The Express.
London, England, 1861-01-22 00:00:00

(Stamped, hi. Additional.) (T WOPE NCE..

say was, that they tioa prose the suNect on the legis.
!attire with all the force of a strong public opinion.
The resolution was put and carried- unanimously.
Mr. WATKINS, having read a letter from Lord Enfield,
addressed to Mr. M'Cullagh. to the effect that he would
undertake the hill if the government did not intend to in.
troduce a general reform measure, moved a vote of thanks to
his lordship.
MT. NKWKAN seconded the motion, which was adopted.
On the motion of Mr. WHITEKKAU, seconded by Mr.
Jwies, a petition to parliament, praying f.ir the enfranchise-
ment of thee borough was adopted, after which the meet-
ing separated

man concluded with an eloquent peroration on the subject of
Italy, which, be said. he Amsted would noon, through the
agency of Garibaldi, include Rome and Venice in une
united kingdom. Italy had g:Uned liberty, that greatest of
God's gifta.

" Go seek earth's loftiest heighta —ocean's deepest caves,
Go where the see snake and the eagle dwell ;
Midst mighty elements where nature is, and man is not.
There may you see afar, impalpable as is the rainbow on
the cloud,
That glorious vision- liberty !"
England would uphold that liberty by insisting on a policy
of nonintervention, and then they might say to her in the
words of the poet :
" Thou shalt remain, to shame, invulnerable
Like a great sea mark, standing every flow,
And saving those that eye thee."

Mr. WYLD proposed, and Mr. MITCHELL seconded, the
following resolution :- "That this meeting 'no! opinion that
the course which has been pursued by Mr. Edwin James,
M.P., during the period he has represented this borough in
parliament merits the approbation of this large con-
stituency," which was carried unanimously.
A second resolution, pledging the meeting to continued
support of the hon. member, was shoo carried, and the pro.
ceeigs terminated.

THE DISTURBANCES IN NEW ZEALAND.

The following is a despatch from Sir G. C. Lewin,
Bart., to Governor Gore Browne, C. 8., on the subject of
the dieborbutoee in New Zealand :

" Downingatnset, July 28,1860.
"Sir,— I have received, and liar Majesty's government
Las very carefully considered your recent despatches re-
specting the disturbances in New Zealand. The present posture of affairs I collect to be this :—that
William King and the Taranaki tribes have receded from
the immediate neighbourhood of New Plymouth, discou-
raged apparently by Captain Cracrolt's sunoessful attack on
their pah ; that no other tribal have as yet declared them-
selves on the aide of the insurgents ; and that there is reason
to hope that none will so declare themselves.
" But you point out as a matter of much importance, that
the position taken by the Walkatos is one which if perse-
vered in will be inconsistent with the due maintenance of
the Queen's authority in the islands.
"The reinforcements sent from other points of Australia
have raised the number of troops in New Zealand to about
1,800 men, besides volunteers, and a naval brigade of about
500 men, furnished from the ships of war which are now on
the coast of New Zealand. There are now four, and will
shortly be five such ships.
"I do not, however, collect from your despatches that
any volunteers have offered to come forward in aid of her
inMs=government, except those persons who have armed
of their own homes, or have been compelled to
keys them

"Mader theme circumstances you and your advisers re-
quest that three regiments of infantry and one of artillery
may be seat sot, partly in order to provide against the pos-
sibility of a general rising of the natives, and partly in order
to enable you to take, under any circumstances that may
occur, a eorrunandiug tone respecting the various questions
at issue between the settlers and the Maoriee.

------
"The native secretary, I observe, has remarked that with
leis than five thousand troops (involving an expense of about
150,0001. per annum) it would not be possible to defend all
the outlying settlements in the colony ; and Mr. Richmond.
closes his able and interesting Memorandum with the fol-
lowing words :
" ' Justice, therefore, and humanity require that England
should freely recognise the onerous duties cut upon her by
the colonisation of New Zealand. To avert such calamities
u seem to impend, it is indispensable to place at the dis-
posal of the governor • military and naval force ade-
quate to support him in • policy of equal justice to the two
races which have been placed by Providence in • relation to
each other so singular and difficult.'
. . . . .

"I must at once say that in the present position of affairs,
and with the demand for troops which exists, or may be ex-
pected in other quarters, it is impossible for her Majesty's
government to comply with your desire to receive 3,000 or
4,000 soldiers in addition to your present force. Meseures,
however, have been taken to despatch the 14th Regiment at
once fur the relief of the 65th, which will be allowed to re-
main in the colony for the present in case on the arrival of
the 14th the immediate danger should not have passed over.
I trust that it will have passed over, and if this should
prove the case. I cannot but believe that wise government
and prudent oonduct on the part of the settlers will do far
more than au increased military foroe to maintain the rela-
tions between the Europeans and natives on a satisfactory
footing.
"Meantime I must observe that although it in the desire
of her Majesty's government to provide fully for the per-
formance of those duties which the mother country owes to
her colonies, I cannot silently accept what appears to be the
colonial estimate of their responsibilities.
" England cannot undertake the defence, against a nation
of warlike savages, of a number of scattered farms or vil-
, loges, selected not with any view to such defence, but the
profitable pursuit of peaceful industry, and subject to the
risks which naturally attend the occupation of land in the
midst of an uocivffised population.
" Nor as her Majesty's government undertake to provide
such a force as will secure the colonies against prospective
difficulties. Immediate and imminent danger must be met
RS they arise. But the policy which requires the continual
presence of a large force carries in most cases its condem-
nation on its face.

" What is the degree of protection which the inhabitants
of a British colony are entitled to expect from the home
government is a matter on which it is impossible to speak in
the abstract. It is no doubt necessary to punish aggres-
sion, to defend the centres of population, to maintain a hold
upon the keys of the country. But beyond this the amount
of assistants given must depend on the demands to which
the military and naval forces of the country are subjected
elsewhere, and on the urgency of the case, as shown not
merely by demands for assistance, but by the disposition of
the colonists to adopt their share of the necessary expenses ;
to incur for the defence of their neighbours the dangers
hand inconveniences of personal service, and to place in
the hands of the home government the power of con-
trolling the treatment of those whom they are called upon
to subdue. _ _ _

"Aud I cannot refrain from observing that neither of your
despatches nor Mr. Richmond's memorandum indicate any
definite intention on the part of the colonists to contribute
to the expense of the troops whom they demand,—that the
volunteering appears to be confined to the particular local'•
ties threatened,—and that Mr. l lchmned, while calling
upon the home government toadopt the expenesed the war,
does not even hint at the propriety of investing it with any
larger powers than they at present pores' for dealing with
the native question out of which these expenses arise. I
may add that a bill introduced into parliament to provide
an effectual machinery for the exercise by the crown of the
powers reserved to it by the Constitution Act is threatened
with a determined opposition by a gentleman professing to
represent the feelings of the colonists.
This you will perceive on perusing a pamphlet which I
enclose in another despatch.
" I allude to these circumstances not, of course, as re-
lieving the home government from the duty of supporting
the colony against a pressing danger, but because they must
materially affect the disposition of the British government
and people to undertake that indefinite expenditure of blood
and treasure to which Mr. Richmond invitee them.—l have,
Re., (Signed) ".G. C. Lewts.
" Governor Gore Browne, &c."

"THE MESSIAH" AT Sr. PAUL'e.—Much ex-
pectation is excited in the musical world by the perfornuinco
of this oratorio on Friday morning next in our great metro-
politan cathedral. The preparations (including, three
rehearse* the last a full one with the orchestra, to-morrow
morning) are going on with great activity, and the tickets
are selling rapidly. The band and chorus will be above
six hundred strong, and the principal singers are Madame
Lommens Sherrington, Mn. Lockey (who has not lately
been heard in public in London), Mr. Sims Reeves, Mr.
Lockey, Mr. Francis, Mr. Bucklaud, Mr. Winn, and Mr.
L. Thomas. Mr. Goes will be the conductor, and Mr. C.
Cooper the organist. It is anticipated that the perforn.ance
(the first of the kind that has ever taken place in St. Paul's
Cathedral) will be of unprecedented grandeur.
GEMMEL LYING-IN HOSPITAL—The annual
meeting of the governors of the General lying-in Hospital
was held yesterday at the hospital, York-road, Lambeth ;
Mr. Thos. Summer Cocks occupied the chair. The minutes
of the last meeting having been confirmed, the secretary
(Mr. T. H. Smith) proceeded to rend the' report. In doing
so he observed that the object of the society was to admit
.wtheldrewiTtounapesrobol,:idto7oberJ:t. dpstull;:inetlxu.pe.ittirstsoshdelminmiactilavors c
and hi mechanics
ld-birth,
hhes:
nded
single
awfrelfooermnf,eexPrPer°griled. charuTtleey•b:epnr.mdefit.ThemiceresPlgotiostrtael::WtedrY Imthnthatot
the in.
the
7071.
income
ne
ine r hned teehoebefoauf totall
a last
td9st:e yol."l79:thbur;es:tablio
for
.nuk enerrelttle excess
was
e:
currenti n 9
yearrece.. '412 4:
Thefln. et 2e 9d.
r at
well
about 1,4741. 275 patients were admitted last
year-7.13
married sod 36 single.
.During the last seven years 2,101
patient. have been received Into the hospital, and 3,5E6
u.s.patiaata were relieved, out of which 6133 were relieved
last year. The number of married women who pissed as
ia.patients last year was lees than the average by 22, and
more than these pissed in 1859 by 14. The report also
showed that the subscripasons had fallen off last ye sr,
whieh was • circumstance to be regretted. The health of
the hospital was considered satisfactory. The report was
votes of thanks pared to the Physicians and sere.
mil, for their services, and the meeting separated.

HARNIONII73IB-NZW MODEL. -
monis,. BEAL; sod Ok. In, ItersavetreeL

QT. JAMES'S HALL RISTAIIRANT,
legest-stripet sod Plisse
.1/1 Olisers, Ligoo"4/Ax.. Mr himestA Lag%
mid i•esDeam-a. W. DONALD. POIPOW-

CU erprem

fib (t.ItIttN.NDLNTS.
%Oen. •, =tato lateoded for " The &were' Leedom Kontos
Poptt, mart he at ta. niece. le, boa redo-Wrest. b Two
Valera us the day of sahib:Won.

HATWASKIT.

Twill rIESFEId, SEE ;74-0114 •-CON,WER. Melon Chi
poadalo and lincksti•oe . Nls. Fanny •Hirling.—Aad QUEEN
LADYBIRD UND HER CHILDREN . or, Harlequin and a Howe
00 /In. Herreole, fbeLeclerqs. Riau V. Wright, 111 r LWeeked

PRINCIBBS.
Tin Emmen. RI • V BL tfr•ors. /renter. Run Totter, and
Rants: Mtn Bach.—And the pudenda*. called ROBI :OWN
hallos. or. klarleplin YrklAy, and The Xing of the Carnahan
Islands, M. Itspoosa t MJUr. Y. Dundlstre, W. A. Yuest.
T. JAMB'S.
_ _

Tllli trra. /In, MY wiii; JOUIR 4L—THE TOILE OP ST.

Tkutl.L. 11eas re. A. %% man and Emmy : Kra. Beeklashant Whits.
—And . or. the Naughty Boy tbaterkni tortheitoon
. Maws. C. Young a: Relotott: Misses st.Casee, Herbert, de Romer.

kitITANNIA.

Tm, Esaxcsa. TIIE TUE MIRE. Meurs.
Pitt, I rry. Jess Lou,s lobs. sad Newham . Mdlle. C. ftepase,
Vl,' jr *sins. Mrs. W. Cranford.—Awl A 3110A4AGE YEUM
111 E -Li. Messrs. Asysolas sad Arnythsuo. Mrs. X Yarsold.

HIGH WAT AT LONDON 1111DOL
77n3 DAT —Maas_ IL SUL—. Ariasaa lob. ITAT.
1.-loliQW-.46.1111111111. 13a..... AtliesaL l lL 50s.

- - - -
LONDON, TUESDAY, JA N. 22.

OUR liberal friends beyond the Straits are
tooling forward with • reasonable anxiety to the
result of the preliminary discussions about to
open in the Imperial Senate on the Decree of
November 24. Up to this hour it must be con-
fessed that this "Great Body of the State" has
borne its honours meekly, and has accepted the
burden of a salary for life with • silent acquiescence
worthy of the best historical traditions. It was
only a year ago the world ascertained that the
Senate actually talked. The Mundeer, indeed,
had solemnly reminded it of the exalted functions
it was designed to fulfil, and the liberties it was
authorised and expected to take ; but such was its
diffidence, that it could not be prevailed upon to
tale even the Mmaiteur at its word, or to give up
to mankind what was meant for its Master. Lest
year, however, the Senate awoke one morning,
and found itself famous. The Roman Question
was in everybody's mouth, and on the Roman
Question the Senate had spoken out with
a will and a vivacity which made that
number of the trunitolr quite a lively publi-
cation, in which the Voltairian juvenilitiss of M.
DUNN lightened the protesting thunders of a cou-
ple of Cardinals. The public had been coons•
tinned to regard a Senator with the reverence due
to a grave personage in • splendid livery ; but no
one imagined that the Luxembourg was • retreat
for plain speaking or public virtue. The vulgar
belief had been that only questions of etiquette,
ceremonial, and costume were debated under the
presidency of M. Taorteii. This absurd mis-
apprehension could exist no longer ; and from
that day to this the Senate has been seriously
regarded as the depositary of the plans for the
promised "crowning of the edifice" of the New
Empire. In this capacity the Senate is now
convened to consider and sanction the constitu-
tional changes announced in the decree of Novem-
ber 24. The publicity of its debates cannot fail
to provoke the ardent curiosity of a public so long
unaccustomed to the echoes of • political Assembly.
The altered aspect of the principal journals is a
cheering and decisive symptom of the revival
of public spirit among our neighbours. Their tone
and temper, resolutely and calmly expectant, bears
witness to a strength of purpose, a dignity of
feeling, and a wise moderation which deserve, if
they do not command, all that the friends of free.
dons can desire. Ten years of gloom have dimmed
but nut extinguished the hope of better days.
Names, in themselves signs and pledges, are re-
appearing in the liberal press at the foot of articles
which recal the days when French journalism
was a continual combat of wit, logic, and eloquence
unsurpassed in Europe. It is a gain to the cause
of freedom and progress everywhere that France
should recover the use of a weapon which she has
known how to handle ea bravely and brilliantly as
her sword, and that is saying mock of her pen.
The preliminary sittings at the Luxembourg have
no doubt a special interest for our contemporaries
in Paris, because the Senate is not only called
upon in the exercise of its constitutional preroga.
bye to set its seal upon the liberal provisions of
the Decree of November 24, in their genseel
effect upon the relations between the executive and
legisl►tive authorities; it will have more particularly
to define and regulate the material conditions of
the enlarged publicity which is promised to the
debates in the Legislative Corps, or the Lower
Chamber, as we may now be permitted to call it.
According to the terms of the Senates-Consul-
tun', the reports of debates are to be drawn up by
secretaries placed under the orders of the President
of each assembly. Theme reports are to be ad-
dressed every evening to all the journals.
Short-hand report+, in fell, of the debates will
be inserted in the official journal only, on the
following morning. It is self-evident that the im-
partial and complete publicity of the debates is
inadequately provided for by this article of the
Decree of Nov. 24. The unofficial (not to say
independent) journals are compelled to take an
official abridgment of the debates, under the hands
of Presidents of the Chambers, who are not elected
but appointed by the Err►Ea"x. In all debates'
of importance, it must be a material impossibility
for journals published in the evening to take
advantage of the only report they are entitled
to publish. The full report of an impor-
tant debate, as it might appear in next day's
Moniker, no French journal of the ordinary Nine
could reproduce ; yet, by the terms of the Senates-
Consultum, the choice must lie between the
abridged reports supplied by the Presidents of the
Chambers too late for journals which are des•
patched by the evening mails, or the Monitear's
report u.... tease, for which no journal save the
.V...t..0r can make room, and which must
be copied from the Monit. or in extenso, or not at
all. If the Senate is sincerely anxious to inter-
pret in a liberal muse the intentions of the
Decree, it will surely not reduce every journal
but the Moult sr to nub a dilemma as this :
either to accept the official abstract at an
hour (in all important came) too late for pub-
lication, or to copy, two days after, the report
of _lf nit-or—which is materially impossible.

It is not pretended that the Mukikat is in every-
body's hands, or on everybody's dead wall in town
and country ; nor can citiamse who are not ropier
readers of the Abkiterir be expected to take in the
official journal for the sake of a full report of
the debates in the Chambers. Either then the
independent and unofficial press will be allowed
to take its own reports, as in the old parlia-
mentary days, or the publicity of the debate
in the Chambers will be to all intents and pur-
poses restricted to the columns of the official
journal, which is something like a contradiction
in terms.

If we could venture to hope that English opinion
on such a point would not be " suspect,' we should
take the liberty to hint that the Senate might
amend this article of the Decree in an enabling
sense, by simply leaving to each journal the dis-
craion and responsibility of its own report of the
debates. Chartered libertines and anarchists,
as English parliamentary speakers and public
writers probably appear to the well-regulated
mind of an Imperial Senator, they have at least
a considerable experience in favour of leaving to
the privilege of Parliament the proper and only
check upon the privileges of the Press.
This, indeed, is only one of the questions which
are submitted to the constitutional decision of the
Senate ; but it is one in which we may be excused
for taking a sort of fraternal interest ; and the way
in which it may be settled will have a sensible in-
fluence upon the revival of constitutional liberty in
France. For, after all, publicity is the vital air of
liberty : and the conditions of publicity are the
conditions of its life.