The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1856-06-14 00:00:00

fairly chronic

But what will the Committee recom-
mend in this case? Remember Denmark, and not
Liverpool, is complained of, and Parliament will
adhere to the sound principle followed for centu-
ries, and will recommend compensation !

legislature

If the Danes lose their Sound Dues, their loss
of income will assuredly be made up to them by
capitalisation. Parliament will vote the amount of
money required to compensate them as freely as
the Committee will call upon them to do so. But
how will it be with Liverpool, when her lawful reve-
nues have been reported upon by Mr. LOWE and his
Committee The PALMERSTON Cabinet would
not do an " injustice" to Denmark for the world.
The Imperial Senate would not tolerate a breach
of faith with a foreign power. We shall be told,
in very plain language, that if wo ask such con-
cessions to trade as the abolition of fiscal sources
of income, we must be ready to pay for them—
other people must not be losers by our
wants. We shall hear all this and a great
deal more about the rights of the Danes to their
dues on ships and goods. It would be as com-
plete an act of suicide, to attempt to get between
Parliament and its opinion in favour of compen-
sation in this instance, as it would be to place
one's self in the way of an infuriate bull, or an
express railway train.

Whether the Ratelpayers of Liverpool will
have cause to regret that they are not Danes,
remains to be seen, when Mr. LOWE'S Com-
mittee, and the Gevcrnment of which he is

a member, begin to treat of the corporate
income of this Borough. The report of the
Passing Tolls and Towns Dues Committee,
and thejmeasures the PAL3rEnsToN Cabinet will
recommend to Parliament, on the strength of that
report, will show us whether the dues, of the cor-
porate subjects of England, are to be dealt with
in the same spirit. The Sound Dues Committee
invite the Chambers of Commerce throughout
the kingdom to appear before them and give
evidence ; and while the Liverpool Chamber
will doubtless take a leading part in the investi-
gation, the public will be most curious to see what
the Manchester Tolls and Dues Abolitionists will
have to say for themselves on a question of
Danish taxes on trade and shipping. They treat
with scorn the bare whisper of compensation in
our case, and we feel much anxiety so see what
shape and complexion their consistency will

assume with regard to f

gn Sound Dues

IF we may venture on making a comparison,
which is always more or less invidious, we would
say that our trade with Ireland is as valuable as
our commerce with any other country in the world.
The amount we import annually from the Sister
Isle may be less than the value of commodities
received from other States—but we obtain from
the Irish soil a profuse supply of those necessaries
which other countries, owing to distance, and a
cannot send us. She has been

variety of causes,

deprived of her monopoly in corn and provisions,
and time proves the wisdom of the change. The
freedom of commerce has led to the emancipation
of Irish industry, and the "Repeal of the Union" of
her people with social misery and heart-sickening
want. Without looking too closely into causes, it
will be sufficient to say, that the effect of every
material change which has taken place in her con-
dition, has had a tendency towards the ameliora
tion of the peasant class. There is much
yet to be done to bring the masses of her
population up to a healthy standard of civi-
lised life, but since all the expedients which
have been tried within the last few years,
appear to be working well--why not let well
enough alone ? Ireland's peace and prosperity
would be England's greatest moral strength and
social blessing, and where the interests of the two
nations are identical, and incalculable, we should
see that the progress the Irish people are making
is not interrupted by hasty or unwise legislation.
We are induced to direct attention to the vast
stake we have in the welfare of Ireland by the
proposal recently made in Parliament to abolish
the Encumbered Estates' Court, and transfer its
powers to that sink of all legal pollution—the Irish
Court of Chancery. We were never ardent
admirers of that new and much lauded tribunal
which some are so desirous to see done away with.,
It was founded on promises and hopes which few
can say have been realised to anything like the
extent anticipated. The promise was, it would pay
off iucumbrances with electric despatch, and throw
open the land to its frieze-coated sons. The hope

was no less flattering. Rack-rents were to be un-

known. A large influx of English and Scotch capital-
ists was to follow the exodus of the old owners and

occupiers. Partially, both the promise and expec-
tation have been fulfilled ; but only partially, and
on terms, which, in our sincere solicitude for the
solid welfare of Ireland, we fear will counter-
balance all apparent gains. It is well known that
previous to the sale of land, a valuation was made
by the Encumbered Estates' Court, and that in
nearly all cases a higher value was given to the
land by the agents of that Court, than the govern-
ment valuation, which was made in the rampant
rack-rent days. It may then be found that the
purchasers, be they Irishmen or Englishmen,

paid more than the money value of their

purchases

That it will ultimately prove so, we firmly
believe. Yet this is only our individual opinion.
The exp9riment is one of great moment, and since
it has not retarded, but on the contrary, appears
to have favoured the general improvement of
Ireland, we see no sufficient reason to justify the
Government's or Parliament's interfering with
it, except to infuse new life into the veins of the
infant Court. To throw it into the cesspool of
Irish equity would be most diabolical infanticide.
Why, giving the Court of Chancery power to make
Parliamentary titles to estates, would open up a
field for property swindling and fraud such as few

can conceive. It would be monstrously convenient,

no doubt, for some of the Masters to get certain
notorious cases out of their offices by making Par-