The Express.
London, England, 1865-05-05 00:00:00

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was, of reuse, doubly impeitalbaritc as.
not fail in the other. On the one hand, ft was
of vital importance to Mr. Romunne that he
should have the Csarcremos pledged to support his
demand for a pension ; on the other band, it
would be fatal to the reputation of the CHANCEL-
LOR if it were proved that he had made any promies
to a public defaulter that if he resigned he
would do his best to secure him his pen-
sion. Itl is unfortunate that in a matter so
vital to the character of the Catarcatika the evi-
dence should be so conflicting. As we have said,
Mr. Letwe distinctly states that the LORD CHAN.
CILLOR told him that if Mr. Enguitns resigned he
would throw no obstacle in the way
the of his obCHANCELLOR
tain-
ing a pension. On the other hand,
says that he stated most distinctly to Mr. Leman,
that he thought resignation the best course Mr.
EDMUNDS could take ; that it would relieve him (the
Csarceamos) from the duty imposed upon Mtn of
being Mr. EDMUNDS' accuser, and that he would
Woo no obstacle in the way of his hoeing a pen-
sion. The Committee consider that theteis a mate-
rial difference between these two statements, but
certainly it is of a somewhat shadowy character.
Be this as it may, Mr. EDMUNDS did resign his
office in the House of Lords, and then the LORD
Cnincsmon seems to have followed precisely the
same course which be followed in the case of the
clerkship of patents. The Report says, "The
" Loan CHANCHLLOR has stated to the Committee
" that otter the tender of Mr. EDMUNDS' resigns.-
" Jim], it was no longer his intention to lay the
" papers on the table, and that they would not
" have been laid before the H 014.0 if public atten-
" lion had not been drawn to the subject out of
" doors." Be it observed, Lords ewe/roam and
KINOSDOWN had advised that the conduct of Mr.
EDMUNDS should be laid before the House
of Lords ; the Cabinet bad concurred in
their opinion ; the LORD CHANCELLOR himself
had agreed ; but, adds the CHANCILLOR,
" That was only in order that the House of Lords
" might no longer have that officer; and when that
" officer retired I determined for myself, rightly
" or wrongly, that I would not interfere actively
" to prevent his having a pension."
The CHANCRLLOR thinks that it was no part of
his public duty to bring the public conduct of Mr.
EDMUNDS, of which he bad official notice, before
the House of Lords. It is impossible to concur
in this opinion, and the Committee have not hesi-
tated distinctly to say so. The grant of Mr.
EDMUNDS' pension depended on his public conduct ;
that public conduct had been soandalous and
fraudulent in the opinion of the Cliatcsuoa, and
that opinion ought to have been communicated to
the Peers. And what has been the result f By
the silence of the Citstrostaka • public defaulter
has obtained • pension of some 8001. a year.
But unhappily the scandal does not end here.
The pension was granted upon the recommendation
of a committee. The members of that committee
were certainly aware of some of the circumstances
connected with Mr. EDMUNDS' resignation of this
Patent-office appointment. No single question
was put upon the subject. The pension was
granted without investigation. And in this re-
spect the conduct of those who sanctioned the
grant of • pension to Mr. EDMUNDS without in-
vestigation
has been visited with the censure of
the Select Committee in their report. Thus it
seems that from the beginning to the end every
effort was made to screen Mr. EDMUNDS from
public justice ; and, unhappily, those who played
the moat prominent part in affording this public
defaulter protection are in theory the guardians of
public morality, and one of them is the highest
judge in the realm.

The ADJOURNID DeBATe ON MI. Balers's
Brt.x..—lt will be seen from our Parliamentary
Report that ministers have given a government
night for the adjourned debate on Mr. Baines'a bill,
and that Monday next has been appointed for that
purpose.
Tea Tea DIITITS.—Mr. Gladstone has given way
to the arguments addressed to him by the tea
dealers, and the reduction of duty is to take effect
from the lst of June next.