The Press.
London, England, 1853-07-23 00:00:00

JULY 23, 1853.

dominion over the invaded principalities, asking whe-
ther it was true that they had occupied the capitals
and seized on the whole administration of affairs in
those provinces, and also whether their forces were
advancing towards the Danube?
The Earl of CLARENDON gave the negative infor-
mation that no intelligence of such matters had
reached the Foreign-odice. To the various state-
ments
which had appeared in the papers respecting
occurrences such as those alluded to he opposed his
own inferences, drawn from the published manifestoes
of the Russian generals :
" No such information, however, has reached the tio-
veniment ; on the contrary, we have every reason to be-
lieve that no advance towards the Danube has been made,
but that the Hospoder is still in the exercise of his finial-
tions. The manifesto of Prince Gorgtachakotr on entering
the principalities enjoined the people to obey the existing
authorities, and promised that there should be no disturb-
ance of the existing institutions. I therefore think it is
not probable that, so very shortly after the issue of that
proclamation, the proceedings to which my noble friend
alludes could have taken place.'

Lord BEAUKONT : You are very sanguine. (A
la ugh.)

SUCCESSION DUTIES BILL.
The motion for the third reading of this bill,
which stood for Monday, was opposed by Mr. LlD-
btu., the newly-elected member for Liverpool. Not
having enjoyed a seat during the earlier discussions
of the measure, the hon. member took this last op-
portunity of recording his protest against its various
injustices :
" Ho complained that it was most unjust towards the
lauded interest, upon which the stamp duties on convey-
ances and other taxes already bore most severely ; and
that it would be unequal, and consequently unfair, in its
operation. That part of the bill which affected trusts and
trustees would occasion infinite embarrassment and diffi-
culty ; and then the inquisitorial nature of the tax was a
ground for grave objection. There would be the greatest
dilHculty iu estimating the value of successions to mines,
tolls arising from rights of way, and property of that de-
scription, which varied in value according to circum-
stances. Arguments in favour of the imposition of a suc-
cession duty because there was a legacy duty were of little
weight. They did not avail to enable Mr. Pitt to ccaarrrryy
such a tax after he had carried the legacy duty, although
those duties were proposed at a time when the country was
in a position to require every available means to raise the
necessary supplies during a period of war, whereas this
was a time of peace and prosperity, when it should be the
business of a Chancellor of the Exchequer rather to relieve
the country from odious taxation than to impose it."
As Mr. Liddell did not divide the house, however,
the bill was read a third time.
Upon the question that the " bill do pass," various
suggestions for amendments in detail were offered or
revived.
Mr. SrooNnt moved a proviso to the effect that
where ar estate for life was given to the father, or in
fee, or remainder, or reversion, to the son by the
same deed, that the son shall pay only the duty as
the lineal descendant of the father.
Mr. Maus moved the total omission of the clause
by which a succession duty would be levied upon
timber; and afterwards another amendment to the
clause directing the production of documents, from
the operation of which he moved that all title-deeds
should be excepted.
Sir J. PAKINGTON moved to the clause respecting
incumbrances an amendment depriving that section
of the art of its retrospective character.
All these amendments were discussed at length
and carried to divisions, when they were successively
negatived by Ministerial majorities varying from 85
to 41.
The last suggestion of amendment being disposed
of, the question itself was proposed from the chair,
and without further debate the house divided:—
For the bill

Against
Majority —72
The bill then passed its final stage in the Lower
House.

NATIONAL EDUCATION IN IRELAND.

The Earl of DONDVOHNoRE on Monday called at-
tention to the present condition of the system of na-
tional education in Ireland; moving at the same
time for a copy of the resolution lately adopted by the
Board of National Education, excluding the use of
certain books for the schools under their manage-
ment; and asking whether, in consequence of that
resolution, any and what members had resigned their
seats at the board?
The Earl of ABERDEEN defended the national sys-
tem, which he maintained to have worked well. He
considered that an erroneous construction had been
placed upon the resolution, which excluded only one
book, and had not caused any change at the board.
Some discussion, turning chiefly upon the details
of circumstances connected with the Irish Board of
Education, ensued, in which Lord 3IosrEAGLE, and
the Earls of DERBY and HLRROWBY, took part. The
subject then dropped, the returns asked for being or-
dered.