The Express.
London, England, 1868-01-04 00:00:00

Ehe •IPrefil.

1V 0011.11211PONDLWTS.
Idvaillawsaata Intended for •• The Zaproos." London !snubs!"
=wag be at the Moo, 10. Bouyiwiratroat. by Two
on the day of publication.

HAYMARKET.
Tiro Eviiingo, A WIFE WELL WON. Wears. Sotbera, Back-
atone, Howe, Kendal, Hosiers, Braid, Weatherstry,ete. Yin
Zobertaocc—After which AN UTTER FEE-VERSION Ole THE
BRlOAND.—Commence at 7.

PRINCFMS.
geeant THE COLLEIN DAWN. Mr. and Mee. Dion
ta—Atter which THIS STREETS OF LONDON. Mr
Thing, Messrs Murray, Shore, Neville. Forrester, Mellon, de.
Mimes Elsworthy, E. Ramat, Rachel Sanger, and Mrs. Addle.

STRAND.
THrs Brats, KIND TO A FAULT.—A Ike which will be pro-
duced a Orend Christmas Operatic Oriental Ket,aragense, TILT
CALIPH OF BAUDILO—And NOTHING TO NOUS.

HOLBORN.
Tins EVER//10, THE TWO POLTN. Mora Prlce anA Wld-
dloomb.—And VALENTINI AND ORSON ; OR. HARLEQUIN
THE BID REAR AND THE LITTLE FAIRY. Messrs. Lupins,
Green, and Resells: Mesdames Sawiden, Goodall. Montan, &c.

BRITANNIA.
TRty Zwitstno. DON QUIXOTE ; OR, SANCHO PANZA AND
HIS WIPE TV.R.ZA Mn. Lane, &Mluen Edwin& Rooth Pan-
tomimist' Messrs. Deane, Louis, Newham, and VI ctoreW ; Sldllo.
C. Stephan and MU, Rom Nathan.—And WHO DID IT

HIGH WATS& AT LONDON DiUMW.
t DAY —limning. 812. 2ta— __Afternoon. 110 L SGm.
to-Yomow—Morning. 9h. 1Dia......../N/0100S. 9tL 469,

LONDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 4.

Tue phrase "Extra-Parliamentary Utterances,
which used to appear prominently during the re-
cess in the columns of • powerful contemporary,
has at last disappeared, to the relief of all lovers
of good sense and good English. In the struggle
for existence, this linguistic monstrosity has
been overcome. The division which metaphy-
sicians have made of the universe into "the me"
and " the not-me" is scarcely couched in more
doubtful English, nor is its second term more
comprehensive. The barking of a dog, the im-
precations of a fishwife, the scandal of a " kettle-
" drum," the oratory of a Working Men's Con-
servative Association, are all " Extra-Parliamen-
" tary Utterances." We have the greatest possible
respect for the wisdom of Parliament ; but the
division of vocal performances into what is said
within its walls and what is said without them,
does, perhaps, magnify its place in the
world. Some critics, not content with
having hunted the phrase to death, are
anxious for the abolition of the thing which
it more especially exprtssed. They doubt the
usefulness of out-of-doors speeches by statesmen
and members of Parliament. It may be that
very few IloW truths are first announced, or that
little esoteric wisdom is brought within the vulgar
ken, in these speeches. But, if there is any
truth in the theory of representation, and of
intelligent personal choice, it is essential
that constituencies should know something of
their members, and members something of
their constituencies, in relations freer and
more easy than are possible in the bustle of
canvass and the excitement of contest. If this
informal intercourse and the silent understanding
which it produces were done away with, a string of
peremptory instructions would probably be its
substitute. The representative would be trans-
formed into the delegate. The opportunities
which the present practice offers to politicians of
the second or third rank , and to members habi-
tually sileut within the walls of the House of Com-
mons, are more valuable than those which it pre-
sante to political leaders. Mr. GLansrose and jr.!
DISRAELI can be judged fairly enough by their
Parliamentary speeches and conduct ; though even
they may derive benefit from the reminder that
the House of Commons is not a seltoriginated and
irresponsible body, nor the court of final appeal in
political matters. But the majority of members
require a near view to be seen at all. Their
speeches are not without interest and importance,
independent of their merits. That mysterious
influence which controls Ministers and party
leaders, whose action is felt and not seen, which
operates silently and subtly, and is known as
" the temper of the Home," or the " feeling of
" the party," is simply the aggregate judgment of
MHO six hundred, or three hundred, respectable,
moderately well-informed, usually sensible, silent
and obscure members of Parliament. The only
clue an observer from without has to this potent
force is in the out-of-doors speeches of the mass
of commonplace M.P.'s. The saying of the late
Sir Games Lewis that the House of Commons,
as a whole, is wiser than any of its members, may
be open to question, but it is indisputably more
powerful. An army of pigmies may be an over-
match for a glint.
It would be doing great injustice to a distin-
guished statesmen to attribute the interest which
attaches to Mr. CARDWELL'S speeches to consi-
derations of this kind. But, nevertheless,
guarded from all that would be offensive and
disparaging in such a use of them, they are not
wholly ungermane to his case. The powerful
individuality which is impressed on the speeches
of Mr. GLADSTONE, Mr. DIBRAELI, Mr. BRIGHT,
Mr. MILL, or Mr. Lows, prevents them being
anything but an expression of their own personal
convictions. Mr. CARDWELL, on the other hand, is
an admirable exponent of the general good sense,
the moderating temper, and practical sagacity of
official Liberalism: Its present position and its
future course may be computed from him with
greater accuracy than from any other political
luminary, assuming that there is no violent dis-
turbance
of the system. It is not necessary when
he is concerned to make allowancefor the perturbing
forces of genius and enthusiasm. A clear head, a
calm judgment, ,conciliatory and conscientious dis-
position, a fluent and pleasant style of speech, and
great parliamentary and administrative expe-
rience, are qualities which have the rarity,