Northern Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-07-18 00:00:00

amount being £11,592,160. The returns show a
decrease of £4,755,628 in public depositr,
£1,260,075 in other deposits.

MR. ROEBUCK brought forward a most
important motion in the House of Commons,
on Thursday night—nothing less than a vote of
censure against the Government, for its conduct
regarding the war with Persia. Considering
that we are again plunged into a war with
China, and that the state of affairsin India are
truly alarming, it was to be expected that the
Honourable Member for Sheffield would fail to
induce the House to affirm his resolution, which
set forth that the conduct of the Government in
the Persian war tends to weaken the authority
of the House, and to dispense with its constitu-
tional control over the finances of the country,
and renders it necessary for the House to express
its strong reprobation of such a course :of
proceeding. The debate which ensued upon
the motion was tame in the extreme, and were
it not that Lord PA.LMERSTON is one of the most
popular Premiers which ever held the reins of
Government in time of war, the division would,
no doubt, have shown a totally different
result, and the majority been converted into a
minority.

Let us inquire whether the conduct of
Government, as far as it has reference to
hostilities with Persia, merited the condemna-
tion which Mr. ROEBUCK'S motion set forth.
It is one of the conditions of the British consti-
tution, that no war can be carried on with any
foreign power, except by and with the know-
ledge and consent of Parliament. It is true that
the Sovereign has the exclusive power of
declaring war, but the power of granting the
means of carrying on hostilities rests exclusively
with the House of Commons. Once the
supplies are stopped, there is an end to
campaigning in an enemy's country.
There is wisdom in such an arrangement. The
taxation of the country, which goes to support
our naval and military forces, is taken from the
pockets of the people at large. It is their money,
and not that of the Government, for the time
being. It should not, therefore, be squandered
in this or that project without their concurrence.
Hence the national purse-strings have for a long
series of years been placed under the entire con-
trol of the people's representatives—the House
of Commons. And so jealous is the House of
is prerogative in financial matters, that the
House of Lords are not permitted to alter or
amend any Money Bill introduced by the Govern-
ment of the day. Were it otherwise, there would
be a door open for much Government jobbing
and corruption; and foreign diplomatists might
find means for carrying out political deeigns
which would bring about results of a disastrous
character to this country. Again, there cannot
be a question that the fact of any Government
assuming to itself the nowe.r tf declar;ns and
carrying on war without the knowledge and
sanction of Parliament is abrogating one of the
foremost principles of the British Constitution,
and is a direct attempt to rob the House of
Commons of one of the most important powers
and privileges of which it is possessed. On
these grounds alone there was enough to justify
the House of Commons expressing its dissatis-
faction with the course adopted by the Govern-
ment in carrying on a series of warlike engage-
ments in Persia.

But there was another and a very significant
idea put forth by Mr. ROEBUCK to show that
Lord PALMERSTON and his colleagues have been
culpable in the movements upon Persia—namely,
that by withdrawing the forces from India to serve
in the expedition against Persia, we have only
hastened " the period of the mutiny in India.
Should this actually have been so, no language
could be too strong to denounce a governmental
policy which has resulted in a deluge of human
blood, and an expenditure of money which will
bear heavily upon the pfesent generation and
and upon generations yet unborn. The Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer was the great apologist
of the Government, but, as he was told by Mr.
WALPOLE, he offered a very lame reply to the
charges against the Government. Lord JOHN
RUSSELL also objected to the proceedings of the
Ministry in the matter. From what his lordship
said, the Persian affair was a matter much to be
deplored, showing as it does that, after all,
Persia was more sinned against than sinning.
The result of the debate was a majority of 314
in favour of government, the resolution of Mr.
ROEBUCK finding only thirty-eight supporters.
and Ministers 352.
We are glad that Mr. ROEBUCK brought
forward the subject, and that there was a tacit
understanding that the course adopted by the
Government should not be drawn into a prece-
dent. The people of the United Kingdom will
not tolerate Lord PALMERSTON'S idea that the
Government has a right to declare war and to
conclude peace independent of Parliament. The
doctrine is mischievous in the extreme, and
although he may vaunt about what he has done
in Persia, we must tell him that the privilege of
the House of Commons controlling the conduct
of Government through the finances must and
shall be maintained. Altogether the debate tells
better for the minority, and still less for the
moral courage of the House, when it succumbed
to the Treasury Whip and voted against its
own powers and prerogatives.

AT last, a movement is about being made on
behalf of Mr. JAMES M'DONALD, amongst a
few influential gentlemen—his friends. This
should have been done long since, However,

better late than never. Mr. M‘DoNALD's ante.
cedents are well known. Some five-and-twenty
years ago, he was a common policeman. Then
we find him rising step by step, (the best proof
of good conduct) until he reached the highest
office but one in the Liverpool Constabulary, in
which service he was most severely injured.
Then we find him in the important situation of
manager for one of the Water Companies. In
that position he displayed considerable engineer-
ing skill; and to him, we believe, the people of
Liverpool are indebted for our truly invaluable
and scientific method of supplying water for the
extinguishing of fires.
But Mr. INI‘DoNALD was guilty of a grave
offence against the established usages of society.
In common parlance, he was a fool—so very
foolish that he was honest; and for this folly he
has been made to suffer. Some ten years ago,
when the Pike scheme was obtruded on the
consideration of the authorities, Mr. M‘DoNALD
ventured to tell them that there was an abundance
of good spring water at their own doors, infinitely
superior in quality to any they could procure
from Rivington ; the quantity unlimited, and
the cost, compared with that of the Pike, nil.
Mr. M'DoNALD's satements caused consider-
able consternation amongst the Pike promoters.
However, it was thought he could very soon be
disposed of. Five hundred pounds per annum,
plenty of champagne and claret at the Stork,
sumptuous dinners, and `all the etceteras, were
arguments conclusive, in the estimation of the
Pikeists, to secure his silence, if not his acqui-

escence in the job. But the sturdy Highlander

was not to be bribed or cajoled ; he stuck to his
text—truth lay at the bottom of the well—so
said Mr. M'DoNALD. Intimidation was then
retorted to, but with no better result. Then
followed the last resort of tyrant's persecution,
in its worst and most detestable aspect. Talk et
the cap of silence—of the rack and thumbscrew !
The jobbers whose path Mr. M•DoiALD had
crossed would willingly have consigned him to
the stake or the scaffold, if they had only
possessed the power ; as they did not, however,

they thought starvation would be a more refined
method of gratifying their vengeance. But Mr.
M'DONALD would not starve. In the midst of
poverty his spirit was unsubdued, and he per-
sisted in the truth of his original statements.
The base and the cowardly only resort to slander
and defamation, and these were the dernier
weapons used by Mr. MTONALD'S enemies ; but,
as usual, they have been turned against them-
selves with fearful effect. Mr. IVI'DoNALD has
completely vindicated his character, both public
and private, from all the foul aspersions of his
calumniators, who stand conscience-stricken—
powerless to do further mischief.
For ten long years Mr. M'DONALD has stood
in the " fore front" of the hottest battle which
ever was fought in Liverpool or elsewhere on
such a subject, and he has virtually proved vic-
torious. True, he has not succeeded in preventing
the consummation of the Pike job, but he
has fully exposed its thorough rottenness, and
has thus rendered it comparatively innocuous,
while, on the other hand, he has proved
incontestibly that the yield of the wells
is even more than he had contended for. It
must be borne in mind that it was for having
made known the truth about the yield of these
wells that this poor man was reduced to beggary.
What do those persons, who were loudest in
denouncing his statements in the Council
Chamber and elsewhere, think of their conduct
to-day ? •

But we should nut be serving his interests if
we dwelt on this most painful subject. It is
enough to say that Mr. M'DONALD has been
a deeply injured man. We trust, however, that
those who were parties to his downfall will
show, now that they have the opportunity, that
they were not influenced by factious or personal
feelings. Nothing can justify the fierce and
vindictive attacks made on this poor man by
those who ought to have known better. If those
parties are gentlemen, they can yet make the
amende honourable.

We believe that if ever a man deserved well
of a community, :that man is JAMES M`DONALD.
There is not .a ratepayer in Liverpool who is not
his debtor, and we trust they will prove to the
world that the man who sacrificed his own
interests to serve them shall not go unrewarded.
The result of the present movement will show
whether the public deserve to have honest,
faithful, and devoted servants, or the reverse.
For our own parts we shall have much pleasure
in subscribing our mite in aid of the
M'DONALD fund, and shall be happy to receive
any sums which may be handed to us for that
object. The ratepayers of Liverpool owe a duty
to themselves even more than to Mr. M DONALD
in this matter. We shall be somewhat curious
to know how they will perform it.
Let it be borne in mind that every statement
which Mr. M'DONALD has made since the
commencement of the water controversy, ha s
been verified to the letter. That even his
enemies must admit.

PRINCE NAPOLEON IN LIVERPOOL,—Prince Napoleon
and party arrived from Manchester at twelve o'clock on
Tuursday night, and proceeded direct to his yacht, La
Reins Hortense. Yesterday morning the deputy-mayor,
Mr. Alderman J. H. Turner, accompanied by Mr. Charles
Turner, Mr. T. Bold, and Mr. F. Heywood, went on board
to pay their respects to his Imperial Highness, and were
introduced by the French Consul. They were most
courteously received by the Prince, and subsequently
accompanied his Imperial Highness on his visit to the
American frigate Niagara. Eve,ry honour was paid by
Captain Hudson to his distinnished visitor, and on the
departure of the Prince the yards were manned by the