The Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1860-03-07 00:00:00

THE DAY'S
,NEWS.

In the House of Lords last night it was stated
that, although there was no reference to the other
Great Powers in the correspondence relative to
Savoy, the more important despatches 'of Lord
Cowley, referring to this matter, had been com -
municated to the three powers in question, but no
protest had been received as yet against the
annexation. Several bills were read a second
time; and notice was given that the address on
the Treaty 'would be proposed on Thursday week.
In the House of Commons, Mr. Kinglake gave
notice of • motion for an address to the Queen on
the subject 'of Savoy ; and Mr. Disraeli gave
notice that, to-night, he, would inquire respecting
certain private letters on that subject which had
passed between Lord J. Russell and Lord Cowley,
and referred to in the published correspondence,
but Lord John said he could not produce
them.. Mr. •Horsman gave notice that on
the address to her Majesty on the subject
of the treaty, he would move an amendment
as to the coal article. Mr. H. Berkeley's
motion on vote by ballot was noted for the 22nd.
A long discussion took place on the sale and pur-
chase of commissions in the army. In moving the
gradual abandonment of the system, Sir De Lacy
Evans spoke for two hours in such a tone, that
not a syllable of what he said was heard with any
certainty. He was seconded by Mr. Rich.
Captain Leicester Vernon moved an amendment
as to the unatisfactory character of the system of
promotion by seniority; seconded by'Col. Dickson.
Mr. O'Brien ridiculed the present system of
examinations., Sir F. Smith, Mr. Lindsay, and Col.
PercyHerbertopposed the motion. 'Mr. S. Herbert
was prepared to recommend the abolition of pur-
-chaSes above the rank of major, believing the
duties of lieutenant-colonel to be too important to
be acquired by mere purchase. Mr. Ellice thought
that what evils existed iu the purchase system
had been in a great measure removed by the
institution of examinations. On being appealed
to by Lord Stanley and Lord Palmerston,
the honourable members were willing to with-
draw their several motions, but the House
interposed, and insisted on a division on the
original motion, which was, negatived by 213 to
59. Leave was given to Colonel Sykes to bring
in a bill for the better government of Scotch
Universities. The Valuation of Rateable Pro-
perty (Ireland) Bill was passed. The report on
the Customs Acts was agreed to) except as to
malt, which was postponed. The report on Ways
and Means was likewise agreed to.
The West Indian mail, the principal news of
which we were enabled to give in our yesterday's
later editions, has brought, upon the whole, satis-
factory accounts from the several settlements. The
weather had continued favourable, and the affairs
of the colonies appear to be pretty prosy
'Nearly a thOusand emigrants • had arrived
ronast.
Demerara,—the greater number ofth
m liberated
Africans from St. Helena; the
remainder,
e Coolies
frota.Caleutta. In Barbadoes, gold,washings have
been discovered, though, so far, they were of no
great richness.
AcCording to the Tuscan correspondent of the
real object of the Emperor Napoleon
irsnTteaViitlla: been. from the first to oust Austrian
influence
on the Peninsula with a view to sub-
stitute French . ascendancy in its stead."
One
cannot but see a similar spirit
there, to that
which evidently influences the French Emperor
in coveting Savoy.

One explanation of, while it is also made one
excuse for, the French policy in Italy, according
I to the semi-official Constitutionnel, is, that " if it
is not 'a Sardinian solution it is an Italian one,"
—the argument being that " Sardinia will os-
'sess in Tuscany an ally who
will aid her to ovper-
come the opposition of Naples and Rome in order
to constitute an Italian nation, with the concur-
rence of all its nationalities, and not an Italian
kingdom absorbing everything, without Consi-
dering the essential differences, the opposing
interests, and the distrusts of Europe." This may

he air very well,l aS far as it goes, and in. solar 1 I
as it is true. But, even , upon the principle of
barter, which has been adopted :by the, Frencl
EMperor, will it be a sufficient compensation for
cession of Savby ; to say nothing of the Poli-
tical, as well as geographical, advantages to
France, whiCh such an acquisition of territory
will secure?

The Times appears to hav'e' been made quite,
wrathful by the obstruction that was successfulW
offered in the House of Coinmons to the Motion of
thanks for the Treaty with France. Otte ira'te
contemporary thinks "it became quite clear that
the party had taken its stand upon the point of
Making the. Commercial Treaty depend on the
use Which the Emperor -of the French shOtild
pursue with respect, to Savoy." But it is not as
a Commercial Treaty merely that the Opposition
did this, but as an, act of " closer alliance "—poli-
tical as well as Comniercial.7--Which, wider present
circumstances; requires to be carefully.eonsidered,
ere Her Majesty, or, rather Her Majesty's Minis-
ters, can safely; be thankedi,for it. Even. the
indignant journalist himself, however, 'does not
hesitate to stigthatise the Emperor's contemplated
annexation of SaVoy as "at once a crime and a
blunder." Surely, then, it were but common
prudence for. Parliament to pause .a little, ero it,,
solemnly records its congratulations on an act
" drawing closer the bonds of friendly alliance'
with such a criminal and a blundercr7 'lt is not
true, as it is pretended, that all Parliament " can
in honour and dignity do, is to protest and to.
silent." Can, at least, detiur to an exprdssion.•
of thanks for a proceeding 'whi;eli the Imperial
depredator can boast to Europe has strengthm
his alliance' with England, and emboldenied hin
to take a course from which he might otheiSti
have been deterred.

MO real question at issue, as respects the
opposition to the motion of thanks for the Treaty
with France, in the -Hotise- or Cointnons; tc as
most clearly and forcibly put, by Nfr. Fitz-a
gerald —Lord Derby's _ Under - Secretary for
Foreign Affairs: ". The question," he said, ".was.
whether the HouSe should enibrice the present
opportunity, when matters seriously affecting. the
relations of this country and the whole of Europe
with France were before the public, of signifying
its assent
.to a Treaty, by which; in the words of
the noble lord at the head of the Foreign Office,
oar relations with Franec Were' ttr'be rendered
closer and more , intimate.'f It may be called a
Treaty of. Commeree, by which our closer and
more intimate relatiOn with the French Emperor
is to be effected. But 'surely, at such a moment,
any Treaty whatever, for such an object,: (*night
not to be hastily.made -a subject of pr4se. and
thanksgiving.
The Morning Herald points out one reason, in
particular, involving a Matter of very material
importance, why -the check Ministers have
received, with their French Treaty, ia..to be
regarded as remarkably fortunate. " The third
article of the Treaty," .it justly says, " isf a
distinct injury to British . shipping, and eveir
some of Ml'. Bright's friends, who care nothing
for national honour, may think there is some
importance in national wealth. On this sablect,"
continues our • Conservative contemporary, at
least, the opinion of Parliament was entitled 16
be 'heard, even 'if it ' were only in such tone of
regret as forms would' allow; and we are happy
to find that there will be: time for such an expres-
sion,"-Ltruly adding,that it was," the deksait 6f
'an attempt which partakes characteristically
enough of the flippancy of the Premier and the_,
vulgar bullying of Mr: Bright."

VERILY, " discretion is the better partof valour ;"
and HER MAJESTY'S Ministers well knew this, and
were guided by it accordingly, in taking care that
Mr. BYNG postponed his motion in. the 'Houle of
Commons, nn Monday night, for an Address to
HER MAJESTY, approVing of the French Treaty-
From all we, hear, had they not done so, they
would assuredly have been defeated ; and we are
not quite sure that they will not yet be success-
fully opposed in any further attempt to proceed
in the same direction: It is a very convenient
method of exonerating themselves, to bring HEI
MAJESTY forward as the author of the Treaty►
and to have the thanks of the House presented-
to the Crown for what they themselves will take
the credit of, should it prove to be auspicious,
but from the responsibility of *filch 'they will
seek to retire, should it happen to be unpropi-
tious,---sheltering themselves behind a formal-
vote of thanks, which they hoped to induce the-
House of Commons triumpaantly to pass.
It may be all very fine for the Times to talk
about " irritating discussions," and to pretend
that, " they are calculated to endanger the
amicable relations of the two countries." But,
as Mr. ROEBUCK emphatically declared, amidst
the cheers of a large portion of the House, in
dealing with such a matter as this they " had not
to;consider the danger of so doing, but to have
regard to the honour of England ; " and, if they
did not so speak, " they were no longer a free
Parliament of England, but were gagged and
truckling to the Emperor of the French"—pointing
out at the same time " that while flits inah, the
Emperor of the French, was entering into -a.
treaty with us, he was breaking treaties which be
had _ made, and disgracing England, by making
her appear his friend, when he was doing a *
graceful and dishonourable, act. The man wiao,
for geographical reasons,-desired to annex the
slopes of the Alps, would, for the' same reasons, be
desirous of acquiring the Rhenish provinces of
Prussia, and of getting Belgium within his
grasp ; and this country would then have to do
what it ought now to do,—proclaim that he was
engaged in a dishonourable tranaaction.." This,.we

say, was undoubtedly the .right; view to take of
the matter. Tt very naturally snits the convenience
of the Coalition Cabinet, which:has been playing
into the hands of the French Emperor, to stifle dis-
cussion upon it. And nothing, they probablythink,
would be more likely to do so, than t 9 plead, as they
have done, that to discuss it would endanger our
amicable relations with that potentate. ,But if such
a plea as this were to prevail, the Parliament of
England would often be, prevented., from discus-
sing matters ,involving our foreign relations.
There can be no question, we humbly think, that
the annexation of Savoy would be a proceeding
adverse to the honour and dignity of England
and any closer alliance, therefore, even of a com-
mercial character, with one who perpetrated gnat
an act, would be utterly incompatible with that
position which .a country like England 'ought to
pro-
maintain among the Powers of Europe. ,W
with Mr. FITZGERALD,. that there t
posed annexation a key to,the
futuredire 'to obtain a
P .-Of the
Emperor, with regard to erlieve,
e
and that "there
predominant influence in Italy ;'t
does not TiCAVe
is not a country in Europe which
of, y
fear, reneh..7ith suspicion and
the Emperlookor
to the free Parliament of England.
to taker,a the
initiativv, in protesting against so
predatory act." And yet, what' are HER.
inisters doing ? Why, as the right
honourable MAJESTY'Str Y
3l
an
member went on to say, "instead of
Liking the initiative, and entering an emphatic
protest against this policy, they were asking the
House to proceed to a Commercial Treaty, for the
purpose of drawing the ties closer between Eng-
land and France, as though they. wished to pro-
claim to Europe, at this particular juncture, that
the policy of the two countries was identical,"—

a proceeding which we trust the Parliament of
England will not fail to mark with its 'repro-
bation.

The, most zealous defender of the course that
Ministers are thus pursuing is Mr. BRIGHT ;

and this of itself is a suspicious circumstance, if
only b2cause he rests his defence of them,
mainly, on the ground, that by opposing their

policy ,we are " sacrificing the . egraine.tdial
interests of 'the country." It is the .Sarnir•

BRIGHT, let it be remembered, who but few
nights since declared his willingness that Sac°Y

should perish rather than commerce should be

obstructed—confessing that he would not give
much for the loyalty of a inan, who found him-
self in a position to bring his Sovereign as well as
his estate to a better market, and did not avail hira.