The Express.
London, England, 1858-03-17 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, MARCH 17, BR

or paraffin's; and before Parliament re-assembled at
the beginning of last month the prevalent feeling
oat of doors had turned from confidence and hope to
one of mingled disappointment and disgust. Even
then it might not have been perhaps too late to
retrieve great Orion. Had Lord PAL3tERSTOI4

shown any disposition at the beginning of the session
to take up his three times dishonoured Bill in favour
of Reform, and had he been able to lay upon the table
correspondence to show that he had maintained
towards foreign Powers the attitude and bearing
worthy of a British Minister, great faults and mani-
fold shortcomings would have been forgiven, ,
even though not forgotten. But the crowning
infatuation of all consisted in his unconcealed
desire to conciliate the Conservative Opposition by
the abnegation of Liberal principles. Instead of a
Reform Bill we bad an Alien Bill ; and instead of

any indication of a wish to abandon the exclusive
and grasping spirit of administrative oligarchy,
Lord PALmnawrott took to scolding and snubbing
the House of Commons. We all know the result.

And now we have a Ministry on sufferance which
does not pretend to know its own mind on half the
questions of the day ; and we have two or three dis-
united Oppositions, animated aparently by different
desires, and professing different ♦iews. Of one
thing they may, however, be assured, viz., that
the country is in no mood just now to see all public
business interrupted or set aside for the grati-
fication of mere personal animosities. If Mr.
Disuszu and his colleagues behave with
circumspection and fairness in the distribu-
tion of patronage, and if they produce measures
intrinsically deserving of support, public feeling will
sot abet any reckless or premature efforts to die-
place them. Lord Psurrizroz and his personal
following had their chance, and they wantonly
threw it away : Lord DEEBT and his friends must
now have their tarn for a time. They must be blind
Indeed if they do net see that they lie at the mercy
of out-numbering competitors for power, and that
their sole chance consists in their making up their
minds, and that promptly, to play for the support
of the People.

Tux DEBBY Cabinet have been well advised.
Mr. lllsitaxu, having become convinced of the
real importance which the nation attaches to the
vindication of its honour in the affair of the Cagliari,
has executed a dexterous flank movement,:by which
he has contrived at once to retrieve his own position
and to damage that of his opponents. Fastening on
Lord PALMERSTON'S declaration, that the late Go-
vernment were again engaged in considering this
question immediately before their retirement from
office, he has arrived at the conclusion that the pre-
sent Administration are entirely unfettered in the

bailees', and that it has become their duty without
fear or favour to do that which on ma-
ture deliberation they may think "is for the
" interest of law, right, and justice." It may be
somewhat difficult tome by what precise process of
reasoning Mr. DisaaiLl had arrived at the con-
clusion that the incoming Administration could have
been precluded by any acts of their predecessors from
doing that which, in their consciences, they might
believe that the "interests of law, right, and justice"
demanded. It is almost equally difficult to per-
ceive how a mere statement like that made by
Lord PALMERSTON—a statement to which, as
Mr. DISRAELI declared, a painful, minute,
and laborious search among the papers in the
Foreign-office offered no clue whatever—could
in itself have had such an effect as to make that
course right which would otherwise have been
wrong, or to remove restrictions which could
for a moment have been regarded as binding.
This, however, is a point for political casuists to
determine. The results, not the process which led
to them, constitute the only matter of serious mo-
ment. Whether logically or illogically, Mr. DISRAELI
has formed the determination to treat the whole
question of the Cagliari entirely de sore, to
submit the case to the present law advisers
of the Crown, and not only so, but to lay
before Parliament and the country, with all
reasonable despatch, every paper to be found in the
Foreign-office relating to the affair, including
those opinions of the late law officers
which according to a venerable mystification of
the Treasury Benches it has hitherto been the
fashion to withhold. The country, which is tho-
roughly in earnest in the matter—the country, which
is thoroughly impatient of the mode in which the
bturinese has hitherto been neglected—the country,
which feels the dignity and the character of Eng-
land to be as much involved in the persons of these
two humble engineers as though they were the
nephews of dukes or the cousins of earls, will have
seen with satisfaction the statement that the whole
matter is to be finally sifted, with a view to prompt,
energetic, and unfettered action. The country re-
quires nothing more than justice, but will be con-
tent with nothing less.

We understand that on the morning of the 9th
inst., a Queen's messenger arrived at Rome with
important despatches for our representative there,
the Hon. R. B. Lyons, and that a few hours after-
wards Mr. Lyons started for Naples in company
with the messenger. It was expected at Rome that
ten days or a fortnight would stance for the " satis-
factory termination " of the affair relative to the
engineers.

THE LATE CHANGE AGAINST MR. BUTT, M.P.—
This morning wee boned a blue book, composed of the report
from the 'elect committee on Amur Ali Idoorld'a claim
(Corey's petition), together with the proceedings of the com-
mittee, minutes of evidence, and appendix. From the record
of the proceedings of the committee, it appears that in the
fourth resolution adopted by the committee—running "That
on or about the month of August, 1861, Isaac Butt, Esq.,
received from his highne se another sum of 3001., but it does
not appear to your committee that such payment to Isaac
Butt, Esq., had any reference to proceedings in pulls,
ment,"—Mr. Sidney Herbert proposed to leave out the words
"that smelt payment to Isaad:Butt,lisq., had any reference to
proceedings in parliament," for the purpose of adding the
words, " for what object such payment was made." On a
division, however, Mr. Sidney Herbert was the only mem-
ber of the committee who voted for the amendment. A fifth
resolution wee proposed, with the others, by Mr. Bouverie,
but on a division was supported only by Mr. Sidney Herbert
end Mr. Bouverie, and was accordingly rejected. It was as
follows :—" That no proceedings in parliament were taken
by Isaac Butt, Esq., in 18.57, on the subject of the Ameer's
claims, but that in 1856 the said Isaac Butt presented a pa-
Utica from his highness on the 27tk day of June, gave notice
on the 4th day of July of an intended motion by himself
on the 'abject, and moved on the 24th dsy of July for papers
on the subject." The total expenses of witnesses examined
by the committee amounted to 1201. 14a.
THE CHURCH ESTATES COMMTSSIONERS.—This
morning was issued the seventh general report of these
commiesioners, dated the Ist of this month. The commis-
sioners state We have daring this year approved the
terms agreed upon in 269 cases; 241 being cases of sales of
reversions, and 18 cases of purchase of leasehold interests,
and the value in fee of the estates so agreed to be dealt with
exceeds 800,0001. The aggregate number of cases enume-
rated in oar yearly reports u approved is therefore 1,341;
and the value of property dealt with exceeds 6,000,0001. In
six cases we declined to approve the terms proposed." A
further sum of 100,0001. has lc'en paid over to the common
fund of the Ecclesiastical Commissioners for England in
respect of the surplus proceeds of eafrasehlseatents com-
pleted.

bt eourt.

Her Majesty the Queen and hie Royal Highness
the Prince Consort, accompanied by the Priors of Wales,
Prince Arthur, Prince Leopold, the PrisicesessAßoe, Hahne,
Louisa, and Beatrice, left Osborne at 1 o'clock yesterday
afternoon, attended by Lady Chsrehill, the Hon. Emily
Cathcart, Ifejor-Glaaral the Hon. C. Guy, Lord Colville,
Captain the Hon. D. de Rat, the Heater of the Household,
and Mr. Gibbs.

Her Meieety and the Royal Family embarked at the
Trinity Pier, Cowes, on the Film Royal deem yacht,
mowed to Gosport, and travelled by a special train on the
South Western Railway to the private station at Vauxhall.
The Queen, the Prince, sad the Royal party entered seven
of her Majesty's carriages, end, woorted by a party of Light
Dragoons, proceeded to Buckingham Palace, whore they
arrived at 8 o'clock.

Her Mejany end his Royal nighttime were received et the
Falsest by the Marquis of Rueter, Earl Delama; the Dike
at Bessiwt, Viscount Newport, the Sari of Vandals, Lord
Reset, Mr. R. Ormsby Gore, and Coked Francis t?ey-
teser,
The Berl of Virulent and Mr. R. Ormsby Gore have enc.
envied the Berl of Caithnese and 84 Edward Bowater u the
Lord and Groom in Waiting to the Qum.
The Her. George Prothero had the honour of dining with
the Queen at Osborne en Monday.
The Duchess of Kent, attended by Lady Fanny Howard
and Sir George Coups, arrived at her residence, Clarence-
house, St. James's, yesterday afternoon from Frogmen. The
Prince of Wiles visited the Royal Duchess.

A Cabinet Council was held yesterday at the
official residence of the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
in Downing-street. The Ministers present were—
the Earl of Derby, the Lord Chancellor, the Marquis
of Salisbury, the Earl of Hardwicke, the Right
Hon. B. Disraeli, Mr. Secretary Walpole, the Earl
of Mahnesbury, Lord Stanley, General Peel, Sir
John Pakingtoo, the Earl of Ellenborough, the
Right Hon. I. W. Henley, and Lord John Manners.

Previous to the Cabinet Council about 160 rumbas of ties
Home of Commons had a o3abranite with the Earl of Derby
and the Chancellor of the Bachequer, at the official residence
of the First Lord of the Treasury in Downing-street.
Deputations from the Mercantile Marina Service Aarocia-
dons of the kingdom bad an interview with the Right Hen.
J. W. Henley and Lord Donoegbmore at the Board of
Tradeeusfater C.iay. The deputations consisted of Mr. T. B.
H. M.P. Mr. J. C. Rent, M.P.. the Hen. Ralph
Dutton, .P. From tha Liverpool Assodabon :—Capt. L.Reed
(chairman), Mr. W. 0. Campbell (deputy chairman), Mr.
T. B. Thomson (secretary), Captain Powell, Captain B=ine,
Captain Anderson, Captain Corbett, Mr. R. Lamont,
W. Harrison, and Mr. Thni. Baines. From the Southampton
Association:—Captain Engledue (chairman), Captain Snub
dopey chairman), Captain Powell, and Mr. W. Camb
; and from the London Association: Capt. Hen-
•p
e, Stavesaptain Gibbs, Captain Ede, Cap-
tain nthrie, Captain Trebling Captain Mayo, Cal
an
Iseesonger, Captain D. B. Cook, Captain D. Cook, Jun.,
Captain Lumley, Captain Gribble, Captain Strickland, Ca,p-
tain Thatcher, Mr. A. W. Barclay, i(r. H. Edwards, Mr.
Jas. Jackaon (secretary); and Captain Avery.
Despatches ware sent yesterday from the Colonial-elks b
the Governors of the West India Islands, and to the Gover-
nors of Malta, Ceykm, Hong Hang, and Australia.
wen received eeterday at the Colonial-office
from Lard •d High Com of the lonian Islands.

THE CHINA MAILS.

that there must be in the course of this year a gene-
ral fall of prices in France. Howe rent in Paris
most come down with other things. I see it stated
in the London organ of the Derby government, that
the affluence of visitors to Paris is now so great
that it is difficult to find apartments. This is a
woeful mistake. The way bills of the South
Eastern Railway Company will tell a very different
story.

ITALY.

-.-
PIEDMONT.

THE CONSPIRACY BILL.

Letters from Turin state that the committee of
the Chamber of Deputies appointed to examine the
bill on the crimes of conspiracy and approval of
political amandnation, as also on the composition of
the jury in such cues, terminated its labours on the
13th, by declaring against the measure by Ave
votes to two. The deputies who voted for the rejec-
tion were MM. Brofferio, Gastaldetti, Valerio, Cotta,
Ramusino, and Farina. MM. Miglietti and Buffs,
who formed the minority, declared their intention of
presenting a new bill on the subject.