The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1836-05-03 00:00:00

THE LIVERPOOL STAN DARD

Emperial Parliament.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.--WEDNESDAY.
AGRICULTVUA I. DISTRESS.

The Marquis of CHA IS DOS, on the motion that the orders of
the day be read, pursuant to his notice, called attention to the
distressed state of agriculture, and the propriety of allowing
the interests of agriculture to participate in the contemplated
reductions of taxation. His lordship, in the course of an
eloquent statement, insisted strongly uu the right of agricul-
turists to justice—and strict justice was all they asked. He then
entered into details for the purpose of showing how little had
been done for them in the late reductions of taxation. The
taxes which had been removed amounted to eight millions 9;)
odd thousand pounds; but when he came to examine how much
relief had been given to the landed interest, he found that not
more than half a million had been removed from the laud. It

would be found that in the reductions which had taken place
there had been those which, to a certain extent, had benefited
the agriculturists; and amongst other items he mentioned the
repeal of the duty on tiles, which gave them £30,000; then
there was the repeal of the duty on fire insurances iu respect to
agricultural buildings, and house tax. But let him say, that
while these were beneficial to the interest which he had advo-
cated, still they were items of general taxation. Let him not
be charged with this, that the repeal of the house tax was ex-
clusively for the benefit of the agriculturists ; they derived some
benefit from it, it was true; but the greatest benefit was given
to large towns, and not to agricultural districts He did not ask
the house to pledge itself to any specific remedy, but he did ask
it to determine that the agriculturists should share in any future
benefit or relief." His lordship concluded by moving a reso-
lution to the effect that it is the opinion of this house that in
the application of any surplus revenue towards relieving the
burdens of the country, by reduction of taxation or otherwise,
due regard should be had to the necessity of affording a portion
in
terest.
Mr. relief to the agricultural
Mr. W.- DUNCOMBE seconded the motion.
Lord J. Rt SSELL contended that it was a narrow view of the
question to suppose that the agriculturists did not share with
the rest of the community in any general relief from taxation.
After alluding to the malt tax, which the house had refused to
repeal, the noble lord proceeded to observe that the new poor
law act had produced a saving of 49 per cent in the agricultural
districts. It was by such measures that real relief would be
afforded. The arrangement of the tithe question was another,
which, if adopted, would effect much good; and the manage-
ment of the county rate upon better principles would also be
found to operate most favourably. He would not enter then
into the question of agricultural distress ; if he did he should
have to bring statements from the evidence taken before the
agricultural committee, in opposition to that of the noble lord.
When that committee had closed their labours, he hosted that
they would present a body of evidence such as would enable
the house to come to a fair and dispassionate opinion ; but he
must protest against any conclusion drawn from a part of that
evidence only.
The Earl of DARLINGTON supported the motion, which after
further discussion, in which Mr. Hume, Sir James Graham,
Sir R. Peel ,and others took part, was rejected by a majority
of 36; the numbers, on division, being for the motion, 172.;
against it, 208. Adjourned.
HOUSE OF LORDS.—THURSDAY.
The Belfast railway bill was read a third time and passed.
CHANCERY AND APPELLATE JURISDICTION 'SILLS.
The LORD CHANCELLOR, pursuant to notice, presented two
bills, one regarding the administration of justice in the Court of
Chancery, and the other respecting the appellate jurisdiction of
that house. The object was to separate the functions of the
Lord Chancellor. The first bill provides for the appoiutment
of .a Chief Justice of his Majesty's Court of Chancery; the
amount of salary was not determined upon, but it certainly
would not be less than that of the Chief Justice of the Court of
King's Bench. The second bill limited the duties of the Lord
Chancellor to administer its appellate jurisdiction by constantly
presiding in the House of Lords, or in the privy council—the
sitting for appeals not to be always suspended by the proroga-
tion of parliament—the equity jurisdiction of the Exchequer to
be abolished. In the course of his statements his lordship men-
tioned that at a very early period he should bring forward the
imprisonment for debt abolition bill. If that passed, it was pro-
posed to abolish the Court of Review. Its abolition would not
be now proposed, because its machinery might be brought to
aid the working of the imprisonment for debt bill.
After some remarks from Lords ABINGER and WyrsFolio,
who said that they should reserve their objections until the com-
mittee, the bills were read a first time.—Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TherisDAY.
Mr. CLAY brought up the report of the committee on the
Birmingham, Bristol, and Thames junction railway bill.—Or-
dered to lie on the table.

COPYRIGHT ACT.
Mr. BUCKINGHAM obtained leave to bring in a bill to repeal
so much of the copyright act as enjoins the gratuitous delivery
of eleven copies of every published work to eleven of the public
institutions, colleges, and libraries of the different towns of the
kingdom.

GRAND JURIES (IRELAND.)
Lord MORPETH brought in a bill to consolidate and amend
the grand jury laws (Ireland.)

EXECUTION OF MURDERERS.
Mr. Act 'minx moved for leave to bring in a bill to repeal so
much of the statutes of 9 Geo. I V., c. 31, and 10 Geo. IV. c. 34,
as relates to the period of-the execution of persons convicted of
murder, and the prison regulations as to murderers under sen-
tence. He would not, as the introduction of the bill would not
be opposed, enter into any lengthened statements of the evils of
the existing system. One part of the proposed bill would alter
the prison discipline as affected murderers, for if his object in
lengthening the time between sentence and execution should be
attained, it would be necessary that they should be kept on
something beyond bread and water. We'understoood the hen.
member to propose 14 or 15 days as in Scotland, and not ex-
ceeding 27 days.—Leave given.
The house was shortly after counted out.

HOUSE OF LORDS, FRIDAY.
The house, during the short period it continued sitting, was
wholly occupied in the reception of petitions and returns
ordered on vaious subjects.