The Express.
London, England, 1866-04-20 00:00:00

TAB EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVEiIIiNG, APRIL 20, 1866:

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.

cram DAY.)

TM =roan DIMATIL
The Times continues to see in the speeches of
the opponents of the government lull a marked superiority
in spirit, energy, and ability to those of its supporters.
The course of the discussion yesterday was faithful to
the law observed on former nights. Mr. Graham's speech
can scarcely be considered equal to his lint effort ;
Sir W. Hutt had to defend his consistency before a beg-

gaily array of empty benches ; Mr. Hughes did much more
harm to his friends than did even Mr. Layard, and as to
Mr. M. Gibson, what conclusion is to be drawn from the
fact that, like the cabinet ministers who have preceded
him, he has eschewed the task of even noticing the argu-
ments in Lord Stanley's speech? Lord Moho, on
the other hand, spoke with judgment and felicity ;
and Mr. Doulton developed an ability hitherto unsuspected,
and gave the Tines reason to rejoice over his conversion to
sounder views than those which he must have held when
he voted for Mr. Baines's bill. In this article the Times,
having demand Mr. Hughes's speech as indicating that
the lowering of the suffrage would precipitate us into
socialism, repudiates any wish to make capital out of this
unguarded statement, and expresses its disbelief
that a Ti. qualification in boroughs would so
choose the nature of parliament as to lead to
the adoption of all or any of the heresies he described.
In another article, however, the Times, after narrating a
ease in which a trade union—that of the brick-makers—Ss

aLleged to have condemned an invention, and proscribed
the company which was to bring it out, prooeeds to argue
that, though these formidable combinations have not been
as yet directed to political objects, no one can venture to
assert that this will not take place when their leaders
think it worth while to bring them into practice.

The Daily New says that the house did not come to the
debate last night with that freshness which might have
been expected from its two days' release from a wearying,
if exciting, dieenssion, and that until the stirring party
speech of Mr. M. Gibson the debate flagged. Seriously
reprehending the violations, not only of good taste and
good breeding, but of the confidence of social
intercourse of which Lord Elcho was guilty, the
Daily New proeeeds to remark that if he be correct in his
statement that a large cumber of liberal members speak
against the bill in private conversation, the fact affords the ,
best justification that can be given of the conduct of the
government. Mere traders in liberal principles ought not
to be suffered to carry on their disreputable traffic. They
cannot be allowed to make profit oat of the name, and to
turn their backs an the thing. The merit of the course
taken by the government is this, that it compels professing
liberals either to act up to their professions or discard
them. The " screw," as it is called, will be opera-
tive only on men who can be dealt with in no other
way. The natural candour of Lord Echo is too
great for the equivocal part which he has been solicited
to play, and so we find him while professing at one
moment to be in some manse or other a reformer, in the

next contending that Lord Palmerston's leadership was
judicious because it deprived reform of its last chance.
The real question between the two parties, the govern-
ment on the one side and the conservative party
sad their new allies on the other, is whether
the borough franchise shall be reduced. The pre-
text of Lord Stanley that the redistribution of seats
should accompany or precis& • measure of enfranchise-
ment was refuted by Mr. Mill, and the President of the
Board of Trade last night added an exposure of a different
kind. Lord Derby and his cabinet proposed, and the
entire tory party supported, in 1859 a bill which (lid sub-
stantially that which they now affect to blame the govern-
ment for doing. They fixed first the qualification for
boroughs and counties, and left to a following session the
determination, after inquiry by commissioners, of the
boundaries and the area of the constituencies. The sepa-
ration by the present government of what they themselves
aspirated is denounced as a fatal error. Thus the " note',
of faction is clearly impressed upon Lord Grosvenor's
amendment, and the stigma brands the great majority of
its supporters on both sides of the house.
The Part says that when Lord Derby proposed that •
commission should be appointed to report upon the best
mode of mottling boundaries, he and the House of Com-
mons were ignorant of what that report might ultimately
be. But if Lord Derby had the report in his possession,
and had a bill actually drawn up in conformity with its
recommendations, it would have been difficult to devise an
excuse for his conduct had he refused to communicate
them to the House of Commons at the name time that he
*eked it to assent to a measure for the extension of the
franchise. The Part also observes that if rumours are to
be relied on, the debate will not be closed until the middle
of next week. It still trusts that by adopting Lord
Grosvenor's amendment the house will vindicate its
independenc-.
In the view of the Herald the protraction of the debate
is unfavourable to the government, which suffers a loss of
strength every day. The advantage of the opposition in
the argument has been overwhelming, and last night there
was even greater inequality between the contending
parties than on previous evenings. Lord Echo is
specially praised by the Herald for his manly con-
duct and conscientious purpose, and Mr. Doulton re-
ceives high credit for being well enough acquainted with
the real temper and practical disposition of the working
class to wish to know how much power is to be given them,
and how far property and capital are to be placed at the
mercy of class legislation and class taxation at the hands of
those who have none. As to Mr. Gibson, Mr. Hardy had
little trouble in demolishing in a few sentences his con-
fused and halting arguments. Even should Lord Gros-
venor's amendment be rejected, which it is difficult now
to believe possible, this bill is too much damaged to pass ;
its authors too deeply disgraced long to remain in power.
The Telegraph says that Lord Echo, who has a glib
tongue, abundant assurance, and unfailing vanity, has
done reform great service by giving us fresh knowledge re-
garding that squad of " liberals " which he represents, and
the real meaning of the amendment by which they seek to
make their peace with the tones. We shall now, at all
events, be rid for good of liberal conservatives, who can
henceforward only be described as tones. He "is not
against reform." But what is his argument ? It is that
this parliament is not pledged to reform—that Lord
Palmerston never mentioned the word in his election
address, and that 165 " liberals " returned in Sep-
tember gave no promise at all upon the subject.
If such a plea be not like creeping under another
stone out of the way of the daylight, what is it
Lauding Mr. Gibson's incisive and animated eloquence,
the Star says, nevertheless, that one sentence of hie speech
indicated a greater degree of confidence than it is disposed
to admit in the reforming sincerity of the House of Com-
mons. It was that in which the President of the Board of
Trade declared himself willing to leave the house at full
liberty to deal with the reduction of the franchise as it
pleases when once it has arrived at the principle that a re-
duction is to take place. On this point there ought
to be no doubt. Anything short of this 71. fran-
chise ought to be considered by the government,
as it would be by the people, no settlement at all.
Lord Elcho's speech was mere flippancy, the natural result
of an intrusion into the high places of politics of a pre-
judiced and light-minded trifler. Mr. Hughes and Mr.
Graham stoutly supported the bill—the one by sharp in-
vective, the other by a generous exposition of the wants of
the working classes. Mr. Doulton, who appears to have
gained in smartness what he has lost in political character,
made a speech that would have well befitted the merest
vituperator of the opposition. Mr. Gathorne Hardy con-
cluded the debate in a speech characterised by more than
his usual dulness and dryness.

• few weeb mince, Ws cannot see how Prude will be able
to avoid compliance.
The Daffy-Noce regards the disclosure a the fact Jest
the Prussian people are net all, nor nearly all, intoxicated
with the ambition and ylinated by the peed imputed to
them by their King and his minister, and by the outside
world generally, as the most important sign of the time in
Germany. If any oonsiderabbi proportion of the Prussians
themselves are opposed to the Bismarck policy, the
chances of peace cannot but be improved incalculably. A
way is opened at last to the mind and the senses of the
King. Everything, in short, may now depend on the stir
and echo of this hopeful patriotism spreading through the
King's dominions.
During the days when Austria was threatening the
existence of Sardinia as a Constitutional State, Count
Cavour once said to a friend who inquired how affairs
were going on, "We live, and every day increases our
chance of life." A somewhat similar remark, the Tde-
grapd thinks, might be applied to the present relations
between North and South Germany ; peace is still pre-
served, and every day of peace increases the chance that
a conflict will be avoided. Nevertheless, the only hope
of the permanent continuance of peace is the possibility
that before matters come to the last extremity one of the
two great powers will modify its resolution ; but so far the
Tedegropt cannot safely assert that such is likely to be the
case. The final decision of the Prussian government will de-
pend mainly on the attitudeassumedby Franc e andßussia.
The Emperor Napoleon has not yet taken any decisive
step in favour of Austria, but on the other hand he has
certainly given no overt encouragement to Prussia. The
policy of Russia is more doubtful. If it is true that the
northern potentate is anxious to interfere once more in
the affairs of European Turkey, no conjuncture more
likely to encourage Prussia in pushing Austria to the
utmost could be imagined.

the Court.

OSBORNE, APRIL 19.

The Queen, accompanied by the Princess
Helena and Prince Leopold, and Prince Christian of Schles-
wig Holstein, drove out yesterday morning, attended by
Major-General the Hon. A. Hood ; and her Majesty
walked in the grounds in the afternoon, accompanied by
Princess Helena and Princess Louise.
Prince Christian of Schleswig-Holstein rode in the
afternoon, attended by Colonel Du Plat.
The Marquis of Hartington arrived at Osborne yester-
day, and had the honour of dining with the Queen and the
royal family.

A deputation from the pariah of St. James's, West-
minster, consisting of Mr. Weymouth, Mr. Compton, Mr.
Duff, and Mr. Webber (vestrymen) ; Dr. Edwin Lanka.
ter (medical officer of health) ; and Mr. Buzzard (vestry
clerk), transacted business with the Right Hon. H. A.
Bruce, at the Privy Council, Whitehall, yesterday.
A deputation from the Tower Hamlets, consisting of
Mr. A. Solomon., Mr. W. Wigginton, and Mr. J. R.
Whitehead, had an interview with Lord Dufferin, at the
War-office on Wednesday lut, upon the subject of the
, formation of volunteer corps. The deputation was intro-
duced by Mr. Ayrton, M.P.
Despatches were sent yesterday from the Colonial-office
to the governors of Gibraltar, Malta, the Mauritius,Ceylon,
Hong Kong, Lebuan, the Australian Colonies, New Zea-
land, and Canada.

The Salters' Company have resolved to present
the freedom of the guild to his Royal Highness Prince
Alfred, who has consented to accept it. The document
will be presented in a box of the value of 100 guineas.
City Press.
Their Royal Highnesses the Grand Duke and
Grand Duchess of Mecklenburg-Strelits, and the Heredi-
tary Prince Adolphus, are expected to arrive from Ger-
many on a visit to her Royal Highness the Duchess of
Cambridge in the course of the ensuing mouth.
The Earl and Countess of Westmorland have
taken 32, South-street, Grosvenor-square, for the season.
The Earl of Zetland arrived yesterday, st his
residence in Arlington-street, Piccadilly, from Asko Hall,
I Yorkshire. _ _

Mrs. Gladstone will have an assembly at the
Right Hon. the Chancellor of the Exchequer's family re-
sidenoe, Carlton-house-terrace, on the 2nd proximo.
The Lord Bishop of Gloucester and Bristol has
instituted the Rev. Charles Henry Wilson, M.A., to the
rectory of Coberley, in the county of Gloucester, vacant
by the death of the Rev. William Hicks. Patron—John
Henry Elwes, Esq., of Coleeborne. His lordship has also
licensed the Rev. William Barker to the perpetual
curacy of Holy Trinity in the Forest of Dean, vacant by
the resignation of the Rev. Henry George Nicholls, on the
presentation of her Majesty the Queen.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

AUSTRIA AND PRUSSIA.
The Tsmoot to-day remarks that in the last
reply of Herr von Bismarck to Austria, no allusion
whatever is made to the report of the Prussian and
Italian alliance, to which direct reference
was made in an Austrian despatch.
The Temps is inclined to consider this
silence on the part of Prussia as rather confirmatory
of the alleged alliance. It must be admitted in any
case that it would afford considerable satisfaction to
Austria if Herr von Bismarck thought proper to
deny the report, and his not doing so is rather sig-
nificant.
The Dagbladet says that the government have
received information which makes it necessary for
them to abandon the passive attitude which
they have hitherto observed, and may oblige
them to take significant measures. The
aim of the government is to observe neutrality, but
the development of the situation may render such
a policy impossible. By skilfully taking advan-
tage of circumstances Denmark may have a chance
of getting back at least a part of what she lost.