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    gmaenai samatiierilt

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    ^eternal ano foreign.

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    - " ^ Tjor a full account of the important CTeatB is France , see our fifth page . EfDIA AND CHINA . jv the arrival of the India mail we hav a dates from Eoflfraj- 'to the 15 th of January , and Calcutta to jsa s « 5 6 -h . A proclamation has just been usaed b y jj-e B en ' s government , intimsting that no fewer than t < rentj-taree prince ani chiefs had been induced by ub y hsve snttee and female infanticide put down through , -gt tbeir dominions . —The distribution of the greater p SItof the Scinde pr ize m » ney ha 3 Isgen ordered to take fi sCe immediately . The erases t captured in February ,

    * _ _ A ^«* AJS * & ^ p /* ft Ann j . *_ _ ¦ *• v > _« _¦ jijSj was rained at £ 560 , 000—that realised at the time s n » anted to £ 460 , 000—the amount to be distributed is £ 43 T , S $ 3 . Of this . Sir C . Napier rsceires £ 27 . 367—only j . lf of what he claimed as his share . Of those who ^ ere present at both battles , Lieutenant-colonels and eaperiotendiag snrgeoas receive nearly £ e . , majors gbont £ 5 , 009 , captains , surgeons , and regimental psy . glisters aboHt £ 2 , 000 , subalterns and assiEtant-sor-E eons about £ 1 , 000 each . " psiGHTFCL MnsDBK op Sir Esglishjies . —Latter- ! from Hong-Konr ef December 39 tb , contain the

    followjs-We have this month to record a dreadful tragedy in the horrid murder of sis English gentlemen by the Chia ~ > ab 3 a - three cailes from Can tan on the 5 th of this eon * . After church they vent up the river , and haded to take a quiet walk , and shortly after they found themselves attacked by a body of Chinese , an * cut off from their boat . la this attack one or two of the partj fell ; the others , being overpowered , attempted to egca .-e , bat were taken at one of the villages and confined . T ^ ej were kept -without food and repeatedly tortured

    until the Ttb , when they were cruelly put to death . The names of tha gentlemen are , —Mr W . Ratter . Mr Small 1 ST Bellamy , Mr Brown , Mr Balkwill , and Mr M'C * rte . On the recoTeiy of tne feoSies t&e Troun 3 s on ITr Jl'Carte were in all forty-four , —thirty-six incised , and eight contusion * , ilany of them would have caused death , the skull being broken in several places . The boaieg of ilestrs Bilktrill , Small , and Brown , had numerous wounds on each of them , the two first having marks of the rattan on the back . On the bodies of Messrs Bellamy ac 3 Butter there were deep -wounds on the head and ebest . and the marks of ropes on the arms .

    A force was immediately sent to Canton , and his Excellency Sir John Davis west up ia the Ssdalus to demand redress . After much negociation with Keying , four Chinese were executed on the 21 stDec . and eleven cere under trial . Sir John returned here on ihe 24 th , having given Keying to the 20 tk proximo for his final answer to his demands . It is usdsrstsod that ste * merg bave been sent for from Singapore , and men-of-war ordered down from the coaBt , to be prepared , should any coercireraeasnre be necessary .

    IMPORTANT NEWS FROil ITALY . Roke . —Oa the 3 rd of February a torch-light demonstration took place in honour of the patriots of If spies end Sicily , The people were the Italian tri-colaur rib . bocs in their bats and button-holes—red , white , and green . They repeated ths -usual eric ? , to which were added , * The Palermiteng for ever ! Viva the ConstitHtion ! Glory to those wh » shed their blood for their country ! ' After reaching th « capltol , the multitude , which filled the square , ascended the stairs , and the ceighbeuriug monuments . A man , covered with a threadbare cloak , and wearing a loss grey beard , teas said to be a Tuscan , mounted on the horse , supporting the statue of Marcus Aurelius , and placed in the hand of that emperor a huge three-coloured flag . After parading round th » mini of the Forum they dispersed .

    The egitstioH contisned , and on the 7 th and 8 th , the people assembled in great nnmbers along the Corso , in a state of very alarming egerveiceBce , shontinp , * Away wtih all moderation ! D » wn with the ministry ! We want cannon ! ' Vira Pio Kino solo I ' Acs > nnts from Rome , » fthe 11 th , state that on the susouncemsst of the Neapolitan constitution a great crowd went in procession to the Quirinal , withtricoloured flags , to demand further concessions . The Pope appeared at the balcony and ga-re his benediction to the crowd .

    ASTices from Home of ths I 3 tk inst ., announce that Pius 15 . had published z proclamation with a . view to allay the fears of s foreign intervention , which he pronounced at present impossible . 'But , ' adds the Pontiff , * if it were attempted , I would appeal to my formidable army of 200 , 000 , 008 of Catholics , who would maintain with me the honour and rights of my throne with the same vijronr as ions would display in defending the parental house . * The official journal of the ~ 12 ! h inst . contain- the resignation of three ecclesiastical Ministers , sod ihi appointment of lijmen to three of the most important departments of the State , namely , a lawyer , M . Sturbinetti , to the Ministry of Justice ; M . Pastolini , Dep ^ itj of RiTenns , to that of Commerce ; and M . Gaeiani de Teeno , to the Direction of ths Polies .

    RUMOURED DEPOSITION OF THE POPE . Tie French government have , it is said , received a ielerrapkic dispatch from Borne annonncing that the Tope has beta c ° rposed . At Bologna , the Papal colours hare been discarded , and the tricolour of Italy adopted . ^ KirLES asd Sicily . —Aletterfrom Messina , dated the 8 th , says that the bombardment of the 29 th alt ., farfrom obtaining the object the government proposed to itself , only excited general indignities , and raised to a degree impossible to describe tbe erfour sad courage of the defenders of liberty .

    letters from Palermo of the 5 th state that on the arrival froai Naples of the steamer tfee Falianre with the decree of amnesty end the proclamation of 2 constitution , ths » 5 documents were commuoicated to the Junta , who proceeded to deliberate on them . The people who were aEEembl d sroand the palace of the Senate in which the Juata wag sitting -uttered threatening cries . After reraaining in deliberation for some time , the Junta decided that it would not accept the constitution and would insist ea having that ef 1812 , guaranteed by Great Britain , with sack modifications as are adapted to the present time , On the 5 th , after aa obstinate conflict , Colonel Gross , who commanded the fort of Castellam 8 re , had consented to surrender it to the provisional government , and was permitted to embark frith the garrison . The Neapolitan foreeB tent to Sicily have rsturned in the most disssiross condition , both General de Songet and 2 fnnziate being wonndsd .

    The new constitution wai proclaimed at Aaples on the Eom-ng of the 12 th , and in the afternooH an immense assemblage took , place tinder the windows of the palace . When the King appeared on the balcony surrounded by hi 3 family his reception was most popular . Toscikt . —The Grand Duke has issued a proclamation stating hi 3 intention to grant a constitatios . The Alba , of the 10 th inetant , mentions a popular demonstration which took place at Fiegole , at which the pcpulatiin shouted , ' Long live Leepold II . ! Long live Charles Albert and Pius IX . Long live the British nation and tue English fleet / &o . LeKsAsar . —A sanguinary collision has taken plaee betwsen the people and the military in Pavia . A number of ths citiieng were killed and wounded . Without any provocation , the pe « ple were attacked by the Austriins . 1

    Letters from Padua of the 8 th give details of encoun . ters there between the Austrian troops and the people . Again without any provocatitn the soldiers attacked ths pesple , and a bloody conflict ensued . Two captains , four oScen , and abont a score of soldiers were killed on the spot . The lasses on the side of the inhabitants were still greater ; it is presumed more than one bundreSpersanshavebeen killed or wounded . At Como and Brescia similar sceEtes are reported to have taken place on the taste day . TTdiae , Treviso , Belluno , and Vicenza were the thea . trw of disturbance . Teror reigns in Milan .

    Toe AcsrsxtK Oxseeveb . which Is the semi-ofiicial orgsn of the Austrian Government , publishes a long article on the affairs of Italy , in which it declares that the wishes of IxjmB-ardy for " administrative reforms will be diseussed , and perhaps be graated ; but that as to the idea of separating that kingdom fromtfce empire , or Of causing a change of dynasty , the Austrian Government will be inexorable in preventing it . ' Let the Italians , ' it adds , ' not forget the example of the mors warlike Poles in the straggles against the Russian empire , and let them tremble !'

    GBKMASY . The Acgsbceg GxzzTCE . m letter from Berlin of the lOth . of February , states that * panic to « k place th % t day on the Bonrse ia that city , in consequeace of the naws which arrived from Tienna , that the government had been obliged , in orfer to meet the extraordinary expenses caused by ihe recent events in Italy , to demand from the Tieans , Bank an advance of ninety-five millioBS flfflorina . Letter ! from Munich Btatt that L ^ IaHontes bad reappeared in Hasten in sale attire ; she was disco * trot and Beat off to Switseriand . According to some accacnts she is on her way to Eng land .

    SWITZERLAND ; The Swiss Diet has adjourned . It will meet again wfcen the Committee for the Revision of the Pact shall Lara terminated its labours . The Committee has alseaSy commenced its sittings . The Austrian Government having learnt that enrolments of great nnmbETS of men have beea made 1 in Switzerland for the troops of several of the Italian States has addressed , says the Um » Mosubcbiqw , a stroagDOte to the Diet , declaring that a continuation of ths- > e eirolmenU will becoae a ffiWHS Mli .

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    Irish Dzhocbaxic CosFH « aMios . -ThiB body held a very crowded meeting on Sunday eveniBg last at CsTtwright ' s , Mr Hangney m the chair . A rery animated discussion tooli p lace on the pretensions pi the Naiios and Ukited Isishmak newspapers , m which Messrs Tucker , "William * , Joyce , M'Urtuy , Sullivan , Bezer , Manly , Da ' . rymple , and others took part . Oa the motion of Mr B ezer , secended ty Mr Joyce , a resolution wag unanimously adoptee , mviting that eloquent advocate of uuiTersal liberty , Ernest Jone ^ , barrister , to deliver one of his soulstirring lectures on some future evening . < Seccklvo Accibext . —On Saturday eresmg last , a 3 a train oi coal waggonB was passing through the tunnel tttwen Wrexbam and Brymba , the bre 3 kgfflan slipped from his position , and fell upon the rails . Eight of the waggons passed over his body , acd , besides doing other injuries , cut off both his kgs . The unfortunate man ffas iakea home , and died the following morning .

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    —awsp^^^—¦ - FOR LAND AND LIFE ! { From the Usited Irishman . ) Land in Ireland is life . Just in the proportion that our people contrive to keep or to gain some foothold on the soil , in that proportion exactly they will live and not die . All social , all industrial , all national qu . e 3 tions . resolve themselves now into this— how many Irish cultivatora can keep root in the earth during the present year—that so the storm and blight , the famine , and the black flood of pauperism , may notsweep them off , away into destruction and outer darkness ?

    Not to the individual farmer only is this alife-anddeath question , but to society and to the nation With the ruin of the tillers of the soil , all is mined —in vain snail yon adopt manufacture pledges—hold meetings to deyejope resources—form companiesmake speeches—insist upon national rights , a national legislature , a national flag;—once let the farmers be swept off this Irish soil , and there is an utter end of U 3 and of our cause . 'Ireland forihelrith ' means primarily and mainly , not' Irishmen for Irish offices , ' not 'political ameliorations , ' not ' assimilation to English franchises '—patient Heaven ! no ;—it means , first , Irishmen fixed upon Irish ground , and growing there , occupying the island like trees in a living forest , with roots stretching ss far towards Tartaru 3 as their heads lift themselves towards the

    clouds . In such a nation as this , industry , energy , virtue , become possible ; manufactures would grow up without ever a pledge , or a speech , or a waistcoatpattern agitation ; a national senate would meet and sit , and rule the land , of its own native energy and by the necessities of the case , without ever a foreign statute empowering it so to do : a national array would arise from the earth like the sons of the dragon ' s teeth ef old ; and a national flag would plant itself without hands , and wave in the dawn of freedom , defying all the ends of the earth to pluck it down . But let ihe tillers of the soil be once uprooted—let the forest be cleared , and the prostrate , withered hation is fit for railway gleepeis ; the living forest is dead and gone ;—the living nation i 3 undone for ever , and the place that knew it shall know it no

    more . In one word , Land is Life : and for the possession of laHd there is now a deadly struggle going on in every part of Ireland . The faraer 3 of Ulster are in utter dismay , seeing their ancient tenant-right slippingaway from them day by day , and the monster Pauperism coming nearer and nearer to the door . The farmers of the etuer three provinces , without a shred of law or eustom on their side , are , it is true , here and there ' . making oat a law for themselves ; but , on the whole , they areyielding , sinking , withering off the earth . From north , south , east , and west , comes a terrible cry of terror and of agony—Spare us , spare us our Lives and Lands ! In this crisis coines in the ' Government' with a ' Bill to ameliorate the relatiens of landlord and

    tenant . ' - A fine phrase ! a liberal and conciliatory phrase ! But the bill , the bill ? Surely it legalises tenant-right at last ? Surely it makes some first step , at least to extend it to the South . Surely it interposes to stop this cruel warfare at last , and to give the hard-hunted peasant some respite , some hope ? Now , as Heaven is above ps , it is a bill deliberately framed to destroy Tenant-Right where itis—tocut off all hope of it where it is not—to rob the north—to exterminate the south—to take car * that property ' in Ireland shall support poverty , not by dividing the property , bat by slaying the surplus poverty . It does , indeed ; interpose in the agrarian war , but for the purpose of finishing it in the ntter conquest of the people . It is the brother and ally of the Coercion ' Act . It isthe remainder of the bargain between England and the landlords , fulfilled to the letter on England ' s part .

    The bargain is this—Keep for i « , ye landlords , our Irish province , apd we shall set your heel on the necks of all your enemies . The government bill is a complicated syftlem of compensations for improvements—and only future improvements , which shall have been effected here * after according to certain notices , specifications , dockets , awards , certificate ? , and final decrees—improvements to which the tenant shall at last be lucky enough to make good his claim , after being coursed through four or five courts of law ; and equity , after employing attorneys and providing witnesses , at least " three times ' for each improvement , covering qaires of paper with elaborate schedules and statements , and dancing attendance on the clerk of the peace , the assistant barrister , the , sgear , the bailjff , the under-bailiff , and all the agents ' , bailiffs , - and under-bailifis of all persons who have " any claim ' as landlords on the estate , which persons the tenant is to 2 nd oat by his learning .

    The chief point 13 the arbitration : and we will tell yon how the arbitrators are to be appointed—the tenant to name one—the landlord another—and these two to nace an umpire .- —but if they cannot agree upon an umpire , ( and they never wiU ) , why then an umpire is to be named by the Petty Session Court , that is , hv landlords ; 89 that , in every case , the laBdlord is to have two to one on the arbitration . If the farmer , by any miracle or mistake , get an award for his improvements , the yearly value of them is to be allowed him in his rent for twenty-one wears , and no more !

    But what of past improvements , made without specification ? What of the tenant-right farms purchased with money in Ulster , or held by the farmer and bia ancestors time out of mind ? Is ife not to be legalised , then ! No : this bill is intended for the gradual abolition of that tenant-right property , according to the recommendation of Lord Devon ' s Commission . Sir William Somerville says plainly the bill ia framed according to the report of that commission ; and Mr Sharrnan Crawford says the certain effect of the bill in Ulster , will be to ' afford a pretence to landlords to abrogate the custom . They would say that a law had been passed for the relief of the tenants in Ireland ; and the landlord wonld take advantage of that law to deprive the tenant of those rights who had hitherto enjoyed them . ' Of course he would : and such is the intention .

    But we forgot : th 8 bill is to be retrospective , as to tenants holding at & rent nnder £ 10 . Thes 8 tenants , if they have effected substantial improvements , within five years , and have kept a record of the same , and can produce witnesses to prove it ; are to be allowed , oh ejectment , some compensation ; but it is not in any case to exceed three years' rent . If they connofc point out these improvementa , and . proTe them in due form ( even thocgh they should have bought their little farms at £ 20 an acre but last year ) , why they must tramp ; and if the ' union' be a solvent ' onethev may get out-door relief .

    As to ihe southern farmers , if they have capital j and can employ lawyers ; and ejectment do net overtake them in the meantime—i-they are expected to lay down their guns , and proceed quietly to get estimates and specifications prepared , put themselves in communication with the clerk of the peace ' i and begin at once to invest the capital they have gathered through the three famines in thorough-draining accordiEg to the Deanston system , and building cottages ornees with mitred eaves and Tudor gables ! Te » , let northern and southern farmers laydown their arm 3 , and cease their seditions' projects . ' as

    landlord Herbert calls them . They must Bee that government ' is caring for them ; in government let their trust be reposed , and let them lie dpwn to sleep in peace under the shadow of its wings . Indeed , we ate glad to Ieam from landlord Csstlereaeh , in the course of this debate , * That de farmers 0 / the north of Inland have nothing to complain of . " Is this true , farmers of the nsrth of Ireland ? _ ¦ But enough for one week ; we shall return in onr next number to this measure of wholesale and atrocious robbery and slaughter ; and consider how itis to bs met and defeated . . For defeated it must bo .

    Gmaenai Samatiierilt

    gmaenai samatiierilt

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    MONDAY , Feb . 21 . H 0 U 3 E OF LORDS . — Diplomatic Relations ( CotJRT op Rome ) Bill , —The Marquis of LansdoWNE , in bringing up th » report on this bill , moved the insertion of the words ' to establish and maintain relations with the court of Rome , ' , . with the view of having the same printed , The report was then received , Ibish Pooe Laws . —Earl Fitzwillum , in presenting the petition from Ireland on the subject of workhouses , said ho had received a letter / rom a paid guardian in Ireland , statin ? that the poor in his part of the country were satisfied with only 7 d . a week , or a penny a day . Ha thought the people of England ought to pay some consideration to the humility and virtue of a people who . _ wero contgntad with so Bmall a pittanos ; and he wished to ask the govermnunt and parliament ef Eagland whether they should continue

    to maintain the population of Ireland- on so . pitiful a sum ? £ 1 , 500 , 000 was granted by way of . Joan last year ; but a larger sum had been applied for , and the amount appropriated did not exceed £ 1 , 000 , 000 , and that for 28 , 000 . 000 acres . He thought 160 , 000 men might be beneficially employed on pnblic works , and he also considered an extensive system of emigration necessary to relieve Irelasd , the present tax upon the land for the support of the poor being upwards of £ 2 , 000 , 000 annually , and the amount collected only exceeded , by a comparniWely small sum , the amount wbicb could sot be obtained . In passing the Poor Law Bill , sufficient consideration had not been given to the communities on which the taxation was to be leried . The rural community consisted ef tbelaaOlord and bis tenants , and our legislature ought to encourage those landed proprietors who employed their means in improving their lands ; but at present they wore only doubly taxed .

    The Marquis of Lansdowne ageeed that the Poor Law had pressed heavily on some parts of Ireland where distress existed to a great extent , amounting nlmo « t to famine ; bat , as a whole , it could not be complained of . The total amount of poor rates in 1847 , in Ireland , was £ 1 , 618 , , giving an average ef 2 s . 5 d . in the pound throughout the unions . It was gratifying to know that emigration was Bteadily increasing , and by a measure which had been prepared a number of the children of the poor would be provided for . The public works bad been carried to such an extent as to employs large portion of the population , and by the grant which had been made to landlords for the purpose of

    improvement , this mode of relief weuld be continued . Upwards of £ 2 , 000 , 000 had been sanctioned out of the application which had been made , and there was not a county in Ireland in which worfes were not proceeding in conse . quence of these grants . He had no doubt that the mode of rattaghad operated with some degree of injustice ; but , after most mature deliberations , it had been thought that electoral divisions were best adapted to meet the exigencies of the case ; he did not , however , think it was a perfect mode of distribution . Govirnment were prepared to enforce the poor rate , and to look carefully into the question of redistribution of existing divisions . ( Hear , hear . ) After a few obiervations from Lords Carew and Monteagle , the subject dropped . The ' Uhikd Ibishsan . '— Lord Stanley gave notice that be would , on Thursday , call attention to a newspaper published in Dublin , called the Uhited Ieishmak , and which was of a rebellious and revolutionary

    ohar oter ; Ehigbation iboh Ibblamd . —Earl Geet , witb reference to what be bad said on a former ocoaision , explained that the emigration he referred to would be confined strictly to those workhouses in which it would to proved that children had been trained to habits of usefol industry . They had been led to understand that in several of the unions there were a number of young female orphans trained to habits of useful domestic industry . Great care would be taken in selecting them , and in providing for their well-being , both during the passage and after landing , and he had eanguino hopeB that this emigratioa might be of considerable benefit to New South Wales and South Australia . He thought it desirable to state this , in order to prevent any mlBapprehension which might occur upon the subject . The house adjourned at SeVett o ' clock .

    HOUSE OF COMMONS . —Mr Hoesmah gave notice that , on going into Committee ef Supply , on Monday next , he would submit a motion to the tffect that the mode of assessing the incomp-tax should be f 0 altered sb to render it more fair sod equal in it « operation . Mr B . Osboene gave notice that he would move , as an amendment to Sir R . Ikolib ' s motion for a committee on the new Houses of Parliament , an address to the Crown , praying for the appointment of a Royal Com . mission to superintend the votes granted by Parliament , so as to ensure the finishing of tbe new Houses as speedily as possible . Mr Beigut gave , notice , that , oa the motion that the Speakeb leave the chair to go into Committee of Ways and Means , on Monday next , he would move an in . struction to the committee to extend the probate and legacy duties to real property . SirB . Halt , gave notice of his Intention ^ to move that the Income-tax be extended to Ireland ,

    The Bodset . —Tbe CHA » criLOE of the Exchequer on moving that tha bouse resolve itself into Coramitteeof Supply , adverted to some misapprehensions which had gone abroad with respect to the intention of the government , and tbe financial position of tbe country , aa explained in tflo speech of the First Lord of the Treasury on Friday evening ; and intimated that it was the wish of the government to submit to the investigation of a secret and select committee the whole question of the Army , Nary , and Ordnance Estimates , which oommitteee ba wonld move for this day . It waB erroneously supposed by some that the budget was a war budget , and that the increaped expenditure mi owidj : to military preparations , which were < o be continued , So far from this being tbe case , most of the increase in

    the expenditure had teen occasioned last year , and must now be provided for , the greater por ; ion of the increase having had reference to peaceable and not to warlike objects , The policy of the government was peRce , and it would do Botbing wbich was likely t » compromise the tranqBillity \) f the world . His reason for proposing a secret and select committee was , that there were many points , connected vrlth tbe eatimates in question , which would be more preperlj gifted hj such a tribunal than by tbe honse itself , all tbe deliberations of which were public . In view of this committee , betrnsted tbat Mr Hume wonld forego the motion which he had upon the paper tor the postponement of the estimates , and that the h 0 U 5 B would BToid all prtraature and desultory dlscufBionupon the budget at present , ni the whole bud . ject would come before it nest meek *

    Mr Hohe was glad to bear tbat the speech of Lord J .. Russell wa 3 not a war speech ; but if it was not t » be considered warlike its tono and tempQr were very much so . He Jield in his bands the balance sheets for the years 1846 and 1818 , the first drawn up by Mr Cirdwell , and the latter by Mr Parker . The revenue in the first , was £ 51 , 217 , 000—in tbe second £ 51 , 3 * 0 , 000 . In both years the cok of collection was four millions—SO that the whole taxation in both year * was nearly fifty-six mil . lions . Ha found , likewise , that the exeesu of income over expenditure was on the 5 th of January , 1816 , £ 3 , 850 , 000 , and of expenditure over income on the 5 tb of Janaary , 1848 , £ 2 , 966 , 000 . Such being the ease , he bad asked why Lord J . Russell , with such a deficiency before kim , would not consent to make reductions in our

    establishments . He > ad also asked whether bis lordship intended to increase taxation without g iving to the coun . try the satisfaction of knowing what its income and its expenditure really were . If it could be shown that no reduction could be made , and that taxation must be increased , the government would not be damaged by tbe inquiry , and the country wonld make up its mind to bear with firmness a necessary burden . On Friday night , when instead of reductions announcement waemadeol an in » rease of taxation to the smonnt of two and a half millions , he was roused t » make tbe observations wbicb he then offered to the house . There was an additional payment announced for tbe charge of the funded and unfunded debt , amounting to neariy half a million ; but there was no mention made tbat since 1846 £ 400 , 000 of terminable annuities had ceased , from which tbe coun . try ought to derive some relief . Knowing » b he did the distress wbio ' i was now experienced by the working classes , the shopkeepers , and the small traders , he

    thengbt tbat it became a vtry serious qne 3 tion ; whether the government was acting wisely in its distribution ' of the pnblic force . Was there any reason for having ao many ships of war In the Tagtt * and on the coast of Africa , where th& expense and loss ofHfe were perfectly frightful ? It was also worth knowing whether , since the last report on the subject , a single officer the loss hadbeonappsintBd in either the Excise or tno Customs ' i He also wished to revise our whole system at taxation , with the purpose ef seeing whether taxes could not be railed in a better and cheaper manner . He had not , however , any wish to impede the public service ; and he would therefore embrace the proposition just offered to him by the Chancellor of tbe Exchequer on one condition—namely , that fee would consent to take a supply for six weeks on account . At the close of that time the committee which the Chancellor of the Exchequer had just proposed would have made its report , and the house would be enabled to act accordingly .

    Ur EwaT felt the greatest dissatisfaction at the financial proposals of the government , and trusted tbat its subsequent conduet with regard to the fiunnoes would be such bs would remove that dissatisfaction . Mr S , Obawfobd protested against the budget , proposing , as it did , an expenditure utterly incommensurate with the resources of the country . Our military establishments were not only faiHarger than were required , but might one day , when they fell into other hands , become dangerous to the liberties of the country , Cohhiitez op Supply . —The bouse went into Committee of Supply on tbe n&vy estimates , and Mr Waed , witbont making the usual statement , moved for a voto of £ 235 , 000 for the naval excess of last jear . Mr Heebies and Mi ^ Bankes objected to the secret committee of which the Chancellor of the Exchequer had given noiico .

    Mr Home refused to consent to the specific vote asked , though he wonld consent to a sum of money en account of the general estimates . Lord 0 . Bentinck declared that in Mb opinion it was wholly unconstitutional to propose a secret committee to inquire into tbe state of the Koyal Navy . The Chancellor of the Exchequer had attempttd to draw an analogy between the select committees from time to time appointed to inquire into the general finance of the coun . try end this proposed committee to inquire into our

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    naval and military defences . But there was the most material difference between thotwo inquiries ; and unloso the Prime Minister was prepared to mser ! on his roBponsibility that thwa were grave reasons of Stateand that there was imminent peril , ho ( Lord O Ben tinck ) would not consent to any secretcammittee . ' Thu government wbb not fit to hold possession of office If they threw that respousibllityj wbich properly belonged to them , upon a Becrot committee . lord J . Russell said that in 1786 , in 1797 , in 18 '> 7 , in 1817 , and in 1828 , under various Ministers—Pitt , Grenville , Liverpool , and Wellington—the house had appointed select committees to inquire into the whole

    expenditure , ineludiug the army , navy , and orinanco . These committees were not only select , but secret There might ba facts and evidenco receivod by the proposed committoe that it mi ght not be desirable to msUe puWio ; and he was reaay to atnte , on ois responsibility , that it would bo highly inconvenient to have the pro . posed committie , an open one . The governmeat did not wish to avoid responsibility ; on the contrary , their proposal was , that , iu addition to the inquiries of a committed of the whole house , tho estimates Bhould be sab . mitted to a secret committee . The noblo lord esnpbatically declared that the estimates were not war estimates , nor framed with the view to a rupture of peace

    Mr Hebbies did not think tho precedents quoted by the noble lord were applicable . They were all general financial committees ,-very different from a committee to inquire into the defences of tbe country . Mr Hbsley conaid . red the proposal for a select committea as nothing Jesa than the abdication of the functions of government . Sir K . Peel Baid that , in 1823 , ho had moved for the hat committee to inquire into tho military expenditure of tho country . Ie was like those that preceded it , a select committee , but not a seiret ine ; thut 5 b , it published its reports , but had the power of excluding cvidonee , and It had suppressed ovidence on military work 3 , on tho grouud of' prudential motlvus . ' Ultimately tho opposition was bo strong tliat the Chancellor of tho Exohequee consented to withdraw the speclfio vots befora tho Committee , ana to take one on account .

    Lord J . BUS 3 ELL , in repl y to a question from Mr Hild . TABD , repeated tbat he certainly should persist in asking the House o » Monday next to assent to his budget . As we cad a deficiency in our revenue to meet expeudituie , amounting to 2 , 000 , 000 or 3 . 000 , 000 , it would be necessary to meet it with increased " taxatios . If he could suppose that tho House could effect a reduction of 3 , 000 , 000 in tbe estimates , he could then go on without anj increase of the property taa „ but ho could not suppose that any such reduction would be made . The Government did not wish to get rid of any responsibility which belonged to it . It was willing to submit tbe estimates not only to the invebtigation of a committee of the whole House , but also of a select and secret com . mittea be&idea . .

    Mr Disbaeli called attention to the extraordinary » ilstica of tbe members below the gangway on this occasion— -asilence which must bo highly gratifying to the Government . He could not find in the committee op . pointed bj Sir R . Peel in 1828 any precedent for the secret committee now proposed . He likewise bop ? d tl'at the Government would tell the House why this committoe waB to he appo ' mtafl . If it were not inUnded for economical purposes , for what was it intended ? Lord Dcdlet Stpabt also opposed the budget , Mr WaKLET remarked , that the gratification of ministers at the alienee of the member * below the gangway ( uponwhich Mr Disraeli had observed ) would , he was sorry to sayi be but of short contisuance , ( Henr . hear . ) The hon . member , howevtr , ought not to feel surprised

    that those members abstained from speaking on a very painful subject . It was his duty to inform Lord John Russbll that hia propoaltion had bo » n received by his ( Mr Waklev ' s ) constituents with astonishment , indignation , and disgust . ( Hear , hear . ) . The public were not particularly pleased with Sir R . Peel , whtn bo first proposed bis tbree per cent , t- > x on property and income fertbree y « ar <<; but tbsre was so much blaadness , Bach a fascination iu his manner ofproposiog it , and he paved tbe way to it bo smoothly , that it was impossible to be aogry with him . ( Hear , bear , and a laugh . ; But the noble lord had roBortad to no such atfpedient . Ho eamo out in a broad honest way with his proposal , and it was quite evident that be thought it would not be unacceptable to the public . It waB big conviction that ,

    though perhaps ministers might have succeeded in passing a renewal of tbetnx for three year 3 more . 'it would be wholly out of their power to increase it to five per cent . ( Loud cheer 3 . ) He might bo wrong ; but , from what be saw and . heard , he believed tha people weuld make such representations to their representa . tives ; that they would not dare to support the govern , ment in that proposition . CHear , hear . ) Should this increase be submitted to for two yearB , what man in his senses could suppose that it would be afterwards aban - doned—( hear , bear )—especially sfter the experience they had of the present income-tax ? The public were right , thtrefore , in resisting at onco a proposal that involved one of the most dishonest and disgraceful modes of taxation that had ever been tolerated . ( Hear . ) If

    John Bull was content to bear this burden , then let government gire bim more of it—punish him for his stupidity ( hear , and a laugh)—and befora the end of the session , make it 1 \ or even 10 p ? r cent . ( Hear , hear . ) It would serve him right . ( Hear , hear . ) It would appear that when ministers found tbe coun' 17 in a difficulty , they asked what was dene on the last occasion of difficulty . The answer was of course , ' OM , a dose of the income-tax . ( Hoar , and a laa ^ h . ) 'Then double tbo oobb this time'was the remedy proposed . But were the doctors certain that their patient ' s strength would endure those constant drastio purges—was it not possible that ho had bpen alre-ady reduced too much ? He regretted Mr Hume had not persisted In his amendment which he would certaiiily hare supported . Just

    before Christmas ths house was called upon to consider the distress with which all classes were afflicted and tLe great loss which bod been entailed upon our commtrc * and manufactures , and now , in a few shert weeks after—without any attempt being made to rcduee tbo burdens which were already weighing down the public—a new proposition was brought forward to increase the pressure upon them . He believeri there would be bo difficult ? whatever if mimsttra would reduce our establishments to what was really necessary in bringing the expenditure of tbe country within tho income . ( H' -or , hsar . ) What fudge and nonsense it was to talk about war with France or any other country . ( Cheers . ) Suppose a war did come , how Iodb would it take to prepare for it ? But there

    was no danger of anything of the kind . Tho people of foreign countries were now too buBily occupied in improving thtir ewn domestic institutions to think of interfering with others . ( Hear , hear . ) If subjects were wise , war was a game which governments would not dare to plfly . ( Hear , hear ) ThcM was not tho remotest chance or prospect of a foreign invasion . We were at peace with all the woild , and jet our expendltnre f r the naval and military establishments of the country was to be increased —( hear , heur ) —and that , too , by means of a tax which , as regarded a large clas * of the people , was no better than a robbery . ( Hoar , bear . ) All taxes , to be just , must be equal ; but tbe income tax pressed hoaTilT and unjuBtly on the . poor man—the man who came just within its grip—while the property tax scarcely touched tlie rich man . ne held that the income tax was an impolitic and an iniquitous tax upon the industry of ths country . ( Hear , hear . ) Hb had received a letter from one of his constituents , in

    which the oppressive operation of the income tax was described , [ The hon . member read tha letter , which stated that the writer had an income just over the £ 150 a year , that he had a wife and large family to support , that ho was conipflled to maintain a respsctable . appearaiice , or he could not hold hU situation , and to educate his children 5 that his income would cease altogether in tha event of IHoeBa , and complained that besides being enlled upon to pay assessed taxes , he bad to pay us much for income tax as a pvrson who had £ 5 000 in tho funds , of whieh no contingency could deprive him , and which would bo nvailable in cuse of deaih for the support of bis wife and family—whereas , if the writer died , bis family mustbelefc destitute , tha pressure of taxation upon him ; being so heavy that , to make provision for tbem , of for siehnoss , by saving , waa impossible . ] This person called upon him to oppose the proposed increase . Another correspoudent had suggested that' tho tax should be charged on all bi-yond £ 150 a year . ( Hear . )

    Several votes were then agreod to ( or tho navy and army , after » ome diBCimion , and tbe hoiiao reBumed . Poblic HBALTn . —Lord Mobpeth then moved the second reading of the Public Health Bill , in tho hope that ttia bouse would not ol ject to the bill at ouoo pais . ing through that sta ^ e , it beinif liis intention to give ample time for its consideration before going into committee . The bill , after some desultory conversation , was then read a second time . PA > aEKGEB 8 Bill —Mr Labouciube then moved the gacond readingof the PasseDgers Bill .

    Hr Hohe , after drawing a frightful picture of tho disease and pestilencB prtvailiag on board theealRrant ships which carried the emigrants from Ireland la « t year to British North America , and after insisting on the propriety of taking immediate measures to' prevent the recurrence of such melanchol y events in future , recommended tho government , instead of amending the two acts now in force , to consolidate them into ono Btatute , and to form them into one compact and intelligible system . Mr Labodcdebs admitted that the terrific description which Mr Hume had just given of tfce disease and pes . tileucc carried by Irls-h emigrants into our North American colonies reniltrod it imperative upon tbe govern , srtnt to device measures for the prevention of evils so

    detrimentnl , not only to the colonists , but also to the emigrants themselves . It wqb not surprisicg that the danger to which human life had thus bocn exposed had excited a strong feeling against immigrAtian in British North America . The commissioners of emigration bad drawn up the bill then before the housa with the view of applying a remedy t » a Btate of things in every point of view bo deplorable . The principal features of the bill were shortly theRe : —There was , first , a clause enlarging tho space allotted to each emigrant from ten to twelve feet ; there was next , another , enacting that the owners of emigrant ships to British North America blionld , as the tmig'ant ships to Australia now did , carry suflicient provisions to sustain the lives of their paflBeDgcra during the voyage ; and thtie was , lastly . 0 clause appointing a govarniaect officer or BUPeriuteniaa

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    to see the regulations of the bill enforced . It had been recommended that every emigrant ship should be compelled te take a surgeon ; but he could not advise the house to accede to such a recommendation . He proposed te rtfer tbls . bill , after it was read a aecond time , to a select committee . When it had been amended there he would read it a third time , and after it had b * en read a third time ho would withdraw it . He would then incorporate it with tho Passenger * Regulations Bill , and >\ ould introduce it again as n new bill , provided it were understood that it should then pass without discussion . A short discussion ensued , which terminated in the second reading of the bill , and its being referred to a select committee , and , after disposing of some other unimportant business , tbe house adjourned at twelve o ' clock .

    TUESDAY , Febrdast 22 nd . HOUSE OP LORDS . —The Earl of Aiiebdeew , in a speech descriptive of the past efforts , and the present exertions made and making for thn suppression of the slave-trade , concluded by moving for returns showing tho number of vessels captured by the different squadrons of the different nations , since the treaty was effected , by which it was stipulated tbat such a force should bo employed on tho coast of Africa with that objeot . The Earl of Auckland snid there could br no difficulty in giving the returns . He wae anxious , however , to say a few words in corroboration of what had fallen from the nobla lord . In the last letter he receired from Sir Charles Adam , that gallant officer Btnted that he had

    now finished tha first year of his command , and he shou'd fee able to Bhow more prizos and fewer deaths than during any preceding similar period . Tho per centage of deaths bad been reduced during the last yenr from fivo per cent , in 1845 to two per cent , in 1817 ; and the number of invalids had been reduced in proportion . The island of Ascension has been made a place of eanltary resort , and no vessel was now allowed to remain moro than tyro yeara upon the station , ( Hear , hoar . ) With respect to the general question , lie must say , that he thought it would bs s great bio- * to civilisation if they withdrew their squadron from tho coast , and allowed tbat system to ba revived which so much was now dona to check and put an end to .

    Lord Stanlei had expressed his opinions upnn this subject on a former occasion . He thought It right to say , that the Bentimonti he then expressed werocuriously identical with the opinions expressed to-night by the noble lord . He had then said , that if he hnd to choose as a means of putting down the slave trade between tbe admissiou of slave-grown sugar and the continuance of the squadron on tbe coast of Africa , he should , as least likely t 8 prove iffi-ctive , prefer a measure of financial prohibition to the continuince of the nquadron , What ho intended to say was , that ha very much feared th . it tbe legislation of 1816 would be calculated to destroy all that floets could effect . The Bishop of Esmeb wished to eipresshls hope that if it was the decided system of this country to promote the admission- of slave-grown sugar , all checks would be ea' en off the free impoitation of slaves from Africa , It mas obvious that such check ? only cmued additional suffering to the unhappy slaves .

    Earl Gbet emphatically denied tbat it waB the palicy of her Majesty ' s government to encourage tho growth or admission of slave-grown sujar . They maintained the argument , tbat if the sugars of other countries were admitted at all , it was practically impossible to exclude slave-grown sugar . It was proved to demonstration that Cuba sugar came in as the produce of other countries , and that we could not avoid that consequence . It was proved also that the treaties of thi » country wholly pre . eluded our checking such importation ; and , indeed , the only occasion on which he had ever known a Brltiih

    minister act in diplomacy like a pettifogging attorney was , when a noble lord trie < 1 to get over that difficulty . Lord Denman was not sure that he entirely understood the right reverend prelate in the same sense as the noble earl appeared to understand bim ; but certainly if tbe effect of tbe admission of slave-grown sugars was such as had been depicted , ho Bhould be Inclined to agree with the right r ^ v . prelate that it would be more desirable to the cause of humanity to withdraw the squadron . Upon that point , however , ho was not convinced .

    Lori AshbCrtoh remarked that with respeel to what had been said by the noble lord about the admission of slave-grown sugar , he wished bim to bear in mind that the mischief was done , and that witbeut an immediate r < mew of the law of 1816 , our colonies mast be inevitably ruined . If thoir lordships woul . i go into inquiry upon the subject , they would find that our colonies even with a partial protection , coald not compete with alave-iioMinu countries . There wa > no denying tho fact—no shirking th « question—that after the millions laid oat upon the slave-trade , we trero absolutely at this time stimulating asd promoting it by our legislative

    measures . The Earl of Aberdeen wished only to say a word as to an allusion whieh Earl Grey had made to on act in which he took part , and which be had strangely chosen to stigmatise as ' pettifogging . ' He ( LorJ Aberdeen ) would only say that the act allnded to received the sanction of the house , and tbat his own conscience had bem entirely satisfied respecting it . Subsequent reflection convinced him that the course be then pursued was entirely correct . Ei » rl Gbet expressed his regrot that he bad used the word complained of . Ha had no doubt that the noble lord had acted on this , as on all other occasions , with tbat feigh sense of honour which always influenced him , At the same time , he had been sorry to see this country placed in the position in which the government of which the noble lord waa a member had placed her .

    After a few words from the Earl of Habbowbt the motion was agreed to . Their lordships adjourned at half-past seven ., HOUSE OF COMMONS . —Tho second reading of Ilie lUceUsfield Water Works and Improvement Bill wa » lost on a division by a mnjority of seventy-three . — Th <> second reiidiu ? of the New Smithfield , or Great Metropolitan Cattle Market and Abattoirs Company Bill , being strongly opposed , was . on the motion of Mr Ojborne , put off for sis months , and consequently lost .

    SKtECT CoMMITTBB OF EXPENDITURE . —TfiO ClIANceiior of tho ExcHEejnEB stated the grounds on which ths government thought it desirable to appoint two committees—the one a select committeo to inquiro into tho expjnditure for miscellaneous services , and to report to tho hnuse whether any reductions can , in their opinion be dRc ' ed or any improvemf-nt made in the mode of submitting this branch of the publio expendlturo to t ho consideration of Parliament ; 5 and the other a select committee to inquire into the expenditure on account of the navj , army , and ordnance , and toreport their observations thereupsn to the house . It had been usual for the house from time to time , to appoint such DouimitteBs to inquire into the expenditure and income of tbe

    conntry . He himself when sitting oh the opposite benches , bad viewed with BO » e uneasineBB the increasing expenditure of the country , The increase in connexion with our military and naval establishments alone since 1835 had been from £ 11 , 700 , 000 to £ 17 300 , 000 . Of this the lacrease fer the army bad been but email , that for the navy about three millions and a half , whilst the espenditure for the ordnspce was now double tbat which it was in 1835 . That increase was a fit subject for inquiry . He had no doubt that the increase of expenditure had been justifiable—it had , almost without opposition , received the sanction of the Ilouao . and the greater part of it bad been pressed on the Go 7 rrnment by individual mombtrs . During the four years in which ha had himself been Secrotary o ( Admi

    ralty he had been repeatedly called upen to defend himself from attack for not having taken sufficient care of the nnval armaments of the country . He , therefore , was of opinion that neither the late nor the present Government were responsible for the increase which had taken place . But on that account that Increase wa » not less fitting to be made the subject of inquiry by the House of Commons ; Hnd therefore he h » d conie forward on a former evju 5 n » to propose a select and secret committeo to make such inquiry . Mr Humo had proposed to appoint a finance committee which would embrace an inquiry into the wide aubjeoe of our nccma and expenditure . The government thoogiat that , as before in 1617 and in 1 S 28 , auch a wide neld of inquiry might lead < obentfi . ial results ; but Mr Hume

    was n-t content even with tbat , for he wished to inquiro aho into tl e cost of collecting the revenue , and into the question of imposing direct or Indirect taxation . He ( Sir C . Wood ) thought it better thai their inquiries should embrace a port rath < rthan the whole ef such « - tensivo subj-ctB . The government had laid tbe estimates for tbe year on the table , and did not shrink from tho responsibility which belonged to thorn . Though tho government was prepared to defend them In moat of their details , it thought that it wa « desirable to submit them to the examination of committees , in which they ould be more conveniently discussed tban in a committee of the wJlOlo hOUie . J * waa fitting to Inqniro bow far tbe increase iB the miaccllaneous estimates , which was occasioned by tbe transfer of local charges to the pnblic

    ehnrgo , won justifiable . It was fitting also to Inquiro how i&t the increase in the military and naval estimated of the country had been oceusioned by the desire of the heuse to increase the persenal comforts antftfficlenv ' y of those engaged in our military and naval service , It would ba bad economy to stop works now in progress ; and it would be satisfactory tkat the propriety of those works should be recognised by the vote of a committee . A question had also been raised as to the proper distribution of our force ; and gentlemen said that it was worth inquiring whether wo could not render the' tame , if not a less amount of force , mora available to the dofenco of tbe United K'ngdom . Saving described tho advantages which bad been derived from the reports of

    such committees as he had proposed , he Baid that the go vernment oa the present occasion would propose the number of mon to bo voted for tbo three services for thn ensuing year , but would not withdraw from the examination of the two committees which he now proposed to appoint any part of the espenclitura which was necessary for tliciv support . lie admitted that ho bad propospd last night that these committees should ba secret com . mittec , and that in bo doinp hVhad acted undtr misapprehension . He now only intended to move that they should be select committees ; for they would have power iu themselveB to exclude the public ftora thuir sittings , and any matter which it would bo injurious to publish from their report . He then concluded by formally putting bis motion . Lord G . Bbntinck felt himself relieved ia a groat ae-, eras from the opposition which ho had threatened last

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    night by the fact that the government had abandoned its declaration of laBt nittht , and had g iven up thostcrety of thtae committees . He imas ined that Minsters w . ™ going to abandon the prerogative oi the crown to decide upon the amount of the army and tho navy , and upon , the general defences or * tho country , ne prtsurcf d that the inquiry to which the attention of these comiuittses was to be directed would not be aa to tbe increase of our armaments , but as to tbe diminution of obi- expenses . Mr Disraeli said that a few weeks ogo the hou 3 e had been told in the speech from the thronn , that the esti . males had been framed , ' with a careful regard to the exigencies of the public service , ' and yet now the Chancellor of the Exchequer would not undertake tn say that considerable reductions might not bs made in those

    samiyestimates . Last nijjht they had been told tbat at decennial periods from 1787 to 1818 finaooo oommittoeg had been appointed to inquire into the expenditure and income of tbe country , and had thereforo been authorised to inquire "into tbe costs of the public establishments , It happened ^ however , that in every ir . sianco the inquiry into the military and nav . - il estimates had only been corollary ; and what eleo happened ? That in every case in which such committees of finance had been appointed , their appointment had been announced in the spoeeh from the Throne . He was afru'd that Ministers were proposing these committees , not for purposes of econoray , but for tbe purpose of obtaining from them reeommendatioii 8 forincreased establishments , and

    for increased taxation . If , an itstenud , there was no precedent for the propositisn of the government , the house ouffbt to look at the principle iavolved ia it . Ic was nothing less than this—that Ministers were sbuf . fling the responsibility from their own shoulders upon those of the House of Commons . He thought that the government had made a great mistake ia the course which it had taken . He did not , however , intend to raBiBtit . Happy men were Ministers ; for evtn their blunders compelled their opponents to assist th m . He Intended to follow the example of Lord G Bentinck , and to allow the motion to pass , merely entering his protest aga ' nst it as a measure contrary to the practice of par-Hament , and not csnducive to the dignity of the AJu > inlntration .

    Mr Hume ODserved , tbat if these committee * were fairly appointed and performed their du * y ; they would do mueh good , but not otherwise .. Ha therefore implored ti-c government to constitute them in a satisfactory manner , anj not to place upon tbem men who had become hncknied and callous to large estimates . The system of Fret'Trade which Sir R Feel bad introduced bad led to important changes in our system of taxation , and of the principle of those changes be cordially approved . He was , therefore , of opinion that a committee ought to he appointed to examine how our present revenue was raised , what changes could ba made in the mode of raising it , whither it conld sot be raised in a way which would be less oppressive to tho subject , and whether the weight of taxation rai |> htnot be diminished . He hoped that no estimates would bs voted until the reports of these committees were received .

    Sir B . Peel observed that his cbitf object in rising oa tbe previous night was to express his doubt as to wfcetbertha precedents bore out the proposition for a secret committee . The former committoea were select , not secret . Although he would offer no opposition to tha appointment of the committee , he xmt bound to say that he was then perfectly prepared to give his opinion aato < he estimates proposed . He agreed with Lord G . Bent ' nek , that no committee , whilst it couMnot adequately discharge them , should be entrustad with the powers Mid functions of the Etecutive government . Thitewa * an erroneous imprestion abroad that governments were proue unnecessarily to increnso the expenditure . Tho very reverse was the case , for even if Ministers acted with a sole regard to the stabiliry of the Cabinet , thay

    would bvtter secure thtir object by conciliAtm ? the Housa of Commona with reduced estimate ? , t > an by procuring suppor : from friends out of doors . The right hon gtntleman t ^ en adverted to the panic which had existed bat a month ago , and cengratnlated the house that ii had » o rapidly snbsided . Be confessed that he had been under some apprehension that government would be uniulv in *' fltienced by that alarm , and was rather relieved to find that no increase was proposed in the estimates . He had read the letter of anablo friend of hia for whom he enter , tained a high respect , indicating the course wMcV should be taken in case of invasion . ( A laugh . ) That letter stated that in Buch an emergency the duty of tho Lord Mayor of London would be—not to summon tbe citizens to its defence—but to make tbe Manssoa House

    head quarters for making out billets for the French army . ( Laughter . ) He must say that when be read tbat letter , he thought it gave a most imperfect and unjust account of the epirit of Englishmen . ( Cheers . ) He did not mean of the military—even that splendid corps the guards , which his noble friend hud since relitved from all imputation—but of the strength of the country , of the spirit of the men of mature' age , ay , and even tbe old men and old women . ( Cheers and laughter . ) He verily believed that if the Lord Mayor , instead of occupy * ing himself in the defence of the metropolis , wr re te abandon that duty fur the purpose of billeting the French army , he would purform tbat duty in secret , and daro net show himself in Cheapaide . ( Cheers ami laughter . ) He was perfectly convinced that if an attempt should ba made to subject this country either to insult or Invasion , it was difficult to estimate the spirit with vihich such an

    attempt would be met . ( Hear , hear . ) Ho said nothing against the propriety of taking proper precautions , tecau « e aUhaugVi we knew what would be the ultimate result of any attempt , vet even the most partial success rauet be accompanieA with much ruiu to private fortune and great desolation . ( Hear . ) But ha confessed that on seeing the OPtimatss , after reading all tin recent publications , so far from being aBtounded by the propositioa of the government , he was greatly relieved by the proposition of the noble lord . He thought that a wise discretion had bem exercised in not increasing the naval rr military furcea . None but a government could know the amount of force necessary ; and when a proposition was made oa the responsibility of government , the circumstances must be v « ry clear which could induce him , as a private individual , to offer mjr opposition to each proposal .

    Mr Bright could assure the right hon . baronet that so far as the north of England was concerned , tho panic which prevailed had no reference to any fear of Ftench invasionj but rather to an apprehension tbat that cry would bo made the pretext fer increasing tbe military forces of tho country , and so to add to tbe burden of taxttion . ( Hear . ) Neither was this alarm altogether groundless , fur the people remembered well that soma year 9 ago a senseless rumour of war with Russia , and aul'seq-jentl y a foolish pamphlet published b ; a French prince , had been seized by the government of lbs ) day as grounds for adding to our military and naval eaU < blisbmentt . The right hon . gentleman had stited that there was to be no increase in the crmy ; but , as bo understood , the 5 , 0110 mon who had btea recruited for India , but who were no longer required thtre , were to be made part of the permanent force of this country . What was that but an increase of the military force of

    the country ? ( Hear , haar . ) Again , though tha uablo lord did notpropeso any actual addition to tba number of men voted for tbo army , be had intimated tbat tha country must look forward to » gradual augmentation of tbat force ; and when they found that ia about ua . years tbe estimates for the army and uavy hai increased from eleven to seventeen millions , what security had they thut in ten years more another ten millions would notjbe added 1 ( Hear , hear . ) As to what had been said about not interfering with the present estimates , it was rather an extraordinary doctrine for thtir days to feold . that the army , navy , and ordnance eatablishmants were such B&crod things tbat tbay must not be touched by a committee of that house . Ho would say , if ministers refused to sanotion the recommendation 01 ti . e committee of the house—supposing that the mult of thn inquiry should be to show that some reduction might safcly be made—their course would bo to vacate their offices , ( Hear , hear . )

    Colonel Sibtbobp hoped tho proposed comraittse would extend their inquiries to the salaries of the principal officers of tbe several public dsp&rtinents . Ha , however , thought it a dangi rous precedent to transfer tbs functions of tha House of Commons to any select committee . He anticipated so good result ir « m the inquiry . With regard to the financial scheme of ministers , there was but one feeling throughout this metropolis , and that wai a feeling of disgust . ( Hear . ) But , if tha pi-oplu bad only the courage , and spirit , and tbe pur-8 evi . rance to make their remonstrances heard in tbat house , the noble lord and hia colleagues might bid a speedy adieu to office . ( liar . ) It might be aBked , who were tha men to take their places ! Woul 1 he ( Colonel Sibthorp ) % ( ' Hear , ' and a laugh . ) For no price in the world Tvould he accept office . ( lUipweu laughter , ) But hrf would say to the people of this countr / , ' Take your stand , and do your duty as an Eaglishmea ought ta do , and you will Boon find an honest ministry . ' ( Hear , hear . )

    Lord J , Russell jnid so far had ha befn from proposing great armaments , that he bad actually proposed the same amount of / forco at last year , with the esoep * tion of an addition to tbo marines of 1 , 5 'JO xpan , which he had announced bis intontiou of lnakini ; list year , and of another addition to the ariilk-ry . With respect to tbo number of men to be employed during tbe year , tho governnunt did nut wi « h to rid itself of any responsibility . They w « re ef opinion that the considvration of such a circumstance belonged to the gavernmenr , and the goversment alone , which ought to fix the numl . er of men sufficient fur the service of the ountry under any existing emergency . Ha admitted that the war ia Africa had heeu very expensive . England , however ,

    jould not allow its colonists to be aourd ^ rad , though it was bard that tho whole expanse of di fending them should fall upon the mother country . He nl . < o contended that in a foreign country British * uij \ cts hnd a ri ^ ht to be protected by tha public forc e of this country . That protection had been afforded to them at Messina , and must be tx ' . euded to those at Canton . The Execu . tive Government would be greatly to blamo if it gave less protection ts British subjects than in former times , and U It allow ! the name of an Englishman to be 1688 respected than it hitherto had been . His lordship CODeluded by declaring that he did not .. brink fro » tho defence of the estimates , and that he wanted no comnrittcc to screen him . Mr G Binkes contended that the country nas ia » debtcd to Mr Hume , and bo * to tho govemuutit , for the appointment of these committees ; Sir R . Inglu retained all his objection to the priacU plo of a government transferring its responsibility to committees of that hous-J .

    ^Eternal Ano Foreign.

    ^ eternal ano foreign .

    Untitled Article

    Execution op the Convict Harriet Pabker . — On Monday morning , Harriet Parker , the woman who wa 3 con-acted at the last Sessions at the Central Criminal Court of the murder , by straneolation . of the two children of a man named Robert Blake , with whem she cohabited , underwent the extreme penalty of the law in front of Newgate- Sinco her eoimction she had not entertained or expressed a hope that her life ] muld be spared ; and on . being apprised that a remission of the extreme penalty of the law had been refused by Sir G . Grey , she received the information with great firmness , and repeated * be had not expected or hoped for mercy , admitting the justice of the punishment for 1- e crime she had committed , but insisting that she had been driven to

    desperation fay the conduct of Blake . Aa early as two o clock in the morning , numbers of persons began to congregate in front of the prison , and long before the fatal hour , every house-top , window , and avenue where the slightest glimpse of the scaffold could be obtained was filled with a dense mass ot persons . Shortly after seven o ' clock , Parker was conducted from the cell to what was called the bread-room , and thence to the scaffold . The fatal moment having arrived , the bell of the prison chapel began tolling . and the cocdemned woman walked firmly but with slight assistance 1 to the scaffold , where in a few minutes she ceased to exist . The anfortunate woman remained up until two o ' clock on Monday morning , passing her time in L * Or » nd readine the - bible . SUe then slept for

    ^ at three hour * , when she rose , f **« £ ™ was joined bv the rev . ordinary , and contiBnedinre-Ss communion with him . Some time before Jght tfclock , 5 he sang , in a deep clear J «« = e a hymn with a firmness tkat surpnsGd those who bare been Tn the habit of attending the last hours of the condemned In the course of the night she » roto aj ssms : ; skk Th ^ lmonMing on the Severn bids fair to be unuSyiSdiveAn d some fch of estraordmary size tare already been caught ,

    Untitled Article

    11 ¦ ' ¦ ' ¦ ¦¦ ¦¦ ¦» —^——¦¦ ¦¦ I F ebruary 26 , 1848 . ___^ TEH NORTHERN STAR . 7

• Citation
  • Northern Star (1837-1852), Feb. 26, 1848, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1459/page/7/