The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-17 00:00:00

LORD eItF.I.MSFORT).B I,ISNI)AT TRADLNG BILL.

We are reminded by the Daily News that the
measure which Lord Chelmsford is carrying through the
House of Lords, and against which men of all parties and
opinions are arrayed, is the second he has submitted to par-
liament on this subject. A few years ago he tried his hand
on London, now he seeks to make a law for all England.
The argument by which be recommends it—that
the interference of law is required not to overrule
the judgment of individuals, but to give effect
to that judgment—they being unable to give
effect to it except by concert made effectual by
legal sanction, cannot be applied to Sunday trading with-
out difficulties which the Daily NOM fears are insur-
mountable. Lord Chelmsford has shown great anxiety to
adapt his bill to the wants and necessities of the poorer
classes of the population, but these wants and necessities
vary in different towns, and in different parts of the same
town. While law is by its nature rigid, an enactment
which would not affect one portion of the population
would press hardly upon another. This is the diffi-
culty which besets all attempts at Sunday legislation.
Another, perhaps greater, is found in the consideration
that a Sunday Observance Law, by its very nature, presses
more hardly upon the poor than upon the rich. The poor
man requires almost at every instant to be in contact with
the means of supply which he finds among his neighbours.
It is this which makes the multiplication of minute re-
strictions on the liberty of buying and selling so intoler-
able, and their enforcement by legal penalties practically
impossible. Were Lord Chelmsford's measure passed, the
reaction against it would be very likely to lead to conse-
quences such as its author would regret.
Lord Chelmsford, the Post says, has discovered a novel
kind of oppression—the oppression of liberty. His lord-
ship has come forward in defence of freedom with a bill
which proposes to liberate a tradesman from the tyranny
which permits him to open his shop if he likes it, by not
permitting him to open it whether he likes to open it or
not. However, if all the articles now excepted in the bill
were made subject to the rule, and all those subject to the
rule excepted, it would be entitled to the support of all

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14,TES INTELLIGEittIk :: •
. • AR NEWS.
It is ' Florence that theme Iris NM
is to be concentrated at Ancona, and a report, kik.
been circulated that the war will commence with'iC
naval attack off the coast of Dalmatia by Italy.
The Gazetta &I Popolo says s

As soon as General Della Boma received from the Mi-
nister of War official information that Prince Umberto
would be placed under him as general of division, he wrote
to the King expressing the happiness he felt in having
the hereditary prince as one of the combatants in his army,
adding at the same time—" My responsibility, however,
is the greater, for I asaware of the youthful impetuosity
and martial ardour Of the prime who is desirous of
treading in the steps of his august anoestors." The
King in his reply said :—" If the House of Savoy bad
not three but one hundred sons able to bear arms, the
poet of all of them would be in the front ranks of the
Italian army."
The Unita /fanatic' publishes the following as an
authentic letter from Garibaldi addressed by him to
a friend in Parma :

Caprers, May 8.

I have given no orders to any persons in Parma to mate
enrolments of volunteers. The youth of Italy know their
duty and will not be deluded. When Italy wants me be
assured I shall not fail. GARIBALDI.

The Prussian Gazette publishes an ordinance
authorising the officers of the reserve force of all
arms to enrol an unlimited amount of volunteers,
whose term of service shall be from one to three
years. It appears from authentic information that
since the 11th May large bodies of troops have been
sent from Vienna to the north. The conveyance
of troops towards the Prussian frontier, with a view
to concentration, has already commenced. The
staffs of the different corps are complete.

(REUTER'S TELEGRAMS.)

THE PROPOSED EUROPEAN CONGRESS.
BERLIN, MAT 17.

It is believed in diplomatic quarters that France
has not yet made any official proposal for the as-
sembly of a congress. Overtures to that effect are,
however, considered probable.
Prussia is not adverse to the assembly of a con-
gress, with the reservation that preliminary nego-
tiations should take place upon the programme to
be adopted.
Hanover has, it is stated, undertaken to main-
tain an absolute neutrality for the present.

BRUSSELS, MAY 17.

The Indepcn(l'n Beige of to-day publishes a
telegram from London, dated 10th inst., an-
nouncing that the French ambassador at the court
of St. James proposed to the English government
on the 9th May that the programme of the pro-
jected Congress should be limited to three points,
namely, Venetia, Schleswig-Holstein, and also
German Federal Reform, in as far as the latter
question affects the European equilibrium.

THE CONFERENCE OF THE MIDDLE
STATES.

COBURG, !ity

The official Coburger Ztitring, in referring to the
conference of the delegates of the middle states,
which took place at Bamberg on Monday last, says:
"The most peaceful sentiments were expressed at
this conference, and a positive understanding was
arrived at to mediate between the two great German
powers."

GERMANY AND ITALY.
PARIS, MAY 17.

The Constitutionne/ of to-day publishes an article
pointing out the serious nature of the differences
between Austria, Prussia, and Italy, and says :
" The neutral powers could neither induce either
of the different parties to concede the demands of
the other, nor usefully recommend to them the
maintenance of the status quo. They m;ght, how-
ever, tind some middle course which would admit
of a settlement of conflicting pretensions. It is by
compromises that conflicts between state and
state are best settled, without leaving that
hostile feeling which would soon lead to fresh con-
flicts."

MOVEMENTS OF AUSTRIAN TROOPS IN

HOLSTEIN.

ALTONA,Ay 17.
The Austrian heavy war trains in Holstein have
been ordered to move in a southern direction.

THE ITALIAN VOLUNTEERS.
FLORENCE, MAT 17.

A circular of the Minister of War, relative to the
organisation of the volunteers, has been published
to-day.

The twenty battalions, specified by the royal
decree, will form ten regiments.

The dept,ts of enrolment fixed by the govern-
ment are Como, Varese, Bari, and Barletta. Each
regiment will consist of 42 officers and 1,446 men.
Other battalions will be formed if necessary. The
volunteers will wear the Garibaldian red shirt
and cap.

THE AUSTRIAN PUBLIC DEBT.
VIENNA, Ml 7.

The committee for the control of the public debt
has published to-day a statement of the present
public debt of Austria, according to which ita whole
amount is now about 2,593 millions of florins,
the interest paid on which amounts to
118,736,788 florins per annum. At the end of
1864 the public debt was 2,535,197,335 florins, and
at the end of 1865, 2,532,083,148 florins.

THE BRAZILS.
(By Telegraph from Lisboa.)
BUENOS AYRES, APRIL 14.

Exchange on London, 52. Dollars, 25.90. Wet
salted hides, 31.60. Dry hides, 35 for Golbs•
Sugar, 20.

RIO DE JANEIRO, Aram 2i.

Export of coffee since the departure of the Lust
mail, 70,003 bags, of which 37,000 were for the
Channel. Sales, 79,000 bags. Freight, 455. to
475. Gd.

BAHIA, Aran 29.

Exchange on London, 27} to 27i. Cotton,
17.000 to 17.700 rcia. Sugar, 2.100 to 2.600 reis.
PERNAMBUCO, MAY 1.
Exchange on London, 27i. Cotton, 15.500 to
16.500 reis.