The Express.
London, England, 1856-08-14 00:00:00

and more through indestrial qualifloatitam IMO
an enoonreging spatula, while it was a
privilege not lightly to be parted with that the
youth of England looked everywhere rather than
to public office foe their bigness in life. Tres, every
member of parliament was beast with applioations
for his interest in getting situations for the eons of his
constituents, but it was understood that the electors
who would so seek to turn their rotund tediums to
account were no representatives of English consti-
tuencies ; and the effect of their conduct was simply
to bring pleoe-holding into a mischievous degree of
I contempt.
- - - -

The time has come when a great change is inevita- I
bk. Public office must no longer be held in con- I
tempt, nor have any taint of bribery left hanging
about it. The way to the public service meet no I
longer be by 'sponsor or political accommodation, but I
by personal qualification. The new conditioes must be
assigned with all the wisdom that Government and
people can bring to the work; and then, and not other
wise, we may hops that the fears and prejudices of the
great body of Englishmen may give way. We cannot
wonder that they would still put up with muck incon-
venience and loss rather than enter upon an untried
system which will open the public service as a new
profession before the youth of oar country—so strong
are the associations of obese cad corruption, and
restlessness and precariouenees, derived from the
spectacle of amts-reeking and olice-holding in other
countries. But the change is indispeuseVe and in-
evitable ; and what good citizens have to look to is
that it be emoted under the safeguards of high prin-
ciple and sound seise. There could hardly be a better
time. The relates of our trade from its old shackles
has given a wonderful stimulus to the demand for
labour of every kind, from the highest Osumi. of
the learned professions to the humblest abodes et
daily toil ea the land or in the workshop. Exempt that
the legal progenies is somewhat diectoseerted for the
time by sew hientutions for the administration of*.
ties, to theezigeseiss of which in prartitioners have
net yet adapted therneehue, the professions Sr.
flourishing as they never were before. New churches

are rising in all directions, using up the clergy ; and
new ceders of doctors, with fresh theories and
methods, are entering the field of medical practice
year by year, testifying no doubt to the empirical
character of their profession, but also to the room
that is left for improved science end a better or-
ganised practice. The progress of seines sad the
arts is daily opening new employments, and seating
a larger demand for cannereiel production sad
agency, while it is raising sgrinitsre to the rank of
a regenerated prefemion. There sever was a time
when man was less of a drug than he is now; and
there could not therefore be a better time for the di►
closure et a new prefemion Under similar condi-
tions, that. is so country where fanotionaryime may
sot be the muse that it is is Ramis, Antrim, Franca,
and Amerion ; bet all Gladsome seems to show that
the cane is in the condition. Those condition are
within our own power. We must institute them, is
one trey or another ; for Use old system is wore out
and gone to pines, and the conditions which are
most cosgenal to the good aid English 'nod are pr►
nicely those which shut give the highest respectability
to a life of publie envies, sad therekce elevate,
rather than corrupt, the ambition of eepirann after
this new open profession.

Us Mestere of the Loudest and North-Weetern
Railway Oempany, the inert important railway
eadertakiag in the world, havejost boned their half-
yearly Report and Balanos-abest. Aistreste of three
domande have already been gives is ear columns,
and we will sesame that their sontesde bare re-
ceived the attentive considered's of the shareholders.

The tone adopted by the Hord is, es real, emirs-
Watery ; nor is tble whitest apparent reason, for
try arrive at a dividsod at the rate of 6 pee cent.
per area, being sa ramie of l per seat. over that
demisted for the sorresposdieg six soars of Let
year. The aggregate receipts armed those of the
last essatiord period by 89,8261.. whilst the working
express hare hose reduced to 40.07 per amt. of the
reeeipte, against 42.27 per seat. last jar. The
a rode of the half-year are the stated to exceed
these of the sorreepondiag pried of 1866 by 68,406 i.
Be far se geed : bat tire are still sore points sow

sated with the Omani sianagemeat of this Com-
gamy to which we feel bound to draw attendee. The
pain of the "newel of nil amount" seirseially
tavilm minim. It is obviou frcei the title of this
item that it refers to expenditure coonsead with the
miasmas* of the company's original andertaldsg.
All poetise who have really at hart the prosperity of
esx railway 'yeas will admit that this week of
melatemante ought to have premises, of mug
other soneideratice. If a dividend be distributed
at a time wham additions are bong maim to
mind for the miatenanse or removal of railway
weeks, we should have ao hositatiom in denouncing
seek dividend as dishonest, for it enact remeent
peas. And if, whilst refrainiag from eddies to
espial for this purpose, a railway board plea same
so expeeled in a separate amment, lasted of defray-
ing than oat of revenue, it is evident to 0011111100
sense that paikes reality is given to the elaboration
of &Mae semeats. Yet this latter ems nuftents,
we regret to say, the podtioa of the Lades and
North-Western Railway Company. This sompeay
is new distributing smingst its proprietary as the
u palls" of the half year upwards of half a =Woe
stewing; yet, by a Maisial simeravre of long stead-
Mg, its "revenue wont" hos borrowed fan" capital
sessear to the tall of 308,2881., fee "renewal of
mile TM shareholders, at every nemesia mat-
ing, my, if they please, snails the Craters'
view that the sersapammt la question is a peeper
emu hat their ageism:nee dement mend the matter
assist. The fact remains that a rem arrogating
more than half of a six months' net amok and
stristly chargeable meant revenue, is syMematkally
shelved. and pissed in a separate 5000112., min to
the relostames of the directors sad shareholders to
&mit to a temporary diminution of dividend—the
may moans of equitably wiping off the liability. The
Manage of the Lemke and North-Wooten Company
with this item of their amemate aesthete is. of the
gleam absurdities, of whin so many hays at various
parish bus peemited by those arias deemeate—
waver baleameheen The " rail renewal fend,"
minim men dm 1100,0001. la debt, is to feet
a hey • eisfesse meant," sad ought to ooms to for
din lel shore of the ondenutation with which all
Masa eallway Manisa now bend osmoses ea
ants "of every denomination.
Sat perhaps permit who do mot go so far as
In emadnd that the antiquity of an abuse entitles it
to memptice from seademation, will yet object that
gelt thus hang up is seaman between the 14
OM' " arsons " scants of the Londe, and
Ilierth-Weetera Railway Company is being gradually
stewed, In mend MOO with the ,sum win of
the shareholders, and that a few years heaps will
probably 'items a material seduction, if sot the mem-

Piste citinetiee, of the fallasioes" etiil renewal fund."
This segment is far frees midis( the question, for
eves optimists of this extreme elms ems admit, if
they see eaadid, that the dividends which the
waspeay may pay psediag the discharge of
the "rail renewal feud • liability west be,
to a eirtaia West, aawanaated. Bat what