The Express.
London, England, 1850-12-27 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENM44,\DECEMBER 27, 1850.-

sionately will admit. But let not judie'sal reform..
be made the pretext for political retreigrellike : if
most have a Minister of Justice let hies-hit jimembo
of the House cf Commons.
-------VIF. -.......\ 6,
THE following letter from • "Betiliffeilt oftthe
United States precludes, we regret to say, at least for
the present, the hope that London will, during the
coming Exhibition, be honoured by the presence of
the executive head of the great republic. Mr. Sremel
the gentleman to whom the letter is addressed, is an
American, who has been for upwards of twenty years
Iseident in this country, during most of which time
be has been at the head of one of the la
end most reepsetab'e commission houses inr
cheater engaged in the American trade. Al-
though seeing much in this country to admire
and respect, and being himself held in the
highest esteem by the community amongst whom he
resides, he is One of the few Americans who, after a
somewhat lengthened contact with Europese society,
cantinas to hold fast by their political principles, or
to retain any affection for the democracy of their
country. Confessedly opposed to President Flu-
MORE in polities, yet anxious that every possible step
should be taken to draw closer the ties which bind
the two countries together, he took the li-
berty of suggesting to the President that
the Exhibition would present a fitting oppor-
tunity for a visit from the head of the republic, to the
capital of fatherland. In common with others, both
E'glish and American, he believed that such suavest
would pave the way for a visit from her MAJESTY to
the City of New York, the citizens of which would
vie with each other in giving her a rapturous god
national reception. It is not the first time that
rumour has assigned to Her MAJESTY an intention to
take a trip to her North American provieese—and
should she ever fulfil that intention her easiest
and safest way of reaching Canada would be
by lust proceeding to New York. It is obvious how
much such interchanges of courtesy on the part of the
respective heads of the two nations would tend to
strengthen the bonds of sympathy and good feeling
between them. From the following, however, which
is the P&CSIDENT'S reply, it would appear that the
first step towards such a result is not likely to be im-
mediately taken.
Washington City, D.C., United States,
Dec 1,1860.
Wit tea S. Stall, Esq., Manchester.
My dear Sir —I have the honour to acknowledge the ISO
stint of your kind letter of the Bth ult., through Mr. Her'
dell, expressieg the hope that I may visit the World's la '
in London, in May nest, and 'bowing me that if I do se I
shall receive • cordial welcome from my eountryntea in Rag-
land, and tendering me the hospitalities of year own house
, whilst I remained at Manchester.
Previous to the death of my lamented predecessor I had
twaleipated the pleasure of visiting Londoa at the time of
the fair, but 1 deem it now impossible to leave my official
daties here; and your kind letter causes • still deeper regret
st my disappointment. Were it possible for me to be absent
be wet a length of time, nothing could be more gratifyiaa
dna le swept your proffered hoe pitalitiee. I well recollect
imetbeg you and your lady in the fall of 1837, and should be
extremely happy to resew the acquaintance. Independent
at that, I have always felt • strong desire to visit Great
Iritais. Is soil is chaste ground to me, and I should he
mast baggy to be able to make a personal comparison between
the leadiog men of that country and my own, and to we
hew far we have improved upon the political institutions of
she mother textuary. But this must be deferred till a more
esavenient season
Accept my thanks for your kindness; remember me most
medially to your lady, and believe, trul yours,
MILy LFtLLItORS.
The PRESIDENT is, of course, best acquainted with
the nature and urgency of his own official duties;
but we would respectfully suggest that in May or
June, the time occupied in such a journey need not
exceed six weeks, giving fully three weeks for sojourn
in England. It seems somewhat strange to us that,
when the Emperor NICHOLAS, who is himself the
elate, the government, the all-in-all in Ramis, can
be absent, without detriment to the empire, from his
territories for weeks at a time, Mr. FILLMORE, who is
at the head of a constitutional, and, to a certain
extent, a self-regulating machine, cannot hazard a
six weeks' absence from the federal capital. We have
known journeys spread over as long a period taken
by Precdents before this. It is true that these were
confined to the limits of the republic, but the machine
of government was, during the time, left pretty much
to its own action. Tee journey now proposed for
the PRErIDENT would not keep him away from
the capital much longer than his predecessors
were detained by a visit to Niagara. Besides,
the time is eminently propitious, inasmuch as
the session of Coogress now pending is what
is known as the "short session," being termi-
nable by law on the 4th of March next. From that
time to the first Monday of the following December,
the Retentive will be relieved from the presence of a
hostile or crochetty legislature. No time could, there-
fore, be more favourable for the temporary absence of
the PRESIDENT. But, as we have already raid, he
knows his own business best, and all that we can now
assure him is that we shall be del,ghted to welcome
him whenever he may choose to come. He has already
secured for himself the respect and confidence of the
thinking portion of the public on this side of the
Atlantic, so that both on individual and national
J 1 grounds we can bespeak for him a cordial reception.
in

►Se of
ge. if j

To have one great cattle market, with slaughter-
houses, for the supply of London on the side of High-
gate Hill, is the plan proposed by the Times, in
opposition to the other which we have described. The
Highgate Hill proposal, unfortunately, Delves none of
the difficulties and removes none of the inconve-
' niences. The question is, are cattle to be driven to
and fro, through the streets and across the bridges?
If they are, the reinvest of the actual vending place a
few miles off will obviate very few of the evils com-
plained of, whilst it will create other evils not only
tantamount, but of a nature to be more severely felt.
There can be no doubt that what would be most
desirable for the police and security of the streets, as
well as for the sanity of town-life and its abodes,
would be two cattle markets,one south-west, the other
north, at some convenient distance from town,
together with many abattoirs or alaughteriog establieh-
meets in convenient vicinity to the quarters to be sup-
plied. For, as to slaughtering at Highgate all the mut-
ton that is to be consumed in Southwark and the Green-
wich-road, the inconvenience, loss, impract;cability,
and increased expense, would be such as to preclude
all possibility of its being persevered in. The double
market, the many abattoini, the prohibition against
cattle passing the bridges—this is what the public
have a right to ask, and would ask, were it possible.
Bat there seems to be no one who will declare that
it is feasible. The committee had admitted It not to
be so. And we must own that we do not ourselves
see how, in these days of free trade, any regulation
could be sanctioned, that would make the sale and
supply of meat quite different on one side of the river
and upon the other, without that free interoommuni-
cation which would restore the loud of prices.
If then the double market be impossible, if the par
sage of cattle over the bridges cannot be prohibited—
two cooclordons which we so greatly regret that we
shell be always ready to reconsider them—if cattle can-
not be slaughtered, all of them, six or seven miles from
the place of sale, without seriously affecting the con-
ditions of sale or of supply, then we fear much that
the halloos of advantages and inconveniences be.
twain a great market at Highgate, one at Islington,
or cee more central, connected by a great street with
Islington, will prove most in favour of the latter.
We hear, indeed, a peat many reasons urged in
behalf of this central market which are by no means
oreclusive; such are the great and undoubted ad-
maps of the vicinity of this market and its monied
expenditure to the shops and retail trade of the City,
and the oenespiest less to a number of industrious
people, were this market removed. If the public in-
terests demand it, however, we are not to atop for
mai motives as these; although they exist as stress
remain for not sacrificing even those interests to mere
idle and ill-calculated love of change, productive of no
advantage whatever except to other private interests,
and newer speculations.
Let as topsider, for example, the scheme of the
raiser That journal has found several extensive
fials—sonewbon " between Highbury and Han-
sty.' It his seen the proprietor," who is anxious
to sell at 'the highest price parliament will give him.
It hai seen " an eminent engineer," who will convert
"'IGO semi of unoccupied eloping ground " into any
sort of miaket that may be prescribed to him. " Hosea
aid shops, Oases and abattoirs are naturally a part
Ohl denier' He will build " a foreign dead meat
market sad home dad mat marker," thereby rair
=mat lei the prostors by forcing evert
to campy two ah instead of we. Hs
II will, of wares, wake " line of railroed to awned
the rivet and the merket f and, in of to ovoid the

ijae streete, he will ahp °e-
ft, soserill et eßkallskies tiP
se at each hateheere shop
is is the greed plea of '
The I nails, ,of course.
A no pridaselnce for this partichlar plea;" only it
Asks tbas,it.deciderily " embraces all the required
advantages, and ought to have a full and fair trial."
It is a pity it omits to tell us what " the full and fair
would cost, and that it does not say a
single word es to who would profit or
stiffer by conceding it. Information upon these
points would have been more satisfactory.
Oar contemporary argued yesterday that be-
canoe the corporation sees fit to defend it. vested
interests, the public should take from that body
the entire control of the cattle markets of Lon-
don, and should permit them to be vested in the
hands of a company. or of a private individuaL
Why, if one point more than another has been esta-
blished in connexion with this subject, it is the utter
impossibility of properly regulating a great cattle
market which is not in the hands of some public and
responsible body. The control may be vested
in the hands of the government, as are the NW,
markets; of Paris, or it may be vested in a greet
corporation, like that of London, the meadare
of mhich are responsible to the citizens at large at
annual elections. But to talk of placing in the
hands of private speculators the supply of this great
metropolis with it, daily food, is one of the most
monstrous proposals that could be conceived. The
Times has talked (most unwarrantably) of the proposals
of the city, as proposals which would raise the price
of meat in the metropolis. What security could the
public have for the price of meat if a private land-
owner and an engineer at Holloway were to be per-
mitted to have the cattle-markets of London entirely
in their own hands?
Some people imagine that the markets of London
are enormously productive, and that rapid fortunes are
to be made by such extravagant projects as have been
shadowed forth. Before any unhappy speculators ire led
to embark in such enterprises, we advise them cautiously
to look at the £s. d. Suppose the 160 mess of land
"between Highbary and Horusey" to be purchased—
suppose the market to be built thereon—suppose the
direct line of railway to the Thames to be constructed
—where, let us ask, is the divideod to come from ?
We very much fear, we must "suppose" that too.
For at the present tolls, the annual gross revenue
derived from Smithfield market is no more than
6,4491. a ear and out of that gross revenue
more than 3,0001. goes in charges of management
and of collection. How far will the 3,0001. remaining
go towards paying interest on the purchase money of
the 160 acres and dividends upon the railway shares,
' and upon the cash expended in bricks and mortar, and
in the charges of the " engineer ?" It is quite
obvious that no such scheme as that proposed
meld be carried out without raising the charges on
the animals brought to market, to such an unreason-
'this height as to affect the price of meat.
The Highgate scheme has, in fact, not even the
practicability and promise of the Islington one. It
lie unfortunately admitted that there mast be a great
dream of cattle through the metropolis from north to
ssath, from the northern roads over blackfriare-
I bridge. This must be attended with inconvenience
lead danger to those living upon and frequenting such
thoroughfares. We see, however, no help fur it, but
regulating the passage and facilitating it in every
possible way. An arch, for instance, flung over the
end of Farringdon-street, and connecting Holborn
with Newgate street, would completely lemons great
thoroughfare. Such precautions as these being taken
to obviate serious, though apparently unavoidable,l
evils, it is not of so much consequence on what exact
point of the great cattle passage-road the actual sale of
it takes place.

City.

GERMANY.

DRESDEN, Dec. 23.

The German question, after wandering in 1847
from Frankfort to Vienna, thence in 1848 to Berlin,
back again to Frankfort, substquently to Erfurt,
twice or thrice to Warsaw, back again to Berlin, and
once to Olmutz—after wandering further within
three years than ever German student or German
mechanic—has at last had its tent pitched in the metro-
polis of Saxony. Dresden, the German Flor. nee, as its
inhabitants proudly designate it, now holds within its
confines the foreign ministers or plenipotentiaries
from nearly every German sate, who meet here for
the purpose of once again endeavouring to obtain a
satisfactory solution of the long-disputed question of
the constitution for the German union.

The conferences commenced this morning (as you
know) in the palace of Count Bruhl, the royal pro-
perty which has been granted by the King for the
purpose. Prince Schwarzenberg, who arrived yester-
day together with Herr von Manteuffel, Chevalier
Prokesch (the Austrian ambassador in Berlin),
Count Alvensleben, the second Prussian plenipoten-
tiary, has, with the Prussian Minister for Foreign
Affairs, received the honour of apartments in
the Palace of Princes. The two statesmen reside on

the same floor with each other; their apartments ire
separated only by a corridor; and if Dame Gossip
can be believed, they bare already held several long
and ;confidential interviews together without the
present,e of any third party. The other mi-
nisters and plenipotentiaries are quartered in
hotels and lodgings. Summonses were issued by
Prince Schwarzenberg and Herr von Manteuffel for a
meeting at two o'clock this afternoon, at which hoar
a very considerable concourse of curious Saxons had
assembled round the portals of the palace to witness
the arrivals. The following are the names of the
Rlenipotentiaries present this afternoon and the
States they represent :
Prince Schwarzenberg, Austria (unattended) ; Herr
von Manteuffel, with Count Alvensleben, Prussia;
Herr von der Pfordten, with Councillor of Legation
von Aretin, Bavaria; Herr von Beast, Saxony;
Baron Monchhausen, with Cabinet Councillor
SAieele, Hanover; Baron Nearath, Wurtemberg ;
Herr von Dellwigk, with State Councillor Hell-
wacbs, Orland Duchy of Hessen ; Baron von
Sebleinits, with Councillor of Legation Dr.
Liebe, Brunswick; Herr von Watzdorf, with
Councillor of Legation Fritosche, Saxe Weimar ;
Herr von Seebach, Saxe Coburg Gotha; Herr von
Wachmar, Saxe hleiningen ; Count Benet, Saxe
Altenburg ; Herr von °fuzee, Mecklenburg Strelitz ;
Herr von Plotz, Anhault Dessau; Chamberlain
Krosigk, Anhalt Beroburg; Privy Councillor Chop,
Schwarzberg Sondershamen ; Minister von Roder,
Schwarzberg Rudol,tadt ; Councillor of Legation
Otto, Reuss (elder branch); Councillor of Legation
Brettschneider, Ream (younger branch); Senator
Brechmer, Lubeck; Scboff Herniae, Frankfort;
Burgermeister Schmidt, Bremen; Syndic Banks,

Half bwQilrt .
be seen from the above list that the
plenipotentiaries from several states hove not
yet arrived. They are those from Baden, Hewn Cm-
eel; Oldibibmg, Mecklenburg-fichwerie, Holstein,
Schaumburg (Lippe), Dstmoid (Lippe). and Hew-
Homburg. In the coarse of to-day or to-morrow the
most of them will arrive, but the- plenipotentiary of
Hesse Camel is not expected quite so soon.' it was
arranged' Walhelnlibad that 'Hamenpdag should
represent the Elector here, but no sooner did the foot
become known to thous gentlemen who had already
been appointed for other states, than they sig
nified their utter unwillingness to sit in the
same assembly with him. His departure
from Cassel lies, therefore, been delayed, and
another will, probabl, be appointed in ;his place.
Any plane which might have been entertained foe
rendering possible his remaining in the ministry of
Hesse have been completely frustrated.
The meeting this afternoon was of a purely formal
character. The plenipotentiaries having assembled,
Prince Schwaresuberg opened the sitting by thank-
ing the seeseesest or gusty for the readiness
with whist they bed gmu.Ated the city of Drs.-
des me the the concord of
leetlittoin wfrich
to be ones more re-
=l.llllllrheb.Prinee hither , expressed • hope
that the foremen would result in the restoration of

the Bundestag. The Saxon Minister for Foreign
Affairs, Herr von Beast, replied to the Priam, with
the remark, that he rejoined that Breeden wee likely
to be the epee in which the concord of Germany was
to be re-oulalliebs4 seeing that Saxony had so often
Rama from Osman discord. Herr von Mentediel
thee rase. eaddimiked the governments of Germany
fee the rewilinem 'with wiLich they bad complied
with the invihstiens of Austria and Preemie, and the
irotads with which theyilimi emerebled in Dree.
n. Bavarian minister, Herr von dor Pfordten,
spoke next, sad in the been
words Which he uttorgit
fully orallnsed what bit been stated regarding the

intention 4 Barer* against Prussia. Herr von der ,
pfoNlii held it to be his duty to remind the &mem-
bltd ministers that the German people bad a right
to be represented in the organs of the confederation,
and that he should oppose any alteration in the
constitution in which this principle was not contained.
No other speeches were made, end after a sitting,
which lasted but twisty ablates, a reeolation was
agreed to for the examination of the powers of the
planipotetatiariee,_ and the free conference was de-
clared cametitated.
The next meeting takes place tomorrow morning,
at which, however, only the resolution just mentioLed
will be proceeded with. The next conference on the
actual business will not take place until the 26th,
Wednesday being skipped, as Christmas Day.

- -
The Frankfort papers earl say that Gen oral von
Timimen will immediately repair to Holstein.
Dates from Cassel of the 22nd state that the
1, execution" WU delayed until Herr von Peucker
should receive instructions from his government.
The Bavarian and Austrian troops bad established'
themselves at Cassel on the 24th. Riots were taking
plat* between South German troops and the Prussian
garrison. The Anstrian commissioner has published
a proclamation declaring martial law, prohibiting the
possession of arms and the publication of various
journals.
We have intelligence from Berlin, of the 24th.
Almost all the States of the Zollverein have consented
to prolong the treaty of September.