The Express.
London, England, 1868-04-02 00:00:00

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LONDON, THURSDAY, APRIL 2.

TILE POLITICAL SITUATION AND

POLITICAL RUMOURS.

'l its question of principle as regards the Irish
Church Establishment has long since been settled.
As Mr. MILL lately said, the whole human race has
made up its mind upon the subject. The question
of policy is no longer open to a doubt. A decisive
majority in Parliament and the country is ready to
declare the expediency and necessity of abolishing
the last relic of Protestant ascendancy in Ireland.
But the question of tactics is still open ; and what
so consummate a master of the smaller arts of
party management and manceuvring as the Prams
MINISTER may do at the last moment cannot be
known until the thing is done. Mr. DISRALLI hall
Do reputation for political character to sustain ; he
has, on the contrary, a celebrity for want of charac-
ter to keep up. 0..!. BLAC turned moralist or
CHARLES SURFACE preaching sermons would be as
offensive to the sense of congruity as Mr. DISRALLI
acting a straightforward course. He is not the
Lau to cross the Rubicon and burn his boats. The
mastery of small resources, the fertility in little
devices, the readiness for unexpected turns and
tricks which have helped to build up his reputa-
tion as a Parliamentary leader have not yet
deserted him. If they had, his vocation would be
gone. Cunning is the weapon of the weaker
animals ; it is the only arm of a Government per-
manently in a minority, and the man who can use
it with the most address is the natural head of
such an Administratien.

The situation is a complex one. There can be
no doubt that there are radical divergences of
opinion in the Cabinet. The speech of Mr.
GATHORNE Ran Dr on Tuesday night, which is the
bleat utterance of the Government, for the Irish
ATTORNEY-GIN/MA:, and the English 80110 TOR-
GENERAL are mere puppets, was a distinct dis-
avowal of Lord Swaney's statement the day before.
In the timea when party discipline existed, a con-
tradiction so little veiled must have been
followed by the retirement of one or other of
the two ministers whose variance was so strongly
marked. The theory that the dispute was
"got up, " that _it was part of a pro-

. _
gramme arranged before-hand. a simple spec- '
tacle, in short, is inconsistent with the almost
passionate sincerity which evidently dictated Mr.
FlAltDle:i remarks. If Loral STANLNY expressed
the mind of the government,Mr. HARDY is is a state
of mutiny. Looking at the constitution of the
Oabinet, especially in the House of Lords, it is
very unlikely that the Home fircitrresty should

be a solitary revolter. Lord CAIRNS is a
lawyer, but he is a lawyer of the highest
personal and professional character ; and though
his !political career has been au accommodating
ONO, even he owes something to appearances,
and is the last man to break with the decencies of
life. He is the champion po, _ce,:!c-we cf the
Irish Church. His non pawnor: vs has been as em-
phatic as that of the POPE. His connexion with Bel-
fast has been too recently interrupted to allow
of the Orange tint having been completely washed
out from his politics. The Duke of MARLBOROUGH,
who is half a spiritual peer, and whose proper
plaee would be on the bench of ilishope, is as
likely to assent to the abolition of the House of
Lords as to the diemitablishment of the Irish
Church. It is possible that this sectica of the
Government may carry the dsy, an far as the tactics
of the moment are concerned ; and that they may
insipt upon tate question raised by M!. Cl.a usromes
motion and resolutions being brought to a speedy
Mime. In that case, the debate will probably be
concluded, and the division taken this evening. In
the event of Lord STANLEY'S amendment being
rejeiited, the Houie will be able on "a'rei,,, so dig_
cum, M Committee upo,, the :red, the

resolutions of which Mr. GLADSTONE
notice. The indefinite postponement
bulimia; beyond the Easter hob*. ,
avoided, sad real progress may be made,
no doubt that a vote this evening,'

tared on, wilt involve a decisive
The liberal majority is likely to be
has been known for many a day. But from
the party point of view, there is a good deal to
be said in favour of defeat. As the poet
sings of the disaster of Novara, it may
be better to have fought and Lou, than never
to have fought at all. A cry for the hustings
is neeied ; and the enthusiasm with which Mr.
HARDY'S "No Surrender" speech was re-
ceived on the ministerial side in Parlia-
ment reflects probably a much stronger feeling
out of doors. It is impossible that the Government
should appeal with effect to the country, or
even to its own party in the constituencies, with
such a phrase " modifications in the temporalities
I "of the church." How TAorota and TAPER and
TAYLOR would hold up their hands at a cry like
this. The defeat of the Government could not,
however, bring about a dissolution.. The moral
I incompetence alleged against the present House of
Commons is derived from the moral incompetence
of the present constituencies ; and appeal against
a disqualified judgment to the source of it is
absurd. A Minister who is shut out from the pos-
sibility of dissolving may claim to be exempt from
the necessity of resigning. The moral incom-
petence Of Parliament, in this point of view,
will serve Mr. DISRAELI ; and he may plausibly
assert the necessity of winding up the necessary
business of the present session without the delay
and inconvenience which would arise from a
change of Ministry.
There are difficulties, however, in the way of
this plan. It is next to impossible that Lord STAN-
LEY 'Wad succumb to Mr. GATRORNE HARDY and
remain the member of a Government pledged
on the Irish Church question to a policy
of No surrender.- The rumour that the
ascendancy party will have its way in the Cabinet
is, therefore, attended by the rumour of Lord
STAN L Y's resignation, and gossips have
gone so far as to mention Lord COWLEY
as his successor. Lord STANLEY has sacrificed much
to his party, but he cannot afford to sacrifice his
whole future to the exigencies of the moment,
and to associate his political career with the
Irish Church Establishment. Moreover, a Dis-
RAELI administration without Lord STANLEY
is an impossibility. His retirement would
be a final break with conservatism. It would
be an abdication of the reversion of the
Premiership in favour of Lord CRANDORNIL On
the other hand, Mr. HARDYS resignation would
complete the rupture of the Conservative party,
commenced last session bT the withdrawal
of Lord CRANBORNE, Lord CARNARVON, and
General PEEL. The loss of the present HOME
SECRETARY, though he is an efficient and po-
pular Minister, and a powerful party speaker,
could be borne so far as he is personally con-
cerned. But it would be the final break
of Mr. DisnAati with the old Tory party
which still forms the numerical majority of his
supporters. The probability, therefore, is that the
Cabinet will still hold together, by the avoidance of
any distinct issue. The tactics of the Govern-
ment may be to drown the subject in talk, and to
weary out the earnestness of the House by delay.
The rumour is current that the debate will be
dragged on until Friday, that at the last moment
Lord STANLEY'S amendment will be withdrawn by
its author, in deference to the uncompromising
Tories whom its faltering and equivocal language
offends ; and that a division will be taken on Mr.
GLADSTONE'S motion for going into Committee,
leaving each Tory member free to vote against
it for any reasons which may satisfy him.
This course would not avoid defeat, but it
would unite Mr. HARDY and Lord STANLEY, Lord
CRANBORNE and the PRUNE MINISTER, in a party
vote. It would put off the whole question until
after Easter, and give the Government all the chances
open to those who have time on their side. It would
be a thoroughly Disraelitish device, and if Lord
STANLEY will submit to the affront, it will probably
be adopted. But that is an "if "of some magni-
tude, and until it is known in what quarter the
wind site, no one can tell how the weathercock will
point.

THE OXFORD AND CAMBRIDGE BOAT

RACE.

A. the time for the race approaches the interest
in the result is intensified. Even at the risk of de-
feat
it is worth while for the Cambridge men to be
from day to day the observed of crowds as great
as formerly were collected on the morning of the
race itself. Day after day horsemen, carriage people,
and foot people crowd the line of practice
by scores and hundreds, to gather from
the rowing of eitfier crew such augury of
success as it affords. Of all the races that the rival
crews have battled in, this rill be the most glorious
for themselves, and the must stirring to their
friends, who will watch the contest, sporting light'
or dark blue ; and hardly less to the multitude who
will crowd on towing-path, bridge, steam-
boat, or any other available vantage ground
from which a part at least of the race can be
seen. It is literally true that there is
no subject about which the public mind is so ex-
cited as about this race—not the Irish Church
debate, not even the Abyssini►n expedition. The
men who on Saturday are to contend for mastery
upon the Thames show no point of difference in
blood. They are alike sprung from English homes,
and they represent the power of heart and limb,
the patience, the precision, the pluck, which we
are prone, and not without some reason, to regard
as especially English virtues.

There is no internal contest which can interest
us in the same way. It has been called the
aquatic Derby. But, as eliciting the energy of
our race, it infinitely transcends that festival.
And this year there are special reasons why
it should be just now a question of
alnioet personal interest throughout the whole
country whether Oxford will win or Cambridge.
Were we to " prospect " tbsresult of the coming
race from the stand-point 81 generosity we should
throw our slipper into the-Cambridge boat. We
may almost say that Cambridge has deserved to
t win, because her. men have bad the courage to
shake off the demoralising effect of a long
succession of defeats, and to come once more
to the struggle ; but it would be unfair
to her to wish her success out of a feeling
which, though we might call it generosity, would
be only a degree removed from compassion. It
would be still more unfair to the courage of her
crew to congratulate them on statements which
have been made to the effect that the
" practice of the Oxford crew men is not
up to the mark of former years. What we
should wish for Cambridge, were we to take her
side, is that Ox ford should die** tff therestellenee
fir which she bad for many years been conspicuous,

Beatrioe,
waiting.
waiting,

Barrington
Weisl, • Rakibition of
the Society of British Artists in Saffolk.steset.
Her royal laighaus of visited the Prism sad
Princess of Wales at Harlboroagh-hones.

Prlupe and Princess Chris sad Princess Louise,
attended by Lady Churchill, the Hon. Flora Macdonald,
and Lieutenant-Colonel and Mrs. G. Gordon, were present
last evening at a dance given by his Excellency M. and
Madame Van de Weyer, at their redden's.
The Count and Countess of Purls, the Duke of Himont',
the Duke d'Alenvon, and Princess Marguerite of Orleans,
dined with the Queen and the royal family yesterday.
Major-Oaten' F. H. Seymour tuts succeeded Lord Brid-
port as equerry.in.waiting.
Mr. Magill has had the honour of photographing the
Princess Louise, Prince Leopold, and Princess Beatrice.

The Prince of Wales rods out yesterday afternoon.
A deputation from the Royal Agricultural Society, con-
sisting of Lord Walaingharn, Lord Bridport, Lord Chu.
ham, Colonel Llnasoote, M.P., Mr. Torr, Mr. Randall, and
Mr. Hall Dare (secretary) waited upon the Prince of
Wales, with the request that his royal highness would act
as president of the society during the ensuing year, to
which the prince consented. The Duke of Richmond,
president, was unavoidably prevented from accompanying
the deputation.
A deputation from the Acclimatization Society, consist-
ing of Viscount Gsge, Mr. J. Wingfield Malcolm, M.P.,
Mr. D. Higford Burr, Mr. H. J. B. Hancock, Mr. J. Bush,
Mr. G. G. Adams, and Mr. J. Husard, presented to the
Prince of Wales a medal struck from dies executed by
Mr. G. G. Adams, and given by Miss Burdett Colette to
the society for this purpose at their unanimous request.
In the evening the Prince and Princess of Wales, accom-
panied by the Princess Louise and Prince Arthur, went to
the Adelphi Theatre.

Her Majesty the Queen, with their Royal High-
nesses Princesses Louise and Beatrioe, and Prince Leopold,
are expected to return to Windsor Castle on Saturday
afternoon.

Their Royal Highnesses the Prince and Princess
Christian honoured the noble Lord President of the
Council and the Duchess of Marlborough by their presence
at dinner last evening, at their residence in St. James's-
square. A distinguished circle were invited to meet the
royal guests at dinner, and later in the evening the duchess
received a select company in honour of the visit.

The Right Hon. the Home Secretary and Mrs.
Gathorne Hardy bad the honour to entertain the Duke
of Cambridge at dinner last evening at their residence in
Grosvenor•crescent. The Lord Chancellor and Lady
Cairns, the Duke of Richmond, the Earl and Countess
Stanhope, the Earl of Mayo, H.P., the Bishop of Oxford,
Colonel Robert Loyd Lindsay, m.p., And a select circle
were invited to meet his royal highness. Later in the
evening, Mrs. Hardy received a distinguished company.

The Right lion. the Speaker gave his seventh
parliamentary full-dress dinner last evening to the follow-
ing noblemen and gentlemen :—Marquis of Lorne, Lord
G. G. Lennox, Lord William Hay, Lord Claud J. Hamilton,
Hon. H. F. Berkeley, Sir Andrew Agnew, Sir Robert
Anstruther, Sir Wentworth Dilke, Right Hon. Mr.
Cogan, Colonel Biddulph, Lieutenant-Colonel Jervis,
Captain Arobdall, Mr. H. Edwards, Mr. Keown, Mr.
Thomas Puny, Mx. Bathurst, Mr. W. B. Beach, Mr.
Davenport Bromley, Mr. Beecroft, Mr. R. W. Duff, Mr.
Grant Duff, Mr. De la Poor, Mr. Craufurd, ilr. Briscoe,
Mr. Mitford, Mr. William Miller, Mr. Gurney, Mr.
MacEvoy, Mr. Raiford, Mr. Kirkman Hodgson, Mr. H.
Foley, Mr. Fawcett, Mr. Du Pre, Mr. Brooks, Rev. Dr.
Marivale (chaplain), and Mr. Alfred Denison (private
secretary).
Mat. GLADSTONE'S ASSEMBLY. —Mrs. Gladstone
had a brilliant reception last night at her house on Carlton-
house-terrace. His Royal Highness the Duke of Cam-
bridge and his Serene Highness Prince of Teak honoured
Mrs. Gladstone by their company. The principal members
of the corps diplomatique including the Austrian, Rus-
sian, French, and Prussian Ambassadors were present,
together with many of the principal nobility, including
the Duke and Duchess of Argyll, the Duchess of New-
castle, the Countess of Clarendon, the Earl and Countess
De Grey, the Earl and Countess of Cork, the Countess
Fitz william, Viscount Castlarosse, M.P., Viscountess En-
field, Lord and Lady Chesham, Lord Duff rain, Lord
and Lady Lyveden, Lord De Tabley, Lord and Lady Taun-
ton, the Right Hon. the Speaker and Lady Charlotte
Denison, Lord Campbell, the Right Hon. W. F. Cowper,
M.P., the Right Hon. William Hutt, M.P., and Mrs.
Hutt, the Right Hon. W. H. F. Cogan, M.P., the Right
Hon. Henry Brand, M.P., the Right Hon. Thomas Head-
lam, M.P., Sir Robert Anstruther, M.P., Sir T. F. Bux-
ton, M.P., Sir Arthur Buller, ILP., Sir George Colthuret,
M.P., Sir John Grey, M.P., Sir Thomas B. Western,
M.P., Mr. Hubbard, M.P., Mr. Hamilton, M.P., Mr.
Fawcett, M.P., Mr. Charles Forster, ILP., Mr. W. 0.
Foster, M.P., Hr. L. L. Dillwyn, M.P., Mr. R. W.
Duff, M.P., Mr. Grant Duff, M.P., Mr. G. G. Glyn, M.P.,
Mr. Graham, M.P., Mr. Carter, 11LP., Mr. George Melly,
M.P., ?dr. J. Esmond, ?LP., Mr. A. H. Ward, M.P.,
Mr. J. A. Kinglake, M.P., Mr. Jacob Bright, M.P., Mr.
W. Killer, ILP., Mr. R. Jasper More, M.P., Mr. Roe-
buck, M.P., Mr. Torrens, M.P., Mr. H. Woods, M.P., Mr.
Spars, M.P., Mr. Trevelyaa, M.P., Mr. Adam, M.P., Mr.
E. Trainee, ILP., Mr. A. H. Smith Barry, M.P., Mr. Bid-
dulph, M.P., de. _ _ _

Viscount Cranborne, M.P., and Viscountess
Cranborne entertained the Marquis and Marchionees of
Salisbury and Ludy Mary Cecil, Frances Countess Walde-
grave and the Right Hon. Chichester Fortescue, ILP., and
a select party, at dinner last evening at their residence in
Mansfield-street, Cavendish-square.
Lord and Lady Foley entertained Louisa Mar-
chioness of Waterford, the Earl and Count... of Bess-
borough, the Earl and Countess Croy, Lord Ronald Gower,
M.P., Sir Wm. and Hon. Lady Rae, Mr. and Mrs. Dun-
vale, fie., at dinner last evening at their residence in

His Graos the Dukeof Grafton has consented to
preside at the forthcoming anniversary festival of the
Hospital for Dimino of the Throat, Golden-square.
Early after Easter Sir Charles Russell will call at-
tendee to the expediency of employing, in government
situations, non-comminioned officers and privates

charged from the army with " good cluurseter."
Sir Jervoiae Clarke Jervoise intends after Easter
Is move. " That an humble address be presented to ber
Majesty, praying that abe will be graciously pleased to
cause such inquiry to be instituted into the spread of
disease by infection (distinguished from eastegion), as
may teed to check legislation and action in eases unsup-
ported by the evidence, which in times of excitement
saves a people from the oommiasion of great crimes or
great follies."
On the motion for going into committee on
Libel Bill, Mr. Newdegate will move that this house will,
upon this day six months, resolve itself into the said
maimittee. _ _

Mr. Diouidale to-morrow will ask the Secretary
of State for India, whether the government intend to take
any steps towards facilitating the retiremeet of field
demon of the Indian Army.
-

Major Anson intends to ask the Secretary of
State for War to-morrow when the tenders for cloth- I
tug are to be issued ; whether it i his intention
to put every article required for the clothing of the army
to public oompetition ; and whether the prices at which
es& article can be supplied by the Royal Factory are sent
to the War-office before the tenders from contractors are
opened.
Miss Edith Wynne has been singing with great
misses at various concerts le Florence.
All the Italian newspapers are filled with accounts
of the preparations for the festivities ea the ',rival in
Pioneer of the Crown Prime end the Primer Manes
rite. The toureanient, which wee et roe time intended
to have bees given en the Plans Santa Marla Novelle,
was next-proposed to be held on the Plazas den Indlpen.
dinar, bet the Oemnieedatore Penun so stoutly append
the naggeolias in the mindeipl council, on the pound
that its inmentien would isimiere with the progress el
the greet drain now making is that direction in connec-
tion with the public weeks of the Pout Boulevard, that
the tournament is now to be transferred to the Oaatilne,
the spot which ought to have been fixed upon front the
very first.

-r

E Y,C4r

NEWS.

'+‘

(THIS DAY.)

ABYSSINIA.

The representative of the New York Herald in
London has to-day received the following telegram
from the special correspondent of that journal with
the Abyssinian expedition :

" Lake Aahangi, March 16.
"We have arrived here. A hostile chief is
camped on the height overlooking the English.
He refuses to give provisions, and dares
Sir Robert Napier. This chief has sent a message
to Sir Robert Napier stating that Theodorus
proffers friendship. Jacoub, friendly chief, per-
suades the general not to believe him. We are
now six. days' march from Magdala. There is no
grain, grass, or straw. Hostile chiefs have devas-
tated the country. King Theodorus ravages far
and wide. Desolation of the country is uni-
versal."

',reef!
,
Mt EXPRESS, TIVRSDAY rimer, ,\
1. APRIL
ra his given and that in spite lif this itimbridis 'Wield
~ 14 '
of the tibiae bear away the paha. figaie granted* peewit
will thus be a national, even more than ajvCreconal or local alini: • fill au PALACE, AY
de. There is licence. The country regards them as teats -Wm The Queen, accompanied by Prince.' B
,if it be van- its moral and physical manhood are suffering no am" wt " 2,6"111, obbleasdi y tie lad/ IA
Tory slefeat. decline, and the defeated boot must play its pert laud &Wine and Colonel Da Plat, equerries in
"Its in ati.ft4l." "ea imnebiek•
grutsr than but poorly if it fails to share almost as largely in Pri
. mate Louise, attended by Lady Caroline B.
But from the honour of the race as the winner. and Colonel the Hoe. A. Liditell, visited the Said