The Express.
London, England, 1867-08-31 00:00:00

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.

(THIS DAY.)

Commenting on the recent executions of Lingley
and Britten the Times considers that the irregular in-
fliction of capital punishment has become a public scandal.
A number of sentences have lately been commuted, and
after the reprieve of Scott, the Birmingham cashier, any-
thing might be expected from the office over which
Mr. Hardy presides. If • man who embezzles the money
of his employers, and on being discovered shoots down one
of them with • revolver, be a fit subject for the royal
clemency, then let us cease to wonder at the "extenu-
ating circumstances " which French juries find in
almost every crime, and acknowledge that our most
highly placed administrators are not more firm
and strong-minded than these French citizens.
Although the manners of mankind generally have become
more gentle the deeds of actual murderers seem not to be
less barbarous and horrible than in times past. A
defaulting clerk at Birmingham shoots down his enemy
with the cool ferocity of ► Lockwood' rowdy. A Somer-
metallize farmer, well to do in the world, and lately
guardian of the poor in his pariah, beats in bis wife's
skull, drags her in a sack, with • rope round her neck, to
a place where he has laid the wood and coke to consume
her body, and then sets fire to the place. Within the
last few days somebody has taken • child of seven
years old, ripped up her body, ent off her head,
torn out her eyes and thrown them in a river,
either to escape the consequence of a felonious
outrage or merely to gratify a fiendish instinct.
If the punishment of death be lawful and expedient, it
should fall with certainty on all offenders, and not become
an affair of chance through the weakness or caprice of
those who direct it.

In another article, the Tina, quoting the figures brought
forward by the Lord•lieotenant of Ireland in his recent
speech in Dublin, says it may be taken IA certain that
Ireland has for the last twenty years been steadily im-
proving, and that the improvement has extended to all
dame of society.
The report of the Ritual Commission and the destruction
of Titian's painting, "Peter the Martyr," supply the Times
with materials for further comment.

Although the educational value of the vast machinery of
Sunday-schools is probably small, yet a very large pro-
portion of the labouring classes must have got what little
education they have in them, observes the Daily Nam
But far 'resign than the educational value of the system
is its healing and humanising social influence. This moral
influence is the true strength of Sunday-schools. They
can neither supply the place of day-schools nor do the
work of the church ; but they may supplement the neces-
sary deficiencies of the one, and be a nursery to the other,
by bringing the moral influence of Christianity to bear
upon the children of the poor by personal contact with
those who are animated by its motives and filled with
its spirit. We may regret that the many excellent per-
sons who teach in Sunday-schools see so little the result of
their labours in the form is which it would most reward
them, viz., attendance in church when the children grow
op ; but it would be a great mistake to think that their
energy is mis-spent or their labour is in vain.

In an article on the Brighton Railway meeting, the
Dad y New remarks that the adoption of the recommen-
dation of the directors of the Brighton Railway to declare
no dividend on the preference stocks of the company for
the half-year, although expected, is not the less to be
regretted. The reasons by which Mr. Laing justified it
may not only injure the credit of the Brighton Company,
but prejudice the public against railway preference stocks
generally. It would really seem from Mr. L.dag'4 speech
as if our great railway authorities had given up all hope of
ever again raising money for railways by the issue of pre-
ference shares, otherwise they would surely show a little
more consideration for the owners of this class of
Property.

The Poet thinks we may safely accept the expressions of
the Emperor Napoleon in the Bourse of Lille as plainly
interpreting desires which are common both to the
Sovereign and his people. The peace of Europe will not
be broken lightly. It is not so much on the side of France
and Austria as on the side of Prussia that the Post con-
tinues to see danger to the peace of Europe. France does
not intend to set up and to protect a Sonth German Con-
federation, as the Prussians may imagine ; but, on the
other hand, Austria and France will not be parties, by
connivance, to any act directly contravening the Treaty
of Prague.