The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-02-28 00:00:00

Elle Intllan timto

SATURDAY, FEBRUARY 28, 1857.

THE DAY'S NEWS.

The debate on Mr. Cobden's motion was resumed
last night by Mr. Warren, who declared that the
case of the Arrow was but a flimsy pretext of Sir
John Bowring's for hostilities. He deprecated the
oecurrences at China, and said that the proceedings
of the British Admiral were illegal. The Lord
Advocate implored the House not to make attacks
upon an absent man, and from all points he was of
opinion that instead of being open to censure, Sir
John Bowring deserved praise for his promptitude
and decision. Mr. Whiteside took occasion to
animadvert upon the injustice, spoi!ation, and
unchristian conduct of the British authorities in
the Chinese waters. Mr. Horsfall justified the
attack upon Canton, and Lord Robert Cecil vindi-
cated the measures taken by Commissioner Yeh,
saying that the conduct of the British authorities
had been in direct violation of every principle of
international law. Sir Charles Napier defended
his brother Admiral, as also did Admiral Berkeley,
and Sir J. Graham, the latter of whom eulogised
the character of Sir M. Seymour for bravery,
humanity, and discretion, and spoke to the ability
of Sir J. Bowring as a public servant, denying
that the motion was either abstract or
ambitious, and stated it as his belief that
it was both temperate and moderate, and
worthy of support. The Attorney-General spoke
for some time against the motion, after which
the debate was adjourned till Monday. Before
the debate on the motion commenced, Lord Palmer-
ston, in answer to Mr. Layard, said that it was
true that an offer was made to Sir John M`Neill
raid Colonel Tulloch, during the past week, of
£l,OOO each, and the offer had been refused,
" though not indignantly." He also informed the
House, upon the authority of the Russian Minister
in London, that the report of a treaty between
Russia and Persia was without foundation. It
was also untrue that negotiations between England
and Persia were broken off. The Chancellor of the
Exchequer stated that, during the passage through
the Committee of Ways and Means of the Income
Tax Act, he proposed to insert a provision exempt-
ing incomes under £l5O from the tax, and limiting
the continuance of the tax to three years,
The domestic news of the day is of but little
moment. The Vote by Ballot principle has been
enthusiastically accepted by a crowded Free trade
Hall meeting at Manchester. The speeches of
most importance were made by Mr. Berkeley, Mr
Whitehurst, and Mr. Nicholson. Mr. George
Wilson occupied the chair, and in the course of his
observations he was loudly cheered in making the
remark that he " would be no party, directly or
indirectly, to advocate anything which would stand
in the way of the working man having a voice in
the legislature of the country." He would be, he
continued, no monopolist in the way of votes,
any more than he was a monopolist in the way of
Qom. A movement has begun for the suppression
of a groat public nuisance—Greenwich Fair.
Lord Campbell's motion for the appointment of a
Select Committee, to inquire " whether the privi
lege now enjoyed by newspaper reports of law
proceedings might not be safely and properly
extended to proceedings in other bodies," was
carried by acclamation in the House of Lords.
We trust that the Committee will speedily enter on
its duties, and discharge the trust confided to its
care in an enlightened spirit, and with sound
judgment. By this means we hope. ere long, to
witness the removal of one of the most glaring
defects in the existing law of the land, and the
substitution of more salutary regulations for those
Which have operated very prejudicially both to the
interests and efficiency of journalism. _ _

.The strike at Birkenhead continues, and the
military have arrived from Manchester. The affair
is not, however, so serious as some of our eotem-
poraries would have us believe. The Overseer
for Toxteth Parish was elected yesterday, Mr.
Marshall being the gentleman chosen.
• The foreign news is not of much importance
to day. Paris advices state that Marshal Randon,
who has long been expected in Paris, is to leave
Algiers on the 28th of February. During his
absence General Renault will, it is rumoured,
-Exalt the duties of governor of Algeria ad interim.
The Siecle has received a second wanting on account
'of an article on the legislation concerning the
press, the inconsistencies of which have given an
opportunity to a great many of the French journals
just now to embark on a crusade for the conquest
of a greater degree of independence. A third warn-
ing would put a stop to the existence of the Siecle
A return of the customs duties received in France
'during the month of January has just been issued.
The total receipts were 18,804,112 f ; being an
increase of 2,698,904 f as compared with the corre-
sponding period of last year.
' From our Austrian advices we are led to believe
that a bad feeling exists between Austria and
Sardinia; and it is now certain that the Cabinet of
Austria has complaind of the the hostile demon-
strations at Turin during the Emperor's stay in
Milan: These the Austrian Government roundly
charges upon Victor Emmanuel. The new regu-
lations respecting passports in Austria have been
published. Inhabitants of the country, travelling
in the interior of the empire, will not have need of
passports, but must provide themselves with
cards from the chiefs of the respective districts,
which cards are to be valid for one year.
Austrian subjects will thus he furnished with
a so called document of identity, with which
they will be able to travel without let or
hindrance from the Po to the Elbe, and from
Semlin on the Danube to Bregens on the Lake of
Constance. With respect to foreigners, the most
remarkable changes are :-1. The passports will
only be examined and vise on the frontiers. 2. If a
foreigner should have neglected to obtain the visa
of an Austrian minister or consul to his passport,
he will not, as has hitherto been the case, be sent