The Express.
London, England, 1863-05-11 00:00:00

BRITA!ZNIA.,

Tins Emma, llft WIDOW AND ORPR 41f S.—FAITE.
ROPE, AND CHARITY. with /rattan/owns odaptatios of
Mr. Direko's SPECTRAL ILLUSION.—Aod AURORA /LOYD.

11101 wATILA AT LONDON BILIDGIL
TWO OAT —lliwitag, Pn.....Afloressa. 81t.
Tu4loalor—ller7tvg. 8z 20a.. Ms.

LONDON, MONDAY, MAY IL

Jr appears that the terms of Prince WILLIAM'S
acceptance of the throne of Greece are not yet by
any means agreed upon. It will be remembered
that Prince emu/crux demanded, is an essential
preliminary, the formal abdication of King Orno.
But as there was little probability of realising this
condition, in the face of Orzo's impracticable dir
position ►nd of his recent protest, it was proposed
by the protecting Powers—or at least by England
in their name—that they should sign a protocol
which should announce the Greek throne vacant,
and thereby form a species of international
title for the next occupant. The King of Bra/-
MARK, who appears to have maintained through-
out these negotiations a dignified and consistent
neutrality, expressed no objection to this expo-'
dient, if Prince CHRISTIAN should concur in it.
Indeed, the KING seems to have consented to every
proposal, subject to this condition. But it
appears that Prince Cuanrrtan, on the question
of Orno's renunciation, is inexorable. It is just
on this footing that the matter now stands. One
explanation of the difficulties which have been
encountered is thought to be that it is very doubt-
ful whether Prince CHEISTIAN and his family were
from the first such ready recipients of the flatter-
ing proposal that was made to them when they
were in this country is is commonly imagined.

THE friends of Italy and the Italians them-
selves have every reason to be more than satisfied
with the long debate which occupied the attention
of the House of Commons on Friday night. Next
to the hearty sympathy and honest criticism of
true friends, nothing, perhaps, is of greater service
to those who are nobly struggling through all
obstacles towards • better state than to know the
worst that can be said of them by their enemies.
Fortunately, the British nation aad the British
Parliament, who have in the main supported the
Italian cause with such unanimity and enthusiasm,
are also able to supply the salutary element of in-
tensely hostile criticism. There are one or two
members in either House wbo, as the representa-
tives of the deposed Italian Princes, carefully note
every mistake of the new Government, every par-
tial failure of its manifold plans, every hindrance
that temporarily obstructs its salutary pro-
gress, every varnished tale furnished by
its secret foes, and having thus prepared
themselves for their painful task, annually
denounce the cruelty and oppression, the weakness
and criminality of the Italian Government. This
Session the tardiness of the noble Mar !nix who
usually prefers the indictment in the Upper Howie,
has been atoned for by the promptcess and vigour of
Mr. C. BENTINCR and Sir G. BOWYER in the Lower.
These gentlemen pleaded once more the cause of their
clients—the brigands of Southern Italy—and again
dignified their barbarous atrocities with the term
of civil war. They were, however, on this occa-
sion partially supported by a noble lord, who not
only profs es himself warmly interested in the
cause of Italian freedom, but has recently visited
the Southern provinces of the Italian kingdom, and
personally inquired into the more serious charges
urged against the Government. Lord HENRY
LEintox visited the Neapolitan prisons, conversed
with some of their inmates, and inquired
into their management. He describes them
as crowded with political prisoners, and
in the most horrible state. The Italian Govern-
ment afforded every facility to the noble Lord's
inquiries, and as • friend of that Govern-
ment he carefully reserved the results of
his investigation for the British Parliament.
On Friday night, after an indignant recapi-
tulation of all he had seen and heard in the
Neapolitan prisons, he accordingly denounced the
Italian Government as the worst of despotisms,
declaring that the agis of England was prostituted
by being thrown over the atrocities it committed.
There can be no doubt, however, that the noble
lord was perfectly sincere in giving such • highly-
coloured picture of what be saw. But it appears
that while at Naples he was to rome extent the
victim of • social conspiracy. A letter found amongst
some intercepted treasonable correspondence states
explicitly that the noble lord was to be " fished
" for and surrounded" by the very gentleman who
became his guide ou his mission of inquiry. The
charges brought against the Italian Govern-
ment by the noble lord were completely disposed of
in the admirable speech of Mr. Btrmaa-Jontorrous,
who had also recently visited the Neapolitan pri-
sons, and having been neither "fished for " nor
" surrounded," was able to estimate far more cor-
" rectly their actual state. He showed how much
had already been done to improve the state of the
prisons, and that further reforms were in active
progress:—" The fact was, that the present was
" purely an exceptional state of things, which
" was not likely to last long for two reasons--

" first, because the Governmew ns was gradually
" organizing the country ; and, second, because the
" purse of the Bourbon Committee would soon be
" exhausted. When Italy had passed its present,