The Express.
London, England, 1863-01-30 00:00:00

QEOOND-HAND PIANOFORTES.
ga exullig, BEALL and WOOD IMO a large mortensot
of esoood-hand Pianofortes. by tae acid ardeased makers, at
Waal reduced PrIOOL —M. Imifflatatreat.

gite erpreoo.

TO 001.1ESPONDENTS.
Ivertfeemcale Weeded Express" London Evening
Paper, moat be it the office, 10, Bouverieetreet, by Two
a, Jock on the deg at pablication.

GWENT
This Evitmro. EATANELLA.GARDEN. Mean. Perm, Santley, and
H. Corr' . Mass & Dobson, lidetwal, and 8. Pyne.—And
HARLEQUIN BEAUTY AND THE BEAST.—Conductor,
3/r. A. Mellon.—Coonsweeos at ten nannies to) 7.

HAYILUISIT.

T Evans, OUR AMERICAN COUSIN. Marra &Ahern
and Buctiaces : Ws. Z. Fluviltlam. —RASMUS HUNG& OF
ABYSSINIA. Mr. Oampkaa and MUG L. Laalay.—And OUR
MARY ANNZ. Mr. Clark and Was laarerar.

PRINCWB...

THIS Evirovo, LAW,. LOVE.-0111.000D TURN DESERVER
ANOTHER. Mr. B. Rozby acid Ma Amy Soda",let. And
HIQI7 ET WITH THE TOW ; or, Harlequin and Mother Shipton.
Masan. Milano, It. rower, awl Libra; MW A. Collinson.

LYCIWIL

THIS EVIII/NO, A SUDDEN ATTACK. Meslrs. Widdicomb,
Garden, and Shore; MN, Mande and Mrs. Lee.—And THE
DuKrs MOTTO. Neon. Fodder, 0. Vining, Brougham, and
Edmond ; Waste C. Ideakireg, B. Terry, end =sworthy.

BRITANNIA..

Tina Erustad, the PasktomiZe,TlZN HASSAN. Mrs. Line;
Mews. Swam, Laub, Newham, and MS*. Celeste Stephan :
Tom Supers and his two perform*" Yaks.—And MARY
EDMONaTONL—Ccaumsuce at haltpaat

HIGH WAN= AT LONDON 131DGE.
Tan DLT Marsha. NAL 1101.....AA•n055. Itd 190.
To-Nonow—Namtai lIIL OIL Om.

LONDON, FRIDAY, JANUARY 30.

Aeolian. the domestic measures promised us for
the next session of Parliament there are none
which seem more worthy of a broad unpre-
judiced support than the Abolition of Metropolis
Tolls BilL This bill is prepared at the instance
of the Metropolis Roads Commiesioners, and it
proposes to abolish all turnpike tolls within a
radius of five miles throughout the metropolitan
suburbs. A measure more needed, or more in
harmony with our best free-trade legislation, has
not been heard of for many sessions. We trust
that it will meet with the earliest approving
attention of Parliament, and will not be smothered
by cosmopolitan gossip. Legislation, like charity,
ought to begin at home. The official life of the present
Government may depend upon the necessity of
keeping its successful foreign policy to the fore,
but that is no reason why parochial measures
should be put off to indefinite convenient seasons,
and the more close and pressing interests of the
public be neglected. There is no real narrow-
ness in true parochial politics. There is much
more narrowness—narrowness of substance—in

that frame of mind which spreads itself as thinly
as cobwebs or gold-leaf over the whole universe.
It is fortunately not necessary at this time of
day to go into arguments to prove that all turn-
pikes are nuisances, and that metropolitan turn-
pikes are the greatest nuisances of all. They are
the barbarous remnants of a mistaken financial
policy, and part of the clumsiest and most irri-
tating machinery ever invented for the collection
of revenue. The various rates of tolls—the block-
ing up of thoroughfares, the delay caused to the
circulation of men and goods, the power to pull
up a line of vehicles, to compel a fumbling for
money, the taking of a ticket, the waiting for
change, are all enough, and more than enough, to
condemn such obstructive agents in populous
towns. There is always a waste in the collection
of every impost—always something more drawn
from the taxpayer, in time and temper, than the
mere money dezna;ded ; but, with the exception
of the mode of levying Customs and Excise duties,
it would be difficult to find a method of collection
more wasteful than the toll-gate agency. We have
no wish to go into a discussion about the
operation of contracts and the farming system; we
condemn the toll-bar agency in and about London
on principle, not in detail. We hold that every
road in and about a city ought to he paid for by
the general taxation of the city, both for conve-
nience and as a duty. A Government that did its
work sensibly and well would not allow half-se
dozen half-starved companies to retain poeseasion
of important highway bridges across the Thames.
These properties would be bought and thrown open
in the name of the public. A Government that
did this would probably go further, and remove
those fiscal obstructions on the free circulation of
men and goods which are represented by the Hall-
way-tax, the Hackney-coach-tax, and one or two
similar imports.

The contemplated introduction of the Abolition
of Metropolis Toils Bill has, of course, produced a
large amount of parochial agitation. Only yeater•
day we were called upon to report a meeting of
the St. Pancras Vestry, at which something like
an organized opposition was threatened to the
measure. We have nothing to say against vestrymen
who do their work to the best of their ability, and
watch narrowly over the real or supposed interests
of their constituents. St. Pancras is an important
section of the metropolis ; its population and pro-
perty are as great as those of some States which oc-
casionally make a noise in the world. We are not
at all disposed to underrate the importance of St.
Pancras when it rises, through its parochial repre-
sentatives, to speak on a question of metropolitan
policy, but we venture to think that it has not
liberally considered the grounds on which it
threatens to oppose this bill. Nine thousand
pounds • year may seem a large sum for St.
Pancras to have to pay in new highway rates,
supposing this bill should become law, but a parish
cannot enjoy the dignity of possessing seven
miles and a half of metropolitan roadway without
submitting to the usual expenses of proprietorship.
The burden of fresh local taxation will fall equally
on all the parishes, as it will be in proportion to
the highways belonging to each local division.
Everybody will be benefited, more or less, by
the removal of the toll-gate, and no one
ought to object to pay in another and
better form for a wholesome reform. St.
Pancras has appointed a special Committee
to confer with other parishes, and to insist upon
some equivalent from Government for this altera-
tion in the collection of a road tax; but as Govern-
ment can give nothing with the right hand that it
has not first taken with the left, the Committee
will only be asking that Perna may be robbed to
pay Pant. Local self-government most discharge
its duties if it means to maintain its rights, and
it must not sell its independence for a few imperial
pennies. The fact—if it be a fast—that the Ge-
neral Omnibus Company will save about twelve

thousand pounds a year in tolls whesi this bill is
passed, has really nothing to do withjhe rpzestion.
We are no admirers of this partiodar company,
and therefore speak without big interested motive
when we ask why, in conneldqg with this matter,
it is picked out from other similar traders. The
cab interest, the gpoda carrying interest, and a
dozen ogler interests, will also be large gainers by
the measure, but all these gains will have to be
-given to their employers—the public. The
Generll Omnibus Company will not be
allowed to pocket twelve thousand pounds
a year without reducing its fares, or, which
is the same thing, increasing the comfort
and speed of its vehicles. The other trading in-
terests on the road will also have to readjust their
charges, or give place to more energetic and ,
liberal competitors. We are almost ashamed to
have to utter such elementary truths as these, but
economical science seems sadly neglected. If the
omnibus or any other large carrying interest has
any idea that it will benefit in any way by the
passing of this Toll Abolition Bill, except by pro-
curing greater freedom to trade through the re- '
moral of troublesome barriers, it is very much
mistaken. The public will be the great and only
gainers by the passing of such a bill, and for their
sakes we hope soon to welcome the measure as an
Act of Parliament.

PATENT LAW CONWIRSION.—On Tuesday and
Wednesday last the sittings of the commission for
inquiring into the working of the Patent Law were
resumed. The commissioners present were Lord
Stanley, Lord Overatone, Sir W. Rrle, Sir W.
Page Wood, Sir W. Atherton, Sir Hugh Cairns,
Mr. H. Waddington, Mr. W. Hindmareb, Mr.
W. R. Grove, Mr. W. Fairbairn, and Mr.
Edward Lloyd, the secretary. It is proposed to
hold weekly meetings of the commission during the
coming session.