Star.
London, England, 1830-05-14 00:00:00

COAL DUTY IN IRELAND.

311 r. S. RICE said that in rising to propose a reduction of the
duty on coals in Ireland, he telt that be was not only proposing a
benefit to Ireland, but also to the coal districts of Ireland. He be.
lieved that the produce of this tax to the revenue was only front fiftyto
sixty thousand pounds. But the degree of relief to trade arising from
the removal of the tax was not to be estimated by the pecuniary
amount of the tax paid. lie thought that a free trade in coals between
the two countries would lead to a great consumption of the article by
he growing manufactures of Ireland. The lion member contended
that th duty when imposed was not intended to be kept up as it
had b; en. If the Chancellor of the Exchequer was afraid of the
lot: to the reveime from the repeal of this tax, he had an equivalent
to oiler him, and that equivalent was economy. The estimates yet
runairaAl to b^ discuastti, and although considerable reductions had
'ocen made, he had no doubt that others could be pointed out which
would more than cover the amount produced by the duty. If not,
he should then be contented to let the proposition fall to the ground.
He moved that the house resolve itself into a Committee upon the
Coal Act, with a view to the repeal of the duty on coals imported
into Ireland.

Lord KILLEEN seconded the motion. He was happy to say
that the distinction between the two countries were fading away
every day, and he thought this measure, if adopted, would mateti.
ally forward that most desirable object.
The CH INCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER hoped that in op.
posing the motion he should not be considered as being disinclined to
do every thing in his power to assist and relieve the growing industry
of that country by every means in his power. He knew that in the taxes
from which he had had the happiness of relieving the country
during the present session, the same relief was not given to Ireland
as to the other parts of the empire. But why was it so? It was
that the previous desire on the part of the Government and Parlia-
ment to extend every practicable relief to Iceland, had scarcely left a
,ax to be repealed. It was true that the repeal of the Beer Tax was
ro benefit to Ireland, because there was no Beer Tax in that coun.
try. it VAS also equally true that if he had repealed the duty on
soap 1e should have given no benefit to Ireland, for she had no soap
tax The same was the case with the tax on candies. Again, if he
hail rely:tied the assessed taxes lie should have afforded Ireland no
rclid, for she paid no assess. d taxes. Upon these greunds he could
nut feel justified in consenting to give up a source of revenue which
was steadily and rapidly increasing with the growing wealth of the
country.

Oen. OASCOVNE thought the right ban. Chancellor of the
Exchequer had failed to meet the arguments of the hon. member
for limerick. He had been long enough in the house to have heard
Mr. Adding:o:l and the noble premier say in that house, that the
coal tox wa, the most unjust, and oppressive, and partial of all taxes.
3;r. WARBURTON supported the motion, and contended that
0,- whole of the coal duty should be repealed, and the deficiency in
the revenue made up by a duty on Canadian timber.
Mr. O'CONNELL declared his distinct opinion that this duty
was a diret.t violation of the Gth Article of the Union.

Mr. BARING was favourable to making this concession to Ire.
lend. In the establishment of manufactures, labour was now no.
thing, since the universal application of steam. It was, therefore,
impossible that Ireland should become a manufacturing country,
while a tax was continued which deprived it of the means of pro-
ducing that indispensable agent.
Mr. G. MOORE expressed his hope that, if his right hon. friend
could not concede the whole of the duty, he would allow it to be re.
mitted upon all coals used in manufactures.
Mr. WODE HOUSE recommended a commutation of the present
duty for ore levied by weight, and at the pit's mouth.
Lord MILTON opposed the argument of the hon. member for
Callington, and e,ontend:d that taking off the tax would not benefit
the manufacturer:. No useful object would be accomplished ; on
the contrary, the revenue would be injured.
Mr. P. THO3IPSON opposed the motion. If his hon. friend
had proposed a measure for the alleviation of the people from the
general taxation on coals, he should have voted with him ; but he
did not see how they could make the poor in Kent, Sussex, ad other
counties, pay a duty which was not paid in Ireland.
Lord CASTLEREAGH said this had been treated not as an
Irish but an English question. This duty on coals in Ireland had
been described to be of small amount, but though of small amount,
the repeal would be beneficial to Ireland.
Sir T.ACLAND said the observations of the noble lord, the
member for Yorkshire, had filled him with surprise. When he
found the noble lord advocate the question for Yorkshire against
the interest of the people of Devon and other counties, be thought
there was a departure from the liberal view which the noble lord
took on most subjects. The duty on coals in Ireland might be taken
off, in his opinion, without injury to the revenue.

Lord ALTHORP was strongly inclined to look at the subject as
an English question, because It was an Irish question. The more
lrosperous they could make Ireland, the better it would be for Eng-
nd. The hon. member for Dover had objected to the removal of
the tax because it would not have a general effect, but it would re-
lieve the poor population of Ireland, and the change might be ef-
fected without injury to the revenue. Thinking it a most unequal
tax, be should give his support to the motion.
After Mr. 8. RICE replied,
The House divided—
For the Motion
Against it
Majority against the Motion....

HACKNEY COACHES.
Sit JOHN VVROTTESLEY moved that • select committee be
appointed to inquire into the duties, salaries, and emoluments of
hackney-coach commissioners, and the present state of public car-
riages in the metropolis.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER did not rise to
offer any opposition ; on the contrary, he was one of those who con.
sidcred the motion advantageous to the public. The subject had
occupied his time and attention. The right hon. gentleman stated
upon this subject, that it was his intention to give the public an ad.
vantage in stage-coaches, which at present they did not enjoy. By
the law regulating stagecoaches, the drivers of such stages were not
allowed to take up passengers upon the stones, and convey them to
different parts of the town. In a bill he had to submit to the house,
all restriction in that respect would be removed. The stages would
have authority to take up passengers in the streets, and convey them
to all parts of the town.

HALF-PAY APPRENTICES.
Mr. FYLER, after describing the pernicious system of employ-
ing a number of children to labour in factories, in consequence of
which they were afterwards thrown on the parish, obtained leave to
bring ins bill to do away with half-pat apprentices.
Sir J. GRAHAM postponed his motion for an account of
salaries, fees, /sc. enjoyed by each of his Majesty's Privy Council
to this day. The hon. bart, said he should bring it forward in com-
mittee of Supply.
The committee on the sale of the beer bill was postponed to
Monday.
The other Orders of the Day having also been postponed, the
House adjourned at a quarter to One o'Clock.

A letter from Rome, dated April 6, gives some further
particulars relative to the accident which happened to
Madame Bonaparte on the 22d, and states " that her life
is considered to be in imminent danger. The accident
had created much anxiety in Rome, and even the Pope
himself had sent to inquire after her health. He also
sent his condolences to Cardinal Feach, to whom all his
colleagues, and particularly the most influential in the
Sacred College, have evinced their anxiety to share the
grief caused to his Eminence by the danger which me-
naces a beloved sister. The people of Rome generally
have a great regard for the mother of a monarch who,
during fourteen years, had all the Kings of Europe under
his feet, and before whom every tongue was silent, as
was the case in presence of Alexander. The benefits
conferred during the occupation of the country by the
French troops are deeply imprinted upon their minds ;
and the tyranny of the Austrian Government, which is a
scourge upon the whole of Italy, serves to impress them
still more firmly upon their memories."

FRANCE AND ITS GOVERNMENT
From the Repthentant.
An opposition, wherever it may be, and whatever
directed against, always acts at one remarkable sly a,i
vantage. Whatever it may say or do, personal feeli►;g.,
and interests are sure to be attributed to it as its motiv,.,
and when its adversaries can neither find fault with
language nor its actions, they revenge themselves by al
tacking* its intentions. This is particularly the case wee,
regard to any opposition in politics. Every man that
finds fault with the system or proceedings of the Govern.
went, is cried out against as factious, as an agitator, ai
an anarchist. At London he is a radical; at Ns.
pies, a carbonaro; and at Paris, a jacobin. All that he
sas:s must necessarily be false ; all his arguments must lie
fallacies; and if it ever happens to be impossible to dent
the truth of what ho states, the cry is raised that it ;,
exagr,erated. This plan sometimes succeeds in prevent
ing hint from being believed ; and then the prevailing
despotism takes advantage of it, to consolidate and in.
crease its power.
The author of the Reps o'scntant is well aware that be
cannot expect to be unassailed by similar charges ;—tl;a•
when he attacks the faults of a hateful administration.
thero are people who will cry out," //e is a raw/win/Psi:
—and when he represents the impossibility that the exit
ing government of France should maintain its ground.
reply, " Nobody thinks so bid a handful of Liberal,
All the rest of France wants to have the Bourbons
wants to have the eldest branch of the Bourbons; toant,
to kare the government as it is. And the govcrunfrb,
as it is, is strong, and it will triumph."
These expressions have been seen, word for word, Ili
newspapers whose names cannot just now be recollected.
If the writers of those papers were asked to aar,
what aas the nature of the government they were talk
ing about, what were it; component parts, what the
actual administration was made of, what were its
means of strength, as one way of judging of the
strength of the government,—they would be sadly at a
loss; because all these are points on which they absolutele
know nothing at all,—in fact it is almost impossilde Is
have an idea of them in England. An Englishman sip,
travels in France, or even one who takes up his residence
there, has no chance of getting possession of the ma-
chinery of the administration in full detail, nor of fol•
lowing through all its links the chain of people who are
concerned in it.

The reader shall now be presented with a picture o:
this government and administration. It would be a good
thing it' it was known in every part of England ; for it
of the greatest consequence towards throwing light on the
state of France, and the real strength of its present go-
vernment. And, to cut off all room for charges of enag.
geration or of fallacy, the language used shall be one
that is devoid of passion, the language of cyphers awl
arithmetic. Some apology may bo due to the sabscribe:i
for the dryness of this article ; but the subject is one of
those which it is impossible to treat, without giving up
all Fetensions to the mixture of the utile with the 416.
France, as every body knows, is divided into Depart-
ments ; and these again are divided into A nondissements.
the Arrondissements into Cantons, and the Cantons into
Communes. There are in France 86 departments ; 361
arrondissements; 2,835 cantons ; 38,171 communes.
The forms of administration in France, as relates to thr
division among ministers with different titles, have ben,
frequently varied since the restoration. Different dir:-
sions of the ministry have been created, and then ui--
pressed, according to the circumstances and interest.;
the moment. At present there are seven, which arc a 3
follow :—The Minister for Foreign Affairs, the Minister
of the Interior, the Minister for Public Education awl
the Affairs of the Church, for Justice, the Finances,
War, and the Navy. Each of these offices, with its
paid agents or other persons strictly dependent on it for
the exercise of their business in life, throughout tl.t
whole of France, will be made to pass in review in
little room as possible.
MINISTRY OF FOREIGN AFFAIRS.

The whole of the Ambassadors, Charges d'Affaire.,.
Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and Agents in Consulships, ra,
named by royal ordinance, on the appointment and undo
the countersign of the Minister.
The Central administration, divided into its Directions,has
persons employed, about...
The Ambassadors, Charg(s d'Affaires, Secretaries to Em.
b.uisies or to Legations, and others employed in that
branch
The Consuls-General, Consuls, Vice-Consuls, and other
Consular Agents 2:4
Couriers to the Government, perwns sent on secret service,
and Spies kept in London and other capitals l,, ,
Total of the persons employed under the Minister of Fo.
reign Affairs.......