The Express.
London, England, 1848-01-28 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY ETENINU, JANUARY 28, 1848.

The these, the spirit, the prispesdaranos of different
idess of government have altered. TheFresch,instesd
of pnaLing revolution, are merely eagles. to consolidate
despotism. LOUIE PHILIPPE, instead of, as was feared
in 1832, flaying the NAPOLEON, prefers enacting
Louts XV. He does not want to overtone the
Alps, at_. overrun South Germany with his
armies. His ambition is to level the Pyrenees,
to annex Spain to his family empire, and to flatter
the German powers by every means and by all
cajolery to aid and countenance him in the task ; he
therefore is anxious to give up Switzerland, to crush
its liberties, to stifle its protestantism and its toler-
ance, and hand it over to Jesuit influence and conven-
tual rale. Louts PHILIPP z would offer Switzerland as a
victim to METTERNICH, and the Pact which splits
Switzerland into twenty-two parts, promises to enable
Louts PHILIPPE to do this. No wonder that the French
cabinet insists on the inviolability of the Pact. Bat
Lord PALMERSTON, the foreign minister of a liberal
government, would be perfectly consistent, in hav-
ing upheld the Pact in 1832, and in deprecating and
reccommending its revision in 1847.
In all these arguments and contentions about Swit-
zerland, not one arguer ever thinks of the poor Swiss
themselves. AU consult French interests, or Austrian
interests, and treat Swiss interests as quite an-
cillary. The Swiss are to be parked out into dif-
ferent cantons, whereby • common feeling of
nationality, and a common movement of ame-
lioration, are forbidden and prevented. Why ? Oh !
lest it should alarm the surrounding nations, which
wish to slumber on, undisturbed by a too lively
neighbour. All these fine precautions, meditated by
the Pact, have, however, failed. In despite of that
Pact and its federal system, the Swiss have acquired
a national feeling. They have made progress in every
quality sought to be denied them. Even their
Italian districts have thrown off priestly and aristo-
cratic rule,and have become pure, laydemocracies. The
Pact was framed in order that in a general war Swit-
zerland might remain neutral. Never was greater
absurdity imagined than this fore-ordained neutrality.
Belgium is declared neutral. Does any one sup-
pose that in the event of war France
would respect that neutrality for one day P
Greece is another spec:men of diplomatised neutrality.
In case of a war between ;Oasis. and the other powers,
could Greek neutrality exist a week P Switzerland
is the same. Neither Austria nor franca would re-
spect it. Nor could Switzerland itself, %Moll raised
100,000 men the other day, suffer itself to be con-
demned to an absence of all sympathies and efforts,
when the great ideas and hopes of humanity were
being decided in fields of battle.
The neutrality of Switzerland is a humbug ; and
the Pact, which seeks to ensure and to guarantee it,
by fettering and dividing the Swiss, is another ham
bug. And the greatest of all humbugs is the at-
tempt to set the Jesuits with lock and key to keep
this Pact firm and binding upon the limbs and minds
of a free, an energetic, and an educated people. As
to the diplomatic language of Austria with respect to
Switzerland, it is mere superannuated twaddle; and
M. GUIZOT'S larguage is the same, with this dif-
ference, that what is sincere bigotry on the part of
kfirrretterco is the meanest hypocrisy from the
mouth of Gurzor.

The conduct of our own government and of its
envoys seems irreproachable. Every step is marked
with liberalism, frankness, and good seise. Lord
PALMERSTON does not denounce the Pact; of course
not. Sir STRATFORD CANNING and Lord MTNTO re-
commended the Swiss liberals to respect it, and not
give the malignant despots around them any pretext
for interfering. Under the present faulty and divided
system, the liberals have continued to work out unity
enough. They have gota majority of the Diet, they
have raised a national army, and by it, without
bloodshed, have crushed anything like serious oppo-
sition or political schism. Every object that a revi-
sion of the Pact could have obtained, has been obtained
by the folly of the separatist party in appealing to
arms. A central power dominates de facto. A
national and united spirit exists, despite of the
Pact and the treaty of Vienna. The Swiss have bat
to remain tranquil, for the spirit of reform and of
wholesome revolution is at work around them, pro-
graming in Germany, kindling in Lombardy, a-flame
in Piedmont. France herself cannot remain for any
time crouched under the theatrical Jesuit robe which
it has pleased M. Gutzur to put on. Liberal men
will take the lead, and the liberal movement will still
set Europe free from the swaddling clothes in
which such old women as Prince MerrEsNicn still
try to keep it enveloped.

EVERY symptom and expression of opinion that
escapes from meo in influence tends to strengthen the
fear that the class of earners, and of those possessing i
life incomes, will be, as hitherto, sacrificed, by being •
taxed in the same proportion with those possessed of '
property returning permanent income. The I
Economist has, indeed, hinted and recommended the
leaving the income tax at its present rate, and super. •
adding a property tax, to fall upon the hitherto I
favoured classes. Bat we fear much that ministers
have not the courage to be so liberal or so bold.
Earners (professional or commercial), are considered
to have such elastic powers of gaining and demanding, I
that to seek to repair the effects of the income ]
tax is to be left to their ingenuity. We believe, how- '
ever, the true reason to be, that there is no bond of
union between the very different classes of persons ;
enjoying life incomes, and that however formidable a
portion they may make of the population they can- '
not and do not make their joint influence felt, and
that they are in fact the sheep of society, whose fate
it is to be left to brouse, to gather wool and fat on ,
their caresses for others, to be shorn of a great por-
tion of their industry annually, and to be as much
disregarded ss the flock of bleatere that are driven,
not slowly indeed, but without resistance, to the
shambles.
We must say, that the members of the popular
and liberal party committed no very liberal act when
they supported the introduction of an income tax in
full peace, without some surety or some determination
to graduate its scale and apportion its weight; ,
for, instead of throwing the burden upon the wealthy,
they in reality threw it upon the most struggling of
the community. They so arranged it as most
heavily to tax profits, even the humble profits of the
industrious and rising man, and at the same time
to spare altogether the full wages of him who
has neither the industry, the economy, nor the ambi-
tion to rise in life. The tax at present is a bonus
upon contentment with an humble position, and, at
the same time, a severe check and damper on the en-
terprise of him who would emerge from the crowd.
As long as he grovels he is safe; whilst the moment
he mounts one or two steps, down comes the income
tax upon him, to render the ascent from the lower to
the middle classes more irksome and more difficult.
Democracy never invented a law more hostile or
more fatal to itself than this.
We do believe that there never was a time when
realised property was so productive as at the present
moment, when so much profit was to be had for
money lent or invested, or so much derived from that
invested of late years. Never had a generation
greater chances of making a fortune, and turning
earnings and investments to enormous gain, than the ge-
neration which has been in active business and specu-
lation during the last ten or fifteen years. And never,
we believe, were professional or commercial gains '
more uncertain or more cramped than at present. At
such a time to tax 111. r. HODSON Or Mr. Lome for the
estates which they h►ve purchased, in the same pro-
portion as the sub-engineer of a railway for his year's
salary, is as wilful a piece of fi,cal blindness and ini-
quity as was ever perpetrated in Turkey.
We agree and rejoice heartily in many of the be-
nefits expected from and realised by direct taxation.
That its temporary substitution for indirect taxation
alone enabled successive ministers to reduce the op-
pressive duties on nearly 600 articles of commercial
import by an amount of nearly five millions sterling,
whilst the produce of the customs, after five years' ex-
periment, shows a loss of not even one million, this
is a result redounding to the glory of both
free trade and direct taxation. But, on the other
band, when we see that this exact sum of
five millions sterling saved to trade and to the con-
sumer, have been exacted in another shape, viz.:
live millions added to the military expenditure of the
country, we can only say, that notwithstanding all
we hear of improvements, there is some joggle
going on to chest us out of the results of it, tad to
inspire a general feeling of recklessness of financial
matters, or that it would seem, that a penny saved,
instead of being a puny got, is a penny quite 's much
thrown away as ever.
Dines taxation within certain limits, and fee
certain terminable purposes, is admirable. But
it has certainly one defect, that of encouraging

a government to neglect the oars of seeking any
new source of revenue beyond the plain and
easy one of subtraeting a portion at I
as
oi&s:
come. There is much to be maid far the • ly
and fairness of this. But there is the great
of its imposeibilty. The CHANCELLOR OF THII Ex-
claim's, in his speech on the budget of last year,
estimated that upwards of 30,000,0001. customs
and excise were raised on articles of food,
solid and liquid. To levy this sum by di-
rect taxation would require the raising the
present rate to one of 20 per cent. It is to be feared
that, under such a burden, many of the rich would
think themselves charged too highly even for Pro-
tection, and that instead of paying this per ventage
towards national wants and defences, they might
prefer to realise their property in other climes and
under other regimes, where no such dread necessity
existed. It will be a bad way to go about benefiting
the poor of this country by getting rid of the rich.
The income tax, however, we admit cannot be
dispensed with. It is needed, as it was in 1842,
certainly for the purpose of filling up a deficiency
made by bad seasons, commercial distress, railroad
stoppage, and consequent decreese of consumption. It
may be also wanted for experiments on some existing
duties, such as that upon tea and wine, which, if re-
duced and re-arranged on the ad valorem principle—
the only safe and feasible mode in our opinion of
dealing with them—may produce most beneficial effects
upon the comforts as well as upon the trade of the
kingdom. If, however, the income tax be not applied
to these purposes, but be used as the excuse and the '
instrument for keeping up that annual increase of our
military expenditure, which from 1836 to 1847 has ,
amounted to 5,000,0001., then we can only considerl
the income tax as a most despotic invention, and a
most unmitigated curse.

trig elourt.
WINDSOR., THURSDAY.—The Right Rev. James
Prince Lee arrived at the Cutts to-day, and had an
audience of the Queen to do homage on being appointed
Bishop of Manchester. Viscount Palmerston, one of her
Italesty's principal Secretaries of State, assisted at the
ceremony, The bishop remains on a visit to her Majesty.
The Hon. Sir Edward Cast is expected to arrive at
the Cutle, this evening, on a visit to the Queen.
The royal dinner party at the Castle, this evening,
will include the King and Queen of the Belgians, the
Duchess of Kent, M. Van de Weyer, La Marquise de Tr'.
zeynies, Ltdy Fanny Howard, Baroness de Speth, Earl
Spencer, Viscount and Viaoountess Palmerston, Lord and
Lady John Russell, the Bishop of Manchester, Hon. Sir
Ecjzard CUM, Sir George Cooper, and Major de Moerkerke.
A depti:&lion of the West Indian Association had
an interview w:'11 Earl Grey yesterday at the Colonial.
office. The deputa:2on was introduced to his lordship by
Mr. James Paulson, inewber for the City of London, and
consisted of Dr. Hodgkin, p,csident; Dr. Norton Shaw,
honorary secretary; Mr. Male, Mr. tre:Nes, Mr. Lend, Mr.
Cargell, Dr. Ferguson, Mr. H. H. Cohen, Col. Warren,
Capt. Sughrue, Mr. Cornelius Hanbury, MI. John lindirkin,
and Mr. Robert Alsop.

INQUE4T3, YESTERDAY.—MURDER.—By Mr. Mills,
at the Lord Hill, North-wharf-road, Paddington, on the
body of a male infant.—Mr. Gilbert Batchelor was shooting
in a field on the Harrow-road, when he saw • man, respect-
ably dressed in black, with a box under hie arm, who sp-
peered to be looking about for a particular spot. As the
man's conduct excited suspicion, witness examined where he
had been. Perceiving some fresh earth, he dug it up, and
tound buried underneath a fruit-box, containing deceased,
wrapped in a napkin marked 534 8. The man wore a dark
Tag it coat, black trowsers, and had the appearance of •
gentleman.—Mr. Carr, surgeon, deposed the deceased's death
was partly caused by strangulation,and_ partly by being struck
against &hard substanee.—Verdict : " Wilful murder against
mme persons unknown."—Daara IN • CAD MOM
POISON. —By Mr. G. I. Mills, at the Adam's Arms,
Hampstead-street, Fithroy-square, on the body of Maria
Hulford, aged 20, a servant, whe died in a cab, under very
singular circumstances.—Ann Reed deposed that about four
o'clock on Saturday afternoon last she saw deceased lying
on the step of a door in Beak.street, Regent-street, appa-
rently in great agony, and several people round her. A
young man, named Doughty, assistant to Mr. Johnson, a
surgeon, who lived In Beak-street, came and saw her, and
witness endeavoured to *mist her to walk, but she was un-
able. A cab was sent for, and deceased, accompanied by
witness, was conveyed to her mother's residence, No. 18,
Clevelind-street. Witness did not observe any particular
change in deceased until her arrival at Cleveland-street,
when on her being about to be removed from the cab she
was dead.—Mr. Wm. Titchwell, of Upper Norton-street,
said he was called to see deceased about ten minutes before
five on Saturday. She was then in her mother's room, and quite
dead. He had opened the body and found that the deceased
had died from the effecta of oxalic acid.—Mr. James Madsen

stated that he re;i ded at 42, Conduit-street, Hanover-aquas".
The deceased was in his service. About a quarter past
three on Saturday afternoon she came to him and demanded
her wages, luiving had some disagreement with Mn. Mackey,
who said she should leave. He at first refused to allow her
to go, but ultimately gave her 17s. 6d., two months' wages.
She then left, and about half-past five he was told she was
dead. He never observed in her any symptoms of insanity,
nor was he aware of how she took or where she got the
oxalic acid. Considerable discussion ensued as to the course
which Mr. Johnsen, the surgeon, of Beak-street, had pur-
sued, in taking away some oxalic acid which bad been found
on deceased's person, and which was strongly condemned
by the deputy coroner.—Ultimately the jury returned •
verdict " That the deceased destroyed herself by taking
oxalic acid, but in what state of mind she was at the
time there was no evidence to show."—IXTIIIPIDITT
OP A CMILD.—B7 Mr. W. Payne, in St. Bartholomew's
Hospital, respecung the death of John Heads, ayted
2i years, who, with some other children, were left together
in a room with a large fire, and during the absence of the
father the deceased began playing with a lighted piece of
paper, which immediately ignited his pinafore. He rolled
on the floor, and in his agony got underneath the bedstead,
from whence he was dragged by his brother, aged only 6
years,. who, with great presence of mind, succeeded in ex-
tinguishing the flames, but not until the ...r child was
dreadfully burnt over various parts of his . y, from the
effects of which he died on Wednesday. The jury
returned a verdict of " Accidental death," and com-
plimented the boy on his intrepid conduct.
CULPABLE CONDUCT OP A CHISMIST.—By W. Carter, Esq.,
at the Giraffe Tavern, Penton-place, Walworth, en the
body of • newly-born male infant, the illegitimate offspring
of Caroline Watley, • servant in the family of Mr. Constant,
an artist residing at No. 8, Penton-place, near the Zoological
Gardens, Newington.—Ann Constant stated that the female
Watley was in her service, and had been so for 18 months,
Witness had never observed anything in her appearance, and
on Saturday evening last she complaird to witness of being
very ill from a cold. Witneuadvisedlier to go to the nearest
surgeon's for relief, which she did, and shortly afterwards
returned with a bottle of medicine from Mr. May, a neigh-
bouring chemist, who had proscribed for her, directing that
a portioa of the medicine should be taken every hear for a
certain period. She took the medicine accordingly, but it
did her no good. Upon finding that she grew worse, wit-
ness went to Mr. May, who sent some pills, and expressed a
wish to come and see her, but she refused his visiting
her. On the following ;day she became so much worse
es to keep her bed, witness waiting upon her
until two o'clock on Monday morning, when Wat-
ley requested witness to go to bed. About four
o'clock the same morning, witness went to her and was
ereatly astonished to see her so much better, and cheerful.
Witness then accused her of having given birth to a child, and
immediately afterwards discovered such te be the cue. Wit-
ness then raised an alarm, and ran for Mr. May. When he
came he made an inspection, and said he must procure the
• aid of • friend. He left, and soon afterwards rearmed wish
Mr. Hicks, a surgeon, who rendered the necessary andeames
to the young woman, but the child was quite dead
May said he was a dispensing chemist, carrying on buskers
at No. 18, Lacy-terrace' Penton lilacs, Walworth. On the
morning of Monday last the previous witness came to him
at five o'clock, requesting his assistance, as her servant was
seriously ill. Witness went, and on reaching the house was
shown into the bedroom, where he saw the female Washy
lying on the bed. She was much exhausted, and wittier
was informed by Mrs. Constant that she had given birth to a
child. Mrs. Constant showed swim'es the child, which he
examined, and found there was no pulsation and appaseatly
dead. Wittier finding the infant was not detached, mil
seeing her dangerous condition, ran for Mr. flicks, a surgery
whoimmediately attended, and rendered the sitcansey
aid.—The Coroner : Are you a medical gentlemasa—Wit-
mem ; No, air.—Coroner : Then there was great rdpability
Ica your conduct, which was highly improper foe premasiket
et visutin,e such a ease.—Coroner: Have you ever been to •
eitild birth before ?—Wlthess: No, sir.—Coroner: Then I
trust you never will, for no one can tell what may be the re-
sult.—Examination resumed : The female Watley 01111111
witness on Saturday evening, and said she was siei&g beat
a cold, and seemed to be in great pain. Witness gardened
her es to her condition, but he had no idea she was antidote.
She was wrapped up in a shawl and cloak. Witneas gave
her a bottle of medicine, and directed her to call again and
he would give her some pills if ill, former did not suit —Mr.
J. Hicks, surgeon, of 4, High-street, Newington, deposed
that he saw the female Watley on the morning in question.
She was in a state of extreme exhaustion, from the want of
timely aid. The mother had not received any 'mistime*,
and he t ad no doubt the child had been suffocated in its
birth for the want of necessary aid. Witness had
since made a post 'mean examination of the body.
The child, he considered, was still-born, bat it
might have been alive at the present time if a medical man ,
had been called in at the first—The Coroner remarked at
considerable length on the importance of the present in.i
quiry, and he trusted that the legislature would era inter-
fere to check the system of chemists preeeribieg fee sick per
If a properly qualified medial man bad user alm
female Watley in the first instance he arid ea _saws
detected her condition, and thereby the proceedings/dm
stunted would have been quite rem . Ilasodialt
help thinking that the mnduct of May was
and as the law at this time stood he feared =IIZ
affect him. He trusted that he would use a little seams
caution in future, and when helmet with sea • elmemetiMlN
again he meld send the ease to • legally 'NNW jo=augs'
otherwise he would rake day find hilsell in • mg
position. The cue was then left in the heads of the Itry,
; who, after a brief coataltotios, unanimously *mod to the

islohaispel yard*: " Tnat tae eaild arm Mill-born, sad that
the matiter, Camelia* Wade', vat 'Why of coacealiag the
I link."

IRELAND.
Jaw. 26.
The charge of the Chief Judo, at Clonmal is more
forcible than his charge at Limerick. He devoted
little time to the law, and preferred detailing the
fruits of his experience not more as the administrator
of the laws than the observer of society, in the two
counties which he had just visited. The fearful con-
dition of the peasantry—their demoralisation—their
coolness in contriving instruments of murder where
the fear of puniahmeet prevented a more active par-
ticipation—the undisguised manner in which com-
pacts to assassinate were entered into, and the undis-
guised execution of such bloody contracts—the public
parade of the assassin, walking forth in the midst of
the people, and none to hand over the stipendiary
murderer to justice—ill these strange phenomena
were presented in the most lofty and eloquent lan-
by the Chief Justice, and produced a most
f:::igoeund impression.
The levee at the Castle this day was one of the most
numerously and brilliantly attended in the present
century. Nearly thirteen hundred persons, including
all that is elevated in rank ordiatinguished for profes-
sional eminence in Ireland, rendered respect and
honour to his excellency, thus proving the strength
and sympathy his government finds among all the
better classes in Ireland. It must prove flattering to
his excellency as a mark of private and personal re-
gard, as well as of support to his administration.
Lord Clarendon has reason to be well satisfied with
the success of his movement, in sending out " Prac-
tical Instructors." They have accomplished much
good, and let in the light of agricultural improve-
ment, though as yet in faint and unsteady rays, on
the ignorance and prejudices of the peasantry. With
the success of the movement the funds of the society
have increased. There is now a large amount in
hand. And it is resolved to increase the number of
agricultural missionaries in the more remote districts.
Ten additional instructors will be provided, of whom
two will be for Kerry, three for Mayo, two for Done-
gal, and the rest for districts which most need their
presence. The whole body is also to continue at
work throughout the spring and summer, instead of
the limited time originally contemplated. I may
rr.
also add, that the Killarney guardians will immedi-
ately rescind their resolution, and co-operate warmly
with the Agricultural Society, and its instructors in
KeThya
commissioners appoints: lw the Woods and
Forests to make preliminary inquiries in easel 0:4.-
plicatioris for local acts will attend on the 10th of 1
February to investigate matters connected with the
Dublin Improvement Bills.

THE ACOOIINT OF 11111 RiPilL AMOCIATION, since the
last audit on the 31st of August up to the let of January
but, stand thus :
Balance in hand
&aired from August 31 to Dec. 31