The Express.
London, England, 1861-04-17 00:00:00

1:1011_NATIN AT LONDON BRIDGE.

?rm.
70411•10/11—Marsts6 ... Misesschh ;h. 23m.

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, APRIL 17.

THE Burgesses of Marylebone have sometimes

had reason to complain of the default of good
candidates at Parliamentary elections ; they now
know what it is to have too many. Of the three
Liberal gentlemen whose candidature we may treat
as serious, either would make • fair, and one or
two of them an excellent Member of Parliament.
Mr. IlAitv Ey Lewes was first in the field, and
possessing thoroughly Liberal principles, and
having recently fought a good fight for Reform at
Hull, he at once rallied many of the accepted leaders
Of the local Liberal party to his cause. Mr. Wax-
(move Coosa is a gentleman of high character and
proved ability. His opinions also are most liberal,
but he has very fairly told the electors that he is
a moderate and prudent politician. He is fighting
his own battle with tremendous energy, leaving
nothing to chance or " the initiative of public
" opinion." If Mr. COOKE saw that the cause of
Reform was only to be won, like Marylebone,
by resolute and untiring effort, his return would
prove an invaluable addition to the Liberal party
in Parliament. Mr. MARERMIJr, the third
Liberal candidate, in the order of his ap-
pearance, comes forward under the sanction
of Indian celebrities, and with the support of
well-known religious interest.. Sir JOHN Law-
macs enters the arena of politics to take the
ehair at one of his meetings, and Sir H. HANN-
tom, his nephew, speaks for him. The organ of
the Evangelical Church party gives him its good
word, and Nonconformity is represented at his
side in the person of Sir Moarox Pero. The
metropolitan constituencies have often done them-
selves
honour by accepting as representatives
men who had won distinction otherwise than
in political strife, and Mr. Massamsx probably
knows more about India and its interests than any
other man in this country. Perhaps the num-
ber of the rival Liberal candidates might have been
doubled without tempting • Conservative candi-
date into the field, had their various merits been
lees nearly balanced. We cannot profess to regret
that Sir RoBLRT CARDEN has been brought for-
ward, or that the constitution of his committee
promises a strong party fight. The prolonged
abstention of an important part of the consti-
tuency from the borough elections will be termi-
nated. At the last general election Mr. Euwtx
Jamas, who was at the head of the poll, was re-
turned by less than one-fourth of the number of
registered electors. It is not well that a
great party should systematically absent
itself from the contests of so considerable a
borough as Marylebone. Only, let the Liberals
in the constituency take heed. Let it not be
said to-morrow night that Ittaryleboot has ac-
cepted the !minims of the Lords ROHR= MON.
TAO° and Cecil..

Tee Bill introduced by Mr. MONCLTON
for legalising marriage with a deceased wife's sister
is to be read a second time to-day. We earnestly
hope it will be passed by a majority sufficiently
decisive to deter the Upper House from persisting
any longer in the dangerous and obstructive
course it has hitherto pursued on this questiom
This is one of those subjects on which the House
of Lords has in the interest of an extreme ecclesi-
astical faction, repeatedly opposed the deliberate
judgment of the nation. The proposed relaxation
of the existing law has been supported by •
greater number of pethions than any other
popular measure of recent times. Taking into
account the petitions presented within the last
few days, it may be said that upwards of a minion
persons have directly appealed to the Legislature
in favour of the proposed obenge. The petition•
comprise not only the various bodies of Dissentses
throughout the kingdom, not only lay members of
the Establishment of all ranks, but high dignitaries
of the Church, and the most active section of the
clergy. The representative branch of the Legis-
lature has very naturally responded to this strung
and persistent expression of the national will. In
the House of Commons • measure for legalising
marriage with a deceased wife's sister has been
paned by large majorities no less than four times.
The House of Lords has rejected it as often, but
each time by narrower majorities. On the lest
occasion, indeed% the measure was loetby only every
few votes, and the large minority in favour of the
Bill included several of the more liberal members of
the Episcopal bench. A commission of the Upper
House, presided over by • Bishop, had moreover
previously reported in favour of altering the
existing law. The Hereditary Chamber thus not
only opposes public opinion and the Lower House,
but the formal recommendation of a chosen
number of their own body. It is high time for
their own sake, for the sake of the Church, as well
as for the sake of public law and order, that this
unseemly oonfl.ct between a few bigoted Peers
and the majority of the nation should cease.
What possible pretext, indeed, can be alleged
in favour of the continued opposition of the Peers
Nothing that we know of, except, perhaps, an
annual meeting such as that held on Friday last
at Willis's Rooms by a few well-known opponents
of the measure. We fear, however, that a meeting
of this kind can scarcely supply to Statesmen who
care fur public opiniou even a decent pretence for
opposing the Bill. It was, indeed, one of those
indiscreet demonstrations of partial friends which
do harm rather than good, by exposing the inhe-
rent weakness of the cause, and its utter want of po-
pular support. The meeting of Friday was like the one
held last year, almost exclusively clerical and aris-
tocratical in its composition. But the proceedings
of the meeting were, for all public purposes, even
weaker sod worse than its composition. Instead

of attempting to meet the facts and arguments
adduced by the supporters of the Bill, the meeting
created its own facts by special resolutions,
and pronounced on the exclusive validity
of its own one-sided and fanatical reason-
ings. The facts to be met are the parliament-
ary and popular support which the measure has
commanded during the last ten years. Mr.
Bintenroati Hurt undertook to deal with the first
fact—the majority which the Bill has secured in
the House of Commons—and the way he attempted

to dispose of it is certainly amusing enough. Ac-
cording to Mr. Hor e • decision of the House of
Completes repeatedly pronounced is no index
whatever of public opinion. "It is folly,"
he asserts, "to say that the feel-
" ing of this country is in favour of the
" change." Only an anonymous association, and
a few individuals who happen to have married
their wife's sister, really advocate the measure.
These individuals, Mr. Hors asserts, have either
bought or intimidated the House of Commons.
" In the House," we are told, "there are borough
" members who look out for their return again.
" On those the screw is put by some influential
" voter, who has himself, or whose friend, or
" whose partner has transgressed the law. Some
" 50 members have been choked off out of the
" House of Commons, and some 50 more did not
" care to vote against the measure, because their
" election turned on their vote. And this was the
" secret of the majority by which the bill had
" passed session after session." It certainly is a
curious secret, and one well worth knowing—that
the seats of a large majority of members in
the Lower House depend on a single
vote, and that the voter has in every
case either married his deceased wife's sister, or
is connected with a family where such a marriage
has taken place. As if this explanation were not
quite sufficient, Mr. HOPS further suggests that
the anonymous association has gained the majority
by its "lavish wealth "—in other words, bought
up the majority of English boroughs and their re-
presentatives. Now, assertions of this kind may
do very well for a small aristocratic gather-
ing at Willis's Rooms. Elderly ladies and weak-
minded young gentlemen may perhaps believe
them, but it would be impossible in an ordinary as-
sembly of Englishmen to outrage public credulity
in this way. Such a fabulous and puerile expla-
nation of a great parliamentary fact would be sure to
excite the scorn and ridicule it so richly deserves.
The second fact—that of the popular demand for
the proposed change—was disposed of in a still
more summary and characteristic manner. This
was done by the simple machinery of a motion, the
high-born assembly resolving unanimously that
the working claws do not desire the change. No
evidence was adduced in support of this resolution,
except the testimony of five clergymen who are
active opponents of the Bill. But at Willis's
Rooms the ex parte testimony of five clerical wit-
nesses was accepted as more decisive evidence of
popular feeling than the Report of a Commission
specially appointed to inquire into the subject,
and the ascertained fact of the number of marriages
with a deceased wife's sister that annually
take place amongst this class. The friends
of the measure point to the multitude of
petitions presented to both Houses, signed by
about • million persons, belonging mainly to the
middle and lower classes. The aristocratic oppo-
nents of the measure meet this fact by resolving
unanimously amongst themselves that these classes
do not desire what they petition Parliament to
grant. This is very like resolving, in a season of
scarcity, that it is impossible the poor can starve
as long as curry powder is to be bad.
The meeting of Friday was not happier in its
arguments than in its facts. The speakers se-
lected the very weakest point in the attempted de-
fence of the existing arbitrary restriction—that of
Scriptural authority. They paraded again that
ambiguous interpretation of doubtful passages
which has been refuted over and over again by
some of the ablest theologians and biblical critics
in the Church. But the leading speakers made up
for the want of valid argument by their strength
of assertion and bitterness of tone. The Bishop
Of SALISBURY, for example, boldly stigmatised the
marriages which the Bill before the House proposes
to legalise, as " incestuous fornication." Yet
these very marriages are justified by the ablest di-
vines, advocated by the most earnest clergy, and
supported by dignitaries and prelates of his
own Church. They were first prohibited by the
Romish Church for its own purposes ; and this
prohibition, resting only on canonical authority,
has long since been done away with in most Pro-
testant countries of Europe. For a Protestant
Prelate to denounce them, at this time of day, as
the worst form of sin, is the mere excess of
fanatical intolerance. Such a declaration will
still further alienate public sympathy from the
opponents of the Bill, and help forward its pro-
gress through boll Houses.

THE BISHOP OP ELT AND " =Ars AND

ssriswa•

The following memorial (mays the Bury mod
Ifenr,eis Poole) has bees poosseted to the Lord
of
of
this dime's, with the signatures of 141 slorgyeet of the
ktobilescoary of illedbory

"TO THE MONT SET. TEE LORD BISHOP Or L.T.
"The nadeisigned, beiag clergy resident within the
Areiriesooary ot Redbury, in your lordship's diocese,
Amin to express t. your lordship their deep feelings at
sorrow and alarm at the promnigation d 0111141 in opinions
recently pat Wilt ins book entitled • Fogeys and Reviews,'
views,'
asemiters at the amok of England. Can.
Wt them opinion@ are soot/sty to Holy
=hjo the minis sad to the kemelaries dthe
Church, and are in their tendency
enisreeelve of the very foundations et Chilstisalty,
they view with dismay the feet that ouch views ire
by say to wham is canunitted the new of souls,
or instruction of youth in our &diode or universities.
Andean to express th• atter diusnt from such tabu
and dangeroue riparian, and in the hope that the COW -
musiestioa at the teenage at the clergy throughout the lend
'any strengthen the heeds of their bishops is taking each
measures to meet this evil as they in their wisdom shoot
deem best, the undenigned have thus addremed year lord.
ship. For, deeply attached as they Sr. to the principles
d teleratiom and highly ea they prime the liberty d free
dismission. they feel this there are busies to speudative opi.
nice whirls cannot be trusegressul without treason to the
gospel of Christ. sad without imminent danger to the
church, should she permit such liaises to the authorised
teachers of her creed. '

lo reply to which the following letter has bass reasived
from his lordship :

Cbt Court.

" London, 12th April, 1861.
"Bev. and dear Sir. —Soon after you were so good as to eaR
epee me here, I had a serious attack of ingenues. together
with a most painful disorder in my eyes. which I have Dot
yet got rid of. The ooneequence was that I really became
Jew-Liable of my usual attention to business. I treat that
this statement will he accepted as an apology for having de-
layed to acknowledge the numerously signed memorial of
the clergy id the archdeaconry of Sudbury, resusette. the
volume of Emmy' awl Reviews,' published not keg ago.
I think you mint have perceived that I had derived gnat
satisfaction from the memorial, expreieirig strong
bathe of the opinions contained in that vol
which bad been censured by the united votes of an
the archbishops sod bishops of England and Wales.
At the close of a long life, devoted to the atsdy of the
scriptures. I newt express my concern on ill Meg SIMS
persons educated in our universities—six of them
of the church of England--sivowing opinions which
for-
merly been employed by unbelievers with the indisputable
intention of shaking the Christian faith to its very founds-
tiou. Such opinions, put forth, for whatever purpose, by
learned and able mem, have, it is to be feared, ..settled
the minds of many persons. who may be driven from un-
easiness and doubt into a state of reckless infidelity. This
is lamentable in the extreme; but, confiding in the decla-
ratiotis of holy writ. I am well conviocod that the mem el
divine truth will still prosper in the (March of this land.
Believe ine, rev. and dear sir. your very faithful servant,
T. Frio.—Bev. J. Richardson."

THE EXPRESS, WEDNESDAY EVENING, APRIL 17, 1861.
LATEST INTELLIGENCE.

The Queen held a Privy Council, yesterday
afternoon, at Osborne. It was attended by the Prince
Consort, Fart Granville, Lord President ; and Viscount
Sydney, Lord Chamberlain.

Mr. A. Helm the Clerk of the Privy Council, ►ttended.
Earl Ovenvill• and Viscount Sydney left Osborne at 4
o'clock. crossed in the Fire Queen to Gosport, and returned
to London by the South-Western Railway.

Her Majesty's Commissioners for the Exhibition of 1%2
hays received communications from the French, Belgian,
and Swedish governments, stating that active measures are
being taken for the formation of commissions to represent
the exhibitors from those countries. The Minister of the
Interior in Belgium will in the meantime communicate with
her Majesty s commissioners.
In Hanover the Directors of the Society of Prides
(Gewerbe Verein), and the Committee of the Society ,of
.trts (Kunst Verein), will act se the commission for that
country.
Her Majesty's Commissioners held a meeting at their
offices in the Strand yesterday.
The Finance Committee held a meetingst the;offices of her
Majesty's commissioners in the Strand yesterday.
Despatches were received yesterday at the Colonial-office
from the governors of the North American Provinces. the
Lced High Commisnooer of the looian Islands, and the
Governor of the Cape of Good Hope. Despatches were
mot to the governors of the West India Islands and
British Columbia.

ALMACK.S. The first subscription of these
fashionable ballshas been appointed by the ladies patronesses
to take place on the following alternate Thursdays :
Thursday, May 2 ; Thursday, May 16 ; Thursday, May 30.
The balls will be given under the same distinguished
patronage as last year, and a very full subscription is
anticipated.

The Archbishop of York and the Misses Longley
have arrived at Hereford-street, Park-lane, for the season.
The Marchioness of Sligo's first evening dancing•
party will take place on Wedneeday next, the 24th lust.

The Earl and Countess of Fife and Lady Ann
Duff have arrived at Claridge 's Hotel, from Rome.

The Earl of Derby left towu yesterday for New
market. The Counter of Derby has issued invitations for
an assembly on the 24th inst.

The Earl and Countess Fitzwilliam and family
arrived yesterday at their midenos in Grosvenor-square,
from Wentworth Home, Yorkshire, for the season.

The Earl of Bantry has arrived at Thomas's
Hotel, Berkeley-square, from Bantry Castle, Ireland.
The Countess of Sefton had a dancing party
last evening, at her residence in Groevenorplace, at which
• numerous and fashionable circle assembled.

Lord and Lady Aveland and the Hon. Misses
Heatheote have arrival in Belame-Nam, from Norman..
ton Park, liatimid, for the mason.

Lady Henniker has issued cards for a dancing
party as Monday, the nod inst. _ _

POLAND.
THORN, Aran 16, Evrarnto.

The negotiations with Count Zamoiski and M.
Lewinski have, up to tho present, remained with-
out mutt.

M. Wielopolski will shortly proceed to St. Peters-
burg, the Emperor wishing to have a personal con-
ference with him on the state of things in Poland.
News from the provinces indicate the existence
of an irritable feeling among the presents against
the noblemen.

Rumours are current of a bloody conflict having
takeu place at Lublin.

PARIS, Amu. 16.
The Prase states that, in the recent disturbances
at Kiew, 150 persona were killed and wounded.

ITALY.

TtTRIN, TIILIMAT EVENT.qO.

- Lady Rolle arrived in town yesterday fram her
seat. agar Enter, for the season.

It is believed that the discussion of Garibaldi's
project of law relative to the national armament
will commence on Thursday next.
The project of law in reference to the new title
of government act,' was discussed to-day in the
Chamber of Deputies without any remarkable in-
cident.

Sir Robert and Lady Emily Peel enter4ined the
Marquis of Tweeddale and Lady Julia Rey, the Marchioness
of Ely, the Earl and Countess Stanhope, Lord Wynfonl,
Ron. Arthur Kinnaird, Sir Roderick Murchison, Mr.
Gregory, M.P., Mr. and Mrs. IL Reeve, M. Du ChMlln,
and a select party at dinner last evening, at their mansion
In Whitehall-garden',

The discussion will be continued to-morrow.
TURIN. Ana 16.
The health of Garibaldi has improved.
NAPLES (vu Emmaus.), Amu 12.
Forty persons coming from Rome have been
arrested.

A depot of arms and very important papers rela-
tive to a conspiracy have been discovered.

AUSTRIAN ITALY.

TURIN, Apnrc 16.

The Opinion of to-day says :—" The assemblies
of the councillors of the communes of Venice, Ve-
rona, and Vincenza, for the purpose of electing de-
puties to the council of the empire at Vienna, have
led to no result, as there was not the number of
councillors present prescribed by law. At Padua
not one councillor appeared. The Communal
Council of Udine has appointed as deputies three
citizens who are, at present, prisoners in the for-
trees of Olmutz."

Mr. and Lady Margaret Beaumont entertained
a select circle at diaper Let evening, at their residiace in
Pkeadilly.

AUSTRIA.

VIENNA, V7iDszaDLY,

The second voting in the Istrian Diet for the
election of deputies to the Reicharath took place
yesterday.
The number of votes given not being sufficient to
elect any representative, the Diet was prorogued.

VIENNA, APRIL 16.

An immense crowd of people is assembled in St.
Stephen's-square. The palace of the archbishop is
occupied by a strong body of soldiers. Numerous
mounted patrols and gendarmes are traversing the
streets. The people are very quiet. The patrols
maintain a calm and watchful attitude.

Lady Caroline Meld and Miss Corry are passing
a few weeks at the Beulah Spa bydrepathic establish-
ment.

Lord Overstone has been elected churchwarden
of St. Martin'rin•the-Fiekle, in the room of Mr. Henry
Hoare, ulnae term of °Moe hu expired.

On Tuesday, Mr. William Ewart will move—
" flat ti. weber of members constituting select commit-
tees be reduced—except when it shellseem good to the

home to extend their number—to seven, or nice, members ;
sod that they may be pained by the committee of selec-
tion, who shall choose such members ou aexunt of their
acquaintance with the subject submitted to their considera-
tion, and shall adopt measures for insuring, as far es pos-
sible, the constant attendance of such members in the save-
, ral committees."