The Northern Daily Times.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1857-03-06 00:00:00

THE DAY'S NEWS

The chief topic of domestic intelligence this
morning is the fact tlpt Parliament is to be dis
solved, and after that a general election.. Lord
Palmerston went to Windsor on Wednesday, after
the .Cabinet Council broke up, and arrived in
London yesterday forenoon. Shortly afterwards
Lord Granville called upon him, and then pro-
ceeded to the residences of several ministers, .to
Communicate the result of Lord Palmerston's inter-
view with her Majesty on Wednesday night. Shortly
before one o'clock, Lord Palmerston proceeded
to his residence in Downing street, where most of
the members of the Cabinet and several of the
tnost influential members of the ministerial party
had interviews with him. Last night Lord Palmer-
ston in the Commons, and Lord Grenville in the
Lords, made the usual statement, from which our
readers will perceive that, as soon as the supplies
a-e voted, and a Mutiny Bill for three months
pas ied, the members of the presentiHouse of Com-
mons will be sent back to their consi-
tuents to give an - account of their stew.
ardship since their last election. The position
of the Ministry has not failed to cause
considerable excitement in Liverpool, the mercan-
tile portion of the community believing that the
attempt to oust Lord Palmerston from power was
not only an unnatural attempt, but the result of
factious designs. Yesterday, the -merchants on
'Change got up the following address to Lord
Palmerston, which received uPwards of 2,000
Signatures in the course of a few hours. Men, of
all parties rushed to the desk in the Exchange
rooms, and affixed their signatures. We under.
stand it was despatched to his lordship last nii,ht.
We append the document in its enterrity :
" We, the undersigned residents of Liverpool,

'• beg to assure your lordship that we have learned
with feelings of surprise and regret the result-of
the debate on Mr. Cobden's motion in the House
• of Commons, on Tuesday evening, and at the same
time to express the great confidence we entertain
in the efficiency and vigour of your administration.
eminently conducive as we believe it to the honour
and prosperity of the country at home and abroad.
The incongruous and factious coalition in parlia-
• - mont which has made the present unfortunate
state of matters in China the pretext for displacing
_ your government, will meet with little sympathy
in the country, and we are anxious to take an
early opportunity of assuring your lordship of our
sincere hope that the result may be more firmly to:
establish the power you have wielded for the best
interests of this empire."
Various rumours are floating about in the me-
... tropolis. The West-end Clubs are said to be in a
state of the greatest fermentation, and at Brookes's
the Reform, and the Carlton the greatest confusion
prevails. The Palmerston party insist that their
chief for some time anticipated that such a
blow would be struck by his opponents, and
had been prepared for it. In going to
I: the country they assert that he will take revenge
e upon the Coalitionists by baiting his hook with a
( Reform Bill. This would be inconsistent, but the
past experience of the Noble Lord shows that he
win:not stop: at trifles to retain power. It is known
that, the Court party are not favourable to an or-
1' garde change in the representative system, but
hopes are entertained that the pressure of Lord
Palmerston may succeed in removing opposition
• On the other . hand .we • are told that the
Thries and Peelites are • greatly gratified, and
in high feather at the result of Mr. Cob-
den's motion, and it is stated that, in case
the Earl of Derby should be seat for, he will do all
in his power to propitiate those who supported the
opposition, and it is confidently said that Mr.
Gladstone arid Sir James Graham have signified
their readiness to accept office. In connection with
these remarks we may further observe, that in the
event.of a coalition ministry 'being formed, it is
geneially supposed that Mr. Gladstone will take
,•,1 -the post of Chancellor of the Ekehequer,
with the leadership of the House of Commons;
that Mr. Disraeli will be Secretary of State

for Foreign Affairs ; the Earl of Mslmesbury,
Colonial Secretary ; the Earl of Ellenborough,
Minister of War ; Mr. Sidney Herbert, Home

Secretary ; -I‘ll.. Card Well, President of the
Board of Trade ; Sir James Graham, First Lord
of the Admiralty; Sir John Pakington, Secretary
of State for the Home Department; Sir Fitzroy
Kelly, Attorney General ; and Mr. Warren or Sir
Erskine Perry, Solicitor General ; Sir Frederick
Thesiger being a candidate -for the Speakership,
which will become vacant by the elevation of Mr.
Lefevre, thepresent Speaker, to the Peerage. It is
said that Sir Frederick Thesiger will be opposed
by Mr. Stuart Wortley, Lord Palmerston's recently
appointed Solicitor General. Lord Derby WoUld,
of course-, be the Prime Minister of the Coalition
Government.

In the (louse of tords last night, Lord Claren
don stated that peace had been concluded with
Persia. The tenor of the Russian organs with
regard to it justifies the belief that .Russia will
throw no impediment in the way of a final arrange-
ment. It is no secret that the present under-
standing is owing to the unofficial mediation of
the Emperor of the Freneh.
Further interesting news has been received from
Persia, via Konigsberg. A treaty of commerce has
,been ratified between Persia and the United
States of America. The treaty was ratified at
Teheran by the Shah Nureddin- The drat had
been prepared some time ago. The treaty grants
the r4,,ht to the United. States to appoint Consuls
in „the chief cities of Persia. From Teheran, we
also learn, that the representatives of Austria are
actively engaged in endeavouring to effect a similar
treaty with Persia. We are informed that the latter
treaty has also every chance of being agreed to and
ratified.

_ With respect to the Chinese affair, we are
informed that, the French government have
received intelligence from China, which states that
the Governor, Lin Minn, had seized the Central
Opium Depot, in December. This property
belonged to EngliShmen and the East India Com-
pany. On the 13th January, the foreigners gave
up-the anchorage at Whampoa. The steamers which,
protected by the ships of war, were towing away
the floating habitations of the English and Ameri-
cans, were not yet out of sight when the Chinese
commenced pillaging everything left in the docks
and in the different houses situated:on the water's
edge, making no distinction of property of this or
of that nation. Hong Kong was under a real
panic, which increased daily. The foreign
residents of that colony had formed a sort of
militia, and their patrols shot every Chinese who_
showed himself in the streets or on the roofs after
eight o'clock at- night. When the mail left the
the whole European colony of Hong Kong
appeared to have been poisoned, and the family of
Sir John Bowring especially were suffering
excruciating agony. All the Chinefie bakers had
fled. They are suspected of having poisoned the
whole community. Happily, no death had as yet
ensued. Great alarm prevailed at the European
colony of Singapore, in consequence of the news
from Canton,- and the excitement of the native
population. Of the 100,000 inhabitants of Singa-
pore, there were not 300 Europeans capable of
bearing arms, and not more than 800 sepoys. All
the inhabitants were their enemies, and the
Chinese, who constitute eight-tenths of the
population threatened the Europeans with fire and
pillage. They had posted up a placard in the
Chinese language in different parts of the town,
offering 200 piastres for the head of the Governor
or of the Resident, the Judge, or head of the police
This threat had not happily, as yet, been attended
with any results. The foreigners had . armed
themselves, and kept a vigilant Watch by night
to protect their property. On the 2nd of January
the shops were closed in every part of the
town ; the boatmen, coolies, and artisans refused
to serve any European 3. The public markets were
not supplied with provisions, and all business was
at a standstill. But there was more than passive
resistance. The provisions destined for the foreign
residents were intercepted, and threats were re-
sorted to to prevent the shopkeepers from supply-
ing food. The head of the police having induced
one of them to open his shop, the Chinese attacked
he house in a body, and in the struggle which
ensued some of the police were seriously wounded.
The energy displayed on this eecasion by the__
governor finally restored order in the town.
The fleet of the rebels has joined that of the
Imperialists to make common cause against the
English ; :600 war' junks_ have assembled in the.
river at Hong Kong. The Chinese seemed deter-
mined to stop every inlet, by sinking junks at the
different bars of the Canton river. On the 14th of
Jan. the outskirts of Canton were set fire to—an
operation which cost the English three killed and
some wounded ; a numerous squadron of warjunks
attacked the trading steamer Fli Ma, which was
going down the river, but she escaped. The
Chinese sent some 20 heavy shots intp her hull.
The conference for the settlement of the
Neufchatel question met at Paris yesterday
(Thursday) Four powers were represented, by
Lord Cowley, Kessoliff, Baron Huborer, and ,
Walewski.

From Berlin we learn that the ministry have
been defeated on the Divorce Bill. Berlin had
been thrown into great agitation. At this. nobody
Will Wonder, who is acquainted with social life in
Prussia. The symptoms of an approaching
constitutional crisis in Prussia increases.

Madrid advices to the 3rd instant state that the
Diario Espanol announces that the Budget will be
published to-morrow .in the Gazette. The sum
total of the expenditure amounts to 1,800,000,000
of reals, about' X 8,000,0001.

,
In the Home news there is nothing of im
portance.

A meeting of British Bank depositors was held
in London on Wednesday night, at which it wits
resolved, by a large majority, that the composition
of 6s 6d in the pound beyond the assets in bank
ruptey offered by the creditors should be accepted.;
that the shareholders should be required to pay
the sum by two instalments before the 30th of
April next ; and that an Act of Parliament should
be obtained for the purpose of making this com-
promise binding upon those who dissent, as well
as those who approve.

The Glasgow- election has been carried by
Buchanan by more than two votes to one of his
opponent:

-The Wallasey Commissioners held their usual
fortnightly meeting last night, at which the state
of the ferry boats came under discussion. A report
from the Board of Trade, stating that they had
sent down surveyors, who examined the ferry boats
on that station, was read. The surveyors stated
that the boats were in a good condition, were
seaworthy, and that no apprehension need be
entertained by passengers as to their safety.

THE defeat of the Ministry is the all-absorb-
ing topic of the day. Now that the excitement
caused by the first intimation of the division of
Tuesday night has passed away, the sober and
reflecting portion of the community express
unqualified regret that Lord PALMERSTON should
have been placed in his present position. They
feel that no practical good can result from the
division ; and that whether Sir JOHN BOWRING
Was right or wrong in the course which he
adopted, England cannot retrograde. We are
now at war with China. We must continue the
contest until we have obtained an arrangement
of all the differences between this country and
the Celestial Empire. That settlement must be
permanent in its character, and satisfactory in its
results. This feeling is entertained by the entire
commercial community. All who know anything
of the .Chinese must admit that, unless awed by
force, they are audacious and insulting in their
demeanour to foreigners, and unfaithful in the
fulfilment of their treaty engagements. Atroci-
ties of the most barbarous kind, together with
cunning and deceit, are among the main features
of their character. To treat them as we would
a nation further advanced in civilisation, would

be useless. They are regulated by civil laws,
and guided by principles of morality which will
not work in unison with those of more enlightened
and favoured countries.

At present the commerce of England with
China is a matter of no minor importance. Our
imports from the " five ports"—Canton, Hong
Kong, Shanghai, Whampoa, and Siucapore—as
Well as our exports thereto, bring in no small amount
of national revenue, and profitably employ-
capital and labour at home to a very large extent.
Place these in jeopardy, i.e., allow the Chinese
the upper hand, to insult the British subject,
and trample under foot their treaty engagements,
and we inflict a much greater injury upon them,
as well as cause a serious amount of inconve-
nience and loss to ourselves than would the
prompt compulsion of granting favourable terms
of extended commerce henceforth, and sufficient
guarantees that these terms would be religiously
regarded. While thus insisting on terms of
extended commerce with China, we are benefit-
ing other civilized nations, and opening up the
way for them to obtain the same commercial
facilities which we ourselves require.
There is still another reason why we should not
falter at the present moment. It is notorious that
Russia is an intriguing nation. Her political
aims are aggression and territorial extension.
We have had to clip the wings of her mighty
eagle in the Crimea. We know what that cost,
and what we have gained by the encounter. An
earlier and more timely interference in the
Russian dispute with Turkey would have saved
millions 'of money and thousands upon thousands
of lives on both sides. Russia neither forgets
nor forgives our interference and the demolition
of the forts and harbours of Sebastopol. She is
a neighbour of China, and would, no doubt, lend
her a helping hand to exterminate the "English
Barbarians." It behoves England, then, to look
to this matter in time; to allow the CZAR no
opportunity of gaining an important footing in
the Celestial Empire. To effect this, and to save
a useless and an unpardonable effusion of blood
and money, we must at once assemble such a
naval and military force before Canton as will
satisfy the Emperor of China that we are in
earnest—that while we deprecate any intention
of territorial aggrandisement, we must not be
molested in our trade and commerce with the
country, and that being secured, we may retire,
leaving the Chinese to exercise their nationalities
as they please. Every consideration of the
question clearly demonstrates that it is the
bounden duty of the Government to adopt such
a course of adtion as will effect these objects.

' But we may overawe the Chinese, batter down
their cities and towns, butcher thousands of their
population, and compel the highest of
_their
authorities to sue for pardon and peace. In such
a case what is to be done ? It is evident, from
what has occurred, that the British authorities
now in China are not the-parties to settle and
ratify the terms of a fresh treaty. The Chinese
would stoutly object to Sir JOHN BOWRING _and
Mr. Consul PARKES. Some statesman of high
standing, whose past public career would be a
guarantee for his moderatijn, firmness, and a love
of justice, should be clothed with full authority
to go to the capital of, China,
_and, with the
Emperor , himself, arrange the terms of our
future intercourse with that country. Once
again do we urge prompt and decided action.
.A free people can freely censure the past mis-
conduct of their Government—that, however, is
but a portion of their duty. Guarantees for
future good behaviour are required, and we
hope, come what may, that no occasion shall
arise again to warrant a motion similar to that
brought forward by Mr. COBDEN.

Although this particular portion of Lord
PALMERSTON'S policy has been objected to, the
general opinion of the country is in his favour
as the Premier of England. Yesterday, the
merchants of Liverpool, headed by those whose
political opinions are opposed to that of the
noble lord's Ministry, got up an address to his
lordship, expressing their surprise and regret at
the result of the motion of Mr. COBDEN, and
'assuring him of their continued confidence as
head of the Government. It was numerously
and influentially signed, Other commercial
communities are engaged in the same good
offices. It is said that an attempt will be made
to nullify the vote of Tuesday night, by a motion
of a vote of confidence in the Ministry. This, in
effect, is only asking those who supported Mr.
COBDEN to " eat their own leek." Let the
country pronounce its opinion, not on the Chinese
question, but the general policy of the present
government. Let it say whether it is willing or
not to trust a man who has spent half a century
in office, whose career has been marked by mo-
deration, and who has always been a friend to
the elevation of the people, and the fear and
dread of foreign despots; or whether it will, for
a time, give a trial to the political combinations
now so much talked of. This , is the most
reasonable course to adopt. The present Par-
liament has nearly outlived itself, and there can
be no harm in cutting short its career by a few
months, especially when by so doing we enable
the country to express its opinions of the past,
and dictate its terms for the future.

BIRKENHEAD AND CLAUGHTON GAS SIIA.RES. —At public
auction:on Wednesday, sixteen shares of the company were
offered for sale. £75 each was bid, but they were with-
drawn, the reserve being £7B.
HOPE HALL LECTURES.—The usual Thursday evening
lecture was given in Hope Hall, last night, by the Rev.
Andrew Thomson, P.D., Edinburgh.. The chair was
taken at half-past seven o'clock, by the Rev. Hugh Stowell
Brown, and there was a very crowded attendance. The
title of the lecture was " Great MiSsionalies," a deeply
interesting subject, which was rendered especially interesting
by the impressive and elovent manner in which the
lecturer treated it, and the well chosen examples by whose
lives and deeds he illustrated his discourse.
'REMOVAL OF Two MAGISTRATES FROM THE COMMIS-
SION OF THE PEACE.—Yestorday, R.- W. Hopkins, Esq.,
seal keeper, received a fiat from the Right Honourable M.
T. Baines; M.P., Chancellor of the Duchy of Lancaster,
commanding him to erase from the commission of the peace
of this county, the names of John Hoyle and Ralph Holden,
Esqrs., who figored in the ease of the-'" Hasliewlen magis-
trates' squabble" at the Lanc.aster assizes held last week.
The dismissal of these gentlemen, was; of course, antici-
pated.—. Preston Guardian.