The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-04 00:00:00

(174 t ilorNtrn (gin-Ito

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 4, 1857.

THE DAYS NEWS.

Another session, the fifth, and probably last, of
the present Parliament was opened by commission
yesterday. The Queen's speech, or rather message
—for it was delivered by proxy—does not possess
any features of striking importance, with the excep-
tion of that relating to the Bank of England, as it
is IQss precise on many points than was anticipated.
But, as we have commented in another column,
!Dn this official document, we at once summarise
the proceedings in both houses last night.

In the Lords the address was moved by the Rarl
0 Cork. The Earl of Derby took occasion to la-
• went at the smallness of the programme of business
jor the session as promised by the Royal Speech,
urged the necessity of a reduction in the income tax,
and demanded explanations from the Government
respecting the Chinese, Persian, and Neufchatel
difficulties, and their conduct therein, but did not
oppose the address. The Earl of Clarendon
explained and defended the attitude taken by the
government on these momentous questions. Earl
Frey moved, as an amendment to the address,
that ail mention of Persia should be omitted,

and that an expression of regret should be
inserted that Parliament was not called
together to discuss the question, before any
pperations,offensive or defensive, were commenced
The amendment to the address was, however, lost
by a majority of 33 ; the votes being, for the.
address 45, against it 12.
In the Commons, amongst many notices of
motion, we perceive that on Friday next, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer will move for a

Select Committee to enquire into the operations of
the Bank Act of 1844, and'the Irish and Scotch
Acts of 1845; and also into the laws relating to
ioint Stock Banks. Mr. Roebuck will, on
Tuesday newt move for a select committee on the
subject of secondary punishment and transporta-
tion ; and, on the day previous, the Home Secre-
tary will produce a bill to amend the acts to
elibstilute other panishments in lieu of trans-
portation. The address to the throne was moved
by Sir John Ramsden,whose speech on the occasion
was a eulogium of all the acts that had hitherto
been sanctioned by the present Government on
the-war questions; the war being now concluded,
the House would have the pleasing duty to
perform of reducing the taxation which at present
kaeighs down the poorer classes so heavily. Sir A.
Agnew seconded the address. Mr. Disraeli took
occasion to severely censure the conduct of Lords
Clarendon and Palmerston, in connection with the
Paris Conferences, and alleged that through their
blundering Lord Clarendon had failed to
secure the independence of the Black Sea,
and the freedom of the Danube. He
charged the Government with duplicity on the
Neufchatel difficulty. The income tax Mr. Disraeli
would reduce to the standard of 1853, and he con-
cluded by avowing his intention to vote for the
address. The Chancellor of the Exchequer de
plored any discussion on the income tax until the
budget would be brought up, which would be on
an early day. Mr. Gladstone is of opinion
that the pledges given in 1853 on the income
tax should be adhered to. Lord Palmerston
stigmatised the statements of Mr. Disraeli on
the foreign policy of the Government as
grossly inaccurate, and greatly exaggerated. With
regard to his participation in the Persian and
Chinese affairs, he was only following in the foot-
steps of Mr. Disraeli and Sir Robert Peel's govern-
ment. Lord John Russell supported the Govern-
ment on the question of the Paris Conference, but
he had some doubts as to the Persian question.
After some remarks from Mr. M. Gibson, Mr.
Hadfield, and Mr.V. Smith, the address was agreed
to, and the house rose.
The usual monthly meeting of the Garston Board
of Health was held yesterday, from the pro-
peedings of which we learn that the General