The Express.
London, England, 1867-02-05 00:00:00

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.

(THIS DAY.)

So well had the secret been kept as to the con-
tents of the Queen's speech, that no two of our daily con-
temporaries agree in their speculations concerning it. It
is stated in the Times that the opposition met last night
at Lord Russell's. The Queen's Speech was communicated
to them by the usual courtesy of ministers ; and to-day
they will hold a meeting to decide upon the course they
will adopt on the Address.
Three articles are devoted by the Times to reform, the
letter of " H." being dealt with in one of them.
The Daily News expresses general distrust of a re-
form measure at the hands of the government. Any
bill which leaves the majority of the liberal party un-
satisfied will be a disturbance and not a settlement ; and
a bill which satisfies the majority of liberals must be pro-
foundly distasteful to the majority of oonservstivea.
Meanwhile amongst the liberal party the habit of deference
to mere rank in the appointment, should be resisted.
La rarriirr ourerte aa.c taltnta must henceforth be the
maxim of the liberal party, if it is to put forth its full
strength, and exercise its due influence upon English
politics.
The Post which, during the recess, has been opposed to
the agitation of the reform question, and to its revival,
insists this morning that unless the government brings
forward a measure, the House of Commons must withdraw
its confidence from them. . . .

•
The conservative journals are equally in the dark, and
fall back to-day on the ordinary attacks upon Mr. Bright,
the Standard applying to him the usual epithets—
" Passionate, unscrupulous, and abusive demagogue,"
while his policy " is one of violence and incendiarism," &c.
The Star says a Romiah cardinal accepting the office of
Archbishop of Canterbury, a member of the Peace Society
seeking to become Secretary at War, • Fenian Head
Centre occupying the poet of Irish Secretary, could not be
a more discreditable and inexcusable anomaly than • knot
1 of tory gentlemen at the present sewn undertaking to
carry on the work of government in Great Britain. The
country should have no patience with them : the House
of Commons for its own sake ought to seize the first op-
portunity to get rid of them.

Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Cambridge,
attended by Lady Geraldine Somerset and Colonel Home
Purred, arrived at her residence at St. James's Palace yes.
tarday from Cambridge Cottage, Kew, for the season.
The Archbishop of Dublin has arrived at
Maurigy's Hotel from the Palace, Dublin.
The Duke of Hamilton arrived in town last week
from Paris, and yesterday left town for Wales.
The Marchioness of Queensberry was on Sunday
morning safely delivered of a son and heir at 8, Chester-
field-street, Mayfair.

The Earl and Countess Ituaaell and family ar-
rival at their residence in Cheshma-placo Gil Sunday from
• tour in Italy. The noble earl and countess were de-
tained at Nismes, owing to the illness of their son, the
Hon. William Russell, from scarlatina.

" The directors of the Paris Poet office," says
the Journal Iles Matti, " are taking the last niewsimes to
meat the considerable requirements ormasioned by the
influx of stranger. during the exhibition. In a pavilion
situated in the ('hump de Man, near the central 11101111_
ment, part of which is devoted to the telegraph businon,
portal office is being installed to comprise all the brur.ches
of the service. The clerks on duty are chosen from
amongst those who speak several languages. The Mire
will be opened on March 1 at latest, in the niter. st of
exhibitors who have arrived beforehand to superintend
their installations."
ItoYAL INKTFITTIoN or GREAT BRITAIN.— At
the general monthly meeting yesterday, the Earl Stanhope,
F.R.S., vice-president, in the chair, Mr. John
Blacker, Mr. Admit F. Mandy, Mr. John ('lnks,
Mr. William David, Mr. Robert Ward Jackson, Mr. Ed-
ward Smith, M.D., F.R.S., and Captain the lion. John
Robert Vesey, were elected members of the Royal huddle-
tion.