The Express.
London, England, 1858-06-01 00:00:00

THERE are signs at last of the ice breaking op.
and of legislative intolerance giving way. Last night
witnessed a curious scene of irresolution, pule,.
jog, pride, and finally of concession, in the Howe
of Lords. To attempt to analyse what was said and
done, or to reduce the proceedings, as a whole, te
logical consistency, would be out of the question.
Conflicting motives, prejudices, and interests were
struggling for asoendancy, and seemed ulti.
mutely to prevail. But it was on all sides
a struggle, so to speak, of half-suppressed
emotions. Nobody said out frankly or fully what
was probably uppermost in his heart. A great party,
but yesterday strong enough to put its veto upon any
statatable relief of the Jews from disability, found
itself, as in former instances not very dissimilar,
paralysed by the evident and almost acknowledged
intention of its leaders to haul down its obstinate
flag, and to negotiate terms of honourable thougk
humbling surrender. Lord DERBY and Lord
MALMESBURY both declared that, while their jai.
vidual convictions remained unchanged, they were
not only anxious for a settlement of the protracted
dispute, but hopeful that some way might be found
of accomplishing it on a basis of compromise.
Impenetrable dulness and inconvertible bigotry
beard the admission, and uttered its despair in half.
articulate groans, remonstrances, and murmurs.
Nothing ought to be concluded hastily. Time tor
reflection and consideration should be given. Delay
was said to be indispensable, in order that people
might understand thoroughly what the practical
effect might be of adopting a principle so novel and
unprecedented as that clumsily suggested by Lord
Lucares amendment for permitting each Henn of
Parliament to determine from time to t'_- by its
own inherent authority in what form .► of
admission should hereafter be administer*, . On
his part the PREMIER appeared only too glad to
back the demand for postponement. Obviously
he felt that be had done quite as much as was oafs
for him to do u a party leader in the direction of
future concession. Lord DERBY tried with care and
circumspection to break his party's fall into tolera-
tion. He was fain to secure them breathing time to
recover from the shock of seeing him play Pan
upon a point which he had so often, amid their cm.
dulous cheers, declared to be a point of commie:lw
He chose to make a great parade, moreover, of wort.
lug the undiminished power and spirit of this
Upper Rouse to resist the menaces of the
Lower; and took uncommon credit for his perti-
nacity in reasserting the exclusive amend.
meats in the Bill which the Commons had sent up
a second time restored to its original integrity. Hs
succeeded likewise in persuading Lord LECAN 1))
withdraw his imperfect attempt at compromise, ea
the plea that so grave a matter required more careful
deliberation. So he was all for the policy of pining
time. And finally, the opposition, led by Lord Gear,
knowing their own weakness in comparative mm-
hers, and not unnaturally desirous to retain the credit
of devistog some new course, which might be even-
tually the means of effecting a solution of the loop
vexed controversy, tried hard to get a simple vote of
adjournment tor a fortnight carried ; and pressing
their recommendation to a division, were beaten only

by 80 to 68.
But the general result of the discussion is after
all of more significance than any incident of party
strategy arising out of the peculiar circumstances of
the case. It is clear that nothing but accident ma
now defer, and that no change of parties or arkii.
uistries can now defeat, the passing of this last and
closing set of religious emancipation. Lord MET
is not a man of sentiment or imagination. Neither
is he a man of cowardice or vacillation. 'The
faults of his character are all of an opposite` de-
scription. His self-love as a public man,
his prejudices as a Churchman, his interest
party chief, and his pugnacity as a great Pali&
mentary champion—these and a thousand minor mo-
tives conspired, we may easily believe, to reoda
him indisposed to yield one of the most distinctive
features of his policy to the dictation of his oppo-
nents—of opponents who, as he must be well
aware, are hourly seeking his overthrow. Bat
Lord DERBY'S instinctive sagacity told him that the
day for successful defence of his position on the
Jew Question was past. When men like lord
STANHOPE and Lord Powts and several others of
equal mark and might had made up their mindethat
a collision between the two branches of the Legit's.
tare, and between the House of Commons andtbe
Courts of Law, might come of further resistance,
and that such consequences would more than cow.
terbalance any inducements to prolonged exclaim,
it would palpably have been vain to hold out any
longer. Lord DEIIET has only accepted a necessity
with a good grace. Hs does not affect to be a convert
to the principle which for two Sessions he combatted
successfully. He admits, as the Duke of WELLINGTON
did when preparing to oon cede Catholic Emancipation,
that his individual opinions have undergone no
change ; but like his illustrious predecessor he can-
didly owns that he cannot see bow it would be pos-
sible, prudent, or patriotic, to continue the struggle.
The House of Commons were believed to be on the
verge of asserting their own competency to admit
Jews to seats in their assembly. To do so might be
unconstitutional, violent, and wrong in the estimv
tion of many; but it was plain to all, that the step
once taken by the Commons it would nest
be retraced ; and the inevitable end sing
be, after a world of wrangling, confusion,
and bootless protestation on the part of the Peers,
that their lordship. would have to succumb. To
save them from such a disastrous humiliation was
ivies and statesmanlike on the part of one who,tat
more than the possession of ephemeral power as a
Minister, values and identifies himself in bang
with the preservation of the influence and pffkife
of " his order.' There will be, as there alsray..nre
on such occasions, mattering, of disappointments
anger, and chagrin. Sincere bigotry will frown,
and narrow-minded, peevish, and short-sighted
tenacity of purpose will resort as usual to
threats of mutiny and desertion. Bat every rational
man in the Conservative ranks will read in the con-
duct of the Minister the considerate and skilf4 sot
of a courageous leader, who at • critical jumbos
has not shrunk from the responsibility of relieving
Parliament from a great difficulty, and rescidms his
rehire:sat party from a great digester.

SLR WILLIAM PELL Is no more. Ile cEed d
small-por on the 27th of April, at Cawnpare. ZeW
officers of 34 have had so brilliant a career. lino
he entered the Navy scarcely twenty years WI he