The Express.
London, England, 1865-07-11 00:00:00

A DOUBLE NUMBER

01 =I

"EXPRESS"
WILL BE GIVEN TO-MORROW,
00711171N0 PULL 2270112 07 TH2

PROGRESS OF THE ELECTIONS
THROUGHOUT THE COUNTRY.
UP TO TIM LATIN? 10111.

must be most is tho sass by 12 o'olosk.

Tns excitement of a general election does not
usually exercise a very favourable influence on the
impartiality or the discrimination of those who
are actively unearned in it ; but there was one
panegyric on the policy of the Government, re-
ported in our impression of yesterday, which was
so remarkably distinguished by these qualities that
we shall snake no apology for devoting, even in
the midst of the battle, a few minutes to its con-
sideration. The speaker commenced by estimating
the chances of any serious disturbance of the peace
of Europe. As regards England herself, he con-
sidered that the question of our foreign relations
Lad practically been taken out of the
jlomain of party politics, since the mind of
Parliament has been so unequivocally expressed
in favour of non-intervention, "that no minister,
" whatever his own feeling may be, will hereafter
"venture to resist it." Nor did he regard the'
probability of war being thrust upon us from with-
out as at all greater. In fact, everybody has
something else to do. France is becoming more
industrial ; Ruda is embarrassed in her finances,
besides having on her band a large amount of
social and political reorganisation ; the despotic
sovereigns of Europe are " keeping their crowns on
" their heads with one band, and holding on to
" their thrones with the other ; " and in spite of
a good deal of rivalry and a little jealousy, and
some "momentary irritation and soreness," there
is no serious danger to be apprehended from
the other side of the Atlantic. Where the
atmosphere is so serene as he desctibee it, we
are not surprised to find him anticipating a reduc-
tion in the estimates to the extent of 4,000,0001.
or 6,000,0001. in the course of the next two or
three years. Coming next to the question of
finance, he congratulated his hearers on the tho-
roughly satisfactory nature of our financial pro-
spects. It seems that when he addressed them on
some former occasion, he " threw out an opinion
" that we might reckon, independently of rrcluo-
" tions of expenditure, upon an annual surplus of
" 1,500,0001." But, inasmuch as during Mr.
GLADSTONE'S present term of office the annual
surplus has averaged 1,750,0001., the speaker now
believes that he would be nearer the mr-k iv
fixing 2,000,0001. as the balance to be looked for
every year. The next point to be considered
was how this surplus was to be employed, and on
this head, next to a further reduction of the duty
on fire insurances and the abolition of the duties
on locomotion and transport, he thought the Go-
vernment could not do better than go on as they
bad been doing. Our true financial policy pointed
to the reduction and ultimate abolition of all minor
customs duties, so as to leave the customs revenue
entirely dependent upon tea, coffee, tobacco,
sugar, wine, and spirits. With respect to the in-
come tax, be thought it might be reduced to 3d.
in the pound. That would only be lf per
oent., and at this rate the inequalities,
which it was so *may to point out and
so difficult to devise a remedy for,
"would become so small as really to be produc-
" tive of no great amount of injustice." The re-
peal of the malt tax be did not think was practi-
cable, since we could not "deal in this way with
" malt, without doing the same with tea, sugar,
" and other articles which would have a very
" strong claim," and thus throwing away • re-
venue " considerably exceeding 30,000,000/. per
" annum." The reduction of the duty was a diffe-
rent matter, and whenever the surplus admitted of
it, the claim of rash ought to be considered ; bat
he declined to give any pledge as to " this being
" done before any other tax was dealt with." For
himself, however, he had no fear of any
very revolutionary financial measure, since,
though " there might be a question
" whether this or that tax should be taken first,
" there was no very wide division of principle
" between the two parties." The speaker then
went on to justify his support of the two most im-
portant measures which have been brought forward
during the Session which has just closed, the Union
Chargeability Act and the Roman Catholic Oath ,
Bill. The substitution of union for parochial ,
rating was really "part of the new Poor-law of
" 1834, and was only thrown out at the time in
" consequence of the local opposition which it had
"to encounter." The Roman Catholic Oath wee,
in his judgment, utterly inoperative as a proba-
tion to the Irish Church ; and, besides that, he
" thought that any man who we. fit to serve in
" Parliament ought to go there free to vote upon
" all national questions as his conscience dictated."
And now, to whom do we owe this brilliantly- I
coloured sketch of our present condition sad
future prospects under a Liberal Ministry f Has
Mr. GLADSTONE gone down, et the eleventh hour,
to South Lancashire, and, throwing aside official
reticence and personal reserve, indulged in a glow-
ing retrospect of his own merits as • financier?
Has Mr. Viitazna been fighting his battles over
again in an election speech, or Mr. Mossarx been
consoling himself for unmerited defeat by rodeo-
Jima on the justice of his cause? Nothing of the
kind. The speaker from whom we have
drawn this defence of the Government policy
sits on the Opposition side of the House,
and his commendations come with all the weight,
which entire impartiality can bestow on them. We
have simply been analysing a speech addressed to
the electors of King's Lynn no longer ago than
Saturday last, and by no Isis a person this Lord