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    duty upon Irish whisky , but otherwise gave his support to the measure . Mr . Sandabs criticised the Budget , objecting to those portions of it which related to the licensing and advertisement duties , which last should be swept away altogether ; and agreeing otherwise with the views of Mr . Cobden . Sir F . Babins went minutely through the various points of the Budget , giving considerable approval , and founding his main objection upon the increased area of the income-tax and its extension to Ireland , for which he considered was offered very inadequate compensation in the shape of a concession which that country might fairly have expected without any- such imposition . He

    went through a variety of statistics in order to show that Ireland would not gain in an equal proportion with England by the general provisions of the Budget , and expressed his intention , if it came to a special vote , to oppose the resolution before the House . Lord Lo-VAINB gave a mild but determined opposition to the Budget , which he examined point by point , alluding particularly tor that portion of it relating to the legacy duty , which he believed to be a step in the wrong direction , tending to the downfall of the aristocracy and of things in general . . Mr . Fobtesoue ( an Irish member ) examined the < f over-sensitive arguments" of Sir F . Baring with regard to Ireland , and xirged the justice of extending the income-tax to that country .

    The Marquis of Gbauby disputed the logic by which it was attempted to justify the imposition of a confessedly bad tax for seven years longer . Alluding to other portions of the Budget , he was particularly alarmed at that relating to the legacy duty , which he prophesied would result , among other calamities , in senatorial pauperism . He gave his opposition generally to the Budget . Sir C . Wood replied to the various speakers on tbe other side . He examined the two quarters from which opposition had been directed—the country gentlemen and the Irish members—and urged the incompatibility

    of the amendment of Sir E . B . Lytton with their opposing interests . Taking the case of the country gentlemen first , he taunted that party with not having followed tbe advice of his own , from the time when they were offered an 8 s . duty on corn downwards to cases in which the landed interest had been benefited in spite of themselves . With regard to the incometax , he pointed out the fact , that the proposal of the present Government was more favourable to land than that of the last , with the additional advantage that a period was fixed for its termination , and that though it was accompanied by the extension of the legacy dutj " , still that duty did not press so heavily upon land

    as was supposed ; and could not , moreover—in a worse form perhaps—be long resisted under any circumstances . With regard to his second point—the extension of the income-tax to Ireland—after some defence of his own consistency , lie argued that the measure , taken in conjunction with the remission of the Consolidated Annuities , would relieve the small occupier , and prove especially beneficial to the unions ; and that , moreover , while the income-tax would last for only seven years , the compensating remission would cover forty . Sir Charles considered the objections of both parties unfounded , and concluded by recommending tho Budget upon general grounds .

    On tho motion of Mr . MooiiE , tho debate was then adjourned . Mr . Mooitu renewed the adjourned debate in a spiteful speech against the Budget , The remainder of the debate occupied the whole evening ; but it waa extremely tame , and elicited neither new arguments nor a much different grouping of parties . Among the members who took their stand against the Budget , Lord Jocelyn is the most notable . Wo remark that Colonel Hahooukt spoke from tho Opposition side , and advised the mouthers around him to accept tho Budget ; and Mr . VolIjAhd IJuquhau'I ' , an Irish member , gave it his support . Mr . Cardweix and Mr . HknTjUY were tho chief official combatant *) as regards the present und tho lute Government . Tho debate stands adjourned till Monday .

    TKK NATIONAL DEBT HILL . After a good deal of vexatious opposition , tho South Sea and other Annuities Commutation Bill has been carried through tho Commons . On the motion for the third reading , on Wednesday , Sir F . KkMiY moved two additional clunses , one to effect 11 limitation of tho amount of- stock to bo creuted under tho second ultwnutivo of the nelieini ' , the Twoand-a-Half per Cent . Stock , to 10 , 000 , 000 / ., tho other to make certain provisions concerning tho assent of persons ben eficially interested in stock , whore it Btood in tho names of trustees .

    Mr . ( Alavbtouk explained thut tho Solicitor-Gonoral had prepared a clause for tho latter purposo . Sir F . BlBliX < Y postponed the tetter ( iwention , for the moment ,

    and argued in favour of the first clause he proposed . Mr . Gladstone opposed it , on the ground that , if introduced , the bill would contain clauses directly contradictory . He was pursuing tho course invariably pursued in cases of conversion of stock . He defended , at considerable length , the course of the Government , and urged that the new stock ought to be created in such a way as to give a fair trial to the important experiment . Finally the clause was withdrawn . Sir F . Kei . IiY then moved "the second-mentioned clause , which was resisted by the Solicitor-General ; and after a prolonged discussion , in which Mr . Mitchell , Mr . S . Wortley , Mr . Mullings , Mr . Spooner , Sir J . Graham , Mr . Henley , Mr . Cardwell , and Mr . Newdegate , took part , the House divided , rejecting the proposed amendment by 128 to 61 ; majority , 67 . The Soijcitob-Genebai , then moved his own clause , which was opposed by Mr . Walpole and other members , and carried on division by 134 to 67 ; the Government majority being a second time 67 . After some further discussion the bill was passed . JEW BILL LOST . Last night , in the Lords , the Earl of Aberdeen moved the second reading of the Jewish Disabilities Bill . He was opposed by Lord Shaftesburt , who moved that the bill be read a second time that day six months . In support of the second reading there were Lord Albemabie , the Archbishop of Dubxin , the Duke of AeGyxl , tbe Bishop of St . David , and Lord Bkotj&ham : ; against it , tbe Bishop of Salisbttby , Lord WinrcHiiiSEA , Lord Habeowby , Lord Dabnley , and Lord Colchester . The House divided , when the numbers were—Contents—present ... 69 Proxies . . . 46—115 Non-contents—present . . 96 Proxies . . 68—164 Majority against the Government . 49 The bill is therefore lost . KOSSUTH AND THE EOTHERHITHE SEIZURE . In reply to a question put by Mr . Dttncombe on this subject , Lord Palmebston said , he was misinformed in respect to the matter on which that part of his statement was made . The information he had received in that respect was erroneous . He was informed that there were found 5001 b . of gunpowder , and a certain portion of rocket-composition . It appeared from the proceedings at Bow-street that the total that was discovered was 2601 b . of that substance , with regard to which it remained to be determined on Thursday next whether it was gunpowder or not . He would not venture to anticipate that decision , but he was wrong in saying there were 5001 b . of gunpowder and a quantity of what was called rocket-composition . Subsequently Lord Dudley Stuatct said , tliat the name of M . Kossuth having been mixed up with a recent seizure by the Government of certain combustibles at Kothcrhithe , he begged to read to the House a letter he bad received from that gentleman , disavowing any connexion with the matter : — " Alpha-road , St . John ' s-wood , April 15 . " My Lord , —In answer to your . kind note , I linvo tho honour to say , that all tho accusations in tho Times of today about a house in ray occupation having been searched , a store of war materials belonging tn mo boon discovered and seized , are entirely unfounded . Wot only in no house in my occupation , but also nowhoro cIho hi England , could have Leen any store of war materials belonging to mo discovered and seized , for the siinplo reason , that I have no store of war material whatever in Kngland . Eut while I give this plain and flat denial to the alleged charge , 1 dosiro explicitly to bo understood that 1 do not disavow my hostility to tho oppressors of my country , but rather avow openly my determination to free my country from them . To this , my aim , I shall and will devote my life , nnd all my activity , and to this activity I nover will recognise any other limit but honour , morality , and the laws of that country where I happen to reside . And as it in not contrary to honour and morality to liave storey of war materials , to bo used when required in the service of my country , I declare that such I . have , but I . have lltoiii in Much countries whero it is lawful for me to liuvo them , oven with those intentions which 1 openly avow . JJut in England I have them not , because I have been told that some doubts may bo entertained about the locality of such un act . With this explanation , I repeat , no ntoro of any war materials of mine could have been seized , because' 1 do not posaoHtj , either directly or indirectly , anything of the kind in Lhis country . " I remain , with high regards , and particular confederation , niy lord , yours respectfully , L . Kqhuvtii . " Tho Lord Dudley Htuart . " Lost night questions were put to Lord Talrmirston which afforded him means of Hhowing his peculiar tnet in not replying ; but on thin occasion lie was closely preaied . ? Sir JoHH ha WaTjMM . KY tusked whother tho legal investigation into tho seizure- of jirmtt and warlike » tore » at Itotherbitho hud resulted in substantiating tho charges or insinuations thut Louia Kossuth was

    connected therewith ; and whether the police had been employed to watch the residence of Louis Kossuth , or the houses of other political refugees ? ( Cheers . ) Viscount Palmebston . —Sir , the House is aware that one of the proceedings at the Bow-street office with regard to tho seizure of gunpowder is closed , and that a decision , lias been given ; but that with regard to the other proceeding upon the case , of the rockets , the magistrate at Bowstreet interrupted the case , and stated that it ought to proceed before another tribunal . The hon . gentleman has asked me what is the result of these latter proceedings as regards certain imputations which have been cast upon M . Kossuth ? Now really I cannot do more than say that what has taken place is all before the public , and that every man can form his judgment upon that which has When the further

    been stated in evidence . ( Loud cheers . ) proceedings which have been pointed out by the magistrate shall have taken place , and the case shall have been determined , then the public will of course have better grounds upon which to come to a decision . ( Renewed cheers and laughter . ) With regard to the second question , it is the duty of the police , according to their general and according- to their special instructions , to watch tbe proceedings of any persons , whether Englishmen or foreigners , who may be supposed , rightly or wrongly , to be contemplating any breach of the law ; and neither the residence of M . Kossuth , nor the houses of the other political refugees in this country can be exempted from those ordinary precautions which are taken with regard to any individualwhether British subject or foreign—under such circumstances . ( Cheers . )

    Mr Bkight also wished to ask a question : — Whether the proceedings which had been taken , by the police in this matter had not in * the first instance been , initiated , or had arisen from , direct or indirect instructions proceeding from the department of which he waa the chief ? ( Cheers . ) Mr . Bright was not at all afraid to say why he put this question . The noble lord in his answer the other night , and in his answer now , had taken a course which was not becoming his position , or the Government of this country , with regard to Kossutlj They spoke in this and the other House as if they offered a refuge to the exile of foreign countries . They allowed him to live here ; but it was stated broadly in the public press that-either directly or indirectly the

    Government set spies upon his house —( cheers)—and upon all persons going into his house , or who were supposed to have any communications with him . Then certain warlike stores were seized by the police at RotherHthe , and the newspaper which was the great organ of the Government published most defamatory charges with regard to M . Kossuth . The noble lord , who must know all the facts as much as any man in tbe kingdom , was asked , not to state all he knew , but he was asked distinctly , waa there any evidence in his possession which could connect , or did connect , Kossuth with the proceedings at Rotherhithe ? Then the noble lord rose , and spoke in an evasive

    manner . He said he did not cast any imputation either upon Kossuth or anybody else . No , of course not . But the noble lord—who was the man of all others who could do this if Kossuth had not boen well treated , as Mr . Bright was inclined to believe—was asked to say whether there was a single particle of evidence that could bring 1 homo the charges against M . Kossuth , and ho studiously avoided saying anything that could lead to tho possible belief that there was no evidence against him . Mr . Bright did not think that this waa the way in which wo ought to treat foreigners in this country . His own opinion was that M . Kossuth intended honestly to obey all tho laws of this country while he was in this country . They had , moreover , bis nwn ftHsuraiiee n . a a man of honour—and his honour

    had novor been challenged —( cheers)—that ho had at no timo been connected with these transactions . Well , then , while these charges were circulated , if there was no evidence connecting- him with them , lot tho noble lord say so ; nnd if such ovidenco was forthcoming' lefc him be as amenable to tho laws as any other man . As , however , these statements were intended to damage- tho character of Kossuth , Mr . Bright begged to ask tJio noble lord whether tho Jfome-ollico had instigated these proceedings , and whether aay ovidenco had been obtained to show any connexion between M . Kossuth and any infraction of tho laws of this country P ( Cheers . ) Lord Palmebkton's reply is instructive :

    " Mr , I cannot but express my extreme- surprise at the ignoranco of the honourable gentleman —( loud cheers)—¦ as to tho constitutional principles which ought to govern not only a minister of the crown , but every member of thin llou . se . ( Renewed dicers . ) The hon . gentleman taken me to task because [ did not ehooso to answer a question which no man hud a right to put to me . ( Great cheering . ) Tim question which tbe hon . gentleman asked wan , what is 7 ny opinion as to the effect of tho probable or possible result of judicial proceedings which are now going on ? ( Cheers . ) ( Sir , I nay , that if 1 were to give un answer to that question , I should be departing from my duty ; and 1 should be doing that which neither 1 nor any hon . gentleman bus any right whatever to do . Tho investigations and proceeding *) before a court of justice are now of thoso will lain

    going on . The results proceedings exp themselves ; and it i . s not for me or for nny other man to say what will be the effect upon an individual of those proceedings , when they are completed . ( IFear , hear . ) So far for the constitutional knowledge of tho hon . gontlenian . ( Cheers . ) Kir , the hon . gentleman asked mo whether tho proceedings w « ro authorized , initiated , or directed bymor They were . ( Loud cheors . ) I don't mean to shrink from the responsibility which may attach to any act I may think it my duty to do . ( Ohoern . ) Aa to the refugees that are in this country , they arc as free ai the air they breathe , and an safe as the land they tread . ( Cheers . ) . But on thin condition- that the y do not violate tho Iuwh , nor abuse tho hospitality which this country throws over all men who may seuk sholter from oppression within tho limits of thia country . ( BZoar , hear . ) But I

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    APMib SO , 1853 . ] THE LEADER . 413

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), April 30, 1853, page 413, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1984/page/5/