influence of laws. In
that case, we may expect to hear a pro-
posal to abolish trial by jury. Before
the restoration of the French Empire we had
among us philosophers crying out against parlia-
ments, and calling for • man—for CAUSAR; and the
fact that many material improvements have been
rapidly accomplished in France by the power and
will of NerorioN 111. has led some foolish English-
men to disparage our slower and more popular
methods of administration. There will always
be thoughtless men, impatient of direct mid
immediate results, and men who can only see
one thing at a time, ready to join them
in the demand for one-sided innovations.
But Englishmen at large are not so degenerate as
to despise the foresight and large circumspection
which appear in all our most peculiar institutions.
Now, about the influence on the community at large
of the employment of the lash there can be no two
opinions. It either hardens the public mind, or
it awakens • sympathy with the criminal, regret-
table iu itself, and most pernicious in its effects.
This is a matter of experience. No doubt the
promoters of this Bill think that in ad-
vocating it they are showing themselves
the most formidable enemies of crime ; but
they are not. It may be, as they allege, that •
false sentiment has mingled with our treatment
of criminals of late years. But that error is not
to be corrected by rushing, to the opposite ex-
treme, and abandoning ourselves to vin-
dictive passion. The proper course is to
find out the cause of the mischief, and
remove it. Crimes of violence were numerous
last winter, because our magistrates of all grades
had fallen into a habit of imposing too lenient sen-
tences on offender', and because our superior
prison managers allowed their convicts to return
prematurely to society. The number of those
crimes was rapidly and sensibly diminished on the
application even of a partial remedy. This Flog-
ging Bill was, therefore, unnecessary. We have no
fear that it will seriously affect the national character
if passed, because it is morally certain that the
strength of that character will be seen in a strong
reaction against it as soon as the matter becomes
practical. But the character and tendency of
the Bill remain unaffected by this consideration,
and are such as ought not to peas unnoticed or
unrebuked.

THE Ludgate Station and Junction Railways
Bill was withdrawn yesterday. The London,
Chatham, and Dover Company's Bill, containing a
clause for an extension of time, still remains to
be dealt with. The Corporation of the City of
London will not be able to oppose this clauas
in the House of Lords.

45be Court.

WINDSOR CASTLE, MAT 15.
The Queen, ppiLnied by the Princess Helena,
walked in the gaud this morning.

Priam Arthr;, attended by Major Elphinatone, left the
Castle.

The Prism and Winans of Wales. ►tte►ded by the
Cotuateas of Maninaleld, Ltentaaant-Genand Kacdlys, and

Major Teesdale, sad Prince Alfred, attended by Major
Cowell, arrived at the Caudle at a quarter before ooe o'clock.

_
The /time sad princess of Wales took leme of her
Majesty and returned to London.
The Earl Beauchamp bad an audience of the Queen, and
kissed hands on reeeiviog the gold stick Si colonel of the
2nd Regiment of Life Guard&
Viscount Sydney and Sir George Grey had audiences of
the Queen.

The Queen, Prince Alfred, Priam' Helena, Prima.
Louise, Princess Beatrice, and Prises Leopold, left Windsor
Pestle this evening at a quarter before 'even o'clock, for
Belmoral.

The suite in attendance consisted of the lady Augusta
Brno., Lieutenant General Hon. C. Grey, Lord Charlie
Fitzroy, with Major Cowell.
The Duchess of Athole meets her Majesty at Perth, and
succeeds the Dowager Countess of Mount.E.Jgcumbe as
Lady in Waiting.

The Prince of Wales presided yesterday at a meeting
the council of big royal highness held at the office of the
Duchy of Cornwall, Buckingba;pts, SR Jameerpark.
There were present the Duke of Newcastle, Lord Warden
of the Stennaries ; Sir William Dunker, Keeper of the Privy
Seal ; Sir William John Alexander, Attanay•Generol -
Colonel the Han. Sir Marisa Bsammont Phlppe, Receiver;
General; Lientenust-Gaseal Hpellya, Compteoller of the
Household of his royal Wilmer ; and Lord Portman. Mr.
Batsman, the Seeretary, attended.
The Prince and Princes of Wales, and the Prince and
Princess Louie of Hems, visited the Daher of Inverness
yesterday afternoon, at her residence at Kenungton-palacs.
The Duke of CaMbeidge visited the Prince and Princess
Louis of Beene, at Marlborough-bousn
The Prince of Wales had a dinner party last evening at
Marlborough-house. The company included the Prince of
Orange, the Duke of Cambridge, the Belgian Minister and
Madame Van de Weyer, Baron Bentinck, the Netherlands
minister ; the Duke and Duchene of Manchester, the Mar•
quia and Marchioness of Adman, the Earl and Countess
Stanhope, the Earl of Macclesfield, Lord and Lady Alfred
Paget, the Right Hon. Sir Charles and Lady Mary Wood,
Lieutenant-General Koollys, Baron de Pollandt, and Colonel
Bosch, in waiting on the Prises el Orange ; the Hon. James
Macdonald, in waiting on the Duke of Cambridge ; the lady
in waiting to the Princess Louis of Hesse, Captain Wester-
yeller, and Mr. Becker.

The tend of the Grenadier Guards was in attendance in
an ante-room, and played during dinner.
The Queen's private band, under the direction of Mr. An•
denim, attended in the drawing-room in the evening.

A deputation from the baud of directors of the Nest
Africa Company (Limited) had saints:view with Earl Bur
sell at the Foreignofce yesterday.
Sir James Elphinstone, Bart., M.P., and Mr. Laird, M.P.,
, had an interview with the President of the Board of Trade
yesterday on the subjects( anchors and chain Gabfest

HER MAJESTY'S DBAW 1N0,800M.-(THIS DAY. )

Her Royal Highness the Princes. of Wales held
a drawing-rem at St. Jimmie Palace, by command of her
Xajetty. The drawing-room was aumwrovely attended.

We are glad to announce that their Royal
Highnesses the Prince and Princess of Wales have
graciously accorded their patronage to Mr. Lumley,
on the occasion of his benefit performances.
_ _ _

Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cam-
bridge end the Primer Mary honoured Sir Alexander and
Lady Arabella Beeneneen with their compsey at dinner,
last evening. at their residence in Grosvenor-place. The
following had the lumeer el meeting the illustrious visitors :
—His Excellency the Austrian Ambuesdar and the Coun-
tess Apponyi, the Duke et Newcastle. Maria Idarchloseee
of Aikebury, the Earl and Cowden Delaware, the Feel of
Ihrtowel, the Earl of Elerftes, Viscount Chelsea, Lord
Hamilton, and Yr. and Imely Charlotte Roma. the Du-
chess of Cambridge and the Primness Mary afterwards ho-
noured the bell given by Lady Mazy Nisbet Hamilton, in
Cheshire-place, with their meson..
The Countess De Grey and Ripon had an mem-
Mr last misfit at the family minion in Carltoo-gardens.
We (Times) are authorised to state that the
Queen has bees pleased to signify her Intentioa to wafer
the honour of knighthood upon Mr. Francis Sandford,
'Secretary to her Majesty's Commindoners for the Exhibi-
Lion of 1862.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(sztase's :ors.)
AMERICA.

(Per Persia.)
THE FIGHTING IN VIRGINIA.

NEW YORK, MAT 5, !ammo.

Advices have been received from the army of the
Potomac up to Sunday night. Thel state that
General Lee threw the bulk of his army against
Hooker's right at Chancellorsville on Saturday, and
routed one corps of Hooker's army. The battle
was renewed on the following day, and though not
absolutely decisive, is said to have resulted
favourably to General Hooker.
The left of Hooker's army captured the heights
in the rear of Fredericksburg on Sunday, and Lee's
forces at that point joined Lee at Chancellorsville.
General Lee's army is now between the column
of Hooker's army at Chancellorsville, said to
number 100,000 men, and the column which cap.
tured the heights in the rear of Fredericksburg,
said to number 20,000 men. The two columns are
separated by an interval of five miles.

The Federal force is reported to have cut the
railroad in the rear of Lee's army.
The Confederates have a force at Warrenton
Junction, in the rear of the Federal army, and a
severe fight has occurred there in which the Con-
federates were routed.

Active skirmishing continues around Suffolk, and
General Dioz has proceeded there to conduct
an attack on Richmond from the northward.

Accounts are too vague to estimate accurately
either General Hooker's or General Lee's loom ;
but they are probably both large.

NEW YORK, MAT 5, Evisnra.
General Grant is moving on Natchez, Ma-

sissippi.
♦ naval engagement is reported to have taken
plaoe at Grand Gulf, Mississippi.
The Confederates, under Marmaduke, have
crossed Whitewater river and escaped out of
Missouri, burning the bridge behind them.
More Copperhead riots have occurred in Indiana.
Mr. Redgate, one of the owners of the cargo of
the Peterhoff, has applied to the court for permis-
-1 Rion to testify on his own account.
The court refused the application on the ground
that Mr. Redgate, being a citizen of Texas at the
time of the secession, must be regarded as an alien
enemy. The examination of the cargo continues.
The investigation into the alleged frauds com-
mitted in prise cases is to be conducted with dosed
doors.

It is reported that the privateer schooner Retri-
bution has been captured by the Federal steamer
Alabama off San Domingo.
Tha Federal sloop of war Tridle (1) has been
burnt off Pensacola.

Navigation has been opened at Montreal and
Quebec.

Mr. Vallandigham, ex-member of Congress, from
Ohio, has been arrested at his residence in Dayton
by a detachment of soldiers, who battered down
the doors of his house to reach his room. His
friends endeavoured to rescue him, but he was
carried prisoner to Cincinnatti. General Burnside
is said to have ordered his arrest for making dis-
loyal speeches in Ohio.

The Etna has arrived out.
NEW YORK, MAT 6, Motazzo.
Advioes from General Hooker reach to Monday
night. General Lee renewed bis assault on Sun-
day against General Hooker at Chancellorsville,
and drove Hooker back at some points, but was
finally beaten off. General Hooker then contracted
his lines, and awaited Lee's attack on Mon-
day. The result of Monday's battle is not
known, but heavy reinforcements are reported to
have arrived for General Lee previous to the
lengagement, rendering it probable that General
Stoneman had not cut the railroad communication
to Richmond.
Nothing positive has been beard from General
Stoneman since his raid in General Lee's rear, and
it is not known what success he met with.
Eight hundred prisoners have arrived at Wash-
ington. The accounts are still too confused to give
an accurate estimate of the losses on either side,
but they must be very large. The government
allowed no information to be telegraphed.
It is reported that General Banks has occupied
Alexandria at the head of the Red River.
The Federals crossed the Nansemond River at
Suffolk, and again four miles below that place.
They encountered the Confederates, and are
rumoured to have captured eight guns.
It is supposed that a large number of Confede-
rates left the neighbourhood of Suffolk to join
General Len
General Grant has landed a large force below
Vicksburg, on the Mississippi shore, and General
Sherman has landed up the Yazoo River, where he
made his last attack.
It is supposed that Generals Grant and Sherman
will now make a combined attack on Vicksburg.
The Federal attack on Grand Gulf failed. The
Federal iron-clads were to cross Charleston Bar on
the 4th inst.
The mob in Dayton, Ohio, cut the telegraph
wires, set the Journal office on fire, and committed
other disturbances.
The Persia takes out 229 passengers and 215,427
dollars in specie.

NEW YORK, MAT 4, Evramo.

The Federal are making a combined movement
to cut all the Southern railroad communication
with Vicksburg.
General Banks has occupied Opelousas and
Washington, Lousiana ; and continues to meet
with success.

The New Orleans papers think that General
Banks has dealt the heaviest blow yet against
Vicksburg, as, with Farragut at the mouth of the
Red River, and a powerful Federal army in
Western Virginia, the great highway to Texas is
closed.

The Oonfederatee are reported to have retired
from Baltimore, Ohio.
The damage done to the railroad had been re-
paired.

Mr. Chase has made a speech, in Boston, express-
ing the opinion that the war was near its termination.
The steamer General Buckner has arrived at
Havannah from Mobile.

Flour dull. Wheat heavy. Corn inactive. Pro-
visions dull. Coffee quiet. Sugar steady. Molanees

upon the he that Mr. dihron found out the fact ; before
he weld widish himself be had received 0111 or two spear
wounds about the head, sad be now lies dangerously M at
Tien-tain, having been for some days insensible.

The English troops at Taku have been detained
by order of Sir F. Bruce.
nom Shanghai we learn that renewed dissatis-
faction is felt among the merchants, owing to the
imposition of taxes on goods removed by native pur-
chasers. Tax-gatherers are posted at the doors of
the different merchants' premises, and a duty is
levied upon each bale of goods removed by Chinese
dealers.