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

AN ACT OIL' GRATITUDE,

5,000 Copies of a Medical Book for Gratuitous Circulation
MR. H. THOMAS, having been effectually
cured of Nervous Debility, loss of Mallory, and
Dien ess of Sight, by following the instruct:ow, given in a Medical
Work by a Physician, considers it his Duty, in Gratitude to the
Author, minor the Benefit of Nervous Sufferirs. to n'iblish the
Means used. He wilt, therefore, slid Free, to any Addr ss; in a
Sealed I. nvelope, on rectlpt of a directed envelope enclosing two
stamps (to prepay po=stage), a copy of the Medical Work, contain-
ing every inform ,iion trqui ed.—Address, "Mr. H. THOWASs St.
John's-lane, Newcastle-upon-Tyne.

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MONDAY, FEBRUARY 2, 1857.

THE DAY'S NEWS.

Athough there is not any local news of the leapt
moment, we have, this morning, recorded a variety
of foreign and continental intelligence which %ill
amply repay a careful perusal.
On Friday morning last, Ve4er, the assassin of
the Archbishop of Paris, underwent the extreme
penalty of the law, by being guillotined in front of
his prison, the Place de la Roquette. The scene
which took plane in his cell, when the chap;ain
told him that all hope was gone, and that he must
prepare for instant death, was of the mist heart-
rending description. In vain did his frensied
imagination implore a few—an hour's delay ;in
vain did he ask that he might send an express to
the Emperor, as, in his estimation, it was im-
possible his appeal and his pardon were both
refused. No one who reads the account of the
affair, which we give in another column, but must
be convinced that. capital punishments are not only
barbarous, but fail to effect the stoppage of bloody
crimes and inhuman deeds. To those who
advocate the continuance of the hangman's
calling, we would direct attention to that re-
Joarkable exclamation of Verger when struggling
in the last sad effort to prolong existence.
• ." I cling to my life ; my life is my own, and you
•have no right to take it from me." There was a
n truth in this maddened declaration which all the
philosophy and theological subtleties -of'all around
him could not answer. Well, indeed, would it be
__if all in our own country who range themselves on
the side of the gallows, and argue for and justify
its continuance, would take Verger's assertion into
consideration, and reconcile it with their views cf
justice, for justice, be it observed, is a prime
• . element in true religion as nude. stood by the
ewrmunity. A Paris letter of Friday,
• in noticing the execution, says, Verger bad lost
all. energy . and, the executioner had to sup-
; port him from the moment that he left the
r. pKiaon of La Roquette It took a good deal of
• time-- liefore he had completed the short distance
between the place of execution and the prison.
.There was a crowd of perhaps ten or twelve
thousand persons present, a large proportion of
them being peasants. ,The crowd behaved with

comparative decorum. The fate of V:.l-,,er
does . not stem tho -crime of murder, nar
secure the highest of ecclesiastical function
-cries from the hand of daring and diabolical
assassins. The same telegraphic despatch that
briefly announced the execution of Verger brought
1.14 intelligence that an attempt had been made by
a Neapolitan priest to assassinate the Archbishop
-ots Matera while pronouncing the benediction in
the cathedral. The attempt failed, but the arch-
bishop was wounded. A canon who was endeavour-
jug to defend the prelate was shot dead with a pis.
tij by the same assassin. What renders this latter
• case somewlAt singular is the fact that the murderer
was, like Verger, a priest. The Neapolitan
assassin appears to have imitated the atrocity of
Verger iu every respect save in the selection of the
instrument of death. And eo, if this kind of thing
is to go on, we may understand that those in
authority on the Continent are to be
.saer'!ficed
upon a public attar without any opportunity of
helping themselves.
Whilst alluding to Neapolitan affairs, we may
mention that the King of Naples has concluded a
C conve on with the Argentine Republic in South
y n
:America, for the reception on her territory of those

political prisoners whose incarceration he intends
to change into exie.. Baron Pocrio is one of this
number, but he has refused, so it is said, to accept
his liberty at the price of his emigeation..
I'Vle observe by our Beilin correspondence,that
in Prussia an agitation, verv.similar to that against.
the Income Tax in this country, is directed against
au additional tax on houses, which the government
proposes to meet the increased expenditure for
the civil as well as the military service. So strong
runs the current of public opinion against the .new
tax, that government is afraid of seeing it rejected
by the Landtag, and is in grcat.difficulty what to
do. It does not occur either to the Prussian rulers
or the Prussian people, to adopt such administra-
tive reforms as would cut down the expenditure.

It bas transpired at Vienna that the Emperor of
Austria had a decree•granting au amnesty with
,him
ready for signature on leaving the Capital. • He had
made it dependant upon the reception he should
meet with, whether it was to be issued or not. • It is
now little doubted that a similar step will be'taken
on a visit which he, the Emperor, intends to pay
to Hungary. Prague and Lemberg will likeivise
be visited by him. It is even said that the Aus-
trian Court, like the monarchs of ancient Persia,
will make the -temporary transfer of residence a
custom of the Empire, to reconeiliate, by this
means, the nobility of the different countries under
its sway. . _ .. •

We peruse in our Berlin letters a statement
that the law rendering all slaves free as soon as
they tread on Prussian soil, latsTassed the Lower
House of the Landtag, by. a unanimous vote, so far
as its principle is concerned. The amendment had
been proposed to extend the bearing Of the law to
serfs, which would have rendered Prussia a some-
what dangerous neighbour to the Russian serf-
owners; bttt it.was rejected.%, That the.government
has brought in this law is owing to the venerable
Humboldt, who, when it W£o3
,recently discovered
that no special law to that effect existed in Prussia,
did not rest until he succeeded in persuading the
ministers to bring in the present measure.
Advices from. the Hague inform us that the
King of Holland, in an inexplicable fit of attach-
ment to the retrogressionist party, determined on
having an educational measure that would tally
with the views of that diminutive section of his
subje,lts., ,A schoolman was charged with the task
of preparing that measure, but; the nation's repre•
sentatives refused their confidence to the man thus
appointed by the nation's sovereign. He resigned,
but for a time the King pertinaciously refused to'
accept his resignation At length, however, his
successor was appointed, net, now it seems, hecaus&
the Minister's health forbade him to take an ac-
tive part in State matters, but because his mea-
-sure had been rejected -by the Council of Sate,
to which body. all governmental measures must be
submitted' before they can be laid before the
States-General. That this will have been a fresh
and keen annoyance to the -King is very evident ;
for his plans have been foiled: on the very thres-
hold of the Constitution.

The steam ship Ericsson which arrived in the
Mersey yesterday, brings us very little news of
importance. It would appear as if Mr. Buchanan
would meet with opposition to his political views
and opinions which he little expected. His
favourite candidate for a seat, in the Senate
of the United States -frora Pennsylvania, Mr.
Forney has been rejected ; a kind of tacit declara-
tion that the electors were not all satisfied with
what the new President was likely to do as -first
magistrate of the American union. Congress
was " busy doing nothing." From what we glean
from our Washington advices, there will be some
new arrangement respecting tile conyeyance_of the
United States mails in ocean-going steamers. Full
details of the Ericsson's news, and also that brought
by the West India mail steamer Atrato, which
arrived at Southampton on Saturday, will be fou:id
in other columns of this day's paper.

MANCHESTER has spoken out boldly on the
subject of Free Trade. Mr. GEORGE WILSON,
has pledged 'himself and his party to a very com-
prehensive plan for shaking off the income tax,
and relieving industry of many of its other bur-
dens. His proposition is very concise. " The
first thing I would look to," said Mr. WILSON,
" was to bring back the taxation of the country
" to the 51 millions, which it was, from 1843 to
" 1853, in order that they might then be able to
" throw off the burdens which pressed most im-
" periously upon the country. Even the amount
" of taxation which he, and the party to which
" he belonged, would propose for the ensuing
" year, was double the amount of taxation in
" Pussia. It would be said, no doubt, that the
" Government was still involved in liabilities
" arising out of the war; but he demanded why
" the expenses were not at once reduced to the
" ordinary limit from the moment peace was pro-
" claimed ?" This is striking at the root of that
prodigal expenditure which calls for such im-
posts as those we now have to pay. The Cabinet
and Commons are not satisfied with doubling the
taxation of the country ; but they must needs
double the cost of every man required for the
public service.

What income, property, or description of taxa-
tion can support this system ? The chopping
and changing which is going on in the clothing
of our army must be saddling us with millions of
money. Tailoring in the navy may not be
so active, but the naval estimates are excessive
beyond those of any former period of our history,
and financiers seem to have forgotten that this
has to be paid in a foreign product, which the
talent, skill, and industry of the people have to
make the most disheartning, and often ruinous,
sacrifices to obtain. If it could be paid in cot-
ton yarns or printed calicoes, Manchester would
not have so much cause to complain, but when
the CIIANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER calls on the
public for 150,000,0001 of taxation, which has to
be raised from the gold fields of Australia and
California, they demand from us. that which can-
not be had at the moment it is demanded,
except at a heavy loss. Mr. WiLsiN and his
party do not, however, go so deeply into the
question. They would simply endeavour to
bring the wandering Ministry of the day back to
the 51,000 0001 which was the amount of taxa-
tion from 1843 to 18.33. They take a Free
Trade view of the entire subject, having dis-
covered that the maintenance of the very partial
approaches we have made towards free imports
cannot be expected unless a positive step be
taken to arrest the lavish expenditure of the
PALMERSTON Cabinet.

In this course they will be warmly supported
by the Reformers and -tax-payers of Liverpool,
and we only hope that we may find the votes,
and the active opposition of Mr. WiLsoN and his
Parliamentary friends will leave no room to
doubt their sincerity. There were some strange
votes given last session on several important
items of supply, by very strong Free Traders.
This, probably, will not lie the case in the meet-
ing of 1857. But what chance have the Man-
chester members of carrying out their laudable
views ? Can they not see that in proposing a

property tax without an income tax, they would
have the property interest in both Houses of
Parliament 'against them ? They must know that
the large annual expenditure going on eit present
gives the Government the command of the needy
squirearchy and professional votes. " Compro-
" raise" is another very subtle element to over-
come, and the presence of large camps and other
armed reserves will make the naturally timid
politically courageous in their opposition to a
movement w hich " seeks to deprive the empire
" of the armaments required for its defence?'
Manchester, will, then have something to do to
get the House of Commons to listen to her patrio-
tic appeals. And to be candid with Mr. WiLsorr,
we do not anticipate any very beneficial result
from the onslaught he proposes to make on the
financial recklessness of the House of Commons.
There is a general election looming in the dis-
tance, it is true ; but look at the state of the
franchise ! We must not turn to the electoral
roll when in search of the political power of the
nation, or for moral means of controlling what
we facetiously styled " the representatives of the
" people." We might as well open the Book of
Job to enlighten us to the best means of bring..
ing an extravagant government to reason. The
country has not the representative power to
relieve herself from her impending difficulties
and dangers. We never before had so small a
Parliamentary constituency. Where is there a-
really great
.natimal interest which is fairly
represented at the hustings of a general election ?
The heavy tax.paying classes are wholly without
a- voice in the election of taxation legislators.
Mr. WILSON must not, consequently, rely too
confidently on the forthcoming dissolution of the
House of Commons for any signal triumph in
finance, or in making any remarkable progress
in Free Trade. These are victories which must
date from a measure of Parliamentary Reform,
which shall give back to the tax-paying public
their Constitutional rights with regard to repre-
sentation. Why should not a man paying 10/.
or 201. a year income or property-tax have a
vote, as well as the occupier of a 101. or 201.
house ? A shell adds but little to the stability
and intelligence of a snail, and household voters
have shown themselves to be too sluggish for the
discharge of the onerous national trust reposed in
them. They are the snails of the political plan-
tation, and while they cannot be moved for their
own safety, they are perfectly insensible to the
mischief they do to others by neglecting their
duty to their country.
Mr..WlLsorr may be able to arouse them : but
•we fear he will not take the Shortest cut to
putting them in motion. If Manchester would
bring forward a comprehensive Parliamentary
Reform Bill, and make " retrenchment" the
watchword of the agitation which they have
originated, there would be some prospect of get-
ting the Palmerston Government to deal 'fairly
with the public on questions of taxation. It
would force a " compromise" on the Ministry,
and we might get very liberal terms, where
resistance was once found to be hopeless. Mr.
MILNER G IBSON'S description of the existing
Ministry strengthens our belief that a favourable
compromise may be obtained :at a moderate cost
of party feeling. Mr. GIBSON was made to say
-" I believe, and I speak it with great respect,
" that the members of the present Government
" are highly respectable men, of fair average
" capacities, but of very doubtful politics." Now,
with " highly respectable men of doubtful poli-
" tics" a great deal may be clone by a " compro-
mise ;" still, it would be as well' to take those
steps which would give us the exact " average"
of their " capacities" in a case involving a simple
question of possibility —namely, how long can
28,000,000 ofpeople continue to pay A 150,000,000
of taxation in bullion ?—a foreign product, the
scarcest commodity, and the most in demand of
all metals throughout the world !

A FEW days ago we published the address of
a number of bankers, merchants, and others of
Liverpool to Sir JOHN 11'NEILL and Colonel TUL-
LOCH, the Crimean Commissioners, but the
crowded state of our columns prevented us
making a few remarks upon the subject until
now. Liverpool, according to the reply of Sir
JOHN MWEILL, is the only place that has ex-
pressed an appreciation of his and Colonel
Tmocu's services, so that, a great public duty
has been partially discharged, and a national
wrong partially redressed. This, however, has
been performed, not by the Administration of
the day, nor by Parliament, but by a few of the
leading merchants and gentry of the commercial
metropolis of the United Kingdom. Nobly, in-
deed, has the national honour of the country
been sustained in the elegant and well-merited
address which has gone forth from Liverpool
to those two distinguished and gallant public
servants. Men of all parties and persuasions
united in presenting their spontaneous tribute of
praise, approbation, and gratitude to these
two great men for the important and valuable
results which have been achieved by their exer-
tions, and the straight-forward, manly, and un-
compromising manner in which they performed
the serious and responsible duties assigned to them
by the Government. We se.3 in the presentation
of the Liverpool address, and the replies of Sir
Joux M‘NEILL and Colonel TuLLocir, particularly
the remarks of Sir Joiix, a complete and
thorough revival of the Crimean question. The
whole of these documents—address and re-
plies—place the ministry as it were upon their
trial before the country, and that trial will com-
pel them to declare their unbiassed opinion of
the Crimean Commissioners' conduct, and the
report of their labours which they have presented.
If in their favour, then will the Administration
be obliged to advance satisfactory reasons why
public servants of such ability, zeal, and useful-
ness have been permitted to go unacknowledged
and unrewarded, whilst the scions of aristo-
cracy, and all under their Patronage, have
been bedecked with orders of knighthood, civil
and military, for little or no service to