The Express.
London, England, 1868-12-01 00:00:00

THE EXPRE64, TUESDAY

by Mr. DIARABLI at the Guildhall, "
by Lord ATANTAY at Liverpool, and acoepted '
principle by Mr. Otrnerotrs. Awarding]; this
diplomatic correspondents of the Journal deb Mak
at Berlin have written to that journabia the effete
that the original idea of this solemn neutral inter- ,
vention, in order to put en end to the mutual mis-
understandings of Franco and Prussia, came from
Paris; that it was cordially welcomed by the
English Cabinet ; and that it will be readily
adopted by Lord &LUMPY'S AROOSINPOr, whom, for
some reason or other, all the organs of the
Tuileries have already appointed, in the person of
Lord Cwisuumorc. And what, pray, is to be the
supreme object of this mediation of the three
" neutral Powers," in which Great Britain is to
take so large and eonspiouous a part ? A mere
trifle. Nothing more or less than the
solemn maintenance (by a new treaty of Paris or
London) of the slain roe in Germany, under the
strict limitations of the Treaty of Prague. In
other words, and in plain English, the
maintenance of the Treaty of Prague and
the arrested development of German national
unity are to form the basis of a now Euro-
pean settlement which is finally to supersede
the settlement of 1815. Not only are the smaller
German States to be protected by the " neutral
" Powers " against the ambition of Prussia,
but they are not to be permitted oven
of their own free will and accord to de-
rognte from the treaty which is to constitute
the independence and autonomy of each of theta.
If, for instance, the Grand Duohy of Baden should
see fit to annex itself to the North German Con-
federation, that is to be a eases kW, and a British
fleck and army are to join with French, Aus-
trian, and Emden fleets and armies to
prevent such a consummation. It is thus that the
old doctrine of the balance of power, which
some enthusiasts have thought to be exploded,
is to be restored, and by way of bringing
about a general disarmament, restoring oonfildenee
to the money markets, and reanimating industry
and commerce, the Government of Great Britain
is to constitute itself one of the "keepers" of
Prussia, and to declare to the great German
people. " thus far shalt thou go, and no
" farther. " And why ? Simply because
the German people claim the right of managing
their own affairs, and because the calculations of
the Euranon NAPOLEON, who, as all the
world knows, was ono of the prime instigators
of the war of 1866, were defeated at Badowa.
We daresay Lord CLARENDON is a grata persona
at the Tuileries, and it is possible that some-
thing like this fabulous mediation may have
been more or lees obscurely hinted at by some
august personage or other. But whether Lord
Cr.siesivox is to be the Foreign Minister of a
Libeled Cabinet or not, wo are well assured that
the British Parliament and the British nation will
have a word, and a decisive word, to say about
any mediation for maintaining tho slain (pin in
Germany.

t. 7 y time his daily ptias. instead at
bempiutik sln% o 6 the ha*
o!
poweb of %Ito 'tint, hi has t bogelisk
himself a neodurate smoker. •
The opponents of tobacco umeldng have' use
really strong argument whin they-urge the auguar
sive nature of the habit. Young men, and *eh
boys now-a-days, with scarcely money enough to
pay their way, will waste a portion of it in cigars,
and if they become inveterate smokers are tempted
to find at all hazards the risk of gratifying their
passion. Smoking, bo it remembered, is a mere
luxury, and can only be indulged innocently when
enjoyed m moderation. But moderation depends
as much upon the state of a smoker's finances as
uyon his physical capacity for imbaling tobacco.
We agree, at any rate, with the anti-tobaoooists
that it is a grievous pity that in Bitslead—•
country not wholly free from misery and destiht-
tion—so vast a sum as twelve million. should be
annually expended upon smoke.

OUR CONTEMPORARIES.
(THIS DAT.)

TIM intinrricanow or 21E3 Mint 1113101701 L
The Time. demonstrates that the representation
'of the great dirt:ids of England dose not in any way
respond to the divides of opinion in them Ensue the
lodes have returned 120 and more members while the
liberals have only sucoeeded in returning about 40, men
proceed in good faith to argue that the electors are di-
vided is the same proportion 114 the representatives,
end this cesclusion, expressed or implied, has a
powerful sleet on the minds od the mama The fallacy
of such an argument is obvious. IsSUCtibit. has returned
eight comervatives, but the electors who recorded their
votes in the four divides' of Lancashire were WOO libe-
rals against 29,500 conservatives. Kent returned six eon-
arnativek but the liberal voters in Kent wen 10,085
against 11,901 conservatives, or, is round flambeau, as 11
to 12. Every county has not been contested to every
division, and it is impossible to compare with elect-
nem the liberal and conservative county strength
throughout England ; but an attempt has been
made which shows that, approximated?, the liberal sup.
posters of county sindidates in the last election were
164,000 spinet 191,400 conservative voters, and the divi-
sion of representatives corresponding to this proportion

woulibe79lieral to 92 coiservatiVe county rairaben,
;mond of 44 to 124, tits actual result of the a/actions. In
Lancaihke itaeif, that unexpected stronghold of twaserva-
tiam, the popular vote is said to give a "Walt, of 200
voters to the conservatives out of 209,000 persons voting,
although a revised calculation would appear to show that
the liberal voters were actually in the majority, while the
Insicashire members, borough and county. are 21 conser-
vatives against 11 liberals.

111 11,0117LLR VOICE Olt

The Eta► refutes the assertion that the great centres of
population have gone against the policy of disestablish-
meat and dieendowasent, and regard Disraeli, not Glad-
stows as " the heaven-born sinister." In the whole of
England, 1,106,037 liberal votes have been given calling
fora change in the policy which has hitherto been pur.
rued towards Ireland, while only 790,176 have been polled
for the views of the Lancashire clergy. The Star admits
that the minority is respectable✓ but it is a minority ; and,
as the two nations of Scotland and Ireland throw an