The Express.
London, England, 1866-02-07 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, FEBRUAIt* 18e6.

of the law in dealing with matters which
come most thoroughly within its own pro-
vince, nor do the affairs of many, locali-
ties necessarily belong, from their multiplicity,
to the general government. They are local
within their respective localities, howsoever nu-
merous these may be. As regards the measures
adopted for the extirpation or mitigation of the
cattle plague, Mr. LOWeR theory conflicts with
his criticism of the proceedings of the Government,
which has recognised and precisely applied the dis-
tinction on which he insists. It has drawn up general
instructions, and left the authorities of the various
districts to apply them in accordance with the
local conditions, necessities, and opportunities
which they know thoroughly and at first hand, but
with which the Home-office can have only
secondary and very imperfect acqusintanoc.
If Ministers had known in July or August
the extent of the calamity which impended
over the country, and could have got the
nation at large to foresee it too, they might
have tried the "stamping out" process afterwards
recommended by the Commissioners usefully
and with success. But until the calamity became
too serious to be treated in this way public opinion
would not have tolerated its being so dealt with ;I
and a nation accustomed to free institutions will
not trust arbitrary powers to the Executive to
be used against its own judgment, on the chance
that the Executive will sometimes—though it is
scarcely an even chance—be right when the nation
may think it wrong. Lord Caarreounifz, who
shares to the full Mr. Lowx's distaste for what
both seem to regard as the cant of liberty and
self-rule, appeals to the example of Belgium as a
confutation of English practice even on English
principles. Belgium is a country with a constitu-
tion which resembles our own ; and under it a
Liberal Ministry has stamped out the cattle plague.
But Belgium acted with the advantage of British
experience, and therefore on ampler knowledge
than our Government possessed at the correspond.
ing stage of the disease in this country.
Even if the objections of the Opposition to the
conduct of the Government were well founded, the
discussion of them last night would have been
premature. It involved a waste of Tory rhetoric,
and of what is far more valuable, of the public time.
The past, be it as bad as it may, cannot be undone;
and the measures to be taken for the future will
be most conveniently considered, when the bill of
which Sir GEORGE GREY has given notice is be-
fore the House of Commons. If, indeed, Lord
CRINDOURNE and his friends were prepared to'
ask for a vote of censure on the Government—and
to be consistent they should not stop short of this
—the debate of yesterday evening would have been
to the point. As it is, it was a barren battle of
words.

the adjourned debate upon thie nnichAressd topic. The
Star will only add that the remswinable and ohasselerintio
certainty d Yr. Robert Lowe is no menus of she degree
in whisk the facts and oonsidmations Involved is this
question have been wabstantially seri* eL Lord M.
bourne said he wished he was se sure d anything as Toni
hiscaulay was of everything. What would he have said
of Mr. Robert Lowe' _

The Advertiser says everyone who reads the royal address
must be struck with its essentially negative character. A
vaguer one was naves spoken from the throne. Evidently
the forthooining Reform Bill will be based on the homes°.
Witte principle; the only consolation is in the thought
that if the country has been deceived by the Russell cabi-
net on a subject of so much importanoe punishment will
swiftly follow.

Sir Charles Wood, it emus, is to be snoseeded at the
India-Office by Lord de Grey, the Marquis of Hartington
taking the head of the War Der artment. Mr. Manifold
replaces Lord Dufferin as Under-Secretary of State for
India, his lordship retiring, after only • short experience
of office, as it is nrosesary that India should be represented
in the House of Commons. Mr. /loosen snooped. to the
Vice-Presideney of the Beard of Trade, held under Lord
Palmerstonby Mr. Hutt.
The Times is not disposed unduly to disparage the ap-
pointment of Lord de Grey to the India Office ; but it
sketches oat for his lordship a course of study and a line
of conduct in terms which seem rather to imply an impree.
lion that the new minister has yet to prove hie fitness
for the post. Firmness in dealing with 00-ordinate autho-
rities or the assumption of subordinates, together with a
high degree of administrative power, ought to distinguish
the Indian Secretary ; and all these qualities, it says, Lord
De Grey must now do his beat to acquire. Lord Harting.
ton's appointment the Times considers to be excellent, his
lordship having shown eminent ability, industry, and
businees-like h►bits, and possessing, also, like Mr. Cobden,
the recommendation of bringing young blood to the adminis-
tration. One of the two chiefs of the departments direct-
lag the national defeaces will now fortunately be in the
Common'. The Times would hope that Mr. Stansfeld's
reappointment will meet with no objection in any quarter.
He showed himself an intelligent and industrious admi.
nistrator at the Admiralty, he has excellent talents, is a
good speaker and a stanch member of his party. He will
probably apply to the Indian Department that special study
of abstruse details which it requires, and represent it ably
in the House of Commons. Lord Dafferin will, the Times
presumes, be provided for in some other poet, all the go-
vernment would not willingly kw his services. Between
Mr. Hatt and Mr. Monsen the Times forbears to strike
the balance of loss and gain : they are both right honour-
able men.

The Star says th►t if Mr. Bt►nefeid accepts the ofsoe the
fact may be considered an indication that the government
is sot likely to fall short in the duty it owes to the
country with regard to the substantial character of the
Blom Bill.