The Express.
London, England, 1864-05-21 00:00:00

ERDAL ED.
ALLEN'S PAT NTT PORAWARD
US tad
TRAVILLEBB RIM with
LAMB WARDROBE TRUNKB.=aritABB, with
Orer
DUP.= DOME WRITING and DREIMING CAM sod
Kob ether ertthee tar how or orallaestal leavelaig. Illeethated
wAeloilso Alree'the pod trebu
As rsa Ithethere et Pert able Bed
oed tre
ked& Drawees. Bag ark% W Oatheeth Re,
te.

3. 3CaLL3I33, lisambabwer led Musk% 33, Wed 'Wad.
Loads.. W.C.

THE DEPOTS AIITERNTIQUIS for SALE
a the aNurrs. Tobaccos. and Clock seastaatend or la-
MedIINCE GOVTISNICINT TOSAMI) ADMINVILILATION.

114
02. PICCADILLY, W. : 41, WILLIAICSTREWP CITY.

:ate enwefsis•

TO 001112ISPOWDZITIS.
i liorikowmak bamboo* kw " Tho lois a" looks Tworang
Paper, meet be as the *Oak 10. Houwelowtroob by Two
o'clock on the do el pabikolke.

HAYMAMILICt
'ram Inane, THZ BALANCS OF ODMFORT. Mile Angel.
—DAVID OARMICIL Mews. Boehm, Dackstone.Chippeodde,
Mendetore Moore, Bsowdoe, I.M.rwIWIon.—YLV
NfIrABONDI. L Leeley.—And Ml 9, WILITL

tilNCier&

TEM Immo, Till OLD NIOZT": Mr. Dominick Murray.
And ROWED AND JULIES. Noma Mahon and Vining
Mdlle. Stella Colasand Mn. M. Marston.

LYCEUM.

THIS ItYLfalO, RAMIE Ni.—e— lleeteer. J. leronstirs,
Meagre, lords., Neville, Charles, Minim, Mottos. Raymond,
Morelsod, Clifford. Edmonds, eelddloomb, sad Shore Misses
Kate Terry, lieurads, sal Maworlhy.—Commemee al S.

DZITANIfiI.

Tarn Email, LASHED—TO ins BUIL —DEDNLIA.I.
Muter Percy PAWL sad Illams C. St Caro vxl Scott—And
Tworarti of THE LETT-HANDED MAZELAGE. MN. &L m;
and THE GREAT OUCH? IMACT.—Commence at6j.

HIGH WATILZ AT LONDON DEMI.
Ton DAT Mond's Th. 410 ... lifisnrsas. ?A. to.
TamosioW-111andag, YO. Dko.....A.Deraocia. 2h. 3.Jui.

LONDON, SATURDAY, MAY 21.

THE extraordinary severity of this precocious
summer of 1864 is nowhere more perceptible than
in the House of Commons since Whitsuntide. If
it has been difficult enough to make a House, it
has been all but impossible to keep the fatal Forty
together. Even the moral tonic lately administered
by the Cea_eczu.os of the EXCHEQUER to the legis-
lative conscience has not proved potent enough to
resist the debilitating sultriness of • sky
of molten lead, which throws even old
Indiana on their backs, and causes new
corners from the torrid zone to gape and wink
in feeble consternation. Our legislators have
lounged in the lobbies, and hovered about the
precincts, and peeped in for a moment at the vacant
benches, and flickered out again, like farthing can-
dles in the blazing sunlight, before the Szcsurraev
of the TREASURY could snuff them. Even the forlorn
hope of the Committee of Supply have melted
away, nerveless and boneless, preferring, let us
hope, cool drinks and a shady spot to the
pursuit of Under Secretaries in • tro-
pical climate. Last night, it is true, a merciful
thunderstorm came to the relief of languishing
nature and legislation ; but it was too late ; the
House was already up; it had twice been counted
within a single hour ; and finally, counted out. Yes-
terday afternoon, however, at half-past four, the
House mustered intolerable force to greet once more
its returning Chief. No assembly of Englishmen
could be indifferent to so great and gallant an ex-
ample of energy and courage of mind, and strength
of will, triumphant over age, and sickness, and pain,
to which flesh and spirit of meaner mould and tem-
per too easily succumb. AU party differences and
discontents were forgotten at the sight of that brave
old gentleman stepping up with the briskness of •
second youth to his post of honour and duty.
Cheers, hearty and prolonged, from all sides of the
House, attested the sincere and anxious sympathy
which was now relieved. Assuredly there is
nothing for any man, Tory, Whig, or Radical, to
be ashamed of or to regret in such an act of sym-
pathy and homage to that veteran of whom a greater
statesman gone before, in moving a want of con-
fidence, said, " We all admire him."
It is pleasant to record this noble welcome
in the spirit in which it was given, because
for the rest we have a less agreeable
duty to discharge. We daresay Lord PAL-
MERSTON'S most unsparing critics last even•
ing were honestly glad to have him there
to criticize. But criticize they did, and in
doing so perhaps acknowledged in the
handsomest manner their satisfaction at his
return to the House. Mr. BAXTER had given
notice of a question as to the state of our relations
with the Chinese Empire. As a steady sup-
porter of the Government, as a merchant trading to
the treaty ports, the member for Montrose is an
unimpeachable witness to what be calls "our policy
"of war and interference in China." Approving
the general conduct of foreign affairs by the pre-
sent Administration, so far as Europe is concerned,
Mr. BAXTER condemns its Chinese policy as bad
in principle, and, moreover, not likely to succeed.
Admitting that it is at least an open question
whether the general body of British taxpayers
would be called upon to pay for the protection of
his merchandize in the treaty ports, he insists that
as a representative of the people he is not justified
in voting away public money in support of an effete
and tottering dynasty. He denounces the strange,
inconsistent, incoherent instructions by which our
civil and military officers in China are co-operating
with the Imperialists against a domestic revolution,
interfering forcibly in a civil war, and serving the
interests of Russia, against the recorded advice of
our own Ambassador at Pekin—advice recorded
in despatches, but hitherto only revealed to u■
through the indiscretion of the American Minister
to China in papers presented to Congress. Mr.
BAXTER asks whether this policy of intervention
in China is to be persevered in, and
whether, in fact, we are going to add to our
immense responsibilities in India, the renovation
and administration of the Chinese Empire. To
these most serious questions the PREMIER'S reply
is nothing less than prodigious. Non-interven-
tion, he says, is no doubt " a plausible . prin-
" ciple," but not of universal application. In
Europe we have repeatedly interfered " with
" success ;" in Spain, in Portugal, in Belgium, in
Greece, where we have set up "free and parha-
" mentary institutions." In China we have not in-
terfered for the sake of establishing " free and
" parliamentary institutions," but "to open up •
" vast field of commercial intercourse," and to
maintain those treaty rights which we have con-
cluded with the existing dynasty and Government.
If it be dangerous to go to war with one-third of
the human race, what must be the advan-
tages of uninterrupted commercial intercourse
with so vast • portion of mankind ! Re-
bellion is the normal condition of out-
lying provinces, of the Chinese as of the
Ottoman Empire ; but the Taeping rebellion is
already " narrowed," and it is more probable that
it will be suppressed, than that the Tartar dynasty
will be overthrown. If the Taepings should suc-
ceed, anarchy must follow. So while our direct
interference has been limited to the treaty ports,
we have given the Chinese Government assistance
in collecting their Customs duties, and we last year
authorised Captain SHLRARD OABORN El raise
small squadron for the purpose of restoring order