The Press. — London, England, 1856-04-05 00:00:00

Arm 5, 1856. 3 rotteings arliantent. The House of Commons reassembled after the Easter recess on Monday last. The Speaker took the chair at four o'clock, and the house at once re solved itself into a Committee of Supply, and pro ceeded to consider the Civil Service Estimates. ANNOUNCEMENT OF THE TREATY OF PEACE. Colonel FRENCH, in the midst of the labours of the Committee, complained that no communica tion had been made to the house relative to the treaty of peace, and moved that the chairman report progress, in order that the First Minister of the Crown might offer some explanation upon the subject. Lord P.U.MERSTON rose and said Sir, I was in the house not three minutes after the half hour, which is usually the time for notices of motion being given and questions being put. There were notices of motion previous to going into committee of supply, and there were also notices of questions, and I was as much surprised as other members could be to find the house in committee of supply at so unusually early an hour. (Hear.) If I had come down to the house three minutes sooner I should have made a statement which I am quite prepared now to make. (Hear.) It is a very short one, and will convey no information to the hon. member beyond that which he already possesses. (A laugh.) If it be any satisfaction, however, to my hon. friend to be informed officially of that which he already knows individually, I shall have very great pleasure in enlightening his mind. (A laugh.) The house is perfectly aware from the Gazelle that yesterday, at two o'clock, a treaty of peace was signed at Paris. (Cheers.) The house will have seen by the announcement in the Gazelle that it was de• :ermined by the Congress that the particular conditions of the treaty should not be made public until the ratifications had been exchanged. And that, indeed. is the usual course, for it is a mark of obvious deference to the powers who are parties to the treaty. At the same time, without going into any details of the conditions. the main sub• stance of which is already known to all the world, because it has been embodied in protocols and published in every country in Europe, I may say at least that my conviction is, that that treaty of peace will be deemed satisfactory by this country and by Europe. ( Cheers.) Sir, it will be found that the objects for which the war was undertaken have been fully accomplished. It will be found that by the stipulations of that treaty the integrity and independence of the Turkish empire will be secured, as far as human arrangements can effect that purpose. (Cheers.) It will be found that that treaty is honourable to all the powers who are contracting parties to it, and I trust that, while, on the one hand, it has put an end to a war which every friend to humanity must naturally have wished to see concluded, on the other hand it will lay the foundation of a peace which I trust, so far at least as regards the cir cumstances out of which the war began, will be lasting and enduring. ( Hear, hear.) Sir, during the negotiations which have led to this peace I am happy to say that the same cordiality which has prevailed among the allies in carrying on the war has also mainly contributed to the conclusion of peace, an that we shall leave off at the con elusion of this war in a stricter and closer alliance with them—and in a more extended alliance—than existed daring the continuance of the war; and that, therefore, the future permanence not only of a good understanding but of an intimate connection between the great powers of Europe will have been cemented and strengthened by the communications that have taken place during the negotia tions. (Hear, hear.) Sir, I have nothing more to say, ex cept that it must be gratifying to the country to koow that nothing could exceed the ability with which the British negotiators have performed their arduous and difficult task during the negotiations—(cheers)—and that Lord Claren don and Lord Cowley have not only maintained the honour, dignity, and interests of the country they repre sented, bin by their conciliatory conduct have secured for themselves and their country the respect, esteem, and good will of those with whom they had to do. (Cheers.) The ratifications are to be exchanged as soon as they can be received at Constantinople and St. Petersburg. The limitation of time has been four weeks, but I should hope that at least within three weeks the ratifications will be ex changed at Paris. (Cheers.) Colonel FRENCH thereupon withdrew his motion, and the committee resumed the discussion of the estimates. SUPPLY. Upon the vote of 30,3611 to defray the expenses of the audit of public accounts, upon an acknowledg ment from the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER that he was not prepared to go into the details of the late transfer of thirty-five officers from the Addit Board to the War-office, Mr. DISRAELI thought that after such a confession there was a prima facie case why they should ask the Government not to be precipitate in the matter:— He had himself given some consideration to the subject, and his impression was, that one of the greatest faults of our system of administration was the limited system of our audit—( Hear, hear)—and he thought that, if any change were to be made, they ought rather to increase the power and independence of the Audit Board than impair them. tl sc cc tl ti tt tl S b n tl C I S S S S ti tl h C I s h C h 1) Si 0 b 0 e b 0 S C C C tl d t] b C ti C h S tl 1 b li tl a t t C 0 V THE PRESS. An audit to be perfect, should be complete and indepen- dent. Now it was acknowledged that our present system of audit was faulty, insomuch as it was incomplete; but what was the vote for? Was it to increase the power of the board? It was rather to diminish it. We were at pre- sent increasing our expenditure, and this was the time when the committee was asked to diminish the power of the Audit Board. Now, he put it to gentlemen on both sides of the house if that was good policy? (Hear, hear.) The present circumstances were such as should make them pause in the matter. Hitherto their audit had never been complete, and scarcely independent—( Hear, hear) — and it was never more feeble than at present. Mr. WILLIAMS supported the withdrawal of the vote. The vote was then withdrawn. Upon the vote of 458,2551. for printing and sta tionery, Mr. - iVALPOLE remarked that the increase over last year was no less than 40,0001. He thought the printing of the appendices of commissions might in some instances be dispensed with. He should pro • rose that the chairman of each commission should be called upon to say how mach of the appendices should be printed, and that the heads of the depart ment should exercise their responsibility in either sanctioning or disapproving of his recommendation. Unless some earnest steps were taken, these expenses would go on increasing at a very formidable rate. The CHANCELLOR Of the EXCHEQUER and Mr. V. SMITH thought the house was indebted to the right hon. and learned gentleman for bringing the matter forward. The expenses were enormous, and almost equalled the revenue of a German principality. Mr. DISRAELI would not sanction any sudden change of the means by which results of parlia mentary committees were obtained, for he considered that publicity was the soul of good government : He did not agree with what had been said that few gen tlemen ever read those reports ; he believed there were a great many gentlemen who consulted them. He begged to remind the committee that it was upon the information so obtained that hon. members were entitled to the confidence of their constituents ; and he warned them that if they did anything to re•luce the importance of the documentary evidence submitted to Parliament, they would soon reduce the influence of Parliament itself. It was said that the sum expended for printing papers for the information of the House of Commons was equal to the whole revenue of a German principality. This might be ; but this was no test by which to form a conclusion ; and, moreover, the information was not given to the House of Commons, it was given to the country. (Hear, hear.) He had always supported that which he considered to be wise economy iu the public expenditure ; but, in his opinion, there was no vote which the committee could sanction more advantageous to the public service than the present means which the house had established to obtain information calculated influence, in a great degree, the ultimate prosperity of the country. (Hear, hear.) The vote was then agreed to. Certain votes having been agreed to, the chairman was ordered to report progress. The report of the committee of supply - ,vas brought up and agreed to. BLOCKADE OF THE RUSSIAN COAST. Lord PALMERSTON, on Thursday, in reply to Mr. Mitchell, as to whether the blockade of the Russian coasts would cease, and, if so, whether British vessels might enter Russian ports without fear of seizure, said:— Yesterday the Congress extended the armistice to sea as well as to land. Hitherto it has been confined to land operations, and did not apply to sea. The reason was ob vious. It was doubtful what the issue of the negotiations might be—( Hear)—and it was evident that if free com munications by sea had been permitted, a change of posi tion might have been gained by the Russians which would have materially altered the condition of the belligerent parties in the event of the renewal of the war. The signs tore of the treaty of peace having fortunately put an end to all chance of a resumption of hostilities, the Congress yesterday extended the armistice to sea as well as to land, and, as a matter of consequence, the blockades cease. (Hear.) With regard to the second branch of the hon. member's inquiry, it is a question involving other conside rations, and I am not at the present moment prepared to give a reply. THE EARS CORRESPONDENCE. The Earl of MALMESBURY, on Tuesday, having deferred the question in expectation of hearing from the Government an announcement of the conclusion of peace, asked the Marquis of Lansdowne when the Earl of Clarendon would return to London ; till his return it would be inconvenient to bring on the motion relative to the fall of Kars. The Marquis of L.l.ssnowNE replied, that with regard to the conclusion of peace, he could only state what had already been stated elsewhere and published; but he was ready to give any explanation that might be desired. He could not fix the day of the Earl of Clarendon's return. THE DEPUTY INSPECTOR-GENERAL OF FORTIFICATIONS. Mr. MONSELL, on Tuesday, in reply to Captain Vernon, stated that in consequence of the course which Colonel Harness had thought proper to adopt towards him (Mr. Monsell), Lord Paumure had removed Colonel Harness from his post, but on account of his high abilities had recommended him to Lord Hardinge for the command of the engineers at Malta. 317 The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in reply to Mr. Oliveira, on Monday, as to whether the Govern ment would sanction (in such case as might be desired by the holders) a registration of the bonds of the Imperial Ottoman Loan of 5,000,0001., 1855, under the joint guarantee of England and France, said it was a matter to be settled between the Turkish Government and the Bank of England. The Go vernment would offer no objection to such an ar rangement as the hon. member had described. OUR CONSULAR SERVICE IN TURKEY. The Earl of SHAFTESBURY, on Thursday, gave notice that, on the return of the Secretary of State for Foreign Affairs, he would move an address to the Crown, praying her Majesty to institute an in q uiry into the character and condition of the British con sular service throughout the Turkish empire. CHELSEA CRIMEAN COMMISSION. Lord PALMERSTON, on Tuesday, in reply to Mr. Layard, said he believed that the board would sit im mediately. The immediate object of the commission would be to inquire into the conduct of the officers adverted to in the report of the Crimean Commis sioners ; but should it appear that the conduct of other officers required investigation, the board would extend its inquiry accordingly. GREECE. Lord PALBOCRSTON, on Thursday, replying to Mr. Ewart, stated that frequent applications had been made to the Government of Greece respecting the remission of export duties, but that little hope existed of obtaining a satisfactory settlement of this question during the continuance of the existing troubled and chaotic condition of affairs in that kingdom. TORTURE IN INDIA. The Earl of ALBEMARLE, on Thursday, in moving for some returns relative to the collection of taxes in the Presidency of Madras, denounced the prac'ice of inflicting torture on the natives of India for the purpose of collecting the revenue. This horrible system, be declared, sell prevailed, and he read ac counts showing that atrocities of this description had been perpetrated in the Madras Presidency so re cently as July last year, by order of Mr. J. C. Shubrick, collector of the district of Chingleput. The Duke of ARGYLL explained that the Indian Government were in possession of the papers, and that they should he directed to furnish them. The motion was then agreed to. POSTAL COMMUNICATION WITH AUSTRALIA. Mr. WILSON, on Tuesday, replying to Sir John Pakington and Colonel Lindsay, stated that he would have no objection to lay the memorials upon the sub ject co the table, but the matter was at present under the consideration of the Post-office authorities. COUNTY COURT JUDGES. Mr. ROEBUCK, on Tuesday, moved a resolution that an address be presented to her Majesty, praying that directions be given to the Lords of the Treasury that the salaries hereafter paid zo the County-court judges should be equal in amount, permanent, and not less than 1,5001. per annum. The object he had in view, he said, was to improve the administration of justice ; and he proceeded to show, first, the way in which bu-iness had accumulated upon the County Courts, which had now the greater part of the civil judicature of the country upon their hands ; and, secondly, the dependence of the judges of those courts upon the Government, in being compelled to come " hat in hand " to the Treasury for an increase of their salaries from 1,2001. to the maximum of 1,5001. a year. He appealed to facts which he con sidered furnished evidence that applications for an advance of salary were. decided upon, not with re ference to the merit of the judges, but to their con nections and parliamentary influence. Looking at the amount and at the quality of the business dis posed of by these judges, I,sool.lyear, be contended, was not too large a salary for them. Where high qualifications were demanded they should be liberally paid for; and judges especially should be not only above suspicion, but exempt from the cares of the world and the anxieties of .ife. Lord STANLEY seconded the motion. He insisted upun the impulicy as well as injustice of allowing the salaries of these judges to fluctuate at the arbitrary discretion of the Treasury. So long, also, as a gra duated scale in the salaries was persisted in there would always exist suspicion of partiality and favor itism. He appealed to the opinion of Lord Brougham and to the heads of the leg al profession that one uniform rate of payment should be fixed; and in order to establish one uniform rate it was indispensable to raise those salaries which were below the present maximum to that amount. _ _ Sir G. GREY said, Parliament bad at first estab lished a minimun and a maximum sum, and had imposed the duty of discrimination upon the Trea sury. The Government felt that it was ill-judged economy to underpay judges ; but, at the same time, they had not deemed it consistent with their duty to the public to propose to raise salaries limited by Parliament and payable out of the Consolidated Fund; and he asked the house not hastily to pledge