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    .I'bb^tja rt 7,1857.]

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    -^Kp^Ial Parli Ament. ¦ . ¦ . - . ¦ .. ....

    ^ - ^ o ^^ c ^» imiaity .-Sir Andrew Agnew se-°° © litABM delivered a speech of great length , in t fWch Tie severely criticised the policy of Government . The oowiition of the great Powers at the close of the Russian war , he argued , was such as to warrant a reasonable hope of peace ; yet we -were pursued by wars an-Sirs of wars " Russia and the United States , he was convinced , were sincerely desirous of peace ; and the people of this country were disposed to he on good terms with their neighbours . But every part of the « oyal Speech indicated want of trust in foreign Powers . I Ins disastrous state of things was attributable to Lord Clarendon . The seeds of the Italian difficulty _ were sown by him in the Paris Treaty of Peace . We interfered with the independence of Italy , to the iieglect of our own internal affairs ; we negotiated with Count Cavour ; yet all this while a secret treaty was in « xistence , guaranteeing to Austria her whole possessions m Italy . ( "Lord Palmerston : "By whom was the guarantee given ? " ] The guarantee was given by France , with the concurrence of the English Government . The King of ot Ji at

    Naples had set the remonstrances ^ ngiana naugm ,. Austria is at rest under her guarantee , and regards the movements of England with indifference . As regards the Peace treaty with Russia , why had the difficulty about Bolgrad occurred at all ? It was owing to a blunder on the part of the English Minister , which implied a lamentable ignorance of geography . It was altogether unfair to twit Russia with duplicity . Our government said that Russia had no claim to Bolgrad ; but she had been bribed by a large compensation to give it up Then came the Swiss difficulty , whicli had been settled by the Federation taking the advice of France rather than of England . Furthermore , there were the Persian and Chinese quarrels , which had been precipitated by the meddlesome policy of the Government , and were in fact the consequences of instructions from home sent out some time ago . The question of t"he income tax should be at once entered into ; and , if it were lef to himself , he would suggest that it be brought forward on Monday fortnight . The course he would then take would be to move two resolutions—one , that it is not right that taxes imposed for the purposes of war should be continued in time of peace ; the other , that the plan of Mr . Gladstone , brought forward in 1853 , for the abo- ] lition of the tax in 1860 , should be insisted upon . The Chancellor of the Exchequer declined to enter into the questions of foreign policy raised by Mr . Disraeli , and very briefly remarked on the financial part of hi 9 speech . The exp ' enses of war , reminded the House , do not immediately cease with war itself . He was anxious to make his official statement as soon as

    possible . ¦ ' ' -rw-Mr . Gladstone spoke to the same effect as Mr . Disraeli , and observed that he thought the silence of ¦ the Government was disrespectful to the House . The attack on Canton was an outrage to humanity . By whose authority was it that war was declared against Persia ? and were the English people to be saddled -with the expense ? A large reduction of the estimates was both necessary and practicable ; and he ( Mr . Gladstone ) felt himself bound to maintain the settlement of 1853 , under which the income-tax would cease in 18 C 0 . Lord Palmeuston repudiated any intention of disre- j spect to the House in not before speaking on behalf of j the Government . Mr . Disraeli had exhibited great talents as a writer of fiction ; and the greater part of his speech was an entire romance . The mistake in the Treaty of Peace with respect to the boundary line had ' not resulted from any geographical ignorance . The Russian plenipotentiary had asked that the line should go to the south of Bolgrad , and , from a map produced , the English Plenipotentiaries had been induced to accept the proposition . But the real Bolgrad and the Bolgrad on the map were found to be so widely different , that a ; line drawn to the south of the latter would interfere ! with the spirit of the treaty . The Russian Government I attached great importance to Bolgrad as the hciul-I quarters of the Bulgarian colonies ; and , this being considered a just demand , Yalpuck was given in exchange . The papers detailing the differences would not bo laid on the table , but the fmul protocols would be produced . Mr . Disraeli had entirely misunderstood our course with rcgnrd to the Swiss question . The English Government had consented to unite - \ vilh tbo French V in . making an arrangement with Prussia for the ft settlement of the Ncufchiitcl difficulty . Ho ( . Lord S Pnlincraton ) had heard of no such treaty with France , 1 for securing the Austrian possessions in Italy , us Mr . 1 Disraeli had spoken of . That gentleman had recently 1 been in Paris , where it was well known , that persona I could bo found ready enough to play upon the credulity I of over-confiding and imaginative people . The . existence I of the secret treaty Avaa an entire romance . In unswei I to Mr . Gladstone , Lord Palmurrtton admitted that the I Persian war had been commenced on 1 . 1 k " . authority oi 1 the Government . As there was u prospucl , of a settlerncnt , ho . should postpone producing tlm papers . Tin I liOHtilitiuM with China had arisen out , of a breach of tin ' treaty of Nankin , which bad been concluded by th ' \ Government of Sir Robert Peel . Matters of ltnanci ; li , ' i thought it premature to discuss before thu production c « , "the estimates . i Mr . Hicnky Baili . ik having condemned the oxpcili [\ tion to the Persian G ulf , I i 1 J ' ^ > b 1 1 2 A' ~ 0 r ' h ' ( , .. ' " 18 7 ^ H ol e [ l ( lie he lie di

    | l , ora John Rdsseel , expTrared strfiftaetioir -with several parts of the Ministerial policy , trafc feared that the expedition to Bushire migWt lead to ^ enous consequenceB . The opinion of Parliament should have been taken before commencing hostilities . late state of Italy had been made worse , instead of letttsr , toy the course pursued by-Government-, and he therefore could not approve of Lord Palmerston's policy in that respect . —Mt . Mitjner Gibson condemned the pugnacious tendencies of the Government , and said he saw thai finance would prove the rock ahead on which Lord Palmerstons Ministry would split . —After some observations by Mr . Hadfield and Mr . Vernok Smtth , regarding the cultivation of cotton in British India , and after Lord Pax-MEBsroN had consented , at the request of Sir John Pakington , to introduce some -words into the Address , qualifying the expression of approval of our proceedings against the Chinese , the AddTess was unanimously I agreed to , and the House adjourned at half-past twelve o ' clock . Wednesday , Fehruary ± th .

    J , , - t INDIA . In the House of Commons , on the report upon the Address , Mr . Hadfieljd complained of the omissions in the Royal Speech , particularly in Tespect to the colonies , dwelling upon what he termed the degradation of the people of India . — Admiral Walcott commended the caution , celerity , and efficiency displayed by the Government of Bombay in preparing tlie expedition to the Persian Gulf , and by the officers in command of the forces . Sir J . Fitzgerald made some observations upon the 1 cotton cultivation of India , and upon t he deficiency of i transport . —Mr . Veenon Smith explained the difficulties ! which beset all questions concerning land in India . s After some observations by Mr . Kinn-aird , the report was agreed to , and the Address was ordered to be pre-M sented to the Queen iu the usual manner . i The House adjourned at half-past on « o ' clock . The House of Lordb did not meet . A Thursday , February 5 th . „ THE PERSIAN AND CHINESE WARS .

    In the House of Lobds , Earl Spencer , Lord Steward of the Household , brought up her Majesty ' answer to the Address . A discussion then ensued with respect to the production of papers relating to the Persian and Chinese wars , in the course of which Lord Clarendon declared that £ the documents relating to out quarrel with Persia would be laid before the House in a few days . His Lordship < I also intimated his intention of producing certain papers > connected with our diplomatic intercourse with China . ] THE EARL , OP CARDIGAN ' S CHARACTER . « j The Earl of Cardigan drew attention to some attacks upon his character which had been made in a work on ¦ the Crimean war , written ( under the signature of "A Staff Officer" ) by Major the Hon . Somerset Calthorpe . These attacks , he said , were of the most unwarrantable , false , and malignant character ; and he bewailed the recent abrogation of " the laws of honour "—an abrogation whicli had caused him some years ago to be placed at their Lordships ' . bar as a felon , with a chance of losing , not only his property , but his liberty , though he only did what the Duke of Wellington , Pitt , Fox , Lord Londonderry , Canning , Sir Robert Peel , and other great and distinguished men , had done before him . He wished to ask the Secretary-for-War whether an officer who had disgraced himself by publishing false state-. inents was to be permitted to remain on the staff of the Lord Lieutenant of Ireland . —Lord Panmure , while admitting that Lord Cardigan had been wantonly attacked , said it was not the intention of the Commander-in-Chief to bring Major Calthorpe to a court-martial . Having received the thanks of Lord Raglan and of Pnrliament for his services in the Crimea , Lord Cardigan could afford to despise the assaults of one in an inferior position . THE NEW" TFOREST . The Earl of MAT ^ rrcsntmT moved for certain returns connected with the proceedings of the Commissioners for disafforesting the New Forest , and complained of the injustice which characterized those proceedings . — After considerable discussion , in which Lord Granvilj ^ , the Loud Chanoet . t . or , and Lord CAiurmcrx took part , the returns were ordered , TICKETS OF I-EAVK . Lord Burners moved for returns showing tho nuraher of tickets of leave issued to convicts iu each year ! since tlieconnnciicementofth . it system , specifying their original sentence , their unoxp ired time , the nnnibcr rcapprehended after release , the fresh charge , and the result i of the investigation . —After a short discussion , the roturn wua oderod , with an amendment proposed by Lord . Carnar von , who suggested that the . number of convicts , with tickets of leave rcapproluindcd without having com-> milted any fresh offence should bo distinguished in the _ return . , Their Lordships then adjourned . me ; iits ok i . Aitouumw . In tho IIourk ok Commons , Mr . Koundkul Pai . mki jii-esi ! utt !( l a petition from Charles At wood , ji labourer of sixty years of age and upwardn . Tho petitioner statc < that he hud lived in the huiuo cottage more than thirl / - | yoiirH , and brought up a family of eleven children , am 1 that , up to the period to which his petition especially re

    | lateel , he had never been , imprisoned fi » r any offence whatever . From . Christinas , 1855 , to August , last , he worked for the same master , receiving his wages weekly , and considering his engagement as one from week to week . In the latter month , a dispute occurred between him and his master , in the course of which , bis master told him that be was at liberty to go . On the following flay , therefore , he engaged "himself to another employer , whereupon his roaster took out a summons against trim on tie charge of having unlawfully quitted his situation . The summons was disposed of by the Reverend Mr . Hemming , a magistrate , - who sentenced the petitioner to twenty-one days' imprisonment with hard labour , and it was only "by the kindness of the _ superior officers that he was ' . not put . into irons on his way to gaol . On returning from prison , where he had to work at the crank , he was taken unwell , and by his imprisonment he lost the advantage of th « harvest month . On the 14 th of last December , the petitioner ' s son , who worked with the Rev . Mr . Hemming , went to town , and by accident lost the train by which he was to have returned . Upon his non-arrival , Mr . Hemming immediately obtained a warrant against the son from another magistrate . This so terrified the young man that he fled , and , returning to London , has not since been heard of . Under these circumstances , the petitioner submitted to t the House that such transactions tended to weaken confidence between employers and employed ( cheers ) , and prayed the House that means might be taken for doing I away with the arbitrary power which is now possessed I by a single magistrate . ( Z , oudcheersS )

    I * s jj I THE CAPTIVES AT FORMOSA . In ansvrer to Major Sibthorp , Sir Gorge Grey said that orders had been sent to Sir John Bowring to communicate with the Admiral on t ie Formosa station , in order that the most effectual means might be taken to ascertain whether there are any British subjects in carp-Itrvity at Formosa , and , if there are any , to take steps 1 to Telease them . ( Hear , hear . ) j THE LATE BARON ALDERSON . I Sir Geokge Gunr , in answer to Mr . Guu > srrojn 5 , i stated that it was not the intention of the Government 3 J to keep open the vacancy occasioned by the death of Baron Alderson .

    1 . ¦ THE HUDSON S BA ^ T COJlPAStl . Mr . Labouchere moved for the appointment of a select committee to consider the condition of the territories of the Hudson ' s Bay Company in North America . Considerations of higli importance , moral , humane , and mercantile , were involved in the inquiry . The trading License of the company expired in 1859 ; and he hod just received a letter from the directors asking if it was the intention of the Government to renew their license . Before pledging the Government to any course , he had resolved to submit the question in all its extent to the consideration of a select committee . Mr . Eoebuck . and Mr . Adderxey both argued in favour of taking away the po-wers of the Company at once , and without any previous inquiry . Those powers had been used tyrannically , and had had the effect of preventing colonization in a very important part of North America . The Company , remarked Mr . Boebuck , had simply acted on the narrow policy of petty merchants ; but the Avhole of British America should be properly developed as a counterpoise to the lust of power exhibited by the United States . —Mr . Edward Bluob said that the two previous speakers had shown great ignorance of the facts of the case ; and he supported inquiry as a means of removing erroneous impressions . —Mr . Gladstone was also in favour of inquiry . He had doubts as to the legality of the Company ' s titlo , and he was decidedly of opinion that it would be highly imprudent to continue the monopoly . Still , ho hoped ample compensation would be given for the withdrawal of the exclusive privileged , supposing ? that course to bo determined on . — Mr . Uknmsy was apprehensive , from the tone of Mr . Labouohore ' s speecli , that the inquiry was intended merely to buck up a foregone conclusion of the Government . — Mr . Laino supported inquiry . —After some brief romarkn by Mr . liKiUL . m and Mr . George Burr with respect to tho validity of tho chartora , and a reply ' Mr . Lauouohkrk , disavowing any foregone conclusion upon tho subject , tbo motion was agreed to . THK IONIAN STATES—NORVOLK ISLAND . Mr . LA . KOUC 1 MC 1 IE obtained leave to bring iu a bill to . enable tho subjects of tho Ionian States to bold military and naval commissions under the Crown , thus removing the anomaly which now exists . Ho ulso obtained leave to bring in a bill to alter tho existing provisions relating to the ccclesiaHticnl government of Norfolk Inland , the object being to correct an error which took place two years ngo , when certain colonial arrangements were made . NOTICES Olf MOTIONS . Mr . "Wimaam Wii ^ iamm moved that notices of motions on going into committee of supply on the cstiraatea Bhnll have precedence only on alternate days . — Sir CiconoK Gkkv oppoHod tins motion , as tending to do away with a great constitutional privilege . — Ultimately , tho motion waa withdrawn . 1-MMtlSONMENT FOR T > lCnT , & C . Mr . lUr . nrcu > , in the absence of Mr . Arsi . KYl « i-1 . ATT , obtained leave to brlxiff in a hill to « m « ul tho law - ' of imprisonment for debt , to extend the remediea oi

    .I'Bb^Tja Rt 7,1857.]

    . I ' bb ^ tja rt 7 , 1857 . ]

    THE LEADER . ^ 3

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), Feb. 7, 1857, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_07021857/page/3/