The Express.
London, England, 1867-12-06 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING; DECEMBER 6, 11110.1111r"'

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.

(THIS DAY.)

TEM RODS' OP LORDS AND THE AITSSLNIAN ZIPIDITION.
Protesting at the outset against the course which
the greater part of the Abyasinian debates have taken in
each bowie of parliament, the Tosses observes that in the
Commons particularly much that has taken place has been
mere trifling. Allow Cons.l Cameron's misdeeds, concede
the negligence of Lord Russell and Mr. Layard, and there
remains the grave and sufficient tame of war behind. The
conduct of King Theodore to Mr. Rusam is unpardonable
under any hypothesis, and if he refuses to attend to
the ultimatum which is tendered to him, this is in
itself enough to constitute a sufficient auto bdli.
Lord Ellenborongh's speech in the House of Lords, with
its antique spirit of restrained power and wide-reaching
thought, is in striking contrast to the addresses in the
, Commons, and must have struck its hearers the more
painfully Oa they reflected how few must be the occasions
on which they can hope to witness such a display again.
His criticism, wherein it goes to show that the expedition
in overlaid with unnecess►ry additions, is of a more prac-
tical character than the objection to the expedition itself.
Despite Lord Derby's reply, we are left in the end to the
tried ability of Sir H. Napier, and the hope that at last all
will come right. We are, in fact, as a nation committed
to this enterprise. The extraordinary session which ter-
minates to-day has solemnly ratified its policy. It is now
the duty of Englishmen with no ungrudging hand to sup.
port its progress, and, without neglecting the lessons
which the events leading up to it force upon us, to do all
we can to bring it to a prosperous conclusion.

Noticing the loose and slovenly way in which public
business must be transacted when the Emperor Theodore's
letter was practically loot for three yeas between White-
hall and Victoria•street, the Daily Netts remarks never-
theless that inch topics as Dr. Beke's veracity or Mr. Ras-
sam's relations with Mr. ILayard belong to the realm of the
infinitely little, of which in parliament there are sometimes
as many illustrations as the court of Berlin ever displayed.
Lord Derby, with commendable good taste, passed over
the diplomatic origin of the embroilment, but he wisely
refrained from any attempt to prove, though be summed
it, that the financial arrangement whereby India revenue
is charged with the ordinary pay of the troops of whose
services she is deprived, is just or expedient.
The Poet contends at some length that the Commons
diacussicm last evenint fully proves the cue it has lately
attempted to establish against the permanent clerks.
The Star complains that Mr. Gladstone did not even
avail himself of the opportunity of demanding why the
government had broken off peace( al negotiations at the
moment when they might have been useful, while Lord
Russell last night conclusively adopted the acquiescent
and applausive tone which has characterised all official and
many unofficial utterances. But for all this, the war
stands now coodemned as needless, rash, and ill-omened,
and the day is not far distant when all who have helped
to bring it about will be eager to wash their hands of it.
The Tdeyrapli ridicules the vatioinations of Lord Ellen-
borough. It says the Duke of Wellington's description of I
him is perfectly true. " He is like a Flanders mare," said
the duke, " all action, and no go." The debates both in
the Lords and the Commons testify to the thoroughly na.
tional character of a war which, though insignificant in

its proportion; Is ambled by the motives that have la•
gpired it, and by the objects to be achieved.
The Standard is sorry Lord illenborough should have
lent hie rare elopes= and b authority to accredit
melt mischievous argument;