The Sun.
London, England, 1860-07-14 00:00:00

THE PAPER DUTY.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in reply
to the question put to him by the hon. member for Peter-
borough*(Mr. Whalley), with respect to the intention of
the Government as to the paper duty, said that no doubt it
was a matter of great importance for the Legislature ; but
he thought the Government would not be justified in taking
any step different from the course pursued in other matters
of taxation.

SUPPLY.—REPORT.
The report of supply granted for the Chinese war was
then brought up and agreed to.
THE WAR WITH CHINA.
On the motion for going into commmitte of supply,
Mr. COCHRANE proposed the following motion
" That in order to remove one great obstacle to peace with
China, the British Plenipotentiary be instructed not to in-
sist on the fulfilment of the third article of the Treaty of
Tien -tsin, by which his Majesty the Emperor of China
agrees that the Ambassador, Minister, or other diplomatic
agent appointed by her Majesty the Queen of Great Bri-
tain, may reside, with his family and establishment perma-
nently at the capital, or may visit it occasionally, at the
option of the British Government." He regretted to be
obliged to bring forward so important a motion at that late
hour, but the house would at once see it was not his fault.
He was also aware of the very natural anxiety which existed
to hear the statement of the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
but he should endeavour to be as brief as possible, alth,ugh
he could not do his subject justice. He believed that those
who studied the subject would agree with him, that if the
3d article of the treaty of Tien-tsin, which required a resi-
dence for an English Minister in China at Pekin, were in-
sisted on, there never would be peace in that country ;
and that it was not a question of three, but nine millions
of money. Such a proceeding would involve them in
perpetual war with that country—a war that must
cripple, and ultimately destroy their commerce, and
probably produce national bankruptcy. (Hear, hear.) It
was impossible to have invented any demand more repug-
nant to a nation than that which had been made
upon the people of China, and therefore he entreated the
Government to consider well the instructions that should be
sent out. He considered that all questions of dignityshould
be dropped, seeing that the real dignity of all Governments
was to do that which was right, and to avoid the unnecessary
waste of blood and treasure. He concluded by submitting
his motion.

Lord J. RUSSELL said that from the form in which the
hon. gentleman's motion had been framed it was impossible
that the house could agree to it. If they did it would not
only imply disrespect to the authority of the Crown, but it
would cause great confusion were the Foreign Minister to
be instructed to give instructions at variance with those
which he received from her Majesty. With regard to the
statement of the hon. gentleman that the Emperor of
China regarded it as a degradation to be compelled to allow
a British Minister; or any other foreign representative, to
reside in China, he (Lord J. Russell) could state that since
the treaty of Tien-tsin the Russians had claimed the privi -
lege of sending a Minister to Pekin. That Minister had
gone by the overland route, had been received with great
distinction, and had resided there for many months, yet the
empire of China had not fallen away, nor had the Emperor
been in any way degraded. (Hear, hear.) The truth was
that the Chinese were beginning to understand that there
were peoples and sovereigns in the world who were not
vassals of the Emperor, but who claimed equal tights with
him and his nation. It was therefore impossible for the
Chinese to urge that they would not grant to Great Britain
that which they 1...1 u•ran+-. Deari.g,
—tuu mat it was quite impossible for the house to give
instructions to her Majesty's Minister contrary to those of
her Majesty herself, and also that there was no reason for
any such departure from so usual a course, he hoped the
house would not agree to the hon. member's motion.
The question was then put and negatived without a di%i-
sion.