The Express.
London, England, 1859-12-24 00:00:00

Ma. WOODFALL 48 A P.ABLIAMER TART
.RIFIOATIR.

In the E.rpreas of Thursday there appeared the
following stemmata made by Lard Palmerston, to his smolt
to the tout of The Press," at the Labourers' Knocurege-
meet Society's dinner at Bosomy ; and as that statement is
unfounded in fad, and Menet Injurious to the memory of the
late Mr. William Woodfall, the celebrated parliamentary re-
porter, for whose MOO the public had some regard, and to
whose weer his descendents look book with pride, attention
has been called to it. The wade are as follow

I have beard that toward, the end of the last century
there was a man named Woodfall who used to publish de-
bates, end how did he do it / It is said that he used to
go to the rainy of the House of Commons, listen
attentively, with his face in his heads, to what passed, go
home, drink two pots of porter, go to bed, get up next morn-
ing, and from his dreams and recollections make out what he
called a report of a debate."
Mr. H. T.Wood fel I, of Chelsea, writes to the Tures —"Now,
Mr. William Woodfall weer honourable, well. educated may
editor of a newspaper, endowed by his Creator with ea
extraordisery memory. At a time when parliamentary
reporting wee in its infanzy ; when there were not the
relays of mortars and the steam-engints of the Tines
to furnish a verbatim report of the nights proceedings for the
morning's reading; and when parliameetry speeches,
being addressed leas to the public than aa arguments br
the House, did not reach their present interminable
length, he attended parliament and reported from memory
at rue earliest moment the essence of the debate, honestly
sad with talent. His reports were true according
to ble power, and not made up by a drunken impostor, r
Lord Palmerston would have WI believe, out of ' Ilia dreams
and recollections.' They were a great bcon to the public
(for which his name lives to the present time), and were the
germ of that politinl ednothion of the people which you, by
the aid of modern appliances and great expenditure, have
thought to its present perfection. The eons of Mr. Willies
Woodtall are no more (one of them was the Chief Janke
of Cape Breton, and the author of the • Law of Larked
and Treat,' a textbook of the law to the preset time);
bat I, as his grandson, most indignantly deny the Injurious
character given to him by Lied Palmerston, and sew%
from my own emaciation with hie immediate descendants
(Me widow, his sons, and others), that be was regarded by
thole who knew him with respect for big roond qualities, as
he lives null in our annals remarkable for his unellectual

THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUER ON DIRECT
TAXATION.—In reply to a letter trait a Mr. John L Tab.
berme, of Cheese, who wrote commending direct in pre-
ference to indirect taxation, and suggesting a graduated pro-
=tax (incasing according to the amount of man's
), with the grant of the fnuichire to all who were
subjected to the tax, Mr. Gladstone write. .—" D Awning-
street, Nov. 26, 1869. Sir,-1 had the honour yesterday
to receive your letter dated the 22nd. You have set forth
your views with clearness and ability; but it appears to me
that the greet and critical changes which you recommend are
Atter aubjeets for discumion among the pw)lia at large, and
especially the classes more competent to sift questioned such
a nature, than for any declaration of an opinion. I
bare no difficulty, Indeed, In 'tying that it is desirable in a
high degree, when It can be effected, to connect the
of the franchise with the payment of taxes, and sMait
establish the right of the individual vot.r by reference to
some external and independent standard ; but I am not able
to say that I think the State should adopt Cie modes which
you propose for cabliahing thole principle ; and. ea regards
Seal change', there is much both in your premiere and your
txmclasione on which I most crave perniimion, at the least, to
summed my judgment.-1 have the honour to be, sir, your
obedient servant, W. E. GLADITONI."

DCATfI OF "Tllll 'PALLING FIXH."—The public
will be enrprieed to bear that this wonderful bend who's bee
died. The recent hard frost effected it very severely, and on
Wednesday afternooe, about baltpasit six o'clock, It awed
to show any signs of Itfe. Soon after the heed weather set
in, it began to give indieatione of being "out of aorte,' sad
wen vary 111 for three days previous to it. death, be unable
to perform. It wag covered with blankets, end the water
let out of its tub. Several media) gentlemen, acquainted
with the witorol history of such anneals, were tent for,
and they gave what advice they could, which wee acted
upon. The animal, however, continued to get wore., end
on Wednesday efterneon, being unable to eat anything, the
wife of the proprietor west in to age it. It distinctly recog-
nised her, and snewered her icquiry by its peculiar grunt of
" mamma." In trying to raise ttWf to come weer her, the
effort sew too nut for It, end It fall one on its ofde sod
expired. TM It. will be a Man ma to the proprietor, se
he was deriving a good Income be its exhibition, and not
long stem wee off.ted by a speculator the tutu of 1,5004
for it.