The Express.
London, England, 1853-10-31 00:00:00

TO COIMESPONDENTA.

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LONDON. MONDAY. OCTOBER 31.

Om Saturday the Exchanges of Paris and Lo.don
Were strongly excited by a telegraphic de- patch an-
nouncing the conclusion of an armistice bete% een the
Russians and Turks. Where this armistice had been
arranged, and by whom negotiated, was left a mys-
tery. It is not easy to prove a nigative : it would
be rash to say that no armistice has been arranged,
or is in the comae of arrangement. lint it requires
a strung faith to believe that an armistice can have
been concluded at any place and time that tender it
possible fur the news to reach Paris and London,
even by electric telegraph, on Saturday. The wish
was probably father to the thought: perhaps the
whole has been a stock-jobbing trick.
It would seem, indeed, that there are good grounds
for believing that strenuous efforts are btiag made
to bring about an armistice between the Tullis and
Ru_sians. A despatch from London is raid to have
reached Vienna on the 24th; to have been followed
by an immediate convocation of the Ministers of the
Four Powers; and to have resulted in the rending off
an express w ith despatches from the Russian Minister
at Vienna to tl.e seat of hostilities. It is highly probable
that these despatches and delibsrations may have had
in view a pc;stpnni men t or cessation of hostilities; it is
possible that the Russian Minister at Vienna may have
been empowered beforehand by his Imperial Muter to
arrest the progress of Prince GORTSCHAKOFF upon
certain contingencies. Bat there must be two par-
ties to an armistice. OMER PACIIA could nut take
upon him to conclude one without authority from
his Sovereign; and it does not appear possible
that a proposal for an armistice could reach
Constantinople, that it could he accepted, and in-
structions transmitted to and received by Omni
PALMA, in such time as would admit of the intel-
ligence of the suspension of hostilities reaching
this country two days ago. They who have
recommended an armistice may have reason
to feel confident that their advice will be
adopted; and in this case the telegraphic de-
spatch may be simply a preliminary statement
that what its author confidently believed would take
place ou a given day actually did take place on that
day—a narrative by a second-sighted seer in the
historical, not in the prophetic tone. Ono thing is
tolerably clear :—that the Ottoman Government, if
it can have its rights satisfactorily maintained with-
out war—if the Hui sian horde will withdraw
beyond the Pruth—fully appreciates the bless-
ings of peace, and will not be instrumental in dis-
turbing it. On the other hand the Emperor of
Itussf would rather not fight at present, if he can
avoid it, but temporise in order to gain time to
strengthen his position and mature his plans of con-
quest. And another thing seems painfu:ly palpable
—that the abettors of Russia in Western Europe are
unscrupulously active—much more energetic, reso-
lute, and persevering, than the opponents of its
nefarious designs.
We feel inclined to dismiss with contempt the
rumour that the King of the Bc.i.ct.sx.4 has gravely
propounded as the basis of an arrangement between the
DAR and the Porte, that Russia should be allowed to
retain the Danubian Principalities, and Turkey receive
compensation in the shape of cession of territory on
the side of Georgia. It is true that the potentate to
whom this monstrous proposal is attributed, has re-
cently contracted intimate relations with Austria;
and that his connexion with the unscrupulous and
intriguing House of ORLEANS—the family of the

wretched Spanish Marriage intrigue—exposes him to
suspicions szarcely less grave than his Austrian liaison.
Still there is nothing in his past life to warrant men's
regarding him as fool or knave, and only one who
was both could seriously recommend such an arrange-
ment as we have been alluding to. Russia it is
acknowledged on all hands has violated the
law of nations by seizing upon the Da-
nubian Principalities without a shadow of a
pretest. To allow Russia to retain those pro-
vinces would be to establish a precedent which would
render the territorial rights of every state in Europe
insecure. It would be to overthrow entirely the
system of international law or equity which has
tediously, painfully, and incompletely been built up
by the pangs and struggles of European humanity in
the long course of centuries, and to restore a state of
barbarous anarchy in which Might made Right. Come
what may, it is indispensable to the maintenance of
anything approaching to law and order in the rels,-
tions of European States that the Russians be obliged
to seeress the Pruth. No price that could be paid to
Turkey could make that power compensation for the
moral weakness and degradation which would result
from its submission to any other terms. No peace
could benefit Europe purchased by the sanction of
any trampling on all law and justice. And how is
it proposed to compensate Turkey for giving up Mol-
davia and Wallachia ? Russia is to pay for the
stolen provinces by lands of which on termer occasions
it has plundered Turkey and Persia!
It is pretty obvious from the latest intelligeues
that the Government at Constantinople could not
enter into such a shameful compromise even if it
would. The popular feeling would prevent it. As to
the alleged jealousies and mutual counteractions of
the French and English Ministers at Constanti-
nople, they may safely be set down t, the score
of what CARLYLE calls " preternatural suspicion"—a
crazy and ridiculous mood of mind, ns rife in all
great national crises as in revolutions. Ihe all but
official declaration in the 21t,,,dreur rho: that the
French Government is honestly anxious to co-operate
with the English policy avowed by the majority
of the cabinet ; and ere longs new French Minister
will reach Constantinople, between whom and his
professional brother of England entire confidence is
likely to exist.

It is rather late to be surprised at any novelty and
brilliancy manifested by Lord PALMEIVITON ; but it
may yet be a surprise to many people, as it cer-
tainly is a novelty to all, to see him plunging into
the Scotch Church, and winning victories there, as
easily and smartly as in other regions of conflict.
We ace him beating the Edinburgh Presbyters on
their own ground of Scriptural religion, without in-
trusion, without levity, but with the cheerful ala-
crity which springs out of sound sense in a great
MUM.

The Presbytery of Llinburgh have taken for
granted that a general fast would be appointed by
royal authority, to ackaowlcdge our national unwor-
thing it, and pray for a cessation of the cholera ;
and they have written to Lord PALMERSTON to in-
quire, in order to arrange their ovrt appointment
of a Fast accordingly. Lord PALfirasroN, thus ap-
plied to, and of course obliged to reply, declares his
opinion that, in the great work we have to do in re-
gard to the cholera, the observance of a general fast

Is Dot the right beginning. While leaving the am-
plest scope for the exercises of piety, he conceives
that our civic duty in regard to this affliction begins
at another point ; and he gives reasons foe this
opinion, which enable us to say confidently that the
Scriptural sanction is all on his side. Both the Old
and New Testaments bear him out in his doctrine
that obedience comes before homage. It is not any
part of our usual function to make even
the rcmatest theological references ; but in this
case the Edinburgh clergy have brought their
theological proposals into the field of politics, and
they must be conferred wi!h in their own way. We
say, then, without hesitation, that the whole spirit
and matter of the Old Testament, from Deuteronomy
to Micah, gives the same response to their request
that they resent when it comes to them from the
pen of a SECRETARY of STATE. Besides the general
doctrine that a blessing follows obedience, we have
special assurances in abundance that prayer and
praise are absolutely unacceptable till duty is done.
The language of the first chapter of Isaiah is plain
enough, one would think, to prevent any assembly
of divines being at all surprised or offended at Lord
PALMEIV,TON'S doctrine that we must remove causes
of offence before we may dare to pray against their
consequences. We are to " put away the evil of our
doings" before our prayers will be listened to: the
shepherds are to ace that their flocks arc cared for
before they may come face to face with the
Mosr llmu : Mercy is better than sacrifice, and obla-
tions are vain till men have put away their trans-
gressions. Such arc the assurances of Isamu,

EZEKIEL, and Micsit. As for the New Testament,
we need only (for we would rather leave this part of
our subject as soon as we can) refer to the case of the
two sons, one of whom made great promises of
obedience and did nothing, whereas another was
accepted because he obeyed, not only without pro-
fessions but against them. There is St. JAMES,
again, with his rebukes of lip-homage and lip-duty,
without the act and substance. The doctrine of
Prophets and Apostles is precisely suggestive of such
a reply as that of the SECRETARY of STATE, when
applied to for an order to pray against an evil,
exemption from which is within our own
power. It is to be supposed that the Edin-
burgh Divines believe that GOD made Man, and
gave the laws of the human frame—of its health
and life. They can hardly suppose that it is by nay
other will that poison is poisonous, and that deadly
agents cause death. They must surely admit that
we have some duty to do with the knowledge that
we are permitted to obtain ; and that, having learned
that certain ways of living are destructive, and others
wholesome, we must live accordingly before we can
without offence ask to have health and life. They
would not bid a drunkard pray to be spared the
horrors of delirium trement till he had left off drink-
ing; and if he uttered in his sinful madness any such
prayer, they would rebuke him in the words of
prophets and apostles, and of a greater than they.
Well, this is precisely what Lord PALMERSTON
means; and yet one of the Edinburgh presbyters de-
clares his total dissent from the doctrines contained
in Lord PALMERSTON'S letter, and another regards
the document as unworthy of any Christian Govern-
ment or governor.
What is this dissent ? What is all this conster-
nation about ? Is it true or is it not that there are
everlasting laws regulating, as the letter says, " the
planet in which we lice, and that the weal or woe
of mankind depends on the observance or neglect
of those laws ?" Is it true or is it not that when
people live so crowded as to exhaust the vital air,
they breathe that which is unwholesome ; and that
when people breathe unwholesome air, either from
being shut up, or from the air being poisoned with
gases from denyed or otherwise offensive substances,
they lose their health and strength, and become
liable to fever at all times, and to cholera when
circumstances arc favourable to its propagation ?
Is it true or Is it not that the first persons to
be attacked by cholera are those who live
by stagnant water, filthy river banks, open
drains and stinking piggeries, and in damp cellius or
close garrets ? Is it true, or is it not, that there are
places in Edinburgh, as in all our towns, where
people cannot live in health, but where they do live
in great numbers? Is it true, or is it not, that the
shepherds have sought out and recovered all these
rotting sheep before offering themselves to perform
fasts and humiliation before God? Is it true, or is
it not, that He is likely to favour their prayer before
they have fulfilled the declared conditions? And
which is the most religious proceeding—to disobey
GOD'S everlasting laws, and cry from the dust to be
spared the penalty, or to obey the law, and then say
what the obedient heart suggests ? Lord PALMER-
STON makes no objection to the devotional part of
the action. Every man can of course pray in his
own privacy; and there is, moreover, the whole eter-
nity that will be left after the conditions of
the Divine law are fulfilled. Here is room, not only
for every man's piety, but for a conjoint expression
of it, if it should be conjointly desired hereafter. The
one only suggestim is that the duty should be done
first ; and it ill becomes any assembly of divines to
object to a doctrine so expressly scriptural and so
vitally religious.
The time is a serious one; and the topic a most
impressive one. Much rain has fallen, amidst a rising
I temperature, since the I'resbytery wrote their letter
and Lord PALMERSTON his reply. The damp places
arc more damp; the refuse which was fermenting has
fermented more ; and the cholera is spreading accord-
ingly. We are certainly aware, for everybody is
saying it, that the liability is to a great spread of the
disease with the first warns weather of next year.
Here is an interval which will test our faith and our
works. We do not want now a day set apart for in-
tercession, which we have not qualified ourselves to
make, even supposing that a general fast would be
observed as the Edinburgh Presbyters suppose.
What we rather want is, that not a day nor an hour
should be lost in purifying what is foul, and giving a I
chance of health and life to a multitude whose death
warrant is actually in our keeping. When next
summer's sun rises up to prove our work, it will
appear whether we have most cause for intercession
or thanksgiving: and there is nothing in the letter
of the SECRETARY of STATE to justify any suspicion of
his wishing to interfere with the expression of any
natural religions emotion. The last sentence of his
letter is this—" When man has done his utmost for
his own safety, then is the time to invoke the bless-
ing of Heaven to gire effect to his exertions."

INTERESTING PIIENWIENGN AT ABERDARE.—
A curious circumstance has just occurred at the Maya
Iron and Coal Company's work., in the vicinity of Aber-
dare, in Olamorganabire, when, as some workmen were
sinking a shaft at a distance of 53 yards below the surface,
they came upon a most extensive masa, or " blower,- of
explosive gas' which burst out of the solid rock. This oc-
currenoe impeded farther operation. far some time, but at
length a plots was devised by Mr. E. Williams, the manager,
by which the explosive agent was collected and carried to
the surface in a succeuion of pipes. This was properly and
successfully carried out, and at a height of five yards from
the ground the gas was ignited, when it burst out into a
flame three yards in I ngth. At night this luminous mass
attracts attention, and can be seen for a great distance.
Competent judges affirm that it will continue for a long
time.

TUE NEW STREET IN THE ClTY.—Considerablo
progress has been made with New Cannon•street, which
now extends westward to Old 'Change, and is only divided
from St. P.ul's-churchyarl by a few stacks of old housn.
The new street will pass at the back of the handsome row
of warehouses lately erected on the south-east side of St.
Paul's-churchyard, aud form a juection with the latter at
rael'irchain.