The Express.
London, England, 1866-12-06 00:00:00

MISCELLANEOUS FACTS.

It appears from the recent telegram that Smut*, the
American, who is accused of complicity in the 'awake-
lion of the late Mr. Lincoln, was seized by the Egyptian
authorities at Alexandria, though our government at
Malta declined to act, on the ground that the authority
was insufficient. The Times is persuaded, however, that
the course pursued at Malta was not due to any
negligence or indifference, but to the absence of the con-
ditions required by law for the arrest and extraditianof the
fugitive. It then goes on to assert that political assassins
have no claim under our law to protection. With us
murder is murder, and cannot be mitigated by any ex-
planatory epithet.
The Post represents the Fenian scheme as contemplating
the destruction of every person of any note in the island,
whether lay or clerical, of every sect without distinction,
and the distribution of the land among the leaders of the
movement and the peasantry. The present government,
however, is fully alive to what is required. Wherever
conspirators abound, informers are not wanting ; and no
doubt the Irish government are in the possession of every
requisite information.
The Daily News represents the appointment of a com-
mission to " consider the expediency" of the simplification
of the law as trifling with a grave and momentous ques-
tion. The law of France has been reduced to • cods,
since sanctioned by the adoption of other European
States, and the State of New York has reduced the
English common law to the like brief and practicable
form ; and two years ago a preliminary grant of 5,0001.
wLa made by our parliament to commence the work. It
is impossible not to see in this miserable paltering, evi-
dence of reluctance to do the work at all. And the com-
position of the royal commission confirms the belief. No
name of eminence and freedom from bias appears in the
list, except that of Mr. Lowe.
The Times reminds its readers that within five

days from the present date not a single man
belonging to the French imperial army will be
left in the pontifical dominions, and the Pope, to
be saved from the brigands, must be fain to snatch even
at Italy. Hie first interview with the delegate of the
Italian government must tacitly or avowedly settle the
dispute about the Legations, the Marches, and Umbria.
The Pope accepts 18,000,000 fr. for the arrears of interest
of the debt of those provinces. The government that
takes upon itself the liabilities has clearly made out its
titles to the assets, and then a pontifical state of 800,000
souls is an utter absurdity. The revenue from the un-
tilled Cismpagna could barely supply the bread and beef
for the hundred Swiss Guards at the Vatican.
We learn from the Telegraph that there is reason to
believe that the storm which the Council of University
College have raised by refusing to place Professor Mar-
tineau in the chair of Mental Philosophy wall speedily end
in the overruling of the vote. The real friends of the in-
stitution are using every effort to free it from the re.
preach ; three-fourths of the fellows are on the side of Mr.
Mai tineau ; a requisition, a th the proper number of sig.
natures, has been got up to bring the decision under the
notice of the Court of Proprietors; and if the movement
be temperately managed, the college wall soon ise above
the disgrace under which it 113 W rests.

Vitt Court.

WINDSOR CASTLE, Die. 5.

The Queen walked and drove yesterday after
noon, and drove out this morning, accompanied by Princess
Louise. Prince and Princess Christian also went out.
The Duke of Edinburgh, attended by Lieutenant Haig,
left the castle yesterday afternoon.
The Prince and Princess of Teck also left the castle
yesterday.
The Marchioness of Ely has succeeded the Countess of
Caledon as Lady in Waiting to her Majesty.

Mr. Antonio Brady, the Rev. J. Hansard, and Dr.
Millar, had an interview with the Lord President of the
Council and the Right lion. H. Corry, at the Pi ivy
Council-office, Whitehall, yesterday, on the subject of the
proposed museum for science and art at the East-end of
London. _ _ .

A deputation, consisting of Sir Charles Bright, M.P.,
Mr. Latimer Clark, Mr. Hill, Mr. B. Hume, Mr. Cham-
bers, Mr. H. Macgregor, and Admiral Whist), bad an inter-
view with the Earl of Cm narvon, at the Colonial-office,
yesterday, on the subject of telegraphic communication
with the British West Indies.

The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council eat yes-
terday. The lords present were Sir W. Erle, Lord Justice
Cahill!, Sir E. V. Williams, Sir R. T. /Cindersley, Sir J.
Colvile, and Sir Laurence Peel.