The Express. — London, England, 1851-07-01 00:00:00

'MMtMAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS.—MONDAY, inter. 30. The Loso THE CA CtIaNCILLO E a OF 0 took 001) HOPE. his mat at five o'clock. The Earl of )lALMESBURY said he was requested to state, on the part of a noble lord (Lord Stanley) not then present, that circumstances over which he had no control o bli ge d him to withdraw the mot ion which stood Oa the piper for that evening with reference to the Cape of Good Hope; and he had also to state that as soon as those circum stances would allow of it,he would bring the subject before their lordships. IMPRISONMENT OF ABD-EL-RADER. The:Marquis of LONDONDERRY, pursuant to notice, put a question to her Majesty's government, asking whe ther they had received any communication from our am bassador at Constantinople respecting nego tiations that were now going on for the liberation of Abd-el•Kader, and his transmission to Turkey; and whether the government would use their good others in conjuction with Turkey, to alleviate the imprisonment of that illustrious warrior? Illustrative of the anxiety of the French President for his liberation, the noble marquis read a letter, of which the following is a translation What you have told me of the Emir Abel.el-linder has filled me with a very lively interest; and I recognised in your anxiety for him the same generous heart which interceded some years ago in favour of the prisoner of Ham. 1 will confess to you that from the fi rst day of my election the cep tivity of Abd-ebliader has never ceased to occupy my atten tion. and to press upon my heart with intolerahle weight. Thus I have often busied myself in attcmting to discover the means which would enable me to set him at liberty without the risk of compromising the repose of Algeria and the safety of our soldiers and our colonies. Even at the present moment my new ambassador (moo word exam svkar), who is on the point of starting for Constantinople, is instructed by me to study this question,—and believe me, my deer marquis, that nobody will be more happy than myself when 1 shall have the power of restoring Abd-cl limier to liberty.—Loets NAPOLEON." The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that the govern ment had no, official information on the subject, nor had they any chins to interfere in the question, though of course they, in common with their lordships , would rejoice to hear that the French government found it consistent with their duty either to re lo use that eminent warrior, or to mitigate the evils of his detention. Loril BROUGHAM said nothing could be more satisfac tory than the answer of the noble marquis. LODGING HOUSES HILL. Oa the motion of Lord REDESDALE, this bill was read a raeond time. The Karl of SHAFTESBURY then called the attention of, Lord Lansdowne to the ease of a climbing boy who had been suffocated in a chimney near Levok and wished to know what the government were prepared to do in the matter. Would lie order the prosecution of the mailer of this unfortunate child, or would he introduce a bill to amend or repeal the act in question ? The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said that he hail only just heard of the ease, and would give his answer when he Lad informed himself more fully SA to it. detail.. Several bills were advanced a stage, and their lordships then, at 6 o'clock, adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS.—Mosmy, Juse 30. The SVEAKER took the chair at 4 o'clock. NEW MEMBER. . . . . Captain SCOREI.I. took the oath, and his seat for the city of Bath, in coon of Lord Ashley, lately elevated to the peeroue in Coll,vtillit nee of the death of his father, the Earl of Shaftesbury. The hon. member was accompanied by Viscount Duncan and Mr. Pinney. PRIVATE BUSINESS. CONAITZKATION or I.ORIOS Aummintata.—North and Bnuth Wilder's Junction Railway ;'South Wales Railway (No. I); Bills. Cossiiituan.—Cameron's Coalhrook Steam Coal and Swansea and Loughor Railway (No. I); Imperial Cons tiaeistal (Jas Association; Saint Bartholomew's Hospital Estate ; Saint Pancras (Middlesex) Pacing; Bills. 5r..../ND MAUI:WS. Jackson • ; Lethbridge's Estate ; PUBLIC BUSINESS. PETITIONS PRESENTED. MEnctIANT '''' WI L LYAMS, from .hipowners, molders, &e., of the part of Truro, pay ing fur repeal or amendment of the Merchant Seamen's Act. _ N sem %TOM Laws.—By Mr. ANSTEY, from the strip owner, Of Youghal, for the revisal of the caking laws on the *abject of NATIO% tI. EDUCATION IN 'DELAND. fly Cdonel Ell ATTF:ItTON. from parishes in the county Cork, against the witimbil edutation establishment. OF Towws Ac-r.—lly Mr. B. OSBORNE, from Tottenham, praying to be omitted from the operation of this act. _ - OCEAN PVIXT l'ovv.tot.—By Mr. 11. S. WADDING TON, foxes !hal/market, in favour FUNaltl:ll-11Alla FLOUR. —By Sir W. VERNER, from the corn millers of the county of Armagh, praying that a duty may be placed on foreign manufactured flour. Mr. T. HUNCI 'MBE, from grocers in London for the reduction of the duty on chicory; Mr. CAIWW from inhabitant. of Newry, against parties being allowed to mix chicory with entree. Jaw 1111.L.--Ity Sir IL INGLIS, from the presbytery of Edinburgh, against. ell A arra TiLuKT+.—By Mr. CIIRISTOPIIER, from the ex-trustees of the Free School sod Almshouses of Mat thew Ruses: Moue in Lincolnshire, complaining that an appointment they gad made to the mastership of the said grammar school hail been suspended on an application to the Court of Chancery, and that they (the trustees) had been calks' upon to pay the costs of the suit. The petition prayed that the practice of taking evidence by affidavit might be abolished and ring rot e examination substituted, mad that the costs in suits arising out of mere inadvertence, MI without fraud on the part of charity trustees, should be paid nut of the trust funds. CH All'aMll./111TIOV IN THE METROPOLIS—By Mr. 11AltDCASTLE, from Robert John Bagshaw, of No. 9, York-place, Portman-square, St. Marsh:lame, praying for the removal of all hindrances which at present exist, and which deprive the laity of the church of England of the right of erecting proprietary chapels and procuring for themselves teaching by clergymen of the establulted church, subject in all respects to episcopal supervision, and faithful to the doctrines and practices of the protestant reformed church of England." The petitioner adds that he has sub corri•sponitenec on the subject which has taken place between the Bishop of London and the petitioner. IlltE.tell OF PRIVILEGE. Mr. ANSTE\ ruse fur the purpose of calling the atten tion of the house to a breach of its privileges on the part of the printer of the Freeman's Journal. In the first place he hail to move that • in that paper of last Satur day should be rend at the• ta . The CLEIta at the table then read an extract from the ctwaß's Journal of Saturday, June 28, which stated, that at a met ling of the Roman catholic prelates a resolu tion hail been passed expressing surprise at a speech lately made in the Houle of Commons by Mr. Anstey, and con trailitting a statement attributed to the hon. member, to the ed et that it was notorious that there hail nut been an annual meeting at Maynooth for mane years back, at which a motion hail not been made against the Maynouth grant. Mr. ANSTEY then said that for the purpose of enabling him to make a minder statement he would move that Ed ward Duncan, the printer of the if•V/V114 . $ Journal, be called to the bar of the house. The course which had been takes by a number of the reverend prelates of the Roman catholic church in Ireland, one of whom as op peered from that paper was Dr. M•liale, imposed on him the seeemity of making • very brief but clear explanation. The purge of his epecele, an which the Taoistic* was ferules!, was es the face of it a mere abstracs—a mere abrid,gment of what he had said. Although he did not doubt that the intention was to make that sheaved as cor net as possible consistent with brevity, yet be Must observe that as a report of the speech in some Important mitten of form it was incorrect, and it would he seen' that the con traslietion involved in the resolution was only a formal contradiction, a substantive coutrediction it was. This con tradiction consisted d two ports. It 'bated that a con siderable minority et *a lates did not vote with Dr. ld Hale on any of the in question, and it stated also that on so nowdes lad any prelate brought the question of voting age the Maynooth grant under eimsideration. Ile (Mr. Matey) hod not stated that that was the form in which the master was brought forward. What he had Sand was that Dr. )(Male had at different times, when the pedals haff net together, brought ender their modes a project of his own for the tor nados of a esthetes saioneltp out of voluntary contribu tions. This proposal, le had said, was preliminary —that steps oheold be talna Ile i d n u mpikeung OW a tea, with the free esseest. of none, et the of diff benefices, in seem be oohs a food he the esdonnintt of a erent Roman catholic isnivetsity.emi deb*, ash Dr. Di' Hair had proposed to take motanessto doing *is putamentary grant. But the proposal of a lathe& alias try had found no favour with the malisetty of the reverend prelates, and whether the minority heartily approved of it he did not know. He bad said that it was Dr. M.Hales intention of submit ting to the board, at the ensuing annual meeting, the ex ample of the Roman catholic bishops of Belgium, who had been able to support their own seminary in a similar manner to what he proposed. His (Mr. Anstefs) statement had been and still was that previous at least to the passing of the act of 1815 various attempts had been made, and made in vain, by Dr. M'Hole and a section of the prelates in Ire land, with a view to the abolition of the Mayrsooth rant, the preliminary step being the metiers of a seminary, which was now used for a different purpose from what had been originally contemplated, namely, the extinguishing of the Queen s colleges in Ireland. (Hear.) The efforts of Dr. M'Hale to establish the seminary bad been at first opposed by the majority of the prelates, inasmuch as they were favourable to the Maynooth grant, and he was not. The hon. member concluded by stating that be would not press to a vote his motion that the printer of the Fmtman's Journal be called to the bar of the keens. The motion had been made in order that he anOt have the opportunity of submitting his statement to the hone. Sir R. INGLIS roes to address the lows on the subject, but . ___ The SPEAKER called the hca. henna to ender, as there was no question Wore the house. Mr. ANSTEY aid, then, that he would above his 'notion, in order that the bon. barmen NNW be enebiell te proceed. Tbe SPEAKER inquired if hes. starthar esteededi th e m o wn ; but no seconder bevies mewed, the se** a;;PP;l;m3.ithe laughter of the hoofs. "n""ijeet IS reply to Mr. NIWDPOATZ, Mr. LABOUCHERE said he wu aware of a discrepancy relative to the valuo of the ezpona audimports bvtween the _ —•— * years 1822 and 1814, contained respeetirly ha te em No. 140 of the present session, and No. 33 of 1/1411: He had asked the registrar of imports at the C ho for an explanation , and had desired him m . that re; turn which was incorrect. lie (Mr. Wan belittle that 'the return of the present sessipras aecut%te. ~ THE CENSUS OF 14249.. , . Sir W. SOMERVILLE, in r tocolosiat said, the mace why the returns o the Irish ceases had not been published was, that they had not all been received. CONVICTS FOR VAN DIEMEN'S LAND. Mr. HAWES, in reply to Sir W. MOLVAMOILTH, said that a vessel had been taken up for the conveyance of 300 convicts to Wan Diemen's Land. WORSHIP OF JUGGERNAUT. Mr. J. WILSON, in reply to Sir R. bums, stated that by the last mail there had been received a copy of a bill which was in progress la the Board of Council of India , for the purpose of prohibiting the collection of fees, and relieving tie goverment from contributing towards the support of the temple of Juggernaut. There would be no objection to lay the papers on the table. THE IIMW HOUSE OF COMMONS. Sir E. N. BUXTON had to ask the noble lord at the head of the Woods and Forests first when the house would sit in the new house of parliament ; and secondly, whether it was proposed that the present House of Com mons should be taken down until it had been proved that the new house w.ss suitable for the sitting of parlia ment ? Lord SEYMOUR had nothing to do with the new House of Commons, and therefore could not answer the first ques tion. (A laugh.) With regard to the second queseion, he might say that he had not heard that it was the inters tice to pull down the present House of Commons. ADMISSION OF JEWS TO PARLIAMENT. Sir B. HALL said that circumstances had occurred to attach an additional importance to the progress of the Jew Bill. The noble lord would recollect that a few even ings since ho had fixed the Oaths of Abjuration (Jews) Bill for Thursday next, sod it now stood the first order on the paper for that day. Within these few days Mr. Salo mons, said to be a Jew, had been returned as a member of the house, and he was anxious to know whether the noble lord would take the bill as the first order on Thursday. Lord J. RUSSELL replied that he intended to take the bill as the first order on Thursday. Lord J. RUSSELL, in reply to Lord DUNCAN, said he proposed to take the Chancery Bill on Thursday, next to the Jew Bill, and then the Woods and Forests Bill. Lord J. RUSSELL, in reply to Mr. Iloshima:r, said he " • ` ' understood the Ecclesiastical . Commissioners had no power to interfere with the lease of the Horfield estate lately granted for three lives by the Bishop of Gloucester. CHICORY AND COFFEE. On the order of the day for going into committee on the Customs Bill, Mr. T. BARING moved that it be an instruction to the committee to make provision for preventing the mixture of chicory with coffee by the venders of coffee. In considering the redaction of the duty upon coffee two questions occurred. One was, was the reduc tion to such an extent as to prevent the future adulteration of coffee; and, if that was not the case, them) WAS it fair to those who imported coffee and paid a duty of 40 per cent. upon it to be placed in competition with ea article that paid no duty ? Now, the proposed duty was 3d. a pound, and untaxed chicory cost about 4d. a pound. Ho quite agreed that the reduction of the duty on coffee would naturally give a stimulus to the consumption of coffee, but they could not expect that a re duction of the duty to 3d. would prevent adulteration. The value of coffee might he taken at 10d. a pound. Chi cory was the dearest article used in adulteration. Beans might be had cheaper, and mahogany sawdust and tan for almost nothing; but take the dearest article, chicory, the cost of which was 4d. a pound. Half a pound of coffee cost 61., and half a pound of chicory cost id., making 7d. alto gether, and this mixture was selling in the market at from Is. 411. to 2s. per lb. as canister coffee. He asked them, then, if they could prevent adulteration by reducing the duty on coffee? Then came the other question, did they act fairly towards the producers and importers by placing their product in competition with untaxed chicory. It hail been proposed to take off the tax upon coffee. lie believed that would be an improvident sacrifice of revenue, but if they dealt consistently with the freemen of coffee they would prevent its being mixed with chicory, laving that they would not allow tobacco to be grown without taxing it like foreign tobacco, nor saccha rine matter to be produced in this country without taxing it like foreign sugar. lie said let chicory be grown freely as it is, but let it be sold as chicory, and do not let it be sold as what it was not. It was no answer to him to tell him that adulteration existed before. Ho knew they could not entirely prevent fraud, but it was one thing to stamp fraud with disgrace and another thing to stamp it with legality. Nor was it an answer to tell him that there was a difference between excise interference with regard to coffee, and with regard to tea, tobacco, mid pepper. Coffee still yielded a duty of nearly 000,0001. per annum. They did not prosecute a man who adulterated coffee, but they did prosecute a man who adulterated tea, tobacco, or pepper. Therefore, as a question of revenue, they were bound to interfere. Ile might he told that he was interfer ing with the produce of the British soil, and with the con sumption of an article which paid the agriculturist well; but, however beneficial the culture of chicory might his, the use of it, as at present, was not founded on justice. They might as well say that because sloe leaves were the produce of Withal soil they might be mixed with tea, as t• say that chicory ought to be mixed with coffee. lie believed that in this respect there was but one common interest of all three, and that was to prevent fraud and protect the lemet dealer. The Chancellor of the Exchequer said, in seder to prevent the admixture of chicory with coffee, ha must keep an army of excisemen, and that the public could take care of itself. The rich certainly might have their coffee ground at home, but the poor had not the habit, and many of them bad not the ability to purchase a sufficient stock. The right hon. gentleman also, if he understood him arivlit, said the admixture of chicory with coffee did not materially diminish the consumption of coffee. Now, he had always said that he was interested in the cultivation and importation of coffee, and he should be ashamed of himself if he were to conceal that fact, and the house would therefore treat with what reserve it ought the opinion of one who was interested. But all who were in the trade were unanimous in saying that this Treasury minute had diminished the consumption of coffee, and had there fore injured the coffee trade. The hon. member then quoted figures to show that the consumption of coffee, notwith standing the diminution of price, had year after year Mien off, whilst that of tea, in spite of a high duty, was increasing. The object of his motion was not to go back to that state of law which prohibited a seller of coffee to have chicory in his stock, but full liberty would be given him to keep it in stock and to sell it; out he was not to sell it under the name of coffee. They did not want to have any interfer ence with the trade. All they asked was, that vent ment should not stand godfather, and give a legal christem lug to chicory in the name of coffee. A ammerial had been presented by 3,682 grocers, praying that the 11 minute should not be repealed, because, as they .11.:r7 would be • great injury to the conscientious dealer, who would be prevented from mixing coffee with chicory, while the unscrupulous dealer would not be prevented. Now, were these memorialists conscientious at unscnipukeM dealers ? If they were unscrupulous deal what= ante could they attach to their opinions P Ist he otherwise. Ile believed the greet body of die gnat= le be respectable men, and that if the Trews,' leinnies were repealed, the great mesas of them would owe to pre& dee this imliosition, a great many of them preedeing it be. ease they believed it to be sanctioned by the Thema. The hem. gentleman concluded by moving the reagedimi. TM CHANCELLOR of the EICEM,QHHB NM he should be the last person to attribute day f= minim to his hen. ("tient' bringing forwarding beaus as was an importer of cease. AU he seed tits Kamen. aide gentleman to do wee le aloe the puma the Mot they he asked for himself. The leer. Indiefeen rid be wee mach surprised that be (the alentaillar of the ischeqner) bad not taken &different MOM SSW the Ma majority in his favour. Why it cerednly weld have been strange if be bad taken • ~se whit his own conviction of that which was right, that sane senne being upheld by a majo rity. He certainly win enepshmi at a ass of that kind being pressed in that hem& In aid time se drabs it woe the practice for the goverment se bleeder* is all soda el questions, forestalling and remitting, sod the mixture of various articles, not confined to coffee. His hon. frigid wished them to go back to a state of things ia white they had interference of that kind. Why, so long bash as 111111, the inconvenience of that mane was felt, sod the *seise was restrained. In 1840 the prohibition against having chicory on the premises of the coffee dealers was found to be so inconvenient and op premise, that prosecutions did not take place. What tooa place then ? Some of the unscrupulous dealers did adulterate the coffee, and in order to avoid an excise prose cation, in almost every town his right hon. friend issued the Treasury minute now the subject of discuseion ; and from that time to this no excise interference had taken place with regard to the admixture of chicory with coffee. Go vernment had been called upon to interfere, and had re fused, and he thought they were right, and had pursued the same course. He did not think it right that the coffee dealers should be subject to excise interference to prevent the mixture of coffee with chicory. His hon. friend said he did not very much mind the mixture of coffee and chicory, but he was very much against adulteration with worm in gredients. He entirely concurred in the statement that so far as concerned the question between the consumer and the dealer, the consumer ought to be left to take care of himself, and if the article were bad, the tradesman lost custom. The hon. gentleman seemed to think that the mixture of coffee was in all cases a prejudicial practice, but there was not the slightest reason to believe, whatever might some , tunes be the case, that such was generally the fact. The objectionable materials referred to would materially affect the taste of the article, and thus would be readily found out ; besides which, the present low price of chicory would offer scarcely any inducement to resort to such adulterations. Chicory would, in most cases, improve the coffee, whereas the loathsome articles which had been mentioned would palpably injure it. But the parties who made use of chi cory were very indignant at r the ge i jir :sutation, that under the pretence of doing so, they were ty of the conduct with which they had been cha . He (Sir C. Wood) had received a letter that morning from a coffee roaster, who stated that the permission to use chicory had caused the disuse of the inferior samples which were formerly common. He said that previous to the treasury minute a large portion of the coffee sent over was so offensive that the men employed in roasting it were often unable to remain in the place during the process; but the use of chicory had rendered this trash unsaleable. (Hear, hear.) Besides, any mixture with coffee except that of chicory was still unlawful, and if the hon. gentleman would give him (Sir Charles Wood) information of any such deleterious mixture he should be able to institute a prosecution just the same as it the treasury minute did not exist. But mutest THE EXPRESS, TUESDAY EVENING JULY, 1, 1851. naive English registration, that their own shipbuilders should be expand to a duty. (Hear, hear.) That was in deed giving an advantage to the foreigner. (Hear, hear.) The Marquis a GRANBY said that the opinion of the selesiets was that the arrangement of 1846 was of a final nature, sad ease respest should, he thought, be shown to those with whom that arrangement had been made. He could not allow the bill to pass without, on their part, pro testing against this lINGIUM. (Hear.) After some remarks from Mr. CARDWELL and the CHAN CELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, Mr. H. BAILLIE could not allow the bill to pass with out protesting against the assertion that a reduction of the timber duties would be of any benefit to the agricultural interest. (Hear, hear.) So far from that being the case, he believed there never was a time within the last hundred wars when native timber was so unsaleable as at present. Though other articles had advanced in value, the price of timber had fallen considerably. (Hear.) After a few words from Hitantr.s, The bill passed through committee, and was reported to the house. INHABITED HOUSE DUTY BILL. On the motion that the house resolve itself into committee on this bill, Mr. DISRAELI moved, by way of amendment, three resolutions, to the effect that, according to an estimate of the probable future produce of the existing truce, it appears that a surplus revenue may be expected iu the present year of about 2,000,000/. ; that in the revenue so estimated is included 5,000,0001. derived from the tax on income, the renewal or modification of which may depend on the result of an inquiry by a committee of the house; and that, in this state of our financial arrangements, it is not expedient to make any material sacrifice of the public income. lie 'observed that before the close of the session it was impor tant that the house and the country should clearly under stand our financial condition, but Inc defied any member to tell his constituents what that condition was—whether there was a surplus or not—whether the sources of our re venue were permanent or fleeting; and, therefore, he had thought it his duty to induce the house to enter upon this discussion early in the eesiou. The house was congratulated on the advantage of having a financial state ment made when it met early in February ; that financial statement, of which, so far as its details were concerned, and he would even say its principle, was not completed at the end of June. (Hear, hear.) On that occasion the Chancellor of the Excheepacr calculated that a surplus of about 2,000,000 was at his disposition, and stated to the house several remissions of taxation, which, assisted by that surplus, and irrespective of the maintenance of the fund towards the reduction of the public debt, he contemplated ac complishing. That surplus he need not remind the house was assumed on the basis that the House of Commons would renew the expiring tax upon income. Upon the assump don that that renewal would be for a considerable time, that the tax would be continued, not merely for a term of three years, but until certain results had been obtained which the most sanguine could not suppose were of easy or immediate accomplishment, the Chancellor of the Exche quer found himself in possession of this surplus. Now, he would beg the attention of the house—for the consideration was important—to the character of the tax, the renewal of which was the basis of the tinaucial statement of the ministry. Considerable controversy had taken place as to the intentions of the eminent minister who first re-intro duced the tax upon property and income into our modern financial • system. Now he must express his belief that the object of Sir Robert Peel in the introduction of the tax upon income was temporary, and that opinion was based on the sole, but to him perfectly satisfactory ground, that he could not believe that a financier so able and so ex perienced, it' he had contemplated that the law should be neat, would have framed it on a principle which he neat, hoped he should induce the house to believe was so much to be deprecated. He was not about to entrap the house into a discussion on the comparative merits of direct and indirect taxation. In these days they were too ' apt, perhaps, to indulge in such discussions. lie felt per. suaded, however, that if they had to raise in a country like England a revenue of the amount which they raised then it would be quite impossible to obtain such results by adhering to any particular mode of raising the public revenue. (Hear, hear.) lie felt convinced that the greater the number, the more various the means of supply, the greater would be the facility of raising . the revenue. Bat he could hardly doubt that a majority of that house would sanction the position, that if direct taxation was to form a considerable portion of our financial system, it was of the utmost inqxsrtance that the principle of that taxation should be the right one. (Hear, hear.) Now he could not for a moment agree that the principle of direct taxation should be other than the principle of indirect taxation. lie was of opinion, as were the highest authorities, that direct taxation should be as general, not to say SUS universal, as indirect taxation; and because Sir Robert Peel established the income-tax on so narrow a basis, and because he preferred excinptione on so considerable a'seale, he (Mr. Disraeli) believed that he had no other than a temporary object. In fact, if it were the essence of direct taxation that it was limited to a class, and that there were large exemptions, the tax was nut so much a direct tax as a forced contribution. It was a tax on capital, a constant invasion on the fund which was to employ labour ; and if it were continued for tiny length of time, the inevitable consequence must he the impoveriahment and misery of the community. (Hear, hear.) The policy of Sir Robert Peel woe perfectly justifiable, because, his object being a temporary one, he had only to consider how he should attain his purose in the manner the most easy rind the most feasible. But the present ministry, in making the tax upon income the basis of their finance, were not actuated by the same principle as Sir Robert l'ce l, did not contemplate the Same use of the instrument employed. Exhibiting a candour which he could not too much praise, the Chancellor of the Exche quer, when he asked for the continuance of the income tax M. three years, never for a moment pretended that he viewed this tax as one of a temporary character. Had the Chancellor of the Exchequer merely proposed the renewal of the tax for three years for the fourth time, he still .. • it "aid be shown that sash mixture was deleterious, the bad no gars right to cat for interfselmes etAls weapon to Bee ,adulterations . elf arrowroot, aM. 61ty other articles. i No doubt in cases air, wasgb:lt or tea, 'inhere there was i high duty, , to enflame the law, foe the pro ' , at the consumer, but of the revenue; ' he that the vexatious proceedings that mast aeoompany city general prosecutions for the adulteration of an& toffee with chicory would be far greater than would be counterbalanced by the advantage . to the revenue. No doubt there had been a decrease in the consumption of coffee during the last, three or four years ; but there hid been k niateffal inerease during the lost 10 years ; and he believed that he had taken the best as well as the most legitimate mode of improving the sale of the article, and also to some extent of preventing fraud, namely, by reduc ing the duty on both the colonial and foreign produce. His hon. friend had talked of the unscrupulous grocers ; but no fewer than 131,000 persons had taken out licenses to deal in coffee ; and surely it was no light matter to sub ject so large a body to the vexations results which must follow the re-establishment of the supervision of the excise, alter it had been discontinued for ten years. Mr. CRAWFORD, in a first speech, supported the mo tion, insisting upon the injury inflicted upon the poor by Ike countenance which the Treasury had given to the adul teration of coffee, not merely with chicory, but with filthy lagrediems. Sir .1. TYRELL, on rising, was greeted with loud Sheers. The honourable gentleman had admitted that he was largely interested in coffee plantations in the Nand of Ceylon and the West Indies. [Mr. Baring —Not the West Indies.) He had certainly understood from the speech from the throne—from the commercial throne which the hon. gentleman occupied in the city— (laughter)—that he was interested in plantations in the West Indies, but at all events the hon. gentleman had recently by the fall of the ham mer possessed himself of a valuable tract of country in Ceylon. A gentleman who at that moment was staying at kis (Sir I Tyrell's) house, had furnished him with the particulars. (Laughter.) His friend had been an unfor tunate speculator in coffee. About four years ago he was possessed of some 7,0001. or 8,0001., which he was persuaded to invest in a coffee plantation. He was unfortunate. The estate was brought to the hammer, and it passed to that great house, of which his hon. friend was so great an orna ment. (Loud laughter.) The estate was called Pardemia, and it was situated near Kandy. (Laughter.) He (the hon. baronet) would like to know when had arisen this new-born pious horror at chicory ; for when the matter was first introduced into the house, scarcely four hon. members knew anything about it, although there were now 20,000 persons engaged in its cultivation. The hon. member for Suffolk having offered a prise at an agricultural meeting fur the person who employed the greatest number of labourers, It was won by a chicory grower. He (Sir J. Tyrell) had seen the balauct-sheet of another farmer who had expended 1341. Is. lld. in labour for the cultivation of the same root; and when so much capital had been invested in this way, what right had the planters of the West Indies to come there and brand the persons who grew chicory with en couraging the use of horses' blood? lie should be happy to give them a hundredweight of genuine chicory if they could produce a hundred weight of the mixture they had described. (Cheers.) No doubt it answered the hon. gentleman's purpose very well to allege these adulterations as a reason for the motion he had proposed ; but the real grievance was, the coffee growers did not like the competition of chicory, and therefore they wanted the treasury , minute to be altered. (Cheers.) He (Sir J. Tyrell) had in his hand a letter, which he would read, and he hoped the hon. member fur Finsbury (Mr. Walley) was in his place, for it would be seen that, like Cusar's wife, he was not altogether above suspicion. (Loud laughter.) [The letter spoke of the ay @shaving been got up by the coff ee-gro wers and merchants, and hinted that the Lancet might be in their pay.] With respect ' to the Chancellor of the Exchequer's remarks about the agricultural interest, they were of a nature they so seldom heard from the government, that they were quite refreshing. (Laughter.) But to return to the subject of adulteration. The hon. member for Warwickshire (Mr. Spooner) had, perhaps, better get up a meeting in Exeter Hall, and by I taking a high moral view of the question he might secure a I greater number of votes, and at all events he would gain a great amount of the concentrated essence of prejudice. (Lowl laughter.) Seriously, it was most unfair to turn round in this sudden way upon a number of persons who had invested their capital upon what was now almost the only profitable branch of agriculture. It was true that they were only a small body, and that was perhaps the reason why hon. gentlemen thought themselves entitled to trample upon them. (Cheers, and cries of " Divide.") The hon. member concluded by reiterating that the motion was prompted by interested motives. Mr. ANSTEY supported the motion, contending that coffee should be protected front adulteration like other ex eiscable articles, and that the existing law was sufficient for I the purpose if properly euforea al. ' Sir F 13 . .111ING denied that if the Treasury minute were' repealed, the law would be sufficient to prevent the admix ture of chicory with coffee ; ten years' experience had con vinced hint to the contrary. The minute had been issued I upon a representation of respectable traders, that the law operated as a punishment to the honest and a protection to the dishonest trader. Mr. BERRIES said, the interests of agriculturists and of coffee-growers, however important, were subordinate to the question whether the governinent should be at liberty to offer encouragement to fraud and a direct infraction of the law. Ile should support the station. Mr. OSBORNE said the whole gist of the question was this, that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was called upon to violate a great principle, by interfering in all the petty details of trade, which should be left to itself. Ile warned the house nut to be made the tool of large holders of tea and coffee, who expected enormous gains from the proscrip tion of chicory. Mr. G. BERKELEY supported the motion, anal hoped the house would put an end to a gross fraud, which was in illriOUS to the colonies. Mr. WAKLEY_agreed that the question before the house doubted whether he would have been justified in placing a M was whether her ajesty's government would or would not great direct impost on the narrow basis that he did ; but sanction the practice of dishonesty. The question was not when he frankly told them that he could not contemplate whether the admixture of chicory with coffee was the period when they would be able to carry on their or was not wholesome, but whether the govern- financial arrangements without the aid of such an impost, meat would get up a prosecution for adulteration framed in such a manner, then, he said, he should have laid in one case, and sanction adulteration in another down the principles on which such an amount of direct —that was the matter to be explained. (Hear, taxation mull justly be applied to the property and hear.) Believing the practice of government in this case industry of the country. Ile (Mr. Disraeli) had to be unjust and immoral towards the public and injurious great confidence in the vitality of the existing towards its own character, he should therefore vote for the government. (Laughter.) The dangers they had success :Bohm of the hon. member fur Huntingdon. He (Mr. fully encountered, the catastrophes they had evaded, indi- Wakley) hail been given to understand that he bad been rated a long if not an immortal term of existence—(laugh alluded to by the hon. baronet the member for Essex (Sir ter); and lie could assure the noble lord and his colleagues J. Tyrell), who received a letter on the subject from some that though it was his (Mr. Disraeli's) duty to sit on that person, whose name he did not give. The letter stated, (the opposition) side of the table, he fully recognised their " An outcry has been raised against chicory, got up by the personal claims to the posts which they occupied. But, ' coffee merchants and brokers, and it is not impro- sanguine as might be their own view of the term of bable that the Lancet, and some other publica- their administration, he did not think even the Chan time, are in their pay." (Laughter.) Now, let them cellor of the Exchequer could contemplate that it see what an injurious effect the government unction of would ever be his fortune to achieve all those objects the adulteration of coffee was calculated to produce, when it accomplishment of which he had laid down as indicating even extended so far as to induce the hon. baronet—hereto the termination of the tax on property and income as it was fore known as a droll, straight-forward, and honourable now framed. They might then conclude that the tax as man—(a laugh)—to read a letter to the house, conveying now framed was a permanent feature of the financial system an odious imputation, without giving the name of the of her Majesty's ministers. Now he begged the house to writer. (Hear, hear.) If the hon. baronet was aware of observe that he was not then objecting to a tax on property the fact, or any circumstance that could justify him in con- or income. What he said was, that if direct taxation was veying such on a former occasion, before he descended to to form a more considerable portion of our financial system his present level of morality—he (Mr. Walley) doubted for the future than it bad done heretofore, it should be not the hon. baronet would have boldly stood for- founded on the true principle, and not upon a false one; ward and named the party and the accusation. But now, that the principle to be applied in direct taxation was notwithstanding his former high character, the hon. baronet virtually the same as that applied in indirect. The par excellenee—(" oh, oh," and "order")—had sunk to the financial statement of the minister was founded on present degrading level. (Order. Yes, sir, if guilty of a fal s e b as i s; it assume d th a t th e i ncom e tax, as at present charge imputed to Ilia, he (Mr. W alley) would con- framed, was a permanent tax, and upon the assumption of ides himself unworthy to hold a seat in that house. its permanence the surplus estimated by the Chancellor of Sir J. TYILELL explained. He assured the hon. the Exchequer depended. He should now consider the gentleman that in reading the extract referred to, and measures which the right hon. gentleman had proposed, which he received that morning, he did not mean to convey an d w hi c h rested on the disposition of this assumed surplus. the least insinuation. (Hear, hear.) The right hon. gentleman propsed three measures of consider- Mr. /lUME, amidst cries of " Divide," approved of the able, and one or two of minor importance. The first in rank treasury minute, and should vote with the government. was no doubt the proposition for the repeal of the window Mr. CAYLEY likewise supported the motion, amidst duties. It was unnecessary for him (Mr. Disraeli) to dwell loud cries el " divide." much on that point. The objections to a window duty, as The house then divided : i t t h en existed, were financial, or they , were social, or they For the motion Against 199 -77 the financial oppression, of the window tax were the great CUSTOMS BILL—TIMBER DUTIES. reasons for its remission, it was to be regretted that the mi- The house having gone into committee, raster applied only a partial remedy ; it would have been Mr. ILERRIES said that from all parts of the country more a d vantageous if t h e t ax h a d been simply and com he had received complaints of the unsatisfactory nature of pletely remitted. The fashion had subsisted, and the pre the timber duties. He was not prepared to move any sent government had followed it, in the division of a sur amendment or specific proposition, but he could not help cal- plus of frittering away its virtue by apportioning a part to ling the attention of the committee to the matter—as a de- various interests in the country. (Hear, hear.) Now, in Bided preference was given the Foreign over the English his opinion, as a general principle, it was much wiser when timber grower; and he hoped before lung to have an oppor- they had a surplus to do something that was effectual, to 'unity of bringing the matter before the house. discover what Interest was most suffering, whether it was The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he the commercial class, the agricultural class, the inhabitants would not then enter into a discussion upon the navigatioo of towns, or the shipbuilders, and to afford to the most die laws, but when the right hon. gentleman brought the sub- tressed interest substantial relief and succour. As far as ject before the house, either his right hon. friend the Petal- the sanitary considerations were concerned he thought they dent of the Board of Trade or himself would state the ma. might have been attained without any loss of revenue It eons why they differed, and differ they did most widely, was not his intention, however, to dispute the policy of from the right hon. gentleman upon it, and why they be- the repeal of the window duty. lie accepted that u a re lieved that so far from the shipping interest being mjured alised result. But he now proceeded to a measure of the by the repeal of those laws, both it and the country at large ministry of a novel character, in some degree connected derived benefit from that measure. (Hear.) He was happy with the window tax, namely, the proposed tax upon to find that the right hon. gentleman did not intend to offer houses. Now he asked the house to apply that principle, any opposition to the proposition before the house. which ought, in his opinion, to be one of the cardinal He did not believe that the colonists would suffer ruin a principles of their finance, namely, that direct taxation reduction of the duty on foreign timber because being used should be as general as indirect, to the measure for impos tor different purposes they did not come into much tom- ing a tax upon houses. Why, he found the fatal character petition with each other. (Hear.) He would only add of the income tax perfectly justifiable when the ' that one of the reasons which induced him to propose an tax was introduced for a temporary purpose, in alteration in the timber duties in the present year was a finitely to be deprecated when it was revived consideration of the shipping interest. (Hear.) for a permanent purpose by the present govern- Mr. MITCHELL said that the reduction in the price of ment—namely, the establishment of direct taxation on the Bettie timber since the alteration of the duty was 10s., most limited sis—he found this feature, without the go whiner the duty taken off was only 7s. 6d. Consequently 'cerement having the excuse of having received it from their dr public got more than the full reduction of duty. The predecessors, in an aggravated form in the house tax. sensmption of Canadian timber hail increased not dimi- (Heer, hear.) The government had a surplus at their com elier% and that would continue to be the case, because the mend, which would have enabled them entirely to remit reheat cost of Baltic timber, which, being more durable, the window tax. Complete remission or complete commu was tamed for the roofs and joists and most exposed parts of tation—one of those principla the government should have beam would induce persons to build houses. But Cana- adopted; but the Chancellor of the Exchequer not having Men weed being softer and more easily worked was better the courage to remit the tax on windows entirely, took sassed for the interior, and, consequently, by re d uc i ng t h e out o f the armoury of a financial minister o ne ' of Net of Baltic timber a stimulus was given to the consump- the most inestimable weapons, and used it for the most Bea el Canadian timber in this country. (Hear, bear.) meagre and the meanest purpose. He brought forward this Xt. YAWN hoped the right hon. gentleman would take instrument which was to impose a tax upon houses, as just hate his serious consideration whether a drawback of the a tax in principle as could well be conceived ,• he waited should not be allowed to persons engaged in ship the great resources which it offered fora most limited and M dbi comparatively speaking, contemptible result; and he vie * Xt. UME said it was part of the contract which had laced the important principle which ought to be cherished bees made when the navigation laws were repealed, that by the House of Commons as the onl y principle on which judge druid be done to the British shipwrights and Bri- direct taxation should be applied. There were other mea d& igeowners. (Hear, hear.) It was understood that sures brought forward by the minister, and amongst them , they avoid get all the raw materials of their business as a diminution of the tax on timber and of the tax on coffee. meek as possible free of duty. It was not just that whilst He did not object to the proposed remissions, because the Baltic shipbuilder could build his ships duty tree and they related to customs duties. His great objection was that he did not think they were jwstified by the state of the I able question, but it was the question that h e revenue in remitting any tax whatever, because their must beg the house calmly to consider to-night. ability to do that depended on the fact of the existence of a lie was a member of the income-tax committee, surplus or not. The right hon. gentleman said they owed the (in obedience to the wishes of the house, but against his lieweiwion of the timber duty mainly to the builders of ships own inclinations, for he would much rather a more efficient ha this country. No one, he thought, would dispute the hard - member had been a pp ointed in his p lace), but a ny opinion =to wlueh British shipbuilders were now subjected ; he wan expressing, he wished it to boo e underetd was his partial remission of the duty on timber would not at own, and not that of the committee. Without divulging the all sate them for the competition to which they were proceedings of thecommittee, he might say, though they had iti}oeed. By enabling them to build in bond, to construct not been sitting any length of time, they were pursuing tho Velleeis free of duty, they would place them on a level with inquiry, but that hitherto they had not come to the question. *feigners and that ought to have been done when the na - There was a general Myrmidon that the income tax was %in stigation iaws were repealed. (Hear, hear.)- There were just, that it led to fraud, and that it was most repugnant propositions in the budget which were designed for the re- to the habit., and feelings of Englishmen. Every one lief of agrisultural distress. The items were familiar to the agreed that it was a most unpopular impost, and that a house, but it was unnecessary for him to calculate their more odious, and a more offensive mode of proceeding could value, because no sooner were they offered than they were not be adopted. i ts odiousness wan acknowledged by all, withdrawn. (Hear, hear.) The house would permit him still the principle of direct taxation could not be different to make one observation on the position of the agricultural from indirect taxation. lie now asked the house to consi interest with reference to the remission of taxation. If der this point—supposing the probability or possibility there which was of meeting the house next year with a deficiency subject were to any particu l ar interest particular distress, it was ism ee country dutyo the Chan- of 6,000,0001. or 6,000,0001., what would be their pro ' cellor of the Exchequer to consider the state of that inte- fovea. ? There were only two ways of meeting a deficiency. rest, and to see whether the remission of any tax would The first was a reduction of expenditure, and the next, an tend to benefit it. At the commencement of the session increase of revenue. Not a word should fall from him they were informed in the speech from the throne that against those who advocated a reduction of expenditure. a very important interest was in a state of great depression ; Nut a word should fall from him in opposition to the hon. and, shortly after, the ministry proposed measures the ten- member for the West Riding (Mr. Cole en), with reference deney of which was announces to be the relief of that to the propriety of having perpetual peace. It was,however, depression. Without asking the house to pronounce any a question whether the minister of this country could be opinion, he would beg them to consider the position of the asked, either now or next year, to reduce the milit ary agricultural interest now with reference to the question of petition and condition of the country ? (hear, hear. the remission of taxation. They had agreed by laws, the What was the prospect next February? The noble tor policy or impoliey of which formed no part of the discus- was not satisfied with approaching financial embarrass %ion of that evening, to place the cultivators of the soil in meats ; but he was proposing large reforms. There was a this country in complete competition with the cultivator; of probability of having a deficiency of mellow ; but, at tho the soil in other countries. (Hear, hear.) Now, was it not same time, there was a promise upon the part of the go- obvious that it was the fleet duty of the government, in the yernment Qf coming down to the house and asking for an remission of taxation, to ascertain whether they could not di- immense measure of reform. This was the prospect for the minish the cost of production to the British farmer so situated ? next session. When they met next February there was He asked the house to concede no more than that. (Hear, this probability—that they would have a deficiency of some hear.) lie said that it was the first duty of a finance millions, and that her Majesty's government would then minister who had councillcd his sovereign to announce introduce a very extensive measure of parliamentary re from the throne that there was only one interest in the form. The motion of the hon. member for Surrey was of country—but that a most important interest—which was in an extensive character, but the right hon. gentleman at the a condition of continued depression and distress. (Hear, head of the Treasury had distiactly stated that he would hear.) He was not now asking whether it was in the introduce the must comprehensive measures next February. power of the minister, but it was his duty to consider He and his party were willing to support her alejcsty's go whether or not it was in his power in the remission of vernmcnt in the complete repeal of the window duties, but taxes he was about to effect to diminish to the cultivator they wished to protest against a partial commutation of • of' the British soil the cost of the productions of that soil. tax of this kind. Ile was prepared to support her Majesty's It was his opinion, and that of his hon. friends who sup- ministers provided the latter were willing to allow the ship ported him in the motion he submitted at the time, that it builders of this country to use their materials free of duty, was. It was their belief that there was a pressure of taxa- in which ease there would be a very inconsiderable loss of tion on the cultivation of the soil of this duty. Ile did not suppose that any of the details country which was not shared by the coma- of this information would he new to any honourable munity at large, and he believed, though gentleman in that house; but certainly the aggre there might be differences of opinion as to the gate of the statements was striking. There was, for degree of that pressure, that no hon. gentleman in metance, that Colossus, Russia, whose gigantic destinies, that house would deny the fact of its existence. (Hear.) looking in the future, menaced, as it were, the coming No one would, he presumed, deny that the cultivators of generations of men. He coliserved that the mighty legions the soil belonged to a class which paid taxes, which the of that power, and its enormous administrative army, were community in general did nut pay. (Hear.) Following supported by a public revenue nut so large as that which then to the second rule, which as he had said in his opinion was raised by the English exciseman. f hun, again, the should guide the finance minister in appropriating his sur- ancient empire of the Cworirs, with its triple kingdom, with plus—(the first being that he should remit the tax, which Lombardy and with Hungary, did not furnish the revenue was most oppressive to the community)—that he should produced in England by stamps and taxes—taxes we so remit those taxes which pressed most severely upon any detested, and stamps which so perplexed the Chancellor suffering elms, it would be remembered that he called upon of the Exchequer. (Laughter.) And, strange to say, the minister of the crown to consider whether it was not the revenue of Prussia, that mighty power, whose dis possible, be a different arraugement, to accomplish that ciplined array, only a year ago, affrighted all the capitals result. In doing so, he had not interfered, nor did he to- of Europe, was absolutely not as great as that local and night interfere, with the proposed remission of the window provincial taxation, upon the peculiarities of which it had duty, which as he had said he looked upon as a realised SO often been his fortune to comment in that house. Nor result a result which no government could now could he forget that even India ' not enumerated in the disturb. (Hear.) But believing it to be of the greatest im- catalogue lie had mentioned, with its crowds of kin" and penance that the cost of production to the cultivation of its myriads of subjects, with its mountains of light," and the soil should he diminished, and that by a wise its pillared palanquins of precious gems showered at the and temperate arrangement of the resources in the feet ofour Queen, with all the advantages ofßritish science hands of the minister suck reduction might be effected, and security in financial administration, did nut yield from or, at least, partially effected, he submitted certain Its broad and exuberant bosom a public income so great propositions to the house which, in his view, would, in as that which was now derived even from curtailed custom a greater or lesser degree, leave effected that object. houses of England. Ile asked then, how was it that this island It was in the power of the minister either totally had expanded into au empire ? By what means, by what to have repealed his Window-tax without revision, magic, had we been enabled to create a revenue greater and he was not disposed to say, that iu a certain sense it than that of all these immense dominions together .• Tho would not have been wise and politic to do so—or he might reason was soon found. Public credit had been the choicest love taken his surplus, and dealing with that part of the production of the British isles. (Cheers.) l'ublic credit, Poor-law which was not subject to local administration, more precious than the harvests of tropic clime—than all have brought forward an extensive measure that would the jewels of Golconda—or thou the auriferous products of hate contributed, not merely to relieve the former fiscally, the Sierras, of the Mississippi. (Cheers.) Of this Eng hut would have produced an opinion in his mind that the land win the creator, and remained the champion and the House of Couunons sympathised with his sufferings, and guardian. (Cheers.) Waa it possible that the House of was prepared to do all they could to adapt his position to the Commons, in the circumstances in which it found itself, altered circumstances in which their legislation had placed would hesitate to fulfil its duty ? Ile could not believe that him. (Cheers from the agriculturist party.) That course, how- it would hesitate ; and it was with the conviction that the ever, was not pursued by the government. There woe one duty imposed upon the house would be discharged that observation he would presume to make here in regard to car- he now submitted to the consideration of the Queen's tam motions he had introduced with the object of assisting ministers and to that of the repreeeadatives of the people, the British farmer in the trial to which he was subjected. the resolution, by way of an amendment, of which he had That object, as lie hod always acknowledged, was two- given notice. (Cheer.) The hon. gentleman then moved fold—first, to obtain for him some relief from the pressure the amendment :—" That, according to an estimate of the of taxation, and secondly to show him that in the blouse of probable future produce of the existing taxes submitted to Commons there did exist a genuine and a salutary sympathy the house hey the Chancellor of the Exchequer it appears with his distressed condition. (Hear, hear.) An hon. that a surplus revenue mar be expected iu the present year gentleman (whether present or not at that moment lie to the extent of about 2060000/. That in the revenue so knew not), the hon. member for Berkshire (Mr. Posey)— estimated is included a semi exceeding 5,0110,000 ~ derived (" Hear, hear," and cheers)—had lately made some oh- from the tax on income, respecting which an inquiry serrations on his (Mr. Dines:lVO parliamentary career has been directed to be mole by a conuuittee of this house, which it would have been less inconvenient and more in- on the result of whose labours ma de iced the future re- genuous had they been made in that house in his presence. (Protectionist cheers.) That hon. gentleman had expressed it as his opinion, first, that the motions he (Mr. Disraeli) had brought forward on this subject were futile motions, and in the second place, that in bringing them forward he was insincere. (Cheers and counter cheers.) This was judging hint very harshly. (Rear, hear.) It was possible that the various motions he had submitted to the house, with the two-fold object he had suited, might have been futile, but at any rate motions supported as they had been by a very large party in that house, bore on their surface prima facie evidence of:not being considered altogether ineffective. Ile (Mr. Disraeli) might have been mistaken, and not insin cere. (dear, hear.) His reason might have misled him— vanity might have misguided him. (Cheers and a laugh.) He might have been a very foolish man, or a very vain man. (' Hear, hear, " and laughter.) Better to think that of him than that he was a very insincere man. (Hear, hear.) At least it must always be a question of controversy whether his notions were mistaken, but it must always, he hoped, be much more than a matter of doubt whether his motives were insincere. (Cheers.) But what were they to say of a member of parliament who, when motions were brought forward which he believed to be futile, by a member who he believed to be insincere, omitted no opportunity of fol lowing that member into the lobby, and supporting him by his suffrage? (Loud cheers front the protectionists.) Why he (Mr. Disraeli) might turn round on the hon. mem ber for Berkshire, and there was scarcely an epithet of vitu peration, scarcely a phrase of invective, that under such circumstances he would not be justified in lavishing upon him. (" Hear, " and a laugh.) But time had taught him not to judge oo harshly of human nature, fur they all knew that men were actuated not only by mixed motives, but very often by very confused ones—(cheers and laughter) and that it was possible for a man to be possessed of con siderable natural ability, to have received considerable culture, to be in possession of many intellectual acquire ments, to be remarkable for many amiable qualities, and yet to be gifted with such an uncouth and blundering or ganisation, that he is perpetually doing that which he never intended to do, and saying and writing that which he does not mean. (Cheers and loud laughter.) And that is the charitable view I take of the hon. member for Berkshire. (Renewed cheers and laughter.) Applying himself to the main question, Mr. Disraeli proceeded to inquire what course tha house should pursue under the cir cumstance of the property and income-tax being only renewed for a year (in consequence of Mr. Hume's motion). From that vote the financial position of the country became a provisional one only. He did not blame the noble lord and his colleagues for accepting that vote, and the noble lord would do him and his friends the justice to admit that no taunt arose from that (the opposition) side of the house, that the noble lord had not either got that vote rescinded, or resigned office. (Hear.) He thought the noble lord and his colleagues had acted in a manly, an honourable, and a loyal manner, in not resigning their offices. (Hear.) Under the circumstances in which they found themselves, and after the events of the year, it was their duty to retain their offices, and he thought they had fulfilled a somewhat awkward duty in a not unfavourable manner. But when he made that concession to the ministers, he could not agree that they wero equally to be lauded for retaining not only their places, but the financial measures which they had introduced under circumstances so different, and with prospects so contrary to these which they then had before them. (Hear.) Now, his opinion was, that her Majesty's ministers, feeling they were not only justified, but that it was their duty to retain their position, should, at the same time, have announced to their eminent supporter who hail proposed the motion (Mr. Hume) and his friends that they must take the consequences of it, in the withdrawal of those financial propositions which bad been founded on the pre sumed continuance of the income tax, and which were to be furnished by a surplus which, after the passing of that mo tion, bad only an imaginary existence. It appeared to him, so far as he could observe the human nature he saw opposite him, that the noble lord had himself been actuated by 1 some feeling such as he was describing. There was a suspicious delay in advancing the financial business of the government. Their financial measures did not ap pear on the paper, or if they did, they made no progress, and it was generally (he spoke not of the rumours out of doors, or of the confidential communications in -doors), but it was the general impression that the financial measures of the government were to be withdrawn. How many cabinets were held he knew not, but this he did know, a remarkable scene occurred in that house ; one of the most distinguished metropolitan members, who seemed to share the opinions he (Mr. Disraeli) had expressed, rose one night and demanded an explanation from the noble lord at the head of the government, whether the income tax was to be repealed er not ; and the answer of the noble lord was ex tremely unsatisfactory. The question was repeated on a subsequent night in a tone of menace ; and turning his back upon that (the opposition) side, the noble lord made a sort of confidential communication to the noble lord who put the question, as it appeared to him of a deprecatory character. It would seem th a t the noble lord had been hustled by a Finsbury mob. The pressure of Saffron-hill had been brought upon him ; and the pocket of the prime minister was picked of the surplus ; and after a fortnight's interval the noble lord managed to screw up his courage to proceed with the remission of taxes founded upon that moonshine—that imaginary surplus. (Cheers.) Now, he was about to ask what was the prudent course under these circumstances for them to take ? The fund from which the surplus was to be derived, virtually no longer existed. (Hear, hear.) He must ask the house to consider what was the prospect, what the probability of the income-tax in its present state, being renewed at the next meeting of parliament. It was a disagree news.' or modification of that imiirtaiit impost. That in this provisional state of the financial arrangements of the country, it appears to this house to be must consistent with a duo regard to the maintenance of ;public credit and the exigencies of the public service not to make any material sacrifice of public income in effecting such changes as may be deemed ads isable in other branches of taxation." The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said—Not long ago the hon. member who has just sat down paid a compliment to me and to my noble friend (Lord J. Russell) which we did not at all feel ourselves entitled to when ho said that we depended on our speeches, and not upon our measures. I can, however, assure the hon. gentleman that I feel the very highest admirati an for the orations which ho (Mr. Disraeli) is in the habit of addressing to the house; but, unfortunately, this is the third time this ses,ion the hon. gentleman has spoken on this subject, and that, at the couclusion of an able speech, he has left us in the most complete ignorance of what he intended to do. (" Hear, hear," and laughter.) I have listened with attention to the talented address of the hen. gentleman on this occasion which has occupied nearly two hours of our time, and I confess that the only practical point I could discover throughout was a suggestion that we should allow ships to be built in bond. (Hear, hear.) There is another disadvantage under which the hon. gentleman labours— that his speech says one thing and that his motion says another thing. (" Hear," and laughter.) Not only aces his motion fall short of his speech, but it it absolutely contradictory of his speech. The motion of the hon. gen tleman says, " Repeal no taxes." The speech of the hon. gentleman says, " Repeal the window duties." The re peal of these duties the hon. gentleman's speech deals with as a result realised ; and the suggestion is, though not very boldly uttered, that we should throw away the whole of our surplus in the total repeal of those duties. The hon. gentleman has moralised upon the value of public credit, and the way in which he would support public credit would be by throwing away at once the whole of our surplus. (Hear, hear.) I must pay the boo. gentleman a willing tribute for the lively imagination he has shown throughout his speech. He has spoken elo quently of the " gigantic destinies of Russia," and of the • empire of the Caesars, with its triple crown," although it did seem to me that he spoiled the eloquence by a little bathos at the end about stamps, and tuxes, and excise. (Laughter.) lie has spoken of "mountains of light" and " pillared palanquins' in the most magnificent phraseology. There is no doubt that all this is very grand and very amusing ; but it has nothing at all, that I know of, to do with the subject before us. (Hear, hear.) In support of his proposition, that no taxes ought to be repealed, the hon. gentleman has really said nothing. (Hear.) And, indeed, were it not that some of the hon. gentleman's flights of ima gination refer to matters which have been practically before us this session, I might fairly dismiss the speech, and sail upon the house to vote. But the hon. gentleman has really been pleased to take some liberties with matters of fact; and on these I must for a few moments beseech the attention of the house. The hon. gentleman says that he dots not understand, and further that no man in the house can understand, what is the exact financial position of the country at this moment. I am sorry that I cannot give the hon. gentleman understanding in this respect. I find, however, on referring to the financial statement which it was my duty to make to tile house in April last, that what I then described remains unchanged up to this mo merit I have no reason now to think that the surplus of 1,900,000/. will be altered. The remission of taxation as regards the window duties will still be what I then said it would be. The loss to the revenue on timber and coffee, will, I apprehend, be precisely what I stated three months ago. The surplus of this year will bo about 1,900,00 W., from which will have to be deducted the cost of the Kaffir war. Nothing whatever has occurred to disturb the calcu lations which I made in April. The hon. gentleman says that the surplus of this year entirely depends on the permanence of the income tax. I beg to assure the honourable gentleman that it de pends on no such thing. (Hear, hear.) What may happen next year is one thing ; but as far as this year is concerned the surplus is untouched by the income tax. (Hear, hear.) The hon. gentleman also says that all my calculations are built on what I advocate—the permanence of the income tax. It appears to me that the hon. gentle man's memory is uncommonly short. I have never yet ad vocated, in any speech I have ever addressed to the house, the permanence of the income tax. What I did say was, that I proposed this year to deal with those taxes which I thought it indispensable to deal with; and that, in another year, it would remain with the house to decide upon the advisabi lity, the necessity being no longer a question, of making other changes in lieu of a repeal or reduction of the income tax. The hon. gentleman says that we acted right in maintaining our places, promising us, in a kindly spirit, a support which I have uo reason to call upon him to give, but that he wonders why we retained those financial measures which, as he represents, every one supposed to have been withdrawn. If my recollection serves me, I think it was very shortly after the success, as I deem it, the unfortunate success, of the motion of my hon. friend the ' member for Montrose, in respect to the income tax, that ' my noble friend, or I myself, I forget which, stated to the house that in regard to the financial measures of the year we were not inclined to make any change whatever. The hon. gentleman, therefore, has made several errors in matters of fact. The motion is to the effect that no material sacrifice of the public income ought to be made this year. That is to say, if there be meaning in the words, that that reduetion of eluty assented to by the house a second time ought not to be made ; that that which the hon. gentleman considers as the slightest relief which has been proposed should be given up ; and that other relief, on which, as he 111