The Express.
London, England, 1868-02-18 00:00:00

THE UHL OP DIRBT.

The Tines beats of Lord Derby's political career as
closed, and eaters into an elaborate review of his public)
services and his political life. It describes him as having
been a great party leader and • successful administrator.
The energy which distinguished him would have made
itself felt had he been born a poor man. After leaving the
whip be gradually drew nearer to staunch coosernative
principles, and no one will cupect•that he was • leader In lest
year's secession from the party doctrines. Ha was, on the
contrary, one of the "educated," and in common with his
party profited by the lessons which a more versatile in-
structor communicated. It is ea a brilliant speaker, a
power which may not make a man a great statesman, but
which makes him a great parliamentary leader—that be
will be chiefly remembered. His literary acquirements
and his love of horses contributed in their way to increase
his popularity among the mass of Englishmen.

Taking the some view of the seriousness of the Premier's
illness, the Post speculates upon the manner in which the
leadership of the conservative party will be supplied. His
son may take his place,but can scarcelyustuue his mantle,
or his brilliant lieutenant may be summoned to that post
to which his unparalleled talent and unequalled audacity
not unfairly lay claim. But the country party, who have
used the ability and followed the le►d of their unscrupu-
lous leader, may revolt at having to acknowledge him as
absolute chief.

THE SCOTCH &EPDXY BILL.

The Times urges that there will be no justification for a
party fight over the above bill. Certain defects in it must
be amended in committee, but the great majority of
its clauses can exalts no conflict of opinion. If the force
of criticism be frittered away in declarations on the
magical perfection of 658, and the impossibility of advanc-
ing so far se 665, because a reformed parliament may slip
into 666, the government will succeed in having the con-
duct of the bill much as they wish. The Team deprecates
such an event. It desires to see defects in the bill
amended, its errors abated, and therefore urges on all
opponents the necessity of weighing the comparative value
of their objections before committing themselves to them.
Praising the Lord Advocate for the businesslike and un-
pretending character of his speech, and briefly describing
the provisions of his bill, the Daily News observes that it
is the redistribution part of it which is open to objection.
The increase in the numbers of the House of Com-
mons is by no means a matter of indifference,
and to create them out of bare nothingness is
indirectly to protect an abuse of our existing system.
The village and small pocket boroughs of England receive
a kind of guarantee of impunity, and our contemporary is
glad to find Mr. Baxter and other Scotch members de-
clining the treacherous gift. The mode in which the go-
vernment proposes to distribute the additional seats
which it intends to crests is not likely to oonciliate oppo-
sition. It is labour wasted to devise, debate, and vote on
such a scheme. Sound policy requires that is should be
discarded and the great question of the redistribution of
seats throughout the United Kingdom be referred to the
new constituencies and the new House of Commons.

The Herald taus the Sarah liberals with being solely
influenced by party considerations. Never wu as oppoei-
tion more obstinate, vexatious, and pertinacious on points
of petty detaiL Of ourse, if this is to be the poßey of the
opposition, the present session must be • barren one. The
power of dissolution, which is the ordinary oonstitutional
' • . .

restraint on such an opposition, is wanting to the govern-
ment, and Mr. Gladstons's power of hinderanos is, there-
fore, almost unlimited.

zAar. irsuLL's pArraur.

The Standard regards Earl anneell's letter on !rebind am
a very seasonable one. The measure be propounds for the
improvement of the condition of the Isiah tenants is quite
unexceptionable, and him proposal to have a triple endow-
ment in the church question will encounter more vigorous
opposition on his own side than on the other. Admitting
the necessity for removing the inequality among lee
churches in Ireland, it is certainly preferable to divide the
endowments among the three churches than to take sway
the property from all.

The pamphlet disappoints the Star. These tenant•right
suggestions are not sufficient to meet the cue, and the
English radical party, u well as the English and Scotch
liberals, are almost to a man opposed to the principle of
state endowments provision. Under these dalmatians

the Star simply went. to know who are the persons Farl
Rowell expecte to carry it. It would cost far more trouble
to carry Berl Rosell's measure than one of simple, abso-
lute dim/idol/meat ; while the latter would be • step
in the right, the former in the wrong direction.
The Tdegraph remarks, as to the endowment question,
that every plan must wait until we settle the preliminarT
question—we we to have any Irish endowments! Wise
men are agreed in this, that we musk have in Ireland
complete eeckeiastioal equality ; either all the churches
must be di/endowed or all endowed. The endowment of
all I. a compromise not likely perhaps to excite popular
enthwiam, but it is a plan that a sagacious conservative
statemien should delight to propose ; while " the dieen-
doweent of all " would enlist those " fiery voluntaries "
I who, though a minority in numbers, have intense, if
narrow, enthuaiasm and great persistency in agitation.
One ting is clear : if the oompromiae is not speedily
puma, the more thorough and more revolutionary men-
awe is sore to be accomplished, especially in these
days when key ministers go at their measures " with •
rash."

DIATH OT 1318 NORTON JOSEPH NNATCHRULL.
Sir Norton Jk Snetohbull Bart., died on the 9th
inst. at his n house, of direase of the heart, from
which he had long suffered. He was the eldest son of the
Eight Hon. Sr Edward Knatelibull, the ninth buoys,
aad was barn at Provender. in Kent, on the 10th of July,
1808. He was educated at Winchester and Christ Chun,
Oxford, minted in 1831 the eldest daughter of Ur. J. W.
Buell, of Bees Rau, Staffordshire, and in 1849 suaneded
his father. He was • aped scholar and excellent
51'and distherged inert efficiently all the rett
r
eciaalry patients& Although unanooerfal is two
oceiteete in 1883 and 1885 for the representation of Nob
Kali, he eoutmendod great influence as a local politithia,
and rendered important 'seethes to the Ooneerrative
wau.3hinifini: earl sae, =ls Ragenefa
sasseeds to the

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