The Sun.
London, England, 1851-04-04 00:00:00

T H'J SUN,

and, for his part, notwithstanding that he enter-
tained strong opinions on the subject, he was convinced
it would be better to leave this matter in the hands in
which the Legislature had placed it.—(Hear, hear.)
And looking at the present state of affairs in the Church,
nothing should induce him to take any step that would
lead to produce a disruption amongst its clergy.
Mr. NEWDEGATE fully participated in the
course intimated by the Noble Lord opposite.
He wished, however, to know when the Noble
Lord proposed to bring on the second reading of
the Bill for the admission of Jews, as it was his inten-
-1 tion to move that it be read a second time that day six
1 months.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he should bring it on
at the earliest possible period after the dispoeal of the
financial question.
Mr. FREWIN wished to know whether it was the
intention to bring in any Bill on the subject of seques-
trations or sinecures in the Church.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL was understood to reply in
the negative.
Mr. COWAN, in the absence of the Lord-Advocate
i.om circumstances which he was sure they all de-

plored, wished to ask the Right Hon. the Secretary at
War, whether Government intended to propose any

measure for the abolition of tests in the Scotch Univei-

sities ?

Mr. FOX MULE regretted that ho could not give
a direct answer to the Hon. Member, but yet he was at
the same time anxious that no step should be taken
which had not reference to the general prosperity of the
country. For this reason he believed that the compact
entered into by the Scottish Church, although a true test,
was fallacious. By the resolution which appeared upon the
books of the House, it was evident that this was felt to be

a momentous question.
ACCOMMODATION IN WORKHOUSES (IRE-
LAND).
_ _

After a few words from Mr. SCULLY,
Sir W. SOMERVILLE said that be could give no
answer to the question of the Hon. Member, for the re-
turns of the last five months had not been made
upon it, but as seen as he could get them
they should be laid on the table of the House.
The guardians had done everything in their power to
increase the accommodation, but they had found it very
difficult to do so. The sanatory condition of the work-
house was exceedingly bad, but the Poor Law Commis-
sioners had directed their attention to the subject with
the view of inducing the guardians to find a remedy.
Mr. REYNOLDS rose amidst loud cries of " Oh, oh,
and time." When the noise had subsided, he went to
say, that when the Hon. Baronet (Sir B. Hall) was
speaking on a comparatively insignificant subject a few
minutes ago, the House heard him in perfect
silence.—(" Oh ") In consequence of the noise
in the House, scarcely any of the statements of the
Right Hon. Gentlemen (Sir W. Somerville) were heard
on that side of the House. It was not his intention to
address the House at any considerable length—(Re-
peated cries of " Oh, on")—but he respectfully claimed
the right to speak on a question which invelved the
life and death of his fellow-countrymen and country-
women. In Kilrush Union eighty persons were allowed
to die per week for want of food, and they were indebted
to the really benevolent and charitable clergyman of the
Established Church, the Rev. Mr. Osborne, for bringing
to light the cruel carnage which was permitted to go on
day by day in that workhouse. What was the tact?
That a workhouse which was built to accommodate
4,465 persons was now filled to suffocation, and to
overflowing, there being 5,005 inmates within its walls;
and what did the Right Hon. Baronet the Secretary for
Ireland say? That there were 214 more persons in the
building than it could hold.—(Loud laughter.) He was
happy to perceive that on a grave and melancholy sub-
ject like this Hon. Gentlemen could be merry.— (Oh!)
Let him not be understood as meaning that Hon.
Members really wished to treat lightly such a subject.
He considered if these deaths were caused by the neglect
of Government they were accessories to the crime of
murder, sod as such accountable before God, he wished
be could say before man also. In his opinion the
St cretary fur Ireland had too many irons in the fire, it
would be meet), better if he were to resign his post of
Commisiener of the Poor Law Board to some man who
would take coach or railroad, and have a personal in-
spe ctiun of the state of affairs himself.
Sir LUCIUS O'BRIEN bore testimony that the
facts stated by the Honourable
.Member were perfectly
true. The boar:l of guardians of Kilrush were sub-
j cted to an etiormous pressure each day, and as the Go-
vernment advances had been stopped, the union was
thrown on its own resources, which were totally unable
to support the burden.
Sir DE LACEY EVANS expressed a hope that the
Metropolitan Buildings Act would not be brought on at
a late hour of the night.
Sir G. GREY said it certainly would not.
The motion for the adjournment of the House until
Monday was then agreed to.
The House then went into Committee of Ways and
Means, Mr. BERNAL in the chair.
THE BUDGET.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER then
rose and said—Sir, several weeks have now elapsed
since I first put into your hands the resolution to which
I am about to call the attention of the Committee.—
(Hear, hear.) Since that time I believe the attention of
Hon. Gentlemen has been directed to topics perhaps of
a more interesting or exciting character, but
certainly not of a more importance than
that to which I am now about to advert.
—(Hear, hear.) Time has also been afforded to
me for reconsidering the proposal which I then made to
the House, and of preparing any defence which I might
have to make for them.—(Hear, hear.) We
have also had the advantage of bearing from
a Noble Lord at the head of a great party the
course of financial policy which he was prepared to
pursue. He is prepared to reduce as far as possible the
income-tax at once, with a view to its ultimate extin-
guishment as sooon as circumstances will allow, and he is
prepared to makeup the deficiency which that proceeding
would create by the imposition of a duty upon the im-
portation of foreign corn.—(Hear.) Now, the proposal
which I have submitted, and which I shall submit to the
House, have for their object the promotion of the comfort
and the health of the labouring portion of the ccmmunity
and further to reduce the duties upon articles of import
either of consumption or raw materials.—(Cheers.)
That is the policy which we feel it to be our duty to
pursue, and these two courses are now on
trial before the House and the country and
it is for the House and the country to
decide which will be the most beneficial course to be
adopted for the welfare of this great empire.—(Cheers.)
With regard to my own proposal I can assure those
Honourable Gentlemen who have been impa-
tient for this night, that it has been from no
wish of mine that it has been so long delayed* They
will readily believe that I have been anxious to correct
some of the many misapprehensions that have prevailed
on the subject of my proposal, but believing as I do
that the principles upon which these proposals
were found to be sound, and those proposals themselves
to be honest, fair, and just. I have been most anxious
for the opportunity which this might afford me
to explain what has been done, and
to vindicate the course which I feel
it to be my duty to pursue.—(Hear, hear.) I feel
I shall not in vain ask fur the indulgence of
the House because it has never been refused
to any one who has been the object of so much
attack as myself, and I have therefore no hesitation
in asking for the kind indulgence of the House whitat I
vindicate my opinion and justify my conduct. He ad-
mitted at once mat his proposals bad not been re-
ceived with satisfaction by the country or by the
agricultural party, who were suffering from what must
be necessarily incident at all times to a change in a pro-
tective system, and which he believed could alone
be removed, not by an unjust reduction of
taxation in their behalf on the part of the Legislature,
but by their own individual exertions.—(Hear, hear.)
Time had been given for the re-consideration of that
question, and the decision at which they had arrived
upon it.—(Hear, hear.) He would not refer to the steps
which had been taken with regard to the settlement of
this question, for he felt that it was a matter which
ought to be brought before the House. They
should recollect that in the time of Lord Mel-
bourne's Government ;here was a deficiency of
5,000,000/. but the case was now different. Since the
Government had disposed of the emancipation affair
a new aspect had come over them, and that while
a deficiency was the evil complained of, a
redundancy was now the evil. The deficieney had :for-
merly been upwards of 5,000,0001., but since lit 46 the
rates had been gradually altering, so that in
fact the whole of the tables had been changed,
and they had now a surplus of 2,000,000/.—(Loud
cheers.) An Hon. Member had proposed to
reduce the national expenses to about 2,000,0001.,
but he thought that the better plan would
be to keep faith with the national creditor—(Loud
cheers),—for if they did not he was assured that the
country would feel it to be necessary—(Hear, hear)—to
support• it. What was the consequence? Why that
advantage would be gained by the adption of a principle
which be did not wish to advocate, but which might be
this plan which had been proposed it
thaty
a saving of 4001000/. would be effected.lc
iwlnnassist 'erdeeasuu
maintainingph apoaensa
thet B
wepuhnl credit of the country by meansad accomplished great things by
of /the sinking fund, however fallacious the
principles were on which it was founded.
In my time that fund has been entirely
changed, and the only: available sinking fund had
relieved of a portion of our burdens we should not let
those who follow us be placed at a greater disadvantage,
but tage,
but should take means to give them the same relief in
prospective which we have enjoyed. I am the
more serious on this point as doctrines have
been promulgated within the last six months,
which, if carried into practice, would have a very diffe-
rent result. It was incorrect to suppose that if there
sota
year. Five-sixths
T hat woof
were any failure in the payment of public dividends, the
upper or opulent classes would sustain the chief in-
jury.re-
ceipt of dividends received sums
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on the understanding that they would receive
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H ous House.—(Hear.)
iwehaor solicited i
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f
tcile, the complaints respecting taxation coming from
those who admit that recent legislation has materially ini-
pr, vr,d the well-being of all classes, and that the country
richer and in a n- tt.ir: position to meet the burdens
which are imposed on it. It the complaint had come
from those who contend that distress bad fallen on the
agricultural classes by that legislation, I might