The Express.
London, England, 1853-07-08 00:00:00

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LONDON, FRIDAY, JULY 8.

THE plot thickens apace, and :he clue is wanted.
The Earl of CLARENDON last night "hoped there
might bo a peaceful solution" of the Eastern gees.
tion. Of course everybody sincerely hopes so,
etteha
but his lordship did not say that he expected
there would be anything of the kind. Lord
DERBY, Lord BROUGHAM, and Lord Guns, all joined
in a request that the threatened discussion upon the
Russian invasion might be postponed. To acquaint
Pat ie
known, rliament
nandall thichaptublcoieu:d be all
liciwitb
d is
a debate on the subject of Russian op
grcssion and Turkish prospects would, in the
opinion of the House of Peers, be injudicious,
and the politic Lout CLANRIC.tRDE postponed his
threatened motion accordingly. This postponement
is till Monday, unless Mr. "ATARI) can be induced
to put off his motion once more, in which case the
whole discussion in both Houses of Parliament may
be adjourned &Lie die. As the sohject previously stood
Mr. LAYARD'S second appointment was for this day
(Friday), but our parliamentary report will show
how this arrangement' has been upset. Is the ex.
humer of Nineveh cajoled? or is he himself a
cajoler ? Is he prepared to take the consequences of
repeated postponements, for the sake of pleasing
the authorities;—does he simply raise the flag
of inquiry to prevent others front bringing the sub.
ject before the House and the country ? The
public ought to be satisfied on this point.
When Sir C. WOOD told the SECRETARY at WAR to
postpone Mr. Lavana's motion without Mr.
LAYARD's leave, how far was he justified in the
step by former suppleness on the part of
the lion. member for Ayl( sLury ? We have
all along contended that the wisest plan is
to instruct public opinion to the fullest extent, and
under the impression that Mr. Lav )11!), as a tra-
veller, explorer, and author, might he able to afford
information to Parliament and the country about
Turkey, we congratulated hint and the public on
the prospect of good to he done and reputation
to be acquired by the statement of his view of the
present state of the SULTAN'S dominions, and by the
expression of his opinions on the tendency of events
in the East. If, however, he is simply playing fast
and loose, as may Lest seem to meet the needs of
partisan tactics, we shall have to turn to some other
quarter for the needful inauguration of a debate on
Turkey in the House of Connnans. At best, if we
get his opinions they can only be taken for what
they are really worth.
It cannot be too often repeated, that those most
deeply interested in questions of foreign policy,
when peace or war are in suspense, are the people.
Whenever hostilities take place, from their ranks
must be drawn the men, and from the fruits of their
industry, the money, to support war. We deny, then,
that the public should be kept in profound ignorance
of the views of a Ministry on a question of this kind,
when those views may plunge us into hostilities, may
stain us with disgrace, or bring us scatheless out of
the difficulty we are in. The people arc eminently
desirous of supporting the national honour,
and have an English pride in the ratifies.
tion of national engagements, but they are by these
very feelings rendered all the more anxious to know
the views of the Government as to their engage•
ments, and as to how far their honour is likely to
be involved in any existing complications. They
know that the CZAR, to gratify a diseased ambition,
has invaded the territory of his neighbour; they
know that this is an infraction of treaties that ought
to be binding on all the great Powers. They
have reason to believe that our near neighbours
and natural friends and allies, the French, are
ready to declare that national engagements are
to be maintained, and they know that the English
fleet has been sent to Besika Bay. But here
the popular view of the subject is stopped for the
simple reason that the Government now in power in
England have not thought fit to mire any indication
of what their councils incline them to regard as
their duty in this matter. Either we are to keep
the treaties, or we are not. Either the existing
boundaries of the countries of Europe arc to
be maintained or to be broken. Either the
rising civilisation, the practical freedom, the
growing trade of Turkey in Europe, arc to be saved
from the grasp of the spoiler ; or the Cz tit is to bo
allowed to conduct his aggressions unchecked. Ruled
as we are, the Executive have power to adopt the
policy they prefer ; but, as we have already said, the
day has come when the public expect to be
allowed an opportunity of forming a judg-
ment on the course chalked out for England
by their Ministers. Since the people have
to pay the piper, they may at least be asked
to approve the tune; and that they may do so
it is necessary that some Member of the House of
Commons should obtain from the Ministry explana-
tions calculated to give a clue to our Future in this
matter. In times of doubt there are always
rumours enough afloat; and amongst those of the last
few days has been one to the effect that the dis-
cordant views of different members of the Cabinet have
led to more than ordinary diversities of counsel on the
subject of Russian aggression. Gossip even declares the
PREMIER to be unwilling much longer to retain offices
with his present colleagues. Such statements may
rest on the best or the flimsiest foundation, but their
very existence displays a state of things in which the
public mind asks for eerlainlim We want to know
what is to be the policy of England in a subject of
the deepest importance. Our trade, our money
market, our finance—our present needs and oar

future prospects—all ask that the period of nn•
certainty be lessened to the shortest possible space.
Hence our lament that Mr. L.MIID should a second
time have fallen back from his position—hence oar
exhortation to the Ministry to instruct the public
opinion, that public opinion may be with them in ail
that is right and honourable. And hence also our
expression of a fervent hope that we may at once
have an authoritative indication of what we arc to
expect and what we are to be asked to do for the
settlement of this Eastern difficulty, begotten of the
unholy greed of a single despot. We do not want
to wake up some morning and find ourselves in the
full tide of war without first knowing from those who
rule us, the official Why and Wherefore. We do not
want tho disclosure of anything likely to be inju•
rions, but we do require some light to be thrown on
the principle that is directing their policy.

AN important inquiry has lately taken place at
Birmingham, relative to the severities alleged to
have been exercised by the officers of the gaol, apon
the prisoners committed to their charge. The question
which the necessity for such an investigation imme-
diately suggests, is no less than this, arc all the suc-
cessive improvements, on the side of hunrmity, in
the treatment of our criminals to be rendered nought