The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-28 00:00:00

THE WEEKLY PRESS.

Tho Examiner, disowning Mr. Gladstone's re-
marks on the ballot, says it cermet believe that intimida-
tion is gone to sleep, nor that it will die with the present
electoral system ; nor can it believe that, regardless of all
constitutional theory and practice in other countries, Mr.
Gladstone will refuse to lend his powerful aid in putting
an effectual curb on the malversation remedied in every
other country, and which can only be eradicated from ours
by the ballot.
The Spectator terms the scheme of the committees of
the recent episcopal conference an elaborate plan for in-
troducing schism into our church in the colonies, and a
new source of division into the church at home. Once
make it a slur on a clergyman's character that he claims the
liberty conceded him by our ecclesiastical courts, and sets
at naught the decisions of the new spiritual bodies pro-
posed in these ambitious sketches, and you will have such
a series of conflicts in the church, such a mass of heart-
burning., such tests proposed by rectors to curates, and
by the proprietors of advowsons to the incumbents of
their choice, as it will be utterly impossible for our church
to bear. A powerful schismatic church in the colonies
will stimulate the high church and evangelical parties at
home to compete with it in boastful independence of the
secular tribunals. And this is indeed exactly the end for
which the leaders of the repent congress at Lambeth are
scheming.
The Saturday Review continues to argue that the art of
governing has been lost to us, and that the duty of govern-
ing has fallen into contempt. A twelvemonth's hints and
warnings have been absolutely waited, and the melancholy
experience of the last fortnight has only shown in too
many quarters the incapacity of the executive. It is an
ungracious task to expose the defects of our police syitem,
but it has thoroughly broken down. There can be no
question bat that the terrible Clerkenwell catas-
trophe might have been averted. But official jealousies
and suspicions were too strong for common sena..
What has been will be. The regular police will not work
with the special constables ; the City police is one thing,
the Metropolitan another. The volunteers are and are not
both private citizens and trained soldiers. They happen
to have arms, discipline, and some habit of working to-
gether. But popular habits and constitutional principles
which have grown up under quite opposite circumstances
are supposed to be inconsistent with using, in the only way
it can be used, a very creditably useful instrument.
The Chronicle observes that the remarkable change
which the Emperor Napoleon's attitude on the Homan
question has undergone during the last few weeks has nut
had to encounter any domestic opposition. The Empress,
who in October joined with M. de Lavalette in urging
a joint occupation of Rome, has now cast off her dread
of Prtisia, and consequently again throws the whole
weight of her influence into the anti-Italian scale. It is
under her protection that an active Bourbonist propa-
ganda has established itself at Paris, which has already
begun to issue proclamations addressed to the Neapolitan
people. It is far from certain, however, that the deter-
mination of Prussia to keep clear of Italian affairs has not
been exaggerated. Prussia would not remain indifferent
in the event of Italy being attacked by France ; and there
is reason to believe that the French government has
already been reminded that in such a contest Italy might
not be left to fight unassisted.

Witt Court.

OSBORNE, Dec. 27.

The Queen drove out yesterday afternoon,
accompanied by Princess Christian and Princess Henriette
of Schleswig-Holstein, and attended by the Equerries in
Waiting on horseback ; and her Majesty, accompanied by
Princess Christian and Princes, Henrietta, and attended
by the Dowager Countess of Gainaborough, drove out this
morning.
The Equerries in Waiting were in attendance.
Princess Louise and Princess Beatrice went out in the
grounds, attended by the Hon. Emily Cathcart.
Prince Leopold also went out, attended by Mr. Duck-
worth.

Prince Arthur and Prince Christian went out shooting
this morning, attended by Sir John Cowell and Major
Elphinstone.
The Hon. Lucy Kerr has left Osborne.

The Duchess of Somerset has left Brown's Hotel
for Stover Park.

The Earl and Countess of Dudley are entertain-
iug company at Witley Court, Worcestershire.

The Right Hon. Sir John Pakington, Bart.,
M.P., and Lady Pakington entertained at dinner last
evening, at their residence in Groevenorplace, the Earl
and Countess of Longford, Viscount Strathallan and Hon.
M 1 Drummond, Lord H. Lennox, Major-General the
Hon. James and Lady Sarah Lindsay, General the Right
Hon. Sir H. Storks, Admiral. Sir Alexander and Lady
Milne, General Sir Edward Logard, Sir Bartle and Lady
Frere, General Balfour, Major Palliser, Mrs. (herald), &c.

The death took place on the 15th November, at
Jubbnlpoor, East Indies, from a fall from his horse, in his
27th year, of Captain H. R. Stanley, Royal Welsh Fusi-
liers, third son of the Hon. H. T. and Anne Stanley, and
nephew of the Earl of Derby.

It may be interesting to many of Mr. Tennyson's
friends and others to know that the reports about his
leaving the Isle of Wight as • permanent residence are et,
mamma He would do so on no coconut, but intends to
spend winter and other times at Farringford, and to seek
his newly-erected house " for • change," uwe say.—
dtkenatiss.