The Press.
London, England, 1856-12-13 00:00:00

politltal.

CABINET COUNCILS were held on Tuesday and Fri-
day, at the official residence of the First Lord of the
Treasury, in Downing-street. The Ministers present
were Viscount Palmerston, the Lord Chancellor,
Earl Granville, Sir George Grey, the Earl of Claren-
don, Mr. Secretary Labouchere, the Chancellor of
the Exchequer, Sir Charles Wood, the Right Hon.
R. Vernon Smith, the Right Hon. M. T. Baines, and
the Duke of Argyll.
A ROYAL COMMISSION will shortly be issued, ap-
pointing Lord Broughton, the Dean of St. Paul's,
Mr. R. Ford, Mr. Faraday, Mr. Cockerel!, R.A., and
Mr. G. Richmond, to inquire into and determine
the site of the new National Gallery, and to report
on the desirableness of combining with it the Fine
Art and Archaeological collections of the British
Museum.

THE GOVERNMENT have at length resolved to lit
out an expedition to ascend the Niger. The success
attendant upon Dr. Baikie's attempt has led to this
happy decision.

THE REDUCTION OF THE INCOME TAX was dis-
cussed at a great meeting held at Brighton on
Monday evening. The Mayor presided, and Sir
George Pechell, Bart., M.P., was present. Various
addresses were delivered upon the injustice of direct
tazation, and the following resolutions were ulti-
mately agreed to:—

That the present enormous charge of Hid. in the pound
levied on incomes is, from the mode of its assessment,
most oppressive and unjust; and as the understanding at
the time of passing the acts of Parliament by which the tax
was increased was, that they were to continue in force for
one y ear after the termination of the war, and no longer,
the meeting is of opinion that those acts of Parliament
ought to be repealed from and after the bth of April next.
That the present system of levying the income tax, by
taxing permanent and precarious incomes alike, is mani•
featly unjust, and leads to a general and systematic evasion ;
that the despotic and inquisitorial mode of assessment is
repugnant to the feelings of Englishmen, and has been
submitted to, from time to time, under the impression that
the tax was only for a temporary purpose ; and that this
meeting hereby pledges itself to use every legitimate means
to obtain a more equitable adjustment of the tax, or a total
repeal of it upon trades and professions.
That the practice of allowing a poundage to the officers
employed in assessing and collecting the income tax upon
the amount assessed or collected, renders them liable to
discharge impartiality in the disregard of their duties, and
paralyses their usefulness, by engendering a suspicion of
their integrity.
The last resolution was to the effect that a petition
embodying the foregoing resolutions be prepared for
signature, and requesting the members of the bo-
rough to support the same in Parliament. Similar
meetings have been held at Reading and Plymouth
during the week, and resolutions for the entire abo-
lition of the tax have been proposed and unani-
mously carried. At Reading, Mr. F. Pigott, M.P.,
and Mr. H. Keating, M.P., stated their determination
to support the petition agreed upon, and any measure
fur the entire repeal of the tax. A crowded meeting
was also held in Southwark on Thursday, fcr the
purpose of considering the question, and various re-
solutions were passed with the view of obtaining a
reduction of the tax to 7d. in the pound, or its entire
abolition. Mr. Pellatt, M.l'., supported the reso-
lution-.

MR. W. WILLIAMS, M.P. for Lambeth, met and
addressed his constituents on Wednesday evening.
The hon. member at great length, and with as much
tediousness, reviewed the work of last session. In
conclusion, he alluded to the concentration and iso-
lation in large camps of the army, hinted darkly at
continental despotisms, and declared that no less
than 1,600,0001. had been spent in two years for
hutting and hariacks. Mr. Williams objected to her
Majesty the Queen visiting the ramp at Aldershott.
It was expensive, and suspiciously novel