The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-03-14 00:00:00

WINDOW TAX.

Mr. H. DAVIS presenll4lieiitiOnsfroaTtwo parishes In Bristol,
praying for,* rep.e.a.l.?! theyrlndow tax.

ABOLITION OF SLAVERY.

Colonel DAVIES presented a petition from the county and city
of Worcester. praying for the abolition of slavery.
Similar petitions were presented from Ringwood, in Hants, by
Mr. Ilyng,. from Crockham, by Mr. Curwen ; trom Cockermouth,
by Sir E. Harvey, and from SaWron Walden.
CATHOLIC QUESTION.
Mr. SMITH presented &petition from the Roman Catholics of
Drogheda, praying for a repeal of the penal laws which affect their
body, and disclaiming the principle of a divided allegiance.
Ordered to be printed.
CHURCH RATES.

Sir J. NEWPORTprese nted a petition from some place in the
county of Westmeath, respecting church rates. The Bon. Baronet
made some observations which were inaudible.

Mr. J. SMITH complained of the oppression which was prac-
tised towards the Irish ; but the cries of " Question," which pre-
railedr prevented our catching the tenor of the Hon. Member's ob-
servations.

GoULBURN explAined.
IVAYB AND MEANS.—COMMITTEE.

On the motion of the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER,
the House resolved itself into a Committee of Ways and Means.

THE BUDGET.
*The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER.—AIthough the
circumstances under which they were called upon to review the
financial situation of the country, differed in some important
respects from those which existed in the corresponding period of
last year, yet there was nothing, in his mind, in the present aspect
of the country, or in the situation of the public affairs, which ought
to excite either alarm or despondency. (Cheers.) There might he
ground, indeed there was ground, for much individual sympathy ;
there had undoubtedly prevailed at a recent period much both of in-
dividual and general distress, and it was impossible that the causes
which had tended to produce that individual and general distress
should not, at the same time, have also tended to create much public
incorvenience and general alarm. But he thought he might,
without fear of being ,deemed too sanguine or presumptuous in his
anticipations, venture to affirm that the violence of the smrm was
past, that the clouds had begun to disperse, that out of the very
conflict of the elements good had resulted, and the atmosphere had,
to a considerable degree, been purified by the tempest. For, not-
withstanding the situation in which the country now stood, and
notw id-standing the difficulties with which they had been most re-
cently surrounded, many of which had arisen from circumstances
beyond their control, yet they did not appear to hint at this mo-
ment to afford so much ground for those apprehensions which
sonic appeared disposed to entertain. (Cheers.) In all the discus-
sions which had taken place diving the resent Session respecting
the situation of the country—though a great difference of opinion
had existed as to the precise extent of the causes which might
have produced the results to which he had alluded—still there I
had been, he believed, but one general opinion as to the nature of
those circumstances, and the general operation they had had in
producing those results. Ile confessed that to his mind this con-
currence of opinion was a circumstance of no ordinary considera-
tion. There had been, certainly, in the course of those discussions,
a great deal of unnecessary contest indulged in, between those who
were in that House sneeringly called philosophers—of whom it
bad been said that the Ministry was at this moment principally com.
posed—and of those who more humbly styled themselves practical
men. He would repeat that much unnecessary conflict had been dia.
played between these parties, because he held it to be the duty of oo-
vernment to avail itself of the knowledge of both, and to adopt the '
principles which were deducible from the sound reasoning and
theory of the one, and to apply to them the practical experience of
the other. (Cheers.) It was the union of sound principles,
with the knowledge derivable from facts, which enabled them to
legislate upon questions of so intricate a nature. It was by a just
contention of these two elements that the House and the public
would be enabled to form a proper estimate of the situation in
which the country actually stood, and to arrive eta correct judg-
ment as to the best and most effectual mode of escaping from the
difficulties in which they were placed. If, indeed, those who is
preparing their minds for the cowideration and decision of subjetes
of this magnitude, were to be told that the universal laws of te■-

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