The Express.
London, England, 1868-05-11 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, MONDAY

he fife, or to the institution. under whlit mach
an anomalous state of things is mielialls,
exoept that it is not they, but the abet of
them, which is really responsible for it.
The balance of power in ouri,mits Oo-
vernment may occasionally, it would seem,
issue in a dead lock. According to some of his
apologists, Mr. Dismal.' is not accountable for
this gewlition cif affairs. It springs in their view
from a necessity in the nature of things. The
situation is like that of the combatants and nieces
in the Critic, in which nobody can do any-
thing to anybody else without causing some-
thing as bad or worse to happen to his own side.
The Government, like the conspirators in the same
play, have been brought to their knees, but they
decline, like their prototypes, to go off kneeling ;
and, unlike them, they hare not the spirit to get
up upon their feet and go off. They remain in,
kneeling. This is humiliating and incon-
venient ; but the humiliation belongs princi-
pally to the Ministers, whose opponents
need not be more tender of them than they are of
themselves, and the balance of inconvenience will
be greater if they go out than if they stay where
they are. It is to be hoped, therefore, that Her
MAJESTY will be advised to return such an answer
to the address of the House of Commons as will
allow matters to proceed smoothly, and the neces-
sary preparations for the general election to be
made in time to permit the reformed Parliament to
meet at the usual time in February next. It is
very desirable that a Suspensory Bill should pass
the House of Commons this session. The Lords
may reject it, in their exercise of their full consti-
tutional right. Should the Lords yield, the BOVE-
11210N may meet it with a veto, though the
responsibility would be great if any adviser
should recommend this course. Such a measure,
undoing the legislation of the two Houses, would
be preferable to an exercise of the prerogative for-
bidding discussion and legislation. A veto before-
hand would be a far more serious thing than a veto
afterwards. It would be the adoption—under spe-
cial conditions, it is true, and with a limited
application, of the rule—of the French con-
stitution, which confines the initiative in
legislation to the EMPEROR. Such a practice would
be quite in sooordance'with Mr. Disasxm's theories
of government. The political philosophy of
" Coningsby " is an attack upon the repre-
sentative institutions generally, and the House
of Commons in particular. The author of this
book has never disavowed its doctrines.
On the contrary, in a preface written after the
death both of Sir ROBERT PEEL and of Lord
GEOILOZBENTINCK had made him the leader of the
Conservative party, he renews the assertion of them.
Net only in the dialogue, but in his own reflections,
not only by the mouths of Coningsby, and Mil-
bank, and Lord Henry Sidney, but in his own
person, Mr. Disaazu expresses the conviction
that the growth of democracy means the aggran-
disement of the monarchy ; that the press
has made representative institutions obsolete, or
at any rate reduced them to a secondary rank ;
and that the Crown should be the real source
of legislation. Our Venetian Constitution
has already partly gone, he says : Our nobles
have ceased to be magnifioos. May not the
Monarch cease to be a Doge I Mr. DISRAZLI
has not, it is true, of late years, pro-
claimed this doctrine from the house-tops ; nor
can we suspect, with Mr. Bainer, that he has
whispered it in the Royal closet. If he did so,
the answer which a constitutional Sovereign
would return to her unconstitutional ad-
viser can admit of no doubt. The answer
to the address may, therefore, be expected to
contain a gracious compliance with the prayer of
the House of Commons. Otherwise every one will
understand that the refusal is Mr. DISRAELI'S, and
not her Majesty's. It is better, if the Suspensory
Act fails to become law, that the failure should be
due to the negative of the House of Lords rather
than to the preliminary veto of the Crown.
Though it is desirable that the passage of
the measure through both houses, and
the Royal Assent to it, should clear the ground
for action next year, yet short of this, its mere I
adoption by the House of Commons would be
very valuable. It would exercise an important
effect upon public opinion out of doors. The
Conservative leaders know very well that
the question of the Irish Church is already
decided. The only doubtful point M. how
long shall an angry and irritating dispute
be kept open. The policy of the Opposition,
while asserting its own right as a majority, is not
to compel either Ministerial resignation or prema-
ture dissolution. The policy of the Government,
unless they wish to exasperate the feelings of
the country and to put themselves and
their followers under a ban of exclusion
which may endure for years, is to offer no factious
resistance to legislation in the sense of the
majority ; but to hasten those measures, and those
measures only, which are necessary to secure to
the new constituencies in England, and to the pro-
posed constituencies in Scotland and Ireland, the
early exercise of the franchise.

" firblished free of expense by the Uliversity.
" Asir lakes of *wry maYlVa *le a 01404seee
" ezoebitemt, Iset bear risks-111min lase Pe."
Nee is the expenditure of Nadentel seatiained
by rules which our oonteroidecry oedemas as
wishes, arbitrary, and meaningless. • Inericy
is usually set afoot by a college tutor, and con-
viction generally follows the charge. The
tradesman, even if he thinks fit to appear
before the Vicx-CnANCELLOR and Heads, is
condemned unheard, while the collegian
smilingly transfers his custom to another shop.
This unequal justice has already made
several of the most respectable tradesmen decline
to deal with people in statu pupiliari, and it is
strongly urged that college tutors should either
regulate the expenditure of their pupils or not
interfere at all ; that degrees should be refused to
men unjustifiably in debt ; and that the right of
" diecommuning " should be only exercised after
an inquiry in which both sides have been heard.

LORD 8R0U,./I•M'S memoirs are a long record of
strife against circumstances, obstructions, and
opposition. In his career he had waged
battle more or less successfully against the pre-
judices of society and the traditions of the country
—against the Sovereign and the House of Lords,
the Bench, the Bar, and the weaknesses of the
people. He has left his mark upon the time, and
" the schoolmaster abroad" is now a fast-coming
realisation of his early advocacy and hopes. Up
to the time of his accepting the Chancellorship he
" had passed his life in contentions, loved them,
" provoked them," and when he, " a man Often-
" tially go-ahead, leaped into the very citadel
"of obstruction," the Tory Peers " set their
" backs up like cats when a dog enters
" the room." But from the time he became a
peer his political usefulness waned. His
giant energy often recoiled upon himself when
he attacked the old world of his fellow lords ;
and though his courage and audacity never flagged,
he ceased to be a power when he entered
the feather-bed atmosphere of an hereditary
legislature. Snubbing ELDON, ridiculing Lott-
DONDERRY, and contradicting WELLINGTON,
were, after all, unworthy occupations for
one of the greatest orators of his time ; and
his grandest efforts, such as that in favour
of the Reform Bill, were marred by eccen-
tricities of temper or demeanour little suited to
the theme or the place. The autographical me-
moirs which lately became the subject of a lawsuit,
were, we believe, full of personal revelations and
incriminations respecting the great people of this
century, and it is better that the brave, useful,
and honourably stormy life should have ended
peacefully and quietly, without the raking up of
forgotten animosities at its close.

TO-MORROW the American Senate proceed to vote
on the impeachment of President JOHNSON. Mr.
SUMNER wishes to have the practice of the House
of Lords, each member rising in his place and
saying "Guilty," or "Not Guiity," adopted
so as to ensure publicity ; but the belief
was that the verdict would be ascertained through
the ballot. It happens unfortunately for the
ParainErr that the desire to judge generously of
him is frustrated by his tendency to mistake
forbearance for fear, and so to provoke fresh col-
lisions. Thus the disposition to acquit him to-
morrow is affected by apprehensions of further
difficulty with the Congress as the result.

SOME of the States of the American Republic
are advancing to the abolition of the death penalty,
by noteworthy methods. Last year the State of
Illinois adopted a law giving to juries discre-
tionary power, when returning a verdict of guilty
on a trial for a capital offence, to say whether the
punishment shall be death or imprisonment for
life. The result has been that, in Illinois, juries
in capital cases have thus far accompanied their
verdicts, in every instance, with a restriction of
the penalty to imprisonment for life. The Legis-
lature of Minnesota has just passed a similar law,
its advocates assuming that the discretion thus
provided secures greater certainty of conviction.

MAY

(11111:111301 17:12412AM5.)
FRANCE.
THE EMPEROR AT ORLEANS.
ORLEANS, MAY 11.

In reply to an address of the Mayor of Orleans
the Emperor said :—" I accepted your invitation
with pleasure, because I am &limy happy to find
myself again in the midst of a city which, whilst
religiously maintaining such glorious remem-
brances and patriotic sentiments devotes itself with
ardour to the struggles of labour and industry.
I was desirols to ascertain for myself the pro-
gress which you have made, and to encourage
your exertions, convinced that amid the general
tranquillity of Europe they may be developed with
confidence."

The Bishop of Orleans said that Paris had
allowed her gates to be forced more than once by
strangers, but Orleans never. His Eminence laid
stress upon the patriotism of religion.
In reply the Emperor said—" I am much touched
by the noble words which you have just addressed
to me. It is on this spot that we can dwell with
happiness upon how much religious faith and true
patriotism can effect for the safety and grandeur
of • country. In this city was produced
one of the most wonderful facts of
history. The river which flows beneath your walls
has been one'of the ramparts of our independence
in the same manner as it protected, in less distant
times, the heroic remnants of the grand army.
The Empress and myself, in coming to share in
the popular festivities of Orleans, were desirous
first to kneel within that ancient Basilica, and
surrounded by the grand remembrances of the
past to ask from the Almighty his protection for
the future."

The Moniteur of this morning reprints the
article in the Constitutionnet, defending the esti-
mates of the new budget.

There is no
eject further at
attic announces
Paul ha. with-
the new oom-
annulled."
some of the

the
on at '7211=
200 yards the
cent. of their
per cent. The
average .1 from 68 to 70
per cent. at 200 yards. But one battalion of 500
men, firing against a surface representing a similar
force, at the great distance of 500 yards, put 90
men hors de combat at a single volley. The mtlitary
journal adds, with professional gusto, that the
soldier has now come to love his new arm, and
takes scrupulous care of it under the tent as well
as in the barrack room. La Preue, commenting
upon the above interesting statistics, says
The ifoniteur de l'Armie is s journal too little read. It
often contains technical articles which speak volumes.
We do not suppose with some advocates of pesos that it
is intended to make war solely for the purpose of trying
oar excellent new rifles, or that the military men in
official circles would be overwhelmed with grief if a
durable peace were to condemn these splendid weapons to
inaction. Bet we do think that all the costly and sedu-
lous preparations we see making have not been
made from a Platonic love of the armonrer's trade ;
but, on the contrary, that they were prompted
by serious reasons no one of which has disappear ed. It is
in this point of view that we attach an importune t 3 the
articles of the ifoniteur de rAMIIIe which we sometimes
refuse, in all humility, to certain sententious and amid-
VOUS denials of current news which have produced uni-
vernal scepticism in the press.
The marriage of Prince Achille Murat with the
Princess of Mingrelia is positively fixed for
Wednesday.
The Bourse was dull. The assurances of the
Conatitutionnel that the rejection of an address in
favour of German unity by the Customs Parlia-
ment has " put an end to all further discussion on
the subject," were by no means adopted.
The closing quotations of the Rente and most
other securities were not, however, sensibly dif-
ferent from those of yesterday, but the amount of
business done was too small to show any
decided tendency one way or the other.
Speculation is nearly suspended. The only
thing clear is that confidence will not re-
vive. Rente fell 6c. both for cash and account,
closing at 69.35. Italian fell and Credit Fon-
cier 6.50. Mobilier, after considerable fluctuations,
owing to various appreciations of the recent judg-
ment against the directors, closed with a rise of
7.50.

A protectionist, with a view to make a sensation
on the eve of the onslaught on free trade to be
opened by M. Pouyer Quertier in the Corps Le-
gislatif on Monday, has placarded the walls of
Paris with a flaming announcement on a lurid red
ground of a pamphlet with the title "Le Role"
(death rattle) of French manufactures."

THE ROYAL VISIT TO Lams.—Yesterday the
Mayor of Leeds received from General Enollya a letter
stating that the Princess of Wales could not visit Leeds on
the 19th instant. The letter elates that by the advice of
the Princess's medical attendants this decision his been
arrived et. The reason assigned is the delicate state of
her royal highness's health, it being considered necessary
to avoid the fatigue of a long railway journey such se that
to the West Riding would be. The Prince of Wales in-
timates, through General Knollys, that the Princess feels
deep regret that she cannot accompany her husband to
take part in the opening of the Fine Art Exhibition at
Leeds. This news has already caused a general feeling of
disappointment in Leeds, but there will be no relaxation
in the preparations for giving the Prince a splendid
reception.
Her Majesty the Queen, it is understood, has
been graciously pleased to command the mayor and corpo-
ration of Windsor to attend an audience at Windsor
Castle at she latter and of this week, when her Majesty
will receive the address relative to the atrocious attempt
to assassinate his Royal Highness the Duke of Edinburgh.
The Earl and Countess of Carnarvon entertained
the Duke and Duchess of Northumberland, the Duke of
Rutland, the Marquis of Sligo, the Marchioness of Bath,
the Earl and Countess Beauchamp, Lord and Lady Foley,
Sir Edward and Lady Caroline Kerrison, Mr. Christopher
Sykes, M.P., &c., at dinner, on Saturday evening, at their
residence in Grosvenor-square.
The Earl of Ellesmere and Viscount Emlyn have
arrived in town from a tour in the Holy Land and Egypt.
The Earl and Countess De Grey entertained his
Excellency the Prussian Ambassador and the Countess
Bernstorff and a select party at dinner on Saturday even-
ing, at their residence in Oarlton•gardens.
The Right Hon. Gathorne Hardy, M.P., and
Mrs. Hardy received the Hon. Edward Thesiger and
Hon. Miss Thesiger, Sir William Heatheote, Bart., M.P.,
and Lady Heathoote, Sir Thomas and Lady Gladstone and
MN Gladstone, Sir Donald Campbell, Mr. Justice Mon-
tagu Smith, Mr. sad Mrs. Henry Farrar, Mr. Arkwright,
Mr. Sullivan, Mrs. Thomas Ralli and Min Ralli, Ac., at
dinner on Saturday evening, at their residence in Gros-

The Right Hon. Sir Stafford Northoote, Bart.,
M.P., and Lady Northoote entertained his Excellency
the French Ambassador, the Counter of Tankerville, the
Fed Forcers and the Ladies Susan and Mary Foresaw,
Lord Echo, M.P., and Lady Elcho, Lady Rolle, M. Van
de Weyer Hon. Edward Stanhope, Sir George Stucky
Stucky, Bart., M.P., and Lady Studley, Admiral Sey-
mour, Mr. George Repton, M.P., and Lady Jane Repten,
Rugnion, K. Denney de Careen, Mr. George
Otto Trevelyan M.P., Mrs. Gordon, hc., at dinner on
Saturday evening, at their residence in Harley-street,
Cavendish-sq care.
On Saturday forenoon the marriage of the Hon.
Charles Douglas Richard Hanbury-Tracy, M.P. for Mont-
gomery, and brother of the present Lord Sudeley, with
Kies Ada Maria K. Tollemache, only daughter of the Hon.
Frederick and Mrs. Tollemache, was solemnised in the
private chapel of Ham House, the Hon. Frederick Tolle.
maehe's residence, at Petersham, Surrey.
The Herald understands that the demonstration
of last Wednesday at St. James's-hall is to be followed by
a Church and State meeting to be held at the Great Hall,
Cannon•street Hotel, on Monday, the 18th instant. The
Lord Mayor will preside.
The Gresham Lectures, at Gresham College,
Eaglngball-street, will in future be delivered in Latin at
S aid in English at 7 o'clock in the evening, instead of at
12 and 1 in the day, as heretofore.
According to the Railway News a new difficulty
is likely to delay the opening of the Mont Cenis Summit
Eaves', it "having been found that the play in the
veiny of the engine has a tendency to tear up the centre
rail gripped by the auxiliary wheels."
.e The distinguished members of the New Red
*ease Club assembled in their grounds at Fulham on
Saturday to shoot off the second handicap of the season.
alesadanee, which included several peers and mem-
ber et the Commons, was exceedingly large.
The first of a fleet of small screw-steamers build-
lag for the imperial Ottoman government, was launched
se Saturday, from Mr. John White's ship-building yard
et Medias Doak, West Cowes.
The Pontifical Aldershot is to be at once estab-
lished on that lofty plain nearly at the summit of the
Alban Hill, which, from having been once occupied by the
*she Oartharnian general, is still called " H cameo di
Asintbale The soldiers about to pitch Abair tents there

EVE ' 11, MAY 11, 1: 0 • 1 -AOgrits
1 riN . -
yard' e subj
, to
•9. ' e. ', ',i NEW j/11117h"; ~",,,,,.." a ' 'moms: .
de ic
P. at
i 'iIFD% ,
... ii . . ir.) tat I
e ' . at4r; resig' nation and all 1
\ . . . - ~,' be elder " fied or
I ..pwilipkraAPlL- ) . . r de l'Armie gives
BOHEMIA. res. the ball practice with t
PRAGUE. Mn 10, 11.261'34 riga which has fatal bean going am
1 and the Baint-Maur camp. At 21
A great meeting was held here to-day. At least
20,000 men were present. Great enthtaaiaam was ; Voltigeurs of the Guard put 70 per
displayed. Resolutions were adopted against theof ;
chasseballs inuratheobtaintargeti:danand at 300, 6e2
ofl pi
recently imposed taxes, and for the aatonomy
per
the Bohemian Diet on the same principle as that of men, cent. at 200 yards. But one be
firing against a surface repress'
Hungary, with universal suffrage as a basis. I force, at the great dietenns a M 1