The Express.
London, England, 1865-12-21 00:00:00

THE op.XPlpt3B, MUMMY EVE

case, in which the alleged convictions of the mild
are not in conformity with the Church of Knednd,
and yet his religious education is intrusted by the
court to a clergymen of that church, in ceder to
counteract the theological influence of a Dissent-
ing mother. We do not at all say that in both
these lut-mentioned cases there were not peculiar
circumstances which justified the decision of the
court, and made it consistent with those which had
preceded it. We only wish to point out how sen-
sitive people naturally are to anything which
looks, however untruly, like a judicial pre-
ference for one religions body over another,
and to urge the judges who have to
tio ns to pronounce on
these thorny and delicate ques be very
careful in stating with the utmost fulness the
reasons which induce them on this or that occasion
to deviate even in appearanoe from the general
principle which has been laid down. A little addi-
tional minuteness in pointing out the distinctions
of circumstance between one case and another may
make all the difference between a satisfactory and
an unsatisfactory judgment.

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.

(THIS DAY.)

Tlir NEW PUBS.
There is nothing, says the Post, like an organised
party—it is never destroyed. When it is thought to be
dead it rises again with plvanio impulse into new life.
Such is the true whi=vl73 Nen years of Palmerstadan
rule have led mea to forget the old traditional principle of
promoting and ennobling men simply on account of family
and political COOOOllOO ; but a change has taken place.
In Load Northbrook (Sir F. Raring) we recognise one
whose belief in, and fidelity to, the whig party eves in
spite of a long and adverse reign, have gained the distinct
tion that such belief and fidelity deserved ; and the Master
of the Rolls is well known to be connected with the First
Minister by closer ties than throe of mere judicial capacity.
Although it may be possibly true that more of Sir John
Romilly's decisions—if we may use such a term—have been
reversed either by the Lords Justice' or in the House of
Lords than those of any other judge in equity, we ought
hardly to forget that Sir John is a whig to the backbone.
In the meantime it may be observed that Lord Russell, by
'entering a few peeraps among his pawns] friends, is not
helping Mr. Gladstone to lead the House of Oommons on
his behalf. At present no additional strength has been
conferred but by whatever advantage the appointments of
Mr. Gosohen and Mr. Forster may be supposed to convey.

CONI'LYINTAL Amu&
The Times fears that a "Belgian question" will now be
added to those which exercise the speculations of European
statesmen, and calls attention to the tone of those
Prussian journals which are supposed to indicate the pur-
poses or the wishes of Count Bismarck, who it is
said would not be unwilling to allow France to
aggrandise herself to the north-east If Prussia were allowed
free mope in Germany. It is sot likely, however, that
either Frenchmen or Germans will venture on any
scheme of spoliation without pannier support. The
educated clam is Belgium, the Times believes,
prize the institutions they have pined, and the
ultramontaaes are probably sincerely attached to
them. Bak the brillisnoy of the French nationality
cannot but dazzle a large portion of the people. The
working clasim, and especially the younger men
among them, might perhaps be led without difficulty to
acquiesce in annexation. There are commercial interests
which would be benefited by such a union ; the traveller,
wherever he goes, receives substantial benefit from the
respect and protection which a French passport insures :
and there is the intellectual influence which France exerts
more and more every year. French is now the real lan-
guage of Belgium, and language in such a case must influence
nationality. With such opposite forces at work, it cannot
but be that the partisans both of independence and incorpo-
-1 ration will have reason to hope for stIOCIIII. The question
i is for the nation to determine as it shall judge best for its
own interests.
The expulsion from the Academy of Arta of the acres
French students who were present last October at the
Conference at Li4e, and the stop to their professional

studies at Pantos regarded by the Times as a very severe
punishment, for its probable effect will be the entire
destruction of the students' plan of life. Deplorable as
wan the language in which these fiery young spirits
indulged, it is not easily seen how the utterance of it at
Li4o or Brussels can be construed as an academic offence,
the allegiance of a student to kis university being strictly
local and professional, and there can be no doubt about
the inexpediency of taking such judicial notice of
the escapades. The revolutionary ardour which ones
set ell France on fire might be left to smoulder
in the Qoartier Latin without exciting alarm. Only
when an attempt is made to repress it does
it burst into flames. History is full of examples of young
republicans who became in after life discreet supporters of
existing systems. Dr. Southey and Mr. Wordsworth, two
of the soundest of conservatives in their later years,
were in their hot youth projected of Pantleocracy, " •
scheme less moral than 'twu clever." Mr. Dis-
raeli once wrote the "Revolutionary Epic," containing a
passage very much like an approval of assassination. And,
not to travel out of France, are there not among the ad-
visers of the Emperor, in the Senate, the Legislative Body,
and on the bench, men who began life as revolutionists'.
Are they afraid of the memories of their youth? Or must
they, by their obsequious eagerness in seconding the punish-
ment of half a dozen hotbrained enthusiasts of eighteen
and twenty, inspire • suspicion whether they were ever
sincere believers in republicanism or imperialism, or in any-
thing except the strong hand of power
It was the First Napoleon who, after reorganising the
Hotel des Invalides, founded branch establishmenta in the
country, where the veteran might live on the produce of •
small allotment in a cottage of kis owe. It is now pro-
posed to carry this principle farther by a substitution of
out-pensions for in-pensions, very similar to that which has
lately been effected at Greenwich Hospital. This time, the
Times remarks, we have taken the initiative in administra-
tive reform, for it is impossible to doubt that the French
scheme owes its immediate origin to the marked success of
our own experiment.
Commenting upon the marriage, last Monday, of the
Princess Anna Murat to the Duo de Mouchy, the Tdeg rapt
assumes that the position of the bridegroom mast have been
a powerful recommendation in the eyes of a sovereign anxious
by every means to consolidate has dynasty. The Duo de
Mouchy, belonging as he does to one of the oldest of
French families, represents the legitimist party, and pro-
bably the French Emperor values the adhesion given to his
dynasty in the marriage of his cousin to one of the first
amongst the old nobles of France, chiefly as an open
acknowledgment that, even in the Noe Grenelle St. Germain,
the empire is now recognised as an accomplished fact.
The Star reminds those who show • disposition to
fix the responsibility of the brigand nuisance in Greece
upon the government there, how long it took to hunt
down outlaws in the Highlands, although the differ-
ence of climate was decidedly against the Scotch offenders,
and " the vigour" which the Eeglish government was able
to impart to its measures was infinitely greeter than one of
the poorest states in Europe can hope to employ. Even
the precious Maroons, entrenched in the swamps of
Jamaica, were able to laugh Eoglish troopers la the feu for
more than half • century ; and although the Fedora
authority is aow restored throughout the Southern States,
yet for some time to come we should he sorry to recom-
mend any of our countrymen who have • great desire to see
the New World to make a pleasure jaunt through Mimi+.
sippi or South Carolina.

weesitraf•
on, tile pant eel* "".
Ire shall net Gal b Yr.
Fithgerehre letelh• to snipes that the *sari is a
salt wise has oily tumid upon ws aft* roceiv-
In nothing but favallib or that lib not amenable to just
and Upon° is eat. His eylissoe is just is the oppo-
site direction, sidle it leads uo to expect, from it allltia9-
&11C0 of the noble policy of the Weld edministrifilles, the
early return of paw.
The Post thinks there is reason to fear that the war be-
tween the Boers and the Banta may prodnoe salons con-
sequences in regard to Natal, where the greatly prepon-
derating population counts of Kaffir refugees. Under
such circumstances, no valid reason can be adduced for the
perpetuation of the office of High Commissioner, an officer
who resides 1,000 miles distant from the colony, yet
without whose special sanction the government of Natal
are prohibited, even in extraordinary instances, from deal.
log with the native tribes in the adjoining country. The
bordering native tribes have recently executed a successful
raid upon a portion of that colony, and by the accounts just
received were contemplating a second attempt. The colo-
nists are well able to protect themselves if allowed to do
so, and the Post hopes the imperial government will render
• favourable reply to the petition of the Legielative Council,
asking for more freedom of action in their own affairs.
The Herald °oedemas the conduct of the Lower Chamber
in Victoria, describing it as the mouthpiece of a fierce and
turbulent democracy. The constitution is openly defied ;
the fundamental laws of the state are trodden under foot ;
the whole fabric of government is dissolved. Yet there
are those in England who can excuse and palliate sub
intolerable anarchy, and who, doubtless, would justify
the House of Assembly in its several successive tyrannies.
The Telegraph surveys the recent proceedings at Ma-
bourne in • friendly spirit, not giving up its faith in the ea-
balsa, simply because troublesome questions which hue
often perplexed ourselves are repeated on a smaller soale at
the antipodes. As to the character of the present diapute,
Sir Charles Darling, who ought to keep himself clear from
even the suspicion of partiality or faction, has virtually
identified himself with the assembly. It matters not that, for
the moment, the crowd axe with him ; it matters not that the
cry of toryism has been raised against the council. Ilia Wa-
nes' is to carry out the provisions of the constitution. If
be has not sufficient daring or self reliance to dismiss the
ministers, aed appeal again to the people, that may be a
venial fault—a defect of temperament, a deficiency of
character. But it be aids and abets the collection of illegal
taxes, if he joins one branch of the legislature in ignoring
the constitutional rights of the other, he is most gravely
and heinously to blame, and if be cannot interpret the
constitution aright, he must be removed for some one who
can.

VISCILLANIOUS Torres.
The Times bee been gravely assured that the waters of
the Thames are being drained off is such enormous volumes
for the supply of the metropolis that the ancient river is
feat disappearing, and that at low tide there is now some
difficulty in getting by boat from Twickenham to Rich-
mond. Commissioners are inquiring into the portent, and
with a double object, for while the natural volume of the
stream is decreasing its impurities are becoming greater
than ever.
The Daily News points out how he effect of the Pre-
sident's message will dear up the public mind about his own
views and sea in regard to the management of the late
Confederate States. Tracing out the chief features of that
policy, it shows how it has made all ready for the Congress,
with which the decision of every essential point in regard
to the reconstruction of the union rests, to proceed in
amending the constitution so ea to render the abolition
of slavery complete and final, in amply defining the
offence of treason, and by settling beyond dispute the qua-
tion of the right of secession. The hope of negro suffrage
lies in the requirement of the Constitution that each state
shall have the management of its electoral affairs under
the condition that the system shall be republican, and
therefore not solcnowledging a qualification of colour,
The first obligation of Congress will be to see that whites
and negroes are established and maintained in an equality
before the law. The message also foreshadows great fiscal
changes, one of the most conspicuous being free trade,
which is a necessity both for the Southern states and for
the West. The message is in feet the preface to the most
remiukable of all sessions of Congress—that which will
have expressly or virtually retracted the two grist national
mistakes, and acknowledged in their place the blessing of
free labour in the South and free trade in the North.
The fact that Cork, the foremost county in Munster,
cannot produce a single Fenian juror is regarded by the
Post as a proof that in the south, as in the east, the Irish
middle climes have declared that Fenisnism is a sham. The
stupid child's play of the Fenian/ in America is not worth
consideration.
The Star takes Mr. Ruskin to task for an extraordinary
letter which he bas written on the subject of the Jamaica
massacre, and which it desuibes as wild and senseless
rhodomontade.

Cu Court.

OSBORNE, DEC!

The Queen, with Princess Helena and Princess
Louise,drove yesterday morning in a carriage and four, Ltd
visited Princess Leiningen at West Cowes.
Major• General the Hon. A. Hood was in attendance.

The Prince of Wales, accompanied by his Majesty the L
King of Portugal, arrived at Marlborough House but
evening from the Continent.
The suite in attendance consisted of Lord Allred Hervey,
Lientenant-Colonel Koppel, the Marquis de Ficalbo, and
the Viscount Adolphe de Pella.
On Friday and Saturday in the past week her Most
Gracious Majesty's Royal Bounty and Gale Alms, to aged
blind and other meritorious poor people, who had been
recommended by the clergy of the various parishes and
districts in or round the metropolis, were distributed at the
Alma:ay-office in Scotland-yard ; and on Monday, Tuesday,
and Wednesday in the current week the distributions were
resumed, in anticipation' of Christmas.
These distributions were made sunder the direction of the
Lord Bishop of Orford, Lord High Almoner, and the Rev.
Dr. Jell, D.D., Sub-Almoner) by Joseph Hanby, Esq.,
Secretary and Yeoman of the Almonry in Ordinary.
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council eat veeter•
day. Present—Lord Chelmsford, the Lord. Justices Knight
Bruce and Turner, Sir E. V. Williams, Sir J. Colvile, and
Sir Laurence PeeL
L Despatches were reeeived yesterday at the Colonieloffice
I from the Governor of Malta.