The Express.
London, England, 1867-01-24 00:00:00

THIP-lEXPR‘RS§, THURSDAY EVENING, JANUARY 24, 1867.

Southern society which is called btlheenntemt
tuous appellation of " mean iliites.* it is by
the prejudices which are peculiar to this class
that he now permits himself to be guided. His
veto of the Bill enacting impartial suffrage
in the district of Columbia begins with an
objection to the jurisdiction of Congress as
the Legislature of the district of Columbia, though
that jurisdiction is conferred expressly by the con-
stitution, of which Mr. JOHNSON professes to be
the guardian and friend. " The people " of the
district are opposed, he further pleads, to the
sharing of their political privileges with the
negroes, though by the whole spirit of its later
legislation Congress is bound to regard the term
" the people " as inclusive equally of black and
white. Another argument against the Bills the
large numbers of the blacks now in the district,
and the great increase which their numbers will
undergo when it becomes known in other States
that in the district of Columbia coloured men can
vote. Other objections are equally dictated by
the prejudices of a Southern white. To enfran-
chise the blacks, he says, will " engender a feeling
"of opposition and hatred between the two
" races "—hatred, that is, on the part of the
" mean whites," who will resent the elevation
of the negro to political equality with themselves.
The example, too, is a bad one. To enfranchise
the blacks of the district of Columbia will create
discontent in other States where political rights
are denied them ; and Congress must therefore
not attempt an act of justice lest it should be
needful for Mr. Joinisom's Southern friends to
follow its example. Here are Mr. JOHNSON'S
prejudices in full action. His last veto is but an
echo of his early days, when as a " mean white"
he looked down on the negro as an inferior being.
From that feeling he cannot free himself. Power
has only developed it, and antagonism intensified
it, and it is evident that Mr. JOHNSON will be what
he now is to the end of his Administration. He
has fallen back upon himself, and represents only
his own personal prejudices and policy, and his re-
moval, should it be prosecuted, would give only a
slight and temporary shock to the institutions of
the country.

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.
(THIS DAY.)

back for a period 441 nearly 7044 rears is a bad. and mis-
chievous law, saolltese which Keiscreditehit. to us as as
sivilieed and enlightened peMe." It is to be hoped that'
the legislature will at once intervene, and plan the doe-
trine of prescriptive right upon a sounder footing.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.
' SPAIN.

On the 17th Queen Isabella replied to a pro-
vincial deputation, which presented her with as
address, as follows :
I receive with the most lively satisfaction the ex-
pression of the sentiments of fidelity which animate
you towards the illustrious family and line of which
God has been pleased to make me the representative.
My satisfaction will be great if this heroic nation
is truly persuaded that its prosperity and glory are
the object of my most sincere wishes. I believe that
the realisation of such noble hopes cannot be
effected if peace ia not secured on solid and durable
bases. I reckon en your energetic co-operation to secure,
as far as you can, under the law, this end. I know the
extent of your duties as provincial deputies, and I
believe with you that those classes who have no
other capital than their bands deserve to be regarded
with solicitude and with preferential consideration. You

will always find me animated by these sentiments, in which,
by the help of God, I hope to persevere. With this
assurance, receive also that of my gratitude for the
respectful devotion which yon show for my person, for my
very dear husband, and my well-beloved son the Prince of
the Asturias, as well as for all the royal family.

After finishing this address her Majesty pre-
sented her hand to be kissed by the deputies.

GERMANY.

The VoMicAifung of Berlin publishes a letter from
Herr Jacobi, declining to become a candidate for
a seat in the parliament of the Confederation of
the North. The reason assigned by Jacobi for
this resolution is that the aim of this parliament
is the formation of a northern Sonderbund under
the military domination of Prussia ; and it was his
conviction that the formation of any such Sonder-
bond would be as prejudicial to the unity as it
would be to the liberty of Germany. Herren
Waldeck, Unruh, Overbeck, and Wirchow have
also declined to become candidates.

(asuria's TELZORAMS.)
AUSTRIA.
VIENNA, JAN. 34.

The Emperor received yesterday at noon the
deputation charged to present to his Majesty the
address of tho Hungarian Diet relative to the
imperial patent upon the organisation of the
army. The Emperor, in replying to the
speech of the spokesman of the deputation,
said he hoped that an imperial rescript to
be promulgated shortly would remove all the
apprehensions expressed in the address. The
Emperor added that he was ready to give satisfac-
tion to the wishes of Hungary as soon as mutual
confidence should render it possible to remove the
difficulties still opposing the formation of a respon-
sible ministry.
The Empress of Austria left yesterday afternoon
for Zurich on a visit to her sister the Countess
Trani.

ROUMANIA.
BUCHAREST, JAN. 23.

The Finance Commission have made their report
on the Oppenheim Loan, which is declared to be
illegal They propose that the Rouma-
nian agent who was entrusted with the
negotiation of the loan should be tried
in a court of justice, and that the Chamber
should pass a vote of want of confidence upon
Prince Ohika for having exceeded his powers.
This proposition will be discussed in the next
sitting of the Chamber.

Prince Hohenzollern, father of the Hoapodar,
who was recently naturalised as a Roumanian
citizen, has been elocted deputy in the town
of Tingoveat.

INDIA, CHINA, AND AUSTRALIAN MAILS.

CALLS, J. 17.
The Benaree, from China, arrived on the 14th
Mat., and the Geelong, from Australia, to-day.
The Candi", leaves for Suez to-day.

THE ATLANTIC CABLE.
The statement issued by Reuter's Company, to
Ait effect that no Uleifisges have been received by the
Akliqatic cable from New York since the 21st, may give
title to unnecessary anxiety. The delay is solely owing to
the stoppage of the communication between New-
foundland and New York, the land lines having
been injured by heavy storms. Numerous messages
are waiting at Newfoundland to be forwarded to various
parts of the American continent. There has not been the
slightest suspension of the Atlantic cable communication
since it was first effected. Great efforts are being made
to repair the damage to the land lines, and it is expected
that the through communication with New York will
speedily be resumed.