The Express.
London, England, 1868-01-29 00:00:00

OUR CON TEMPORARIES.

(THIS DAY.)

FRENCH AFFAIR%
The Daily News observes that had M. Fould, who
was brought into the confidence of his sovereign during
the momentary pause in a career of extravagance, lived a
few months longer he would have seen all his confidence in
the duration of peace, and all his efforts to restore order
in the finances of his country, topple down like castles
of cards before the Ministers of War and Marine.
M. Idagne—for M. Reuher was nothing but a
Minister ad irtto int—is the true representative of
the financial policy of the Second Empire ; • policy of un-
foreseen augmentations of expenditure, of extraordinary
credits, of " events beyond control," of supplementary re-
source., of deficits, and consequently and finally of loans.
Were it not for the admirable efficiency of the permanent
administrative services which France inherits from the
Consulate, it may be doubted whether even the immense
resources of the country, the vigour and industry of the
population, could resist the reckless profusion of the ex-
ecutive. The figures of M. Magne supply an instructive
estimate of the cost of personal government, from which,
unfortunately, every state in Europe has suffered.
If thepreposterous sentence on the ten French journals,
prohibiting them from publishing abstracts of the discus-
' sions in the legislature, be confirmed, and no alteration be
made in the law, it will not surprise the Timis to learn
that many of the leading Paris journals no longer report
discussions in the legislature at all. The effect of such s
step on their own circulation, it suspects, would be much
less conaideruble than its effect on the character of legisla-
tion. The imperialist party in France, properly so shed,
is comparatively weak in literary ability, but this fact is
8 by no means wholly dire to the predominance of republican
t or Orleanist tendencies in the literary clam It is due
k also to the shortsighted policy which has made an enemy
of that class from which it might have secured powerful
d allies. The maintenance of such absurd restrictions as
ro that upon summarizing debates is indefensible from any
and every point of view.

THE FENIAN DISCLOSURES.
Giving the substance of the witness Mullany's evidence
at Bow-street yesterday, the Times observes it is almost
incredible that a whole kingdom should be kept in alarm
by a knot of such wretched creatures as were the agents of
Fenianism in London. If Mullany's story be true, if the
police be on the right track, British power in its capital
and stronghold has been threatened by a few tailors on
1 strike, needy artisans, and the like men, living in crowded
lodging-houses in back lanes, and obliged to discuss
anxiously how to raise a few shillings for the purposes of the
conspiracy. Of course we have no right to assume that what
this man Mullany says is true. Such testimony must
always be taken with the very greatest enspicion, and
should, indeed, be rejected unless it be generally con-
firmed by more independent and trustworthy witnesses.
Justice meanwhile must be rendered to the energy and
sagacity of the police who have investigated this crime.
It is remarked by the Telegraph that the statements
made by Mullany have been forced from him under the
influence of fear. He was included among the batch
charged with the crime of wilful murder ; him apprentice
had already furnished testimony which, unless it were effec.
tually contradicted, would implicate him with the other pri-
soners ; and his confessions, whether they are true or false,
must be ascribed to a desire for immunity from extreme
punishment. Testimony of this kind has always been re-
garded with suspicion in an English court of justice, and,
before it can be admitted to have weight with a judge or
jury, it must be corroborated in the most ample fashion.
Whatever may be thus stated will have to stand the test
of legal ingenuity and searching cross-examination. Mean-
while the mere appearance of Mullany in the witness-box
will fill the whole brotherhood of crime with suspicion.