The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-31 00:00:00

material of literary productions is hardly worthy
of a great nation or a great Chancellor. All
parties are agreed in desiring to promote popu-
lar education; they differ somewhat in the
mode ; some would give a good secular educa-
tion in common; and leave the special religious
training to be provided for- seperately ; others
think it unsafe and godless to teach arithmetic
without at the same time teaching catechism,
but, at the very least, reading the Bible in the
common schools. But all profess in one form or
othei to -be friends of popular education. Now,
the removal of the duty on paper would indi-
rectly but powerfully help popular education.
The tax operates as a barrier to all who desire to
communicate in printed speech with the public.

The broadsheet, containing coternporary his.
tory, the history of the day, reflecting the image
of society as it is at the moment, cannot be
brought into so extensive and ready contact with
the general mind. What enhances the price of
newspapers, by enhancing the cost of paper,
retards and restricts the diffusion of popular
knowledge. And this falls more severely, as
generally all taxes do, on the labouring classe.g.
There seems no particular reason why newspapers
should not be as abundant in England as in
America. We are aware that the tone and tem-
per of_ the British
_press are said to be vastly
superior to those of the American press. But
supposing the fact to be .so, this impolitic tax is
not the cause of that superiority. Its retention
makes all published information dearer, Books,
as well as newspapers, are enhanced in price.
The author's profit is lessened, and the pub-
lisher's expense increased by it. All those who
desire the spread of sound information, an open
field for truth to grapple with error, the diminu-
tion of all imposts upon the raw material of in-
dustry, will vote against this tax. Since. the
removal of the stamp on newspapers, this re-
mains as a miserable rag to remind us of our
servitude. It would be carrying out that system
og freedom, on which we have
.:happily as a
nation entered of late years, and it would be a
small though graceful concession to public prin-
ciple and usefulness, if this relic of an exploded
system were consigned to the list of the things
that were.

THE elections progress, and each contest adds
a new feature to the opinions which the several
constituencies entertain as to the expediency of
the late dissolution. Yesterday, we noticed
some of the more remarkable changes which
had taken place on Saturday's polling. To
these we have now to add the rejection of Sir
WILLIAM CLAY, by the electors of the Tower
Hamlets, and Mr. MONTAGUE CHAMBERS, by
the people of Greenwich. With regard to the
former gentleman, we consider his defeat as a
matter of great discouragement to the Liberal
interest. His unceasing efforts to abolish that
most objectionable impost, Church rates, as well
...thPr niiPstionm of reform, deserved a better
recompense ; and even that the electors of the
Tower Hamlets have found a man of good pro-
mise in Mr. AYRTON, it says but little for their
appreciation of tried worth and past services, that
Sir WILLIAM CLAY should be placed lowest on
the poll. Sir CHARLES NAPIER has again been
returned for Southwark, and Greenwich has re-
elected General CODRINGTON. Both of these
returns are of a questionable character, for
neither the one nor the other has given any evi-
dence of Parliamentary capacity. We could
wish that there was less desire to dub naval and
military officers, and aspiring barristers with
the much coveted title of M.P. If this were so,
and no person sent to Parliament who exerted
his influence for the purpose of obtaining place
and power, better Governments would be the
result. The Ministers themselves have not
escaped unscathed. Mr. FREDERICK PEEL has
been turned out of Bury, and Admiral BERKELEY,
one of the Lords of the Admiralty, has lost his
election for Gloucester,' whilst the Vice-President
of the Board of Trade, Mr. ROBERT .LowE,
although obtaining a majority of votes at Kidder-
minster, had a narrow escape for his life. A
serious riot took place on Saturday evening,
when the right hon. gentleman was struck with
a brick, rendering him senseless, in which state
he was carried off by his fiiends.

These facts are sufficient evidence that the
Government is not universally popular, and that
here and there constituencies can be found to
reject Lord PALMERSTON'S foreign policy. In
addition to this, the re-election of Lord JOHN
RUSSELL for the city of London is a thorn in the
side of Lord PALMERSTON, particularly as there is
every reason to believe that he anxiously desired
his defeat, as a sort of climax of satisfaction for
the opposition he has met at his lordship's hands
The attempt has failed, and no matter how the
semi-official journals may endeavour to -expidin
away the resu't of the city of London .election,
certainit is that Lord JOHN enters the
liament w:th
,increased prestige, and will-no
doubt be enabled to rally round his standard
a party considerable both in numbers and
position.

Taking a general view of the result, as far as
they-have-been made known, the friends of-pro-
gress must feel satisfied. Although a large ma-
jority of the new House of Commons will place
all confidence in Lord PALMERSTON'S foreign
policy, it by no means follows that he will have
their support on all questions of domestic legis-

lation. As we have before intimated, there must
now be a breaking up of the various sections or
parties which characterised the late Parliament.
There can only be two great parties—the Minis-
terial and the Opposition. To retain power,
Lord PALMERSTON must outbid Lord J. RUSSELL,
for it is perfectly evident that the latter is in a
position to form a band of followers that will
compel the progress of Reform. Liberal-minded
Conservatives will give him their support, and
the Peelites, though few in number, will not

hesitate to adopt his watchword—" Peace,
" Economy, and Reform." Indeed, Sir JAMES