The Express. — 1866-12-06 (London, England)

MISCELLANEOUS FACTS.  It appears from the recent telegram that Smut*, the American, who is accused of complicity in the 'awakelion of the late Mr. Lincoln, was seized by the Egyptian authorities at Alexandria, though our government at Malta declined to act, on the ground that the authority was insufficient. The Times is persuaded, however, that the course pursued at Malta was not due to any negligence or indifference, but to the absence of the conditions required by law for the arrest and extraditianof the fugitive. It then goes on to assert that political assassins have no claim under our law to protection. With us murder is murder, and cannot be mitigated by any explanatory epithet. The Post represents the Fenian scheme as contemplating the destruction of every person of any note in the island, whether lay or clerical, of every sect without distinction, and the distribution of the land among the leaders of the movement and the peasantry. The present government, however, is fully alive to what is required. Wherever conspirators abound, informers are not wanting ; and no doubt the Irish government are in the possession of every requisite information. The Daily News represents the appointment of a commission to " consider the expediency" of the simplification of the law as trifling with a grave and momentous question. The law of France has been reduced to • cods, since sanctioned by the adoption of other European States, and the State of New York has reduced the English common law to the like brief and practicable form ; and two years ago a preliminary grant of 5,0001. wLa made by our parliament to commence the work. It is impossible not to see in this miserable paltering, evidence of reluctance to do the work at all. And the composition of the royal commission confirms the belief. No name of eminence and freedom from bias appears in the list, except that of Mr. Lowe. The Times reminds its readers that within five  days from the present date not a single man belonging to the French imperial army will be left in the pontifical dominions, and the Pope, to be saved from the brigands, must be fain to snatch even at Italy. Hie first interview with the delegate of the Italian government must tacitly or avowedly settle the dispute about the Legations, the Marches, and Umbria. The Pope accepts 18,000,000 fr. for the arrears of interest of the debt of those provinces. The government that takes upon itself the liabilities has clearly made out its titles to the assets, and then a pontifical state of 800,000 souls is an utter absurdity. The revenue from the untilled Cismpagna could barely supply the bread and beef for the hundred Swiss Guards at the Vatican. We learn from the Telegraph that there is reason to believe that the storm which the Council of University College have raised by refusing to place Professor Martineau in the chair of Mental Philosophy wall speedily end in the overruling of the vote. The real friends of the institution are using every effort to free it from the re. preach ; three-fourths of the fellows are on the side of Mr. Mai tineau ; a requisition, a th the proper number of sig. natures, has been got up to bring the decision under the notice of the Court of Proprietors; and if the movement be temperately managed, the college wall soon ise above the disgrace under which it 113 W rests.  Vitt Court.  WINDSOR CASTLE, Die. 5.  The Queen walked and drove yesterday after noon, and drove out this morning, accompanied by Princess Louise. Prince and Princess Christian also went out. The Duke of Edinburgh, attended by Lieutenant Haig, left the castle yesterday afternoon. The Prince and Princess of Teck also left the castle yesterday. The Marchioness of Ely has succeeded the Countess of Caledon as Lady in Waiting to her Majesty.  Mr. Antonio Brady, the Rev. J. Hansard, and Dr. Millar, had an interview with the Lord President of the Council and the Right lion. H. Corry, at the Pi ivy Council-office, Whitehall, yesterday, on the subject of the proposed museum for science and art at the East-end of London. _ _ .  A deputation, consisting of Sir Charles Bright, M.P., Mr. Latimer Clark, Mr. Hill, Mr. B. Hume, Mr. Chambers, Mr. H. Macgregor, and Admiral Whist), bad an interview with the Earl of Cm narvon, at the Colonial-office, yesterday, on the subject of telegraphic communication with the British West Indies.  The Judicial Committee of the Privy Council eat yesterday. The lords present were Sir W. Erle, Lord Justice Cahill!, Sir E. V. Williams, Sir R. T. /Cindersley, Sir J. Colvile, and Sir Laurence Peel.