The Express.
London, England, 1866-08-09 00:00:00

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.

(THIS DAY.)

otumweirrat POLITICS.
The policy of men of the stamp of Count Bis-
marck, says the Times, is not amenable to the common laws
of human reasoning. There is no use arguing with •
gambler in the public lottery, and proving that the odds
me 999 to I. against him. He draws a prize, and there
is no more to be said. The Tines should otherwise point
eat to the Prussian Minister how wrong he was in omitting
all mention of France or Italy in his royal speech. It is
impossible to deny that the alliance of the Italian Moues
has been of some value to the Prussian Lion ; and had the
Emperor Napoleon only held up his little finger
at the right moment, the all-powerful needle-gun
would not have dared to fire the first shot. The
Emperor is now upbraided by the organs of the so-called
liberal opposition in Franco with the loss of the proper
opportunity. The Times is at • loss to understand why
so loud and ea angry an outcry should arias on the part
of the French liberals at the constitution of North Ger-
many, or even of all Germany into • nation, were it even
of 40,000,000 or 45,000,000 souls. Three hundred years
of " unification" would not give either Germany or Italy
half the compactness which the levelling work of 1710
created in France. For mere defensive purposes France will
laws) she strong enough to resist the world. What reason,
then, have the liberals of the Thiess and Form& school to
oomplain of a combination which would " paralyse them
and tie them down in the name of nationality." The
formation of a united Germany, or a united Italy, cannot
deprive France of such beneficial ascendancy as a superior
civilisation gives her over less advanced communities.
Henceforth let every man remain quiet in his own house.
No other people can better afford to abide by the golden
rule, " Live and let live," than France.
The Daily Newt admits that it should be doing • griev-
ous injustice to some of the noblest minds in Europe if it
could suppose that the sentiments and ideas which M. E.
Pomade has expressed so unreservedly in the bat number
the Revue des Deux Motukt on the mutual relations of France
and Germany, were common to the whole liberal party in
France. It is persuaded that an eminent and not inconsider-
able minority of the French nation are incapable of profess.
ing, even for partypurposea, jealousies and apprehensions at
ones so morbid and so puerile, so unworthy of the genius'
and the greatness of France, and so offensive to the dig-
nity and independence of the German people ; but they
are few and scarcely audible amidst the drums and trumpets
of a soldiery taught to reckon Europe as its prey, and the
acolarnations of a crowd who are satisfied with their own
servitude if they can only domineer over their neighbours.
England may reasonably and fairly desire to see a strong
and united Germany, by the side of a strong and united
France, rivals in all the arts of peace, and allies against
the common foes of civilisation--ignorance and supersti-
tion. The Doily Newt hopes that Count Bismarck will
take • timely lemon from the indiscretion of M. Foreade
and be beforehand with that development of a liberal spirit
in his domestic policy which will rally all Germany under
Prussian auspices better than a more of victorious battles.
The Pod recommends the Italians to be content with
the cession of Venetia. If they demand more Austria will
be at liberty to act against them, and the Pod believes that
a blow such as Austria, with her hands free, could deliver,
would, if not wanted off, shake the new monarchy to its
foundation, if it did not imperil the unity and undermine
the independence of the nation.

THE RUGBY XILETING AT THE GUILDHALL.
It was not to be expected, says the Times, that the
Guildhall meeting would muster any imposing array of
speakers. The ill meccas of the Islington assemblage in
inducing politicians of reputation to attend seems to have
been before the eyes of Mr. Berlin and his friends, and
they did not attempt to attract the public by announce-
ments made at hazard. Probably for this reason the
quality of the meeting was hardly equal to that ►t the
Agricultural Hall. At the latter there was a Urge body
of middlcoeless people. At Guildhall last night this
element was absent. There was only one class
present, and that was the working clue. Yet it
was undoubtedly a quiet and well-behaved as-
sembly, and the promoters appear to have taken care
that the majority of those admitted should be trust•