The Express.
London, England, 1856-03-27 00:00:00

Ibc expreos.

taken themselves to the recreation of imposing lines
on irreverent Sheriffs.

The first who commenced this series of new and
popular entertainments was that mild and excellent
magistrate, Mr. JustioeVAUOIL&N Wruxtms. Abetter-
tempered or more easy-natured man cannot be found
oar the British Bench; but there are some revue-
doss against which no amount of good nature is
proof, and the lot of this exemplary Judge was no
doubt a hard one. It had been his fate among the
wilds of Wales to encounter in succession two abso-
lutely maiden assizes—not a single cause entered on
the civil side, not a single prisoner to try on the cri-
minal. On approaching the mice town of Car-
marthenshire, his native county, he was met,
not by the Sheriff in his family ouch, but
—by the Under-billet-if in a Aired fly. No
trumpets, no shawms, no javelin-men, none
of the honest paraphernalia of judicial pomp—
nothing but a Carmarthenshire attorney in a Car
marthenshire fly—a vehicle, we may conjecture, not
unlike one of those " SHEN, HAM, and JAPHET
buggies" spoken of by the irreverend BYDNNT, "
built before the flood and found on the top of
Ararat soon after the subsidence of the wattre.',
The insult was no doubt gross. If the Sheriff
kept ao carriage and was unable to attend himself,
surely he might at all events have sent his footman
with an umbrella, followed by at least one under-
gardener bearing on his dexter shoulder a javelin
rauljnint, and in his sinister hand a pair of galoshes
sable and a worsted comforter gales. But an Under-
sheriff in a fly ! It was too much. The habitual
meekness of the judicial mind gave place to indig-
nation, and the contumacious Sheriff was fined 1001.

liberdeimento Intended to °Tie teyeees.°Lredia &Wag pow.
PR be Attu Melee, 10, Boseerteatreet, by Tvs Vela* Oa the
iiir et publicatoe.

SIGH WATIR AT IA
Two DST—Morns', 3n. IC.
TO4llollloW—llamag, Mu 45:

Ix BRID9B.

la. Se.

LONDON, THURSDAY, NANCE 27.

TUE Western Powers are very busy at present,
lecturing the Ottoman Government on the subject of
religious toleration. Indeed, they do more than
lecture ; they bring a little gentle " premium from
without " to bear upon the Divan, with a view to I
obtain guaraniy es for the liberties of the Christian
subjects of the SULTAN. Far he it from I:3 to
anything that might seem to imply disapprobation of
this zealous assertion of the great principle that con-
scientious adherence to religious convictions ought to
subject no man to political disabilities. But might
not these zealous inculcators of religious toleration
upon the Turk do well to amend their own ways
in this reapect before they set themselves up u
reformers of the Osmanli ? Do they never reflect on
the old adage abort the Physician healing himself,
or upon the exhortation, emanating from a still
higher source, to him who is disposed to remove the
mots from his brother's eye to begin by extracting
the beam from his own?

Were the Turks addicted to repartee they might
fled ample matter for retorting upon the Christian
Powers their exhortations to be tolerant. We do not
allude to Spain, with its denial of honourable Chris-
tian sepulture to Protestants, and the recent p►onun-
ciamento of its Government against Protestant propa-
gandism. Spain is no doubt intolerant ; but Spain
has not bad the audacity to preach toleration to °thee
nations.

But Russia, Austria, France, and England, all
affect to be horrified by the intolerance of the Turks.
Not one of these Powers will concede to the other an
exclusive Protectorate of the Christian subjects of the
Porte, or of any sect among these subjects; bat,
with certain salvoes, and verbal reservations in favour
of Um SULTANS independent sovereignty, they insist
apes exercising a joint Protectorate of the Christians
is the Ottoman dominions. Now, what is the con-
duit of these Governments towards dissenters from
the professed faith of the constituted authorities
in each of the nations we have named ? It
is not worth while to speak of the treat-
ment of the nuns of Minsk, or of the sup-
precision of Protestant missions in the southern pro-
vinces of Russia. All the world knows that in
Russia there is no such thing as toleration. It would
be equally a waste of time to remind our readers of
the expulsion of the Free Church Missionaries from
the Austrian domioions. Austria is notoriously quite
as intolerant as Russia. But from France and Eng-
land better things might be expected. In France,
however, we have repeatedly seen of late, Protestant
congregations denied the privilege of assembling
for public worship—their temples closed under
the shallow pretext that their meetings were
in contravention of a law directed exclusively
against political useablies. And with reference to
this fact we may be allowed to offer a parenthetical
remark upon the strange conduct of certain profess-
ing friends of religious liberty in this country. There
is no Government which has made such rapid pro-
gress in the practice of religions toleration of l►te
years as that of Sardinia. Yet when the King of
SARDINIA visited this country he was persecuted by
delegations from religions communions and societies,
lecturing him upon the duty of toleration as if he
had never by his conduct evinced a sense of it. These
obtrusive monitors, however, remained mute and stood
aloof when the Emperor of the FRENCH visited Lon-
don, although the EMPEROR'S Government bad again
and again encroached upon the religions liberties of
French Protestants. There was an offensive for
• in the obtrusive advice of these bodies
to the King of SARDINIA; but there was something
worse, there was sycophancy and timeserving, in
their &iliac, in the presence of the Emperor of the
Faericn. This remark, se we have above intimated,
is merely parenthetical; our present object is to in-
quire how far the Western Powers are entitled to
take upon them the office of teachers of religions tole-
ration to Turkey. France, it is clear, has no right
to preach to others what she does not practise
herself. And England : with what face can she all
upon the Mahomedans of Turkey to give equal poli-
tical rights to Christians, so long as the Christians of
England refuse equal political rights to the Jews?
With the intolerance of Spain, Tuscany, Russia.
Austria, and France, we have comparatively little
concern. We lament it, we disapprove it, we have
a right to express our disapprobation of it; but we
have little or no power to amend it. With the
intolerance of England, however, it is quite
• different matter. The classes of English
society who are the most eager to urge on
the English Government to claim equal political
rights for Christians in Turkey are the very classes
who most obstinately and bigotedly refuse equal po-
litical rights to Jews in England. Are these men
indeed Christians, who evince in their conduct scab
habitual forgetfulness of the injunctions, to do as
they would be done by, and to take the beam oat of
their own eye in order that they may see clearly to
take the mote out of their brother's?

The next great example of the kind took place on
Tuesday last at Bury St. Edmund's, Sir ions Jxavis
being the outraged Judge, and Mr. ARCEDEKNE the
culprit Sheriff. la this case the withdrawal of javelin-
men had been ax act of malice prepense ; an Associa-
tion had actually been tormed among the county
gentlemen of Suffolk for the express purpose of
saving the Sheriff the expense of these indispensable
functionaries, and (horrescimus referentes) employing
in their stead the county police. At this the wrath
of JERVIS blazed forth with consuming real. It was
not only the dignity of his office that wee compro-
mised, but the safety of the county that was endan-
gered. In order to save the pockets of the gentry,
exclaimed the excited Cater JUSTICE, • the property
and lives of the public are to be deprived of the
natural protectors which the law affords, and those
who are so inclined, knowing that the police are
engaged at the assizes, may make an inroad into the
county and commit their depredations without check
or control." Such are the fatal relies of an economy
in javelin-men. " The object of this Association,"
remarked the CHIEF JUSTICE in conclusioc, "is to
save the pockets of the contributors from the expense
of javelin-men. It is my duty to take care that that is
not done, and 1 therefore fine the Sheriff 1001.,"
Verily, the words of the wise are precious : to take
care that there is no lack of javelin-men is the judi-
cial duty ; to fine the Sheriff 1001. for withholding
them is the judicial logic.

Now, in one point of view all this is very ludicrous,
but in another it is very lamentable. There is
nothing more strongly to be deprecated than that
the Judges of the Superior Courts should in any way
lose the respect of the public. They may depend
upon it, however, that the readiest means to deprive
themselves of real consideration is to insist upon
false points of dignity. It is not by virtue of " javelin-
men " that these venerable magistrates have hitherto
maintained so firm a hold on public estimation. It is
by discretion, by self-control, by learning, by dili-
poor, by a singleness of purpose that knows no
deviation, and • purity that is beyond all taint of
suspicion—it is by these means that they have
hitherto commanded the respect of their country-
men. The rest is all " leather and prunells,°
the trappings of an idle state, the gewgaws of a
barbaric age. Besides, even conceding for • moment
that these forms have a certain value in the eyes of
the vulgar, have the present race of Judges any right
to complain of their being discontinued by others,
when they have been to • great degree abandoned by
themselves ? In the good old days when Lord
KENTON used to travel the Northern Circuit in his
coach and six, he might reasonably have complained
of a want of corresponding dignity in the equipage
of the Sheriff. But how stands the case new? The
Judges—it may be with a view to economy, but at
all events, as we think, in wise oomplianoe with the
spirit of the time—have long been in the habit of
taking full advantage of the cheap and rapid transit
afforded by railways. The ume train often carries
down to the assize town on the commission day, the
Judge and his Marshal in one first-class carriage, the
bar, attorneys, and more °palest witnesses in others;
while in the second and third elan follows the
mingled ruck of poorer witnesses, barristers' clerks,
sturdy turnkeys, and manacled felons. It wise but
the other day that a train of this kind, containing
Mr. Justine CaomProm and a motley retinue each as
we have described, bound for the Maidstone Anises,
was shunted on to a siding, and detained there for
an hour or more, in order to let a special train pass.
And what do our readers suppose was the freight of
the special train for which the Majesty of Justice was
thus kept waiting? It was filled with gentle-
men of the fancy about to break the law by misting
at • prise fight. Such are the levelling results
of the rail ! Her MAJESTY'S repressatative post-
poned to the " Tipton Slasher ;" the vindica-
tor of the law delayed, in order that the
violators of the law may keep their time
to a second I Sorely, Mr. Justice CzonProw, thus
dimpled on the siding, to make way for prise
fighters, presents a less dignified picture of British
justice than even Mr. Justin* WILLLuts encountered
by an Under-sheriff and a fiy.

If the Judges, who are paid 5,0001. a year
for adequately representing Majesty, choose io
this way to sacrifice pomp to economy, what
right have they to insist on still enjoying that
vicarious magnificrenos which the Sheriff is expected
gratuitously to supply ? As between the Sheriffs
and the Judges, the right of complaint seems to as
to be entirely with the former. Many country pa-
dawn of abundant means ao doubt covet the office
of Sheriff far the sake of its dignity; but wealthy
as our county gentlemen are, it is not every
county which an supply an annual succession of
men by whom an additional outlay of 5001. or I,OOW.
• par would not be felt as a heavy tax; and yet
the less opulent of the county gentry are liable to
have this expensive honour thrust on them without
any means of reentlag or evading it. The Indies
are not wise in their generation in stirring up such
a question at such a time. A feeling has long been
gaining groand that in the remoter districts at all
events the biennial ceremony of the circuit is some-
what of a farce. It is already perceived that a far
better distribution of judicial force s. ould be realised
by greatly diminishing the number of the Jodps of
our Superior Courts, and creating in their steed, in
all our great centres of population, tribunals having a
permanent jurisdiction, both civil and criminal, over
groups of counties, as the Central Criminal Court
now has for criminal purposes over the Metropolitan
districts; thus avoiding all the evils of delay and ex-
pense which are necessarily incident to the circuit
system. We have not space now to develop this
idea, but we shall take an early opportunity of re-

" NIT Lords the QUEEN'S Justice*" have a pain is
their temper. We are not ..prised at it. In the
first place, they have had to get through their spring
circuits in the teeth of one of the most persevering east
winds that ever blew even is this favoured clime,—
a eircumastasce in itself not favourable to human
amesity. In the next place, those pestilent institu-
tions the County Courts have made each kneads into
the civil business of the country, that " Lode" have
throughout bad most meagre oases lists, and in some
lestanoes no causes at all. In one or two is... there
has been actually no batistes whatever to dispose of,
either civil or criminal; and the represeetativse of
Majesty have travelled their couple of hundred miles
to the remoter assize towns merely to Hod that
their nervier, were in no respect required by their
country. This is provoking enough, but worse re-
mains b. hind. The ccuoty magnates have hire and
there shown a disposition to be contumacious. The
Sherif& equipages have not always been all that
could be desired. Above all, "my Lords"
have been pet on a short allowszce of " jave-
lin men." For some unexplained reams this
last insult stems to have rankled more deeply
than any other in the judicial mind, and the sagesof
the law, for want of better employment, have be.

THE EirRESO, THURSDAY EVENING, MARCH 27, 1856,

turning to it. Meanwhile, our advice to the ledges
would be, not unnecessarily to draw the public atten-
tion to the greatly diminished amount of their work
as compared with tits undiminished scale of their
salaries, and tile misplaced loftiness of their pre-
tensions.

Ine Court.

WINDSOR, ILtsca 26.

Mr. Albert Smith had the honour of performing
last wght b fors her Majesty, the Bing of the Belgian', the
Dachau of Kant, the royal fatally, aad the party asoosabied
at the Carle.

The dinner rarty inelnded the Hiss of the Belgians,
the Duchene of Bent, the Princess Royal, the Belgian
Minister and Madams Van de Wryer, Lady Fanny
Howard, Bummer de Sped', Vejor•Usnaal the Hon. Sir
Edward Cue, Colonel and Lady Emily Seymour, Sir
I mes Clark, Colo el de Moerkerke, Captain Priem, and
Dr. Riskin.

The band of tit. 2ad Life Guards played daring dinner.
Her Majeaty's private band afterward' performed In the
Castle.

The Queen and Prise*, with the Princess Royal and
Princess Al ce, twie on horseback this morning, attended
by the Countess of Desert, Major-Oesenl Buckley. and
Captain the Hon. D. de Roe.

,r-Generel the Hon. Sir Edward Cut left the Cattle
in the tor. noon.

Lady Bl,edosald hu eneereded the Dosuitau of Duart as
Lady in Waiting to bar Nasty.

WINDSOR, WIDNVIDAY.

On Monday next the Court will leave Windsor
Castle for Buckingham Pilate, to remain there probably
not more tun a week or ten days, alter which time her
Meji sty, Prince Albert, and the royal family will go to the
Isle of Wight. His Majesty the King of the Belgians will
take have of hir M..jesiy and the Prince, and leave the
Castle at half•put 9 o'clock to-morrow morale', on his
return to Brussels. The King and suite will travel by the
South Western has to the junction at Wanesworth, thence
down the mein line to Guildford, travelling therefrom to
Reigate, on the Booth Eastern line, to Dover, avoiding by
t'us arrangement chugs of carriages, luggage, Au, as well
as the inconvenience of the delay occasioned by changes is

formerly. His Majesty, oa his departure, will bs attended
by Mr. Scut, mower, mad Mr. Crombie, emiretary. The
jimmies will be perfo•med is leis thee four boars.

Mr. Ruben Bernnfiron, of her Msjerty's Private Baud,
has bees appointed one of the State Truntpcers, in the
room of Kr. Grist, doomed.

Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge
and t►e Princess Mary will remain at Cambridge Cottage,
Kew, until the elose of the ansuiog week, and then return
to St. James's Polies lot the reason.

The Duke of Newcastle has left Portman•egasre for
Clumber Park, Notts, where his grace will remain until the
se-meembling of whiniest.

Tho Maiqu; and Marchioness of Londonderry
who have 'Totally left Rome for Naples, are expected home
from their tour is Italy towards the elms of the ensuing
math.

The Earl of Eglinton hu left town on a visit to
Lord and Lady Bdathanyton, at WhittMary Lodge,
N.rthamptonebire.

Lord Stanley, M.P., has left town for Knowsley,
the Earl of Derby's seat in Lancashire, for the Eater
holidays.

The Marquis of Northampton is at Castle Ashby,
earronaded by a select party. The noble biatqais emee
to town ter the mason the week after next.

Viscount and Viscountess Ingestre have arrived at
the Earl of Egliatnee, from visiting Sir Within William
and Lady Wyse at Wynnitay.

Sir James Graham, aecompanted by Lady and
Miss (habits, has gone to Netlathy, his met in Cumber-
land, and does not retails to town for a fortnight.
The Doke and Duchess of Norfolk leave Carlton

Home-'.mace tc-day for Aristide! Castle, Saws. Admiral
Air Edmund Lyou is staylag with dm noble Dabs and
Duchess.

The Duchess (Dowager) of Norfolk, leaves Norfolk
House to-day, fir Chidden Park, the Make of Sutherland's
*eat, ne►r Ilaideabead, where her than purposes to retire
for a few smiths.

Led, Peel has ten Whitehall-garden on a visit
to Mr. Frederick Peel, M.P., at hie seat Hampton Arden,
Warwickshire.

Sir Robert Peel, Bart., M.P., and Lady Jane Peel
are it:plata to arrive in town immediately after the
holidays (rem a tour in Italy, when the bon. baronet will
resume his official &dire at the Admiralty.

The Earl and Countess Spencer who hare returned
to Althorpe-hall Irma town for the repels are entertai•ing
• distinguished circle at their country seat.

Lord and Lady Southampton are receiviog a ono-
OHS ioa of distinguished visiton at WhittleburyLodge, North-
amptoesMrs, during the mot mooting.
. .

Lord and Lady George Manners have joined the
family circle visiting the Duke of Rutland at Belvois
Cutlei Leieestershira.

Lady Dover Moos her return from Elowran Castle,
Ireland, has been slaying with the Commas (Dowager) of
Carlisle et Curls Howard, Yorkshire.

We regret to anoounoe the premature demise of
Mrs. Alexander Mackinnon, atter giving birth to • still
born child, on Tuesday last.

The Dean of Carlisle has, we regret to learn, sus-
tained a most distressing domestic bentvement, no lea ilea
four dengliten having been myriad off by scarlet fiver
within the last tweet, days. The last and eldest died on
Teesday, at the age of ten ruin.

The new Philharmonic Society hu received an in-
tleiatiee from Madame Jenny Lind, that she will pouf wee
at one of the conferee of the eocdety daring the approach-
ing season. Mr. Benedict and Dr. Wilde wit be the
modular..

Orders have boss Maud at Portsmouth for every
dispatch screw ten-vessel, Si well as the screw tea-boatt,
to be reedy by the 16th of April, BO that it way be takes
for treated that oa t►e 16th or 17th of the seat math the
Quota will review the finest and most powerful lint ea re-
cord. It is believed that her Majesty will min is the
taming at the port oa the day is question, sad ntara to
inn i• the evening of the sane day.