The Express.
London, England, 1864-06-29 00:00:00

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Tw' EVINDie. Sel.ctiona from ROMEO AND JULIE-L—
-CD RYSTY'S C.II.OI:RED COMEDIANS. Music, Songs. Dance;
and Operatic littraranaaza.—Maadanias Lceebial and Constance.
.—And THE SCAMPS OP LONDON.—Commence 0401.

Hl6ll NAT= AT LONDON WALDO&
THH DAT Varela& 91 4892... .A.llemma 101 TINA
TO-10/10W Morning. 101 INs.. ..Atioresia.lll. 3092.

LONDON, IVEDNESDAY, JUNG 29.

MR. DISRAELI has framed a resolution on the
Danish question in terms so broad, compreheu-
aive, and elastic, that it would be difficult for unpre-
judiced representatives of English feeling and
opinion to record their votes against the sense and
purport of the Address to the Crown which the
leader of the Opposition intends to move on Mon-
day next. Four distinct propositions are enun-
ciated in this address. 1. Regret at the failure of
the Conference ; 2. Regret at the failure of the
avowed objects of the Conference ; 3. Regret that
the great influence of this country is lowered in
the councils of Europe ; 4. Regret that the securi-
ties of peace are thereby diminished.
To express regret at the failure of the Confer-
ence is not to approve the assembling of a Confer-
ence without a basis, or with no firmer or more
positive basis than " the restoration of peace in
" Northern Europe." It is open to those who
sympathize with Germany, as to those who sympa-
thize with Denmark, to regret that a Conference
which met for the purpose of restoring peace,
should have led to the resumption and extension
of war. No member or supporter of the present
Government will affect to deny that the
avowed object of the Conference was to re-
store peace in the North of Europe, and that
object has not been attained. Mr. DISRAELI'S
third proposition is no doubt more susceptible of
controversy. Has the just influence of England
been lowered in the councils of Europe by the
failure of these negotiations f We know not what
considerations Mr. KINGLAKE'S amendment may
adduce in behalf of Prussia and Austria, or of the
German Diet, whose action these two greatmilitary
Powers have superseded. But it will require no
excessive ingenuity on the part of a ministerial
advocate, or a German apologist, to maintain that
the mere attempt to restore peace in the North of
Europe on any terms acceptable to the belligerents
deserved commendation rather than censure. On
both sides of the House the majority are in favour
of peace. We dismiss altogether as an outworn
bugbear the assumption that *Tory Ministers or
members are always hankering after war. Fifty
years, or even a quarter of a century ago,
such a theory was not perhaps unfounded ; but
who believes at this time of day that men like
Lord STANLEY, Sir Bt-LWER LYTTON, Mr. HENLEY,
Sir JOHN PARINGTON, Lord DERBY himself, are
eager to plunge their country into war, with all its
enormous responsibilities and risk', for the sake of
convincing the people of England that military
genius is as rare on one aide of the Atlantic as on
the other, and that contractors grow fat at the
expense of their patriotism as easily in London as in
Washington or New York? Her .MAJERTY'Ii Go-
vernment went into Conference, according to their
own express and repeated declarations, to preserve
the integrity and independence of Denmark. They
have not only not succeeded in preserving that
integrity and independence ; they have again and
again, from point to point, counselled Denmark
to give up her territory, and to renounce lier
rights. At the very last meeting of the Plenipo-
tentiaries, it is true, Lord Ressztz gave utterance
to a solemn vow in behalf of the principle
of the independence and integrity of the Danish
monarchy ; but vows of right, however solemn,
are of little wotth when a flagrant wrong has been
consummated and condoned.

Has the great infjuence of England, then, been
lowered by the result of this pompous and futile
Conference ? That is the question for every Eng-
lishman at home or abroad, and for every well-
wisher to England, to ponder at this moment, and
the Opposition is only taking a constitutional ad-
vantage in putting it. Whatever may be the
vote of a moribund Parliament, the verdict of the
country is pronounced already, and that verdict
was anticipated, not so much by the derisive ejacu-
lations as by the eloquent silence of the House of
Commons on Monday evening, when the PREMIER,
after justifying the desertion of Denmark by that
Power which of all others had counselled non-
resistance as a condition of support, insinuated the
possibility of Parliament being suddenly called to-

gether during the recess to sa•cdan the Leh
of the Channel Fleet for the preservation of King
Cnaisruar, when his kingdom and the capitalof
Denmark are no more. England, no doubt, can
very well afford to be indifferent to the taunts of
foreigners. Moderation is always a sure sign of
strength. A giant may well be meeker than a
stripling and more forbearing than a dwarf. But
can England, the example and the surety of all
free states and of all nation" aspiring to be free,
suffer any statesman to declare in her name that,
single-handed, she is powerless to defend the right
wheresoever assailed, or to prevent the wrong by
whomsoever committed ! Against all such search-
ings of the national conscience Ministers may urge
the blessings of peace and the miseries of war. " We
" have kept the peace." But Lord DERBY made •
sound distinction on Monday evening between "im-
mediate" and "ultimate" peace. On such a question
as this we write without respect for persons or for
parties, and we accept good words even from the
lips of political adversaries. That Polish question
to which directly or indirectly may be traced
all the questions that have since afflicted,
and still threaten the happiness of Europe,
was considered to be settled in the interests of
peace, when the neutral Powers declined to arrest
the perpetration of a monstrous crime. If it was
but a begging of the question to boast of preserv-
ing peace when Poland was abandoned, is it less a
fallacy now to boast of preserving the peace because
Denmark is forsaken T If, indeed, the dignity and
influence of England are to be measured by the
convenience and safety of a ministry, why, then,
perhaps it may be fair to take credit for preserving
peace when a ministry is preserved. But if a great
country is destined to 'arrive many successive
ministries, it must look beyond their present comfort
and convenience. No great nation that desires and
deserves to live can rest and be thankful for the
privileges of senility. It may be that her Ma.rcerv's
present Ministers can defend their policy on stronger
grounds than any which the protocols of the Con-
ference suggest, that they can plead difficulties
in the accomplishment of their duty more delicate
and more embarrassing than any which they are at
liberty to disclose—embarrassments under which
any other ministry must have succumbed. That is
a way of meeting Mr. DISRAELI'S resolution which
it concerns their discretion to adopt. At any rate
it is no duty of an independent press to abstain
from honest criticism, because criticism is easier
than policy.

Clle Court.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Just 28.

The Queen, accompanied by the Prince and
Prince= Louis of Hem, drove out yesterday afternoon in •
carriage and four, attended by the Hon. Horstia Stopford
and Lieutenant-Colonel the Hon. D. de Hoe.

The Duke of Nesnours, Octant d'Ett, Princess Margaret,
and Prime's Beach° of Orleans, arrived at the Castle
yesterday.
The Duke of Nemours, Count d'Eo, and Prisms Mar-
garet, dined with ber Majesty and the Royal Family.
The Queen, accompanied by Prince's Helena and Priserna
Louise, went to London to-day and drove to the Palace at
Westminster and inspected the works of Mr. Herbert and
Mr. Mediae, who were in attendance by her Majeety's com-
mand.

Her Majesty afterwards honoured the Dean of Weetanin
.ter and Lady August► Stanley with a Twit at the Deanery,
and returned to Windsor Castle at 5 o'clock.

In attendance were the Marchioness of Ely, the Hon
Mn. Bruce, Lord Charles Fitzroy, end Lient-Colonel the
Hon. D. de Itos.

The Prince of Wales, accompanied by the Prince of
Leiningen, rode on horseback yesterday forenoon, attended
by Lieut.-Colonel KeppeL
The Princess of Wales, accompanied by the Princess of
Leiniogeo, took a carriage drive.
The Prince and Princess of Wales, accompanied by
Prince and Princess Leiningen, and attended by the Mar.
chimer of Carmarthen, Lieutenant-Generel
and Lieutenant-Colonel Keppel, visited the museum of the
Geological Survey and the Royal School of Mines, in
Jermyn-street, yesterday, and were shown through the
building by the Director-General, Sir Roderick Murchison,
aooomp►uied by Professors Ramsay, Huxley, Holman,
Percy, Tyndall, Willis, Mr. ,Trenham Reeks, Curator,
and Mr. Hunt, keeper of the mining records ; Mr. War-
riogtou Smyth being absent on duty in Cornwall.
The Prince and Prince's of Wales, accompanied by Prince
and Prince= Leiningen, and attended by the Marchioness of
Carmarthen and Lieutenant-Colonel Keppel, went to the
Adelphi Theatre in the evening.

Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-office
from the Governors of the West India Islands, British Co-
lumbia, and Vancouver's Island.

Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess
of Wales, Prince and Prieceas Leiningen, Lady Carmarthen,
Colonel Keppel, and suite, Impound the performance of the
Dead Heart' at the Adolph' Theatre, last oventog.
. -

His Royal flightless the Duke of Cambridge bee
issued cards foe e dinner party on the sth proziour at
Gloucester House.

Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge
and the Princess Mary honoured Maria Marchioness of Ails*.
bury with their company at dinner lad amnia( at her
residence in Hertford•atreet, Mayfair. The following
were invited to meet thrr royal highoesses—their Serene
Highnesses the Priem and Princess Edward of Saxe-
Weimar, the Duke and Duchess of Manchester, the
Marquis sad Marchioness of Ailesbary, the Marquis
of Hartingtoo, M.P., the Earl Granville, the Earl
and Counter of Seashorosgb, the Earl of Sandwich,
Viscount and Vie:ouster Newport, Lord and Lady Elcho,
Lord Csarteasy, Sir Edwin Widmer. Captain Arthur
Ellice wee in stteadanes on their royal highnesses. Later
in the evening her ladyship bad a small sod early party.
The Duke of Somerset and several other officials
esonected with the Admiralty will leave town to-day for
Liverpool, and return on Friday.

The Duchem (Dowager) of Sutherland had a
select party at Chiswick House yesterday afternoon. The
band of the 2od Life Guards were in attendance.

The Earl and Countess of Clarendon are about to
Rive a aeries of dinner parties, the first of which will take
place on the 6th of neat month.

The Countess Spencer's first ball is fixed to take
place on the Bth of next mouth at Spencer Houma.
Viscountess Palmerston has issued cards for as-
semblies on the 2od sad 9th at nest month.

HIGHGATE 110HTICULTURA I. AND FWILICCLIVRAL
SOCIITY.—The summer flower show of this society took
place yesterday in the grounds of Holly-lodge, Highgate,
the charming suburban residence of Mies Burdett Cooks.
Notwithstanding a very languid, sultry day, with rain at
intervals during the afternoon, • large number of visitors
were present. The show of flowers, though sot ergo, was
good, there using many beautiful ealosolarks, geranium',
roses, sod other summer specimens, with some very fine
examples of the begonia and the &liana. There was also
a satisfactory display of the fa tut and vegetables of the
memo, among which some luscious looking raspberries aid
several cucumbers of abnormal dimensions were oosspesous
objects of attraction. Not the least interestieg part
of the exhibition was • sort of supplementary
show of fruit, flowers, arid vegetables contributed
by pupils of the National and Indsetrial &hoods.
la themselves the specimens were not remarkable, but
when, upon reading the placards placed apes them, Mailers
found they bad bees sent by mere children, the look of in-
differeaos with whioh they were at first regraded at owe
gave way to ate of gratified attention. Tea years appears'
to be the average age of the exhibitors is this department of
the show. Ose, however, it was stated, bed only attained
his eighth year. Wild 601,11111 were also eitidriboted by the
pupils of the National and lodustrial Schools, the best speci-
mens obtaining prises, specially girlie by Miss Burdett
Cooke. A military bend, the band of the 8 divides of
polies, aid that of the Caledonian School, by tarns played
selections of popular music, sod the whole at the very
delightful grounds of Holly-lodge having been thrown open
by the enlightened liberality of their owner, the scene was
exceedingly animated sad pleasing.