The Express.
London, England, 1859-01-05 00:00:00

(Stamped id. Additional.) [TWOPENCE.

MUSIC.

HER MAJESTY'S CONCERT AT WINDSOR
CASTLE.

The concert given by the Queen and the Prince
Consort, on the evening of New Year's Day, to • large end
assembly whose names ere recorded in the Court
Circular, wee especially remarkable for the performance of
Beenett'm new cantata, the May Queen, which formed
the second port of the programme. The utmost care wee
taken to do due honour to the composer by the execution of
his work. The solo parts were sung by Mies Louisa Pyne,
Mies Lascelles, Mr. Sims Reeves, and Mr. Weise; the
orchestra and chorus were selected from the performers of
Her Majesty's Theatre, the Royal Italian Opera, the Phil-
harmonic and Seared Hermetic Societies, and the Queen's
private band; and the performance was conducted by Mr.
Anderson. It was certainly the most perfect that has yet
been given of this beautiful piece, which does so much
honour to the English school; and the composer received
from the lips of her Majesty and his Royal Highness the
warmest expressions of their pleasure and admiration.
The other pieces performed on this occasion were, Ma-
delasohtis overture to elthelis ; the " Benedietne” from
Beethoven's mass in D (the vlehn obligeto being played by
M. Remfnyi) ; and the finale of the .Preiseiiits; **orbits
bemire a isisitles of Ilas biglisitatest of cuellear.
concert is an instance of the royal taste and judgment shown
in the modest entertainment' of the court. At these per-
formances some of the greatest works of the present age have
been heard for the first time in England. Among them have
been the sintione, the (Ediptsc, and the slilialie, d Men-
defend= ; and, in the same spirit, the May Queen of Bennett
hes been produced, in all the gloss end freshness of novelty.

MISHEAR OF CARLISLE ON CHRISTMAS
FESTIVITIES.

At a meeting of the Carlisle Total Abstinence
Society, on Tuesday, the 28th ult. the Very Reverend
Francis Close, D.D., Dean of Carlisle, thus referred to the
festivities and amusements of Christmas and other holiday m-
enden, : To a Christian mind there was no single thing more
palatal than this fact—it bad certainly dwelt upon his own
that throe seasons which are observed by the great
majority of our oountrymen in commemoration great gospel
event., such se the birth of Christ, the resurrection of Christ,
and the dement of God's Holy Spirit, at Whitsuntide—that
these are the the seasons of all others when in a Christian
country—aye, let them acknowledge it with shame, in a
protestant country—that these are the seasons when
the devil keeps high holiday, and when it seems
to be an excuse—a thing taken for granted—that people
should be drunk. (Applause.) Ask them why they go
about reeling in drunkenness, end they tell you they are
keeping Christmu. (Laughter.) There was something to
his mind perfectly painful in the newspspere of that morning
—something calculated to strike the heart of the Christian,
and send an all on our knees to pray to God to avert the
judgment we deserved. The London newepspses devoted
wholecoltunns and pages to descriptions of the special tempta-
tions and wickednesses of the theatres. And, in connexion
with this, he found that on the next morning, as ward, the
police court' were thronged with persons charged with
offences all arising from the same cause; but it was observed,
be was glad to say, that at some of the police offices
the number, were not so great as they generally were on
these occasions. But what struck him again was, that
the worthy magistrate sitting in the chair of justice let
the offenders oil more nadir than usual, "because they
were keeping Christmas !" To his mind, if he had been in
the magistrate's place, he would have Sued them double for
befog druak on adjourns/1-day. (Applause.) But it showed
the vulgar notion, which had reached even the bench itself,
that was held as an mew* and a palliation for a man making
• beast of himself, that he did it un a day which his fellow-
, Christian. kept in memory of the love of God to His crea-
tart4l. He (the Dean) would not do more than allude to a
frightful circumstance that had taken place the day before.
At one of the low theatres on the south side of the Thome.
an alum of fire was raleed, end in consequence no lees than
16 persona were killed. This was at • Chridnas-kesping
theatre. And it was remarkable that the persons killed were
all youths, not one of whom was above 21 or 22
at the utmost, some of them much younger. It was what
they called " boxing sighl," and at • place where the per-
formance WAG so popular, that they were obliged to have two
audiences a day— an afternoon and an evening exhibition.
Oh I that they could be. the time when they would be obliged
to have double services on religious subjects I This was in-
deed • painful end humbling event. God forbid that he
should toy that those poor thoughtless boys, many of them
the dregs of the population, had been visited by a special
judgment. Nn ; they were nor to say that those on
whom the Tower of Siloam fell were greater sinners"
than those who moped. God's ways were not our
ways; but the lesson this accident read to them all
was, that it' they knew better who were reatraived
from drunkenness, debauchery, and even from those doubtful
places ot public amusement called theatres, which were, in
his humble judguient, the receptacles of vice of every de-
scription—let them not think themselves better than where,
but rather remember that God, by this very fact, had pot
them under the solemn responsibility of doing all they could
to prevent people from doing these things—that if it was not
for the glaze of God which enabled them to retrain their
passion., they should be jest like others. If they had Mae
promises end bops., let them do all they could to restrain the
wicked, to prevent and lay hold upon and arrest the course
of sin and vice in this country. Therefore it was that he
was there that night. (Applause.)

TEE NIGHT MON. E. CARDIVELI, M.P., AND
ME. LANGSTON, M.P., AT ON.FGEO.

At an annual meeting of the Loyal Order of
Druid., held in the Town Hall, Oxford. on Monday evening,
among other pomace present were the Hight Hon. E. Card-
well and Mr. Langston, the members for the city. There
were also present Mr. Serjeant Geselee, the Mayor of
Oxford, Mr. Sheriff Stevens, and many of the leading citizens.
Mr. WILLIAM BAt-oar presided.
The usual loyal t. cats having been given,
The CHAIRMAN proptmed "The Health of the City Mem-
bers.," remarking that the merits of those gentlemen were
so well known that it was needless to dilate upon them, but
he could only with that every other conatituenoy was as ably
represented as the city of Oxford.
The toast was enthueleatically drunk.
Mr. LANOSTON having responded,
Mr. CAW/WELL who was received with loud and pro-
longed cheering, Oaid-Adhering to that custom which has
always prevailed among us, and following the example of my
colleague, I will, with your permission, give you, wiareut my
reserve on nay part, those observations which the present
state of affairs seems to me naturally to suggest. I rejoice
that we can now enter upon almost every question with that
freedom, and that frankneve, which are the natural result ef
the popular institutions under which we live. We stand now
at • period of peculiar interest-we are toesatuieg sot by
months, but by weeks, the time when we shag be admitted
into the secrete of the government-when we din
he
csihr4
h=irs datdaddill4n -
panda whist soy es to the
mat dtaitron. Now to me, these are the wonkier*.
Sons which that proposal tugged. In the first place, for
the last ten years we have all been more or lees talking on
this subject of reform. I quite agree with my friend and col-
league that the time is come when, if possible, we should
talk about it no more, without doing something which may
be satisfactory. (Cheers.) Another observation which th-
eme to me is this-I thick there never was a time so proper
for doing something on the subject as the present. (Hear.)
The country is not excited in reference to it, but Ido not
suppose at all that that means the country is not alive to the
subject-(cheers)-or that the country is indifferent and not
in earnest. 1 (to not believe that it is The torrent's
smoothness:ere it dash below ." and I do not believe we are
going soon to enter upon a period of irrational excitement on
the matter. I believe there never has been • period when the
country was so prepared carefully to consider, rationally
to discuss, and steadfastly to adopt honest and judicious pro-
posals on the subject of reform. Another consideration of
great importance is this-if we are to accomplish the benefits
to which my friend has referred we shall have to pass
through the House of Commons a bill which will disfranchise
many of our towns which now have • voice in the electioa of
their representatives. lem not at all afraid for the city of
Oxford. I don't believe that any reformer or any conserva-
tive will propose any schedule in which the city of Oxford
will be in any risk of finding a place. But the minister who
has to carry • Reform Bill through that Hones of Commons,
in which so many members will find their Beata condemned,
has an arduous task before him. If the question is not to be
• mere football for political controversy from meeting to
meeting, and from one eide of the house to the other, but
if it is to be of practical advantage to the people of England
and the well government of the world, we most pewit through
the House of Commons. We have also to carry it through
another assembly, which has to review the pmeeedings of the
House of Commons. All this must happen before it receives the
consent of the crown. It is time we did aomethiag. Cer-
tainly within our experience there has never been • better
time for doing something, while it is a great advantage to
have the authority and infiusithe of the crown on our side in
the measure we are going to carry. Now we come to consi-
der a more difficult phase of the eobjecr, and we approach
that Druidical circle, which it is contrary to our rules
to venture within. I shall show myself to good a Druid
that I have no doubt I eball succeed in conforming
to that regulation. One thing we know, and that is, that
the measure will sot be passed on what I call &betroth
principles, by which I mean that it will not con-
template, like the celebrated Declaration of Inde-
pendence, a universality of suffrage, and • mathema-
tical equalisation of electoral dietticta. The question
to be ached first will be-are the persons whom the proposed
measure will include in the enfranchised to be chosen upon
some comprehensive principle, and for a mincer. and honest
aim and purpose'.' By comprehensive principle, I mean is it
an ample measure, large in proportion to the magnitude of
the subject itself, to the interest of the country, to the great-
ness of the people whose destinies it is to away, it may be, for
a quarter ef a century, and to those ultimate interests it will
affect perhaps for the whole duration of the present genera-
tion? By sincere, I mem is it framed without reference to
any particular thpirationa-is it designed sod totes:4od to
promote the welfare of the whole community? The tat
of that will be--are the education and intelligence of
the persons selected for enfranchisement to be the
ground and cause of their being 'elected P Will
it include those who are qualleed to add by their voice to
the wisdom, security, tied strength of the councils of this
crown and people . I doubt not, with my hon.
friend and colleague, that there will be a re-distri-
bution of seats caused by this measure. My friend has re-
ferred to a bill brought in four years ago by a government
of which I myself had the honour to be • member. Four
years have elapaed, and, in the life we live, tour years is a
long time. It may be that subsequent experience may sug-
gest to those whose anxious duty it will be to bring forward a
reform bill, important amendments and changes in the detaila
of this measure; but everybody who refers to that measure of
Lord John Rummell will the that' whether its details
were tight or wrong, at all events its otject was to add those
individuals to the ematiturney who corresponded to the test
of intelligence and education. With regard to the redistri-
bution of sees disfranchisement was the order of that bill,
for, if I recollect right, about sixty or seventy seats would
have fallen, to be taken from smell places and reapportioned
to the greet seals of industry and commerce. It may be that
some other number is now mote suited to the exigencies of
the time, and we shall hear the reasons which dictate the
change; but this I thy, that if in the extension of the fran-
chise there be no arbitrary rule, but • sincere desire to make
the fitness of the ekctor the cause of this extension, re-
gardless of cir.thquences to t arty or to clue-if in the re-
distribution of meatus the desire be to reinnve manifest defects
and to give power to great combinations of industry and
intelligence, and to add strength to the institutions
of this country, the ht.], whether it correspond to the details
of the kill of 1834, or differ from them, will deserve to be
oonsillered an ample 101 l and an honest bill ; and come from
what quarter it way, I trust ire will receive the cordial and
generous consideration of all independent persons, both
within and without the wails of parliament. (Loud cheerio.)

INCITING CIICH6II RATE CaNTHST dT
WOOLWICH.

Yesterday a poll of the ratepayers of the parish of
Woolwich took place at the Town-hall upon the question of
crewing a church rate of twopence in the pound, or refusing
• rate. The polling commenced at 12, and was adjourned at
4 o'clock, and the proceedings were of the most animated
description, veining from the tact that during the four hours
the voting on each Pith, was newly equal. One of the church-
wardens (Mr. Jolly) is an omen:teat of church rated, and
placards were extenatvely distributed calling upon the rate-
payers to support this gentlemen by voting egamet the rata,
At the adjournment of the pull at tour o'cleck the votes re-
corded were exactly equal—namely. 363 for tech. The Town-
hall was crowded wile. ratepayere, and the announcement of
this result was loudly cheered by the anti-rate party, as on
former I.CCAPttattl when a poll has taken place, a rate has been
obtained by 1411 overwhelming majority. Conaiderthie dien•-
tidaction 'towered to pre Velii trots the fact that a large number
°femme were ref Wed by the chairman •to the grounds that the
paraee claiming to vote melded tu a pe,roonot the perish which
had been formed into en ee-hcitAteel district, under the
Marquis of 111am:f•rd's Act. Tide district (deaignated St.
Thorns:et, in in eibited ehielly by Meek SAM artietes, who are
opposed to chinch retry. The It,. Ilenry Brown, A.M.,
rector, who occupied the chair, observed he was moat anxious
to act truly to tenth pieties; but Le should take the resign/-
I,OOR, of refusing to record 'hoer voter, as the ratepayers of
St. Thenow's were nor included in the parish of Woolwich,
except with re,zard to the tenor and getter.' rare.. The Rev.
F. Tool-IA (..ongregatioael minister), and other ratepayers,
addressed the ase,tubly, and urged the necessity of vigorous
exertion in trier to defeat the rate. A curing of the anti-
rate party W. held last evening, and it wee resolved to use
every leguimate means to obtain a majority againet the rate
at the adjourned pull, which opens at 12 and cloaca at 4
o'clock this day.

TESTIMONIAL ro Nllt. J. S. 1111.1..—We have had
an opportunity of in.ping a men. hands.une testimonial,
executed in eilver by )Nees. Elkington, (or presentation to
Mr. John Stuart Mill by the gentletnru of the ollino over
which be lately presided. It is a casket of oblong form and
of retuarkably elegant design, having on the lii a copy in
bas-relief of itaphael's picture of the S.hriol of Athena,"
flanked by no datlion beats of Apollo and !Minerva, on the
ende, medallions of Aiietoilo and I'll, y and on the
front and bath portions of the Panotheniec from all in has-
relief. The interior 1a titled up as an inkstand, and on
the inside of the lid is the f ,Itosing ffisc,;prion :—•' Pre-
vented to John Stuart Mill. on bit retirement front the office
of ' Examiner of Indian Correspondence, is token of With
admiration and esteem, and metro personal regard, by his
reo,ta,ciatss in that department of the East India Home." The
inkstand was eceteopanicd by on appn-priate address. to
which a number of oignaturee were appended.—Alica's
Indian Malt. .

Tae New FAST INDIA liOUsE.—On the last day
of the old year a contract woe signed, in Leedentotll-strret,
for the building of a new East ludo Home in Downing-
street, to occupy the large open specs, which hoe long been
standing empty, ma.. to the Foreign-olfice. The position
is admirably 'elected for the purple.. being in the midst of
the principal government ,11bwo, sod dote to both houses of
parliament, while the extvnt of the atirtvce occupied will
for the net Petshliotottent it is
intended to receive. Ily the terms of the contract the build-
. iag must be oumpleted within two yeses.—Bovisc Zfwes.

EcoNll-HAND PIANOFORTE--CRAMER,
'MAUL 144 *". bats • &•• • ••••••••4 of 8•••••bllesi /bear
b 7 Ike mini aimed maw; •4 Ali/ redffeed IM•s.-1/11.
•••••Inal.

THE DAILY NEWS, LONDON MOHNING
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