The Express.
London, England, 1862-03-27 00:00:00

1.1•11310NIUMB.--NZW YODEL.
Al MUM BIALA awl TOOL IA biguililresl.

Elie erpreoo•

10 COMIIPONDVITS.
dearlbeeinabte Isaiewiell for " The Zairese Leedom Veselog
, Rest be al as Mee, 10. Soeverioatrieg. 17 Two
jork on the day GS paliketlies.

RATIIARIRT.
MO OUR ANIRIC.AN COUSIN. Ik 11.11.1%
lisagistt sod sown ; ma. C. Tema libr Myer.
—TIN tot I. Mr. Ham sad lira C. Tom,.
AM FAMILY JAI& Mr. Onoars.—Orookroos at 7.

nawaars.
me Imam TIE ANGEL OP MIDNIGHT. Maim
DOA,. Jonas. Panic Wiatisomb Mailow Del,lingtarg
Norlnn" MarrialL —TIM TWO TOLTIL—Aad TH Y
MOUSSITA.THIL Mr. sad Kn. W. J. Marms.

,T. JAIL

TIM MOM 1011i-11111DB OR pox&
3gaigs. 0. Violas. Dewar. Climaiod, IMO=
lioodooso Herbert and Itandisoo.—Aad PIACTICAL
MAX. 14.0. Wain sod Mu lladoeth.—Oommaco st 74.

IaIUTAXIITA.

IVO MEEK Tat 0101111( UitL TANINA. Mews
Lysol& and Drualaosid. —WILY 0 °WINO& Yr. Cranford ;
lira a, Lswo aad Yea Crsakord.—AM 110111180/1 CA.USOL
—4>ammence

KM WATU AT LIMOS WM.
Ts DAT—lfimata *. Os— Altstemes. OIL Ma
To-MAWII —Mesta& e► Ma.— Memo% lIL lONL

LONDON, THURSDAY, MARCH 27.

Tun splendid gift of Grottos PEABODY to the
poor of London is more than an act of personal
greatness and worth. High as it deserves to be
rated in this respect—and none will put it higher
than we do—it has a value and a meaning at the

present time which is even loftier and nobler. One
hundred and fifty thousand pounds judiciously in-
vested, and its yearly reduce well applied, will
bring comfort and solace to many a shattered
struggler in the combatant rank and filed life, and
not only in the present generation, but in genera-
tions still unborn, many will learn to Wes the gene-
rous American banker who lived and prospered
amongst us during the last five-and-twenty years.
And u it is unerringly written that it is more
blessed to give than to receive, the happiness which
the benefactor must feel at having done so much
good with his vast wealth ought to be greater
than any which the most grateful recipient of his
bounty can express. Yet on public and permanent
grounds, we repeat, this magnificent donation for the
relief of one of the greatest masses of human misery
in the world, is worthy of being regarded in a more
comprehensive point of view. At a season when
blind and reckless men on either shore of the
Ocean are indefatigably toiling at the work of
mutual estrangement, and while every engine of
hatred, envy, malice, and all uncharitableness is
busy in the deepening of reciprocal distrust, an
irrevocable est is calmly and deliberately done by
a private person, at his own expense, calcu-
lated to thwart, by pure and peaceful means, the
machinations of the malignant, and to confound the
most obstinate believer in the antagonism of two
kindred nations. Social fact is stranger than poli-
tical fiction, and instinctive sympathy is far more
reliable than factitious hate. An American gentle-
man, whom the accident of commercial speculation
induced to fix his residence in the Old Country many
years ago, has by thrift and enterprise realised
a rapid fortune here ; and on the eve of his
retirement from business, while preparing to re-
turn to the home of his childhood, there to enjoy
in tranquillity the fruits of aPe of honourable
toil, he looks around the scene where he has
dwelt, and is penetrated with the thought that he
can do nothing better than to bequeath by anti-
cipation a tithe of his acquisitions for the benefit
of the many poor among whom 11;e active years
have been spent. To use the touching words of a
great writer of our day, applied to a vet/ diCerent
man—"from the down hill's steep, life seems to him
to be all limited;" the end, though it may be distant,
is still discernible ; and the vanity of the world, and
the deceitfulness of riches are, he feels, the snares
of success tobe avoided, and, if passible, escaped. The
miserable distinctions of local birth and breeding
aro as nothing in the eyes of a man casting up his
life account with the world. Before all things he
wishes it to 63 remembered of Fm that he was a
just man, and that he did good in his day and
generation. A preference for those whom he
knows best, whom in early life he trusted most,
and amongst whom at the close of age he hopes to
par a tranquil eventide, is but natural, and rea-
sonable, and right. But all this is compatible
with a cordial and grateful remembrance of
the somewhat less closely related kinsmen among
whom he has lived his busiest years, and thrived.
The temporary distinctions of political forms and
political prejudices fade away before the catholic
feeling of proud affection for the Anglo-Saxon
race : and the destitute myriads whose necessi.ies
ho has ever been ready to relieve from time to
time during his sojourn in our capital, silently
put in their melancholy claim to his compassion
when about to withdraw from amongst them ; and
they plead not in vain. This is indeed a noble pro-
test against in* creational ill-will—a noble testi-
mony to the untruth of mutual repulsion. Though
a thousand pens be dipped in gall, they will not
be able soon to efface the impression which ti
gracious and generous deed has made upon the
minds of all sincere men.
The manner of the thing is as good as the sub-
stance. The fund is secured by special trusts to
be rendered useful at all future times to deserving
persons without distinction of birthplace, creed,
or opinion ; seal it is to be vested for
ever in a given number of trustees, who al, to
be chosen with a like indifference as to the grounds
on which prejudice is usually formed. Of those
who have in the first instance been named by
Mr. PKABoDY to dispense his princely beuevo-
lent e, some are American eitizens,so.ne
or Irishmen. It WWI but fitting that the represen-
tative of the great Commonwealth of which he
himself is a C.tizen should head the list; and
there is a simiti,unce not to be mistaken in the
aavciation with loin of the liberal and enlightened
heir to one of time oldest earldonm of England.
And so with tlto others there is a fitness and
meaning in the choice of each. The whole scheme
has been maturely considered and beneficently
framed ; and we doubt not that it will be found
to work well for the truly philanthropic and pious
purposes for which it was intended.

Ti:,. news from America increases in import-
ance. Thu Confolerates doubtless show much
strength of character by the courage with which
they look unpleasant facts in the face, and adopt
the resolutions which their altered circumstances
require. A concentration of their forces was ron
dered absolutely necessary, and it has been effected
without loss. Besides abandoning the whole line
of the Potomac, they have now abandoned the im-
portant arsenal of Pensacola. Nothing but
the most imperious necessity could have led to
the evacuation of this important position ; but
such is the audition of the Secession cause, that
it is even g.od policy to leave it. It must