The Express. — 1866-01-16 (London, England)

OUR CONTEMPORARIES. (THIS DAY.)  to the discouragement of imports from Europe ; and now it attempting to obtain from congress duties actually pro- I Wintery of a peat number of commodities. While the hordes of laxities must be tremendous at beet, this wealthiest elms in the country propose* to lay further taaas ma the whole semmunity—not for the beesat of the retinue, but to its great detriment, and solely for• the anhanostosnt et their own profits. No wonder a contrabandist class is being created, and that on one part of the Canadian frontier the honesty and sesway of the ancient settlers sre disappearing. There is ground for hope, however, that the mischief will be stopped before long, and that the existing tariff will stand without aggravation, though it will be a misfortune to the republic if that tariff remains what it is. Al soon as the truth is understood that the interest of the people is in freedom of trade, the will of the people will secure it. The question is, how long it will take for the people to understand it? Whenever that happens they will see that, ea the North has compelled the South to put away its darling sin, so the North must pat away its own—a sin far less flagrant and deadly than slavery, but quite as anti-republican.  Though the easy capture and condemnation of the Fenian leaders in Ireland and the aspect of the dissensions of the leaders in America have doubtless impressed the European nations with the idea that the bubble is buret and the whole danger is at an end, the Times regrets it cannot conscientiously subscribe to such opinions. In ordinary plots, as in the more highly organised animals, if you strike off the head the whole scheme collapses. Bet a lower organisation hri its advantages as well as its drawbacks, and creatures about which it is doubtful whether they deserve the name of animals at all are capable of sustaining injuries which would be fatal to any of a superior type. Fenian are united by the desire to combine for plunder, and to a body so circumstanced, especially when it in unable to estimate the power of the British government, the loss of a few men a little or a vary little raised above themselves is a trifle. The news from Dublin shows that we have not heard the last of Fenianism. An American armament is foolishly expected, and the Orangemen are supplying another element of difficulty by professing to believe that the British government is unable to protect them in the possession of their lira and properties against the Roman catholics. although Fenianism is is itself not a Roman catholic movement, and that it is necessary for them to hold themselves ever ready to take the field at the shortest aotioe. Of course, any outbreak that may take pl►ce will be utterly futile—reaching to little more than • few hours disorder.  The new adoption of the Peace Preservation Act in Ireland is described by the Telegraph as a step dictated by prudence and not by apprehension. The Fenian prisoners have been without any popular sympathy, ended any real progress towards the fulfilment of the designs of the brotherhood there is no indication whatever. This Act simply takes away from people the means of homicide, and thus imposes no very serious hardship on those who have not homicidal tendencies. So far as arms are legitimately required, a special provision is made for their use. The liberties of the peaceably disposed inhabitant* are not in the lost abridged, or the protection of the law taken from them. The measure* are taken, not against the Irish people, but on their behalf, and, there is good reason to believe, with their entire and deliberate gamut.  The continued disaffection of the Fenian' in Ireland is, in the view of the Star, very much the effect°, the absurd hopes aroused by the promisee and preparations of the senators and centres at Chien° and New York. The Star sees a danger, in the meantime, in the excessive terms of penal servitude to which the mere rank and file have been genLucid, and in the disproportion of the protestant and Roman catholic jurors summoned on the Cork commission. A just and generous policy—not special commis• alone or troop. of dragoons and regiments of infantry— is what is required to make Ireland prosperous and contented.