The Express.
London, England, 1856-04-15 00:00:00

LOA DON, TUESDAY, APRIL 13.

IF the Liberals are wise, they will everywhere be
getting theraselves into working order, with a view
to a general elective. Both in and out of the House
of C.,sroctis the Tories are waging a guerilla war-
fare, rot without era& In the House they do not
muster their trcops fur • great field-day, but they
avail theme, ves o! the divided state of opinion to
place the Clocernmint in minorities, which weaken
it. by inducing an opinion that its 'members are de-
Select in Parliamentary tact. Out of doors they
seem every nerve to gain isolated elections; end
independently of peculiar eircr,matenoes which at
tk:e moment tell is their favour, it is no-
torious that it is only at a general (leo-
tioa that the Liberals ces eonbnd spinet the
Conservatives witheny erne:slaty of success. Apart
'from all regard for the Seeress of the great Liberal
party to which they appeal fee support, Ministers
canoot, as they regard their own tenure of office,
allow such a Sete of things to continue. We do not
imagine thatcher are prepared to throw up the game
without •struggt e, and therefore we expect that their
inability to moat upon working majorities in the
Meese of Commons, and their seeing borough after
borough won by the Derbyitee, will drive them to a
dissolution. For the moment, indeed, their bands ,
4re tied. They mnsot with propriety dissolve until
they are ix a eoedition to submit the ratified
treaty of peace to Parliament. But as soon as
they Inertelions se, we have scarcely a doubt that
they will throw themselves on the country, and try
the chums of • general election. It is, indeed, gene-
rally understood that Lord PALYRISION accepted
office without expressly stipulating for power to
dissolve.; but when the Sovereign empowers a
Statesese to form a Government, and he undertakes
the task. such power is tacitly conceded by the ar-
rangement itself. These are our reasons for believing
thats dissolution is imminent. Oar readers are as
well able tepid(' of their validity as we are. Bat
thoraces be no bans in being prepared.
We freekly admit that it is not without misgiving
that we look forward to a general election at the pre-
sent salient. There is a good deal of positive discord
in the Liberal ranks, and more of cold isolation.
There is no great general principle, embodied in a
practical measure, to serve as a standard round which
the Liberate can rally. A general election is more
likely to malt in augmenting the personal follow-
ing of Ibis or the other leading statesman in the
House of Commons than in returning a united
Liberal majority. But with a full sense of this difil-
salty, we are nevertheless convinced that it would
materially damage the cause of Liberalism to post-
pots a dissolution at the risk of giving Lord DERBY
and Mr. DISRAELI another chance of proceeding to a
veersl election, with all the advantages derived
Ina their being in office at the time.

For some time back we have omitted no opportunity
to impress upon Liberal politicians the necessity of
mutual concession., and abstinence from irritating
wade and movements, at the present crisis. We
view with regret the disposition among many
Liberals—of all shade" of opinion—to lay more
stress upon points on which they differ than upon
those on which they are agreed. We do not seder-
Talus the importance of many of the questions
with reference to which they are at nese among
themselves. But we would have them bear
fn mind that there are two great motions
of political opinion in this country, which, however
faint may be the distinction between some of their
feebler and less intelligent adherents, are diarnetri-
ally opposed in all who cling to them with an intel-
ligent understanding. There is a party that is op.
posed, upon what it believes to be principle, to popu-
lar liberty and pregrees; there is a party that
defers to public opinion, and aims at the amelioratioe
of oar social and political institution. Wetness no
man who when beset by rival claims, eadeavoure to
promote those of the Liberal whose opinions are most
in osiocidence with his own, 8o long as he does
not thereby incur the risk of letting a candidate
hostile to Liberal principles slip in through
their dissension. Bat we onhesitatiogly maintain
that any trustworthy Liberal is preferable to as
abettor of what used to be called Toryism and is sow
Galled Coeservatiem. In the coming "Intim Liberal"
will have many delusion to contend against. There
me sot a few well-meaniog men who can only com-
prehend Liberal principles when embodied in a deflate
season or movement. They rally with honest seal
in support of a reform bill or an agitation for the
repeal of a corn law. Bat when points like these
have bees carried, and no others as sharply dc•
deed have arisen to weepy their places,
they are at the many of plausible probe.
more of a vague Liberal sentiment. Upon
these men are about to be Ist loose a number of
mouthing profesrote of Liberalism in the abstract, who
will swallow pledges by the dean in favour ef any
aserano which, in the actual state of public opinion,
there is so chance of agitating with sauces, but who,
if they contrive to creep lato the House of Commas,
will be contented to sit quietly behind a Dust.
DUIRAZLI Ministry and vote for it through think and
this. There is a sect of transcendental politicians
among an, who, if we believe them, are so fat a-bead
the rest of the world in Liberalises, that to them the
fine shades by which the opinions of practical states-
men are distinguished disappear in the distanes. It
is from among such men that in all time the
most easerupaloas tools of the opponents of male,
privileges and practical reforms have bees awaited.
A number of them are already tampering with us-
ethanol's, and more are preparing to come forward.
We appeal to the rough practical sagacity of Baglisb.
men to relegate all such hybrids between 'knurl's
and jobbers to the cloisters and debating clubs, which
are their most fitting scenes of action.

lilacs we het offered seas remarks on the sub-
ject, that sufficiently notorious institution, the Pro.
twain Life and Fine Company, be. tense before
Vice-Chancellor KINDBULEY cm a petition for elud-
ing up its affairs. The Vice-Chancellor, adverting to
the fact that there was no statement before him
either of the names of the directors or the capital
of the company, most pecterly sent book
the petition to be amended is them raspsets.
The reumiel for Ow Company represented that
the esimern we. in as insolvent state, that
its affairs were in fast m bopolsady embsninsed
that it bad been unable to sheet a demand even for the
rent of its office', and that a distress bad been in eon.
segasase pet in. It had in fact falls prostrate befogs
the ant serious claim that ►ad been =do as its
funds, a demand which It had wasaly oadosootred to

shift em the shoulders of another company, by the
grossly abused practice of re-assurance. And yet
this is the Company, the manager of which, as our
readers may remember, was compelled to admit, on
the trial at Kingston, that it had accepted proposals,
and taken premium,' on policies of lite inenranmat •
time when it bad not in hand a single traction of
available assets, and was eot even, as we now find,
in a position to sitisty the ordinary demands of its
landlord.

We can state upon good authority that during the
w ir nearly all the gunpowder was withdrawn from
Canada, and as many of the troops u could be spared;
sad that the movements or men and ammunition to.
wards that province, which are now in progress, are
simply the consequence of the necessity of replacing
them, sod indicate no hostile feeling towards the
United States or expectation of war in that quarter.