The Express.
London, England, 1867-05-29 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS,, WEDNZSD4X

they might infer front their temporary
complexion that we were nation wholly given
over to gambling. For once hone-racing has
taken precedence of every other topic, and horse-
racing has now come to mean winning and losing
money by bets. Our principal streets are blocked
up by crowds of petty bookmakers and their
customers, and our journals are full of the details of
racing triumphs and disasters. It is the topic of
the week, and no wonder. Three men, we are told,
have won between them a quarter of a million of
money. A jockey, by one lucky race, is enabled
to put by as much money as would be deemed
a sufficient provision for a great scholar or scien-
tific discoverer, and much more than some of our
most eminent men can hope ever to possess.
Then, again, the losses that have been sus-
tained are prodigious, and not more remark-
able for their magnitude than for the freedom
and fulness of detail with which they are dis-
cussed. A certain Marquis has been " hit " for
100,0001.—how will he pay it T He can never
pay it—he certainly will—the money was ready
yesterday—it has been paid to-day. So the
daily record has run, and it would not
be surprising if we learned to-morrow on
what security the sum was raised, and
and at what rate of interest. The incidents
of these transactions are sometimes notable.
A nobleman, who was unfortunate a few years
back, and has since, through the indulgence of
his creditors, been enabled to partially recover
his position, has resolved to devote the whole
of his winnings, which amount to 5,0001., to
the entire liquidation of every claim upon him.
" Conduct like this," observes the admiring
chronicler," speaks for itself, and requires no corn-
" went." None except this, that before the noble-
man in question could either win or lose by the
Derby, he must have been playing with money
which did not belong to him. We are far, how-
ever, from suggesting that that is so rare a case
as to provoke comment. There ia one request we
will venture to make, not in our own name, of
course, but on behalf of the public, which we
are sure will readily endorse the sugges-
tion. It is, that the prophets and diarists of
the turf would abstain from dragging illustrious
names into their records and dissertations. On
Saturday we were told that the Prince of WALLS
had won on Hermit, and on Monday that he had
" dropped a lot of money " on Achievement ; the
writer heightening the effect of his communication
by telling us how he looked, and even how he felt.
These are details which the public could very well
spare. The character of our Royal Princes is a
public possession, and the caterers for popular
curiosity, who must draw the line somewhere,
should learn to respect the rights of the public, if
they have none for the reputation of those with
whose names they have lately made so free. It
is very unlikely that the Paiivez has shown his
book to any literary genius of the turf, and in-
ferences drawn from the expression of his counte-
nance as Hippie rushed past the post might be
left to take their chance among the unwritten tra-
ditions of the stable mind.

THE Charge of the LORD Curar JUSTICE of
ENGLAND to the Grand Jury at the Central Cri-
minal Court in the case of the " Qualm against
" Natsos and BRAND" has just been published (at
RIDGWAY'S), edited by Mr. FREDERICK COCKBURN,
of the Crown-office. The report has been prepared
from the shorthand writer's notes taken at the trial,
and has been revised and corrected by the Loan
CHIEN' JUSTICE himself, with the addition of legal
and historical notes. It will be remembered that
the Grand Jury on ignoring the indictment made a
formal presentment strongly recommernung that
Martial Law should be more clearly defined
by legislative enactment. The Loan Carer Jusvica
could not directly endorse this suggestion con-
sistently with the opinions he had expressed In
charge ; but he is led by it to make some very
decisive remarks on the necessity of settling the
whole subject of Martial Law by legislation. He
observes :

lam reluctant to take leave of the subject without
protesting, no far as in me lies, andwith whatever of weight
andauthority belongs to the office I have the honour to bold,
against the exercise of martial law in the form in which it
has lately been put in force. Thrice in little more than
half a century—to say nothing of the horrors perpetrated in
putting down the insurrection in Jamaica in 1760—in Ire-
land, in Demerara, in Jamaica, has martial law been car-
ried into execution under circumstances of the most pain-
ful character. A man must be dead to all sentiments of
humanity—must have banished mercy from the catalogue
of human virtues—who can read the history of the Irish re-
bellion at the close of the last century, the history of the
slave insurrection in Demerara in 1823, and of the punish-
merits then inflicted under martial law, as detailed in Mr.
Martin's history of the colonic', under the head of British
Guiana, or the account of the execution. and scotuwings
after the recent outbreak in Jamaica, as shown by the
report of the royal commissioners, without shuddering to
think what human nature is capable of, when, stimulated
by the tierce passions engendered by recent amflict, or by
the sense of present, or recollection of past, fear, vengeanos
is let loose in the shape of martial law, to be exercised by a
dominant clue on an inferior and despised rue.
Having reviewed the circumstances of the out-
break in Jamaica, pointing out that the insurrec-
tion was put down in a single day, and that after
that had been done 1,000 persona suffered either
death or torture, he proceeds :

Assuming thelegalityof what was thus done under mar-
tial law—as to which I purposely abstain from expressing any
opinion, lest any further judicial proceedings should take
place—reserving to myself in such an event the exercise of
&free andunfettered judgment on future discussion—l
advert to the events in Jamaica only as 'bowing the neces-
sity for legislation if martial law is ever again to be put in
force. Assuming, in like manner, that credit is to be given
to the governor and the military authorities for perfect in-
tegrity of purpose In declaring and continuing martial law,
and for baring been actuated in so doing by no other
motive than an honest desire to do what was best for
the safety of the island, it seems to me that, the
more the honesty of their conduct is insisted on, the
more important it becomes to place restraints on the
exercise of so despotic and dangerous • power, lest
sudden panic, or undue fear, or unreflecting zeal should
again lead to its immoderate use, and to the unnecessary
sacrifice of human life, or indiction of human suffering.
And the fact that among the educated classes of this highly
civilised community persona can be found to uphold and
applaud such proceedings—though I believe verj few per-
sons who do so have taken the trouble to read the report
of the commissioners, or the evidence taken by them, or
to make themselves acquainted with the facts—seems to
me to render the necessity for legislation to prevent such
barbarities in future only the more apparent. But of 'till
greater importance Is it that, if martial law is to be put in
force, rules should be fixed for the procedure to be fol-
lowed on trials under it. Above all, that where • case
turns upon circumstantial evidence, time and opportunity
shall he afforded to the accused to meet the charge.
Speaking of GORDON'S trial, he says :

No one, I think, who him the faintest idea of what the
administration of justice involves could deem the proceed-
ings on this trial consistent with justice, or, to use a
homely phrase, with that fair play which is the right of
the commonest criminal. All I can say is, that If, on mar-
tial law being proclaimed, a man can lawfully be thus
tried,condemced, and sacrificed, such a state of things is a
scandal and a reproach to the institutions of this great and
free country ; and as a minister of justice, profoundly
im-
hued with a sense of what is due to the find and greatest
of earthly obligations, I enter my solemn and emphatic
protest against the lives of men being thus dealt with in
the time to come.

OUR OONTEMPORARIEL

(THIS DAY.)

•

EVENING, MA

rt.MILL'S PROPOSALS AS TO TH4WIIIZIC
OF ELECTIONS. '

Thwfoflowing is the form in which Mr. J. ISs..-
Mill's propositions with regard to the method of Toil' at
elections, now stand in the order-book of the House of
Commons :

" In committee as Representation of the People Bill :
Mr. Mill—Clause 9, line 27, leave out all after ' From and
after the,' and insert pawing of the present bill, every
loos] constituency shall, subject to the provisions herein-
after contained, return one member for every quota of its
registered electors actually voting at that election, such
quota being a number equal to the quotient obtained by
dividing by six hundred and fifty-eight the total number
of votes polled throughout the kingdom at the same elec-
tion, and if such quotient be fractional, the integral num-
ber next less ; provided always, that where the number of
votes given by the constituency shall not be equal to such
quota, the quota may be completed by means of votes
given by persons duly qualified as electors in any other
part of the United Kingdom ; and the candidate who shall
have obtained such quota may notwithstanding be re-
turned sa member for the said constituency it he shall have
obtained a majority of the votes given therein as herein-
after mentioned.

" (Elector to vote orally or by voting paper—voting paper
may state a succession of names in case those named in
priority have obtained the quota.)
"2. Every elector shall vote at his appointed polling
place, either orally as heretofore or by a voting paper, and
may on such voting paper state in numerical order the
names of any of the candidates at such general election to
one of whom, taken in regular succession, the vote shall be
given in case those named first or in priority on such voting
paper shall, before it comes to be appropriated, have ob-
tained the quota ; but no vote given orally shall be taken
for more than one candidate, and no vote given on a voting
paper .ball be counted for more than one candidate—pro-
vided that nothing herein contained shall prevent the
transmission of voting papers under the act of the 24th
and 2.lth years of Victori►, chap. 53.
" (What candidates are to be returned as members.)
_ _

" 3. The candidates returned u members shall be all
those respectively for whom a quota of votes shall have
been polled, whether in one or more then one consti-
tuency ; and if less than 658 candidates have such quota,
then those for whom the next greater number of votes
have been polled, until the number of 658 shall have been
completed ; and such of the 658 candidates chosen as afore-
said sa have the majority or greater number of votes in
any local constituency shall be returned as members for
such constituency.
" (Vacated seats to be filled up by the voters who returned
the last member.)

"4. Any seat vacated by the acceptance of office, pro.
motion to the peerage, or death of a member, shall be filled
by election by the body or majority of the body of voters
by whose actual votes he was returned.
" (Speaker to lay before parliament rules for ascertaining
the number of votes polled, of the quota, and for regu -
lating form of voting papers and declaring the names of

the Members.) - -
" 5. The Speaker of the House of Commons shall cause
to be framed and shall lay before parliament such rules as
may be necessary for ascertaining and for certifying to the
returning officers the total number of votes polled, and the
number of the quota, for regulating the form of the voting
papers, and the record, collection, and disposition thereof,
and the appropriation of the Name in the order of the
names on each paper, the method to be observed in deter.
mining and declaring the 658 members who have raven-

tively obtained the quota or number of votes nearest to
the quote ; and for carrying the provisions of this act into
effect in any matter not otherwise provided for ; and such
rules shall, if the house shall so resolve, be entered on the
journal., and the same, when so entered, with any amend-
ment or amendments thereof, ►t any time adopted by the
resolution of the house, shall be observed and performed
at all future elections by all officers and persons to whose
duties respectively the same relate."
Mr. Thomas Hughes—lf Mr. Mill's amendments to
clause 9 are not earned, to move, "At every contested
election for a minty or borough now returning, or which
shall, under the pro.isions of this act, return three or
more members, each elector shall be entitled to give as
many votes as there are members to be elected, and shall
be at liberty either to give all his votes to any one candi-
date or to distribute them among any two or more candi-
dates in such proportions as he may think fit"

Earl Derby has deferred fixing a day for receiving
the deputation of Irish peers and members of parliament,
with reference to the proposed State purchase of the lines
of railway in Ireland, until the Chancellor of the Exche-
quer and the Lord-Lieutenant's chief secretary can arrange
to be present at the interview.
" Sic IN Oslo."—The Committee on Public Pe-
titions continue to be extremely vigilant in their inspec-
tion of the defects in orthography, grammar, &c., of the
petitions which they select for reproduction in their ap-
pendix. Every error they detect is held up to public notice
by means of an asterisk, corresponding with a note at the
foot of the page, "sic is orig." It seems, however, that
the committee themselves need wine assistance or super-
vision. Thus, in the appendix to the 26th report, issued
to-day, to the word " retired," in the following commence-

went of a petition presented by Mr. Otway, "the peti-
tion of the undersigned general officers on the retired
of her Majesty's Indian army," Lc., are added the extra-
ordinary words "sic is °Tao." Curious as it may seem,
the foregoing is "sic is o►ip."

DOCKYARD BALLasr ItioN.—The following is a
oopy of the report of Dr. Percy relative to the quality or
value of the iron ballast laid down as paving in her
Majesty's dockyards :—" Dr. Percy to the Secretary of the
Admiralty.—May 8, 1867. Sir,—lf I remember correctly,
it was in the autumn of last year that I had an interview
with Admiral Sir John Hay at the Admiralty, respecting
the dockyard ballast iron, which has excited so mach
attention. I then expressed my opinion to Sir John Hay
that the appearance of the broken surface, or as it is com-
monly termed the fracture of certain specimens of that
iron, indicated its suitableness for the Palliser shot ; and I
suggested that an application should be made to the proper
authority at the Arsenal at Woolwich to Mat the correct-
ness or otherwise of my opinion. My suggestion was
adopted, and after the lapse of considerable time a report on
the subject from the Arsenal was presented to the Admiralty.
I have read and maturely considered that report, and I main-
Min now, as I did at first, that the trial at the Arsenal
was wholly inconclusive, nay, even useless. It might rea-
sonably have been expected that the trial would have con-
sisted in actually casting a shot or two of the metal in
question, when decisive results would have been obtained;
but no such trial wee made. Some of the ballast iron is
'strong mottled,' and closely resembles in appearance the
variety of pig-iron which is used in the manufacture of
Palliaer shot at Woolwich. If some of the ballast iron be
too white for the purpose, it might be rendered suitable
by melting it in admixture with a due proportion of grey
iron. I venture to predict that hereafter much cheaper
pig-iron than is now purchased at the Arsenal for the Pal-
liser shot will be found equally good for the purpose ; and
this is a pecuniary question in which, I presume, the Ad-
miralty is deeply interested. The analytical results ob-
tained by Mr. Weston demonstrate that much of the bal-
last iron is adapted for the manufacture of bar iron of good
quality.—l have, &c., Jens PEICY, M.D., F.R.S.—The
Secretary to the Admiralty."
The rinses describes the sentence of treason as
the most barbarous and the meet impotent instrument I
that was ever devised by tyranny to terrify mankind into
obedience. "It seems incredible that until the year 1814
the law of this land should have been that every person
convicted of treason should be hung, but not until be was
dead ; that he should be cut down alive, six turns of the
rope being the usual period allowed ; that his
heart and bowels should be taken out and burnt
before his face ; that he should be beheaded and
quartered, and his head and quarters exposed. The sen-
tence now rues that the prisoner shall be hung till he is
dead, that his head shall be stricken off and his body
qu►rteml. The former was the sentence pronounced
against Wallace, Sir Thomas More, Lord Essex, the Earl
of Strafford, Lord Russell, Algernon Sidney, and the
rebels of 1715 and 1745. A curious adjunct of it was the
dispensing power of the crown. It was the practise in the
case of prisoners of superior rank for the King to pardon
the criminal all the sentence except the beheading ; and
this practice is retained in modern days, it being usual to
remit the quartering, though the beheading was retained
in the cams of Brandreth, the Luddite leader, and the
Cato-street conspirators,"

At Cork, John Kearns, lately employed in one
of the lead newspaper offloes, wee yesterday found guilty
of treason felony.

lig`r."rt

-4- ----
, • ',,lt*e Court.
BALMORAL, MAT 26.
Yesterday being the anniversary of Princess
Christian's birth, when her Royal Highness completed her
21st year, the Crethie Choir 'ling some pieces of music
under the Princess's window at 7 o'clock in the morning.
The Queen, accompanied by Princess Christian, drove
out yesterday morning.
In the afternoon her Majesty and the Princess Beatrice
attended by the Duchess Dowager of Athole, drove anl
rode on ponies.
The Right Hon. Spencer Walpole arrived at the Castle
as Minister in attendance upon her Majesty.
The Rev. Dr. M`Leod also arrived at the Castle.
MAT 27.
The Queen attended Divine Service in the parish church
of Crathie yesterday. Princess Louise, Prince Arthur,
Prince Leopold, and Prince Christian accompanied her
Majesty; the Duchess Dowager of Athole and Lord C.
Fitzroy were in attendance.
The Rev. Norman M'Leod officiated, and in the evening
dined with the Queen and royal family, as did also Mr.
Walpole.

The group of statuary by Mr. William Theed, represent-
ing the Queen and Prince Consort, which had been placed
in the principal corridor of Windsor Castle, was uncovered
on Monday, the 20th inst., in the presence' of her Majesty,
who was pleased to express her entire approval and admi-
ration of it. The group consists of figures of her Majesty
and the Prince Consort, the size of life, in the Saxon
costume of the oth century, which lends itself favourably
to the conditions of sculpture. Her Majesty wears a light
and graceful diadem and a rich mantle. The Prince has
also a mantle, and his dress, in which reminiscences of the
antique are discernible, displays his figure to great ad-
vantage. The position of the two figures readily tells fie
tale of deep affection, and present earthly separation.
They stand aide by aide—her Majesty looking up at her
husband with an expression in which grief and hope are
combined, her right hand over his left shoulder, and her
left hand grasped in his left. The Prince is looking down
at the Queen with tender solemnity, with his right hand
I raised, and pointing upwards. The heads and hands are
portraits, conceived with admirable feeling. Round the
left arm of the Queen is an armlet inscribed with the name
" Albert." Round the right arm of the Prince is one in-
scribed " Victoria." The details and ornaments of the
costumes are very rich and elaborate. The fiat em-
broidery of her Majesty's mantle, consisting of bunches
of rose, shamrock and thistle, is of a peculiarly
rich and graceful description. The execution of all
these objects is a model of the most delicate and
finished workmanship, well accounting for the five years
which Mr. Theed has devoted to this remarkable work.
The figures are of the purest Carrara marble ; the pedestal
of the precious marble called " Marino African," wrought
from an antique fragment found in Rome. On the
pedestal is the line from Goldsmith's " Deserted Village :"
" Allured to brighter worlds, and led the way."

The Prince of Wales rode out yesterday, attended by
Major Teesdale.
A Committee of the Lords of her Majesty's Moat Ho-
nourable Privy Council sat yesterday at the Privy Council-
office, Whitehall, on the subject of the cattle plague. The
Lords present were the Lord President and the Duke of
Richmond. Mr. Harrison and Dr. Alexander Williams
attended the committee.

HER MAJZSTVII Lievaa.--(Tara Dar.)—By
com-
mand of the Queen a levee was held to-day, at St. James's
Palace, by His Royal Highness the Prince of Wales, on
behalf of bee Majesty. His royal highness, attended by
his gentlemen in waiting, and escorted by a detachment of
the Royal Horse Guards, was received at the palace by the
great officers of state of the royal household. There were
many presentations, which by the Queen's pleasure are to
be considered sa equivalent to presentations to her Majesty.
Yesterday the annexed bulletin was issued for
the information of the extremely numerous visitors at
Kensington Palace, amounting to some hundreds :—" Ken-
sington Palace, May 28.—Her royal highness the Printer
Mary has passed another good night, and is going on
quite well. The infant princess is also weII.—ARTHUR
FARM. M. D."

The Duchess of Cambridge, the Grand Duchess
of Mecklenburg-Strelits,and the Prince de Tart dined with
the Earl and Countess Vane hat evening at Holderness House,
Park-lane. There were also present the Duke and Duchess
of Marlborough and Lady Cornelia Churchill, tke Duchess
of Sutherland, the Earl of Shrewsbury, the Earl of Powis,
the Earl of March, the Countess (Dowager) of Sefton and
Lady Cecilia Molyneux, Viscount Downe, Viscount ►nd
Viscountess Powereoourt, Viscount Hill, Hon. Charles
Barington and Lady Caroline Cast, in attendance on the
Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelits. Later in the
evening his Royal Highness the Prince of Wake, attended
by Colonel Keppel, honoured the Countess Vane by attend-
ing the select evening party invited to meet the royal
visitors.

Lord and Lady Wharncliffe entertained at dinner
lest evening, at their residence in Carson-stmt, Mayfair,
the Duke of Rutland, the Marchioness of Ely, the Earl
and Countess Spencer, the Earl of Tankerrille, Lord Can-
terbury, Lord Claud Hamilton, Lord Frederick Paulet,
Baron and Baroness Blome, Mr. and Lady Dorothy Morrill,
Captain Lone Fox, Lc.

Lord and Lady Rendlesham entertained Maria
Marchioness of Ailesbury, the Earl of Leicester and Lady
Anne Coke, Viscount and Viscountess Stratford de Rad-
cliffe, Viscount and Viscountess Sydney, Viscountess
Ingestre, Lord Proby, Lord Usury G. Lennox, Hon.
Charles Montagu, &c., at dinner last evening, at their
residence in Grosvenor•square.

Lord and Lady Otho Fitzgerald entertained the
Duke of Leinater, the Earl of Dudley, the Earl and Countess
Stanhope and Lady Mary Stanhope, the Earl of Stredbroke,
the Earl of Camperdown, Lord and Lady Edwin Hill
Trevor, Lord and Lady Foley, Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Baring,
Sir Ivor Guest, Admiral and Hon. Barbara Yelverton, and
Mr. Smith Barry, at dinner last evening, at their residence
on Carlton House•terrace.

Lord and Lady Grey de Wilton and the Marquis
of Hastings have arrived at the Hotel Bristol, Paris,
from England.

Yesterday, at 55, Portland-place, theidarchioneas
of Bath gave birth to twins, a son and a daughter.
A marriage is arranged between Miss Weetenra,
cousin of Lord Roesmore, and Lord Hastings, eldest son of
the Earl of Huntingdon.

The Czatrewitch and his bride intend visiting
London during the ensuing month. The King of Greece
will also be in London at the same time.

Forty-two Irish conservative members held a con-
ference yesterday afternoon in the " Tea Room " of the
House of Commons—General Dunne presiding—mid dis-
cussed the probabilities of the ooming Reform Bill for
Ireland. A general feeling was expressed in opposition
to any lowering of the franchise either in counties or bo-
roughs, while the extension of the boundaries of small
boroughs was advocated in preference to the anticipated
plan of grouping with other towns. It was resolved that,
in furtherance of these views, a deputation should com-
municate with Lord Naas and have an interview with the
Chancellor of the Exchequer.

The government are, we (Owl) understand, again
going to obtain statistic relative to agriculture, not only
@bowing the amount of land under cultivation, but slim
giving the number of live stock.

The Owl states that Dr. Howson, at present the
bead of the Collegiate College at Liverpool, and examining
chaplain to the Bishop of Ely, has been appointed Dean of
Chester, to succeed the late Dean Anson.
An advertisement solicits aid from the mercantile
and nautical public for Captain W. D. Evans, the inventor
of coloured lights for preventing collisions at sea, who, at
78 years of sae, has been reduced to poverty from unfore-
seen circumstances.

THE Couar ar Batmonm..—On Sunday the
Queen attended divine ureic, in the Church of Cmthie.
Her Majesty was accompanied by Prince and Princess
Christian, Princess Louise, and Prince Arthur, and at-
tended by the ladies and gentlemen of the court. The
Rev. Dr. Norman Nlacleod, of the Barony parish, Glasgow,
preached a very impressive discourse, from Mathew iv.,
1-12. There were few strangers present. The weather is
still extremely cold and nogenial. Lochnagar and the
higher peaks of the Grampians are thickly eorered with
snow, and the nights are generally frosty, by which vege-
tation has been greatly chocked.—Edinfourph Courant.
The name of the hon. member for Newark is a
complete stumbling-block to our Parise contem ,
who spell it in various ways. The Sircir, whit rather
prides itself on a knowledge of English, calls him " M.
Hodykuson."