The Express.
London, England, 1858-12-08 00:00:00

gtor expreoti.

TO CORIMPONMINTS.
therthaltaanis intended for the "The Ramble," London
lambi paper, =A be .1 the Oboe, 10, Bouvetie-street,
by Two ciao& co the day of pebliceticet.

Tin Seam, IL 1110TATO/11. Mom P. Olorre..l.
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atto,Haresees Moo Leda owl Yew N. Prescott.
Arne Mkt Divertrames.—Oolo•
=me ot eatr tea T.

Tins Varna, TIM
Sectecosj Nins:
ISTMOT °KAM Tares' ELITSII•IT •T GRIM Or
lOW. boa —••4 • D•VosTos TO MilAT.—Oseasomps Y 7.

PllllOOl.ll.
Tim Isom, THIITT-TIIEB EMIT BIZTH DAT. ABE
MACBETH. Ms. sad Yn 0. issa.—OmemesseM 7.

BRITANNIA,
Tots EylunTa. TUB WOIBUOUBIL •!T PALLOR. ANA 7E4
Miriaratati"'

HIGH WATIA AT LONDON BRIM'.
is D• i —llinaba. 4► lie ...........Libriess. M. U.
..mosso.-114rutag. 4,- 1041 —ailliWOONl. 4.. Sta.

LONDON, WEDhEBD4T, DBC. 8.

Is it true, Si we find it 'tweed in many
quarters, that England cannot meddle with the

Constitution of the lonian' Island' without con-
sulting the Great Powers ? The Congress of Vienna
in 1815, or at lent certain influential powers and
personagee there, entertained an idea that the
Golden Age was returned; and the language of
diplomatists was in consequence quite Saturnian.
Thus the " lonian Island' " were to form " a free

" and independent State " ander the protection of
Great Britain, " were to administer their own
" affairs," and "a Legislative Assembly was to be
" convoked to frame a constitution."

Every one knows that Sir THOMAS MAITLAND
drew up the Constitution with his own goose-quill;
not only that, but dictated to the new constituencies
the members they should name. It is also well
known that Lord Sams made great concessions to
the lonians. In 1861 the English Government
altered, much for the better, the organisation of the
Senate, as weU as that of the Supreme Court of
"satire. In fact, England can make what modifica-
tions she pleases in the lonian Constitution without
consulting Europe about such changes, any more than
the Clan did when he cancelled the Constitution of
Poland, or the Emperor of AUSTRIA when he occupied
Craeow. It is not, of course, for a moment to be
assumed that England will foUow the sinister pre-
cedents of despotism in her dealings with the lonian
Islands. She will make no innovation in the great
bases of the existing arrangements. As Mr. GLAD-
frrort told the Senate in bis discreet address, those
bases form a portion of the public law of Europe.
The British protectorate; the substantive existence
of the lonian state; and its title to constitutional
government—ane fixed points. Bat this does not
preclude such enlightened modifications of the exist-
ing state of things as may be compatible with the

mainten►nce of thew fundamental conditions. To this
extent Mr. GLADSTONE has a carts blanche before
hire, and we have no doubt that what he will do, or
has done by this time, will be to place hinnalf in the
hands of the more liberal of the Conservatives, and
the more rational and moderate of those opposed to
them.

Tax fog of Monday last, one of the densest ever '
experienced in the north-eastern districts of the 11
metropolis, did not pass away without the
disastrous aceompaniment of a railway accident. A
little before six o'clock, just when the gloom was
at the thickest, a collision took place at the
Hackney Station of the North London Railway.
A train was stopping at the station t the
platform yea crowded; passengers were get-
ting in and out, when soddenly through
the Egyptian darkness was heard the pant
and rumble of a rapidly approaching engine. There
was no time for any effectual alarm. In en instant
the crash came. The effects were what might have
been expected. The hindmost carriage was a second-
class, crowded with occupants. This was crumpled
up in a moment into a hideous wreck ; the bottom,
sides, and roof, were scattered far and wide over the
line, tad the occupants were lying crushed, battered,
and mangled, sasong the nine. The next car-
riage, a drat-elms, fared little better, nor
was the destruction stayed till a third car
nags had been destroyed. The list of the
sufferers will be found elsewhere. The instru-
ment of destruction was found to be a pilot
engine, which was coming along the London side of
the line, immediately in the rear of the passenger
train.

Until farther inquiry has put us more clearly
in pommies' of the facts, it is, of course, impossible
to say with say °Diffidence who or what was most
to blame for this deplorable occurrence. We don't
yet know with any certainty whether there were
or were not fog signals—whether, if there were,
the engine-driver paid due heed to them, or whether,
on approaching the station, he had or had not made
every reseonable exertion in his power to avert the
catastrophe. One thing, however, seems clear enough.
Primmer trains on the North London Line rue every
quarter of an hour to and from Fenchurch-street.
The goods trains, which are numerous, run be-
tween the times allowed for passenger trains.
The consequence is that, under the most
favourable circumstances, great axe is required
in signalling them pot the several stations.
Now, the simple point is this—in such a dense
and protracted fog as that of Monday last,
was it not the clear duty of the Company to have
oath* suspended their goods traffic ? Omnibuses
I wend plying on many lines of road ; the river
tan consulted the public safety by taking the
I seas warn ; surely it was not too much to expect •
I donor segard to the security of life and limb from
the Manegess of the North London Railway.
Bask is the first impression produced by
the zonation of this lamentable affair, and
in dins eases we are strongly disposed
to ploso gnat reliance on first impressions. The
general progress of all them inquiries into railway
aceidente is a regrew from something to nothing.
"Fine by degrees and beautifally less," the evi-
dense Wan of at last into as all bat invisible
point. BospoomfbiUty is loot amid the mystification
of ollsialisee, and the facts, which to the common

public
grave

..out to Walla a
charge -.nay, nett in a ter.
diet ef. - abut. bfaaselessoin. The public
naturally enough is discontented with this state
of things, and we put it to our great Law Reformers
whether it is not to be noted among the defects of
our jurisprudence that it is so impossible in these
cases to bring home blame to anyone. For the pre-
sent, and until strong cause is shown to the contrary,
we take leave to declare our opinion that the
Managers of the North Loudon Railway, by
failing, under the circumstances, to stop the
goods traffic, have rendered themselves justly
amenable to public censure, and must be
considered as deeply responsible for the misery that
has been caused by this collision, for the injuries
it has inflicted, and the lives it may, only too
possibly, have destroyed. To have relied on fog-
signals and red-lights in the pitchy murkiness of
last Monday night, as the sole means of securing
passengers on their line from the horrible risk of
I sudden death, or prolonged torture, or mutilated
limbs, or a nervous system shattered for life, is not
creditable to the management of the North London
Line. It is some consolation to think that though
the criminal law may perhaps be powerless in the
case, the funds of the Company will not be beyond
the reach of the sufferers or their relatives. Direc-
tors can calculate though they cannot feel, and they
will in all probability have ample opportunity af-
forded them for oomputiog how much Ins it would
have cost to have suspended their goods traffikfor
a few hours lut Monday, than, by letting it run
on, to have become civilly accountable for the re-
sults of the collision.

Cbt Court.

OSBORNE, Dic. 7.

The Queen, the Primo Consort, and the Royal
Fatally, mind at Osborne rastorday, at 26 Mintllllll but,.
two eolook, from Windsor Castle.

A deputation from the Warden and Antitank; of Dover
Harbour, coluditimg of Sir B. W. Bridges, Bart., M.P., sad
Mr. Deetka, ao3ompanied by Mr. Thompson, regis-
trar, and Mr. Cooper, of the firm of Yearn. Walker, had
an interview with the Hight Hon. J. W. Healey, President
of the Board of Trade, yesterday, at the aloe of the Board
of Trade.

Sir Charles Eastlake had an interview with the Chancellor
of the Eicheqaer yesterday, at hie official residence, in

Lord Staley left town yesterday for Osterley-park.
The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council set yester-
day. An appeal from Bangs], " }lnsist Hameln r. Ahmed
Bum," part heard, wu ooncluded.

The Prince Schabatoff has left the Clarendon for
the Continent.

The Earl and Countess of Darnley have arrived
Clasidgs's Hotel, from Cobham Hall, near Gravesend.

The Bishop of Darla= has arrived at Claridge's
Hegel, haat Auckland Hoop., Durban.

The Hon. Mr. and Mrs. Sydney Pierrepoot have
arrived at Claridge's Hata, from Hemel, Hall, Brastley:...

Sir Brook ;ad Ladi Bridges Lave left the Cl-
arendon, for their not is Het.

Sir George and Lady Duhwood have arrived at
Madden's Hotel, from Weft Wyoombe Park, Bucks.
The Rev. H. Nevill, Incumbent of &. Mark's,
Uranium, Norwich, bee been appointed Dr. Hill's enocaemor

. ..
la the perpetual curacy of Yarmouth. The appointment is
worth 3601. per annum.

Saunders' Norm Letter states that the late George
Waite, Esq., of *porting celebrity, died worth 40,0001., be-
sides large freehold property, which demands to his successor,
J. Drennan, Seq., of Dublin.

THE EIGHT HON. Z M GIBBON,, AT

41BRIVR.

Lust evening the Right Hon. Thomas Milner
Gibson, mmalbar for Asklismmeder-Lyne, widowed a public
meeting is the Town-had of list borough. Thera were
fully 1,600 pumas preeent, a few ladies being amps those
on the platform. HOOK Mason, Baq., mom presided.
Hr. Olsson, in the coarse of his speech, said he thee&
the time was come for army of the old polities' 'sedum to
retire from the dad. (Ham.) Lord Palmarelea hizemif—why
he had nothing to complain of—he had bum la office about
60 years. (Laughter.) And whom a men bad hem in aloe
for 60 yeses with ail governments, and had given estiefanion
to ell parties, he might very well retire. He (Mr. Gibson)
wished him health end happinemi, and a brag We, provided
he did not trouble we my more with swirls, to be the
leader of the liberal party. (" Hear, hear," sad laughter.)
There were several ancient politicises, who, he thought,
with all respect to them, ought to rode. There was no
promotion he the polhlal world--the old Wads stuck to
their pasta go long, and people said longer than wee justified
by their bodily energies sad mental proms. There wee •
propriety in men retiring from the leadership of great
political parties when they bed arrived at that period of life
when they could not conduct matters with the 'lima and
promptitude which were required for ouch important
duties. (Hear, hear.) He answered that his individual
opinion upon the question of the suffrage—of its being a
political right appertaining to the man—availed nothing in
the comideration of a matter or this sort. Hs would sup-
port that extension of the esafrege which appeased to meet the
approval of the greatest body of ammo reformers—which
appeared the most likely to be carded, and to confer •
great advantage upon the sentry. He would not be de-
terred from supporting • moderato measure, because it
might not coma up to those &bared theories of the right
of the suffrage being in the men, which everybody no
doubt, whether tory or liberal, most he his condense hold.
(Applause) In dealing with the quondam, be those times,
we must deal with ft se practical men, leaking to what
could be carried. Let a well-oomeidend zemenre be laid
upon the table by OM is whom the liberal party bad con-
fidence; let that bill be well circulated and considered;
and if it mot the approval of public meetings in the
large towns, then let the whale name peaty site to •
man, and carry it through the legislature. (Applies.)
He had put his mum to • programme propoilag that the
rate-book should be mad. the register. (Haar, hrs.) He
did not know whether that was the sober to be prematted
by those who woad submit • Reform Bill. Hat whatever
bill wee istrodnarl, value the ballot wares part of it, it would
be an imperhst INSSASOSS end ineffeetuel for the purpose
intended. (Hoer, hear.)
Ur. R. 11.112111 AW moved, and Mr. 8. MILLS meemilef, a
vote of throb to, and oulidaue la, the hoe. member
whir& wee carried by scolsonaticsomd briefly ecknow,
ladpL

/Ir. °most Um sove4 a voted thinks to 41, Mayor ;
rad It bowie' boa as model by Mx. Rama, sad oarrbd,
Yu MATO& nerailsi, sad the pecemilip losolubli.

RUollit MISTING IN NOTTINGRAXd—A public
meting of Me raloneers ol Nottingham Imo aim ma man:
day everieg. Mr. Comment, Moot oroo the diet, sad
mid that lettere had beta noivol tam Moon. Welter and
Pager, the member ibr the borough, Gatlin that faebility
te be ytment, rd also OM die sembolses $ be pre-
peed ea the coreeket dud Armes of e pram
entreat Um they woos grimed tempo& 111111111 g pats-
, sWea aldressett the assedig, sad moolatiam were =sat
trUasdH WI a/Ora& in inner et manhood er&serima by bidet,
parliamists, sad I equalised= dMeft- ral districts
vegiehtsi by the amebic et do mottle& le wee she ar-
mored that the resolution shruld be forwerisi to Mr.
Bright to be • &dome to Mot is Ms honing et his sew
Mann Bill.
REFORM MisitTlßG AT NORWICIL—A preliminary
meeting of imismtios was held ea Nablay *waking lAA s 4
the Boyd Mese% Wareieb, by airerskObese Massa Willett,
gql emiCelatem Mr. Oahe Ma la lie abet. A letter
Was wag tam Mr M. homey, stain lie Witty to stood,
but sigrallai lie hap Mee the modals mold stare at •
rwaladea esseptlia to Iles essistry ed whir* might
sionre tbs billuoringlelildell el the bumble, Mr. Tilidt,
ia sa riermeat mod • remand= utproslag map
&Wks rift Am* maimed grevaleam at asseleamts ht
iritorermizjeono
el • lope likat the sunk would be a
memo as the nuesisehle &ends sad
the imiestsid pardealer. The seededo. wee
resed 114111% Moara. denied
/it Is ardrogitr ; sad It
we
semi IS puma a India liswir for •
Osmiueim Nall, to gelje SY 11111.1.4•111WINftli
Bury eel Nerapia Aget.