The Stourbridge Observer, Cradley Heath, Halesowen & District Chronicle.
Stourbridge, West Midlands, England, 1874-03-28 00:00:00

Ilie DUKE of EDINBURGH'S MARRIAGE

TREATY.

The treaty between her Maj.-sty and the Emperor
of AU the Russian for the marriage of his Loyal High-
ness the Duke of E iinburgh with her Impetial High-
ness the Grand Dueness Marie Alexandrowna has been
presented to Perliattent. It was signed at St. Peters-
burg on January 22, 1874, and ratifications exchanged
on January 29.
There are twenty-one articles, the first and second
of which are those giving the consent of the august
parents, and appointing that the celebration shmilii
take i dace in the Russian capital, in conformity with
the rites and ceremonies of the Greek Church aud the
Church of England.
Article 3 provides that her Imperial Highness, hav-
ing become a Princess of Eaglatid, shall not be in any
way hinder. d in the full. free, and unrestrained exercise
of the religions profession mai worshirt of the orthodox
church In which she has been brought up. Heir tin
penal Hightiest shall be at liberty to have for that
purpose chapels of the orthodox rite in the habitatians
where. the shall meld- and in her apartments. Never-
theless, her Imperial Highness shall, of her own free
will, accompany her august consort to the churches and
chapels set apart for Divine worsitip according to the
rites and ceremonies of the churches established by law
in England and Scotland respectively, as well as to
other Protestant churches and chapels at all times
when it. shall be fitting that she should &mitt at cert..
monies and other public acts which may take place
therein.
Article 4, that if, by the blessing of heaven, there be
a child or children born of this marriage, the parents
belonging to different communions, her Majesty the
Queen and his Majesty the Emperor of Russia agree
that such child or children shall be brought up an •
Pro teetant or Protestants.
Article 5. That the Emperor of Easels assigns to her
Imperial Highness a marriage portion of a million of
roubles (about £150.050 sterling) as fixed for Emperors'
daughters by the funtiamental laws of the Empire.
This capital to be deposited with the Department of
Appanage; remain for ever in Russia, and to bear in
ti-real at the rate of five per cent, per annum, payable
during the joint lives of the Duke and Duchess half-
yearly to her Imperial Highness., who shall have the
separate and exclusive enjoy men% of it according to the
«et ablished mega in the Imperial family, and ehe shall
be St liberty to dispose of it by wili.
Flutfier, by Article 6, as " • mark of his particular
affecaiiiti, and which is Hot to be considared as a
tire-
cedant for the future, Ms Majeety the E epeaor grants
to her Imperial Highness during her life an annual
rovento of 75.0011 rouble; to be charged on the A epan•
ages. This reventfe 1s destined for the separate and
exclusive use and ehjoyment if he; Imperial Hight:pee,
who shall be at liberty to dispose of the same according
to her own free will and pleasure."
His Majesty also assi,ne to the Duehese, hy Article 7,
a epecial marriage portion of LOCO 000 roubles, to be
dealt with as an ordiaary martiage portion, the capital
to remain In iluezia, and the interest, at the rate of
five pea cent., payable half-) early.
By Article 8, the Grand Ducbtas remains in poises-
don of her private capital, amounting at the date of
the treaty to 610,000 roubles. It is provided by the
remaining articles that there is to be only ene house
hold for the Duke and Duchess, and her Imperial High-
Lees Is to he at liberty tit make any contribution she
may please to the ezpensee of the j int establishment,
but the debt, and obligation,' of the Duke and Duchess
are not to be common to both. If her Royal Highness
should become a widow, she is to have £6,000 •
year from the English revenues, and is to be at liberty
to live in any country she pleases; and at her death,
whether she tile before or after the Duke, the marriage
portions and interest and her private capital are to be
appropriaied for the tientfi tof her children. In the
event of her Loyal Higimes dying before her husband,
and leaving no children, the Duke is to have the
oejoraeutior life of the Interest of the ordinary

marrisge portion of this Duchess, and at hi, death
It is to revert to the Emperor of Russia. To.. special
marrisgs portion would at once revert to the Emperor
in the event of the Duchess dying before her
husband, and without children. The only sum which
would go absolutely to the Duke would he a corn of
250,000 roubles (37,500), which is to bs taken out of
ths n *thane portion mentioned in Article 5, the in-
terest on this sum being deducted from the interest on
the marriage portion which his Royal Highness is to
receive during his life.
The treaty bears the signature of Lord Augustus
Loftus, Prince Gortchakow, and Count Alderberg.

MR. DISRAELI AND LOCAL
TAXATION.
On Monday • combined and very large deputation,
formed of the Central Chatrber of Airs iculture and of
the Metropolitan Poor-Rate and Local Taxation
League, waited upon Mr. Disraeli at the official resi-
dence of the Firet Lord of the Treasury, te lay before
the Government their desire for an amendment of the
present system of local taxation. Among thooe present
were I,rd Hampton (late Sir John Pakington), Si
J. Kenusway, M.P., Mr. Nevilie-Grenedle, M.P.r
hdr, Snorer, M.P., Mr. Mile., M.P, Lord H. Thynne
Colonel Corbett, MP.. Me. Walker, M.P., Mr
Davenp dt, M.P.. Mr. Goddard, M.P., the Hon. E
Stanhope, MV, Mr. A. Pell, M.P., Sir. D. Wilt
M.P., Mr. G. F. Muntz, Captain Walker Dennis, Ac
Lord Hampton, as the Vim-President of the Central
Chamber of Agriculture, Introduced toe detutetion, which,
he said, was an important and lutinential one, which was
composed of gentlemen who, however they differed from one
another Its [entre' politic., were united it, one strong opinion
upon the subject of Local faxation. Tney come, moreover,
from 'Hier, tit parts of the country, and represented the
views of very many localities. It was moseceseary to remind
the presort head of the Gov,rument of the inportm.t
debate on the subject in the Prollament of 1872—a dehate
in which Mr Dluaell himself bore a distlngullhed
part—nor wee it uecessmy to remind him af the immense
maj rity of MO by which flir Massey Lope. resolution
wes carried. nig result was obtained in the last
Parliament, and those who knew the circumetances were
agreed that were • like resolution now submitted the prepor -
detainee of opinion wonld he etill mere striking (Cheers.)
That great majority of Ha in whet might be celled • hostile
Parliament, had raised very great hopes that the present
Parliament would make some Importune concession, and that
hope had Me- strongly confirmed by the fact that for some
years both great parties Its the State had agreed tu the
opinion that this subject merited the Mom attention of the
L Thilature, and ought to be settled. (Hear, beer) in the
debate of 1072 to which he bad referred Mr. fi wchen en'
pressed an opinion as etrongly stud as openly in, favour of •
change if the ay stem al Sir Massey Lopes himself. It was
under these circurestanges the deputation hat asked Mr.
Disraeli to receive them, and they hoped that the cameo of
the Government upon this tense, u, which eff.cted so
largo s Mee. of the community, would 00 mice a. not
to cause disappointmebt. (('entre) The deputation were
Aware that this subject was One of great difficulty, and
beteg verse also of the peculiar cecutestancm which slur-
rounded the moment, they were earnestly desirous of net
adding at y causes of emb aaaaaa merit but, knowing tint
shortly the financial arri ngement of the Government would
have to be matured, they came to express their earnest hope
that this subject would not be passed over by the Govern-
ment la maktug this arrangement. ,ileac.) It was, of
course, tr the Government to decide, but the deputation
did hope that the Session would not be allowed to past away
without seine cOneeselon being given In this Meatier., either
in regard to the cost of the police and lunatics being in sou
form scooted hy the Siete, or by some other means of
relief, and he trusted the deputAion would not have to
leave the room war out souse live being given to them
(('heers.)
Mr. A. Pell, M.P., raid every word heard from Lord
Hampton would be endorsed by the Chamber of Agricul-
ture At present the ratepayers contributed exceptionally
a gum which amounted to 41,000.000 In respect to the
police, and had eis control over that sum. then there
sat an exceptional cost upon the ratepayers of £6OO OtO In
respect of the administration of justice, and of 41,020.00 d
in respect to the cost of lunatics ; end thin, too, without
stly leg a word as to the cost of peeper lunatics. It was
uonecessary to say how the relief of the ratepayers 'um
this exceptional, burdensome lozal tatatibu might be
affected, because the deputation felt Eire that the whole
sti ject would rectelve tile deep attention of those now in
poeer, who lied ably advocated this reform in aid out of
Parliament. (Hoer ) it had been seen that in the Civil
Service Hailmat.s jest presented Inc attempt had been made to
carry out the opleion of Parliament expressed inn the vote of
1872, and this, the deputation knew, was not the fault of
the present Government, as the estimates bad been pre-
pared before the present ittlnunlitratlon came into power,
and was a neglect by the late Government of the exernmed
wish tithe country, which in Gus ed tee present Gov.,' -
ment would remedy In tile euoplertentary voter. (Hear)
then there was an important question Bridle as to ad-
ministrative reform. The deputation did not come before
the head of the Governmeet with the hope only of making
a change in the meson by which money came Into the in,.
portal till, but beteg quite ...ode that large sures were
witted by the want of good and proper aemlulstration, they
Came to offer their warm support to the Governmens II It
aste'eavomed to estal Itch such an admintstretion of the
public tunds as would remit in a lessened exotnoiture.
(Hoar) The late Government put the cart before tht horse
In • persistent endeavour, which prevented justice from
being done in Various respects, by pressing on matters of
lesser morneut Ile also expressed a desire to me the
,vernmbnt redntroduc, a measure having the purposes of
the Bating Bill of the lest SaaxiOn, ttrown out In the
U viler H &DA there Was riouili,g to preveht tier
Majesty's Government dining foil justice to the retepave re,
who, he could say, felt tin mseives aggrieved at having to
hear all the taxation with which they were at present
justly debited. (Hear, hear )
Mr 0 P. Mintz the Pr“tdent of the Central Chamber of
Agriculture, .aid there was a gemral opinion that a larger
capital was required in the curtivation of laud than was at
present put luto it. and that gluon eddlnional cap Pal would
greatly mid to the production of the cnnetry. Too drawl-sack
to any such emitter beteg added was that it at once became
subject to local tat Adam, and tad to Mar such berdens as
would at ,mce proved t the encouragement which the farmer
.nouid receive for Ids outlay. The interest off tee nation
lay ho the cdrectlon of iniproeing the productive powers of
the land, and any imperilment to this was ohjectediable.
lu this position stood local teistien, for It proven tad the
outlay el capital, which, it was believed, would Mamma
production why 20 per cent., even if not more. Tata
agricultural Interest hoped that relief w mid to given in this
respect, BM, there could not fall, in tele direction, to be •
great advantage to the nation.
Mr. Russell, as s tenant farmer, pointed out how heavily
the present rya, na timed upon the class to which be be-
loriged, and sato it no. unequal axed map.% la Itaellecte.
A gentlemen aho represented the Warwickshire Chem-
eer of A erlculture said the Local Taxation really repro-
seated • 6d. Income Tax to the working-Omens lie stst-d
Mad ass exercinatioir of the cendition of the people of Bir-
mingham ehowed thtt they paid about a Meth of their in-
come in resit, and the local taxation come to an much as to
wage 15 pee cent npuu their earnings. From this cause
Malty of the evils of ova, -crowdleg arose. He reg. led the
peculiar Itoldence of 1,,Cal LUIGIoti as dlscourselug to the
working people who desire to possess their houses for them-
eels, s. If they saved their roe ney in foreign bonds or in
railway debentures they were free from taxation but the
moment they endeavoured to improve their coheition by
have g a house they became subject to a heavy charge, and
were mulct for their provide... He hoped the Govern-
ment ould relieve the reople 'roan Me oppressive tam.

Lion
Me. little, Mr. Dudley Baxter, and Captain Cmlute added
a tow words.
Mr. Davenport, M. 7, then introduced the Metropolitan
For Rate ad Local Tetation League, representing an area,
he said, In which there were 272,000 Inhabited homes, rind a
populaCion and rateable value 1.1 au enormous magnitude.
Contain Werner Drnnis briefly addrecred Mr. Disraeli, and
Con melte I upon the pOll.l a held hy metropolitan ',de-
wy,. with respect to the polio- force, and i.e ached that
whoever paid for the form sh.culd have ashore at Iseat in Ito
control
Mr. Dottrel' also Bald a few words.
Mr. Disraeli then role to speak snivel received with loud
applause. He said: A eyetem of raising taxation for general
purpose. from our particular kind of property li.volves SS
great • violation of Judie° as can well he conceived. (I heap.)
l'hat Is the foundatton of all the complaints tint have been
made by both those that repremnt landed and those that
represent house property to me ta-lay. It is one that It
is quite unnecesecri for me to attempt to demonstrate
before you, because rot must long since, both from
thought and feeling, have received conviction upon the
subject. It it now nearly r quarter of a ceotury ago
since It fell to my lot to 6. mmenCe an agitation In this re-
spect, add to bring the matter before the House of Common..
must may with regard to the observations cf the gentleman
who represehts here the pecuniary interests of the Metro-
politer] ratepayer e (Captain Dennis) that I think he Is a
little mistaken in supposing that the question, so far as the
House of Commons is concerned, hae ever been *moldered
with reference to the particular interests of the land
and Noshing to myself, my first effort, In 1048, when I
first took the lead of the Conservative party let the Home
of Commons end brought the matter before the House, I
was moat careful to make the Issue broad, and to make our
claims for relied upon a large and general foundation. (Cheers )
It woe put [won the ground than u-hat called for redress was
the Wee oo reel property, uhich then coneleted as much or
house property as of land, end I am bound to sty that, at
though there may have been individual cases°t iddheretton
hi and out of Parliament, generally speekiug the claims fir re-
drees of these great national griever, cos wh.ch I have seen have
always been very fairly treated, and It must be always con-
Metered in that ( Hear.) Your views have been placed before
me to.dav with ...Igo', &olio yby many of jour party, and
I am not surprised SI that, beeetl/10 tile Subj,-CI has come
to be thoroughly understood, and you, acting on the prin-
ciple of wiectiott, have taken care that your vies. shall oe
, represented by those who can express your general couvic-
! Done I cannot say that your vines thus expressed differ
from thous of lier Majesty'. Government (oheers) but at
the Berne time elloW Me CO exorcise that re•trve which we
must all exercise In the leinsimse of life' and If I cot elm
my muralist.. to tame of sympathy, and do act show it in
a practical form, It Is not that 1 de, not feel it. ( :beers )
Therefore do not be surprised If I do not ludic:ate the
mean, by which that which you desire May be brought to
a practical bane. Her Majesty's GoVertllMllt ore deeply
Impressed with the views you Mate exorcised. Almost
every member-1e fact, I believe I may say every
me mher—of the I:l“Verlin cot has advocated them durina
a long period of year., and It Is not at all probable
that, being now lit power by no ambiguous or equi-
vocal expression of the puldic wit., the Goventro nt sill
take the ranters opportunity of being false to the muse
which they hove so long upheld. (Cheery.) It has been
mid that it, would be difficult for us, in the circumstances !
Iti which we are placed. to deal with the subject in the '
complete manner in which we could &Are, but, at the same
time, I may say that it will be Impuirible for us to consider
, the finenolel condition of the country without giving to the
questli n which ham called you here the most anxious and
; com pleb e cow id,stlon. (dear, hear.) I hope you will not
press me fer en) more closer declaration. 1 have confessed
to you the Interest of the Government to the matter, and It
f will be one duty to deal with the matter la such away alms
hope will In the end completely satisfy those just dements
which have form long a period bsen brought before the
' country, end which I believe the enlightened oplutou of the
cr untry hae for the meet pert now adopted. (Cheers.)
A. vote of thanke to the right hon. gentlemen was
carti-d anaidet cheering, and the dtpatution with-