The Express.
London, England, 1858-05-03 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY EVENING, MAY 3,

sad of independence. If it were recruited, from
time to time, as vacancies occur, partly by nomina-
tion, partly by election (the constituency being ex-
tended and improved), the proportion of the elsoted
to the nominated members being in the same ratio
as at present, we should have—unless divested
by the forms of office of all real power—a strong
intermedi►te body between India and Imperial
Government. But if in subservience to popular pre-
judices, really existing or assumed to exist, it be con-
sidered inexpedient to retain the present members
of the Court of Directors bodily, we have no hesita-
tion in saying that the proposal of the present Go-
vernment gives far better promise of a good Council
than any other scheme now before Parliament. The
Government proposal is that the Council shall con-
sist of not less than twelve or more than eighteen
members, and that they shall be partly nominated
and partly elected. Neither Lord JOHN RUSSELL
nor Lord PALMERSTON admits the elective principle
at all. But a Council consisting wholly of Crown
nominee* can be nothing better than a name. The
original proposal of Government to appoint a Council
consisting of nine nominated and nine elected mem-
bees recognised a sound constitutional principle;
the scheme was rendered contemptible by the de-
tails with which it was encumbered. We trust,
however, that Government will, though aban-
doning the details, cling to the principle which
they have declared their desire to inaugurate ; and
insist that at least one half of the members of the
new Council shall be appointed by an independent
constituency. It is to the consideration of this
question of whole or partial nomination
.by the
Crown that the attention of Parliament will pro-
bably be this evening directed. The impor-
tance of the question it is impossible to exaggerate.
Its importanoe is not limited to the effect that the
decision will have upon the foture prosperity of our
Indian Empire. It has an English side as well as
an Indian side. A Council, consisting wholly of
Crown nominees, would immensely increase the
power of the Government of the day and disturb the
balance of the constitution. It is impossible
to shut one's eyes to this truth. Well
aware of this, Lord JOHN RUSSELL proposed
that the Crown nominees should be appointed
during good conduct; but there were such manifest
objections, on other grounds, to this arrangement,
that the proposal appears to have been abandoned.
There is, indeed, no possible means of getting over
the constitutional difficulty except at the risk of the
working efficiency of the Council. This brings the
whole question into the narrowest compute ; and we
earnestly exhort the great body now addrering
itself to the solution of the question to reflect upon
the gravity and solemnity of the occasion, and to
consider that the interests of India and the integrity
of our own constitution may alike be jeopardised by
rash legislation.

Ma. DIRRARLfS INDIAN RssourzioNs.—A weekly
organ of the late ministry is mistaken in its asser-
tion that the second of these resolutions has been
adopted by the committee. It has sot even been put
from the chair. Row the mistake in the printing
of the votes, which misled the journal in cineation,
oocurred, nobody knows ; but that it is a mistake is
certain. The discussion on Resolution No. 2 will
commence this evening.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE

--..-
I
r THE BOMBAY AND AUSTRALIAN MAILS.

We We been rammed by the Ponta=lar and
Oriental Company with the following despatch re-
ceived by them from Marseilles this (Monday)
morning :
" The steam-ship Valetta, with the Bombay and
Australian mails, arrived at Marseilles at 10 am.
yesterday.
" The mails left for London at noon."

believe that they were of .ome importance, and that
*tar labours would not be without influence upon
the ent of the public purse. Out of their
great an to have it said that they had done
something, ey were careful not to propose any
eonsiderable amendments which they knew well
enough would certainly be rejected, but with scru-
pulous care they hit upon a few minor blots, flatter-
ing themselves that, in return f r their moderation,
some of their criticisms would be admitted, if only for
form's sake, and by way of paying a compliment to the
repreeentatives of the people, who in theory are the
sovereign arbiters of the budget. Their amend-
ments were all duly rejected by the council of state.
When the public diectowion came on, one of the
members who had set his been upon effecting some
small reduction, reiterated the standing complaint,
that by the rules which bound the house he was
now precluded from exercising hies constitutional
right to control the budget in any other way than
by voting against it altogether, and that was an
extreme course which his patriotism and devotion to
the Emperor shrank from teking. In answer to
this jeremiad, M. Viutry, one of the councillors of
state appointed to speak
in the name of the govern-
mint, gravely said that the honourable member's
complaint amounted to a protest against the consti-
tution, and therefore he could not enter into it
in any way whatever. He, however, condescended
to add. that the budget could not be
very faulty, because honourable members, after
the great pains they had taken, had only been able
to suggest reductions to the amount of about two
millions. Upon this the aggrieved member said,
with much bitterness, that if members had acted
upon their own opinions they would have proposed
very large reductions, but that their respect for the
initiative of the government had induced them to
restrict their demands, in the hope that some defer-
ence would be paid to their wishes. M. Baroche,
the other councillor of state, then jumped up, and
said pleasantly that the government could not be
held responsible for the failure of amendments
which had never been made. Thus the Corps
Ltgislatif found itself on the horns of a dilemma,
similar to that which perplexes greedy children.
" Those who ask shan't have anything, and those
who don't ask don't want anything."
Although the Patrie said yesterday that the
government was resolved not to yield an inch in re-
gardto the 180 millions bills, I am informed to-day
that in order to humour the Corps Ligielatif it has
consented to strike off 10 millions. This reduction,
considering that the enormous expenditure in
Parisian improvements is to be spread over ten
years, will not have any great influence upon the
present financial situation.

The French government, in carrying on its cru-
sade against refugees, has provoked serious dis-
turbanoes at Alexandria, an account of which,
written evidently by a partial pen, I subjoin. It is
most unlikely that the " murders and robberies"
complained of should have been committed by " Tus-
cans, Romans, and other Italians." The letter which
makes these charges says :
There are in this city a oonsiderable number of foreigners,
or rather refugees, wit are very turbulent and excessively
annoying to the peaceful and Industrious inhabitants. Scenes
of riot and disturbance, as well as of robbery and pillage, are
of frequent occurrence. Some murders have also been re-
, candy committed. The European consuls were at {earth
oompsfird to turn their attention to a state of thinip which
was miry day becoming more and moreserious. They ma-
mma whit tbe authorities of the city, and measures were
talosa le pat 1111 sad to the nuisance. The publication of the
repronelve mom= agreed on caused a very violent irritation
mom the rehism, most of them TlllOllllll, Romans, and
prom onademnsd by default from other parts of Italy.
As they particularly attributed the mamma to the
influence or France and of the French consul•general,
they assembled in the streets, uttered cries of " Down with
the Emperor I Down with the French consul !" and gave
way to sots M the greatest violence. The Paoha, Governor
of Altaandria, went to them, but instead of using severe
language he Impulsed. In addressing them he made nee of
the term, " my friends," and even went so far as to promise
that the objectionable measures should be withdrawn. Em-
boldened by this weakness, these exciters to disorder made
themselves completely masters of the city, and eventually
endeavoured to pillage the arsenal, but that outrage was
happily prevented. The Viceroy was informed of what was
Rome on by an excreta sent to him by M. Sabattier, the
French ocesui-general, and his highness returned in all baste
to Altasudria. The pasha was immediately distaiseed. The
meet amergeuti mammas were then adopted, sad the rioters
were overmans, although order is not yet quite re-established
when the steamer Is leavlsg.