The Express.
London, England, 1847-08-20 00:00:00

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MAILS.
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MOIZCOISLISPONDINTS.
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T..N.....-46.1kg. id nla p•st Alitnewso7 mks. pot Y.

LONDON, FRIDAY, AUG. 20.
Tits maxim which tells the workman to repeat his
blow " while the iron is hot" is well understood by
those who desire to turn any kind of popular ex-
citement into an instrument for sinister purposes. The
Times evidently thinks the impression produced by
the London and North-Western meeting favourable
to the repetition of its attacks on the whole railway
interest. In a second long article, profeeeedly devoted
to Mr. GLYN'S speech, conclusions of a general scope
are drawn, not merely on premises utterly false, but
actually at variance with each other. To expose the
faulty logic of an unscrupulous declaimer would be a
task equally tedious and unprofitable. It will be
more useful to correct some of the assumptions on
whichthepretended argumentsreet, by stating the real
bearing of the matters of fact referred to. In
dealing with these we shall not stay to discuss
the justice, or admire the modesty, of the claim now
advanced by the noses, to be regarded as " the best
friend that railways ever had in this country!" It
will appear, we think, that the friendship, if it exist,
has not, at all events, been preceded by any intimate
acquaintance with the objects of its good will. We
shall confine our notice to the principal misrepre-
sentatiso, and leave the character of the rest to be

inferred from these.
The Times lays the blame of all possible hardships
and difficulties that have been inflicted on railways, or
that may befal them hereafter, on their own heads :
and this because they came before the public as pri-
vate undertakings ; as though it were in their power,
had they so chosen, to enter on their career with the
authonlyt and to pursue it with all the advantages, of
"public" institutions. Their first appearance is so re-
cent, and their history so well known, that one may in-
deed wonder at the audacity which can found a charge
against them on an implied imputation like this. Need
it be now said that the whole of this great system
rose from the enterprise of private persons ? and,
not only this, but that it had to struggle for exist-
ence, not merely unaided and unguided by the state,
deprived of any of the sanctions of "public" favour,
but
.in the teeth of every opposition that powerful
parties in the legislature could throw in their way.
Having, in spite of these difficulties, got the work ac-
complished by private mean', and having given the
country an improvement the worth of which is incal-
culable, the men who have risked their means hear
for the first time, on beginning to reap fruit of
their labours, of public interposition. Whatthe cha-
racter of this has hitherto been we shall presently
examine. In the mean time, let it be observed that
the odium which the Times seeks to throw upon rail-
ways, as "choosing" to be considered private under-
takings., applies to thisconditionof the affair, and not,
as it is insinuated, to somerefusal on the part of their
promoters to exercise a liberal choice—a choice
having been open to them—between a =vow
and a national system. They have arm had any
such option : it was not until the work wee dams, and
the benefit already given to tam "AHD by private
efforts, without any kind of emesweensammt km the
ruling authorities, that these amlbstaias demi in,
to control a business they did net understeid, with-
out even then po -eemang, se having at any later
period possr~d, the power of laying down a
national system, which the Times, begging the
' question assumes the railway interest to have
rejected. Had any such system been preseisahle,
indeed, they might have resisted with Doane Judo
its imposition, if at their cost, after the outlay aid
risk they had incurred, and the good they had dome,
when no such system was dreamed of: Bat the rims
point of this case is, that no amok 'Ms hes a
any time, even at the latest movwet, bees prey-
glean within the re ea of either party. The
state interference, which has been justly com-
plained of, has proved impotent in this respect, and
merely capable of activity m troubling the de-
tails of a business, of which its agents cannot so well
judge as those who are concerned in it.
Some years ago, many of the railway leaders (Mr.
GLYN amongst others) would have been very glad to
see the government lay down a national system, and
enforce it; and with this view, it is well known, they
improvidently encouraged the formation of rail
boards and other machinery, by which, it was
this object might be attained. A sound "
system, suited to the real wants of the canday, was
precisely what the great railway companies meat
eagerly desired, four or five years ago, when sea a
system was yet possible. They knew that lines as
well schemed as theirs had been could have na
to fear from such *plan. But what had been foremen
by wiser heads than theirs soon became evident There
was no body in the state to which parliament would
entrust sufficient powers to accomplish eo comprehen-
sive a task. It could never be induced to relinquish
the right of deciding, in the last resort, on every
scheme brought forward by a partnership of indivi-
duals. The state wholly declined making the nailing
railways itself : they must, therefore, either ewe te
be made, or continue to be made by private
heretofore. The final decision on new Hass thus pro-
jected remained with On apsesatelive lady, who
would not yield this anlisrityle ow other patty. This
circumstance was fomaat the begelmsing, and hay ever
mince been found, to mew any amirog out of a ge-
neral plan, by the ABMs el a entre authority, im-
possible. What wash* tersseuantent interpoeition
to perform was a interference not
wanted; while whatligererkgps have performed
with advantage at one puha always eluded
pursuit. This is the real slab of the case as to the
private character of railways, in reference to a
" national system," which makes Each a figure in the
columns of the Times.
What is the meaning of the only national system
that the state has taken any positive steps towards
carrying out may be shortly described. It will then
be men how far the directors of railways are "selfish
and arrogant" in describing it as a thing to be resisted
toile viribus. It is that the "private" company shall
furnish the money for these works; largely compen-
sate everyone concerned before getting leave to make
them; go through all the labour and bear all the risk ;
and then the state shall step in and say—having
done this, you shall now carry "the yobbo" at h
sue
rates as we may at any time think low enough,
whether you loss by it or not. You shall perform
for the state such services as we shall think fit to
demand, however onerous or expensive they may
be, gratuitously; you shall submit to such hourly or
daily inquisition or inspection as we may desire, by
any number of officers whom we shall appoint, and
you shall pay ; yet that inspection, however it may
impede your own control over the business, shall not
take from your shoulders one iota of its responsibility.
Nor can we, in return for this, assure yon of any
single kind of substantial protection. The House of
Commons will receive our reports, on subjects of con-
sequence to you; but whether it will act upon them or
not, we cannot say. Hitherto, we know it has not
acted upon them at all. The questions of
lines:; of the burdens thrown on you by the
cation of parish rates; these, and other
matters, most still be left to the fres determination ef
parliament—ln the one clam of thus subjuts be it
observed, the influence of local coestitnenciss in We
powerful to be overlooked ; in the emend, the pastas
who now get rid of their own burdens by the mina
weight cut upon the railways are the sejurhy is
both the houses to which the case must be ratan.
Nor was even this faint prospect of companies
offered in exchange for the vexatious meow pen-
posed by Dir. fivarrr last session. TA. yawls.

.L'ofieredinWchange for the vexatious measure pro- ehmthowertnes view we nave euggesiso, us w too is suuuar...o ~ . _
posed by Mr. sTarrr last maim. The railway com- judge reading his note., the reviewer says, "we have We
,should be curions
th to know for which of Sir ' to
eesssed
WWI were asked to consent to the certain evil, while Uard great murt udges who delay their Parrai IS achievements legacy was left him. Did
Ware!. in the clouds. Such was the position of the right. There is no greater hindrance to the adnunis- for the suppression of some riotous suburban swing? round hisadd big:A hefmd the
dremaln, btr ltwe=. As dries the he .1i; thestheieden— eff the -p-alii. Ils; asena,Y! hYo_tne aleanalt_,,„_°' "•7'za -ii, -j-,-..-A: 0,
he leaving the house, he said to a menthe at dm camp of the Oethe Olub, Cu the lawn "'"-a`-
~ct'ea, was '"...."- mayor, --
God take her! Au the next day and • t the continued the whole of the Scottish Wiens, sad has en lm. Cusrost-nonsn SgeIiCHERS.-The following
lila Paothlee of any indemnity for it was left, as here. decisions for thin)
And the suitors are quite it come from a nervous old gentleman, grateful daughter is very ill-if Ido not see her athis,"esaXYy 117frOat of the oaths, is now It is covered with town --- •
railway imams" with rd to that obnoxious and tration of justice than kninenitY on the judgment Or from one who has a vested interest in dirt, to suffer cruelly. esPeeielly whenever couturier, wbo posing appearance when from the loch, cur- of au order of the Commissioners of Customs te
raga
Migtalla aleagUre ; and, in spite of the menace of the seat. This is especially applicable to the new county and thus records his admiration of Sir Pavaa's scarcely quitted. her, gave her anything to drink, though she rounded by the beautiful whitents of the club. The subordinates is important to travellers from the
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