The Express.
London, England, 1857-03-14 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, SATURDAY EVENING, MARCH 14, 1857.

club, from which the regular reporters of the
press were excluded, which indirectly excluded I
Lord Joust from the list of Liberal candidates
for the City of London. To have acquiesced in
this rd., on his pretensions to represent the City
would, on the part of Lord lons, have been an
acknowledgment that he was no longer worthy to
represent it. It would have been a cowardly Hight
from the attack of a few self-constituted dictators to
the electors of London. Lord JOIIN RUSSELL had
too much conscious integrity for the first,
and too much courage for the second. lie
met the insidious attack by immediately issuing his
address to the electors of London. Ile has thus
brought to a close the machinations of anonymous
whisperers and underhand intriguers. Ills accusers,
his enemies must now meet him face to face in
public, and make good all their charges against
him, or remain self-convicted of slander.
Already it is easy to see that, in this as in every
came, for conscious rectitude the boldest policy is the
safest. Honourable men, who hod unconsciously
allowed their minds to be wrought upon by anony-
mous gossip and scandal, have been roused from
their lethargy by Lord Jons's bravo and manly
appeal. Many upon whose co-operation the in-
triguers had reckoned have already indignantly de-
clared that they will not be dragged through the
dirt by them. And still more unequivocal has
been the response of that numerous class who
in general leave elections to be decided by
professional politicians and agitators, but whose
weight is sure to be thrown into the scale of justice
whenever the tools of faction venture to perpetrate
some more than usually shabby MITIODUITC. The 1
event of the election alone can determine whether
Lord lotus his not allowed too much time to elapse
' before he appealed from his insidious enemies to the
whole constituency; but already it is certain that if
he fall he will fall without dishonour, that he will
come out of the contest without a stain upon his
' honour, and that he will be surrounded by a numerous
• bard of honest end intelligent supporters of whose
confidence any man might be proud.

When we turn to examine the charges that have
been from time to time brought against Lord JOHN,
it is impossible not to feel astonished at their daring
inanity. True, those who entertain our opinions
have sometimes had reason to wish that Lord JOHN
would ads ance more rapidly and boldly on the path
of reform. But of which of his competitors far he
Inence among reformers cannot the same be said?
And this at least may be said of Lord JOHN—and of
few of the rest—that he has never retrograded. He
may have advanced leisurely, but he has always
kept advancing. But, in truth, no one dare assert I
of Lord JOHN, that his voice or vote hiss at
any time been given in contradiction to his
avowed principles. lie is assailed by dark
and mysterious insinuations that his leadership is
incompatible with the union and efficacious action of
the Liberal party. Let us trace these inuendoce
back to their source. In 1835, Lord JOHN'S favour
with the Liberal party may be said to have culmi-
nated ; it is sine that time that his undermiuers have
been able to cast a cold shade over him. Now, we
find it stated in the second volume of Sir ROBERT
PEEL'S Memoirs, just published, that WILLIAM
the Entrain's sole reason for dismissing his Whig
Ministers, in 1835, was his aversion to the appoint-
ment of Lord JOHN RUSSELL to be Cmseert.Loa of
the EXCHEQUER, when Lord Axenose was called
to the House of Peers. In 1836, it became known
that Lord JOHN bad been placed under the ban of
the Court, and from that moment he lost all
&your in the eyes of the mere place-hunters
among the Whip. Ever since that time he has
been the object of their incessant covert attests.
They have gleefully repeated in all companiesmet
sayings of SYDNEY Satin and Lord STAMM
against Lord JOHN. They have imputed the worst
of motives to his best actions. Whenever there has
been any misunderstanding among Liberals, Last
JOHN has been made to bear the blame. No proof
has ever been offered of the truth of any of those
thousand and one stories to his disparagement.
The very vagueness and insubstantiality of the
inuendocs have rendered it impossible for his
friends to grapple with them. The minds
of Liberals have been harassed and fright-
ened by viewless and menacing voices, as was the
case with those of whom we read in the Arabian
Nights as going in quest of the talking bird, the
singing tree, and the golden water. But such
anonymous and intangible defamation is only pow-
erful in darkness. Lord JOHN has now defied his
assailants to meet him in the face of day where such
arta arc unavailing. Falsehoods are strong, but their
power is only for a season, and the patriot who has
been assailed by them has only to possess his soul in
patience and he is sure to live them down.

The House of Commons has nobly done its duty
in voting unanimously "That Sir JOHN *NEILL
and Colonel TULLOCII ably fulfilled the duty en-
trusted to them of inquiring into the arrangement
and management of the Commissariat Department ;
and that considering the able services rendered by
Sir funs M'NEILL and Colonel TULLOCH, as Com-
missioners in the Crimea, and the high testimony in
•sir favour by her MAJESTY'S Government, ell
bawls address be presented to her MAJESTY, rep
fag that some especial mark of Ler favour be oem-
haveg grim them." The House of Commons his
mob angle atonement for the insult offered to them
medledeee public servants by Lord PALMERSTON,
whw be died them, as bush-money if they would
efeim their claims to a public recognition of their
swims, I,oool.—the exact sum, by the bye, with
mild the Marquis of Skyne paid off Becky Sharpe.
This *Mb in the history of the lad days of the
pima Pediment proves that the advocates of
Army Reim me still keep on the alert. A
beginning hes boa mode in improving the organisa-
tion of ors ow; bet. if care be not taken, the
palsying Mimeo et aristocratic patronage and red-
tapiam will soon re-establish the old abuses. That
influence, though it has for a time been rebuked into
silence, is rampant as ever, and only waits till the
lesson read to the public by the terrible events of
the first winter campaign in the Crimea shall have
been forgotten, to resume the sceptre at the Horse
Grid& Government truckled to this influence
when they left Colonel TULLOCH to assert single-
WNW the truth and justice of the Crimean Report,
ageing the *Seers who read their own condemns.
i• dm state of things which that Report ?e-
-vaded. Led PALMERSTON truckled to that influence
when, ea faraday night, he spoke of the service
of the Crimean Commissioners as an old story which
had better be consigned to oblivion. Lord
PALMERSTON affected to undervalue the Report
of the Crimean Commissioners, alleging that
its recommendations had been anticipated by
Government. This is a palpable subterfuge.
Government had acted on these recommenda-
tions before the Report was published, but not be-
fore they bad been transmitted by the COMmil-
sioners. Again. Lord PALMERSTON instituted an
invidious comparison between the services of Sir
JOHN M'Nr.im. and Colonel Ttruncn on the one
hand, and those of Dr. Oevnt, Dr. SUTHERLAND,
and Mr. RAwit.nesow on the other. No one seeks to
undervalue the merits of the three gentlemen lest

named ; but their services did not bring
them into hostile collision with incapacity
in high place ; did not expose them to the
persecution of powerful delinquents. The peculiar
merit of Sir JOHN *NEILL and Colonel Tcuocis is
that they dared to expose the shortcomings of men
whose wayward tempers and inefficiency had
decimated a gallant army, although these
men were strong in politically powerful con-
nexions. The consequence hos been that the
Incapable' have received decorations and been
promoted to lucrative appointments ; while the men
whose diligent investigation and dauntless truth.
speaking counteracted the effects of their incapacity,
have been abandoned undefended to their calumnies,
and insulted with a miserable offer of hush-money.
The country felt that to have tolerated such treat-
ment of meritorious public servants would have
rendered it an accomplice of the crime. The country
felt, moreover, that if Sir JOHN M'NEILI. and Colonel
TL'LLOCII were thus deserted, nepotism, the in-
fluence of wealth and red-tapism, would henceforth
reign uncontrolled at the Horse Guards. Therefore
it is that the country has with one voice demanded
that some special mark of royal gratitude should be
conferred upon Sir Joitx M'NEILL and Colonel
Ttl-Locit ; therefore it is that the House of Com-
mons has echoed the demand; and therefore it is
that Lord PALMERSTON, after labouring like a
wrangling special pleader to withhold their duo re-
ward from these gentlemen, has wisely yielded the
point, though at the eleventh hour—bowing before
the rising tempest of national indignation.
There is something very ludicrous about the figure
the noble Viscount cuts in this affair. lie has not
indeed been left in a minority by a vote of the
House of Commons in favour of Sir JOHN M'NEtLL
and Colonel TCLLOCII, but he has confessedly only
escaped being left in a minority by shrinking from
a division. Now his lordship would have had as
good an excuse on this occasion, as on that of the
China vote, to have denounced the majority against
him as the result of a factious combination, or to
have ridiculed it as a " fortuitous concourse of atoms."
The motion to the adoption of which he yielded with
such a bad grace, was concocted in the face of the
House between Liberals and Conservatives—between
Mr. EWART, Mr. PALE, and Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT.
Why did not Lord PALMERSTON on the NPNEILL-
TULLOCH question, as on the China question,
accept the censure implied in the motion of the
majority, and appeal to the country against it ? Why
did he act so differently in two cases bearing such a
strong family resemblance ? Bemuse he knew that
the country was thoroughly well informed on the
merits of the Isi'Nsms.-Tel.Locit case; and because
he had good reason to believe that the country knew
little and cared less about the China question. When
the latter question comes to be as well understood as
the former, the deceptive falsehoods about coalitions
which have puzzled so many well-meaning men will
lose their power. Indeed, they are already losing it,
as is apparent from the manner in which Sir
EILSKINE PERRY, Mr. ROEDECK, Mr. WILLIAMS, and
Mr. LINDSAY have been received by their con-
stituents.

We repeat what we have said since the intention
to dissolve Parliament was announced—that if the

Liberals, the Reformers of England, are resolved to
rally round Lord PALMERSTON, and make his re-
tention of the Premiership a sine qud non, we have
no objection. We accept the choice. But we want
them to take good security—by surrounding him with
earnest and honest Reformers in the House of Com-
mons—that their Premier's policy shall be such as
Reformers can bare no occasion to regret. The course
pursued by Lord PALMERSTON on this *NEILL-
TULLOCII question, shows how easily he might be
tempted to throw Army Reform overboard, if he
thought that by so doing he could strengthen his
position. There is an innate spirit of manliness
about Lord PALMERSTON that must enable him to
appreciate and sympathise with Sir Jowl VictlLL's
proud silence, and with Colonel Tor.ocit's prompt,
sensitive, and fearless assertion of his honour.
When, therefore, we find Lord PALMERSTON at-
tempting to sacrifice these gentlemen to red-tapisra
and aristocratic influence, it is impossible not to see
how deficient he is in matured principle—how apt to
sacrifice generous impulses to ambition—how likely
to leave Reformers in the lurch, if ho can thereby
conciliate wealthy and noble partisans.

Tux Porte has appointed Prince KONACRY VO6O-
- to the post of Caimacan, or Provisional
Governor of Moldavia, in place of THEODORE
BALKH!, deceased. Prince VOGORIDES is a young
man, who was very recently in the political circles
of London and Paris, where he made profession of
very liberal principles and intentions. It is to be
hoped that he will now act up to them, and that he
will have the power to do so. Unfortunately, the
present Caimacan of Wallachia was also a professor
of liberal principles before he attained power, which
did not prevent him making use of that power for
the most illiberal and selfish purposes.
Prince VOGORIDES will have more obstacles to
contend with than even ALEXANDER 0111KA, for he
is a Greek Fanariot, a name and race execrated by
the Moldo-Wallachians. There is much injustice in
this execration. The Fanariots may have once mis-
ruled the Principalities, but that is not a reason for
bequeathing hatred from one century to another.
This dislike of the Rouman for the Greek is,
however, not a sentiment that we should quarrel
with, for it implies at the same time a dislike of the
Ruseian,—Russian and Greek being, unfortunately,

ynonymons in those regions.
Prom his being a Fanariot, and from his not
_ _ .

even speaking the language of Moldavia, Prince
VOGOILIDES will have much unpopularity to contend
with. Every fault that he commits, and every illi-
beral act that be is guilty of, will be magnified ten-
fold by the fact of his origin. But if he have the
good sense to be liberal and just—if, instead of pan-
dering to the aridity of the old Boyards, he
shows integrity in his administration; if he
gets rid of those who have trafficked in judi-
cial sentences and judicial appointments ; if he will
put a stop to that proscription of schools, of profes-
sions, and of education, which flourished under his
predecessor ; if be will do justice to the Ronman
clergy, instead of bestowing all patronage and place
upon the Greco-Rum--then the ktoldavians may
pardon Prince VOOORIDES his Fanariot birth.
Moreover, if the new Caimacan observe fairness, if
not neutrality, on the question of the Union, the
people will ask no more. But if, on the contrary,
any expression of opinion in favour of the Union be
as heretofore considered to he treason, and the

utterer punished u for a crime, then, indeed, such
policy and such rule under the name of VOCORIDES
will be more execrated than it was under that of
BALSCHT.

Prince VOGORIDES held the office of Finance
Minister under the late Caimacan. He thus formed
part of the Ministry, and it may be mentioned that
when that Ministry some time back were on the
point of passing a most iniquitous and illiberal
measure, an act of vindietirenewt against an eminent
citizen, VOOOIIIDZB refused to sanction or to sign it,
and the resolution was rescinded. Much, therefore,
will depend upon the kind of Ministry be may
appoint ; and he had two or three most obnoxious,

most reactionary, and mast Russian colleagues. It
will be observed whether he keeps or gets rid of
them.

Russia, it should be remarked, is playing a very
singular game in the settlement of the Principalities.
Professing to uphold the Union in concert with
France and in support of the wishes of the popula-
tion Russia has at the same time declared that she
will not suffer or accept any Prince of Mo'do-Walla-
chia who shall not be of the Greek religion. Now,
there are no princes of the Greek religion, except
scions of the House of Romsnorr. Consequently by
thin double conduct Russia, whilst supporting the
Union with one hand, deals it a hostile blow with
the other. And this is the more unwarrantable,
because the people themselves have by no means
such an extravagant attachment to their sect or
creed as would make them exclude or object to a
ruler who differed from them.

France is the great champion of the Union. The
first step that the French Government ought to
take, in order to advance its favourite measure,
would be to make Russia unmask, and declare that
it is for the union of the Principalities, with a free
election after it. Were such the arrangement, it is
well known that the population of the Principalities
would never elect a Russian prince, nor yet a
French one. A Greek prince would be equally out
of the question.
In 1828 the Rumians, when they invaded the Prin-
cipalities, made to the assemblies of both provinces
the solemn offer of guaranteeing their independence,
and at the same time their union, provided they
would elect a Russian prince. To this offer the
Boyanis unanimously replied by a fiat refusaL
Nothing can be less likely than that their decision
would be different now.

The Earl of Elgin has accepted the office of
Plenipotentiary to the Court of Pekin, and will
proceed on his mission as soon as he has been made
sufficiently acquainted with the views of her
Majesty's government. It is stated by the Press
newspaper, that the post was first offered to the
Duke of Newcastle.

PIEDMONT.

In the sitting of the 10th of the Chamber of Depu-
ties of Turin, M. Cassaretto complained that the tri-
coloured Bags of certain vessels had been seized at
Genoa, because they had not the azure bend of the
House of Savoy. He contended that the tri-colour
was the only banner of Italy, and that a law ought
to be passed, fixing the national colours once for
all. General della Marrnora, Minister of War,
I replied that the subject needed no new law, and
quoted the decree of April 13th, 1848, issued by
Charles Albert at Volta, and a circular of the Minis-
ter of Marine in 1851, prescribing that the azure
bend should be added to the three colours. The sei-

sure of certain flags was owing to the obstinacy of
some sea captains in refusing to conform to the law.
Count de Cavour deprecated any discussion on the
national colours as highly inopportune at the
present moment; the question had been settled
by the decree of Charles Albert, and the inten-
tion of that monarch had clearly been to give the
nation one singlo flag and not two. The blue was a
colour to which many Piedmontese were sincerely
attached. "Say all!" here exclaimed M. Valerio, a
member of the left. "The great hopes awakened
by the tri-colour must be associated with the glo-
rious and ancient traditions of the monarchy of
Savoy!" These words were received with loud
cheers; and after some further observations the
chamber voted the order of the day.

SPAIN.

MADRID, Msnen 12.
The poet Quintana died yesterday.
The Gazette contains a royal decree appointing an
exhibition of agricultural products in Madrid in
September and October this year.
The journey of the Duke and Duchess of Mont-
pensier to Madrid is postponed till April.