The Express.
London, England, 1867-05-06 00:00:00

TO THE EDITOR OP THE EIPIESS.

Btu,—Mr. Walpole is reported to have stated iu
the house on Friday that the president of the Reform
League Lad said within the last six wecks that the legal
right in the matter of the parks was with the government.
I am not aware of having said anything of the kind, and
certainly never intended to make any such admission as
that imputed to me. I have always disputed the right of
the government to exclude the people from meeting in
the park. The reason of my not having tried the alleged
legal right is that very great difficulties presented them.
selves as to how the right could be satisfactorily or effee-
tually tried against the government or the crown in either
a court of law or a court of equity. In fact, parliament is
apparently and, considering the various acts which it bas
passed relating to the parks, the proper tribunal for Ida-
tooting, in such a ease, the rights of the people, and are
must be taken that it neither betrays nor impairs theta
by the bill now before the House of Commons.
I take this opportunity of denying the chew brought
against the League, both in and out of parliament, of
using defiant language towards the government in this
matter. I have used no such language myself. On the
contrary, in both speaking and writing I have depre-
cated the use of such language, and have always incul-
cated abotinenee from all idea of force or violence. No
resolution of the League can be produced to justify the
charge. To found such charge against the whole body
upon the language or expressions of any one or more of
its individual members, is as ridiculous as it isnnjust.
13it I am, &c.. EDMOND AIM
Lincoln's-inn, May 4.

MR. GLADSTONE AND THE HYDE-PARR MEETI Nit.
—While speeking, on Friday night, of the proposed meet-
ing in Hyde-park, Mr. Gladstone expressed an earnest
hope that the public would conform to the intentioused
the government, as charged with the execution of the law.
In the report of the Times, however, there was an error
which led to an obvious misconstruction of the particular
m:ige. According to our contemporary, the Neu.
ran time I will now go further, and I
will Lay that whatever may be the intention of
her Majesty's government with respect to the aO-
- and execution of the law in the exer-
cise of their duty, my most earnest advice and entreaty to
those whom the proclamation concerns in tOOOlOOllll them-
selves to the notifications it contains." The language
actually used by Mr. Gladstone, as correctly given in
other reports, our own included, was the following ,
" But if the intention be to treat as trespassers, and there-
fore as persons who have committed a breach of the
law, those who engage in political discussion in the
park on Monday next, or whatever be the intentions
of her Majesty's government with respect to the Id-
ministration and execution cf the law ua that day,
my roost earnest advice and entreaty to those whom the
proclamation concerns is to conform themselves to those
intentions." It will be perceived that Mr. Gladstone did
not, as the erroneous report stated, commit himself to an
approval of Mr. Walpole's hasty and injudicious notice ;
but that he challenged the government to state what it
would do if the meeting should take place, and recommended
the public to conform to the avowed intentions of the ex-
ecutive. This will be easily seen by the passages that
follow, which point out the respect due to the government
as the sdminietrators of the law, and suggest that any
persons who might doubt the legality of the official mime
should carry that quesitiou before the proper tribunal. Tv
throw on the government the responsibility of declaring
and carrying out the law, and to advise the people to °Eery
the law when clearly laid down, was something altogether
different tient sanctioning a swoctanation which merely
uttered an arbitrary warning, which announced no definite
course of proceeding, and which, there is every reason to
believe, had no legal validity whatever.—Tefennsph.
THE LIBRARIANSHIP OF THE HornF. OF COY )lONS.
The Speaker hes promoted 14r. Howard, the Assistant
Librariau, to the office of Librarian, and him appointea
Mr. Beam, secretary and librarian of the late Marquis of
lemmlowne, to the office of Assistant Librarian. Some
delay has occurred in completing these appointments, in
cousequence of the necessity of a revision of the establish-
ment.
ROYAL HoRTterLTIIRAL SOCIETY. —On Saturday
last the first of this year's "weekly exhibitions" took
place, when a good collection of dowers and fruits was
displayed. The band played for the fiat time this season
out of doors, and the very fine weather drew a large end
(Alienable concourse to the promenade on the upper ter.
ace.. Several novelties in orchids, .I*.e. are promised 4
the special show on Tuesday next.
STEARN OF SLATERM. —The Jouraat de junta
says :--" The strike of the slaters here is not yet over ;
but there is reason to expect that a prudent spine of eon-
ciliation will soon succeed in potting en end to it. We
are, in fact, assured that the workmen. abandoning a pail
of their demand, are disposed to nocgpt 4f. 50e. per des
ROYAL FREE. HOSPITAL, GRAY A-I NX-ROAD.—The
number of patients relieved et this hospital during the
week ceding 4th May was 3,1t1, of which Mt. were
Slew Cases.