The Express.
London, England, 1863-06-20 00:00:00

Cite erprefOS.

TO CORZMONDENTS.
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—FINM3SE. Mows. A Wigan. Howe. Buckstone, Gordon,
end Farrell: Mn. A. Wigan. Mn. Wilkins. MDs L. Angel.—
EASY SHAVING.—And MY HUSBAND'S GHOST.

ranressra.

TEM ETCUOtO, corsiN TOY —And OTHELLO. Messrs.
Walter Montgomery, H. Marston, S kotby ; Miss Ellen Terry
and Mist Atkinson.

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Widdicomb : Ytr Heorade and Ere Lee.—And THE DUKES
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TM Smuts, IHZ Y7156-Pi. AND ORPH4NB.—PAITH,
HOPE, AND CHARITY, with Professor Pepper a adaptation of
THE GREAT GHOST. invented by H. Dinka, Itsq.-114
Brothers Comrade.— And THIS DAUGHTER OP NIGHT.

HIGH WArKlt Al LutilitiN KILDOII.
Tars D►T —Morale; 4.1 24,1 . .Aftemlow. 41 41111.
TI-Noaaow—licenlog. 411. &Sm. —Altman. So. 16c a.

LONDON, SATUR DA Y, JUNE 20.

Tunas is no reason whatever why the temporary
interruption of our friendly relations with Brazil
should be treated as a party question ; and such
speeches as that delivered by Lord MILLIINIBURY
last night are, on public grounds, to be earnestly
deprecated as likely to do far more harm than
good. While some of the material points in dis-
pute are still under arbitration there is, moreover,
as Lord Rtaszu. pointed out, a certain impro-
priety in the leaders of a political party coming for-
ward to prejudge the whole case, and decide in the
moat summary manner against the claims of their
own Government. Everybody regrets the suspen-
sion of friendly intercourse that has occurred, and
the events which led to it. We have more than
once gone fully into these circumstances, and need
not now discuss them in detail again. It is im-
portant, however, to notice that the real causes of
the rupture obviously lie deeper than the immediate
occasion which has produced it. Had the repre-
sentatives of our own Government on the spot
shown greater temper and discretion, or had
the Brazilian Government evinced a more
sincere and earnest desire to redress as
promptly as possible an admitted wrong, the
present dispute would most probably, indeed,
have terminated very differently. But the es-
trangement between the two Powers is evidently
not due to a single incident, or of sodden growth.
A latent feeling of irritation has existed, and seems
to have been carefully nursed for some time
past. Now that it has come to a head, the first
duty of all who have influence, commercial or po-
litical, is to employ their good offices to the ut-
most in endeavouring to bring about a better
understanding between the two Governments—in
a word, to facilitate, as far as possible, a speedy
resumption of friendly intercourse on a more
frank and cordial, and therefore also on a more
permanent and satisfactory, basis than before.
At the close of his speech last night Earl
Russam. intimated that this was the earnest desire
of the English Government. But, unfortunately,
the necessities of his position in having to meet
a party attack gave to some portions of the noble
lord's address a less friendly and conciliatory
tone. It is quite true, as Lord Rugsatt urged
with considerable force, that the higher rights and
duties of a nation must not be sacrificed to its
commercial interests. The first duty of a Govern-
ment is, no doubt, to protect the lives and property
of its subjects in every quarter of the globe, and
of course this duty must not be pos,poned to any
considerations of mercantile advantage. But
while all this is quite true, it does make some
difference, as it ought to du, in cases of
disputed claims, whether we are dealing
with an old friend and good customer, or with a
comparative stranger whose name we only know
in connexion with displays of ill-nature. Again,
while it is universally agreed that strong
States ought not to abuse their strength, it
is no doubt equally true that weak States
ought not to be allowed to presume inordi-
nately on their weakness. Lord Russzxx says that
small Powers, relying with impunity on their
relative insignificance, often venture on acts of
questionable justice and legality which powerful
States would never think of committing ; and that
we ought to insist on our tights being respected
by the weak as well as the strong. This is per-
fectly true. But while the known weakness of a
friendly State ought not to withhold us from
claiming our rights, it may very fairly make some
difference as to the manner in which we enforce
them. It would be most injur;ons and undig-
nified to adopt summary and violent measures until
every milder expedient, every form of courteous

remonstrance, had been tried in vain. It is

a universally recognised rule of private and public
life—one equally applicable to individual and
national affairs—that in case of a dispute, the
weakness of one party, and even the irritability
which so often accompanies it, calls for the exer-
cise of special forbearance, and something like a
spirit of magnanimity, on the part of the stronger.
And notwithstanding Lord Rus.seLc's vigorous
defence of his policy, it is impossible to maintain
that this just and honourable rule of action has