The Express.
London, England, 1861-01-30 00:00:00

(Stamped, id. Additional) [TWOPENCE.

to apply that metaphor to the present position of the Eng-
lish nation and its naval and military services. These ser-
vices should be the servants of the nation ; their voice as
to the magnitude of thate services should be
held to be of very small account ; civilians ought
to determine the amount of danger, and the mili-
tary were only wanted when certain things were
to be done which statesmen and civilians had deter-
mined to be necessary. But now these services had become
so great that the most palatial clubs built in London of late
years were entirely for their accommodation. They had
also a special press devoted to their cause, and were allied
with the court, the peerage, and the great territorial in-
terest. There was a coestant pressure upon the government
which the government found it difficult to resist, and they
had great power iu parliameoL But all this could not bring
about this extravagant expenditure, were it not that
the people were ili-informed upon these matters. The
people were duped, and when a man • was duped
it was easy of course to do anything with him. Having
briefly alluded to the Russian war, Mr. Bright said, since
the conclusion of that war, he would put it to every man
present whether the most strenuous exertions had not been
made by a certain party in this country to create alarm
with regard to France. Now, for some yearn pat we had
been in partner-Ship with France. We bad made two
Chinese wars needlessly in partnership with France, and
transactions bad taken place in Italy in which the policy of
England had been mealy pursued. Englandwanted a united
Italy, and for purposes for white SheFrasch did not want
it. The French Emperor had dose sothiag actively to pro-
vost it, but had watched the mass of events, and so far ash,
(Mr. Bright) could understand his policy was prepared to
consent to the consummation when it arrived. So far the
Emperor's conduct towards this country had been friendly,
conciliatory, and proper. Mr. Bright next alluded to the
treaty of commerce and the abolition of the passport sys-
tem, the advantages of which he pointed out, and asked if
these were signs of war. (Loud cries of " No.") Since the
days when France and England waged perpetual war with
each other centuries ago, there had never been a monarch
upon the throne of France who, in the same period of time,
had done so much to draw the two nations together and to
put an end for ever to strife between them. (Applause.)
He admitted that the French government spends too mush
upon her military armaments, but it should be borne in
mind that the Emperor knows he has not too many friend'
among the orthodox monarchs of Europe—that the English
aristocracy, whose mouthpiece was the Times, did not like
him or his family, and that we have in our navy 84,000 men
and boys, being more than all the men and boys in the
mercantile marine of France, and 50,000 more than
were in the royal Davy of France. He complained
that our government allowed the false statements
made by the press to be repeated by public
speaker,, whilst they had not the honesty and the
courage to contradict them. For example, they had en-
couraged the volunteer movement ; some people called it
mania, and others patriotism. Be would not give it any
harsh names, conceiving that many had joined the volunteer
force from motives of patriotism. That movement might
ho regarded in two ways : either they were in danger of
some stack from abroad, or they intended to raise a cheap
force, and so diminish the extravagant expenditure in the
regular army. As to any attack from abroad, the govern-
ment knew that it was the merest chimera ; but they
looked to the volunteer force to create a greater taste
for military display so that less pressure may be
excited in favour of a reduction of the standing army.
Having dwelt further upon the waste in the public expen-
diture, Mr. Bright adverted to the session about to com-
mence. He asked—Shall we have the same waste, the
same fraud, the same extravagant estimates provided for
and condemned by a great Chancellor of the Exchequer
Let hem warn them that if the estimates were as large as
thews of last session, there was some power in this coun-
try which intended war. Let them not interfere in foreign
quarrels and nobody would interfere with them—least of all
the Emperor of the French. The people of France wished for
peace with Europe, and especially with England. He believed
that if our own government gave authority to Mr. Cobden
to ascertain whether the government of France would con-
seat to an amicable arrangement by which the navies of
the two countries should not pea their present bound',
he believed that it would be received by the French go-
vernment with as cordial a feeling as it received the pro-
position to make that great treaty of commerce. Of course
the men who suspected the Frenrh Emperor would smile at
this credulity. He believed the opinion to be a sound one,
but was sorry to say that, judging from the past, be be-
lieved that the greatest obstacles would be found on this
side of the Channel to any such convention. The
Emperor of course would be safer the more
his people felt that they were rightly governed.
He was sure the crown of England would be more safe to
descend in an unbroken line to a late generation iu the same
family the more the people of England felt there was
great moderation and great justice ; but there could be
neither without great economy in the expenditure of
the public resources. He might be charged with unfavour-
able feelings towards royal families and to the people in au-
thority, but he dared to assert that the time would corns
when the people would discover that they had been un-
justly treated, and possibly they might discover that there
was no family, and no combination of families, connected
with the government in this country, that was worth 70
millions a year. (Loud cheers.) Mr. Bright then concluded
in an eloquent peroration, and resumed his seat amidst the
most enthusiastic applause, alter having spoken for an hour
and a half.

THE LIBEEALM Or BRINTOL AND THE COMING
HEEBIOII.—On Monday morning an aggregate meeting of the
Liberal Auociatiou of the city of Bristol was held at their
rooms, in Tailori-court, to consider whether any or what
action should be taken on questions affecting their interests
which are likely to be brought before the ensuing session of
parliament. In the unavoidable absence of the president,
Mr. It. Coss, the treasurer, was called to the chair, and
after some discussion the following resolutions were
unanimously agreed to :—" That it is the opinion of
this meeting that, after the distinct avowal made
by Mr. Disraeli of his intention to make the sub-
ject of church rates a party question, and if
possible to extend and increase the powers to do all for the
support. and maintenance of the buildings and worship of
the epucepalian church, the time has now arrived when
it become/ the duty of the present government to take
up the question and carry a bill for the final and corn-
pieta abolition of church rates in every form ; and that
our members be earnestly requested, as far as possilde,
to give effect to this resolution. That this meeting is
of opinion that the interests of the country impera-
tively call for a comprehensive measure of parliamentary
reform ; and that it is the duty of the government and
, the liberal party in the HOW. of Commons, without
further delay, to promote the pauiug of such measure.
That it is the opinion of this meeting that the present
enormous and unprecedented national expenditure is uncalled
for in time of peace, and this meeting begs to call upon its
members meat respectfully, to use their indueime to obtain
such a reduction' of our national expenses as will enable the
government to propose a more equitable adjustment of the
income tax and the repeal of the leper duty." It wee sub-
, sequently determined to hold a public meeting on the church
ride questiou, and a committee was appointed to make the
requisite arrangements and fix the time when the meeting
shall be held,

MANCHEITER CONFERENCE ON THE BALLOT.-4
conference of the friends of the ballot assembled in one of
the committee rooms of the Free Trade Hall, Manchester,
yesterday afternoon, between four and five o'clock. The
meeting was numerously and respectably attended, 1111.11 y of
the country manufacturers, who bad come to the market,
being present. Sir Elkanah Armitage presided, and the
deputation nominated to attend from London included Lord
Teynbam, the Hon. F. H. F. Berkeley, M.P., E. C. White.
hunt, Esg. and W. S. Austin, Esq.
ME. MAooßzuOl LAIRD.—We regret to an-
nounce the death, on Sunday last, of Mr. Macgregor Laird,
well known in connexion with African exploration. At an
early age Mr. Laird relinquished his interest in an eaten.
site engineering ertablishment in Liverpool, and was
asenciated with Richard Lander in conducting the first
steam expedition up the river Niger, with a view to open
op the commerce of the interior. After undergoing greet
hardships he returned to England in 1C32, with the few of
his companions who had survived the effects of the climate.
He next turned his attention to transatlantic steam naviga-
tion, and by his abilities and enterprise materially con-
tributed to the accomplishment of that great object ; subs°.
quentiy he for a short time devoted his energies in further-
ance of the great works in prograw at Birkenhead. During
the last 12 yeses of his life Mr. laird devoted his attention
exclusively to those objects in which his heart had lain
from early youth—the development of the trade and
civilisation of Africa, having for many years advocated this
as the only mar of finally extinguishing the slave trade.
HANDOOKE AIIENDS.—Sir Robert Peel bee be-
ODOM a subscriber of 1031. to the funds of the Staffordshire
Rills Valuator AillOaßtiOtt, requesting that it maybe re-
garded as four years' subscription at 251., with a view to
the permanence of the association.

CITY COURT OP SEWERS.
___._-

The usual weekly meeting of the Commisaionere
dtheßeirwoellinleefors inthetheietrGvniladhalll46"; Mrtwk. DepttiPll7 GYesterdslifent,"' thea
chairman of the commission, presided.
Mr. Game, a butcher carrying on a very estensive busi-
ness in Cannon street, app!iia to the court for permission
to erect a slaughter-house in the neighbourhood of his place
of business.

The application stated that the place in question was at
present used as a btable, and Mr. Game was desirous of
slaughtering only a portion of his stock there, and he under-
took to conform to any regulations and conditions that
might be imposed upon him by the medical officer or the
inspectors.
Dr. AbiIAHAY said that if the court was justified under
any circumstances in entertaining such an application as
this, he had no hesitation in saying that there was not •
man in the City of London to whom he would more readily
accord the privilege than Mr. Game. (Hear, bear.) They
had, however, for a long time been endeavouring to remove
these nuisances from the City, and it appeared to him that
the court would stultify itself by granting such an appli-
cation. He should, therefore, move that it be not se-
ceded to.
-- - - - _

Deray lisenisor seconded the motion, and said that at
a time when the City was endeavouring to diamarket New-
gate-market, it would be almost absurd for this court to
grant its consent to an application Ince the present.
The motion of Dr. ABRAHAM was then carried uoani.
measly.
Dr. Icrrnesv, the medical officer, reported to the court on
the state of 200 houses that bad been inspected during that
week, and he submitted a list of seventy-one places for mei.
taryfenprovarnent in va dens particulars. He likewise reported
that daring the week the officers had seized 3,6291ba, or nearly
• ton and three quarters, of meat in the City markets,
as mitt for human food-1,104 lbs. were seized ie Newgete.
market by Mr. Fisher, 619 in Leadenball by Mr. David-
' son, 1,906 lbs. in Aidgate, and in Tyler's Market and else-
where by Mr. Newman. Of thine amounts, 3,347 lbs.
were seized on account of disease--chiefly rotten sheep that
ought not to have been sent to the City markets ; and
' 214 lbs. were from animals that had died from natural
causes. The mortality returns for the week are
still excessively high. Instead of an average of
sixty-three deaths in the week there have been
90, the same as in the preceding week. Indeed, the total
mortality of the last few weeks has been 275 instead of
166, a number which is just 46 per cant. above the average.
About one-third of the deaths in the week were among
children of less than five years of age, and another third
amass old persons of 60 and upwards. As in the preceding
fortnight, the chief causes of death have been dive/weed the
inspiratory organs ; M deaths were from bronchitis, 7 front
pneumonia, and 10 from phthisis. Only 11 deaths were
occasioned by dioceses of the zymotie class, but of these
four were due to measles and three to whooping-cough. 70
births were registered in the week, and of these 40 were
boys and 30 were girls..
A rather long discussion took place upon the subject of
this report.
Dr. ABRAHAM said it appeared to him when they heard
week after week of the large quantity of diseased meat that
was exposed for sale, and the dangerous consequences that
were likely to result from it to the poorer classes of the
community, that the court ought to take some steps in the
matter, and that the names of the salesmen who bad such
meat in their possession should be made public.
Dr. Lrreenr then read the names of the parties, but
from subsequent explanations that were made, and eve-
chilly as there appeared to be a good deal of difference of
opinion in the court as to the propriety of making the
names public, it would not be fele to publish the names at
present. Dr. Lethehy stated that he had taken proceedinga
against some of the parties under the Nuisances Removal
Act, and he asked the court to give its authority to legal
assistance being obtained to support the complaints that he
bad preferred.
Some further desultory conversation took place, during
which Mr. Newman, the inspector who bad seized the dis-
eased meat, was called upon to explain the circumstances;
under which he did so, and it turned out that in almost
every instance in which a seizure bad taken place the sales.
men themeless were the parties who applied to him and
called his attention to the character of the meat, and re.
quested him to remove it. It also appeared that some
portion of the diseased meat was taken from a slaughter
e, and had never been exposed for sale at all.
Mr. H. L TAILOR moved that in future the inspectors
be directed to state the names of those salesmen who called
their attention to any diseased meat that was in their pos.
session, and that they should at the 3111118 time request the
salesmen to give the names of the consignors of such meat,
and inform them that if they refused to do so they would
be held personally responsible.
This motion was carried, mid directions were also given
that the City solicitor should be requested to take the ne.
emery steps to support the charges that were at present
about to be preferred by the direction of the medical
officer.
The court then adjourned.