The Express.
London, England, 1863-07-29 00:00:00

eke erprefio.

TO 0011.11TSPONDIN1IL
deerthemente Intended tor " The Ewer* Louden Evening
raper, must be at the odlce, 10, bouveriewtreet, by Two
o'ciota on Me day of publication.

PRINCESS'S.
TRU ISPIMPSO, COUSIN TOM.—And ROMEO AND JITLIET.
Messrs Walter Montgomery, George Vining. Delmore, and
8. Manton , Male. Stella Colas and Mn. M. Marston.

LYCEUM.
TIL Emma, A SUDDEN ATTACK. Yarn. Shore and
inddloomb Alas Hears& and Ws. Lee.—Ant THE DUKE'S
Kowa Masora Yachter. Share. Jordan, B and
Enymond Mama C. Leckerm, Tam and Law .

Tina Emil" Trrz-ZaVi:Tiitsr LORD MAYOR OF
LONDON.—THE OREAT OHOST SCENE AND SPECTRAL
ILLUSION.—Megan Woodmen and Eanda/L—And TEE
GUILTY MOTHER,—Commence at half-past 6.

NIGH WATlit AT LONDON BAIDOL
Tani DaT )(caning. Oh. 18m Misname. OIL Me.
fusionsow—Morning. In. 18a.. Atiseneoe. lb. 48a.

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, JULY 29.

Fon the first time during many years the Ses-
sion has terminated in July, and so far as Parlia-
mentary business was concerned, there seems no
reason why it should not have closed much earlier.
The Speech from the throne in February intimated
to the Lords and Commons that there was nothing
particular to do, and the Royal Address yesterday
appropriately congratulates them on "the zeal
" and assiduity" they have displayed in doing it.
This graceful acknowledgment was at least
thoroughly deserved. During the short and in-
glorious session just closed the House was repeat-
edly counted out, and when this was not the case
members on either side vied with each other in
scrupulously observing the supreme duty of inac-
tion laid upon them at the outaet. The Govern-
ment did nothing, the Opposition did nothing, and
the independent members, yielding, reluctantly we
may hope, to the drowsy atmosphere and oppres-
sive influences of the place, did next to nothing.
Once, and once only, they broke through the Circean
spell, and vindicated their freedom in a tumultuous
revolt against an odious job which in an evil hour
the leaders on both aides had been induced to
sanction. Characteristically enough, however,

this isolated and energetic action was on a point of
administrative detail involving no political prin-
ciple or imperial interest. The few imperial
questions incidentally raised during the session,
at once emptied the benches, and were summarily
dismissed to • more convenient spawn. In rela-
tion to all the higher functions of an Imperial
and Legislative Assembly the session has been a
complete blank, a pure political negation. In
past years when Parliament happened to be largely
occupied with comparatively small questions, it
was often said sarcastically that the House of
Commons was fast degenerating into • parish
vestry. But this year the sarcasm is • sober
truth. The great domesticqueetionsdiscusaed in Par-
liament during the last five months have referred
exclusively to matters of parochial or metropolitan
interest. The two most important measures of
the session were a Bill for Amalgamating the City
Police, which failed, and a Bill for Abolishing the
City Turnpikes, which succeeded. For the rest
there has not only been no party contest during
the session, but no responsible attempt at useful
legislation, no measure involving a political prin-
ciple introduced by the leaders on either side, no
serious or practical discussion of any imperial ino•
rest. In • word, a Parliamentary session marked
throughout by such persistent but elaborate trifling,
such solemn and laborious idleness, and so utterly
barren of all useful results, has not been known
within the memory of the present generation.
But, unhappily, stagnation of this sort is not
simply a negative evil. It involves almost of neces-
sity far more serious losses than the mere loss of
time, serious as that is. In all such periods
there is • waste of national power as well as of
public opportunities, and the longer the active
duties of Parliamentary life are neglected, the
more serious are the evils the neglect entails. In
the political as in the natural and moral world,
stagnation is incipient corruption. If there is no
real life, movement, or progress, there will soon be
retrogression and decay. In the session just closed
we have ominous signs of some such change
in our once vigorous, high-spirited, and progressive
Parliamentary life. In the absence of definite

measures and useful legislation there has been an
unusual amount of confused, irrelevant, and aimless
discussion. These discussions have been marked,
too, by incidents comparatively slight in themselves,
but which reveal with paid ul distinctness to thought-
ful observers the lower tone and altered spirit which
' this prolonged and most injurious stagnation in the
highest department of our public life tends of ne-
cessity to produce. When there is no real work
to be done, idle or venomous tongues may be ex-
pected to indulge in the license of mischievous
speech. But on some occasions during the last
session this license has probably exceeded anything
hitherto known in the history of Parliament. We
cannot recall any previous instance in which
Members of the House of Commons have abused
their position in that assembly and the ear of Par-
liament by statements such as those made by Mr.
LATILD and Mr. ROEBUCK in the debates on the
Alabama and on the proposal for • recognition of
the Southern States. Only during an idle motion
and in • Parliament partially demoralized by in-
action, could even the most unscrupulous member
be allowed, without receiving a severe rebuke,
to declare himself the determined enemy of •
great, • friendly, and a kindred nation, and to
assert from his place in Parliament that he would
do his utmost to compass its ruin. Mr. LAIRD%
offence against Parliamentary propriety and public
decency was perhaps even more flagrant. For a
member to rise and boast of an act which had
just been declared by the legal representative of