The Express.
London, England, 1848-08-08 00:00:00

sition to allow the rest to pass. This timid policy
has been in part successful; but the dirt-proiectionists,
even where they have given way, have dont so with
much growling and snarling.
The pretext under which Sir WILLIAM CLAY,
Captain PECiiELL, Mr. Heener, and others have
fought the battle of filth, miasma, and contagima, is
a most shameless fallacy: they are fighting, forsooth,
spinet centralisation. We are as much opposed to
undue centralisation as any one—that is, to the cen-
tralisation which withdraws from local communities
the powers which they can beet exercise to overload
the central government with duties which others can
more efficiently discharge, thus leaving it less leisure
and strength for the discharge of those duties which
are of right incumbent upon it. Bat there
are functions which a central government
is better qualified to exercise than local
authorities, and against the delegation of these to the
less competent bodies we strenuously protest. The
Public Health Bill as originally framed allotted to the
central board and to the local communities those
tasks which each respectively is beat fitted to per- '
form, and the cry of undue centralisation got up '
against it is on the part of some an insidious fallacy,
of others a mere unmeaning parrot-like iteration.
It does not admit of denial that hitherto all mea-
sures for ensuring the health of towns have been
shamefully neglected. These communities, or their
local governments, have always bee it in their power
to originate measures for the promotion of public
health, and they have not done so : the state of
Leeds, the state of Liverpool, the state of
the metropolis itself, proves this beyond dispute ;
and hence the necessity of some central authority to
originate such measures, and enforce their realisation.
This is the power which the bill, as originally framed,
contemplated devolving on the central board. It was
. to have the power of prescribing to the local authori-
ties what they were to do, and the general mullet in
which they were to set about it. The local working
of the details—the imposing and apportionment of
rates—the superintendence of works—the receiving of
estimates--and the entering into contracts—WAS left
to local boards elected by the ratepayers. But as
this was entrusting the working of the measure to
those who had shown themselves by no means
anxiously desirous of the good it was calculated
to effect, there was, of necessity, reserved
to the central board powers to watch over
their proceedings and compel them to do their
duty. Thus then stood the question between the
local and the central authorities under the original ,
measure :—lts principle having been affirmed by the
united representatives of England, the charge of see-
ing that it was carried into effect was devolved upon
the central authority; the execution was left to the
communities immediately interested, through the
agency of the boards elected by themselves. This
is necessary and legitimate centralisation, no undue
extension of it.
The very defects in the original bill rendered this
central eupervision and control the more necessary.
The election of local boards was vested in the class
which suffers least from the neglect of sanitary pre-
cautions in towns; in the class which will have most to
pay, and which feels lees urgently the necessity of
sanitary measures. This class would have been
enabled to neutralise the measure by the mere
limitation of the franchise, but the evil was in-
creased by giving. the more wealthy a plurality of
votes. The bill is emphatically a poor man's bill,
end the manner in which the local boards are elected
enables the rich to defeat its objects, unless some
superintending power be placed over them to keep
them to their duty.
The object of the opposition to the bi:l in the House
Of Commons has from the beginning been to relieve
the rich from all superintendence and control—to
leave it in their power to deprive the poor of the
benefits the bill meant to confer upon them. The
amendments of the Lords go only in part
to defeat their too successful machinations.
And even these amendments have only been
in part submitted to by the recusants in the
House of Commons. Still it is satisfactory to think
that the most important of the Lords'amendments has
been carried, and carried as further amended by Lord
MoRrETIL Wherever deaths from typhus, scarlatina,
and other epidemics of that class, shall exceed the
general average of 20 per cent. on the general average,
or the average of other towns, the general hoard may
direct a superintendent inspector to visit and report
on tho condition of such town without a formal peti-
tion hem it. Without this amendment the bill would
have been a dead letter.
Emasculated though the bill has been, by the in-
fluence of sinister interests in the House of Commons,
we are still disposed to regard its passing as a vic-
tory, and to congratulate those who have so long la-
boured in the cause on the event. It is true that the
faulty . and inadequate composition of the central
board is retained—that its sphere of action is unduly
limited, and many obstacles left in its way—that
London, the head-quarters of dirt and disease, is
exempted from its operation but the principle
of the measure has been sanctioned by the legis-
lature. A first step has been taken towards the
sanitary improvement and comfort of the people,
without which no truly progressive steps could be
taken in future. A foundation has been laid for
sanitary improvement—the structure must be erected
hereafter.

under the kinds of the three members of the late
executive commission which represented the moderate
opinion, MM. Marie, Arago, and Gamier Pages.
The two former voted for the arrest of Caussidiere and
Louis Blanc after the 15th May, but were defeated
by the timidity of Gamier Pages, who on that occa-
sion joined MM. Lamartine and Ledru Rollin.
In short there is every mason to apprehend that the
production of the documents and evidence will bring
about a collision of parties in the Assembly, which will
lead to a crisis. The prceeat intention of the mode-
rate party is to move that the report and evidence he
placed in the hands of the law officers of the Republic to
take such measure's in regard to them asjustice may de-
mand. I e is supposed that the ultra-democrats will elides
your to pass by the question by the order of the day,
and an article which wipears in the National of this
morning indicates an intention on the part of those
whose opinions that journal expresses to support such
a proceeding, and if possible to suppress the evidence
A Bonnie of serious embarrassment will, however, Buil
remain. The evidence already known to such a multi-
tude of persons cannot be efiectually suppressed, and it,
together with the report, establishes incontestibly the
fact that Caussidiere and Louis Blanc, and probably
Ledru ltoliin are in the same category of culpability
with Barbee, Albert, Sobrier, Healed!, and the other
prisoners of Vincennes.
A decree appears in the Monitear of this morning
removing the suspension decreed against La Presse
and ten other journals, on the 2;th of June. La
Presse, L'Assentbii,e Nationale, and several of the
other journals accordingly re-appeared this morning.
The Sardinian ambassador, the Marquis de Brig-
nonce Sale, and the Marquis Albert Ricci on a special
mission from the court of Turin, had a conference
yesterday with M. Bastide, the subject of which was
of course understood to be the question of intervention
in Lombardy. Reports were circulated during the
day that Lombardy had been evacuated; and others
that the I'iedmontese army were under the walls of
Milan, prepared to give battle to the Austrians.
What, however, is moat generally credited here, is
that which I have already intimated—namely, a joint
diplomatic mediation by France and England, to be
made simultaneously at Turin and Vienna, having for
its object the recognition of the independence of
Lombardy, and the pacific submission of the Venetian
provinces to Austria.
The Drapeau National states that M. Semard is
about to resign his poet as Minister of the Interior,
and to be replaced by M. Lan irin. According to this
journal, M. Simard is to be appointed First l'resident
in the Court of Appeal, in the room of M. Seguier,
deceased.

The Madrid mails of the 2nd have arrived..

_._.....__.-
The government has definitively rescinded its con-
tract with the Bank.
MALL.III, A.. 2. throe per Cents., 191 paper ; after Doha, 191
cash. elte per Cents., tin cash; after Bola:, IUI ca3h.
1 paper; after Doha, 31 (-wk. Bank of 't. tenon:lld, SO paper;
dutcount of uutcs, s 81 per cent. E.:ohmage on Laudon, LIO u.t)s, 4.5
Oath.

ITALY.—The Piedmontese army are probably by
this time either under the walls of Milan or on the
frontiers of Piedmont. At the last accounts the Aua-
Wane were advancing with a force, in the face of
which it is scarcely possible to imagine that Charles
Albert could make a stand. The last reinforcements
which arrived horn the Tyrol by the valley of the Trent,
swelled the amount of efficient force at the disposal of
ltadetzky to 90,000 fighting men. This force was
advancing in three columns, one along the road from
Breads, another along the valley of the Adds, and the
third along the right bank of the Po, which they had
crowd at Borgo Forte. The object of the two former
columns was obviously the capital of Lombardy, and
the last was directed upon the duchies, of which
Modena was already occupied. Parma and Piacenza
being almost undefended, would follow of course.
The Piedemontese army had fallen back at the date
of the last accounts to the right bank of the Adda,
which they appear to have crossed at Pizzeghettonne,
and the head-quarten were fixed at Casel I'uster-
lengo, a place at the junction of three roads
leading—the one to Lodi and Milan, the second
to Pavia, and the third to Piacenza. It was, therefore,
doubtful whether the purpose of Charles Albert was to
fall back upon Milan by Lodi, or on the fron-
tiers of Piedmont, by Pavia, or finally on the
Duchies, but the first was thought most probable ;
indeed a report was prevalent in Paris that intelli-
gence had been received by the telegraph of his
arrival at Milan.
The Austrians, who, as has been seen, entered
Cremona soon after the Piedmontese left, on the 31st
ultimo, imposed a contribution of two millions, and
made many prisoners among the citizens. The
King had proitosed during the struggle an armistice
of ten days; Radetzky consented on the following con-
ditions :-1. The Piedmontese army shall retire to the
Adds, and separate its cause from the Venetians. 2.
Venice, Reggio, Modena, Parma, and Piacenza shall
be immediately given up. Upon which, the King an-
swered, Let Radetzky know that the Piedmontese
army can only answer such conditions by cannon."
At Florence, on the 30th, upon the news of the battle
on the Mincio being known, a demonstration took
place, which had much the appearance of an in-
surrection. The next day the following hills were to be
presented to the chamber :—l. Immediate mobiliza-
tion of 16,000 men of civic gu ad. 2. Requisition
of horses. 3. A forced loan. 4. Immediate departure
of civic guard and the line to the frontier. The same
took place at Leghorn on the same day. The gover-
nor announced the next d y that the ministry had
resigned, and that the chambers were voting measures
of war.
The Piedmantese Gazette of the 3rd, received since
the above was written, says, " if we are correctly in-
formed, the head-ouartersof Charles Albert areat Lodi.
General Zucchi had set out from Milan at the head of
24,000 men, and the Piedmontese reserve of 2ft 000 men
had arrived at the camp." This journal adds that the
army had lost none of its mat,riel, and that the
soldiers were regaining vigour, and preparing to
attack the enemy. All the ministers had given
in their resignations to the Grand Duke of
Tuscany, and serious disorders had taken place at
Florence a provisional government had been pro
claimed, but the national guard had arrested the
leaders of the disturbance, and the grand duke ad-
dressed a proclamation to the people. The chamber
had voted 10.000 men for the army.
ROM E.—The Cittadino Italian° of Leghorn states,'
from Home, 20th ult., Mamiana had hopes to make
the Pope admit of a declaration of war. The return
of the legion that capitulatt d atVicenza, seems to have
had some weight with the Pope; for that body having,
as stated in our correspondent's letter, on its arivvel,
immediately occupied the Jesuits' cullege, gave him
clearly to understand that they would not tolerate the
indecision of his holiness in the war of independence.
Accounts to the 29th, in the Piedmontese Ga:ette,
state that Mamiani still remained Minister of the In-
terior, and Foreign Affairs ad interim. Count Cam-
pelli was Minister of War, and M. Rosa of Justice.

FRANCE.

PARIS, MONDAY, 11 A.M.
The partisans of Ledru-Rollin, Caussidiere, and
Louie Blanc, impotent against the vist military
force which now occupies Paris, may, it is appre-
hended, in the bitterness of their rage resort to other
expedients than insurrection.
Menaces of assassination and vengeance are already
directed against the assembly, The reporter of the
committee on the insurrection, M. Bouchard, received
on Saturday evening a letter to the following effect,
s:.orving, it is said, by the hand-writing and ortho-
graphy, that the writer was a person of education :
lon rapport n'est qu'un tissu &infamies. La wale
chow qui m'en console c'est qu'il seta, j'espere, too
arre: de . . . 1794 ... a bientot."—Win. LECUINTItE.
Within the last few days the police discovered a
plot to assassinate M. Thiere, and communicated to
him the result of their discoveries, advising him to be
upon his guard, and in particular suggesting t hat he
he should cease to wear a white beaver hat, which he
is accustomed to use during the summer.
On the night between Wednesday and Thursday a
number of bullets, of which five at least have been
detected, were discharged without report, and appa-
rently from some unfinished houses near that of M.
Thiers and aimed at his bed-room window. Some of
them struck the Persiennes, one of then penetrating
a pane of glass, entered the window and made a rent
in the curtain.
Similar menaces to those received by M. Bouchard
have been addressed to other members of the assembly.
The violent scene which took place in the assembly
on Saturday has decided the committee on the insur-
rection to adopt extraordinary means for expediting GERMAN V.
the printing of the documents acid evidence. They
assembled on Saturday evening, and continued their PRUSSIA.—We have dates from Berlin of Aug. b.
labour till do yesterday morning, classifying and It is asserted that the Vicar of the Empire has noti-
arranging documents for the printer. Thirty clerks tied to the Prussian cabinet, through Herr Von Below
were employed yesterday in transcribing the deco- (who hes lately returned from his extraordinary mio-
meats for the press. sion to Frankfort), that he will lay before his ministers
Much dissatisfaction has been expressed by the the proposition to confer full powers on Prussia, for
committee on the insurrection, and by the moderate coming to arrangements respecting a truce between
party generally, at the attitude assumed by Gen. that kingdom and Denmark. It is scarcely expected,
Cavaignac and the Government since Tuesday. M. however, that such powers will be given with the emi-
t). Barra, as chairman of the committee, consulted sent of the national constituent assembly. On the
Gen. Cavaignac before presenting the report to the other hand a refusal would, in all probability, compel
Assembly, and informed him generally of its substance, Prussia, which, for a variety of reasons, national as
observing that if anything contained in it was likely well as international, is desirous of settling th
than ee Danish
to embarrass • the government, or to necessitate the question, to take steps jeopardising moreever
adoption of measures which might at the present the unity of Germany. Prussia is tired of the war,
moment be deemed inexpedient, the committee would and wishes to get out of it hononrably if it can.
most willingly postpone the presentation of the re- Meantime, according to all accounts, the l)anea are as
port to a more convenient moment. General eager as ever for the fray.
"vaignac replied at once with entire frankness, that The excitement which has prevailed of late in this
the government only desired that the committee city, on account of the demonstrations of the retro-
should honestly and firmly fulfil the task which had grade party, the attempts of the " constables " to put
been confided to it by the assembly. a stop to the Linden meetings, and to the sale in the
After this, however, when the report was read the streets of political pamphlets, has been greatly in-
committee found that Gen. Cavaignac, and the mem- creased by a second attack on a body of etuaents by a
bets of his government, did not give it that support number of soldiers stationed in Charlottenburg.
and countenance which it had a right to expect. It is Several of the former were severely and one or two
understood that Gen. Cavaignac, in the first instance. dangerously wounded. On the night of the 2nd inst.
on being informed of the substance of the report, and an immense number of individuals assembled, con-
the nature of the evidence, decided on placing the trary to the police regulations, and in defiance of the
matter in the hands of the Procureur.General, giving constables, in the celebrated Linden-street, and
him liberty if he should see fit to apply to the &seem- appointed a deputation to wait on the Minister
bly for permission to arrest MM. Caner and of War, in order to demand satisfaction for
Louis Blanc, but later this determination seas changed. the outrage committed or. the students. In vain the
I learn that the documents are of the most damning deputation knocked, rang, and cried out, the inmates
kind. Many of the most important of them being were, apparent y, GS deaf as the poste before the door.