The Express.
London, England, 1866-01-26 00:00:00

Jan% FRIDAY EVENING, JANUARY 26, 1866.

bays the sot imilialutemed and time most influential winds
of this ogduisi on their side.
I

WS WORM XL&
The Times compares the thirty or forty boroughs that
would be sacrificed in a future disfranchisement bill, to the
victims in the human morifioss amongst the Mexicans,
who for a twelvemonth before their immolation were fed
on the beet and clothed in the finest ; honoured ss princes ;
and worshipped as the objects of an early beatification. In
a very few years, perhaps in one short twelvemonth, the
new electors brought into being by the suffrage bill
will be led, duly garlanded and filleted, like the
calves of Pagan sacrifice, to the altar of reform.
It is quite possible, however, that these constituencies now
returning 50 or 60 members will, after being reformed,
object to being improved off the face of creation altogether,
and may make a common came one with another, and with
the very lowest, and hardest, and narrowest, and most
malignant conservatism. Parliament may thus find that it
has lowered the franchise only to hand over the present
destinies of the country to the lowest clam of electors,—
not in oar great popular constituencies, but in our small
boroughs.
In the correspondence columns of the Times a writer
signing himself " Cato" urges that the small boroughs
which return two members be placed in Schedule B of the
new Reform Bill, or that neighbouring boroughs like Caine
and Chippenham, Abingdon and Wallingford, Totess and
Dartmouth, be united into single constituencies, with one
member for each constituency so united. By some such
means as these from 25 to 30 seats might be rescued from
the grasp of these boroughs, and be distributed among the
larger constituencies both in town and country.

OF THE BRITISH ETISZOIIt._

While the Times does not agree with Lord Henry Lennox
as to the grounds of his proposal—made the other night
before the Society of Arts—to plans the British Museum
under a responsible minister, it considers the proposal Itself
defensible. The Museum has been filled in • great measure
by sums voted by parliament, and it is contrary to the
principles and practice of government that no one should be
officially responsible for the preparation of the Estimate
under which 100,0001. • yet is expended. A body of 4g
trustees, also, though excellently r iapted for purely deli-
berative purposes, is too unwieldy for the details of admi.
aistration. Economy and efficiency would be promoted by
vesting the management of the institution in • de-
partment of the government, with a permanent
secrettiy to conduct the business under the direction of his
official superior, and the same observations would apply,
though not perhaps with so much force, to the smaller
Institation and simpler management of the National Gal-
lery. The proper corns would seem to be to annex them
to the department of some member of the cabinet whose
official time is not fully occupied—such, for instance, as the
President of the Council, the Chancellor of the Duchy of
Lancaster, or the Lord Privy Seal. The whole matter is of
pressing importance.
The Telegraph thinks the nation will rest content with
nothing less than placing the administration under the care
of • responsible and handsomely.ealaried officer, backed by •
small and efficient board, and making the whole managing
body directly accountable to the House of Commons. The
happiest omen, as regards the future of the British Museum,
is to be found in the cultivated taste, and the enthusiasm
for literature and art, which find so illustrious • represen-
tative in oar present Chancellor of the Exchequer.

THE REPORT OF THE CAPITAL PUNISHMENT COMMISSIONERS.
From an account given by the Timcs of the report of the
C,mnmissioners on Capital Puoishment, now for the first
time regularly published, it appes-s that Mr. Ewart
moved a declaration to the effect that "capital punish-
ment might widely and with advantage to the community be
at oeoe abolished." This, however, received the assent of
4 only eat of the 12 commissioners, namely, Dr. Lashing-
ton, Mr. Bright, Mr. Neste, and Mr. Ewart himself ; but
Mr. Justice Ullman appended his opinion in favour of
the principle theoretically considered. He thought that
"the weight of evidence and reason was in "favour of
the abolition of capital punishment," but he doubted
whether public opinion wan ripe for such a change, or
whether it could be introduced without pre-flail difficul-
ties. Another division took place on the substitution of
private for public executions ; and here all the four
nommissionen who had voted for the abolition of capital
punishment, altogether voted against this proposal for
indicting it privately. In this protest they were joincd
by one other commissioner, Mr. hionerieff. Mr. Denmrn
repreeenta in his evidence that in his capacity as a bar.'-iter
he made a point of attending every case of murder tried on
his circuit for some years, and sou himself not unite-
quently engaged in these trials. In his opinion the chief
effect of capital punishment is to enable a prisoner's
counsel to obtain an acquittal from a jury. The opinion
of the judges on the question of private executions were
much divided. Lord Cranworth is in favour, "on the
whole," of private executions. Baron Martin is for public
executions. Baron Bramwell would have them neither
entirely public nor entirely private, but he added that his
opinion on the subject was not decidedly formed. Mr.
Justice Willes was equally undecided, but " had not been
able to make up his own mind to approve any change."
Lord Wensleydale would have executions in privat3.

KISCLLLANZOINS TOPIC&
The Daily, News condemns the conduct of the Bombay
government, who, in exonerating Major-General Green from
blame in allowing the unfortunate artillery to start twos
the celebrated " fatal march from billow," nevertheless
give him the option of resigning his command thera, or
being superseded by another officer, on the ground that be
has shown a serious want of judgment in giving publicity to
his own version of the case. This, the Daily News charac-
terises as a trumpery accusation. It further asks who,
since General Green was faultless as to the march, is the
official to whom culpability cao be attributed in this matter?
Parliament will meet in a few days, and it is to be hoped
some member of the house will move foe all the documents
connected with the business.
The Herald prefaces a report of the trial of Mr. Gordon
with a history of the circumstances of his arrest by the
official who executed the Governor's warrant and conveyed
Mr. Gordon on board the Wolverine. The Herald comes
to the oonclusion that even if we put aside the statement
that be talked openly of killing all the whites—though it
cannot find any reason to discredit it—there is abundant
evidence that he was at the head of a seditious organ-
isatioo. and that he engaged in a long course of agitation,
the plain object of which was to drive the blacks on to a
violent outbreak against the authorities of the island and
the landowners who employed them. If to plan and counsel
• revolt be treasonable, Gordon seems to have been guilty
of treason, and to have justly suffered death.
The Mar does the mast unscrupulous partisans of Go-
vernor Eyre the justice to say that nearly all of them have
admitted, on the assumption of the correctness of the report
of Mr. Gordon's trial, that be was • murdered man.
Upon the actual charge spinet him—that of being the
leader of an armed rebellion—there is literally no evidence.

Not only is there none to prove the charge, bat there is
nothing said about the charge—nothing which his any beer-
beg whatever on it
The Post states many difficulties which we shall have to
meet in the spring should the present rinderpest continue.
It forams the rain of thousands of farmers if the plsgue
ooctinnes to increase. When complete returns are before
us, possibly some comprehensive system of indemnification
against Wass by this great calamity may be devised by our
statesmen, bated upon the joint efforts of landlords and
tenants, and sanctioned by the legislature.
The Star states that France, at the instance, it is be.
lien& of the Austrian Cabinet, lately suggested to Remised
the convening of a new conference on the Schleswig-
Holstein question. Earl Russell expressed himself as no-
favourable to the proposition for the present—unless,
Weed, under certain peculiar conditions : in point of fact,
politely declined to have anything just now to do with
the schema. So it is, for the present at least, put aside.
The Telegraph attributes the serious state of the Eastern
Counties Railway, not to the main lines, but to the
branches ; the track line from London to Norwich baying
nearly es many on every side as there are crossbones stretch-
ing out from the spine of a lola, and all, with ecareely an
exception, going from one insignificant place to another,
through poverty-stricken &striate.

EDIICATIOR AND Tall FRANCHISZ.—The animal
mating of the East tAncashiro Usti= of Monbasice Lod.
totes was held at Gawthorps Hall, the maidens of Sir
J. P. lay Bbuttlsworth, Bart., on Wednesday syseing.
There was a very largo and respectable audience. The
prises obtained by the sucosedul menhirs of the various
Widtetes ware distributed by the Rev. Dr. Whittaker,
visa of Whalley. Bit James Hay Shattieworth, Bart.,
who oosupied the 'hair. °tweed the proceedings, and after-
wards delivered as instructive address on education sod

LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

(istrria's ruzawis.)
FRANCE.

PAR'S, JAL 26'

The Constitutionuel of to-day publishes an article
signed by M. Paulin Limayrsa with reference to
the recently published despatches of Mr. Bigelow.
In this article K Limayrac shows that M.
Dronyn de Lhuys could not give explanations with
regard to acts of internal administration in Mexico,
for which the Mexican government alone was re-
sponsible. The writer adds :—" The United
States cannot call the assistance offered by a
number of plundering adventurers—war—after
refusing the title of belligerents to the Confederates
of the South."

LAW INTELLIGENCE.
(THIS DAY.)

EQUITY COURT.
(Before Vice-Chancellor Sir R. T. Maderaley.)
RI torruorouran 111:1810•HALL COMPANY (IM MO.
This was a petition for winding wp. The company
originally consisted of seven shareWdsre, but the number
was now reduced to sir, being less than the minimum re-
quired by the Joint-Stock Companies Act. The pro-
moters bought the music-hall and other property sub-
ject to certain mortmes, and ia the case of cue of the mort-
gages the companybought the debt, giving the mortgagee a
covenant for persist. The payment had never beep made,
and the present petitioner had actually been sued for thee
money and judgment had been obtained against him under
which he wee liable to arrest. There were other debts,
which the company was not in a position to pay.
There being no opposition, his Honour granted the usual
order.
Mr. Toiler aid Mr. Lindley represented the petitioner.

COURT OF QtTEENB BENCH.
Ulm in Baro:7--(Bef.ore the Lord_ child Justice, and

Justiees Blackburn and Mellor.)
This was a special paper day ; no mane of public interest
came before the court.
8081211188 OF THT OOUET.
This court will sit in bum after term on Thursday,
Friday, and 13aturday, the Ist, tad, and 3nl of February,
and on Friday and Saturday, the 9th and 10th of Feb-
ruary, and dispose of mese in the new trial, special and
Crown papers. It will also sit on the 17th for the purpose
of delivering judgments in the eases standing over for that
Purim*.

COURT OF EXCHEQUER.
Bill:imp in Banco.—(Before Lord Chief Baron Pollock, and
Barons Martin, Chanson, sad Pigott)
=rim V. THE VESTRY OP BEHNOIDSZT.
This case raised an important question as to the liability
of metropolitan vestries for the negligence of their servants.
The plaintiff's husband met with hie death in conesquenos
of falling over a heap of earth which had been =oe-
rsted in the amuse of some works which were being
carried on in Blue Anchor-road, Bermondsey, is connexion
with the construction of a main sewer. The works were
under the immediate superintendence of the surveyor of the
vestry, by whom and the clerk of the works, another
servant of the vestry, the different workmen were
before
• paid. At the trial which took place in London bt
the Lord Chief Baron the jury found negligence on the part
of the defendants' servants and returned a verdict for the
plaintiff, damages 87dt. ; which was to be divided between
her and her gee children.
Mr. M. Chambers, Q.C., now showed cause against a rule
which had been obtained on behalf of the vestry to set aside
the verdict and to enter a verdict for the defendants or for
a consult. The question was whether dairies* came within
the decision in the case of Holliday v. St. Leonard's, Shore-
ditch, in which it bad been held that persona entrusted with
the performance of a public. duty which they discharged
gratuitously, and being personally guilty of no negligence,
were not liable for the negligence of the workmen employed
under them. The learned counsel endeavoured to show by
reference to the minutes of the vestry that there
wu personal interference by members of that body in
to the work', sou to take the matter out of the
regard to
down in that case. He also signed that the objec-
tion that the vestry had no funds out of which to pay
damages awarded in such an action as this did not apply u
they would to buildings in which they met and other pro-
perty upon which an execution might be levied.
Mr. Atkinson was also heard on the some side.
Mr. End een% Hayes and Mr. Mundell appeared to sup-
port the rule, but were not called upon to do so, it being
agreed, en the suggestion of the court, that the ease should
stand over until the case of " Coe v. Wise," which involved
a similar fact and a similar point of law, had been decided
by the House of Lords, to which it was now being taken.
-

COURT OF PROBATE AND DIVORCE.
(Before the Jadge Ordinary.)
lIINDRICIL V. HINDECK.
Mr. B. Rigby appeared for the petitioner, a wife who
sought a dissolution of her marriage en the ground of
adultery and cruelty. The parties wen marnid in 1830,
the respondent being at that time a sbopman at West-
minster ; but he last his situation on account of hisdrunium
habits, and for eighteen months he was out of work. He
then obtained a situation in the office of Mr. Cubitt. His
conduct was excessively bed, but he was repeatedly far.
given. At last, however, the patience of the wife pve way,
and she commenced the preseut proceedings. In support
of her petition, evidence of repeated violence and adultery
wee given, in addition to which numerous canting letters
of the respondent containing confessions were put in.
Decree nisi with costs.
001.3110 X (IN FORMA VAIIPNIIIS) V. COWMAN.

Inderwick appeared for the Petitioner in this ease,
which was one of an extraordinary character. In 1868 the
petitioner was married to the respondent, who represented
to her that he had 1 0001., but she immediately afterwards
discovered that the statement was false, and Hat he
was addicted to drinking and quarrelling. was
constantly beating and ill-using her, and at last he deserted
her. After a time, however, he came back, and being then
almost starving he told her that atm must do as other
women did, and go into the streets. She refused, but
he drove her to it by threats and blows. Whet she oh-
tamped she took to him, and be wont and spent
Once when she was very ill he drove her oat, aud
when he found that she had earned nothing he knocked her
down in Euston-road. This way of life was utterly revolting
to her, and at last, in 1863, after she had endured it for 28
months, it made her so desperate that she went and
told ber brother. She had met a reverend gentleman at
one of the midnight meetings, and she wished to
go into • penitentiary ; but her husband, when she
told him, raged and stormed, and swore that she had lost
her senses. She went to her brother's at Hackney, and
proposed to recommence dressmaking; but she had not
been there for more than two days before her husband cams
to her and knocked her down at the door. She became insen-
sible, and she remembered no more till she found that she was
in a railway carriage, and that her husband was taking her
home to threnoester-place. She was in bed for several days,
but when she got better he tried to make her go on the
streets again by every means in his power—by coaxing and
by threats. She said that she would not do it, and that he
might as well kill her at once. She offered to bring
home work and do it for him, but he said that
if she did he would put it on the fire. At length,
when he found that he could not turn her mind, he
threatened to do for her. She then fled to her brother's,
and had been there ever sines.
George Harrison, a letter sorter and carrier, the peti-
tioner's brother, said that the respondent used to come in
a horse and gig, and used to boast of the respectability of
his connexions. He corroborated her account in many
particulars.
Evidence of adultery on the part of the respondent having
been given.
Sir J. Wilde thought the amens in which. notwithstand-
ing the petitioaer's adultery, he might properly exerci es in her
favour the discretion which was reposed in him by the
act of parliament. It was a well known principle of thelaw
that when a husband and a wife were found acting in
concert and together, the wife was presumed to have been
under the influence of her husband, and, with certain
exceptions, she was excused without proof that she had
acted under duress.. In the present instance b • (Sir J.
Wilds) was satisfied that the petitioner had teen terrified by
the threats and actual violence of the respondent into fol-
lowing a life which was detestable to her. There must
therefore be a decree nisi, with costa.

THE POLICE COURTS.
(THIS DAY.)

MANSIONZOITBE.
CHAIM OP HTZALIYG £l5OO.

James Looseraore, a young man, described as a
clerk, was brought up in custody of Underwood, a detective
officer, charged with stealing a bill of exchange far UMW-
belonging to his employers. Maws. Inard and On., French
merchants, carrying on business at Paris sad at No. 17,
Gracechureb-stmet.
__ _

The priaoser appeared to be very Ui, and be was showed
to be seated during the investigation.
Mr. Wontoer appeared for the prosecution ; Mr. G.
Lewis attended on behalf of the prisoner.

Th. prosecutors were Messrs. Issard end Co., French
merchants, carrying on business at No. 17, Once.
chnrch.street, and the prisoner was in their service
as clerk. snd had been so employed for thirteen
years, atd great ex ntidence woe placed in him.
A great portion of the batioess of the prosecutors

was carried on with the Mauritius, and they consigned large
quantities of goods to that plate, and the merchants to
whom they were sent were in the habit of to.
mitting bills of exchange to England in payment.
These bills were drawn upon various beaks and
before they arrived at maturity they were paid
into the Bank of England, where the prose:stem kept;
an account, to be pre•eoted in due course of payment, whet
the proceeds would be placed to the credit of the firm. On
the 20th GC August a bill for 2,5004, drawn by the Mereboat
Bank of Mauritius upon the Merchant Beek of Laadon,aunis
into the possession of the prosecutors, and it was handed
to the prisoner to pay Into the Beak of England. Nothing
more seemed to have occurred until yesterday, whet the
prosecutor asked for his pass book, end epos looking at it
found an entry of 2,5001. on the 20th of November, end in
consequenos of the entry resembling the handwriting of this
prisoner, hie woopioion was excited, and he made
inquiries at the Bans of England, and discovered that the
' bill had never been paid in. The athletics of the prisoner
was called to the entry in the book. sad be mid he would
explain it, but the police officer who was present took him
into custody. Tbo prisoner was afterwards asked what his
had does with the money, and he said that he bad lost it
by speculation. Upon this evidence the primmer was nr
minded.