The Express.
London, England, 1863-01-12 00:00:00

BRITANNIA,.

THIS Ewronec, the Pata.c7trtraW,AlloN HASSAN. Mrs. lane
Messrs. Evans, Louis, Newham. and Mdliw Celeste Stephan
Tom Sayers and his two pertoesisher Mules.—And SOME
..BELLS TR AT EANG.—Coramoos a& hat-past O.

litoll NATI.' AT LONDON BRIDGE
TIM DAY Morning. dh. 1748.....Aftmeumm. EA. Wm.
To.moammir—Mmniug, 7d Im.....Attermoon. 7n. 24m.

LONDON, MONDAY, JANUARY 12.

Tag election of Sir EDWARD DERINO for East
Rent is an event which Lord DERBY and his fol-
lowers are in no danger of misunderstanding. Sir
EDWARA is the first candidate who has been chosen
by that constituency on a profession of Liberal
principles since the passing of the Reform Bill,
and his election has been carried at a time when
the party opposed to him believed they were
stronger than ever in the county. The Tories do
not disguise the magnitude of this defeat ; they
-describe it as a disaster, and mourn it accordingly.
The language in which a portion of the Minis-
terial press has noticed Sir EDWARD DERINO'S re-
turn is not so simple. The event has seemed to need
explanation, if not apology. The Times says that the
Government has gained a vote and Sir EDWARD a
seat, but, beyond that, no interest, no principle is
affected by the defeat of Sir NORTON KNarcasuu.
A Tory contemporary has put forward the some
view for the consolation of the defeated party.
"The return of Sir E. C. DralNo for East Kent,"
says the Press, "is anything but a triumph for
" the Liberal cause." Under these circumstances
it may be useful to recall the facts.
Sir E. C. DRRING presented himself to the electors
iof East Kent as a Liberal, and Sir N. KNATIAISULL
'offered himself as a Conservative. Both, however,
proclaimed themselves supporters of Lord Poi-
szanow. This is the peculiar fact which might
have been expected to fix the attention of public
commentators on the struggle. On all sides,
however, there seems a disposition to avoid it
or pan it over lightly. Sir E. Deux°, as
a Liberal, said he would "give a cordial and
" hearty support to the government of Lord
"PALMERSTON;" Sir NORTON KNATCHBELL, not
content with so feeble a profession, said " he be-
" lieved Lord PoLurarrom to be the best man to fill
" the post he now occupied." If this unanimity
proves the personal popularity of the PREMIER, as
we have no wish to deny, it must be taken also to
prove that the contest was fought to decide some
other and more disputable question.
This singular spectacle of two candidates, of
opposite principles, claiming the same leader,
does not surprise the public, which has been accus-
tomed to see sound Conservatives in the House of
Commons glancing dubiously now at Mr. Hinton',
now at Lord PALMERSTON, and finally deciding that
the Passings was the better man for their purpose.
At this present moment the Tories am comforting
themselves with the thought that Lord PoLsziorrow
offers the most effectual resistance to such reforms
as Sir E. Daum] has been returned to support,
and that " he gives assurances"—not to his Liberal
followers, we presume—" that he will sinere to a
" strictly Conservative policy, and proves his sin-
' "cerity by his acts." A month ago • Tory was
returned for Southampton, and Lord Pnanterow's
especial daily organ made the philosophical remark
that the country was evidently getting more Con-
servative, and intimated that, under the altered
circumstances, Lord PALMERSTON would be equal
tithe demand on him. These and similar indica-
tions, which are furnished in abundance from
various quarters, leave us free to regard Lord
Pomtrarrow as personally elevated by circum-
stances above the accidents of party conflct
to a height from which he may contemplate
the loss even of his Liberal majority without any
other sentiment than friendly regret. The part of
the constituencies at elections undergoes a corre-
sponding modification : thei- function now is to
decide at elections what measures shall be re-
commended from the hustings for the Passura's
adoption. Evidently this was how the people
of East Kent understood what they had to
do last week. Only this hypothesis affords
an intelligible explanation of the election. Sir
E. C. DERING offered his supporters the ideal
Lord PALMERSTON of four years ago,with extension
of the suffrage, abolition of church rates, strict
economy of public expenditure, and progressive im-
provements of every kind. Sir N. KNATCHBULL
was equally warm in support of the Lord Realize-
wrox of Hansard and the Estimates, the upholder
• of profligate expenditure, who may be implicitly
trusted to stifle all Liberal principles, and provide
that every Liberal measure shall decently mis-
carry.
The men of Kent have been called to choose be-
tween these different roles of the same individual.
They have voted for the candidate who will support.
Lord PALMERSTON in a policy of progress and re-
form, and they have rejected the one who is
perfectly satisfied with the stagnation of the last
three years. That in oar eyes is the significance
and value of the East Kent election.

THE Rua of OF FRENCH MEDIATION is AMERI-
CAN AFEA/RA.—Reporta have been in circulation for some
dapped to the effect that the Emperor of the French has
renewed his proposal of joint mediation between the coo_
tending parties in America. We have reason to believe
that no offer of the sort has been made to her Majesty's go-
vernment ; and, further, that the Emperor has distinctly
intimated to Mr. Dayton, the American minister at Paris,
that it is tot his intention to submit any proposition for the
settlement of the question in dispute between the Northern
and Southern States.— ()Narver.

Roma THI CAPITAL OP ITALY.—The Oii 1j
Gazette of Turin, in a recent article, expresses it. conviction
that Rome will some day become the capital of Italy, and
adds—" We must await this happy result."

FARMING THE TAXES IN TURKEY.—Evidently all
hope of seeing an end to the vicious system of tax-farming
most be abandoned for at least another year (says the Lecant
Herald of Dee. 31, 1862). In addition to the sales we have
already reported, eight other di►triots—including those of
Sparta, Cyprus, Coninh. and Angora—are now up at auction,
and positively "must be sold" to-day. The highest price
offered till yesterday afternoon for the group was 195,0004,
bid by nimble-ogle. This amount is said to be much below
he isles of the revenue levied from the districts in ques-
ion ; but, again—the palish has no choice.