The Express.
London, England, 1847-05-17 00:00:00

Vie eporttiO.

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will be =de inTene uta. Mb Mgr.
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dhe leavenek, dabs mei vp ea tbearedbisilee Who&
Ifs dies dr Week the Leer Pb... Mode Tides, Pernasa.
rah Medina and Buenos Ayres, *lll be aerie op ou ow
et lir 111 hob

tar TlairOr" Whim waft piper,
%%m bee sAct"dirleartbra y Twe AWE'S 1.t611 pallimitioa.

ZION WATER AT LONDON-30MR.
Tape DAT—lllomis, 30 ea. pea 3 ; Aftorws. BO WA. past 3.
110.3folsow--lieratag, 3,3 nia. 4 ; Afprsoce. 41 dn. put 4.

LONDON, MONDAY, MAY 17.
AT the elag sitting of the House of Commons
wa fkbidejaaaiserul the Loan Discount Bill was
vasiwit ion, and the Lunatic Ary-
101Aead Turnpike Roads (Ireland) Bills were read
a adrd time. A notice of motion from Mr. FERRAND,
is reference to the case of Mr. Mott, and the Poor
Law Commission, concluded the business of the day.

IT is not without reason that the representation of
the universities is looked upon as an honourable dia-
tisetkon. The constituencies of them bodies are
fanned explosively of gentlemen and eibesthed tese,
sad include a large proportion of the WIWI pe►
halm and of the members of the Home ef Cism-
moos. Their elections are conducted, as might be
with a soberness end dignity quite muttons-
sliteicr ;lore popular bodies. No placards disfigure
the walls of the tonnages, no speeches disturb the quiet
of their members, the votes are given and received in
Ileum, and the department of furnishing the requisite
quantity of noise belongs exclusively to the nom
electors, the unrepresented under-graduates. At Ox-
ford it is even contrary to etiquette far a candidate to
attempt a direct canvass, or to appear during the
election within the precincts of the university. In all
its forms the academic constituency enforces the prin-
ciple that the right of choice, and of taking the
isitisoim, belongs to the electors, and not to the future
representative.
It must be confessed that Oxford has not always
shown itself as difficult to please in the choice of •
member as it is scrupulous in preserving the purity of
election. Mr. FAITOOURT, who, after a long career,
Gas announced his intention of retiring from parlia-
ment, is, we believe, a highly respectable gentleman;
but it is difficult to understand his peculiar claims to
the honourable position he has so long enjoyed. Aca-
demic distinction and literary or political eminence
Would seem to be indispensable requisites in the re-
presentative of a learned body. We see glad that on
the present occasion the choice of the electors seems
lbrelv to be booed ie a greet dew«, IS personal quali-
fiesticos, sad that they have no intention of selecting
either an unmeaning man ri rank, or a factious
The The fiat sum which suggests itself in connexion
with a mem, at Oxford is ateessarily that of Mr.
Otanerown. ADAC a serer of remarkable assimnis
mower, be pineal at ewe into parliament, owl sor-
=Lties -high which had, from the
en formai ofilltsaliwolls. Year alter year ha
Moiled higher miasmas as a &bees; and whoa cir-
=eselied hint to diseilvis administrative
roan with anwessi , to NOM of the
eMcee ha the dab. In nissatithe its bed
essisibrshis Mom/ garialika aipticas
emir& deer, We maim ibo oonaszion a .
withastigion. Thu " Math and the Church, which
ownoort= ilediestsi to the Univenity of
silowthwt dwoogit the name of the
anther, and la tors thersamd his Gmessrd,
toillirdte, and mihistival in its mooning, the book,
witthust really =Wag ay difficulty, or even arriving
set emr sonalothig, thawed many prejudices and
dirt shad the men for their unpopularity,
ell ihw of ealsabtad schoisnthp
of thought Mr. °LAD-
EN= inyalagio isassasselasd a writer as the admirers
d his seeissiwthed patties night lead ths world to
WWI" Os questing at Mods sad names be writes
with the slownesssad hoes of ass who ban smatersd
= ;I'L aL:lilted aid thligisas sownistry Ms
sis anon mere swarosbg than
=l,lt Identmonn is preha Ow nab,
who in resent times Iwo d Myamegiel ids
alairsater by an -ad of stkisissioL The hathir
Steal toosews• by be *Mad hie =
a rheum*prepaid the
lied to a 'vowel Mired et ree minis th-
so Midwest, ethlt wilt
Ids Isetivao are
require a Ammitit end beld-
ame C:attiriW af right sal wwwwwhisk is
wholly with taring smithy isoasz•
themaseboa soap*
aseam==rolaziziothair watts lablviimak
. . ,

r S
_ apt. .-~i~:.^_ts~_

of Mr. GLADSTONE'S conduct in throwing up dies
because a bill was proposed by his chief which he
could not refuse to support, but which was incompa-
tible with the forgotten doctrines of a book which he
had formerly published. If the pablie had studied
the casuistry of the question, it would have oeme to
the Nuns conclusion. The sot was the very dishonesty
of squeamishness.
It is less, however, from this defect in his character
than from his suspected leaning to Romanians, that
we believe Mr. GLADSTONE is likely to be pined
over on the present occasion. We by no means sus-
pect him, ourselves, of any disposition to join the
Church of Rome. Some form of P'usayiem seems to
us better calculated to serve as the tight-rope on
which his balancing and refining intellect loves to
dame, than the broad platform of popery which has
famished a refuge to some of the less skilful of the An-
glican acrobats. But Paseyiem is itself unpopular with
the majority of the Oxford constituency. The country
clergy have still a wholesome antipathy to any hue
app: °aching the scarlet vestments of her of Babylon ;
and we all know how little favour religious extremes
of any kind meet with from the lay portion of the
constituency which is to be found in the clubs, in the
inns of court, and in parliament.
We have little doubt that the choice of Oxford
will fall on a safer representative ; on one who, if less
distinguished than Mr. GLADSTONE, is not without
fair pretensions to represent the university in parlia-
ment. Mr. CARDWELL took high honours at Oxford,
and -ha I acquired a respectable position at the bar,
when he was appointed to an office of some importance
in the late government. His reputation as a man of
business, both in and out of edict, has been gradually
increasing, and in the section of the house to which he
belongs, there is no member of his standing who en-
joys fairer prospects of future eminence. His opi-
nions oa all questions of trade and of religious tolera-
tion are, as far as they are known, liberal and enlight-
ened; and he has hitherto shown no incapacity to
learn from experience, and to appreciate the new
doctrines which are constantly suggested by the
change of circumstances.
It is gratifying and not uninstructive to find that,
for such a constituency as that of Oxford, the choice
lies only among the supporters of improvement
The most conservative body of electors in the
United Kingdom has not, as far as we have heard,
even thought of bringing forward a protectionist or
as anti-popery candidate. We have often stated that
old toryism was extinct in its ancient strongholds.
Two of its forms are still represented, one in parlia-
ment, the other in Exeter-hall. Lord GEORGE
BENTINCE will find, at the conclusion of the elections,
that he has no longer a party in the state, when
the personal feeling against their former leader
which bound his followers together has bad time
finally to subside. Even Lord GEORGE, to do
him justice, is not a persecutor of papists.
The amiable Mr. Ptusierax almost alone takes up
his cross, as an orator at the Protestant Associa-
tion piously observed, in that unfashionable war-
fare. Exeter-hall still rings with the well-known
sounds of hatred, but always accompanied by a re-
cognition of the melancholy fact that all leaders of all
parties are united against protestant persecution.
We have no fear but that nature and circumstances
will furnish a sufficient supply of materials for the
bigotry and prejudices of the present generation; bat
in the mean time there is no doubt that, with all their
occasional noise and blaster, oar old accustomed ab-
surdities are rapidly dying out.
It will never happen in England that opinions
really held by any enlightened portion of the com-
mututy will want a political leader to represent
and defend them. It is because all educated and rea-
soning men are of one mind that their leaders in par-
liament are so unanimous ; and it is a satisfactory
proof of the rapidity with which the turbid particles
of the public mind are sinking to the bottom, when
the upper portion is already so clear. It is possible
that an ultra candidate may yet be started for Oxford ;
but we have no doubt that the choice of the constitu-
ency will fall on a moderate and enlightened repre-
sentative ; and we shall not be dissatisfied if it falls
1 on Mr. CARDWELL.

OUR readers will find in another column of this
day's publication the principal heads of the estimates
for 1847 which his Prussian majesty has presented to
the Estates General now assembled in Berlin. The
original document from which these results are ex-
tracted is in a tabular form, and minute details are
given under every head of each individual source
whence revenue flows, and of each subdivision of the
executive by or upon which expenditure is made.
In parallel columns are placed the estimated expendi-
ture and income of 1844, and the increase or de-
crease, as it may be, which the estimates of 1847
present.
It is a very neat specimen of book-keeping this, but
scarcely so lucid or trustworthy an exposition of the
state of the national finances as a real representation
of the community might be disposed. to wish for.
In the year 1847 one would imagine that the actual
income sad expenditure of the year 1844 might have
been ascertained. Yet only the estimates for 1844
are brought by this tabular statement into immediate
comparison with the estimates of 1847. No inference
can be drawn from such a jnxta-position as to
whether the pressure of taxation in the Prussian state
is becoming more or less heavy, or whether the distri-
bution of the national revenue is becoming more or lees
economical and efficient. The sums compared are both
imaginary, net real sums—both what government
expect (or expected) to receive and mean (or meant)
to expend, not what has been received and expended.
In the beginning of 1844 the Prussian government
expected to receive in all 84,033,697 dollars, and to
expend 64,033,697—expected tilt the income and
outlay would coincide to a silver groschen. Did this
wonderful coincidence actually take place ? or did
the income exceed the expenditure, leaving some
savings to be applied in some way or other ?
or was there a deficit to be made up by a
ministerial War d'adresoe So Without such informa-
tion the Estates General are not in a condition to say
whether the sums set down as the proceeds of direct
and indirect taxes are a fair and equitable price paid
by the Prussian people for the services of their
t, or whether the lane sum of twenty-
reeTnilrooll of dollars is absolutely indispensable to
the maintenance of an efficient army. And while
they are left in this state of ignorance it is little better
than a mockery to inform them that the estimated
expenditure and taxation this year is so much, and
that they were so much three years ago.
Some further light is accidentally thrown upon
these estimates ins ministerial memorandum that hue
been laid ibefore the States General relative to the
management of the " state treasure" (or royal hoard)
from 1840 to 1846. From this document we learn
that a cabinet order, passed in January, 1820, de-
creed that all savings effected in administrative
bureaux in the course of a year, and other more or less
important windfalls, should be reserved to make up
a purse for particular exigencies. The main object
of this arrangement, it is remarked incidentally in
the memorandum, was to keep the government
I constantly in a position to meet or make war-
. hie aggressions What the actual amount
1 of this reserve fund may be is not revealed;
1 bat the Minister of ?meow states with great
may, that by mews of various small
eaessimiss in administrative depectssesas. me Ism than
eaves ad a half million of dam love bees added
to it between July 1840 esi Desember 1863. 01
these ihe remises estimates iminelly published by the
geveremot proud me tress The Prosikaern
moot% astsseetiese dietetics of giving pszt •r to
its booms and espeeditore is sheer deludes. 'the
estimates do not represent what is really raided and
=
Ones in six years the public is
let into the secret that more has
bees eoi or less spent, than was
Who can have confidence in such accounts?
Mit.4lll:l
10M rof Finance states that since July, 1840,
Is mark bee bees saved in the outlay of the Finance
ffir=so musk by other bureaux ; sad that the
ab is mesa millioes and a half of dollars.
he dem art say whether the receipts have always
sloes op to what hie been stated in the estimates. It
is to 000lestose whether at this moment
illsillitsgdeTresismy et Pitied& stamina a comfortable
mamma fond se iiier it weld be a beggarly show
of empty boom hat Ike sertaln notes of bills about to
hill due..las dime.
We • that the royal family of Prude be-
isaaed (as it is called in German )
sr OalviniSio (lbw* but the el emus prosid-
bge show bin te be •• stamask esberaa. The Da-
IbmwOarek has retailed the semansaiel of anew
aka. bet be wearies are animal te asks whoa is
sellW a.O pail; est a geoid esallorissi--ans
itilisisa is whisk east ift b subassi. haw*

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 17, 1847.

a confession his Majesty has been pleased to make to
his father conferees of the Estates-General in matters
financial.
We arriands mistaken in the firm, though loyal
and respastfid, character, which the debates in the diet-
have led as to attribute to the majority of the Prai-
a:Yr deputies if they remain satisfied with such less
than half confidences. And they are well entitled to
demand more information. or the sixty-four mil-
lions of estimated revenue for 1847, upwards of fifty
will proceed from taxes, direct or indirect; the do-
mains and forests and hereditary monopolies of the
crown, yield little more than ten millions. The King
of PRUSSIA cannot say to his subjects, like some arbi-
trary princes, that the main experts of government
are defrayed out of the private revenue of the crown.
It is, besides, bad policy in his Majesty, after he
has gone so far as to convene the States-General, and
tell them that he will take their council in financial
matters, to refuse them his full confidence. There
is nothing unreasonable in the expenditure of his
government : it is sufficiently judicious and economical
to brave criticism. The only item that startles an
Englishman is the large sum charged for the army.
But it mast be remembered that upon Prussia de-
volves the necessity of keeping on foot an army for
the defence of Germany. There is indeed a thing
called the army of the diet, to which each state of
the Germanic Confederation is supposed to send its
contingent. One sovereign prince contributes to it
a soldier and a half. But were Germany assailed,
either from the east or west, foreign troops might be
in possession of half its capitals (as has been the case
ere now) before the powers bound to send con-
tingents to this legal fiction had settled who among
them was to take the command.

Dn. Mutate has addressed a letter to Lord Moe-
erru, suggesting a subscription for erecting a
monument to WILLIAM CAXTON. the first printer
of England. We trust the call will be responded
to. Indeed, we cannot doubt it, when, we
reflect on the nature of that boon which the industry
and energy of CAXTON conferred on this country.
The inventor of printing was a benefactor of the
human species. But no Englishman contributed to
GUTTENBERG'S monument at Mentz. Great Britain
had no representative at that festival—a world's
festival, if ever one was celebrated. It is time to
repair, as far as we can, this great act of national
ingratitude, by commemorating, with some appro-
priate monument, the memory of WILLIAM CAXTON,
who, some time between 1472 and 1477 set up the
first English printing press within the precincts of
Westminster Abbey. It is by a happy coincidence
that the proposal for such a monument emanates from
a distinguished dignitary of the same church
which sheltered Csaros 8 early labours. It is
impossible to dilate on the consequences to
society of the art of printing, without falling
into truisms. But the universal admission of
these advantages, set side by side with the
fact that till 1837 no monument of the inventor of
printing existed at all, and that a monument of the
introducer of printing into England is now for the
first time proposed, shows how truisms may (as far
as certain practical recognitions of them go) be put
on a level with the most unfamiliar truths. This
may, partly, excuse us for dealing with a trite theme
in a trite way. Thought came with man into the
world, and speech with thought. Writing fixed
thought in enduring symbols, and made that fruitful
for (latent places and remote times, whose influence
before depended on the frequent hazards of oral
transmission. The invtntion of writing is thus the
first great step in the intellectual march of the world.
That of printing is the second, but little intrior in
importance to the first.
While knowledge was spoken, the limit of its
operation was fixed by the relations of the family or
the tribe. When it came to be written, its sphere
was widened, to take in the few who had leisure to
transcribe, or means to purchase the transcript of
others. When it was printed, its orbit widened at
once, and has since gone on broadening hour by
hour, day by day, week by week, month by month,
year by year, century by century. Who can doubt
the effect of this marvellous extension which printing
has given to the sweep of human knowledge? it
may have bad its minor mischiefs. Bad books may
occasionally have corrupted v eak readers, or puffed
up silly ones, or turned the heads of feather-witted
ones. Truth may have been borne on the wings of
printed books, into soils so ill-prepared for its recep-
tion, that it lay in them barren, or so corrupted, that its
wholesome growth turned poisonous. But these are rare
and exceptional caries. As a rule, love has gone band
in hand with knowledge. Human progreas may be
almost tracked by the spread of printed bcoka. The
times when the press has been the busiest, have been
the awakening times of the nations—those marvellous
epochs in which " thought bath wedded fact." and
mighty changes have resulted from the union. Bach
are the seasons preceding and following our own great
revolution, and that of France in 1798. In the
former of these periods, between 1640 and 1660, not
less than 30,000 tracts on political and theological
topics were printed, exclusive of longer and graver
works. In the latter, the fertility of the Encyclopedists
was constantly feeding the press of Paris; and Vol,-
TAIRE With his list of works, which is in itself a
library, is but a type of a family of authors equally
prolific. Humanthought is thechanziel which GOD has
chosen foracting on human happiness and misery. Oa its
wholesome or unwholesome feeding depends the future
of the world. Books more than anything else have
gradually created a public feeling. That public feel-
ing again demands the guidance of books. or of the
press in some form or other. WILLIAM CAXTON is
daily growing a more important personage in English
history. This is an era in which great social changes
are preparing. Whatever they may be, it is certain
that the spirttualising of unlettered men, through the
agency of printed books, will be the chief mamas of
robbing these changes of any possible evil, and
shaping them to the greatest possible good.
Looked at merely as a means for the employment
of labour, see what printing has done. Doubtless the
old transcribers grumbled sadly at the change from
band work to press work; from the sun and illu-
minating tool to the moveable types and composing
stick. A single printer would do the work of 200
writers. No doubt the RENTINCIS and SIBTHORPS
of those times set this forth with the utmost eloquence
of pathetic complaint, and proved to demonstration
bow ruin mast fall on a large and industrious class
from this new and accursed invention. But what is
the result ? For one written book we have 10,000

printed books, and 20,000 people employed for the
200 displaced. The introduction of suocamive
improvements into the machinery of printing, from
the rude hand-press of GOTTENBURO to the last
improvement by Mr. LirrLe of the steam double-
cylinder machine, has, in every case, been followed
by an incresee in the power of production, a reduc-
tion in the price of the thing produced, sad
a greater demand for labour and labourers. It
bas rarely happened that the great benefactors of the
world through arts of peace have received due honour
from their contemporaries or from posterity. Scarlet,
and the glitter of swords, are catching to the eye.
The glories of war have seldom wanted their due
record. Blenheim speedily attested the victory of
MARLBOROUGH, but it is not long since the first
public monument was erected to JAY= WATT.
If ever in England the introducer of a great idea
deserved a statue, CAXTON is that man. There is
much that is appropriate in Dr. MILMAN'S sugges!don
of a fountain sufronading an obelisk Ulmer a
at night time. But whatever form of commemirebvs
work be chosen, the design should compreirind •
statue.
We trust that a prompt, liberal, and enthnekietic
reply will be made to this appeal. The time I per-
haps, an unhappy one for any demand made cm ether
grounds than thOSe of charity. But this is a work na-
tional above all others of the same kind, sad demesdins
the most sealous advocacy from all them who contri-
bute in any way to feed the vast and ravening maw
of that giant reading
.public, which CAXTON Mod a
pney, petty, helpless infant, hardly able to requite the
pains that fed it.
It behoves as, above all our brethren, as the last
and highest expression of cheep periodical literature,
to utter • vehement and earnest word in support of
Wimew CAXTON'S claims to a worthy monument.

Our Paris correspondence, with the journals of Fri-
day and Saturday, have arrived. Great riblia ex-
peeation was excited on Friday by the imioisterial
expleastiess respoedig the iete arida Upwards et
few loth_ Venal§ were mem& is the throber,
with•hzeire= pe2ed.sad the tribal, owl
It was inientood
arbeia Vie intention al M. °tarot to take the