The Express.
London, England, 1849-12-20 00:00:00

•

-01 E

both instep thess iunglga. Ware P hisritifieder
the array g. meta of 1832. Matlow hks 13,1tX1
mt.'
abit•ots. Combine the tco tovree, Ltd yon wenlel
have a population of 12 700. Ce-mb tee,', the lo.al
inter' it of onetown would wholly 31 utraliw that f
the
other, and the probabilities are ;hut ti e indepei dent
interests of the two boroughs united would ensure the
return of well-chosen representatieee.
Take almost any other borough et the I;st, and the
same result might be produced, with a very little ma-
nagement. Think and Northallerton might be united
with great adran'age. Itipou and It enruond might
be thrown together. Tamwonh and Lichfield,
with the addition, perhaps. of Burton-upon-
Trent, would form an independent distr'et of boroughs.
Totness acd Dartmouth, or Totem and Ashburton
might be united. Westbury might bs joined to
Frame; Calm to Devizes; Mahnesbnry to Cnippen-
ham; Midhurst to Petersfield ; Wareham to Dor-
ehester : in fact, without overet' pping the boundaries
of ccuatits, or blending together rival interests or
slashing trades, it would be perfectly easy to arrange
borough districts after the plan of the Monmouth
tatrict of boroughs, where,to give a ready example of
the well working of such a system, two gnat rival in-
terests, which fought some years ago like Kil-
keeny oats, have both been forced to give way to a
representative elected by the voice of popular opibion.
We throw out these at present as crude suggestions
That the existing state of things can be permitted to
coi.tinue is out of the question. That it can be effectually
amended aithout a re-adjustment of the small borough
system, we regard as equally beyond the bounds of
possibility. That any extension of the franchise ini
such small boroughs would of itself cure the double
evils of nomination and corruption in the tlectioa of
members to parliament, is an idea utterly fallacious
Prior to the Reform Bill there were no boroughs
more corrupt than the small scut aud lot boroughs.
We will give a list of them, and if the list can be
matched we will eat it:
Abing4on Bonitos Reading
Arundel Lester Si. Alban
Aylesbury Leominster St. Ives
B .dford Litres Shaftesbury
Bost Marlow Stamford
Wallin ford
Bridgewater Monmouth g
Bridport Newark Warwick
Chichester Pontefract Winieor
Cirencester
This list does not comprise a single borough that,
prior to the Reform Bill, was tot purchasable, and we
believe it comprises most of those which; at the pre-
sent time, are regarded as the most corrupt consti-
tuencies of England. It is quite clear, therefore,
that extend the franchise as you may in these towns,
you will not cure the evil existing in them. They ale,
in fact, too small for Vat. It is met+ by merging
them larger constituencies than they them-
selves can present, that you can hope to neutralise
the bad effects which bribery and coercion have en-
gendered amor gst there limited populations. As Mr.
Cohnea &wee ev in his speech at Leeds, reported
in another part of our paper, " We must not only
have an extension of the suffrage, but a re-distribu-
tion of the franchise."

Mn. li. A. Cußiaroeueß, of Sleaford (wbilom
Dreuas of Ipswich), is a gentleman equa:ly
known in Pall-mall and in the Fens. lie is, as Mr.
DOD informs us. a denizen of Eaton-square, a mem-
ber of the " Cu lton," and the " Travellers," a Patron
of two livings, a member of the council of the Agri-
cultural Society of Eogland, a stentch Protectionist,
and the happy posses.or of mar y thouesed acres, fat
and Pettit". Mr. CHRISTOPHER assumed t-at name,
in lieu of his remelt:hie of Di:ferias, on succeediug,
iu light of his wife, to a magnificent landed property
in toe northern part of Lincolnshire. That
property is one of the fittest in the county.
At every Annual Snow you hear that Mr. Cimino-
HIER'S turnip is the biggest, and that his tap has car-
ried off the ulcer medal. At the Bazaar in Baker-
street, Mr. CHRISTOPHER'S fat ox annually has the
honour of securing " a prize for the breeder," or is, at
least, "highly commended by the judges." Ana
Vie admirers of prize cattle, after puncliiiig the but-
tocks of Mr. CIIRINTOPHEieB beset, rush en masse
into Madame TUSSAUD's depot adjoining, to feast
their eyes on the waxy resemblance of Mr. CHRIST°.
PURR himself, who is there displayed in all his gluey
in the gallery devot d to emim nt Agriculture/gm.
Amid all there causes for exultation, Mr. CHRISTO-
PHER assuredly might be a happy man. With so
many fortunate comb netiors ir. h s favour he might
manage, one would think, to b•ar up against the
I accidents of life. But it see me he is of a desponding
temperament. He takes • gloomy view of his own
pais ion, and has an idea that his rents are rot tenth
coming. Last Monday the farmers of his county be-
ing gathered together in Lincoln, Mr. CHRISTOPHER
took occasion to address them on the "dereseior. of the
times," and the injustice under which they laboured.
The " depression of the times " consisted, as
be argued, in their not obt.ining thirty or forty per
eeat. profit, " like these manufacturers ." Theretote,
they must have " protection." Somebody enquired
whether it was " protection " that gave the manufac-
turers thirty or forty per cent. profit ?—but that was
a eitiestiou Mr. CHRISTOPHER did not respond to.
Mere happened to be a manufacturer present. He
war not a man known in Pall-mall or Eaton-square; nor
ore who has had an opportunity of acquiring a great
estate at the trifling sacrifice of ca:ling tens-
est( by one name instead of by another. Mr.
CHARLES SEELEY, the miller of L ncoln, comes of a
humble origin, and commenced life with no sir&
advantage above any of his fellows. But by his high
honour, his nnvatying integrity, his commercial
exactness, and his promptitude in all his dealings, he
has acquired more than any men in his locality the
esteem of thoso amongst whom he lives—so much so
that the people of Lincoln have twice selected him
as the most proper person to be put in nomination as
their representative in parliament.
High above the town of Lincoln—vying almost
with the elevated towers of the cathedral itself—rise
the tall chimneys of KEYwoßin and SEELEY'S mills.
Of late they have not smoked so much as usual. Mr.
SEELLY told the Lincoln farmers why. "The free
trade system," be said, " has injured me—a manu-
facturer. But do I come here to' white ' about that ?
Not a bit of it. My course is a different one. I have
I begun by retrenching my expenditure. My carriage
has been put down, my horses sold, my luxurie s cur
tailed. I am boldly facing the pressure of the times. I
am applying myself to discover improvements and
me'ns of meeting competition with success. And of
that success I doubt not."
The meeting—which the farmers who came to
support Mr. CHRISTOPHER made a noisy and a bois-
terous one throughout—cotcluded with three cheers
lee " SEELEY and Free Trade." Well were they de-
served. Mr. SEELEY, the labouring architect of his
own position, taught Mr. CHRISTOPHER, the
favourite of fortune, a lesson which he and
his brethren would do well to lay to heart.
Let Mr. CHRISTOPHER and his friends try this receipt
for getting on in life. Let them act on Mr. SEELEY'S
model. Whilst agriculturists are " whining" for that
which they cannot hope to re-obtain, this persevering
manufacturer, who has suffered far more than any of
them, from the very cause to which they attribute
their own depression, is, by his prudence, perse-
verance, and indefatigable industry, working out far
blastoff a certain future profit.
"Protection:" well may these Agriculturists de-
mand to be guarded from competition and assisted
like infants at every footstep. Not a pullets d
energy do they appear to possess in their nature ;
they are as languid as Mr. CHRISTOPHER'S fat ox,
and as inanimate as Mr. CHRISTOPHER'S waxen
emgy. Whilst we write we are informed of • singu-
lar example of the fate all those may be snared of
meeting who rely upon " protection." In the county
of Suffolk, a purely Agricultural district, is, or was,
a newspaper called the Bury and Suffolk Herald.
For nearly thirty years (says its Editor) we have laboured
within our sphere to vindicate the rights of the Church—the
prii.ciples of well entered freedom—and the forms and spirit
of our o institutional monarchy. On economical questions
we have conneaded for protection of British ladustry splint
foreign enspetiaies—peuteetioa of the poor in their wages
sad their liberty—protection of the yeoman add 'redeems.
What is the fate of this well " protected"
of Mr. Cameroritia and his party ? Vika=
it dies a satersl death! Who From the effect
of competition ? No : it has triumphed over that.
In consequence of the prevaleaces of free-trade
opinion ? No : it is the sole protectionist organ of a
purely protectionist district? In the words of the
Ws lady, then, " Why did you die ?" Hear the
lialreis answer:
We ma aware ear friends that if they knew how many
emilemen of amuse (Christopher and Bath/mpg] —soave
M kvadar sad at public *fiftieth the Conservative
itillthest—withheld their names from the only Conservative
pre la their district ;-4 they Mew hoer assay leading

11.,,,1: • •AP
t PRESS, THORSDA:

Vapersiorr- f ptuesotioweunfiklittieir putronug• to supply
4.6eir speeches for ureasscour Ls4Dia—they,would cease
tO at to w.uatt at our abaed t our poet.

CONELECIAL RELATIONS WITTE }tus-u.. Tue 1,
following &pilaus in lint right's Globe :
We are cnatesd by yriv its correrpocaenee received this
day, to announee the opening of erg tiations by hir
jest)'e representative at St. Petirsburd, with the view of
increasing the einemercisl rela•ions between this country
and Russia. A considerable ohmage I. contemplated in the
import duties on articles of English menutitture, and in
cotton espeeially,• great, though eradusl, ai ratoreos r. due-
tion will be m ids. We are inturmed that the Empernr has
shown the utniest willingness to consider the whole question
in the mos. liberal point ot view, end gnat weiile great ad.
vantsp will be conferred spun Russian commerce by the
removal of restrictions, the conditions of the treaty are very
favourable to English treas. It should be added, that as
change' of this description are serious in the effect of their
first aplic • don, it isrobable that th• dminution ot duties
will bep spread over the met two years, Wing complete by
the sod of 1851.
We underat4od that this was in contemplation, and
even in progress, previous to the invasion ot Hungary,
' but was suarendrd on account of military operations
and diplomatic differtnces.

FRANCE.
PARIS, WEDNEEDAT, 530 r Y.
There was a grand hecatomb of amendmei is yester-
day in the Legislative Alarm')ly. The Chamber,
already wearied by a lone general debate, szemed to
have det.rmined not to listen any more, but to pass
the law at once ; and a reed massacre accordingly
commenced. And, first, M. G eldenberz suffered ;
then NI. Charamaule, G, neral Lebreton, and M. Paulin
Giliou. N. de St. Priest found refuge in the with-
drawal of his amendment; and M. Prndhomme, more
fortunate, finding a defender in M. Mituguin, caused
the debate to be adjourned.
To-day, a vote fr uryence having been first taken,
Notwithstanding the opposition of the Let'', in favour
of a motion asking for three previsional twelfths of
the budget of 1860, the debate on the excise was
resumed. The amendment of M. PiNhomme, the
debate on which had been adjourned, was discuses d.
It may be well to give its text " The tax on drinks
is to be mainta'ned in its present shape until the
month of July, 18.50." M. Mauguin contended for
priority in favour of his amendment, which is as
follows :
The National Aisembli adopts article 3 of the cleats of
the 18th of May last, and proclaims anew the abolition of the
tax on drinks ; the law not to come into effect, however,
until the lot of May, 15.50, up to which date the law as at
present in fume to remain so. A committee of fifteen mem-
bers, to be chosen by the Assembly, to inquire awl to pre-
sent the means by which the deficiency coved by the aboli-
tion of the tax mar be made up to the treasury.
M. Mauguin pro eeded to develope his amendment,
which N. Becher opposed as uripsz:isinentary.
The amendment was het, the vAes being 420
against 100 for its adoption.
Everything that tends to throw light upon the
present state of France it is important to notice at the
present moment. We have seen the President of the
Republic endeavonritg, by a s.ries of measures, to
centralise the chief autLority into his own hands.
The hydra which he ostensibly aim; at destroying is
social:lM. He is iu reality attempting to strengthen his
own personal influence. To give his prefers a more im-
perial power is the object of the measures already
submitted, by which these' officers may controul
the
march of education by appointing and cashiering at
will the teachers in public scho-As. To the same
end tet.d the measures by wh Oa the prefers are
to have the nominations of mayors, instead
of as heretofore the municipal councils, to which both
those attributes belong. In both the-43 cases the
elective system is sacrificed in favour of centralised
government. Tee hiearchic organisation of petty
officers—gamekeepers, postmen, &c., all over the
country his the same tendency. Increase of power
at the centre, and crushing of sac aliens, Euch is the
aim, and hire it is that a Sr sh sympom now shows
itself. The socialists have been divided amongst
themselves, but they have not feared to recur to the
press to discuss their doctrines; they are fearless in
the pu,suance of their creed ; they have combatted
the an, i-s icialist republicans; and the divisi,-n that
WAS evident amongst them caused the joy of the great
party of order, as it calls itself. But a change is now
occurring. The orgies of every republican opinion—
the National, the Litkra, hitherto Nspoleonians—
all the weighs*. presto, in fact, have united under
the head of socialism. This is a Temarkable fact, calcu-
lated to make people think deeply, on the one hand,
the centralising power at work; on the other, the dis-
solving. Who shall say which of the two will
conquer. The latter can act without anything to
imp:de it; tho other is fettered by the Chamber—
null, indeed, as far as plaicel vigour is concerned,
and full of petty, thwarting jeal owes.
With respect to the presi-!ential measures, I have
told you that much opp ,tetion already, eels's. This
opposition is assuming consistency. The reception
that has been given, in poliiical circle., to the mea-
sure on primary teachers, and to that upon the
mayors, shows that deep divisions will come to light.
They occupied the last deliberation of the legitimist
club of the Rue de Rivoli, and, although many
members supi.orted them on account of their
temporary character, and on account of a desire
Nat to break up the majority; many, amo get
whom I may mention M. Berryer, hesitated, whilst
others energetic lly opposed, seeing as they did the
limpernalist tendency of the plans of Louis Napoleon.
1 The meeting ultimately arranged that M. de Mon-
tigny, one of its memb, rs, should present an amend-
meat to the bill on primary teachers, limiing to six
mouths the powers asked by government to be con-
ferred on the preirts. Such is the situation of
affairs at present.
The Afoni:eur do Suit says:—" A council of minis-
ters met at eleven o'clock this merning, at the Elyse,
to examine the question relative to the Paris and
Avignon Railway. It is said that it was decided that
M. Bioeau, minister of public weeks, should inform
the president of the committee on the budget of the
resolution of the council to present a new bill on the
subject."
The general committee on finances yesterday dis-
cussed the question whether, on account of the absence
of several of its members, it should not retract its late
decision on the Paris to Avignon Railway Bill, and
nominate another reporter. Bur, after hearing some
of its members, the committee, taking into considera-
tion the parliamentary precedents, resolved to
maintain its first resolution, and not to choose a new
reporter.

BOURSL

I.
PAWS, Dec. 19. i i Tor if For Account.
i Mosey. I Opening Willett 'sweat. Closing
-- - - - - - -
per Cents. ...... MI ID ' 36 33 86 33 SI 20 16 30
per Casts-
to
do. New Loss_ , II o o o
per Cents.. .....» 6O 30 , o oi o
per Cents 72 23 1
''
^ - - 11. .I._ 9.

3 per Oents. ....... N2O 36 33 36 SS 34 20 16 30
5 per Cents—
S do. New Lola o
o o o
18 pa Cents.
n
4 per Cents 72 23 o o •. ,
5.14,ban0e on Landon: 30 64ya, ZS 45. 94 days, 75 $2,1
ilekiidm, ;., 1610
Do. 5, 1649
Do. 44
Do. $
Bovam.-84. Germain, —; Vermilles (4kt bank), 207 30 (left
bank), 166 31; Orkank 760; Parka odd Rouen, —. Rouen and
Nemo, 241 IS ; 91nabourg and Brie, 110 ; Ckstre. 334 ; Boroeaus,
404; Nortb, 461 35; Paris sad Iltinsbenift, 361 23; Toussaint Nantes.
:77tH.