The Express.
London, England, 1858-03-25 00:00:00

THE ItktiRESS,

them within the reach of almost any one of her
MAJZSTY'N subject,.
The candour of these admissions and the good in-
tentions apparent in these proposals, are to be added
to tie several proof recently furnished of the advan-
tage which the country is likely to derive from the ,
somewhat peculiar position occupied by her M►-
iserv's present advisers. In order to avail ourselves
as far as possible of these favourable dispositions
we beg to offer a few simple suggestions
as to the mode in which, as we conceive,
the whole business may be arranged with
the greatest possible saving of cost and trouble
to the public, and without any necessity of making
the slightest addition, by branch offices or otherwise,
to the expenses, or to the patronage, of Downing-
street. Let us just see how the matter stands. It
is admitted that a passport granted by the British
Government is nothing more than a certificate that
the beam is a British subject, and, as such, entitled,
while abroad, to the good offices and protection of
British officials and allied Governments. Let printed
forms of passport be prepared, at my office you
please, the Foreign or the Home, certifying in such
terms u may be deemed convenient this essential
fact. Let each form be stamped with a duly pre-
pared signature of the Secretary of State, the forgery
of which should be guarded with the usual penalties.
Let these forms be distributed throughout the
country, to the mayors of ail towns, to justices of the
peace, to police magistrates, or (which would, perhaps,
sneerer the purpose still better) to the local postmaster'.
Let the applicant sign hie name to the foot of the
passport, and let such signature be attested by the
local =amity who issues the passport, and who
may, if any one can, be safely entrusted with the
not very responsible power of indicating by such
signature that the applicant, according to the tenor
of the printed document, is a British citizen. Even
in the comparatively rare cues in which the appli-
cant might be personally unknown in his own neigh-
bourhood the fact of his British origin is one which
may be safely left to the acumen even of a very hum-
ble class of officials. The lower the social scale, the
more lively is the perception of those peculiarities of
manner and diction which stamp that contraband and
prohibited article—the foreign refugee. Let a sum
of ls. of good and lawful money of this realm be
the outside limit of cost, and let an account
be opened at each local bank, for the transmission of
the sums received on passport account to the Treasury.
The adoption of some such straightforward and
practical scheme as this would at once free the loco-
motive Briton from all the--; -.emotions arising out of
the Passport System, and accomplish on behalf of
the British Government all that it is bound to under-
take for the reasonable satisfaction of Foreign
Powers. As regards the Continental Governments, the
Government of Great Britain is bound to do no more
than supply in the passports it grants to its subjects
simple certificates of British citizenship. Al regards
the British nation, Government is bound to furnish
such certificates at the least possible cost, and with the
least trouble. The scheme just roughly suggested,
or something closely analogous to it, would in our
opinion realise both such result,. By the adoption
of some such plan our Government would wash its
hands of all participation in the vexatious nuisance
of the Passport System, the discredit of which would
then only fall where it ought to fall, on those who,
though convinced of its inefficiency and absurdity,
still choose to perpetuate this most foolish of all
restraints on the free intercourse of friendly nations.

The new liberal candidate for Beverley, Mr.
Ralph Walters, addressed the conatintincy in the Town
Hall on Tuesday night last.

It is rumoured (says the Worceseer Chronicle),
that our timeliest chairman of the County Charter Sessions,
Sir J. Pakington, wi I resign that °Mee at the midst see-
alone, in consequence of his inability now to spare the time
neemeary for the proper conduct of the berhsese.
We (BA.rbonw Journal) have to 'mimeos with
men the death of Wm. Wingfield Baker, Eeq., of Greet
Sall, Essex, the respected lather of George Wingfield Dighy,
Req. Mr. Baker died at Sherboree Castle on Sunday, full it
years, haring weed We 87th birthday. By hie death
Richard Wingfield, Eq., mamba for South Benz, beams
entitled to a Tory headmen* property, and will eawitme the
name of Baker.

It is stated by the Edinburgh papers that Mr.
Chas. Dickens refused to accept any remuneration for his
forthooming reading at the Philosophical Institution. The
&mews have, therefore, commiselonei a magnificent imolai
bowl, which is to be presented at the close of the lecture to-
morrow night.

Oa Monday evening, Professor Nichol delivered
the Ant of • coarse of four lectures on " Recent Astronomi-
cal Diecewerles," In the Loam Room of the Litersry and
Philosophical Society, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.
The extensive nave of Worcester Cathedral is, it
le said, to be Stied with a pulpit end mate—perhape with
chairs, aa on the Continent—for the purpose of popular
woks' and preaching. _

ARMY EirrimATEB.—This mornings supplemen-
tary sothoono was issued for the years 1838-59. It to propmed
to mit the Roam of Commons to rote 25,0001. on account for
the Serwrys of the United Kingdom and the Topographical
Department.

MANSION-HOUSE.—Yesterday] the Lord Mayor and
the Lady Mayoras entertained at dial, the aldermen and
members of the Court of Common Come of the wards of
Yarned= Willa sad Without Line-east, Qammaithe,
Walina, Tater, and Viatry, and their leas; the sheriffs;
the near, wataleas, aeon of aestamie, end tallowy at the
Cana Compay ; the staatar, .seisms, end awn of meat-
eat of the Fraerari qempay, and mama whole Anna,
The bead tithe &at raffia Orr& nee in eilemdearat,
ma me the arrived perhened in the Mew aad
Atria the dimmer the Igyptiaa Hal, where emeas were
hid for 290. Ansa the men preween wets Ladde den,
Admiral Sir C. Napa, M.P., Mojer-flanal
Look*, Y.F., & Shwa M.P., Dr. W. IwoO
lEP., Camel 22. P Mr. Dams Denbar:
Thanes (abdomen Deal of Watt.%
Mr. sad Haw. T. 0.
Wales.
Oarelleed Mayer), ItirDlikitolllll. is
&W. Weley, Mr. J. D. Dr. Mow
sad the Miran Deme, Ml. Dada
_ma Mim
fiehatime, Mr, end Wm. iladdany,_Xr. Din
Ceps Caper ea Min Cooper, Kr.Welay, Main
R. Hawke, Mr. J. Ds Donley, Affirms Wir D. O. Mae,
Dart., Mamma Mir KM Wire, A4lllllOllllll end Ma. Roes,
Minas ad Mrs. Phillips, AM... ad BUM Law-
man end Min Lawrence, Mama and Ilre. Gadd,
Alarms end Sheriff Alba sad Die Al. Kr. W. 8.
pryer (mauls, Oferib:lf C Coasp
the r jgra
TER BLEW. or LONDON ON THE SOCIAL EVIL.
-The inelail Loudon hem eddreend the Mowing to the
NW O 11111117 f Ws diomee :—" I beg to wawa the fol-
iate( appal the London Dianna Pealteadmry to the
trywia9systam deep sad laity load rdagee has
bee Willed in theimeeptien of Wei mem
than bee ad boa a wrmawafat imweees elpsitenticriem
Tide le 1n yeet swag he my imam enonal of support
widish h the eanilainat sad yeerly moisten.
man of the imentallea It he bent resolved, there-
fore, alb a bineleg, r immemmee the ellidemay of the
Leaden Diammen Pallantfary, whia wan Wlliglllll4llll yy
the lie Damp of Lanka he was it, ma its muse sad
ithielm Impart, mars emmememiste with the wants
at the dieter, end taw ale to meet the om-
elette appiereme from the is
la Landau. The
report. of that Methanol' la ahremee to St. Mary
Maradaleas. Was* OR the twe pen yam, together
with the teetletmay of the He,. 3. Myer, maim, end the
Raw. C. B. Daiwa. lamuabeet. d illetgate.
waw sdion. P
to prove the satidemory wartkag of ado. Wafted st
that hattuUen. Am a fat sup the reedier aof
all theme whaithad i alphate stay weft be heed
kt. as to eighty, ea tare an le nee deal that
. complied to meads the alai a =ma tM ese

-
10=1" imp sidnioesse, es well se te previa ••teed
=the esabrales easegral ea fie Weer berg
rum area= al masedrallik Tos
la 141 that
t k rte
• sea d aWesat 111. •-/law apart 1a
to the ii.u.t area team. i 1 my be Mid r arels-
rah to what
area wea . fier is simply isseelfa The
seapstaisa of resitear ma OM WAIN mar ler
as prerailes of ealy vise saws the pew erill me dear
ea& • gnarl am. la
_lis bake la as an& a tie
this garestka. MenietaN Or alma le bawl le Fe.
ale ea shelter ten .tn to all who Twat saes Mate
le le tee to tali Oa."
Tin CITY or Ozeoe.—A canna hes jest bees
Islas videlk shows as pnpolatioa of Ones to is 119,401,
bites ea arena of 19,05, are the awes et 1141.

The Qom held a Levee yesterday afternoon, in
Bt. Janstr's Palace. Her Majesty and the Prince Consort
arrived from Buckingham Palace at a quarter put 2 &dock,
escorted by a detachment of Life Guards. The great officers
I of state received the Queen and the Prinoe Consort upon
their arrival at Bt. James's.

Her Majesty's body guard of the Boa Corps of Gentle-
sun-st-Anos were on duty in the state micas', ander the
command of the Lieutenant.