The Express.
London, England, 1865-12-26 00:00:00

CATMAT INTXJAGENOIL

_.....anirenin to thodillatrf. and Ale reale% Ga "
^ Illocredthi limiows of .dellyfige with divided commis and
traitoes in s their midst, the whole power of England, undid,
as
OM 11111.0,
us for the council of
I The Daily Here thinks it prepostero
..--
FRENCH nitaisco.
The bintoty of England as read by the Time, Victoria to look for mimeos to parties in Eagland to
enable them to light their battles. The petition for the
pewss beyond ooutroveray that the only macii,lay which •
ream of Governor Dialing I. the means adopted for drag•
can be relied on for keeping a basses between revenue Ring the mother country into a local dispute, from which
and expenditure is a popular assembly re
and the
it has every reason to stand aloof. It will sot oome alone ;
nation that provides the twee. The misfortune of M.
it will be accompanied by petitions adopted at great public
Fould's report to the Emperor Napoleon is that under the
meetings of the inhabitants of Victoria, expressing con&
present omistitution of France the sunorincements of re-
donee in the local ministers and approval of the acts of
ductions can only be evidence of good intentions on the the Queen's r..,......qativ, which might make the
part of the 'overlie:eat. It is not by the reports of bold.;
of Colonial— Secretaries
of State peme before
ministers, but by the resolutions of popular weembliee, ',stemm ing
in this dispute. There is danger tbat
that these things are to be effected. Moreover, the state- I falsecoufidenoe will be fostered in the opponents of
mote of the Finance Minister being to a person of ordinary
i the government in Victoria by mammas of support from
iotelligence and leisure, quite incomprehensible, there . this
country which could not pceribly be realised. The
is another reason why such public) opinion as exists ia ! home government has not the power to interfere with sny
France cannot be brought to bear with any effect upon the . effect, and if it had the power and used it, the result would
lissome. Thus we have been in the habit of attaching 1
__," .. only bete strengthen the assembly and utterly destroy the
the word "sinking fund" the notion of a fend sat
__.,..e... I, legislative masa. All it is the legislative council must
exclusively for the reduction of debt, and are,
e'''or°' I some out of the contest with its power to serve the colony
startled to be told that during the current year the action earioaely impaired.
of the sinking fund was purely nominal. It is hoped thatl Tha Herald describes the peace with Bhootan as a die-
in 1867 it will be to longer necessary to draw upon honourable peace—a pews mode in open violation of the
the sinking fund to meet the ordinary expenses, and,
,_,,,, „,,. preliminary condition laid down by the Viceroy in what
secondly,
that la fond itself will lie,_reweree,,„_ """"
_,_,_'''w was declared te be his ultimatum to the Bhooteas them-
mortseisttiee 1. to 00..., el we me "'" m e v." miry selves. The British now stand in relation to the Bhootesa
manner, in charging the fund with exPewele which will ea schusud power in the eyes of all Asis. By the Indian
gradually disappear, and supporting it by revenues which the recall of Sir John Lawrence, the Herald deeply
will gradually increase. When we ask what these revenues frets to my, is looked upon as a neoemuy ~,,,,,,,,,,
consist of, we are refined to an estimated surplus of of his share in the natioctal degradation.
720,0001. for the year 1867, and to other guarantees and Of Sir Charles Eastlake the Tdersph mays :—His
resources—whatever they may ones. It is with such has, warmest admirers could not claim for him an exalted
generslithe that France must be ecnteot. place in the history of English art ; hie bitterest enemies
had seartely the boldness to deny that his work was
elegant and graceful. Bat he did more than paint ; he made
valuable contributions to the literature of his probe/don,
and he represented it as regarded its relations to society
and the state with dignity and tact. He was far indeed
from being the leading whiter of an age which, to quote
no others, produced Turner and Landow ; but it may be
questioned whether a man more original and determined—
' a man with greater force and intensity of character—would
have been so well fitted for the precise position to which
he was elected. It rats with his survivor/ to appoint a
worthy suceeesor ; and never did the Academy stand in
greater need of a chief who should know how to deal with
the altered cooditioss of art.polities in England.
The Star accompanies an exposition of the actual fuse -
Itions sod capabilities of the Jamaica Commission with the
remark that that body is at last in a fair way to get over
the difficulties! which obstructed its organisetioo. That
there were any such difficulties is not perhaps highly
creditable to the disinterestedness and patriotism of
English public men, for it cannot be doubted that there
was in -many quarters a reluctance to encounter the incon-
venience and trouble of the work such as we do not usually
expect to meet with when Englishmen are called uponn to
render a service to their country. It snot likely, erfore, that the oomposition of the commission will be in
every respect exactly what the Star and those who think
with it might have desired; but we may at heath° all well
contented with the personal honour, integrity, and ability
of its members.

OUR CONTEMPORARISS.

(THIS DAY.)

ITALY.
A letter from Florence in the Journal des Debats,

dated the 23rd inst., says :
According to rumours which were current yesterday
wooing. the mien bas elided in • partial reoonstitution of
the cabinet. Gamed Ls Marmots remains president, and
at the Feeeign.OßlCe. and M. Lanza will replace M. Sella
as Minister of Finance. Some other minor changse will
be made in the different department% Unfortunately it is to
be feared that this combinatioa will only result in the
adjournment of the crisis, not le Be removal. What hap-
wed yesterday in the chamber is the indication of this.
Although the dismissal of the ministry has been sonouneed
official
the chamber has reduced to two months the power
of provisionally charging the budget, which was demanded
for three. This is the first time that such • thing has
taken plate in Italy. It has been affirmed that the real
cause of this decision is the circulation of • rumour that
General La Marmon was entrusted with the rersostitution
of the cabinet.
The Journal des Dilfrats has the following remarks
founded on the recognition of Italy by Saxony :
Saxony, which raised difficulties In reference to the
recognition of the kingdom of Italy, has at length
decided on following the example of Bavaria, which State
had more neurone than or an
to sulk and hold herself aloof.the But against the
positive interests of • country and all the exigencies of
public opinion neither sulking nor family rancour ma stand
out. Aloes among all the states of the Zoliverein, Hanover
purges in its laicisation. It has appropriated the proud
device, Stians si tennes, ego non: and it would willingly
add, "Perish Gamma sommerei rather than • principle."
The °hied of lissover is perhaps to astonish the world by
the firmness of its attitude, and doubtless it will not hasi-
tate to understand that its dignity requires nothing more
—that heroism is not for every day, and that reason
counsels it to enter into • compact with the ideas of • hen
age which places the interests of the people before the
fantasies ot sovereigoa The Hanoverian' themselves,
thine especially who have relations of commerce with
'tidy, are perhaps of that opiaion.

stn VIM= STATE&
Expressing the seam of relief induced by the close
of the Alabama correspoedenoe, and recognising signs that
the day must soon arrive when nations will be compelled to
!submit their disputes to some international tribunal, the
Daly News thinks it may be useful at the same time to
state once more the principles of internatiosal law which
Lord Russell sad Lord Olareedon have laid down, and the
consequences that must follow from them. In brief them
amount to this :—We have taught the American and every
foreign government that the measure of a neutral's duty
toward a belligerent is the British Foreign Enlistment Act :
that having this set on our statute-book we are not called
upon to do anything or expect scything mere. If snob
are the principles which are to be applied to the people
of Oil country when they are next engaged in war, it is
not difficult to aoticipate the fate of the British mercantile
navy. But let as hope that there are some men in parlia-
ment who will discern the character of this argument. If
the statutes of England and America are so utterly useless
it ought to prove that muse change in the laws of both
countries wee imperatively seeded. And it seems that
Lord Re-sell actually suggested to the American govern-
ment the propriety of making some change. It is,
however, idle to make any such suggestion before
some mode of settling the existing disputes upon
this very subject has been agreed to. Indeed, according
to Mr. Adams, this was the very suggestion which the
Americas government pressed upon the attention of the
British government at the commencement of the civil war,
sal which was then rejected. The question, what are the
duties of a neutral? must precede the question, ought the
statute enforcing them to be altered? Means should there-
fore be taken to ascertain whether during the American
civil wee England performed her duty. This can only be
dens by referring the matter in dispute to a commission ;
and now that Lord Russell and his successor have refused
to refer the metier, it can only be done by the lute% len-

CD' ei3llll.

OSBORNE, Drc. 25.
The Queen, Princess Helena, Prinexcs Louise,
Primo Arthur, Princess Beatrice, and her Serene Llighnedis
Princess Hoheuloh% attended the sery at Whipeingham
Church this morning, where
Rev. G. ice Prothero attioiated,
and administered the holy aacirmaest.

Moo of parliament.
In a second article the Daily News shows how much of
the present desolation of the conquered Confederate States
is the mere result of the social policy practised by several
generations of Southern citizens, and that in much of their
diatom the slaveholding ar4tocracy are but reaping the
retaibutioa of their past selfishness. The capital by which
the material life of the slave states was kept going
supported by the North. It the slaveholding class will
not learn to see how they may prosper better than they
have ever dam, by a wise partnership between their own
land sod skill, capital from the North, and the labour
which they have at coma:sod, on the sound conditions of
adequate wages, regularly and punctually paid—if they
cannot do this, nobody can help them, for prosperity can be
had only on the terms which the new times prescribe.
If they do not prosper, others will take their place and
thrive.
That the result of the Alabama correspondence is un-
satisfactory, cannot, the Post thinks, be ascribed to us.
Happily the dispute has give* rims te no rill-feeling. We
have not beau able to grant the United States all that was
demanded of us, but we have good reason to conclude that
the amity which has hitherto subeisted between the two
countries remains unimpaired.
The Herald, which compliments Lord Clarendon very
highly, thinks Eagland has a grievance in that there is
no court of international arbitration to decide on the
numberless vexed questions of the American blockade
which still remain nuadjudicated, or to do justice to the
authors of such outrages as the firing upon a vessel in'
the neutral waters of the Bahamas, or the murder of a
British seaman near the Cape of Good Hope. As 1,
American and Eriglishmen are each left with a complaint,
it is, perhaps, as well that these should be allowed to
balance one another, instead of being further employed
as the material of a discussion which was feat becoming
acrimonious. In the interest of peace this discussion may
be allowed to drop.
The Star thinks the important resolutions oonceruing the
affairs of Mexico which have been simultaneously sub-
mitted to both branches of the American legislature un-
doubtedly reflect the popular opinion of the United States,
and probably the prevailing sentiment of Congress. There I
is the best security, however, against precipitate action in 11
the fact that Mr. Charles Sumner is the chairman of the
one committee and General B.nks that of the other, and
we may remember the ultimate reeponsibilkty rests with
the President, who is to the last degree unlikely to add to
the difficulties of reconstruction the far greater embarrass-
ments of war with the chief military power of Europe.
The Americans have everything to gain by delay. Imperial
solicitude for the cause of order in Mexico must by this
time be greatly diminished ; and if the advocates of the
Monroe doctrine do not unwisely stir up the dying embers
will soon be wholly extinguished.

CHRISTMAS AT SAN DRINOIIASL—The annum
Christmas presentation of beef to the cottager on the royal
estate at Sandringham took place yesterday morning. On
the terrace at the west front of the house were pro-
vided tables, on which were placed about fifty stone cf
beef, cut up into pieces of venous time, and placed
in four different quantities, representing the several ya.
debts, the whole being tastefully decorated with holly end
other evergreens. At about half-past nine the presentation
took place. His Royal Higbee.. the Prince of Wales, ace
oompanied by the Marquis of Carmarthen, Lieutenant-Op
coral Knollys, Limitenent-Colmel Koppel,
Fisher, and
Mr. Holzman, came out on to the tense., sad gave away
the beef, her Royal Highness the Prince.. of Wales being a
spectator of the interesting proceedings from a window.
The recipients, numbering at least 250, comprised the
whole of the cottager. in the parishes of Sandringham,
Babingley, West Newton, and Woleutoes, and those emu-
pying the cottages of the Prince of Wale. at Dersingbani,
as well as a number of aged widows of Dereingham, not
residing on the royal estate. The size of the gift was
governed by the extent of family of each recipient
a man and hi. wife received three pounds'weight, and one
pound extra was given for eaoh child. Their Royal High•
names the Prince and Princess of Wales, with the Marquis
and Marchioness of Carmarthen, Lieutenant-General
Koollys. Lieutenant-Colonel Koppel, Mr. IL Fisher, and
Mr. Holzman, attended Divine service at the little church
in the park, which had been very tutefully decorated with
wreaths and feetoonr. The Rev. G. B. Moron, B.A„
officiated and preached.
The Duke of Northumberland and Lady Louie&
Percy left his grace's residence in POI46IIO.IKIIIAre at the
close of the pod week to pees the winter at Torquay. i
The Marquis and Marchioness of Salisbury are
surrounded by a select party at Hatfield House, Herts.
el
The Marquis and Marchieuese of Bath are re-1
miring company at Longleat, Wilts.
The Eari and Countess of Leicester are entertain-
ing a select party of visitors at Holkham Hall, Norfolk.
At Wallack's, New York, Mr. Frederick Robin-
son, from the St. James's Theatre, London, had made a I
successful dcfelf. Miss Lucy Rushton is to manage a new I
theatre there.
President Johnson has reason to be pleased
with the almost unanimous endorsement given to the
foreign and domestic policy of his message by the American
press. Out of 400 journals that have commented upon the
message, there are but six that have taken him to Wk.
Such unexampled unanimity is a proof that the old poli-
tical parties in the United States are broken up.
A letter from Rome of the loth says :—" We I
I are at present in the enjoyment of most delightful weather
SIB FITZROY KELLY AND THE MALT TAX.
In the midst of a good deal of banter the Tones mks if I he". and Rome is gradually filling, in spite of all the
Sir Fitzroy Kelly really and honestly believes that the malt false rumours by which botelkespers in Florence endes.
duty is a tax of 20,000,00 K a year on the British le ? your to prevent travellers from moving southwards. The
Dom he believe that the gnostic.° is of " mount hn. Roman hoot is very well organised this year, under the
pewee to the owners sad cultivator, ny the hind ?,, Does Colonna,
of Prince Doria—the president, Prince 1
Colonna, being absent from Rome. The meet was at a
he really think that the Chancellor of the Exchequer has
favourite
only just to take off the tax, and that there ends the spot yesterday—the tomb of Cecilia Matins, on II
toe Appian Way, and those who attended were rewarded
question ? As you walk through an asylum you ask your by--e
run. Mr. Hogg, the beldame°, is in his saddle
conductor, " Does this man really think that he is made of
..,.._,.. a capital
cork? Does that other man really think that be can fie ?I M...._, b,...aviag about recovered from the bad accident he
Does that other think that her Majesty owes him ten 1 ''''' w"" at lad
spring's
steeplechase, and
a newly. 1
millions sterling, and that other that he mu live noon water • imported Foglia whipper-in adds to the effectiveness of I
alone? The answer is that no sane person can possibly know 1 the Pack*"
from his own experience what is the medium through . The constitutional reform adopted by the Diet
which the insane see things. We cannot gauge their optics,
of Stockholm has mused as much satisfaction in Norway as 1
or measure their impressions. Sir Fitzroy flies tar away in Sweden. The King himself sent the intelligence to the
above our modest level. Why he dose not fly away President of the Council of Norway in a telegram commene.
altoher, and become a nimbus, or a cumulcvstretus, or a lug with the words, "Honour to the Swedish nobility!"
"mare's are tail," it is not in our power to say. When little That despatch was received with enthusiastic applause. An
children see • performer doing a feat more than usually opinion is general that the reform will not stop at the
curious or monstrous, they exclaim "Do it again !' We Swedish 000stitution, and that Norway will consent to
do not ask that of Sir Fitzroy. lodised, it is unnecessary. I revise thecompact of union.
He will do it again. But we should like to see him surpass i King Charles XV. of Sweden is to leave Stock-
, himself, if he can. The sober truth is that, after the most holm for Christiania on Jan. 3. His Majesty will remain
I woeful calculation and the nicest adjustment, the existing in Norway about three weeks, so as to return to the Swedish
I malt duty is found to be considerably ander the proportion capital for the fête to take place oo Jan. 28. According
of the other dutieslevied upon alcoholic stimulants. Were to the terms of the constitution of Norway the King must
1 the malt tax entirely abolished it is most doubtful what, make a stay in that kingdom every year.
good it would do to the tenant farmer, except as a cm.. " The intelligence appears to be confirmed," says
sumer, like all other large employers of labour. In other the Courrier du Commerce, " that the Queen of the
respects— in the Medeas on land, the licensing system, and Belgians is in a situation calculated to give fresh hopes for
the management of many matters of general utility—his the dynasty of that country."
position does admit of improvement, but then his poll- The Press of Vienna states that a letter was
Beal friends do not help him in that directioa. found a few days ago in one of the Post-office boxes,
-- ' addressed to " The infant Jeans in Heaven, to be given to
MISCELLANIOUR TOPIC&
have a
The Times asks the Irish Fastens. if any there be who St. Peter." It contained the prayer of a child to
greet number of presents at Christmas.
still believe in Fenisnism, only to look at the ridiculous
figure which their brethren in America are now cutting, Mdlle. Ehlers, the young dancer whose clothes
caught fire at St. Petersburg some short time beak when
and consider bow far below the eabbageisrden level the on the stage, was not able to resist the effects of the
prestige of Irish nationality has halm in the persona of dreadful berm which she received, but expired last week
those patriots who are now making themselves the laughing. In
great taint,.
stocks of the American public, and the whole world the 11: .AL PALACE. --Ores SHILLING DAs. ..
confidant of Fenian baseness. Let them lay to heart the
MONDAY. Dee. 25. Ade:Maim. on paven' set, 1,710 ,
lesson which they are thus enabled to lean without risk to Amu by we ticket., 977 ; wail visitors, 2,687. .

4
THE viruEss, TUESDif EVENING• ,
EOEMBER -26, 1865.

bemuse to crowds of promeneurs keep away their
ordinary clients and distract the attention of chance
customer,. The fifteen days privilege of the stalls
has, however, taken too deep root to be easily
abolished, and upon the principle "Live and let
live," it is quite fair that the poor but ingenious
Paris artisans, who every year devise new Cluistas
m
toys at prices adapted to every purse, should con-
tinue to enjoy their annual strip of space on the
broad causeway of the Boulevards. Oolda are likely
to be caught to-night at the midnight mass, which
according to custom on Christmas Eve will be
celebrated in every church in Paris. At the
fashionable church of the Madeleine, it is given
out that the voices of two formerly celebrated
artistes, now noble ladies, will be heard—Baroness
remembered at the Opera as Cruvelli, and
Baroness Caters, iite Lablache.
The King and Queen of Portugal, Prince Napo-
leon, and Princess Clotilde will meet at the Tuileries
to-day, at a grand gala dinner, to which the corps
diplomatique is invited. To-morrow, Christmas
day, there is to be a theatrical performance, ball,
and supper, court mourning being suspended for
the occasion. The King and Queen of Portugal
leave Paris on Tuesday.