The Sun.
London, England, 1845-02-15 00:00:00

IMP-ERI AL PA RLIAMENT.
HOUSE' OF LORDS, Feb. 14.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat on the Wool-
sack at Five o'clock.
HEALTH OF TOWNS.
The Marquis of NORMANBY said that he wished to
present-a petition, of which he had given notice, agreed
to st. a most respectable meeting in Exeter-hall, in the
month of December last. The subject of the
bbalth of towns was one of the most im
' portant that could be brought before their
Lordships, and the association, from whom the
ietitiou emanated, would be most happy to cooperate
- with the Government in any effort to benefit the people
of England in this particular. lie had looked over the
. ;report laid before that House by the Health of Towns
Commission, and had extracted a considerable degree of
Isla-information from the documents thereto appended.
The Noble Marquis referred to the demoralising effects
produced among
.the poorer classes by the system pur-
sued of giving opium, in the shape ofcordials, to children
labouring under diseases induced by the noxious atmo-
sphere to which they were exposed in the crowded lanes
of towns and in the neighbourhood of churchyards.
He felt it his duty to present the petition, and he
would take the opportucity of asking the Noble
Lord, whether it was the intention of Government to
bring in a measure to ameliorate the evils he had corn-
plained of,- and to do away with burial clubs, which, as
at present managed, were another prolific source of evil?
If they did not do so, he certainly should take an oppor-
tunity of introducing such a Bill himself.
The Duke of BUCCLEUCH said that the Govern-
ment had taken the question into consideration, and it
was probable that some measure for the purpose of
attaining the advantages sought by the Noble Marquis
would be brought forward.
Lord CAMPBELL said that no persons should be
alloWed to insure in clubs such as those referred to by
the Noble Marquis, excepting such as were directly in-
terested in the safety of the person so insured.
The Marquis of NORMANBY then gave notice that
he should move, on a future day, for a return of the order
appointing the Deputy-Inspector of Ireland, in the MOW
of the late Mayor of Galway.
The House then adjourned till Monday.

ROUSE OF COMMONS, Feb. 14.

The SPEAKER took his seat at the usual hoar.

- A messenger presented himself at the Bar of the
House, with a message from the Lords; and also a
messenger from the Bank of England, with a communi-
cation from that establishment. _ . _

Several petitions were then presented in reference to
private Bills.

IMPRISONMENT FOR DEBT BILL.

Col. SIBTHORP presented a petition from several
influential persons, and those engaged in trade in the
town of Lincoln, praying for certain alterations in the
Imprisonment for Debt Bill.
LAWS AGAINST BLASPHEMY.

- Sir JOHN EASTHOPE presented a petition for the
abolition of all the laws against blasphemy.
MEDICAL REFORM BILL.

An Hon. MEMBER presented a petition from Hull,
approving of some of the clauses, and disapproving of
others, of the proposed Medical Reform Bill.

VIE NAVAL FORCE.

Mr. BRIGHT presented a petition from the Peace
Society against any furthe-r increase of the naval force.

BANGOR AND ST. ASAPII.

An Rom. MEMBER, whose name we did not hear, pre-
sented a petition against the union of the sees of
Bangor and St. Asap}.
TIMBER DUTIES.

" Mr. G. CRAIG presented a petition from Edinburgh,
praying for a repeal of the timber duties. _

AGRICULTURAL DISTRESS.

Mr. DARBY presented prtitions numerously signed,
praying for an inquiry into the causes of the present
agricultural distress, with a view to its alleviation.

JEWISH DISABILITIES.

Mr. BUTT pres?nted a petition praying for a re-
lova/ of all civil disibilities pressing upon the Jews.

WINDOW-TAX.
Mr. T. DUNCOMBE presented a petition from Mid-
dlesex, praying for a repeal of the window-tax.
INCOME AN I) PROPERTY -TAX. .

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE presented a petition praying for.
a revision of the property and income-tax.
POST-OFFICE ESPIONAGE. _ _ _

DirNeONIBE presented a petition from Mr.
Joseph Mazzini, complaining that his letters had been
broken oper' and stating that, although the House of
Commons had appointed a Secret Committee to
-inquire into the practice of espionage in the Post-
office of Great Britain, the Members of that Com-
mittee had been misinformed and imposed upon;
and he, on the part of himself and other foreigners,
wished to know whether they were in future to place
confidence in the honour of this country, or whether
their correspondence was to be transmitted to foreign
despots, by which they were in danger of imprison-
ment.

_ ,
Several 'petitions for private Bills were presented by
Mr. Buck, Mr.' Porter, Mr. Brotherton, and Mr. Ewart ;
and petitions against the oppressive and unecinal influ
once of the income-tax., from surgeons, solicitors, and
other professional persons residing in several places in
the county of Lincoln ; a petition from the medical
practitioners of Bishopwearinouth, approving of the Me-
dical Reform Bill brought in last session, but praying
for Some alterations therein ; and -a petition from the
London and Country Association of soap-makers, praying
fur a repeal of the duty on soap.
WINDOW-TAX.

Mr. ROEBUCK presented a petition from the car-
penters of the City of London, praying for a repeal of the
window-tax.

NOTICES OF MOTION.-POST-OFFICE.

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE gave notice that, on Tuesday
next, he should submit a motion to the House on the
subject of the Post-office. lie should move for a Select
Committee to inquire into the manner in which the
business of the Post-office was conducted, and he should
also move that the Rep, rt of the Secret Committee of
last year be referred to that Committee.
FIRE INSURANCES.
Colonel SIBTIIORP gave notice that, after Easter, he
should take the sense of the House on the subject of the
propriety of reducing the duties payable on Fire In-
, surances.—(Hear, hear.)
C3MMERCIAL TREATY WITH TURKEY.
- Dr. DOWRING, seeing the Right Hon. Baronet in
his place, would repeat the question which he had
put to hia on a former evening, in reference to the com-
mercial treaty with the Ottoman empire. When that
commercial treaty was entered into with the Porte, an
additional duty had been imposed on the import and ex
port of goods,h!.lher Britannic Majesty's subjects, from the
0 toman empire, and the 4 quivalent which was given them
was the abolition of the monopolies of goods which left
the interior of the Turkish empire. Under that treaty
an additional per centage was imposed on the imports
and the exports of goods. It appeared, however, that
the monopoly had not been abolished, although that
was a subject on which he would not dilate.
They were at that moment able to admit goods into the
British empire on the payment of three per cent, on im-
purtation or on exportation, while British subjects,
under the terms of the treaty, were compelled to
• pay 'l2 per :cent. upon exports and five upon
Imports. The question which he wished to put to
the Right Hon. "Baronet was, whether any effective
measures had been taken to place British subjects of her
Majesty, trading to the Levant, on a level with other
~ubj= eta trading to that part of the, world?
*R. PEEL, said the Governinent were not satisfied

. .
with the manner in which the commercial treaty had
beets ,carried into execution. There .were subjects of
some countries which were entitled to privileges
that British subjects did not possess, although
there was an article in the treaty which pro-
vide i that subjects of her Majesty in the Turkish empire
should be upon the footing. of the most favoured nations.
Of course their appeal must be made to the Porte, and
at the present moment negotiations on the subject,
between the Porte and Russia, were pending.
ELECTION COMMITTEES.
The following Hon. Members were sworn in to serve
on Election Commi:tees :--Lord Sandon, The O'Conor
Don, Sir George Grey, Lord G. Somerset, Mr. Wilson
Patten, and Mr. Locke.

THE OREGON TERRITORY.
Sir. R. PEEL moved the order of the day for a Com-
mittee of Ways and Means.
" 'On the question that the order of the day be read,
• —Mr. ROEBUCK wished to give notice publicly, on
purpose that it might be we:l known, that he should
_ take the earliest opportunity of asking the Right Hop.
gentleman opposite when be should be enabled to lay
on the table of the House the correspondence between
the American Government and our representative there
on the subject of the Oregon territory.
THE BUDGET.
The Order of the Pay for going into Committee of
Ways and Means was' then read; and the Speaker left
the Chair, which was taken by Mr, GREENE.
Sir ROBERT PEEL then rose. Ile said—Mr.

Greene, although, Sir; I have had considerable expe-
*nee. in the discharge of official dutie4, and although
I have frequently had: occasion to address this House

upon matters of great public concern, yet I cannot ap-
proach the discus.siun :of the subject which I am now
called on to introduCe without great anxiety, and
,Ithoit a deep consciousness of how imperfect
and " inadequate will' be the explanation which
I shall be able to give with respect to it.
But though I rise under some disadvantages from the
period of the year at which the statenient is made, yet,
after the announcement of the speech of her Majesty,
that it was intended to propose a continuance of the
income-tax for a further limited period, I felt
that I had no alternative whatever might
have been the precedent under ordinary circum-
stances--but to submit to the House and the
country, the general views of her Majesty's Government
With regard to our financial position and our commercial
' policy. Sir, it will be my duty to present to the House a
general view of the present financial position of the coun-
try—to make an estimate of the probable revenue, and to
discuss this great question—whether it be consistent
with the public interest that the present amount of
expenditure should be maintained, or whether it be not
right that there : hould be, in respect of some important
branches of our public policy, an increase of both beyond
preceding years? If the House entertain that proposition,
-for the reasons which I shall adduce, it will then be incum-
bent on me to propose for the consideration of Parliament
*hether it be fitting that that increased expenditure shall
be met from the ordinary sources of revenue, or whether
it be more advisable that that tax imposed in 1842, on
proparty and income, shall be continued for a further
pedal, fur the double purpose of providing efficiently