The Express.
London, England, 1867-03-05 00:00:00

1.-.

THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING, MARCH 5, 1867.

influence. The leader; has a taught their fol-
lowers to dread a " transfer of h,liYeal power,"
and now they have to propose nothing lea;, and
to show that it may be etfaicted with safety.
They have protested against a "degradation
"'of the franchise," and now they have to recom-
mend a lowering of the electoral qualifications.
They have described a policy of manly trust in
their countrymen as a leap in the dark, and Ivor
they have to take that leap. They have to 410
more—they have to show that this new and wiser
policy is true Conservatism. They can do it, and
all the more easily for the events of the last six
mouths. We may reasonably doubt whether there
is a single member of the Conserviitive party who
does rod see that every year that is al,ue.l to
NU while a great act of ju,ti,t, to our :oh
chimed connt•yiaen is delayed zna!:es hirg,r
neces,ary ; that the question of R.-7orm
might have betai settled last year on easier terms
than can obtained now ; and that in aii other
year conceit:dons which would at present lie
:We if were I, ft
he d.4-111t,I 11P,Atilf3Irt.ry. Tit it must Le 3
l'iiii,l•rvittiNe policy which would brieg within
the fortress of the Cffillititlltioll as RA dCrelukr3
those who are now able to demand the opening of
its gates. The classes in piomession of i:itelli-
gence, wealth, and leisure must not permit them-
selves to he told that they have lost the qualities
which once enabled them to lead their niore nume-
rous countrymen ; it is a vocation which they
must not decline. Blind and impotent resistance
has been counselled long enough ; it is time to ex-
change unmeaning and artificially maintained anta-
gonism for mutual trust and faith—and of this
better feeling a generous Reform Bill should be
the prompt expression.

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.
(THIS DAY.)

THE POsITIoN OF NIINNTEIt,.

The Timex observes that the explanations mule
in both houses last night render intelligible the vacillation
and studied emptiness of speech which aroused first the
astoni,hinent, and then the indignation and resentment of
parliament. We may now resume as too certain to be
, contradicted that the ministry put off the consideration of
every question as long as possible, and met parliament
after the recess without having come to any determina-
tion on the policy they would pursue. A course like this
' merits the severest censures. It may now be con-
cluded that the first and last resolution of the
ministry has been in favour of a wide enfran•
ehisement, and our contemporary thinks they were
wise• in deciding against the variation of electoral mini-
lege' desired by Lord Carnarvon. It is not, however, be-
cause the proposition is what Mr. Gladstone calls new-
fangled that it is to be condemned. All that cast be re-
quired is that every proposal shall be judged upon its
merits.

In another article the Times reviews the career of the
present ministry, describing the whole traneictious re-
lating to reform as most discreditable, and the confes-
sion of Lord Derby as the most extraordinary one
that the legislature has listened to in our time.
The ministry began with a policy of secrecy.
At the opining of parliament Mr. Disraeli spoke
like an orator of a debating society, revealing
nothing. Then came the unfortunate resolutions, de-
stroyed by invective and ridicule in a fortnight. After
that, on Monday week, ',lst silence on one side and
murmurs on the other, Mr. Disraeli proposed a scheme
which he knew would be repudiated, and which had been
agreed to by no one. Lord Derby's cabinet had the
incredible weakness to allow the dissent of three members
not only to prevent them from proposing a measure they
approved, but to induce them to propose one they
decidedly did not approve, and which they did not expect
the house to accept. Lord Derby's duty on finding
his colleagues retracting at the last moment was to tell
the three secretaries that they must either comply or re-
sign. A bold and strong minister, a Peel or a Palmerston,
would never for an hour have hesitated. Many a ministry
has been swept from power for a hats offence.
Contrasting the ministerial statements in the two
houses, the Daily News remarks that the habit of secrecy
is inveterate with Mr. Disraeli, who seems to value it for
its own sake and without any reference to the purpose
it is to serve. It is from Lord Derby, and not from
him, that we learu the nature of the original policy.
This, it appears, was enshrined in the fifth of the thirteen
resolutions, and consists of a wide extension of the suf-
frage. with the sting taken out of it by plurality of voting.
The enfranchisement which would thus be secured to the
working classes would be as real as the freedom of a bird
1 whose wings have been cut, or of a horse with a clog round
his leg. The government may he congratulated, not
on their return to their original policy, but on
their alsindonment, in the Rouse of Lords at
least, of their original tactics of concealment and
evasion ; and it is to be regretted that they only
thought of falling back upon their own convictions when
they had been unsuccessful in repeated attempts to suit
the taste of the House of Commons. The Daily NI we
adds that neither parliament nor the country will be di..
posed to accept even household suffrage with the aCCOIII.
paniment of plural voting. Between those who dislike
the concession and those who dislike the restriction the
scheme must fall to the ground. The language of Mr.
Gladstone yesterday evening leaves nu room for
doubting what are the opinions of the liberal leader
'in the House of Commons, and what will be the
conduct of those who act with him. Lord Granville, in
the House of Lords, spoke out less explicitly. Two-
thirds of the House of Commons will certainly range
themselves against the government scheme. That minis-
ters are in earnest in the matter will he seen from Mr.
Disraeli's suggestion, that if the bill reaches the stage of
committee the house should sit upon it from day to day
until its work is done. It is only to be regretted that the
new-born seal should not be occupied on a worthier effort.
Tue Past pronounoex against a plurality safeguard, which
it considers a device for neutralising numbers, for making
the minority appear a majority. It is certain to be
rejected by the liberals, while household suffrage without
come such device will probably not be offered.
The Standar/ says the guvernment were aware that
they had laid themselves open to taunts and
sarcasms conventionally applicable to their con-
duct ; but the sincerity of their motives renders
them impervious to hostile comment. It is upon
the opposition that the Standard would throw the
respeasibility of ministerial vacillation, and it depicts the
government as being driven from one position to another
by the manifest temper of the liberals. t our contemporary
proceeds to contend that dual or cumulative voting
will not take away what is given to the working classes,
but simply limit it as it should be limited. There is reason
to hope, it seems, that the division in the cabinet will
lead to no schism in the ranks of the conservatives, and
the Standard looks for a considerable amount of assistance
from the body of the liberals. At all events there is an
appeal from the house to the country.
The &rah! sees no chance of a settlement of the form
question this year if the spirit displayed by the liberal
leaders last night is that which will animate their general
conduct with reference to the bill.

The Trlem•apk ridicules the whole of the ministerial
proceedings, and declare* the spectacle such as to revolt the
instincts of Englishmen, but promises, nevertheless, that
if the reconstructed cabinet will bring in a hill with
nothing new-fangled about it they shall receive support
from the liberal party.

The Star treat; the government in a much gentler spirit
than has distinguished it of late. It sees a good augury in
much that is passing, and the advice which it gives to the
government to hamper their household suffrage proposals
with no unacceptable conditions has a friendliness of tone
which has not hitherto been noticed.

Tl'lt GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY.

Analysing the report of the above company. and ob.
serving that in so far as the account represents
the absorption of profits in the payment of debts,
the story is but too familiar, the Tim,' sees a novelty
about the experience of the last half year which requires
to be noticed. The traffic was bad for railways gene-
ral:y, but the financial convillaions of the spring threw
s:riJus difficulties in the way of those railway money Sc-

rangements which are always proceeding. It is the distrust
of all railway securities which is doing the mischief. Ex-
cept for this, the Great 'Western would have had a
surplus fur distribution ; but it has suffered not only (rota
the high price of money, but from the unmarketable cha-
racter of the only wares which it could offer 1111 money's
worth. The present unfavourable impressions, however,
will pass away, and railway property is likely to be
improved rather than injured by the events of the last
year or two. It is in itself a reassuring symptom when
directors, instead of " making things pleasant " by cooked
report. and fictitious dividends, come boldly forward and
acknowledge that a proper application of the funds in
hand leaves no money to be divided. lif course, a pro-
perty which uems to bear no interest will not be a
popular investment ; but the interest will come in time,
and when it does return it will be all the more valuable
flora its genuine character.

Alorl.TLltT I:E A I.I'SI'IitALE nVFENCE7

The )Wild teke, in reference to the
verdict %dd.:A has just been returned in the Divorce
4 'out t of IO,UOM, tionages, to di. outs the uttegion
of the proper punishment of adultery. Both public
fueling the law decide that this offence ought to be
ponialsol. Rot the law :ixt. that it ebtll he puaisheti
through the me.liitiu 01 oiattia.:ieb. Is this ps•n:dty t:,e
In.. lit :IA to prorlave the &aired reNalt •: The
ie. thinks tint. The woman is driven
forth as a moral leper, but the twit pays his money
ant is free. &pia] justice, correcting the social
inequality, would impose on the man a brunt! of infamy
such as should make it is shame to him to have his deed
recalled. And such a brand would be found, not in a
fine, but in a sentence of imprisonment and hard labour.
Nothing less will take from the offence its air of false
and pestilent romance. There would be no difficulty in
allowing the jury that tries a divorce case either to ignore
the special co-respondent, or to find hint guilty, whether
it dissolves the marriage or not. And while the jury had
this discretion, according to the circumstances of the case,
the judge would have an ample latitude in awarding
punishment, supposing a verdict of guilty to be returned.

THE NEW MINISTERIAL APPOINTMENTS,

The office of Secretary of State for the Colonies,
vacant by the resignation of Lord C:u•narvon, has
been accepted by the Duke of Buckingham, who,
it is said, will be succeeded as President of the
Council by the Duke of Marlborough. The latter
nobleman has until now filled the post of Lord
Steward. Sir Stafford Northcote will sueoeed Lord
Cranhorne at the India-ottice ; Sir.lohn Pakington
will take the place of General Peel at the War-
office ; and tho Right Hon. Henry Corry will go to
the Admiralty. General Peel will propose the
army estimates on Thursday, and Colonel Taylor
will move for the new writs on Friday.

THE FENIAN INI-ASPPN OF CANADA,

O}•FICL\L CORRESPONDENCE.

This inortii,ig IVP.-1 issued for the informatiort of
pin liainent a bah of despatches extending from June I
Veki, to the 2.uil t month, relating to the Peuian,
List yenr upon Canada. In them papers the
governor-General informs the home government of the in-
n of tli•• provinces; the milite y operations a.;aitist
th.• Fenian.; :he details of the ti ia!s ; :Malty
of the commutation of Cm capital sentence which hail
been pre.. on Illee convicted prison rs. The Ile-patches
of tie Secretary et State lin the majority of cases. Earl
('arnarvon) express satisfaction at the pirit anil the
emrgy of the Canadians and the government of the United
States, and express approval of the commutation of the
sentences. On the :kith of June, Mr. Canlwell, acknow-
ledging the receipt of collies of two acts passed by
the legislature of (.7anada authorising respectively
the summary imprisonment of persons charged with
certain offences against the peace of the colony, and
the trial in Lower Canada by a militia general court
martial of persons waging war against her Majesty and
that province, remarks :—" I rely on your discretion for
the use you will make of these extensive powers. I do
not doubt that you will have recourse, in every case in
which it may be possible to do so, to the ordinary tai'
bunals for the punishment of offenders." Earl Carnarvon,
writing a week later, remarks on the same subject :
" When in PCS a similar act was peened for Cpper
Canada, the general condition of the province was in many
respects a very critical one. Such. happily, I understand
from your lordship's despatches, ii not now the cane. Thanks
to the loyalty of all classes in Canada and to the good
faith and co-operation of the United States authorities,
all aggression from their territory has been baffled, and
[ no immediate danger appears to threaten the peace of the
province. There remains doubtless, some natural resent-
ment on the part of those who have been exposed to so
wanton cool criminal an outrage, but I am confident that
your lordship and your advisers are fully alive to the
wisdom of moderation in such a case, and of mantining the
punishment of the offenders as fur as practicable within
the limits of what may be required for the protec-
tion of the province now and in the future.
But under any circumstances her Majesty's government
consider it on every account to be desired that the persons
concerned in this insane and lawless enterprise should be
tried with all deliberation and should not be deprived of
any advantages which can he defined under the ordinary
forms of law. And it would be to them a muse of serious
regret if any step were taken from which it could be
inferred that the British authorities were either unwilling
to await the ordinary course of justice or distrustful of the
spirit in which it would be administered."
The following despatch from the late Colonial Secretary
is also interesting :

" Downing-street, Sept. 13.
" My Lonl,—l have to acknowledge your despatch No.
112 of the 15th of August, enclosing copies of the acts in-
tituled respectively, 'An act to amend an act of the
present session, intituled, " An act to protect the inhabi-
tants of Lower Camel.' against lawless aggressions from
the subjects of foreign countries at peace with her Ma-
jesty ;"' and An Act to amend the !kith chapter of the
Consolidated Statutes of Upper Canada.' One effect of
these acts is to give an indefinite retrospective operation
in Upper Canada to the 3rd section of the Act 22 Vict.,
cap. tot, itself a re-enactment of the 3nl section of 1 Viet.,
cap. 3 ; and in Lower Canada to the 3rd section of the
Act 29 Vict., cap. 2. The giving. retrospective operation
to an enactment which has Feen in force since the
first year of her Majesty's reign, though open to objection
of principle, can hardly have any practical consequences.
But to give such an effect to the recent act of 29 Viet., is
a matter of substantial importance. Under the law as it
now stands a man might apparently be punished as 11 felon
for an act which was not a felony when it was committed.
Such a retrospective law is liable to serious objection,
even as regards her Majesty's subjects ; and in its applies.
tion to foreigners would be inconsistent with recognised
principles of international law. Probably this consequence
of the law now forwarded escaped the attention of your
government. But care must be taken to avoid the em-
barrassments to which it might give rise, and I have to
instruct you that neither of these acts must on any account
he enforced in cues where they would have a retrospective
operation. It will not be possible for me to submit them
for her Majesty's sanction without such modifications as
will relieve them from the objections which I have de-
scribed. —I have, Se., (Signed) " CAILSaItVON.
" The Right Hon. Viscount Maack, k.c."

A select committee to try the Waterford county
election petition will be chosen on the 2lst.

The supplementary estimates tocover the charges
for granting an increase of pay to the non•comnuasioned
officers and men of the army and militia, and for the more
efficient recruiting of the army, amounts to 500,000 f..

On the Army Estimates Mr. Buxton will ask the
Chancellor of the Exchequer whether, in framing the
Reform Bill, he will consider the following proposals:—
" 1. To take away the second seat from all boroughs with
a population below 10,000, which, with the seven
seats obtained by the disfranchisement of Yar-
mouth, Reigate, Totnes, and Lancaster, would give
44 seats for distribution. 2. After giving, as pro-
posed, one sent a piece to 12 new boroughs and
to the London Unieersity, to give the remaining 31 sesta
as third seats to the 20 largest borough constituencies and
to the 11 largest county constituencies now represented
by two members each, and in thesa 31 constituencies, and
also in the eight counties now represented by three
members, to allow every elector to distribute his votes at
his own discretion, thus adopting the so-called cumulative
vote in 20 boroughs and in 19 county constituencies."

On Sunday at the Universal Exhibition many
contributors, by onler of the commission, commence.'
their installation*. The consignments from Russia, Swit-
zerland, and Japan have all arrived, but with these ex-
ceptions the agents of most other countries have not yet
received all their packages. The building presents a cur-
tain aspect of confusion, the internal glazing. and fitting
up of stalls are yet in a very imperfect state. In the sur-
rounding park, with its various constructions, an addi-
tional number of workmen have been employed. Many
people believe, despite the assertions of the officials, that
the Ist of April will find many departments of the gigantic
work incomplete.

FUNERAL OF MR. JOHN PHILLIP, R.A.—The
mortal remains of Mr. John Phillip, ILA., were interred,
at noon yesterday, in Kennel-green Cemetery. The bitter
emit wind no doubt deterred many from attending the
ceremony, but there was a large gathering of brother
artists and friend, of the deceased. Among the members
of the Royal Academy present were Messrs. Creswiek,
Frith, Elmore, O'Neil, Ansdell, Feed, Millais, Calderon,
Leighton, Yeames, Wells, and Armitage. Messrs. Top-
base. H. W. Phillips, T. Brooks, 0. T. Barlow, George
Chester, Rudolph Lehmann, Val. Pringle'', A. J. Lewis,
Agnew, W. Wynfielil. George Leslie, James Christie,Bliit,
ley Brooks, and Edmund Yates were also present. The
only son of the deceased, Master Cohn Phillip, was chief
mourner._

THE REPEAL or THE MALT-TAX.—The repeal or
reduction of the ditty upon malt will be again brought
before the notice of the Donee of Commons on the Mith
instant, Colonel Itarttelot having given notice of his in-
tention to introduce the subject on that day. Since last
year the malt-tax repealers have lest their great leader,
Sir Fitzroy Kelly ; and although the thief Laren did not
when in the house deal with the question exactly
in the manner which some of the more ardent
repealer. desired, all admit that this aid was
meet v:duable, and his loss to the cause is sin-
cerely deplored. The mine difficulty which has occurred
in previous years, we regret to say, still exists among
members of the house as to the mode of procedure. Some
members are anxious for the question to be brought before
parliament early in the session, while others as fsvountbly
disposed towardsa fair settlement of the question look
upon this step as unwise, as they urge, with no little truth,
that an adverse vote would prevent the Chancellor of the
Exchequer from dealing with the question in his budget.
It has always been urged by Mr. Inaolatene that it is un-
wise for the house to pledge itself to any great reduction
in the income of the country before they know what will
be the requirements of the year ; and after the budget has
been brought in, he has as strongly deprecated any inter-
ference with his arrangements. Everything now depends
upon Mr. Disraeli. The malt-tax repealer. cannot as yet
rely upon obtaining a majority in the house, but, should
the Chencellor of the Exchequer propose a slight reduc-
tion in the duty, then transfer the remaining portion to
beer, leaving private brewing unfettered, theagnenlturista
will doubtless gladly accept the change, and no injustice
will be done to other elevate of the cetunatuity.
goat Animal.

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(REUTERS TELE.:RIAIS.)

AUSTRIA.
VIENNA, DlAacu
Count Taafe has been appointed privy comp.
cillor.

Herr Louyai, the Hungarian Minister of Finance,
has been snunnoned to Vienna to confer with the
Austrian cabinet upon the financial condition of
the empire.

HUNGARY.
Mini, MARCH 4. EVENING.

The riper House of the Hungarian Dieenivt
this ex-min.-4, and agre.' to the resolution of the
Lower House, autly.ri,iii4 the ministry to collect
the taxes upon the present systein until the end of
the current year.