The Express.
London, England, 1864-04-26 00:00:00

HIGH WAIN& A? LONDON =DON

DAT Yong, 4D. 4b 580.
la/tom:ow Illaratag. 51x. Altareem 6Q. 3, Al.

LONDON, TUESDAY, APRIL 26.

Tame is one point connected with Mr. Lows
resignation which demands the most careful in-
quiry. And this is one reason why the Committee
promised by Lord Pant earcros should be ap-
pointed. Mr. CLAY will put a question to Minis-
ters this evening, and it is to be hoped that it
will receive a satisfactory answer. It is well
understood that Lord Roamer Cecil. carried
his motion not so much by the speech
which he addressed to members u by eertain
documents which he had in his possession, and
which he handed round to members on both sides
of the House of Commons. Those documents
consisted of the unpublished reports of certain
Inspectors, which were marked with red ink, and
which apparently proved that Mr. Lowe had been
guilty of deliberate falsehood. It was asserted in
Lord ROBERT CECIL'S resolution that the reports
had been mutilated by the officials in the Council-
office. Mr. Lowe contradicted this statement, and
declared that no passages had either been struck
out by him, or even marked by him for that purpose.
The only object of handing about the documents to
which reference has been made was to convict Mr.
Lowe of wilful inaccuracy. It is impossible to deny
that Lord ROBERT CECIL showed himself more
astute than ingenuous in his conduct towards the
late Minister. As Lord PALIETABTON said, he
ought to have inquired into the matter before
making so grave a charge, and his neglect is the
more unpardonable, the Pause Mr:entree added,
because "he bad opportunities, which are well
"known to everybody, of ascertaining the real
" state of things from those who are concerned."
At all events, it was the duty of Lord Roam
Cacti. to have used his right of reply, and to have
openly stated the character of the documentary
evidence which he submitted silently to his friends
and supporter+. Amongst lawyers it would be
said that this young nobleman had been guilty of
sharp practice ; nor is there any good reason why
such conduct in Parliament should be considered
less reprehensible than at the bar. Little has been
gained by the Inspectors or by their parliamentary
relatives. On the contrary, Mr. Lowe has suc-
cessfully cleared his honour—the character of his
assailant for generosity has not been raised, and •
state of matters has been revealed within the
Council-office which demands serious attention.
How did Lord Roarer Cecrt, obtain the docu-
ments upon which he founded his attack upon the
late Vlce•Paratorxr I He professed, indeed,
that he was unable to produce definite facts or
even names. Nevertheless, within a very few
minutes he was busily engaged in handing about
the very documents which he had declared himself
incapable of bringing forward, and be had even the
temerity to declare that " his evidence was not
" the paper which he held in his hand."
Lord GasNviLLE did not mince the matter.
He openly accused some of the Inspectors of
betraying official confidence. He said : " 1 think
" I have a right to complain if any Inspector
" belonging to her Marrerv's service, and under
" the superintendence of the Committee of Council
"of Education, not only afforded information
"to Members of Parliament for the purpose
" of attacking the department, but also furnished
" them with papers from the office to which be
"belongs." The same charge was made against
the Inspectors by Mr. Lowe, who declared that
the information furnished to Lord Romer
Cacti. by them could have been furnished only
"is. violation of their duty sod fidelity
"to the office." These are serious accusation.
They amount to this—that the motion submitted
to the House of Commons by Lord Romer Cum.
was suggested or prompted by some person in the
employment of the Government. Lord Geer,
therefore, was amply justified in saying that the
matter was one which required the most careful
investigation. If the Inspectors or any other sub-
ordinates in the Privy Council have entered into
• conspiracy to dethrone their chiefs, and if for
that purpose they have betrayed official confidence
in order to furnish the materials of attack, their
conduct deserves the gravest censure. If, on the
other hand, no such miscouduct can be imputed to
them, or if it has been confined to one or two in-
dividuals, • public investigation and a public ver-
dict of acquittal are necessary in order to dissi-
pate the accusation or to place the blame at the
right doors.

It cannot be denied that disputes between the
chief of an office and his subordinates are very
rare, indeed almost unknown, in this country.
The probability is that a mutual forbearance is
exercised on both sides. But it is notorious that
the majority of Inspectors are vehemently opposed
to the Revised Code, which was introduced mainly
by Mr. Lows, and that the object of many of their
reports has been to disparage that system. In
addition to this, it is equally notorious that Mr.
Lows does not possess the art of conciliation and
personal courtesy, and probably gives offence
where be does not intend it. It is not to be
expected that under such circumstances the busi-
ness of an office should be conducted with perfect
smoothness, or that the releCous of such men es
the Inspectors with their chief should be the mast
agreeable. The truth is that there is probably
no body of officials more difficult to manage
than the Inspectors of schools. Macy of
them are men of great ability and dis-
tiootion, enjoying much influence not only

Ti

in London society, but also in the society
where their duties carrythem. Their work is of the
most monotonous and tedious character. Indeed,
it is no exaggeration to say that nine-tenths of it
might be performed by men greatly inferior in
ability and in social position, and, of course, at •
much lower salary. The system of the Revised
Code, whilst it does not add to their emoluments,
produces no alleviation of their labours. Ooe of
the chief duties of the chiefs in Downing-street
is to keep these gentlemen up to their work, and
to keep down the amount of the public grants ;
and in the performance of these duties it is not
surprising that some irritation and angry feeling
should be generated.
One thing, however, is abundantly clear. The
subordinates in any public office, however eminent,
cannot be allowed to dictate the policy of the
chief of that office. Lord Roam Caen. does
not concur with this theory. He insists
that in the service of the Crown there is no loyalty
dee to the Heads of Departments as against the
House of Commons. He insists, therefore, that if
any clerk in any of our public offices thinks he
spies an abuse, he is entitled to go to any member
of the House of Commons, to lay before him any
paper, however confidential, which may have
come into his hands bearing on the subject, and
thus to organize a deliberate attack upon the chief
of hie own department. The fate of a house
divided against itself is proverbial ; but if every
servant is to be allowed to lift up his hand against
his master, the result must be anarchy. The only
principle upon which the practical business of go-
vernment can be carried on is by • scrupulous ob-
servance of the principle that the Civil Servants of
the Crown shall not enter into any secret or passive
opposition to the course which the Government may
deem it expedient to pursue. If this principle
be neglected the consequences are obvious. As
Lord Garr said, either the civil servants must be
liable to be dismissed without any reason being
assigned, or with each change of government it
will become necessary to change every public ser-
vant, however humble.
It may be said, how then are the abuses in public
offices to be remedied if subordinates are to be
debarred from appealing to the House of Com-
mons ? How, for example, could the fact of the
mutilation of the reports be made known unless
some Inspector had told his friend Lord Roam
Czcit ? The answer is obvious. The situation
of • subordinate is inconsistent with that of •
censor. If any subordinate perceives a gross
abuse let him represent it to his chief, or resign
his office. But, indeed, this course will warmly
even be necessary. If Lord Roam Cecil. had
followed the example of Mr. W. Foams, the
member for Bradford, ha would have escaped all
criticism. That gentleman was as vigorous as Lord
ROBERT against Mr. Low-z. But his charges were
founded upon the absence of the report of the In-
spector who had inspected the school with which
Mr. Foasraa was himself connected. That fact,
coupled with the Inspector's character, furnished
a legitimate argument that some of the reports
had been improperly suppremed. But this is very
different from obtaining possession of official docu-
ments by means of an official hand, and whilst
pretending to be unable to use them publicly,
using them secretly for the purpose of convicting
the chief of the office from which it is brought of
deliberate falsehood. Want of courtesy and rude
manners are a serious drawback to any man, espe-
cially in official life, but treachery and disloyalty
are defect, even mom serious—and it may be
thought intolerable.

It is not true, as was reported 'Rat night, that an
armistice was agreed to at the Conference yesterday.

Abe court.

OSBORNE, iron. W.
The Queen walked and drove iu the grounds this
roorniog.
Today is the birthday of the Princess Louis d Hank
The Earl of Clarendon Ins retuned to London.

Mr. Render Wood bed s interview with the Right How.
Edward Cardwell. yesterday, at the Coloaial-otSoe.
Despatches were received at t►e Coloatal-offior from the
Goveroon of the Gape of Good Hope, Natal, Bt. Helms.
Gibraltar sod Goads. Despatches were not to the Lord
High Commis/dower of the lonian Islas&

MLREIIi.OI IN HIGH LII2.—(THIS DAT). —This
swain the asarriege was celebrated, st St. George's,
Hanover-equare, of Viseeset POINISX4III with Lady Julia
Coke, oldest daughter of the Earl sad Coulees of Leiosider.
A greed ckeiiner was gins by the Earl of Leicester, is
Upper Gremeaor etreet. Is the diereses the newly
married pair left tows for the wintry ea route for the
Costiseut

The Duke and Duchess of Northumberland hare
deferred their departure hest Mewl.* Ornede, liertinua-
berlesd, for a few days ta oosesquesse of the sable duke
having been eaddeoly takes by as *Meek of gout.

The Earl and Countess of Yarborough have ar-
rived is Athagtoe-etreet. Piccadilly. from their mat. Brock-
Irby Park. Lisoolaeltirt.

The Right Hou. the Chancellor of the R.:chequer
sad lin. W. E. Gladstone returned to: their residesee cm
Carlton-boas►terrsos, yesterday foreaooa, from dayiag
durst the visit of General Garibaldi at the Duchess
(Dowager) of Sutherland's seat, media, war Maideabaid.

We have to announce the death of Lady Julia
Browse. the youthful okaghtew aid only child of the Mar-
quis of Sligo, who died yashmak, mania' at ea early boor
at the family residence in ilmaidilaiimat, Poctiaediamm