The Express.
London, England, 1868-06-11 00:00:00

THE MEMBERS FOB WESTMINSTER.

As the recent action of the Jamaica Committee
has been made a plea for circulating a variety of
reports concerning Mr. J. S. MILL and the seat for
Westminster, it is satisfactory to find that the
committee for ensuring the re-election of the
sitting members is as influential and far-reaching
as when the Hon. Captain GROSVENOR and Mr.
MILL, were triumphantly returned. That the
Litter's action in the House of Commons had been
too pronounced for the Liberal party, and alienated
its leading members ; that philosophers were
proved to be too crotahetty for political work ;
and, lastly, that Ex-Governor Ems, backed by
the purse of the Carlton Club, will appear on the
Westminster hustings to put the final stroke to
the demolition of Mr. MILL, have been rumours
industriously circulated by the opposition camp.
Whether or no Mr. EYRE'S friends intend to
bring him forward as a candidate for Westminster
at the next election we have no means of judging ;
but such a course would be far more serviceable to
Mr. MILL than if Mr. W. H. SMITH were to
oppose him again. The latter is on old
grounds an infinitely more dangerous opponent
than the alleged nominee of the Carlton, and if
there is to be a contest at all, we can only hope
Mr. EYRE will be the Tory candidate selected
to go to the poll. The statements affecting the
character of the support which will be given
to Mr. MILL are best met by a few quota-
tions from the list of his and Captain
GROSVENOR'S committee. The first on the list is
that of the leader of the Liberal party, Mr. W.
E. GrAnsrotra, and it is followed by names of
which CaRDIFICLL, BRAND, Haaninproir, Macular,
BOUTERSE, Lord jolts HAY, and Earl GROSVENOR
are representative types. Nor is it alone, what
may be termed the official section of Liberalism
which is pledged to Captain GROSVENOR and
Mr. Max. Mr. ARTHUR KINNAIRD is a
member of the committee and treasurer of its
funds ; while, to pick names almost at random out
of the hundreds which form the committee, Pro-
fessor FaweErr, Captain Hairrrat, Mr. Coifs-
BILGE, Mr. Lin-zoom Clowsit, Mr. Fairs HILL,
Lord ALFRED Cutritemax, Professor CADINFJ3,
the Hon. LYtILPH STANLEY, Mr. Serjeant PABST,
Mr. HUTH, Professor HUXLEY, Colonel PAGET,
Mr. J. R. McCirn, Sir HARRY VETINEY,
Mr. HERMIT SPENCER, General &num,
and Mr. LESLIE STEPHEN show that the
people pledged to the Liberal candidates repro-
of nt very different realms of Politics, Society,
Literature, and Science. Indeed, the Westminster
Liberal committee is a representative one in the
best sense of the word ; and in the face of it Mr.
Ifirm's friends can afford to smile at the ingenious
threats of his opponents.

EVICHTBODIr who travels by railroad—and who
does not ?—must be struck by the vast wilderness
of waste land that stretches upon both sides of
the line. In some places the soil of these em-
bankments is poor enough, in others it is rich and
fertile, but in ether case it is untended save in a
few instances all the more noticeable for their rarity.
There is little question that a large proportion of
this soil might be turned to good account, if it
were let to tenants at a moderate rental, while the
companies could readily guard themselves against
any possible inconvenience resulting from
the tillage of their embankments. How to use
these banks to the best advantage is not for us to
decide, but it is obvious that many of the moat
serviceable fruit* and roots—etrawberries and po-
tatoes for example—might be cultivated upon
them, or the trial might be made, as it has been
successfully made in France, of planting pear
trees or other hardy standards where the soil is
suitable. Experiments such as these would be
chiefly undertaken in rural or semi-rural districts.
In the suburbs of alljour large cities, on She contrary,
where in so many instancee the gardens of well-to-
do citizens terminate at the railway, why should
not the unsightly embankment be covered with
trees, or shrubs, according to the fancy of the
residents ? We venture to say that if the land
were apportioned off in this manner, at a nominal
rental, there are hundreds of gentlemen who
would gladly be at the expense of planting.
Indeed, there could be no prettier addition to the
suburban garden than a few clumps of spruce or
P,ootch Ara, sloping down from a terrace walk. In
this way an unsightly object would, at a trifling
cost, be converted into a thing of beauty. The
neglect of railway gardening is passing strange in
a country where land is so precious.

IT is a' a`ed, in the Continental press, that the
POPE will invite the Bishops of the " schismatic "
Greek and Protestant churches to thefacumeuical
Council of December, 1869. From this doubtful
story it is inferred that the subject of
the marriage of the clergy will be dis-
cussed. The inference is scarcely warranted
by the premises. But if the point should be con-
sidered, and a decision given in favour of the prin-
ciple of celibacy, it would be desirable to know
whether the " schismatic" Bishops attending will
Consent to a repeal of the married union.

Mr. Justice Hennes, in the =avoidable teb-
Fence of the Lord Chancellor, presided last evening at the
eighth annual dinner of the nolioitors' Benevolent Asso-
ciation, at Willis's-rooms. Tho attendance inoledni Br.
Hinds Palmer, q.c., Mr. Cole, CM., Mr. Meld, QM.,
Mr. Prid" at re Q.C. and several eminent solicitors. The
chief ohject of the aseciebition is to relieve poor ard
necraiihms member', who must be attorney', solicitors, or
proctors, pract sing in England and Wales at the time of
their edm.amion. Tiom various statements made dur
the evening. it seems that there are now 1,866
merrbers enrolled, of whom 843 aye life, and
1,223 annual members. Since last October there
had
_ix en eighty additional members admitted.
TB; IitzATNT BANN STOPTAON AT PRESTON.—
The serious* of Maser. liwkell, Arrowenith„ and Hen-
del's beak. Fusion, have resolved to Ray a first dividend
of 4a. la the pound on the 22nd init. The bank easpenied
53 meet on the 3rd ult.. end though the assets are small,
the assigetwe will be able to pay 4e. at the early date
named. There are 600 creditors of the beak.