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    Mr . Gladstone reviewed the foreign policy of the -Government , to which he objected , as exhibited in connexion "with Persia , 2 tfaple 3 ( "where either too much , or too- little [ had been done ) , China , and America . In connexion -with the last-named country , he specially dissented from the way in which the Government had conducted the whole controversy respecting the island of . Huatan and several of the questions connected therewith . With respect to the income-tax , it would he well if , instead of the question of readjustment of the impost ,

    the people would seriously consider whether they wish to have a perpetual uniform income-tax . That was a consummation to which we were rap idly approaching . la 1853 , it appeared perfectly practicable that the income-tax should be brought to a close ; and , notwithstanding what had . occurred in the interim , he was convinced that such a course was still practicable . But the opportunity was rapidly passing away ; and , if the people really desire to get " rid of the tax , they should enter on a consideration of the public expenditure in a stricter temper than had been seen for many years .

    Mr . Malins thought the inequality of the income-tax could not be got rid of , if desirable ; and he did not think it desirable , lie agreed with Mr , Gladstone , that Lord Palmerston , in the Neapolitan intervention , had done too little or too much . —Mr . Vernon Smith defended the foreign policy of the Government . —Lord John Russell spoke discursively on the subject of our relations with Naples ( which , though hie objected to their original suspension , he thought ought not to be resumed at present , as the King has shown no desire to change

    his form of Government ) , of the negotiations with China ( which , he thought , if properly conducted , would lead to peace and to the establishment of commercial relations ) , and of the proceedings at the Paris Conferences . with reference to our maritime laws , which lie lisped England would not resign , as they are the basis of her supremacy at sea . —In these last-mentioned views , Sir Charles Napier fully concurred , while Mr . Cobden said he thought he should be able to produce , at the right time , arguments which would have the effect of causing Lord John Russell to change his opinion .

    Further remarks , of a very discursive nature , were offered by Mr . Henky Dkcmhond , llr . J . G- Phillimore , Mr . Moxckton Milnes , Mr . Whiteside , and Sir JPxtzrotc Kelly . The Chancellor , of the Exchequer said , with regard to communications from the Government of America ,, respecting the freedom from seizure of enemies ' goods in enemies' merchant ships , and also of goods of neutrals carried in the vessels of belligerents , that the importance of the subject was recognized by the Government , and should receive their earnest consideration . —Lord Harry "Vajje denied that there was a . ny violation , of compact in regard to the increased ineoine-tax , but at the same time expressed his hope that the increase would be found not to be long necessary . The bill was then read a second time .

    SUPPLY . —THE NAVY ESTIMATES . The House having resolved itself into a Committee of Supply on the Navy Estimates , Six Charles Woor > said , as he proposed to take votes on account , he did not think it necessary to go at length into the different items ; he therefore only explained "the reasons why he had been unable to make a reduction of the number of men to the extent he had expected . The men were mostly continuous service men , and "were indisposed to leave the service ; and he believed th « House would bear with him in his unwillingness to turn thorn away . He Bhould move a vote for the number of men ( 38 , 700 seamen and 15 , 000 marines ) for four months only , and the money votes he should ask were one-third of the estimates , amounting in the aggregate to 2 , 7 O 0 , 000 J . — The sevoral votes were agreed to , after discussion .

    BREACHES OF TIIUST . The Attorney-General obtained leave to l ) ring in a bill to make fraudulent breaches of trust and duty by trustees , directors , and agents , criminally punishable .. The House adjourned at a quarter past ten o'clock .

    Tuesday , March lQik . JOURNALS AND MINUTKS OF 1 HJS HOUSiS . In the House of Loups , Karl Stanhoi'is called the attention of theie lordships to the report of the select committee on the minutes and journals of tho House , who recommended the adoption by tlieir lordships of the Bystem at present observed in taking divisions in . the House of Commons . —After some discussion , the resolution was agreed to , with some amendments , Lord Stau-Uopo consenting to withdraw the proposition to inako it a standing order . Somo other business , of no general interest , was transacted , and the House adjourned . Tho first business of importance in tho House of Commons was the

    with which he has maintained the privileges of the House , regulated the order of business , and contributed thereby to the public interest . " { Loud'and prolonged cheers . " }—Mr . Disraeli seconded the resolution , and Tied with Lord Palmeraton in bearing enthusiastic testimony to the merits of Mr . Shaw Lefevre . —The Speaker then read the resolution , which was loudly applauded . —Lord John Kussell followed , adding his praises to those which liad gone before . —The Spjiaker again read the resolution , amidst great cheering , and it was carried by a general shout of assent . It was then announced that " The Ayes have it , " amidst renewed cheering . —The Speaker having , with much emotion ,, thanked the House for their great kindness ,

    Lord Pal 3 £ eksto : n , following the precedent ia such matters , moved " that an humble address be presented to her Majesty , praying that her Majesty may be pleased to confer some mark of the Royal favour upon the Speaker , and assuring her Majesty that the House will make good any expense -which may be attendant on such marks of the Royal favour . " ( Loud and continued avplause . ")—Sir John Pakington seconded the resolution , and delivered a panegyric on the official life of the Speaker . —The resolution was carried unanimously . — Lord Palmekston next moved that the thanks of the House be given to Mr . Speaker for what he had said on that occasion ; and that the same be inserted in the records of the House . This also was uuanirnously affirmed .

    THE LAND TRANSPOTyT COUPS . Mr . Duncombe called attention to the grievances complained of in the petitions of the non-commissioned officers and drivers of the Land Transport Corps who served during the ; late war in the Crimea , and moved that they be referred to a select committee . It appears that the Government still owes , in some cases , as much as 1 ± L or 15 / . to the men , who have not received their legal discharge , and are therefore tmable to obtain other employment . The motion was seconded by General Codhington . — Mr . Frederick Peel said that the corps had been very hurriedly got together to meet a great emergency , and without that strictness of scrutiny which perhaps was

    necessary . Upon tho termination of the war , the men were brought home , and reduced , as other portions of the army were , out of motives of economy ; but very few of them have now any claim on the Government . If any of them had been unable to obtain employment for want of a proper discharge , they should have applied to the authorities at the Horse Guards , or to the War Department , to ascertain -whether the quality of their certificates arose from any imputation upon their characters . They might have had a complete discharge but for an application for continued payment up to the time of receiving that document , which of course could not be listened to . As to the question of gratuities , if the Government were to give them to the Land Transport

    Corps upon their reduction , they ought in justice to grant a gratuity to every man connected -with the army who had been discharged . The lion , member for Finsbury had stated that he would press for tho appointment of a committee unless it could be shown that the claims of the men for certain compensation due to them , for clothing not issued , had been satisfactorily adjusted . It was quite true , owing to the Lurried manner in which tho corps was raised , tlint the men were not furnished with clothing at the moment of their enlistment , and undoubtedly , according- to the usual practice , they lvero entitled to compensation . A great number , of such

    claims did exist ; but Le had been assured by Colonel M'Murdo that , with the exception of a very few cases , which were daily being adjusted , tho whole of those claims had been 3 ettlcd- However , ho would not oppose tho motion . —Sir John Tybell attributed tho difficulties of the Government to the parsimony of tho peace-atany-pricc party . —Sir James Fekgusson said ho was dissatisfied with the reply of tho Undcr-Secrctary for War . The men of the Land Transport Corps wore lofl to starve about tho streets , while the foreign legionaries wore liberally treated . —The same feelings were also oxpressed by Mr . Duncomhe in a few supplementary words ; and the motion was agreed to .

    SUPPLY . On the repoTt of the Committee of Supply ; , Mr . Gladstone moved a resolution that , in order to secure to tho country that relief from taxation which it justly expects , it is necessary , in the judgment of this House , to revise and further reduce the expenditure of the State . The position of the House , he remarked ; was peculiar and unexampled . Strong objections were entertained to the amount of the Estimates , and , had the deliberations of Parliament not been affected by the prospect of a dissolution , the House would probably havo remitted the Estimates to tho Government for further-reduction ; Of these Estimates , so objected to , one-third was to be voted for four months , for no other

    RACEHORSE TIUTY . The Chancellor oi » mm Exchequer brought in a bill to amend tho Act of laHt session for repealing and rciinposing under new regulations the duty on racehorses . Tho o * bjcct of tho bill was not to make any alteration in the duty itself , but merely in tho mode of collection . —It was read a first time . THIS CINQUli POUTS . Mr . "Wilson brought in a bill to correct an error in tho Cinque Ports Act , which was read a first time .

    estimates on account of th * Chinese -wan . —~ The amendment was negatived ^ Mr .. Williams moved that incomes below l'SOC be exempted from the tax- — The Chancellor op the Exchequer said the rate of the tax upon- this-class of persons would be reduced by the Act more than onehalf , and 35 O , 0 O 0 £ a year was a larger sunr than Be felt himself justified in asking the House to surrendeR —The amendment was negatived upon a division by 53 to 7 . —The Bill then passed through the Committee .

    reason than that the Government had been visited by a vote of censure , and that they had appealed' to the country . The effect of Iris motion was not to assert an abstract principle , nor to interpose any obstacles to a vote of supply , but to refer back the Estimates to the Government for reduction , and to express an opinion that they should apply themselves during the interval before the next Parliament , to the examination of the Estimates , with a view to a reduction of expenditure . He thought that a deficiency of revenue stared the House in the face ; and he objected to the great increase of the national expenditure ' which had marked the last few years . —The amendment was seconded by Mr ., Williams .

    The Chancellor of the Exchequer thought there was much in Mr . Gladstone's speech which deserved conr sideration . ; but he declined to follow him into details . He did not anticipate any deficiency in the ensuingyears . The new Parliament would be competent to examine the Estimates , which he thought were not extravagant , though large . —Mr . Glyn conceived that tho House had fallen into considerable error by taking the Committee of Ways and Means before the Committee of Supply . —Mr . Uewmgate spoke in favour of increased

    control over the expenditure—Mr . Diseaeli protested against a proposal to refer the Estimates to a committee , and expressed a hope that the new Parliament ( which , as he observed amidst some laughter , would probably be full of vigour , and " renovated from the embraces of the people" ) would hold the Government well to its duty . But he regarded it as arrogant on tho part of several distinguished members to say what they meant to do in tho next Parliament , to -which they might never bo elected . The amendment was negatived , and tho report waa agreed to .

    Tho ExTnA-PARociiiAt , Places Bill passed through committee , after somo discussion , and , other bills having been advanced a stage , tho House adjourned . Wednesday , March 11 th .

    ECCLESIASTICAL , CORPORATIONS BIIX . In the House or Commons , on the ordor for the second reading of this bill , tho Marquis of Blandfoiid announced his intention to withdraw it , but at tho samo time briefly explained its genoral objects , . which were , the transfor of the kind of property in question to the hands of Ecclesiastical Commissioners , and tho application of the proceeds , to tho providing and increasing of endowments . Ho was ready to reconsider the measure , so as to meet the objections that had been urged against it . —Mr . Wai . polk intimated his genoral approval of tiie measure ; and Mr . Evelyn Dknison suggested that it would bo better to wait till thu } introduction of a bill , which was inovitable , on tho subject of tho Ecclesiastical Commission .

    BUPPLY . Tho IIouso then wont into Committee- of Supply on tliu Civil Service and Itcvonuo Estimates , when a vote of 1 , 053 , 200 ? . for the formor ( including education ) , and on < i of 1 , 0 10 , 000 / . for tho latter , wero agreed to . Several bills were forwarded a stage , or . withdrawn , and the Houae adjoumod . ThurscUty , March 12 th . THE SUCCESSION DUTY . In tho Houskof Louns , Lord Montkaot ., 15 intimated ' bin design of calling-the attention of their Lordships to tho succession duty , and remarked that , instead of its producing n large sum , as expected , it had only yielded ono third of tiie estimated amount . Both sidea , therefore , had been arguing on fallacious grounds .

    TUB INCOME-TAX . Tho House having rosolvod itself into a Committed upon the Income-tax 13111 , Sir FrrznoY Kiclly , after protesting ngaiust the departure from the policy of 1 H 53 , moved to substitute Oil . for 7 d . in tho pound in tho tax upon incomes for tiie ensuing year . — Tho CuA-NCKLLOrt OF THIS ExCHKO . UF . lt , ill OppOMUlg tllO amendment , argued that tho auppoacd moral contract of 18013 had been based upon an auHumntion thut there would bo a continuance of poaco ; but tlio very foundation of tho Hottlcmont lind been aul > verted by tho war . So far no the Government wjii * at present advised , it Would not l > n TIP . rin < iHfirv in -mnlci * nmu- niMUt / ivi 4 w tlin

    TilK Al'i'KAL TO TMIK COUNTUY . TUc Earl of DicuiiY gave notice that on tho second reading of tho Iucomc-tax Dill ho nhouM trouble their Lordnlups witli a few observations relative to tho circumstances under which the appeal waa about to bo made to the country .

    CHINA . Tlio EarlofELiAiNKououuic moved for certain returns connected with tlio execution by tho British authorities in China of th « Supplemental Treaty of 1 «< L 7 . Thoao tmd . vi . tj < . / . !„< oil 4 si < l > r / in oflwilnu fif flint iriTlfV ivllicll .

    VOTE OF THANKS TO THIS SPKAKEIt . Lord Palmekston delivered an eloquent Hpecch on tiie great services rondercd to tho Llouso by tho couttesy , tho knowledge of tho forms ^ of Parliament , the promptitude of decision , the justness of argument , tlio firmneaa of purpose , and the natural dignity , combined with conciliatory manners , for -which the retiring Speaker had been celebrated . lie concluded by ¦ m oving " that the thanks of this House bo conveyed to Mr . Speaker for hia exemplary conduct in , tho chnir Curing the eighteen years ho has filled it . for tho nbilUv

    Untitled Article

    March 14 , 1857 . ] THE 1 EADEE . : ggg

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), March 14, 1857, page 243, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct2184/page/3/