The Sun. — London, England, 1853-04-29 00:00:00

3uslne° his ~ ~ , TPIT re i . 0 00. 0 ,1 e ° o f b of be P n ceih, o .n. 1 un e est ,4 6 q u til ft e 11 tts° j y by t he xtS esi o act t ° o6l vas • g roce i . 04' id $ OOl re4 - ih ef blob A re , tlrY :cet , r 0:04 1 1, Jinisfo'rtr r . ro`lea 11°` 6 ;if° ,i ?tie° ' }, plitier 'f , .O , MABBET NEWS-(THIS DAY.) CORN EXCHANGE. During the present week, and fresh up to-day, the arri vals of English wheat have been on a very limited scale ; however, the show of samples of both red and white was small. The attendance of buyers was far from numerous, nevertheless a good clearance of the stands was effected at Mo nday's prices, with a moderate inquiry. For forward delivery, very little was doing. Liberal supplies of foreign wheat, 12,890 qrs., have come fresh to hand. Fine samples were in fair request at full currencies, but all other kinds met a very inactive inquiry at late rates. Floating cargoes off Falmouth were dull, but no change t9ek place in their value. fresh Very little E ng li s h b arley w a s brought f orwar d ; b u t th e supply of foreign exceeded 10.000 qrs. The demand was cbusid ere d tolerably firm at full prices. Malt was in moderate supply, and steady inquiry, on former terms. - Upwards of 3,000 qrs. of foreign oats having arrived, re at trade was less active ; nevertheless, previous quota tions were supported. Il t'aes, peas, and flour realised full currencies. ENltsh Irish rorei,n ARRIVALS TIIIS WEER. Wheat. Barley. 1 N alt. 1,320 . 900 i 3,r 0 12,893 10,f 30 Oats Flour. 720 3) 23,.80 1.4 1 0 Os 8,790 brla T he Su SMITHFIELD. pply of beasts to-day'a market was seasonably PO and of fair average quality.. On the whole, the beef Lre de ruled s t ea d y, and Monday's prices were supported. eeP—the nuber of which The best old Downs, i was but moderate—sold freels , at full c m urrencies. n the fo ol, realised 5s 44 per bibs. Owing to the unfavourable State of the weather the sale for lambs was heavy, at b ar,ely late rates. irom the Isle of Wight, 260 came t "n d. We had a steady inquiry for calves at fullquo tations., The supply was short. Pigs moved off slowly, 64 termer terms. Milch cows were very dull, at from 15/. to 191. each, in- Oting their small calf. Per 81bs to sink the offals. s. d • s. d. Inferior Beasts ...3 oto 3 2 Second quality ...3 4 3 6 Prime large oxen 3 8 310 I Prime Scots, cte. 4 0 4 2 nferior sheep ...4 0 4 2 13econd quality ...4 4 4 8 Prime crse.-Nidled.4 10 5 0 Lambs B east __ TOTAL SUPPLY. 920 „eop '''''' 5,800 muve, B l 190 11 0 : ''''''''''' ******** 340 ******* ......... s. d. s. d. PiimeBouthdown 5 2 5 4 Large ors.. calves 3 4 4 0 Prime small do 4 2 4 6 Large hogs 3 0 3 6 Small porkers 3 8 4 2 Suckling calves 20 0 25 0 Quarter old pigs 19 0 24 0 5s Od to 6s Od. FOREIGN' SUPPLY. Beasts 294 Sheep 7BO Calves no Pigs rrry_ NENVGATE AND '.4e general demand ruled. s Per Blbs by t-- /leer inf e ri or s. d. s. d. s. d. s. d. De ',.„7,,„ ...... 2 8 3 0 Mutton, Inferior 3 6 3 8 Do.' mid '3 2 3 4 Do.,middlinZ 310 4 2 Do,; firilue large 3 4 3 6 I Do., prime 4 4 4 6 Pork, ~,8'3,41 .-3 6 3 8 1 Veal 3 4 4 4 `grge .. 3 4 310 'Pork, small 4 0 4 6 Lambs LEADENHALL. ;toady . , at full prices. the carcase. BOROUGH HOP. 4e Tli v e business doing in our market to-day is limited ; Mertheless prices are fairly supported. The number of a ples on Offer is small. The following are the quotations : Xe n i an d East Kent pockets, 1158. to 160 s. ; Weald of 1 108. to 1265. ; and Sussex, 105 s. to 120 s. per cwt. Six COLONIAL. des 4 , 1 t, ,-- -The market has been brisker this week for most eooill h l° l3 e, with a short supply, holders exhibiting more and ,!' e nce. The demand has been good for the home trade, i ll 4111er Prices have been obtained, the better sorts being 34sulost request. Demerara, by auction, went at 33s to Itidi f°r mid, and 32s to 32s 6d for good brown. East ,iB.----13engal publicly was taken in at 36s to 37s for a . 27:'," parcel of mid white Benares ; Madras partly sold at dearerGCl ' 30 5 for common brown to low mid yellow, being ; and Mauritius also went for about 7,000 bags anib ro Yellow u. I lse, good and fine yellow 36s to 37s 6d, low to good 338 6d to 35s 6d, fine brown 32s to 335, and fine ear a wil o .and low y e ll ow 34s t o 35 8 . Foreign— Floating he 'Lave been in request, and yellow Havannah for N o r Ohs has been sold at 23s 6d to 24s for to s ;1•1 and 14i. At auction Bahia has been sold 'at 30s t o for low to good brown, 34s to 35s for fine brown c ° ,,w . Yellow, and 36s to 38s for low mid strong grey. ke e i: P rEE.—There has not been much activity in the mar but holders refrain from pressing sales. In Ceylon ha little change has occurred. The latest sales by auction f :ve been at 56s to 60s 6d for mid and good, 52s to 55s 6d t -r a ne fine or dina ry and low mid, 50s to 51s for fine ord, i 42 5 to 5 fo r triage. Jamaica was taken in at 85s to al ' o r fine being above the value. Native Ceylon is (1 - o t4°4 nom i nal. Mocha has been neglected, and tends w nward •d having been taken at 658 to 68s per cwt. c o s, bo o , ?. °4 --The market has been dull, and Trinidad has g re3 ,l ''.ken in at 36s for good red, and 31s to 33s for good SPICE ber B . -- Pepper has been rather higher—Malabar good s o le 4 id per lb, mento mid rather mixed with blacks _ at a.to:slotrT6dp7rtaoltu:.iii Singapore nutmegs realised 2s 9d to 2s and mid, raCteOsT.TON.__ThePrices ha ve declined 6d to is per cwt on e medanna kinds. market is quiet at about the previous Co ic Prices, m ur -.L.—This article has been brought in at former Ii T E engai sold a t I.os Gd to Ils for good white. s A 8•7 -Prices have b een well supported, with moderate LL w • q A a ° .Y.C. has been at 67s 9d per cwt on the spot. FRUIT.—The mar k e t is better supplied, and a h t , ' tlenaand exists for all kinds. Two cargoes oranges Miuhael, sold by Keeling and Hunt at public salo, of le~ t an advance of 4s. to ss. per box. Several parcels deteel i a O 4 a have b een rece ived via . Liverpool, from Naples s at 4 il:hsina, ertain and realised high pri reduction o ces. 3.sTuts f d d u uy is ran m, to continue so until the c, SOUTH SEA STOCK. A. to eethlg o f the proprietors of South C. Franks) Era St u o k ek o t p o r o e k . sidi e Yesterd ay, t h e S u b-Governor (mr • the t g• lie stated that the directors, in consequence of of the Exchequer, ha t r o . r° ,l 3 , °sal made by the Chancellor of i -4tiod the proprietors together, not with t t h o e object laa reso n i i , - .,'ulately coming to a conclusion, but . taLs'oon before them upon which action might y be th e -1 hereafter. While thus proposing to constitute of ? rese nt proceedings merely formal desirous , he was the tirnishing any information that might be required on a. general position of the company. In the course of it s efingthened conversation he explained the state of terearlallces• The South Sea Company was a char co rn PanY, and the charter was perpetual. Its Gurces consisted of a debt from Government of sums invested in various stocks, 610,0001., - general surplus, including property, of 38,9031. dee2la'7tBt4l• fi ; gures comprised their freehold building, est pea: dat 25,0001. If the terms connected with the pro thered Two -and- a -H a lf per Cent. Stock were accepted , ef int e e w ould be a reduction of a per cent. in the rate fro i r eaty and al so a re d uc tion in the profit derived to 1- e management of the dividends, &c., amounting the about 5 ,000/. a-year—a sum nearly the same the arranexpenditure. In acceding to or rejecting th e g et nent, individual action could not avail It e Porate vote of the company being essential. ea would be quite competent to take part of the Wa s Pita' in money and part in stock. When that vote settled it would remain to be decided what ;e t subsequently be effected through the powers of c harter. S evera l . o f t h e propr i e t o rs expressed an ii ,",." 1 ° 11 that it would b e p o lit ic to take measures for rea ‘Fenderin g th e charter and finally w i n di ng u p. Th e intenance of a large body of directors, whose number ee ta nearly d ou bl e that of the employe d staff, and the aa"_sequent expendit ure , warran t e d thi s co urse, especially ,s con venient opportunity was now presented. The to r) ,- .G cvernor, in reply, intimated that it was necessary p ri ve the board legally constituted to preserve the th e lie ges of the charter, and that the remuneration of h.;!irectors, which was fornittly 3,000/. per annum, pre pared been voluntarily curtailed one-half. They were not r i e e .„ P r e d.on the present occasion to state any positive Sole with regard to ultimate proceedings, but their meter som e was to serve the interests of the proprietors. W some further explanations the annexed resolution . unanimously carried : A , That this meeting do now adjourn, it being left to the luseeretion a the Court of Directors to call a special general Z e e .l n g or meetings, at such time or times as will enable t h e Court of Proprietors to exercise any rights of option me I naY be entitled to under the bill now before Pr rlia- The meeting then separated. PROPOSED NATIONAL LIBRARY OF SCIENCE AND 121 1CellA llICS, &c.—Some time ago a numerously-signed sr:i i n p ' s pri te al gi vv v a se transmitted evf from Manchester to the corn telttee of Privy Council for Trade, praying their lord ships Prince Albert everfacility for the furtherance of the Positions made by his Royal Highness for the formation of a national library of all mechanical and scientific works on inventions, and the establish ;tent of an exhibition of machines and models. Their lordships' reply has been received by the Mayor of Manchester. The subject, they say, is one which must l ' ate rally command their best sympathies, recogn . ising as they do its importance to the interests of science and c ommerce, and the possession of accurate knowledge n r' e n all matters relating to inventions. The memorial rtefers itself, however to the commissioners of patents, t ? Whom their lordships will forward it, with the intima lee that their lordships would be happy to render the eniraissioners any assistance in their power towards an "Jed so likely to p romote the good of the community. SERIOUS. CHARGE.—A wandering gipsy, named Kelby, has been arrested at Elgin on a charge of murder. It A ppears that on th e I st o f t h e mont h s h e en t ere d th e us e of a Mrs. Wilson, at Burghead, and demanded w(Tce ( boiling water. Sh e h a d i n h er p oss ession a gill of kY, whi c h s h e purchased at a neighbour i ng shop ; het Water on the poor woman declining either to furnish the her'water or to partake of a dram which was proffered , she was furiously attacked and maltreated, inso _:eee that she was unable to leave her bed, from the effe c t s of the assault, and lingered in great pain till Sab exa `. v esh, when she expired. The result of a post mortent ties, winaation, and of the inquiries made by the authori a Kelby's apprehension and committal for trial. Courier ren?UlClDE OF A COMPOSITOR.—A painful degree of bate ni:'.t_s excited at Southampton on. Tuesday morning, for isbecoming known that Mr. George Ilueker, who Years bad been employed as a compositor in the the Hampsh,ire Independent newspaper, had 4 , e n s n t !,°;eicl his life by cutting his throat with a razor, and ve"y.severing his head front his body ; he was ; disco in !Dy his wife, who was in bed, on the floor weltering -i l i a I T 41°0 d. • Life was not quite extinct but he breathed rauchlast_ .shortly afterwards .. Ilneker was held in UP- 4 - • csteuni b e s tab l ish ployer, and by every ode con """euL Wi th the anent. LITERATURE. Ada Gresham. An Autobiography. By Mary Anne Lupton. 3 vols. Hurst and Blackett. This is, in many respects, an original composi tion. There is much to be met with in these pages that is not often seen in the novels of the day, or found in more abstruse writings even—a fund of thought, a depth of meaning, and an earnestness of feeling are revealed. The circumstances are peculiar ; but it is only in no ordinary scenes that such a character as that of our heroine could be developed ; she was indigenous to no routine existence. Her career, indeed, exemplified the proverb that they " who sow the whirlwind must reap the storm." Impetuous, incon siderate, and unyielding, she resembled more in her actions and thoughts some fabled heroine, or some despotic sultana, than the simple daughter of a city merchant, brought up in the retirement of home, and that home in every, way inimical to sentiment and romance. She fell into a very natural error for one so constituted ; she idealised realities, and formed her own fancies of what took place, and then, wildly awaking frOna her dream, she started to find that the real, the true, and the actual turned out very different. She did not, however, yield up the reveries of ima gination to the reflections of reason, bat defied fate, and rushed wildly on in her own way. Hers was not a temper to be controlled by an ordinary effort—a mind to be curbed by an easy struggle. Hers was a spirit that must be broken before it would bend, and a heart that clung tenaciously to its earthly idol in the face of the heavens, whose mandate recalled it. It was this absorbing feeling of self that ruined her character, and finally destroyed her hopes. It is admirably shown in the last volume how true love was wanting in Ade laide. It was for herself she mourned. Her nature shuddered at suffering, but her weak and vacillating senses shrunk appalled at the exchange of suffering for rest ; her proud spirit would not brook the right of even its Maker to direct the fate of one she so adored. Although in health, she would not deny her own fancies to make his life happy—no sooner did sickness appear, than she inveighed ' against the decree that would take him from her. She seemed to imagine that she had a claim on him paramount to all things. Her passion without principle, her hope without faith, allured her on to misery. The deep anguish that at last overcame her when she knew how guilty her past had been, yet could feel no source of strength in the present, nor see one ray of promise for the future, is surpassingly beautiful in its truth. In her own words—" It was a terrible period." The authoress is eminently successful in this point of her narrative, to show to what an in tense degree human tortures can reach when the heart attuned to tenderness is dead to religion. In no state could severer sufferings be imagined than when the over-mastering feeling of a life-time was about to be suddenly uprooted. The mourner in death saw the King of Terrors only, not the mes senger of rest ; she beheld, hereafter as the scene of separation, not as a heaven where their love might be perfected. It is impossible to convey a true idea of the mournful tenour of such sub jects by a few passing remarks ; it is necessary to peruse them in detail in the eloquent language which here gives them grace. The glowing ardour of youthful feelings is well contrasted with the calm sublimity of a matured experience ; but in either extreme there is life-like resemblance and animated delineation. The art of the romance at tains it height when it describes nature, and fiction shines brightest when its words teach us truth. The consuming care that finally destroyed Gas coigne is ably shadowed forth. He resisted every self-indulgence to a blameable particularity. He had bound himself the slave of a stern taskmaster, not the disciple of a Saviour of love. -He was weak, weary, and worn out, yet he persisted in toil that might have overcome the strongest. He forgot that there is oftener more service in resignation to weakness, than in indications of action. His fault was as great in its way as that of Adelaide. The one never conquered self, the other never took neces sary means to protect himself. While her way was amid the flowery paths of inclination, where she murmured bitterly at the thorns in her ruses, his course of duty summoned him, he declared, to pass repeatedly over burning plough shares. It may easily be supposed that those whose footsteps were so differently cast would not walk together. To adjust the difficulty their posi tions had to be reversed. It was Gascoigne who came to consider his dying bed a couch of roses, while Adelaide had alone to pass through the fiery ordeal of life. With her " shattered idol" her . _ young hopes were crushed, and lay in the dust, The love of her youth was the undying sorrow o: her whole existence. It was sanctified - by a pure and solemn trust, but it was sorrow still. While her fate holds out a warning to all self suffi cient and presuming, the sufferings of Gascoigne may suggest reflections to those stern disciplina rians who convert the world into a desert. In wealth and in poverty, in society and in solitude, in life and in death, is the power of these varying ideas shown, and the effect of their impressions carried out. At the end of his toilsome labours, Gascoigne confessed that he had worked for the un attainable. Adelaide beheld in the hour of trial her weakness and her sin. The greatest interest is felt for her, notwithstanding all her faults, for she is a creature of light and shade ; her wishes are often genuine, her desires often praiseworthy, while for the errors of Gascoigne respect mingles with censure ; for real devotion to an over-strained sense of duty is always noble and exalted. It is not that there is anything to lead astray the reader by an avowal of their errors. It is more probable that the contemplation of them would excite to good. Ima ginary perfection is not human ; it is useless to depict humanity as possessed of such an attribute. On the other hand no one of Adelaide's deep feel ing could have failed to be endowed with some bright qualities, however veiled or obscured by circumstances. In every scene of her reflected life, she lives again before us her chequered course of folly, suffering, and final peace. She conquered at last, but it was in a self-imposed conflict. She had not been called to such a fight, but had rushed in, and it is evident that, had she remained in her own home, as duty imposed on her, hers would have been a happier and holier life. Hence no one can feel encouraged, from the perusal of these pages, to forego reason for romance, or the path of rectitude for the way of vain desires. If ever suffering fol lowed sin, it was with Adelaide ; and if ever labour was lost, it was with Gascoigne. A more interest ing work, on the whole, can scarcely be imagined ; it appeals to the sympathies, while it enforces re spect, for it chronicles faithfully the world of trials, while it shows in bright contrast the spirit of virtue, which should make of those trials a crown of triumph. Little Nora. By J. L. Blackwood. A very pleasing volume for juvenile readers. It is the history of a little child in verse, and con tains several illustrations. The proceeds are to go to the Society of Irish Church Missions. It is elegantly bound, and presents an agreeable volume for the young. Eighteen Years on the Gold Coast of Africa. By Brodie Cruickshank. 2 vols. Hurst and Blackett. An account of this comparatively unknown region by one so well qualified, by a long residence, to de scribe its peculiari ties, must forma valuable addition to the information which modern travellers have given us respecting almost every part of the world. To those unacquainted with their national laws and individual customs, the African people present a curious study. The author denies the assertion of their inferiority originally, but maintains that long years of ill-usage and uncivilisation are quite suffi cient to account for their present degraded position. Their ideas are very singular, and, as is common with most barbarous nations , they are subject to the greatest superstitions. Each j individual possesses his particular Fetish, or deity, which he greatly prizes • but some Fetishes d are considered more itoank a e t an powerful than others, and many will often travel gr in b a e n for a e u expense to have a vow greatoo n an e n e oath e distances eea s particular Fetish. having brought death and misfortune she mm a oned a woman for on his family, because after some quarrel had entreated her Fetish to punish him. So great wa,s thee surrender value set upon it that he finally consented t five of his slaves, who were of the woman ' s so as to obtain possession of her et'h family, that he might appease it, and the woman refused to un til compelled. On this occasion th e Fetish was a brass pan with a bunch of feathers. It is an with i gno rance and superstition like this that European gover nors and missionaries have to deal. What wonder then that they find it a difficult task. One of the most interesting chapters in th e work relates the acquaintance of the author with Mrs. Maclean (L. E. L.). He describes her as cheerful and contented. He conversed with her only ten hours before her death, and she gave him many messages for England, for which coun try he was then starting. She desired him to tell a friend of hers, who had prophesied her return by the ship in which she went out, that " she was not tired yet." Mr. Cruickshank narrates the univer sal consternation which spread through the colony the next morning at the news of her sudden death. He attributes it to a fit, as the authority of her servant, who mentioned having found the phial in her hand, is not to be depended upon. It will be seen that these volumes convey much information, and possess considerable interest. Those who are THE SUN, LONDON, FRIDAY EVENING, APRIL 29, 185 3. unacquainted with the details of African life, will find in them an instructive and entertaining record of the inhabitants, the colonists, the customs, the climate, and the national and European laws of the Gold Coast of Africa. IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT. HOUSE OF LORDS—(YESTERDAY.) The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the woolsack at five o'clock. The Earl of DERBY presented 19 petitions against the Jew Bill ; petitions against the Maynooth grant, against the opening of the Crystal Palace on the Sab bath, and against the Canada Clergy Reserves Bill. The noble earl intimated that after the division of the other evening he should not persevere in his opposition to this last bill. Earl BEAUCHAMP presented petitions against the Canada Clergy Reserves Bill. The LORD STEWARD (the Duke of Norfolk) brought up her Majesty's gracious reply to the loyal address presented by their lordships' house to her Ma jesty, on the occasion of the recent birth of a prince. The Bishop of OXFORD presented a petition from the Dean and the Chapter of Westminster, against the Jew Bill. The Bishop of SALISBURY presented similar peti tions from places in his own diocese, and the diocese of Bath and Wells. in which it was originally settled that the counties of Scotland should be surveyed; - MR. HALE'S ROCKETS. ' On the motion of Mr. T. DUNCOMBE, a return was ordered of copies of any correspondence or documents addressed to, or existing in the custody of the Board of Ordnance, relative to Mr. Wm. Hale's inventions and improvements in war rockets. PROBATE DUTY. On the motion of Mr. ALCOCK a return was moved for of the number of stamps sold'since 1815 for grants of probate chargeable with the highest amount of probate duty. BERWICK-UPON-TWEED ELECTION. Mr. PHINN gave notice of his intention to move that the writ for Berwick-upon-Tweed be suspended until the .f; d June. THE BUDGET. Sir J. GRAHAM presented a petition, signed in one da,Y, from 2,000 persons in Carlisle, in favour of the financial measures of the Government. (Cheers.) ECCLESIASTICAL COMMISSION. In reply to Mr. G. DENISON, Mr. G'OULBURN said the reports presented by the Ecclesiastical Commissioners contained all the informa tion which they were required by act of Parliament to furnish to the house. TOBACCO AND TEA LICENSES. Mr. LABOUCHERE said he wished to ask the Chancellor of the Exchequer a question with regard to his prepositions concerning tobacco -and tea duties, which had occasioned much disquietude in the country. The question was, whether lie was prepared to modify in any manner the system of excise regulations which he proposed to apply for the granting of licenses for the sale of tobacco and tea. It was generally con sidered that they would aet very unequally and unjustly on the trade, and operate, in fact, as an i ncrea sed house tax. (Hear.) He also wished to know whether, in the event of his reconsideration of his reguiations, he would give publicity to his alterations in order that they might be fairly considered by the trade ? The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he was much obliged to the right hon. gentleman for put ting the question. In answer to it he could only state what he had already announced throughout the country, that he was sensible that the scale of licences proposed, though he thought the principle on which they were founded would be approved of by the house, would ope rate with a degree of severity which was not at all in tended by the Government. He would now freely give a pledge that the scale should be reconsidered, and he would take care to give notice of the amended resolutions ri time to enable all. the parties concerned to take them into consideration before they were brought' before the house. Sir F. KELLY inquired whether the reply of the right hon. gentleman applied to the case of maltsters, among whom a great deal of misapprehension and alarm existed. (Hear.) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the reconsideration of which he spoke applied to the entire scale of licenses, though perhaps not with the same equality in all cases. INCOME TAX IN SCOTLAND. In reply to Mr. VANSITTART, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was not intended by the Government to propose to assimilate the assessments of house property is Scotland, for the purposes of the income tax, to the assessment for , the purposes of the poor rate ; but it was intended to , propose to assess the profits of occupiers of land in Scotland at the same rate in proportion to the rent, as they had hitherto been assessed tinder pre vious acts. Mr. VANSITTART observed that the answer of the right hon. gentleman di d not quite meet his views. (Laughter.) The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he might add, as the hon. gentleman required some further explanation, that it was intended to continue the same rates of assessment with respect to the occupation of land in Scotland and England as had been enacted by former acts of Parliament. ST. CLEMENT DANE'S BURIAL GROUND. In reply to Lord D. STUART, Lord PALMERSTON said he could assure his noble friend that he had taken all the steps which the Act of Parliament enabled him to do for the purpose of closing the graveyard of the St. C lement Dane's perma nently and for ever. The statute in question provided that there should be gone through a certain number of forms, which involved considerable delay be tween the order for closing and the actual closing. He presumed that the interval was required by Parliiment for the purpose of enabling the parties concerned to take mea sures for providing other places for interment. His answer to the question was, that everything the Secretary of State for the Home Departent could do had been done, and that in a very short time all the forms would be com pleted, and the graveyard closed. SCHLESWIG HOLSTEIN. Lord D. STUART said he had to put another ques tion about the Danes, not St. Clement Danes—(oh and a laugh)—he wished to ask the noble lord the mem ber for the City of London, whether he was now pre pared to lay on the table of the house the protest of the Prince of Schleswig Holstein against the treaty re gulating the succession to the Crown of Denmark, and ' any correspondence relating to that subject ; and whe ' ther the above document had been laid before the law officers of the Crown. Lord J. RUSSELL said it would be a great public inconvenience to lay on the table at the present time the protest of the Prince of Schleswig Holstein against the treaty regulating the succession to the Crown of .1130,;n-. mark ; and that being so he was not prepared to lay that protest, or any correspondence relating to the sub ' ject, before the house. As to theother question, he had to state that no case had been laid before the law officers of the Crown for their opinion. THE OVENS GOLD DIGGINGS. We take the following highly-interesting report from the Sydney Morning Herald of Jan. 27 : Spring Creek, Ovens Diggings, Jan. 17, 1853. UPPER SPRING CREEK. The Upper Spring Creek, as it is now called, is the locality where the first diggings were established, and it is here that the head-quarters, or central gold depart ment, are established. The Spring Creek in its aspect during the present season is a running stream of considerable size, very full of water, and running very rapidly. It takes its rise in the ranges some miles from May-day Hill, and pours in a rushing torrent over a sefies of falls in a very circuit ous course till it discharges itself into the Ovens or one of its more immediate tributaries. The bed and banks of this creek, as far as it has hitherto been prospected upon, seem all to be rich with gold in very minute scaly particles, evidently water, worn, and to all appearance generally mingled with the soil by the agency of very considerable water force. The upper part of the creek, where the first diggings a re situated, runs nearly east and west , a l it t le below the summit of the May-day range, which also inclines in the same direction. In this place the stream is so much broken up by the diggings that it is difficult to surmise what it might have been in its natural state, but I should imagine it to have been a creek some nine feet wide, of considerable depth in some places, and in a flush of water having a very considerable current. On this portion of the creek at its richest period there were about from 2,000 to 3,000 people assembled, who were encamped on the flat between the summit of the May Day Range and the surrounding hills. The whole of the banks of the creek are or have been occupied by the diggers, and the bed of the creek has been worked throughout, forming what are called the Wet Diggings. The bed claims are worked with considerable difficulty and with much labour, arising from the flush of water which renders the holes liable to fall in, and keeps two or three of a party constantly baling out. They are generally sunk to the depth of 8 or 10 feet, though some of the claims have been worked to the depth of 12 or 15 feet. . The bed of the creek is universally granite, the upper soil being principally composed of red gravel. In many of the richest claims, however, there is a stratum of considerable thickness—say, from three to six feet—of rich black alluvium. Quartz is sparingly intermixed with the upper soils, and in small pieces, but in the washing-stuff immediately above the granite quartoze stones are prolificly blended, and some rather curious specimens of crystalised quartz of various colours are frequently found. Some of these specimens are of singu lar form and appearance, being apparently a collection of pyramids of quartz blended together, semi•transparent at the cone, but of a black flint colour at the base. The surface of the granite bed of the rock is very much decomposed—it is, in fact, in a crushed state ; and there is a considerable quantity of mica in it, but very little gold. The gold, indeed, seems confined to a stratum of about three to six inches above the granite ; this stratum of course varying in thickness according to the richness of the claim. No doubt, in many instances gold would be found in the top stuff, but if so, it is so minute that it would not pay for working ; but the impatience of the diggers to get down to the vein prevents it having a fair trial. The bed claims on the Creek are worked principally by parties varying from four to twenty in number, the generality averaging six or eight persons. The neces sity of going down quick to the bed rock requires this large force, as during the process of sinking baling is re quired. Few of the bed claims turned out blank—in fact, I have heard of none ; but some which produced small quantities were considered worthless, owing to the division of the profits among so many leaving but small gain to the individual diggers. A very considerable quantity of gold was taken from this portion of the creek, but it was all fine gold. I have not been able to get any rumour of a single nugget having been found on it. The washing has been alto gether in the ordinary cradle, except in a few instances where claims have been re-worked and the long-tom is used. There are Tery few workers of the bed claims now, as the creek is considered worked out. The dry diggings extend a considerable space on the flat to the south side of the creek. These consist of round holes sunk in the soil or gravel, from 10 to 20 feet deep, according as t he diggers find the granite rock. When they come to this rock the diggers drive or tunnel in the direction which the vein they arrive at seems to indicate. These dry diggings are very extensive, and the number of holes sunk, or begun to be sunk and aban doned, are very numerous. In fact, a traveller is obliged to thread his way through them with very great care, and it is no light day's work to wander through them. Many thousands of these holes have been sunk, and much gold has been taken from them. The process in the dry dig gings is much the same as in the bed claims, but of course the diggers have less water to contend with, al though even here the water frequently comes in, to the great impediment of the miner's progress. The gold taken out of the dry diggings is somewhat coarser than that taken from the bed claims, o" rather a portion of the gold is coarse ; but the variation is so small that the trouble of sifting it is pretty nearly the same. Many of the earlier parties at the creek did what is called a good stroke- that is, they made good selections of claims, worked them quickly, and obtained heavy re turns from them. So great is the confidence in the richness of some claims, that parties frequently having turned their washing stuff out of one hole, would sink again, arid work out several claims before they began to cradle. But even after the stuff is washed in the cradle the labour of getting the gold in a marketable state is just commenced. After cradling very carefully, the deposit has to be worked by the hand in tin dishes, and even the most experienced parties cannot wash it so cleanly that it will not require careful blowing by the purchaser afterwards. The detritus which lingers with the gold seems to be fragmentary portions of very hard stones, brilliant in their varied colours, and perhaps in a less dislocated form of considerable value. I am not, however, mine ralogist enough to determine the point, but I shall bring a sample with me to Sydney, when probably the point may be decided. A considerable portion of these stones are of a pink and red colour, resembling rubies or gar nets, and, less frequent, bright stones of emerald green are found. They are utterly disregarded by the diggers, who look upon them only as nuisances, as their gravity being greater than that of the fine gold, renders their separation from it of extreme difficulty. The Upper Spring Creek is now nearly worked out. I do not think there are at present 500 working on it, although, owing to the difficulty and inconvenience of removirg tents, nearly twice that number reside upon it. Many of the miners have left for the lower creek, and many have gone out higher up the creek, and into the gullies and subsidiary creeks in the ranges to the south. There has evidently been a great scramble for gold on this portion of the creek, and there can be no doubt that it has been hurriedly worked ; and although in many instances twice gone over, a very great proportion of the gold remains in the soil. At the present time it would be impossible for me to average the gains of the diggers. At first they were very great, and many of the most for tunate of the early adventurers in the field derived their gains from this spot. At present isolated parties in the creek occasionally turn up a rich claim—say from 61b. to 121 b. out of one hole. They got this in a few days, but they may have weeks of blank work to balance it. The dry diggers, too, who are persevering, plod on, and while the mass pay little more than their expenses, a few may do what is called well—that is, to lay by from 1001. to 3001. in as many months. There are plenty of stores and a post-office on this place, and the Melbourne Argus newspaper office is also established here. Great credit is due to the spirited proprietor of this journal for the arrangement he has made for the dispatch of the mails from Ovens township to the diggings. Without his energetic interference there would have been no postal arrangements whrtever. It is very difficult to anticipate what may yet be done on this creek. There must be, beyond all doubt, very much gold yet left in the soil ; but it must now be so dispersed and scattered that it will hardly pay pri vate parties to look for it. Perhaps, should the land be some time hence put up for sale, or if .it should be leased to a company, it might be worked successfully by a large outlay of capital. The whole of the water might be directed from the bed of the creek. which could then be worked throughout, and no doubt, -as in the hurry of digging under the present system, many portions have escaped examination, a very considerable quantity of gold would be found. The main diggings on this portion of the creek extend for about three-quarters of a mile ; but scattered par ties are at work on its banks for miles to the south west, and some of these parties are pretty successful in finding gold. Running to the westward along the summit of the May Day Range, the Spring Creek turns somewhat abruptly to the northward, and crosses the hills in a series of precipitous falls over rocks of granite of the same description as that which forms the bed of the creek. These falls are exceedingly pictureique in their aspects, the surrounding mountains being of considerable altitude, and the scenery altogether wild and severe. To descend the creek by the falls is a work of no inconsiderable difficulty, and even of some danger—at least I found it so—but even here the diggers have ventured. All along the dizzy edges of the crags, the holes at which they have been working are to be found ; and their white tents perched on the mountain side in the shade of the d one e 8 lebf. fall,e of these turned out tall gum-tree, a dd muc h t o the beauty of the scene. some well. The basin of the first an, lome parties worked the basins of the various falls, lve considerable ht of gho gold, and d tu t r b n e e d consequence was w was informed, 118 was that the re was a g considerable rush to this portion of the stream. The because the precious other mbasinsetal were probably n h t o h w e e fi v r e s r t they instance, because , found so ri c h i n th e were not so deep ; and, secondly, alarger altitude of th e f a ll b e i ng greater, and cur rent stronger, down the stream. h e. portion of the gold was washed gold, however, must constantly be accumulating in a ll t May-day sebasins, which will doubtless be subjected to a periodical h ma examination. The course of the stream down the range is about two miles, when it arrives at a fl a t, through which it runs, and where it is distinguished by the name of the Lower Spring Creek. CANADA CLERGY RESERVES BILL. On the motion for the third reading of this bill, The Earl of WICKLOW inquired what effect this bill would have upon the guarantee clause of the act of 1840? . Lord REDESDALE asked if there would he any ob jection on the part of the Government to inserting a clause in this Bill for the purpose of putting the pro visions made for the support or the Roman Catholic re ligion in Canada by the Act of 1840, on the same footing as the c!ergy reserves dealt with by this bill ? The Duke of NEWCASTLE explained that the guarantee clause of the act of 1840 would stand in pre cisely the same position as it did now, and have exactly the same effect, so far as the legislation of this house was concerned. It was on that account that no guaran tee clause had been inserted in this bill. With respect to the last question, he must say he • should most decid edly object to any such words being introduced into this bill as had been proposed by the noble lord who had just sat down, as being entirely alien to the scope and purpose of the bill. Further than that, wishing that this bill should go out as a boon to the colony, granted at their own request, he thought any such change as this would destroy that effect, and by hampering the Colonial Legislature, and setting the interests of class against class, greatly decrease the value of the bill. After a few word4from Lord WICKLOW, Earl GREY thought that this bill would not have any • effect upon the guarantee of 1840. After a fiw words from Lord REDESDALE, The bill was read a third time and passed. REGISTRATION OF ASSURANCES BILL. The report on this bill was brought up and agreed to. TICKETS OF LEAVE TO CONVICTS. Earl GREY rose, according to notice, to put a ques tion to the noble lord at the head of the Government, relative to the granting of tickets of leave to convicts at Portland, Dartmoor, Gibraltar and Bermuda, who under the regulations in force when they were sent to those establishments might expect to get to the colonies with tickets of leave, and also how many convicts are still detained in those establishments who under these regulations would be already entitled to be removed with tickets of leave. He said their lordships would remem ber that in this it became necessary to make some con siderable alterations with regard to the system of trans portation, and a committee of their lordships was ap pointed, which collected some very valuable evidence on the subject, and in consequence of the report of that committee the scheme originally determined on at the end of 1846 was to a slight degree modified, and since that time had continued in force. The principle of that scheme was that offenders were subject to punishment in this country, first by separate confinement, then by imprisonment in public works, and ultimately they were removed to a penal colony. That system had worked very successfully, and had had the best effect in securing the reformation of the convicts. , About two or three months ago, however, it was announced in that and the other house of parliament that the removal of convicts with tickets of leave to Van Diemen's Land was to cease altogether, that not another ship was to be sent there, and that, even with regard to Western Australia, only a small number was to be sent. Now, there were in the establishments a considerable number of convicts' to whom had been held out the promise that by good con duct they might entitle themselves to be removed with tickets of leave to the colonies ; and he therefore wished to ask the question of which he had given notice. He would only add that the keystone of all improvements of late years adopted in the treatment of convicts had been keeping faith rigidly with them, holding out no induce ment of indulgence in consequence of good conduct which had not been strictly fulfilled. The Earl of ABERDEEN said no one knew better than the noble earl the great difficulty of dealing with such a question as this. The question was, how far it was practicable to comply with the expectations which had been held out to these persons. He entirely agreed with the noble earl that it was necessary to preserve good faith with all those who had reason to expect indul gence in consequence of good conduct, but to send them to the colonies was impossible, and therefore it was not possible to comply literally w ith the terms held out. Still good faith might substantially be preserved towards them by a diminution of the duration of punishment under certain regulations. Although this might not be as welcome to the convicts as sending them to the colo nies, yet under the circumstances it appeared to be all that was practicAble. This system of the diminution of the duration of punishments was under the consickra tion of his noble friend the Secretary of State for the Home Department, and he hoped would speedily be adopted. He was not about to give an opinion with regard to the principle of adherence to the punishment of transportation. That subject required full considera tion, and also the means they should possess of carrying it out. In answer to the noble earl as to the number, he might say that the number of persons to whom ho had referred as entitled to tickets of leave amounted to 1,052. Those persons undoubtedly would not be sent to the colonies, but they would receive such an equivalent in the way of diminution of punishment as should be thought equitable and just. The noble lord had not referred to the system which might be pursued hereafter with regard to the treatment of those persons, and therefore he did not feel called upon to go further into the subject, but he thought that a discussion in which the subject might be fully inquired into and thoroughly examined would be essentially useful. Earl GREY—Do I understand the arrangement is to discharge in this country the convicts now in these establishments who, under 'the existing rules, would have been sent abroad ? The Earl of ABERDEEN--Conditionally, with cer tain gradations. It is a subject, as I have already informed the noble earl, now under the consideration of my noble friend the Home Secretary. After some further discussion the subject dropped, and their lordships adjourned. HOUSE OF COMMONS—(YESTERDAY.) The SPEAKER took the chair at a few minutes to four o'clock. PRIVATE BUSINESS. The Oldham Corporation and Oldham Gas and Water. works Bill was read a third time and passed. PETITIONS. Sir J. MTAGGART presented a petition from Wil ton, against the opening of the Crystal Palace on ;Sun days. Colonel HARCOURT presented a petition from the Isle of Wight, against the increase of the cost of licences for selling tea. Mr. M'CANN presented a petition from a place in Ireland, against the extension of the income tax to that country. Mr. MOODY presented a petition from medical men at Crawherne, praying for a distinction between per manent and uncertain incomes in levying the income tax. Mr. T. PARKER presented a petition from Lanca shire, against any increase in the cost of licences for selling tea. Mr. MACAULAY presented a petition from the provost and town council of Edinburgh in favour of the financial scheme of the Government. Sir R. H. INGLIS presented a petition fr om the So ciety for the Propagation of the Gospel in Foreign Parts against the renewal of transpOrtation to Van Diemen's Land. Sir F. BARING presented petitions from Portsmouth against the propositions of the Chancellor of the Exche quer with regard to licences for the sale of tea and to bacco. Mr. EWA RT presented similar petitions from Dum fries. Sir J. TROLLOPE presented a petition from Boston against the extension of the income tax to incomes of 1001. a-year. Mr. COWAN presented two petitions from Edinburgh against the amalgamation of the English and Scotch Gazettes. Mr. CROWDER presented a petition from Bristol in favour of legalising marriage with a deceased wife's sister. Mr. PIGOTT presented a petition from Reading, against all grants of public money for Roman Catholic institutions, and praying that the Ecclesiastical Titles Act may be enforced, and that the law for the suppres sion of the Jesuits, and all other orders bound by illegal oaths, may be rendered effectual. Sir E. B. LYTTON presented a petition from Hert fordshire against the opening of the Crystal Palace on Sundays. INDIAN TERRITORIES. On the motion of Sir Cais. WOOD, it was ordered that the evidence taken before the Committee on Indian Territories should be printed from time to time as the committee should think fit. C OUNTY OF DUBLIN ELECTION. The SPEAKER said he had received an intimation that it was not intended by the parties to proceed with th e petition against t he return for the county of Dublin. ' COUNTY OF LONDONDERRY ELECTION. The SPEAKER also stated that he had receive roceed d a letter, intimating that it was not intended to p with the petition against the return for the county of Londonderry. CLONMEL ELECTION. On the motion of Sir J. TROLLOPE, it was ordered that the Clonmel Election Committee be discharged. MAYO ELECTION. On the motion of an Hog. MEMBER, it was ordered that the evidence taken before the Mayo election com mittee be printed. ORDNANCE SURVEY IN SCOTLAND. In reply to Mr. SMOLLETT, Mr. WILSON said it was not true that the Govern. meat had in the slightest degree departed from the order BATTERSEA-PARK BRIDGE. Sir J. SHELLEY asked his right hon.- friend the First Commissioner of Works when the new bridge at Battersea-park was likely to be finished, and what was the proximate amount expended upon the work to the present time, the probable amount that would be required to complete the same, and whether it would be pro ceeded with to completion without unnecessary loss of time ? Sir W. MOLESWORTH, in reply, said that a sum of 15,0001. had been spent upon the bridge at Battersea park ; and in order to complete it, with the approaches, 65,0001. would be required. If sufficient funds were provided the bridge would be completed by this time next year. There would be no unnecessary delay if the funds were provided ; but that was a subject upon which he must refer his hon. friend to the Chancellor of the Exchequer. (Hear, hear.) METROPOLITAN BOROUGHS. Mr. EWART wished to ask the noble lord the Home Secretary, whether he was right in supposing that the metropolitan boroughs might apply to the Government for a charter of enfranchisement as it at present stood ? Lord PALMERSTON said that, under the powers of the Ist of Victoria, c. 104, any borough might apply to the Queen in Council for a charter of incorporation. The metropolitan boroughs formed no exception. THE DUTY ON SUCCESSIONS.—CORPORATE PROPERTY. Mr. BRIGHT asked whether property in the pos session of corporate bodies was subject to the duty on successions ? - The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the terms of the proposal which had been submitted to the house, that certain duties should be imposed on the succession to property, in consequence of death, did not apply to corporate property. The Government, how ever, would submit a further proposition to the house, having reference to the property held by corporate bodies. (Hear, hear.) INCOME TAX. Mr. BRIGHT wished to know if there was any in tention to establish a tax upon wages, and if so what would the proposal be under the income tax. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was not intended that the earnings of children should constitute a portion of a man's income, so as to make it chargeable with income tax. In reply to Mr. HENLEY, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was not in his power to frame any expository paper, with the view of putting the house in possession of the details of the budget in general and the income tax in particular. LEGACY DUTY. In reply to a question, The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER stated that there was no intention to exempt legacies to charit- able institutions from payment of the legacy duty. THE BUDGET. \ The house went into committee of ways and means ; Mr. i Bouverie in the chair. The resolutions on the income tax and Sir B. Lytton's amendment having been put, Mr. COBDEN said—l think I observed, in the remarks with which the right hon. gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer opened the subject in his very remarkable—l may say very marvellous—speech, that he spoke with some degree of emotion, and I thought even pathos, as to the way in which this house had been spending the anticipated surplus of the revenue. I thought it came from him in a tone that seemed rather to invite the attention of this house to that part of his financial statement ; and I really do not know that I have any other motive for intruding myself thus early, except that, at this moment, when taking a full view of our assets and liabilities, we present ourselves before the public very much as trustees, and are bound to look at what has been done, as well as what may be done, for those who have confided their interests to our care, and it therefore strikes me as being a very proper time to give our attention, among other matters, to the way in which that amount of surplus has been disposed of. I promised the house I am not going to make a peace oration. (Hear.) I do not blame this Government, or the last, for what they did in the way of expenditure, but I blame many parties out of the house for having rendered it almost necessary that such an expenditure should have been incurred ; nay, I thank the noble lord at the head of the present Govern ment that he did not take the opportunity many silly people, and some not over honest people, gave him of in creasing enormously the expenditure of the country. I have no hesitation in saying—in admitting—that if his lordship at the end of last session had proposed an ad dition of 20,000 men to the army, and of 10,000 men to the navy, the proposal would have been received with ac clamation, and we poor peace people, if we had escaped martyrdom, should hardly have escaped being pump e d upon. -Now, is it not a matter of sincere regret, almost of reproach, that we have permitted ourselves to be led away so • as to incur this groat and permanent increase t o our esta be lishment ? How, then, do we stand? I merely speak of tion? I think the right ,hon. gentleman has acted quite our military and naval expenditure, and will wisely in including incomes of 1001 . As an advocate of not go back now to 1835. I only go two years back—to 1851. Since direct taxation, I would, as tax an abstract principle, levy it upon everybody where the could be collected with a 185rwe have added to the expenditure for our naval and profit. lam assuming that no other tax existed. But military est a bli s h men t s , including militia, commissariat, when you have laid so much taxation on the working peo , and other outgoings, 1,875,0001. This expenditure, pie in an indirect way—when they pay more than the 15,555,000/. in 1851, was 16,431,0001. in 1852, and upper classes in proportion to their means—ycu are wider 17,400,000 for 1853. Now what I want to call the atten- this necessity, you must endeavour to compensaotse e the nby levying a direct tax upon the property of th who ive tion of the house to—and particularly of the member for richer and above them in station, and who do not pay as North Warwickshire, who said the Manchester school much in proportion in direct taxes as they ought to pay. wore going to ruin the aristocracy—is this, that if you (Hear.) Ido not propose that the income tax should be had made no such i ncrease s i nce 1851 you wou ld h ave had levied on all wages,. and I think the right hon. gentleman a surplus now l arge enough to cover al' these remissions has acted wisely in drawing the line at 1 001 . (Hear.) I have said that the working people pay a large amount of without the necessity of one farthing additional taxation. indirect taxation. We sometimes hear that a large amount (Hear, hear.) If you had had this amount of money left of Customs and Excise duties have been remitted, and it in your coffers, instead of having it wasted as you have, it would have been now i n h an d t o prov id e for the remissions is supposed that by reducing them you have diminished the pressure of these taxes on the working people. But you proposals • and therefore the lion. gentleman who presentyth and changes which come into operation under thehave done nothing. You have only been ingeniously shift is to ruin 'the aristocracy must not charge the Manchester t this ing ing the burden ever since the time of Mr. Huskisson. You school w with the responsibility of that expenditure, for none in the , haf f -e . tried it in a variety of ways so as to make it gall the least, but the burden still remains. I will give you an illue' hatever blame other parties may take, I takeof this. T 1 , amount of Customs and Excise duties • matter. spend nothing for your armaments. Nobody who is honest .Do not say, then, that I come hero to tell you to si . a . sion paid in 1831 was 35,6'30,000/. The estimate for the coin can say that. Many years ago lin this house proposed my- ing year is 35,320,0001., so that there is only 360,0001. less ta .mrh o a f t 1 1 0, n 0 . 90 w , 00 eo t. p sh la o i u u ld of be i4, self that a sum paid now in indirect taxes than in the year IS3I, al though during that time you have reduced your Cus i applied p f rogressive or our ar matnentoms and Excise duties some 12,000,0001. or 15,000,0301. increase from 15,555,0001., the expenditur • ISSI per annum. There has, of course, been an increase in the e in . , to 17,400,000!., the expenditure in - - population, but the same amount is now paid as was paid icons sum not been thus expended, the Chancellor in 1831, notwithstanding the great remissionswhich have of the Exchequer might have hatts'it now at his disposal taken place. (Hear, hear.) I now come to deal with the and might have met it with th ose remissions which he question of the application of the income tax to Ireland, proposes to make. Would not this have been a • and that seems to be the •• t difficulty of the Government pea enviable position for the Chancellor of the Exchequer lel on the present occasion.members on the other The Irish . and was it not natural that the right honourableg side ' the o. house will not suppose that lam anxious to tle man should speak in pathetic terms of the house en" them impose upon any unjust burdens. lam the advocate having voted away the surplus income ? The most la- a religious and fiscal equalityto ie t t extent. mentable part of the matter is this, that although there (Hear, So far as regards religious greatest what was equality, a very great panic about the French invasion a few ever odium I may incur by the declaration, I will say that months ago, yet now there is not a rational being who will nothing could induce me to place a fetter on the consciences say he is under the apprehension of an invasion. Not of the Roman Catholics. If I could make you so, you only do I find nobody who believes there will be a French should be as free in the practice and observanceof your invasion, but I cannot find anybody who will admit that faith as if you were across the Atlantic. (Cheers.) I lie ever had any fears on the subject. (Hear, hear.) But would do the same with regard to fiscal question s . There the mischief has been done—the addition has been made must be perfect equ a lity b e t ween th e t wo countries, and to our establishments ; and what I call the attention of everyta.x_paid by thi s coun t ry mus t b e pa id b y I re l an d . the public to is the fact, that having made this addition of (Hear.)is Ido not wan t t o l ay h eavy b ur d ens on e i t h er t h e 1,500,0001. or 1,800,0001. to our establishment , you cannot English both or the Irish people. If I had my will they should bring them back again in a day. None but those who,pay less taxes, but you can have no safety for the like my honourable friend the member for Montrose, preogersfor working of the legislature if you have amongst you having been engaged in the work of retrenchment know m than the otherne part of the kingdom which pays less taxes how difficult it is to reduce expenditure when once yon working of this larL (Hear, hear.) I have noticed the system for a long time, and I will tell have incurred it. You cannot reduce it in a day. You honourable gentlemen have probably laid out your money in the construction of which I have g observ n ed from Ireland one of the symptoms works, which you must keep up by an annual charge, and taxation. I have seen arin from that discrepancy of I have no hesitation in saying that this generation will . n the Imperial expenditure, gentlemen take velittle interest not live to see the whole expense die out which has been 1 the transfer - of the e taxesunless on semen estion involve paid in England to some caused by the additions made to our establishments within mg . • Ireland,and locality in hence you fight for that bauble the last two years. (Hear, hear.) Now just show how we —your (h ear, hear, a n d laughter), and find ourselves obstructed in our efforts at fiscal reform by lord-lieutenancy— hence you fight for your Kilmainham Hospital—(cheers and these establishments— I will turn to other items in the laughter), although it is a mere nest of jobbery—(hear, budget since 1851, and state all that comes under the head hear, and " oh, oh.") I have had the opportunity of in of civil expenditure, and you will then 'see how little has quinng into that subject, and, as a member of the commit been the increase. In 1851 the expense other than tee, I speak from a knowledge of the circumstances of the military, and naval was 34,692,000/. ; in 1852, the amount case. (Hear, hear.) Now, what is the reason that no was 34,732,000/. ; and in 1853, it was 34,783,000/. so that statesman has thought of proposing that our colonies the whole increase of our expenditure, except that occa should unite with the mother country in one common le erily about ioned by our 80,000/., ta o ry an amount of nearly and naval deparrly 35,000,000/ , tments has been gislature ? What renders it impossible? No t s p ace. No, n it is because the colonies, not paying our Imper ial taxation, whilst the increase for the army and navy, on an expen diture of 15,000,0001., has been 1,845,0001. (Hear.) Now and not being liable for our debt, could not sit here, with I think it will not be said by any one that this is an safety to us or with propriety to themselves, to legislate on matters of taxation in which they are not concerned. indifferent view of the question—that you must grapple ( with the expense of our naval and military establish- Hear, hear.) What happened on the la st occasion on meats if you would enable the Minister to effect such which I addressed myself to the subject of the budg et ? I modifications in the tariff as are inevitable, without followed the hon. member for Belfast, who rose t o su ppo r t constantly seeking for an increase of direct taxation. I the proposition for doubling the house tax and laying the ask the house to consider how these remissions of taxa- income tax on my constituents in Barnsley and Leeds. The tion are inevitable. You may get them by savings, people of these towns are largely engaged in the manufac and by the growth of your surplus revenue, but if you tore of linens. Belf as t i s e ngaged in the same trade. The hon. member who represents that town voted for taxing eat up the surplus by constant additions to our mili my constituents at Barnsley and Leeds. (Hear, hear, tart' establishments, you must have a fund necessary for this remission of taxation out of property or income. hear.) And how is he going to vote now ? If he votes (Hear, hear.) And I care not whoever may be in power, now against the extension of the income tax to his own whether the present Chancellor of the Exchequer or the constituents at Belfast, then I want no other proof. There late Chancellor of the Exchequer may have the handling of it is complete. (Hear, hear.) It would never do to allow the figures, they will be inevitably driven to a policy which men to sit in the same house of representatives represent shall aim at reductions in the Excise and Customs duties, ing different interests, because they could help a Minister even at the expense of direct taxation. (Hear, hear.) The to impose a tax upon their neighbours on cond ition that right hon. gentleman opposite pr o po se d a partial remission he should exempt themselves. (Hear, hear.) How would of the maletax, thus dealing with indirect, taxation, and the case be if we allowed representatives from our colonies proposed to put on an increased house tax, which is a to sit in this house? An ambitious and unscrupulous direct tax. (Hear.) The present Chancellor of the Ex- Minister - could make use of these men, supposing they had chequer proposes to lay a legacy tax on real estate, with not the virtues which ordinary men possess—(a laugh)—for the view of effecting large remissions of indirect taxation. the purpose of oppressing the English people. He might The late Government fell solely in their attempt to find a say to them, "Help me in this extremity, and I will help substitute for the deficiency to be created by the remission you to prevent the English people putting a tax upon the of the malt tax, and they might have been in power now colonies." (Hear, hear.) The consequence might be that 0 but for that insuperable obstacle. (Hear, hear.) If the you woald have an irresponsible Government, a constant present Chancellor of the Exchequer is in danger at this succession of coups d'etat, until the people of this country moment, it is only on account of the difficulty of finding a would rise and demand a separation from the colonies— direct tax which will enable him to make the necessary re- ( Loud cries of " hear ' hear, ' from a portion of the Irish missions. (Hear, hear.) I wish gentlemen to consider that members, followed by laughter in all parts of the we are now come to a time when, if you will be extrava- house.) Now, on the present occasion our Government, true to the invariable system in this country of comps°. gent, you must be extravagant at the expense of property. (Hear, hear.) The remission of indirect taxation must go misos, have proposed to grant to the honourable gentle on. It is not merely the interest of humanity — but that man opposite—that is, to Ireland—a very large boon in has something to do with it—but you cannot, in these deed, if they will accept their quota of the income tax days, when every one professes at least an interest and re - (Hear, hear.) If I could whisper to them, knowing what gard for the poor, levy a larger amount than is levied in I do of the temper out of doors with regard to the squall other countries upon articles which are consumed by the sation of taxation, I would say to them, close the bargain at once—take theincome tax—get rid of the Consolidated great majority of the population. And there is another Annuities. (Hear, hear.) Why, if I understand it right, reason why you must diminish the amount of taxation, t and that is because you find that the peace and prosperity the proposal that is made is almost in money amount equal of the country depend upon the constantly increasing em - to the charge that is to be remitted. (Mi. Fagan—No.) ployment of the masses of the people, and you cannot My hon. friend behind me surely does not expect that Ire secure that employment except by constantly removing land is going to pay us between 4,000,0001. and 5,000,000 1 ., the impediments which stand in the way of industry, even with the income tax extended to that country. I say and that will grow greater in proportion as our corn - you are going to get almost au equivalent for the income merce and our population increase. (Hear, hear.) Take, tax. But look at the charge that is to be remitted, and see how it puts you out of court as advocates of the poor in for instance, the case of the Customs regulations. A.great, and I think a just alarm, has been Ireland. (Hear, hear.) As I understand the principle felt by our merchants on account of the obstacles upon which the Consolidated Annuities tax is levied, it is resented to commerce b the Customs regulations. Those paid by Teo very poorest class of farmers in Ireland. (Hear, y lations were bad en ough when you had to deal with hear.) Is it so ? (Cries of "no, no," from the Irish mem only 30,000,0001. or 40,000,0001. of exports and imoorts, hers, and cheers from other parts of the house.) I believe but they are grievous and insupportable in dealing with an the fact is as I have stated it. (An Hon. Member—Only import of 70,000,000/. or 80,000,000'. But that is not all. h a lf of the tax is p aid b y tenants.) Of course, one-half is rho velocity of transactions of all kinds has increased- - paid b y t he landlord, and the other half by time tenant. screw vessels are taking the place of sailing vessels, and a k An Hon. Member—Tenants under 51. do not pay any por voyage to America, which formerly occupied from 30 to 40 tion of the tax.) Just so. That shows into what small days, is now performed in 10 or 12. If you are economising portions the land is divided in Ireland. (Hear, hear.) It time on the voyage, will not the grievance be greater than is almost inconceivable to the English agriculturists that you ever if our merchants are subjected to the same delays and should have rentals under Si. ; but that is just the class that impediments at the Custom-house as those to which they is going to bo benefited and relieved, because the proposal of have hitherto been subjected. These barriers must ulti- the Government is to abolish a tax of which one-half is paid mately give way; but hoW ? You cannot alter your tariff by the poorer tenantry down to rentals of 51., and to extend So as to allow free good s t o come i n w ith ou t r i g id exam i na - to Ireland, instead, a property and in • tax.upon all tion, unless by a total revolution in your fi sca l s y s t em , so persons with incomes of lOW.' a year and upwards. eo - Wear, far as regards import duties. Y ou cannno t a ll ow b a l es o f bear.) Now, how many farmers are there in Ireland at the cotton to be landed in Liverpool without thrusting a wire present moment who pay a rental of about 2001. a-year ? through them in order to ascertain that they are not con- Perhaps I should explain to the hon. gentlemen opposite that vested into bales of tobacco. If you retain a duty of 3s. a it is only the farmer who pays 2001. a year rental that will pound ontobacco, and allow goods to come in without search be required to pay income tax upon an income of 1001. per they will soon be converted into packages of tobacco. But annum. I ask you, therefore, how many farmers are there you could not effect any change in that respect except by in Ireland who pay 2001 . a year for their land? Surely you reducing the duty to 3d. or 6d. per pound. You must re- will suffer the income tax to be imposed upon the rich, in duce it to that extent, or you will fail altogether. I hope order that you may relieve the multitude of small tenanrs there would not be such an increase of smoking as to en- down to 51. rentals. (Hear, hear.) Why, it is the most able the Chancellor of the Exchequer to obtain as large a beneficent boon that has ever been offered to the class revenue at 3d. per pound as he does at 3s. That would be whose interests you have 1 a ways professed to support. a loss of some 2,000,000'. or 3,000,009/. at least. And how (Cheers.) Take the case of au income 1 of 100 . a-year. He would that have to be made up? Why, by direct taxation. is a very genteel person in Ireland who has a n i ncome o f And that is the case a ith respect to other ar ti c l es . Y ou 1001. (A laugh.) You live much than must cheaper in Ireland ,th n must make up your minds that yo u will to make constant we can do in England. You have no assessed taxes, and remissions. Every year since 1842 has w it nesse d a cons t an t your provisions are cheaper. An income o f 1001. a ; ear, remission of indirect taxes. Th e r i g ht h on . gen tl eman oppo - therefore, is quite as well able to p a y i ncome t ax in Ire site did not propose a remission of the Customs of Excise land as in England. (Hear, hear.) Indeed, lam disposed duties, but there was a self-acting process in the sugar duties to say, considering that the standard of living is higher effecting that change. Time reduction of indirect taxation here, and the cost of living rather more, that 1001. a-year must go on, and the question is, h ow are th e means t o b e is a larger income in Ireland than it is in England. (Hear, raised to carry that object into effect. I come now to the hear.) But take ties large case of your merchants—some practical question before us. Here is virtually a deficiency, of them are now competing with our English merchants because I look on the remission of taxation as inevitable. and shipowners. I could name largo capitalists sitting in Although the right hon. gentleman has a surplus of counting-houses in Dublin, who have ships sailing from 500,000/. or 600,0001., he was obliged to lay on fresh taxes Liverpool and other ports in this country, and I ask, is it in order to meet the inevitable demand for remission. fair that the vessels of rich Dublin merchants, who pay no (Hear.) Then how are we to meet that which is a deficit ? income tax, should come in rivalry with ships belonging The right hon. gentleman has proposed an income a nd to the merchants of Lancashire who have to pay income property tax. He has proposed it with arguments very tax ? Is that common sense, or is it not ? (Hear, hear.) elaborate, very able, and I might say, very subtle. But I hear a great deal said about the amount that England is to my mind, that part of the speech of the right hon. gen- indebted to Ireland and Ireland to England. The hon. tleman in which he dealt with the income tax was the member for South Lancashire, who ought to be accepted least satisfactory. (Hear, hear.) It was the most decla- as a good authority by hon. gentlemen opposite, inasmuch matory, and appeared to me to be the least conclusive. He as hers an Irishman like themselves, makes it out that you began by alluding to Mr. Pitt, and stated that this tax are in our debt to the amount of 300,000,000/. (Hear, and having served our purpose during the war ought not to be laughter.) Then the hon. member for Glasgow, who, to used in a time of peace. Now, is it not time to have done judge b y his name, m u st have Celtic blood' in his veins, with such an argument as this? Is there not this answer Puts down your indebtedness at the sum of 160,000,0001. to it, that other taxes also did their work during the war ? (Hear.) I believe the late Mr. O'Connell turned the figures The customs and excise duties did their work during the the other way, and the result he brought out was that we war, and it would be just as reasonable to say that we ought were indebted to you in the sum of 60,000,0001. (A laugh.) to put the giant customs by and allow him to repose until My advice is, get the Statute of Limitations a pp lied to both sides—balance the ono amount against the other—pay intrinsically war breaks out. And why not ? Is there anything time same taxes as England—and unite with us in e a n dvic sa t y intrinsically worse in the income tax than in the taxes on tea and on wine? In that way is it worse? Does it give ing retrenchment and economy(Ch (Cheers.) h who are generally rise to greater oppression in its incidence ? See how large a " us," I refer to that section of the house advocate economy in the management portion of the income of a poOr man with a family is spent understood athmirs, who always vote with you when on the half-ounces of tea that he is under the necessity of of t ;ou na w l ant freedom, who are the constant and energetic purchasing. What is paid for the duty on that tea ? 'The over supporters of the principles of civil and religious liberty, same duty is paid on his tea, which you can purchase in idvho sympathise with yon in your demands for equal the bonded warehouse at 10 d. per lb., as on the finest ,' i a l dits and equal justice to Ireland. Unite with its, then, flowery pekoe or gunpowder which costs ss. or 6s. ;can you not only upon fiscal questions, but upon all other ques show anything in the income tax more unequal in its ope tions that affect the happiness anti well-being of time people. ration than that ? (Hear.) Take, again, the case of the wine Accept the income tax ; for be assured that p ublic opinion, duties. You put a duty on the wine which is purchased will not much longer tolerate any inequality in our taxa at ss. a bottle. You put the same duty on the /sin ordi tion ; and after you have done this there will be nothing naire, which might be bought by a poor man in the south left exclusively to the people of England but the less/ of France for twopence. Is there anything more unequal taxes. I hope the Chancellor of the Exchequer assessed .yell d in the income tax than that ? (Hear.) I might go through . . *ustace in that matter also, not by putting the the whole system, and the whole list of taxes, and although you would not faces upon you, but by abolishing . property and income tax. ,find the same inequalities in all cases, yet, when you bear adding instead a fraction to th© in 'te will reconsider the in mind that when you lay a tax on consumable articles of l I trust the hon. gontlemevriitaoilos b dissolution tell you didl and. every day comfort, you may be sure the mass of the t pe a o n p . e subject. The thing is ine be a dissolution upon this y ue pay afar larger sum in proportion to their incomes than is frankly that there may n t of taxation. (Loud cri ci es 13- paid by the rich. (Hear, hear.) Where, then, are you to tion of the equa. rsa io . of with thehear, from f rom the Irish members.) I have no doubt make exceptions for the income tax as compared " Hear, gentlemen who represent during Irish constitu other great taxes which served Mr. Pitt so usefully ,: 1. that the ho will o n t . like to vote for the the war? Is it that it offends more against the laws the encies fon n i which she has hitherto extension of a tax to Ireland s been exempt ; but I political economy in taking a greater portiondestination in the Ex. emphatically; the thing pockets of people than arrives at its . say this moat will be done -who her you might not collect t h ©r you agree to it or not. (Cheers chequer ? No. I question whet Does it offond , . I wish to .) There is another point to which refer fora few a direct tax cheaper than an indirect tax. . , t is P o moments. It is ,that it obs ru with regard to licenses. I believe the Chancellor of against the laws of political than an indirect has said commerce, that' it impedes industry more. it may be, I Exchequer that this subject is still tax ? On the contrary, however oppressive with the sideration of the Government. Now, under the con never heard it said that the income tax interferesoany way case of a budget, if we exp ress eur w, of course, in the adhesion its • progress of industry or impedes commerce iig_d i oes it produce Principles, we do not expect to be treated to main whatever. Well, then, is it demoralising — do es ? The _ right hon. of Assembly in another count like the members greater evil by demoralising our t dealabout self assessment. But where a budget is presented, turnedrY,which shall be nameless, gentleman has said a greatlevy ing o f the Excise duties at in various ways, but upside down, looked I would ask him does not the tax? (A- laugh,) ys, must on no the account be altered. demoralisation than any direct Talcs, I have no doubt produce more the tobacco trade. I remember Exchequer will be obliged Chancellor of the for instance, the case of of Commerce in Manchester when m being in the Chamber dealers in tobacco and snuff waited onaay oiler on the details of his financial scheme.riw4l deputation from the the adulteration carried re g ard to licenses, I think he haserred in the matter us in order to expose on in their of principle. I to induce the Chamber of Commerce to • 1• cannot understand u p on w h a t grin trade, and interfere oip e the right honourable gentl eman p ro p oses t o l a y a for the purpose of effectin g an alteration of the duty. The tax upon all traders dealers and manu f acture who deal i n t ea , an d t o b acco . (Hear, gent l eme n who were the la re said to us most frankly, after exposing a ll the differentrs hear.) I can understand w hy th e E xc i se should was coloured •an d adult quire that a dealer wh o so il s t ea or t o b acco , or an y ar ticles with which tobacco adulterated, other article over which surveillance is thought neces such as the beard from malt, peat moss, and things kind, "There is not a man in this neighbourho 1 of that 10.7, should register himself, and why there should be a ou the tobacco and snuff trade without illegal , who carries nominal fee • but why a trader who deals in articles which Mr. Road —a gentleman who was adulteration already pay large taxes to the Government should be re exceptwho has since left the trade, and who, then present, but quirerl to pay an ad varorem, duty for carrying on his busi than forty years, went to Cambridge, , although not less ness, while other traders are not taxed in the same way, I orders. (Hear, hear.) Now, ge, and is now in holy confess lam altogether at a loss to conceive. (Hoar, hear.) worse in the income tax nan you find any thing If I found that the dealers in tea and tobacco were exempt pointed out. (Hear, hear.) I than in the case I have from some other tax which was paid by the rest of the amount of criminality arisen would remark also on the people —as, for instance, in the case of the legacy duty, g out of these taxes. Let any which is at present a burden upon personal property man go into any one of our maritime counties—let him go —then I could understand why the proposed impost 1 . 1: yet hear( ties on the south coast, and or the gaol in any of the cowl- be levied upon them ; but I confess I have heavy inquire the number of commit- reason why a class of tradesmen, who de already pay bo i e :i meats for smugglin left destitute hy thgei and how many children have been taxes upon the articles in which they al other classes of tho r parents bein obliged to nitq the upon to pay a tax not levied upon the h t the right hon. country on account ofand I do earnestly hope t a financial scheme. smuggling ; n and then let him say community, this point o f iiis h I whether there is anyth i ng ge ntleman will alter this poi u____,...c wish more come tax ameementthan ' demoralisin tl'a n : he in- ( en Th is one Other PO III D P" Y " 11 • ux the system of in • t two Hear, hear-) ere