The Express.
London, England, 1866-05-04 00:00:00

IfISCILLLANNOCS TOPICS.

The Times thinks the commercial community have
myth reason to be satisfied with the prospects opened to
them by the new Bankruptcy Bill. It affords in almost
all reelects a very advantageous contrast to its prede-
cessors. Instead of creating a number of new offices in
the place of those which it abolishes, it leaves the cre-
ditors themselves, through the agency of the person
whom they elect, to discharge the duties of official
assignee and messenger. It throws upon the County
Courts and the Lords Juatises of Appeal the new
judicial work which it creates. It relieves the tri
bunals to which it intrust' the working of the act
from the burden of administering estates by their
own agency, thus abolishing an infinity of expense and
delay. Under this measure, if bankrupt estates be
not well managed, the creditors will have nobody
to blame but themselves. They are intrusted with
their own property, and if they like to squander it
in useless expenditure they have only themselves to
thank. By removing one of the principal in-
ducements that can be held out to the giving
undue credit, the bill does something towards the promo-
' tion of public morality ; and many a wild and imprudent
young man will probably owe to the abolition of imprison-
ment for debt his preservation from ruin, by the abrupt
curtailment of that indiscriminate credit which has
tempted so many onward to their destruction. This bill,
should it become law, will at last accomplish what has
been so long desired—the making the interest of the debtor
identical, at least in some degree, with that of the creditor.
The Telegrapa is inclined to believe the rumour that the
bill for the redistribution of the franchise will transfer
fifty seats from small boroughs to large constituencies—
! one-half of the number being given to towns, and one-half
to counties. If we may trust the prevalent impression,
total disfranchisement is not contemplated in any case ; but
it is anticipated that vacancies will be created to the extent
indicated by grouping places of minor importance together.
ruder such circumstances, the country party would have
I good reason to be satisfied with the bill of 1866. So far
from aggrandising the urban power at the expense of the
rural, it seems probable that the opposite course will be
adopted. The plan would offer a net gain of fifty seats;
and the 141. franchise will extend that proprietary in.
fluence which the Chandos clause first created. _

The Times, after quoting the statement of the Irish
Attorney-General last night respecting a case in which the
aged Chief Justice Lefroy was unable to read the sentence
of death on a condemned prisoner, adds that the tuns has
come for some action in the matter. If the Chief Justice
will not take the advice of those whose counsels, though
more unpalatable than those of his intimate friends, are
more wholesome, there will be nothing left but to resort
to that extreme course which the constitution provides for
the removal of an unsuitable judge.
When the suggestion for Chief Justice Lefroy's retire-
ment is received with indignant remonstrance, the Star
cannot help being reminded of the actress who vehemently
protested against the tyranny of the manager in refusing
to let her play " Little Pickle " any more although she
had played it regularly for 60 years.

" Travellers from Italy by Mont Cenia," says
the Prase, " have remarked in passing by Cnloz that the
carriages of a railway train were filled with French soldiers,
going without doubt to reinforce the garrisons on the
Italian frontier."

CHANCES OP WAR 1 'REPRESENTATION OP WlNDSOR.—Yesterday the
THE .
Theo riginal dispute between the two German : streets of the royal borough began to exhibit symptoms
wen, of the coming electoral girlie. The fronts of the White
the Times observes, is complicated by the demonstrations Hart and Castle Hotels, in the High-street, were pro-
of Italy, which, though she could not be expected to begin fusely decorated with placards—the former, as the bead-
the war, would take advantage of it if it were begun. zilarters of the
oured bills conse
with "Vote tiveforeeTeoltff sad Garda.ng
et!'" Pi:
Austria, though actually disarming on the Prussian cards in blue letters, with " Vote for Roger Eykyn and Ed-
border, has transferred her armaments to the Italian from. wards," the two liberacandidates, side by side with the bills
tier ; but Prussia stipulating for disarmament everywhere, of their antagonists, adorn the blank spaces on the Wall,
the original engagement is suspended, and the forces of . and, with the candidates' addresses, are hung in
tirlitheia
angry and jealous governments still confront each other in winbirse'
n3eirgyean.wh,l,t; both parties *Mel:Limn
declarevagawg that they
dangerous array. The real source of the quarrel is will he able to carry both candidates triumphantly. The
Schleswig-Holstein, and if the two German governments committees on both aides have began their labours in anti-
' are really disposed to preserve peace upon this it will ; cipation of the arrival of the writ, which is expected in
not be in the power of Italian statesmen to retard the ; the course of to-day, in which case the nomination and
result. To consent to the aggrandisement of Prussia on polling will take place at the beginning of the week.
, ~..
stEPRESENTATION OF NORTNAT.T.EXTON. —The
the Elbe would be a consummation of political injustice, !
but the claim has taken so absolute a form that to recede late election for this borough havi been declared null
: and void, Mr. Wrightson, who previous to the last election
may be too difficult a task for the government of Berlin. ' had represented the borow& for many years in the whig
At present it is reasonable to believe that neither at Vienna interest, has again offered himself as a candidate. In his
address to the electors he says, " I need not trouble you
nor at Berlin is warreallyintended. Both Powers are threat.
with my political views, as they ate well known to you,
cuing extremities and both are supporting their menaces by but I will add that my attachme t for the principles
costly and dangerous demonstrations of force ; but it ia , which I him admitted so long, and for the borough, is
only with threats that they are es yet contending, unchanged." The Hon. Fremont W. Leseelles (of MM-
and threatened States, like threatened men, may dlethorpe-lodge, York), brother of the Berl of Harewood,
live long. This game is played upon a large scale
oifril ialit:e 1 in conservative.
CanoOaklritt'ard he
o states that
their late member
s
because the governments engaged are essentially military nlills), and that he will give • general but independen-
powers, with armaments always in more or less readiness, dent support to conservative measuree. Both parties are
but they are not, perhaps, the more likely on that amount actively canvassing.