The Express.
London, England, 1860-05-11 00:00:00

CUSTOMS BILL.

Earl GRANVILLE, in moving the second reading of this
bill, which had been adopted by the House of Commons,
entered into an explanation of its provisions, the object
of which he said was to simplify the tariff and to give
greater facilities to trade ; but the noble lord spoke in so
low a tone of voice that he was scarcely audible in the pl.
lery. On ordinary occasions he said it was neoemary in
proposing the second reading of such a bill to state all the
arguments in its favour ; but most of those arguments were
connected with the general question of the French treaty,
upon which a debate had already taken place in that house,
and he would not, therefore, reopen the discussion unless
it were necessary or required by their lordships. He
should, however, be happy to give any explanation with
re
to the bill.
The Earl of DERBY—My lords, I will offer no opposi-
tion to the proposal which the noble earl lea just made
upon the part of her Majesty's government, and if I
abstain at this time from discus ing the policy of the
government upon this subject, we do not thereby intend
to signify an acquiescence in, much leas an approval of, the
course they have pursued in regard to the treaty with
France. (Heir, hear.) When the treaty was first an-
nounced, we on this side of the house stated the objections
we entertained to the terms of it so far as they were then
known. We entertained those objections as strongly
when we were better acquainted with the details, and every
day that passes strengthens my conviction that her Ma-
jesty's government, in making use of very irexperienoed
agents, in departing from the ordinary course of diplomacy,
end in entering into the consideration of this subject with
very inadequate means of information, have unfortunately
placed the country in a very serious difficulty by having en-
tered into a very disadvaatageous treaty. And at the present
moment as regards the advantages supposed to he derived
from it, we are absolutely and entirely at the mercy of the
French government, and from the aceounts we hoar I am
certainly not disposed to believe that the French govern-
ment will use with very great moderation the power which
has been most unwisely eutrusted to them. (Hear, bear.)
At the same time I agree with the noble earl that the occa-
sions must be very rare indeed when your lordships rosy
feel it your incumbent duty is reject • proposition con-
nected with the finances and commerce of the country
which has been made on the responsibility of the govern-
ment and has received the sanction of the House of Com-
mons ; and of comae these considerations weigh with much
greater force when it is not only a question as between the
House of Commons and the country, but a question also
which involves the negotiations with a foreign power and
the maintenanceof • treaty by which, however much we
may disapprove of 1., we are in point of fact bound. Beralut,
as your lonlships are aware, the bill comprises sear
different subjects, and if we object to any one of its pro-
visions it is not possible for us, consistently with the pri-
vileges of the House of Commons, to eliminate that one and
nand back the bill so amended to the other house. We
have no choice but its acceptance as a whole or its absolute
rejection, which would disturb the whole financial arrange-
ments of the government, and also interfere with these
commercial arrangements which have been entered into on
the full understanding that the system adopted by the
House of Commons would be carried out I therefore
think that, while on the one hand it would be very unwise
to take on myself the responsibility of asking your lordships
to reject the proposal, I cannot, on the other, avoid saying,
that in my belief the arrangements made, including the
treaty, are of the most improvident and most dangerous
character —(bear, hear)—and that the financial condition of
the country, not only in the present year, but still more in
the next year, is a matter of the deepest anxiety to the
mind of every man who has seriously turned his attention
to the subject. (Hear, hear.) Undoubtedly these are pro-
calcubged to aggravate that difficulty, for taking off
Snstiiiet,which, on a fitting occasion, might be very...Ai:l
Wild wisely reduced, but ought not to be
in the present condition of the country. Nevertheless, we
are hound to sanction the present bill. We are compelled
to adopt prepositions for reduction, in the already too small
revenue of the country. There is, however, another ques-
tion with which the terms of the treaty do not in the
slightest degree interfere, and with regard to whiclf no ne-
' gotiations or commercial arrangements have as yet been
made, but in respect of which her Majesty's government
are calling upon this country to make • wholly useless and
dangerous sacrifice of the permanent revenue to the amount
of 1,5013,0001. (Hear, hear.) I need not say that I allude
Ito the bill for the abolition of the paper duties.
(Hear, hear.) My noble friend who site on the
one. benches (Lord Monteagle) has given entice of
his intention to enrolee the second reading of that bill ;
end I feel that so far from embarrassing the government, or
interfering with any of their other arrangements, or in the
slightest degree prejudicing the financial or other buainess of
the country, the rejection of that bill will tend inateridly
to improve their whole 'scheme. The noble earl knows that
no exertion will be wanting on my part to obtain thrive-
jection of that bill, and thereby to Pave to the government
a very large portion of revenue. I cannot help thinking
that the noble sari has confounded two matters which are
entirely distinct. He speaks of the reductions made in
the tariff being • reliefs to the consumer to a certain
amount, and says that the consequent loss to the
revenue had been considerably lessened by the inernmed
consumption, but wheu he &attunes there has been a relief to
the consumer he is not entitled to take as that relief the
whole amount of the duty taken off, because he will find
that upon several of those matters upon which the duty
has been taken off, the consumer is obtaining no relief
whatever. The price of the articles upon which the duty
has been removed Isis been kept up, if not increased, and I
cannot therefore admit that the relief to the consumer is
equivalent to the amount of the reduction of duty, I will
not enter further at present into the subject of the omit-
' mercial and financial arrangements of the government,
er of their policy. Your lordships will recollect that before
Easter it was stated by the noble earl that he thought
it would be convenient that the whole of those finalicial
arrangements should be brought under your lordships' dis-
cussion, and I think the most fitting 0C4M.41011 for that pur-
pose will be when you are dealing with that important item
of a million and • half, which is involved iu the abolition of
the paper duty. (Hear, hear.)
The till was then read • second time.
LUNATIC ASYLUM IN DONE(AL.
A discusaiou upon the proposcd lunatic asylum for the
county of Donegal, brought forward by Lord LIFFoRD. gave
occasion to Lord LEITRIM- for an at upon the govern-
ment of Ireland and for a fierce philippic upon the Lord
Lieutenant, who was not present.
Lord EGLINTt iN briefly defended the Lord Lieutenant
from the charges brought againgt him.
Their lordships adjourned at a quarter-put 7 o'clock.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—THUBSDAT, MAY 10.
The SPEAKER took tho chair at 4 o'clock.