The Express.
London, England, 1867-07-27 00:00:00

THE WEEKLY PRESS.

Treating the question, What will the Lords do? the
Examiner says it will be decided by what Mr. Disraeli will
consent to take back to the other house for their con-
sideration. Nobody can read Lord Derby's faint and
feeble reproduction of Mr. Disraeli's statements and ar-
gument' without feeling that his lordship, too, is in a
certain sense subordinate to a more intrepid and inexor-
able will.

Describing the position of France, the Saturday Review
says that the one single thing the country asks of the
Emperor s that he should continue to be moderately
succeasful. There are things that touch France to
the quick, and as to these things France de.
mends that her wishes shall be satisfied. At present, it
must be owned, France is not satisfied with the conclusion
of the affair of Luxemburg. There are perhaps hardly a
dozen men in Paris who believe that the war threatened a
few weeks ago is anything more than adjourned. France
is uneasy because it is not quite clear that she came out of
the quarrel with a manifest and satisfactory triumph. It
is this feeling which may before long put an end to the
second period of the French Empire. We may believe,
that if he finds the country bent on war, the Emperor
will let it have its way ; and if war comes, the reign of a
mild and moderate success must necessarily oome to an
end.

The Spectator fears that Lord Stanley's patched up
peace will not last long. No grand movement is probable
before the early spring, hut if it is even contemplated, if
all these vast preparations are not objectless, and the
alarm in Germany without reason, the clanger will hang
over Europe all the winter, clouding all prospects, em-
bittering all festivities, interrupting all action save that
which tends towards the greatest of all calamities—a great
European war. We have no wish to be alarmists, but the
initiative in Europe still belongs to France, and we see in
France no signs that she is either content, or tranquil, or
quiescent. She is arming, as we judge, and while she is
arming, Europe cannot think of aught more profitable
than arms.

The greatest danger to be apprehended in Italy, in the
opinion of the Chrenkfr, is to be found in the rapidly in-
creasing excitement of the radical element with regard to
the Roman question—an excitement which is practically
stimulated by the present conduct of the minister, and by
the King's personal love of prestige. This latter is by far
the most serious feature in the situation of Italy. As the
King formerlyetood in popular estimation, a coup d'etat on
his part might have been acceptable to the Italians in
their eagerness for some sort of organisation ; but
if it came from him now, and especially if it
came as an intervention to protect Rome, the
step would be extremely perilous. Confidence is lost
in reputations which have heretofore been cherished ; and
yet, in spite of all discoaragement, the idea of the unity
of the country is still unquestioned. Nothing can show
more clearly how little affection the expelled dynasties left
behind them. The country is dissatisfied ; but it has not
become disaffected. It may become so if things are al-
lowed to grow worse. There is no saying what may be
the result if maladministration and over-taxation are not
checked. Bus, as far as we can see, the evil is not beyond
the point of remedy ; and the at this moment Italians, if
they were called on to swear allegiance to a new king from
the House of Savoy, would do so with the same enthusiasm
with which they first bailed Victor Emmanuel.

Mr. Hardcastle, M.P., observes, in reply to the
Times, that if he had any good reason to think a moditi.
cation of his Church Rate Bill, so as to render it a measure
for ',lmply abolishing compulsory payment, would have
secured the passing of the measure this year, he should
have most seriously entertained it. Having, however, no
such encouragement, he thinks it would have been unwise
so to have changed his front.

Mr. Bourne, the manager of the Union Bank at
/Elmsßock, who so nearly fell a victim to the Fenian
desperadoes on the 6th of March, baa been presented with
a purse of eovereizns, subscribed by the leading inhabit-
ants of Bilmallock and the neighbourhood, and a suitable
address. The address is signed by upwards of 30 of the
leading gentry, embracing all creeds, and is highly com-
plimentary, both as regards his official and his private
character.

Wemenvirrza ABBEY. The eermon at the
special service, at 7 p.m. to-morrow evening, in the nave
of the Abbey, will be delivered by the Ven. Archdeacon
Wordsworth, Canon of Westminster, when the special ser-
vices for 1887 will be brought to a aloes.