The Express.
London, England, 1849-02-24 00:00:00

ASSESSED TAXES.

Mr. HODGES waaan;reustc7hea7iiom the Chancellor
of the Exchequer whether it wu in contemplation to bring
In any immure authorising composition of the amused taus.
- -

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that a
bill had bean passed about two years Billet., under which the
existinp compositions were made. That bill was enacted for
Ave years, and he was not aware of any other measure being
in contemplation.

PARLIAMENTARY OATHS.

The house went into committee on the parliamentary
oaths.
. _

The CILMMAN read the resolutions m fellows :
That it is expedient to alter the oaths required to be taken by sub.
jab of ha Majesty not professing the Roman catholic religion, as
queliflatioss for sitting and voting in parliament; and to male pro.
vision in respect of the mid oaths for the relief of her Majesty's sub.
' jade professing the Jewish Tension.
Mr. V. SMITH rose to move the following amendment :
That it Is expedient to abolish •11 oaths except the oaths of fidelity
and allegiance to her Majesty.
_ . . .

He said he wished it to be understood that in moving this
amendment he was not seeking to throw any obstacle in the
way of the admission of Jews into parliament. But be
thought that when the question of
.parliamentary oaths
generally was coming ancer discussion, it would be well to
consider whether there were not a great many unneeerary
oaths, and whether by their abolition a more agreeable
road into parliament than that proposed by the re-
solution might not be opened fer persona of the
Jewish persuasion. He entertained a very strong objection
to the multiplication of oaths. (Hear, hear.) And as to the
parliamentary oaths giving a solemn sanction to the entry of
members into that house, any one who saw the crowd of
members about the table at the commencement of a session
would feel that there was very little of solemnity;in the
i ceremony. (Hear, hear) He thought the oaths administered
to Roman c. tholic members highly objectionable, and would
if possible strike out the declaration " on the true faith of a
Christian." The oath of supremacy was surplusage, seeing
that there was now no preteeder to the throne, and there-
fore, under all the circumstances, he thought that a simple
oath of fidelity and allegiance which might be taken by
every class of her Majesty's subjects would answer every
practisal purpose.
Lord J. RUSSELL could only say, as he had said on a
former occasion, that the arrangement of the parliamentary
oaths in 1829 was looked upon es the final settlement of a
geese question. He did not see that there was now any
cause for altering that settlement, and therefore must oppose
the right hon. gentleman's amendment.
Kr. HUME thought it would be wise to abolish, ea tar
as possible, all unnecessary oaths. (Hear, hear.) Silo he
had been in parliament two bills, called the Duke of Rich-
mond's acts, had reduced the number of oaths taken in
different public formalities by about twenty ndllions, and
other arrangements had knocked off about twenty millions
more. (A 'such) He was not aware that a greater amount
of national dishonesty had been perceptible since the aboli-
tion. (Rear, hear.) He thought theuneadMent of the right