The Express.
London, England, 1866-04-12 00:00:00

MEETING OF CONSERVATIVE MEMBERS.

We read in the Herald :—" A meeting of the
supporters of the Earl of Derby took place yesterday
afternoon, at 1 o'clock, at the Marquis of Salisbury's resi-
dence. There was a very large attendance of members,
and it was a subject of general congratulation that Lord
Derby, who still bore the traces of his recent illness, had
gathered strength enough to reappear amongst his political
friends. His lordship addreasad the meeting in a speech
which last2d nearly an hour and • half, and which for
eloquence and feeling has rarely been surpassed. The
response given was hearty and unanimous."
Another account says :—" Yesterday afternoon, at 1
o'clock, 230 members of the Conservative party smembled
at the Marquis of Salisbury's residence, in A•dington-
street, Piccadilly. The Earl of Derby was present, and
addressed the meeting. The Right Hon. Benjamin
Disraeli, and the leaders of the conservative party in the
House of Commons, were also pre ent. The meeting,
which was called by circular, separated at about a quarter
to 3 o'clock. The subject under consideration was the
Government Reform Bill, and the course to be pursued
by the conservatives in the forthcoming debate."

the Court.

OSBORNE, Ara Er. 11.

The Queen, with Princess Helena, Princess
Louise, Princess Beatrice, and Prince Leopold, attended
by the Ladies and Gentlemen in Waiting, arrived at
Osborne yesterday evening at a quarter before seven
o'clock from Windsor Castle, having mowed over from
Gosport in the royal yacht Alberta.

A committee of the Lords of her Majesty's Most
Honourable Privy Council met yesterday in the Council
Chamber, WhitehalL The Lords present were—Earl
Granville, the Duke of Argyll, and Sir George Grey. The
Lord Advocate was also present. Mr. Helps (the clerk of
the Council) attended. At this meeting their Lordship.
Massed an order in respect to the Cattle Plague as affecting
Scotland.

Despatches were sent yesterday from the Colonial-018m
to the Governors of Gibraltar and Malta.

MR. PEABODY'S REPLY TO HER MAJESTY.

The following letter was transmitted to the
Queen through Earl Russell, in reply to her Majesty's
gracious letter to Mr. Peabody :
"The Palace Hotel, Buckingham•gate, London, April 3.
" Madame,—l feel sensibly my inability to express in
adequate terms the gratification with which I have read
the letter which your Majesty his done me the honour of
transmitting by the hands of Earl Russell.
"On the occasion which has attracted your Majesty's
attention of setting apart a portion of my property to
ameliorate the condition and augment the comforts of the
poor of London, I have been actuated by a deep sense of
gratitude to God, who has blessed me with prosperity, and
of attachment to this great country, where, under your
Majesty's benign rule, I have received so mach personal
kindness, and enjoyed so many years of happiness.
"Next to the approval of my own conscience, I
shall always prize the assnranoe which your Majesty's
letter conveys to me of the ►pprobation of the Queen
of England, whose whole life has attested that her exalted
station has in no degree diminished her sympathy with
the humblest of her subjects.
" The portrait which your Majesty is graciously pleased
to bestow on me I shall value as the moat precious heir-
loom that I can leave in the land of my birth, where,
together with the letter which your Majesty has addressed
to me, it will ever be regarded se an evidence of the kindly
feeling of the Queen of the United Kingdom towards a
citizen of the United States.

" I have the honour to be your Majesty's most obedient
servant, " GEORGE PEABODY.

" To her Majesty the Queen."