The Express.
London, England, 1866-02-23 00:00:00

CLOSING OF THE PRUSSIAN CHAMBERS.

As will be seen by the telegraphic intelligence, in
another column, a royal decree bas been Issued, by
which the Prussian Chambers are to be closed this
day. Herr von Bismarck had previously addressed a
letter to the President of the Chamber of Deputies,
denying its right to declare null and void a treaty
concluded by the King. The following is the letter in
question, dated Berlin, Feb. 18 : " The royal ministry
having been made acquainted by me with your letters
of the 3rd, the 10th, and the 16th linst., has re-
solved to refuse to receive these documents, because
the resolutions contained in them are not only be-
yond the competence conferred upon the Chamber
of Deputies by the constitution, but because they
violate various articles of the fundamental law.
The Chamber of Deputies has neither the right to
declare null and void a public treaty concluded by
his Majesty the King, nor to give directions to
officials belonging to the executive power. The
resolution of the house dated the 3rd mat. violates
article 48 of the constitution ; that of the lOth,
article 86 ; that of the 16th, article 46. The King'si
government cannot receive official communications
from the president of the house respecting resolu-
tions passed illegally, and I consequently have the
honour to return you herewith the communications
forwarded to me of the resolutions with respect to
the duchy of Lanenburg, the motion of Baron Ho-
' verbeck, and the petition of Herr Classen-Kappel-
' mann."

THE GUARDIANS OF THE HOLBORN
UNION AND THE CASUAL POOR.

We can supplement the strictures just passed by
the Poor-law Board upon the treatment of the
houseless poor at the workhouse of the Holborn
Union. Lord Enfield's letter touches principally
upon the absence of task-work, the neglect to pro-
vide new wards, and the stimulus given to vagrancy
by the ready bestowal of tickets for a lodging-
house. But those sheltered in the workhouse are not
properly housed. An utter want of supervision over
the men and boys locked up together for the night is
so common an evil as to be the rule of metropolitan
casual wards ; and it would be therefore unfair to
arraign the Holborn guardians on this particular
head. But the sleeping place for casuals seems
unsuited to its purpose; and is certainly insuffi-
ciently appointed. It is underground, and its
windows are on a level with the workhouse
yard. Upon a previous visit we found it
unit and pestiferously close ; but on Tuesday the
ventilation was so far improved u to be of a highly
gusty character, for the windows are now nailed
down, and permanently open for an inch or two at
the top. There was no fire in the ward, and the
one jet of gas had no effect in diminishing the
intense cold. The tramps in bed complained bit-
terly of want of covering, and on examination it
was seen that some coarse brown canvas, spoken of
as " hop-sacks" by our pauper-guide, was the in-
efficient substitute for rugs. The night was frosty
and oold, and the reader will best understand
the condition of the mauls seen hare by
imagining a large cellar, with open windows,
where the protection of those in bad from the
keen night air is a rough sheet of linen, like the
sail of a fishing smack. The prevalence of vermin
in all woollen fabrics contaminated by contact with
tramps is the reason assigned for withholding the
usual rug. This difficulty has been more efieotually
met by the guardians of the Strand Union, who pro-
vide leather sheets—a novelty in bedding,which the
casuals declare to be warm and comfortable, and
in which the vermin never linger. Those sleeping
at the Holborn Union workhouse complain bitterly
of the cold, and it is impossible to visit its casual
ward without being painfully impressed with the
unnecessary harshness of its discomforts.

COMMEMORATION OP WASHINGTON.

Yesterday evening the American citizens in
London celebrated the hundred end thirty-fourth anniver-
sary of the birthday of Washington by a dinner at Willis's
Rooms. The Hon. FRIEMAN IL Mona; United States
consul at London, took the chair, and among these present
were his Excellency the United States Minister, Professor
Goldwin Smith, Professor J. E. Cairaes, Hon. George
Folsom, Mr. Benjamin Moran, secretary of the United
States Legation, London ; Ilr. Dennis R. Alward, entries'.
secretary of the United States Legation, London ; Mr.
Henry Lord, United Metes consul, Manchester ; Dr. W. B.
galard, Mr. Henry T. Parker, Mr. J. H. Betcourt, Captain
E. G. Tinker, Judge G. T. Sewall, of Nevada ; Mr. C. F.
Dsnnet, Colonel Griffin, Mr. J. E. Mayan, Mr. Cyrus W.
Field, Mr. Ingersoll Lockwood, late United States consul,
Hanover • Mr. Mason Jones, Mr. James Basle% Ms. Geo.
W. Bearrislee, Rev. C. W. Denison, Mr. C. R. Schaller,
Mr. J. G. Avery, Captain Wm. Mansion Stewart, C.R,
superintendent of Chatham Dockyard, Captain D. C.
Pierce, Mr. Sewell Warner, Sir Richard do B urgh, Mr.
Rowdiso, Captain Kelly, Hon. Mr. Chichester, and Mr. D.
D. Dymer.
The large room was handsomely decorated with thefts".
of Great Britain sod the United States, and an original
portrait of Washington, painted at Mount Vernon in 1785
by Robert Edge Pine, and presented by Washington to his
godecio, G. W. Phillips. It is now the property of Mr. Ben-
min Moran, Secretary of the United States Legation at
LoLndon, having been presented to him by en American
entleman resident in London. The flag presented by the
late Prince Cnnsort to thesbip Prince Albert of the American
line was kindly lent by Captain Davis. of the ship York
Town, and was suspended near a life sire portrait of Mr.
Bright, lent by Mr.
.11aya Before dinner prayer was
offered by the Rev. JW. Bonldiog. After the cloth was
removed,
The Castausis delivered a brief and feeling address upon
the character of Washington sod his place io American
history, sod concluded by proposing " His memory." The
toast was drunk in solemn *ileac*, the band playing
" Washingten's March." " The memory of Abraham Lia-
coin" was then given from the chair, and similarly ho-
noured, the band playing " The Dead March in Haul."
The next toast was" The health of the President of the
United States," spoken to by Colonel Griffith, of Chicago,,,
and Mr. Mason Jona; music, " The Star-spangled Banner.
"The health of the queen" was next drunk upstanding,
the band playing the National Anthem. The Chairman
then proposed " The health of his Excellency the American
Mster at the Court of St. James's," music, " Hail to the
chief." Mr. ADAMS. after briefly. but warn:lly, aramow-
kriging the personal compliment, and adverting to the re-
serve which wee imposed on him by wring events, spoke
of Wanhiocton's patriotism and his concern for tbe press?.
vatioo of the Union, commending that great man's last
patriotic counsels to the oonsideration of his countrymeo.
Our whole country" was next given. and responded to
by the Bev. C. W. Denison and Mr. T. Walker. Professor
Goldwin Smith made an eloquent speech in responding to
the toast of " The United States and Great Britain." He
drew a sketch of Washington as the English gestleman,
displaying an eminently English type of character even
when English principles of liberty taught him to fight
English soldiers, and distinguishing between his school of
statesmanship fashioned on she best English model, and that
of Jefferson. whose ideas bad been formed under the innu-
epee of the French Revols'ion. Several other toasts fol-
lowed, and a vote of tbaaks to the chairman concluded the
proceedings.