The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1848-06-06 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-TUESDAY,

In answer to a question from Mr. Roche; Sir G. GREY
sa-1,1 that instructions had been given that the sentence oa
?fir. Mitchel should be carried into effect.

Dr. BOWRING then moved a series of resolutions, the
object of which was to bring under the supervison of Par-
liament the expenses of the collection of the revenue—in
other words, that these expenses should not be stopped
pout of the gross receipts by the several departments where
they were deposited, but that these latter should be re-
turned to Parliament, to be dealt with by its authority
alone. .

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought the plan
of the hon. gentleman almost perfect in theory, but quite
impracticable.

After some discussion the House divided, when the
turnbErs were—for the previous question, 54; against it,
55; majority against Ministers, 1.
The House again divided on the resolution, when the
cumbers were—for the resolution, 35; against it, 51 ; ma-
jority against Ministers. 5.
The announcement of these defeats of Ministers was
loudly cheered. _

lIOUSE OF COMMONS.-WEDNESDAY.

On the order of the day for going into committee on the
Roman Catholic Relief Bill.
Mr. LAAV moved that it be an instruction to the com-
mittee to divide the bill into two bills, omitting so much
in the first bill as related to the 10th George IV., c. 7, and
the provisions thereof. His object was, not to show any
favour whetever to the first portion of the bill, but at all
events to rescue the 10th George IV. from the operation
of the measure.
Mr. SPOONER seconded the amendment.

Mr. ANSTEY, after having been informed by Mr. Law
that he intended to press his amendment to a division,
stated that, if it were carried, he would still press that
part of his bill against which it was directed until tardy
justice was done to the Roman Catholics. He could not,
however, anticipate at the hands of the house such a slight
upon the immerse majority of the people of Ireland as
would be involved in the adoption of this amendment.
The result of it would be to leave one-third of the clergy
of that kingdom still outlawed, and without any religious
status.

Mr. NEwnEG ATE thought the house ought to know that
Mr. Anstey. who proposed this bill, had been made, on
the 19th of February last, by the Pope, a Knight of the
Order of St. Grezzory, as a reward for his great services in
the cause of the Roman Catholic church. This bill tended
to promote the interests of the Jesuits, but all history
showed that it was for the interests of liberty that the Je-
suits should not be permitted either to gain or retain
power. L► proof of this position, he entered into many
details, and quoted an extract from a recent despatch of
Lord Palmerston to our Minister in Switzerland to'show
that he considered the society of Jesuits to be a society
avowedly established to make war on the Protestant reli-
gion. He hoped that the house would not assent to this
bill, but would allow those laws which experience had
proved to be essential to the safety of the state to remain
on the statute-hook.

The Earl of AR'J;;DEL contended that the Jesuits were
-the most loyal sahjects of every government under which
they lived.

Sir It. INoms followed on the same side with Mr. New-
degate, whom he thanked for his able and conclusive
• -speech. In reference to Lord Arundel's assertion that the
Jesuits were the most loyal subjects of all countries, he
-reminded the house that in 33 instances these most loyal
subjects had been condemned under every form of go-
vernment in every country in the world during the last
two centuries.

After a singular speech from Mr. HENRY DRUMMOND,
in which he insisted that there was a most essential diffe-
rence betweei, the dead Papists of books and live Roman
'Catholics, and in which he expressed his willingness to
vote for every practical object to which Mr. Shiel had al-
luded ; and after a declaration from Sir 11. WILLot DIM"
that he should vote for the amendment, the house divided,
when Mr. Law's instruction to the committee was carried
by a majority of 129 over 42 voices.
The house then went into coMmittee ; but the proceed-
ings were so very confused and irregular that when six
o'clock came no progress had been made in the consider-
ation of the bill. The Chairman then quitted the chair,
-and the house broke up.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TUURSDAY.
Lord J. RUSSELL gave notice of two important mo-
tions, one for leave to bring in a bill on Friday week to
repeal the rate-paying clauses of the Reform Fill; and
another for leave to bring in a bill to alter the form of
oath to be taken at the table by members of that house,
-on taking their seats at it.
Mr. COLVILLE moved and Mr. STAFFORD seconded a
motion for the issue of a new writ for the borough of
Derby. Mr. HumE and Sir J. HANMER opposed the
-motion. After considerable discussion, in which Sir G.
Grey, Col. Si'othorp, and other members joined, the mo-
tion was carried by a majority of 153 over 136 voices.
In reply to a question from Mr. Baillie, Lord PALMER-
sToN observed, that he had been informed by the Spanish
Ambassador that Count Mirasol had come over to this
country on a special mission from the Government of
Spain to afford explanation on certain recent transactions
at Madrid. His reply had been, that whatever communi-
cations the Spanish Government wished to make to the
British Government on those transactions he would be
.ready to receive from its official and accredited agent at
our Court. He had thought it riga to decline receiving
any communications from Count Mirasol; and he had
further stated, that considering the nature of the transac-
tions at Madrid it would be advisable that any communi-
cations made respecting them should be made in writing.
He had since received some communications on the sub-
ject. He did not however feel it to be his duty to state
the nature of them at present. When they were brought
to a dose, he should probably feel it to be his duty to lay
,them on the table, but it was not in his power to say at
what time lie should be able to do so.
In reply to a question from Mr. Hume, Lord J. Rus-
SELL stated, that on the 15th or 16th of June some mem-
ber of her Majesty's Government would explain to the
house the course which the Government intended to take
,tm the West India question.
The adjourned debate on the Navigation and Regulation
of Ships and Seamen, after some explanations between
J. Wilson and Mr. G. Robinson, as to a statement of
the former ob Monday night, was then resumed by Mr.
Mollatt, who argued against the laws. Mr. G. Robinson,
Abe Marquis of Granby, and Mr. Henley spoke in favour
.of Ahem ; and Mr. Mitchell and Mr. M. Gibson against
them. The debate was then adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS.--FRIDAY.

Lord MROUGHAM called the attention of the house to
-the riotous proceedings which bad been going on in the
metropolis for two or three nights past. Nothing could
be more irrational and nonsensical than such disturbances,
'w22ich, without coming to an actual outbreak, had the
e&ct of interrupting trade, and of harassing the civil and
military force. _

..... -.„
The Duke of WELLINGTON trusted that some means
would be found, to stop these riotous assemblies. Perhaps
the best way would be to make the persons who called
them -together .responsible for all the evil consequences
attending them. 4; this were done, the orators who
advocated assassination would not be so ready to convene
sne•etings for the sake, of enunciating their peculiar
oloctrines.
After some further discussion, in which the Marquis of
Lansdowne, the Duke of Richmond, and Lord Denman
took part, the matter dropped.
Lord STANLEy complained of the incompleteness of
the papers concerning the diplomatic quarrel with
Spain which had been laid before the house, and inquired
whether any additional correspondence on the matter
would be published.
The Marquis of LANSnOWNE reged that the moment
the additional documents were
completeer
seiti
otn.he y should be
kid before the house without any
The Parliamentary Proeeediogs Adjournment Bill was
read a third time and passed.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COIVIIIONS.--FRIDAY.
Mr. GLADSTONE opened the discussion upon the
Navigation Laws. The question, he observed, was not
whether the plan of the government was the best that
could be devised, but whether the house was prepared, at
this time, to inaka a change in the principles of the
Navigation Laws. He was read; to give a deliberate
answer in the affirmative. He thought that these laws
ought to be altered, and that this was the most seasonable
time for making the change, He justifie.-1 the reference
glade to tho " giewo" of Yrti,ssitt she wto 4 tirot,.eigm

power in this question, and if she entertained the inten-
tion imputed to her, that, unless we relaxed our Naviga-
tion Jaws, she would tighten hers, it was just and equi-
table ;that she should,:give. us explicit notice of her
intention. With regard to our colonies, these laws
imposed a tax upon them for the sole benefit of this
country. The question, however, concerned another and
a vital point—the defences of this country ; and he was
not prepared to proceed with this measure if he were con-
vinced that it would injure the carrying trade of this
country, and deprive our navy of the resource of our
mercantile marine in case of war. But he was prepared
to alter these laws, because he believed that the effect of
a judicious change in them would not be to limit, but to
strengthen and extend, the commerce, and with the
commerce the navigation, of this country. The right
hon. gentleman contended upon various grounds that our
ship-builders and ship-owners could maintain a successful
competition with those of other countries. There was
another element in this part of the question beside cheap-
ness, and it was a significant fact that our ship-owners
were building ships dearer and dearer every year. It was
not the cheap but the dear countries which we bad to
fear—the countries which threatened to compete with
us in capital, skill, and enterprise. What our ship-
owners required was, fromfreedom restrictions, and
if the Baltic ships were really so cheap, why should
they be debarred from the power of buying them ?
With respect to the qualifications and character of
our shipmasters and seamen, he thought that the
standr-rd of professional qualification might be im-
proved. He should have preferred a more gradual
measure; he wished that the Government had adhered to
the uniform course of precedents, and made large con-
cessions conditional upcm reciprocal concessions by other
powers. To a small extent this was a conditional mea-
sure ; but he objected to the discretionary power.propcmed
to be lodged in the Queen in council, with a view of ex-
torting reciprocity, which was a discretion too large and
too delicate, and the Government would have acted more
safely and wisely by undoing piecemeal, rather than by
introducing a measure of so sweeping a character. The
right hon. gentleman censured thg policy of excluding the
coasting trade from this measure; we should have offered
to admit the Americans to our coasting trade if they
would admit us to theirs. Upon the whole, in his opinion,
the preliminary question of time bad been marked in this
case by a singular combination of circumstances, and this
change in our commercial policy, though characterised as
a " theory," when tested by its results would show, as in
other cases, that it was a wise measure, justified by past
experience, and that the dangers apprehended trout it
were imaginary..

Mr. HUDSON recapitulated the unequal terms upon
which our shipbuilders would have to contend with those
of other nations, and challenged the result of those free
trade principles upon the supposed success of which this
perilous measure was based. The object of such a mea-
sure should be to increase employment for our poor,
whereas our shipbuilders represented that it would force
them to abandon a profession which afforded support to
thousands. They would do as he would if he were a
shipbuilder—transfer their capital to the place where the
timber was grown.
Captain BERKELEY entered into some explanations
respecting the military part of the question. He differed
in opinion from Sir James Stirling. considering that the
royal navy was dependent on the mercantile navy ; hut,
at the same time, the merchant service depended upon the
navy, and he was glad that this reciprocity existed. It
had been said that if the Navigation Laws were done away
with, it would upset the registration of British seamen ;
but be had watched the working of that system, and pro-
nounced it. the greatest farce ever invented. It was hate-
fill to the men, and drove a great many out of the country.
He had no doubt that we should easily man our navy
without this system.

Captain HARRIS defended the registration system, and
hoped the Admiralty would give it a fair trial. The gal-
lant member likewise deprecated the total abolition of
the apprenticeship system, which worked beneficially for
the mercantile navy.
Sir A. HOOD condemned the measure, and all the ex-
periments of free trade, which had brought distress into
our manufacturing districts, and vagrancy into our colo-
ides.

Mr. CLAY would have been better satisfied if the change
in the Navigation L: vs had beers preceded or accompanied
by the announcement of some measure to set at rest the
question how our navy was to be manned in time of war.
If all restrictions were taken away, he did not doubt that
the whole of the interests which had been protected by
the Navigation Laws would not suffer by their removal ;
but without some assurance of this kind he could not
support the measure.

Mr. NEWDEGATE complained the manner in which
this measure had been forced upon the house, without suf-
ficient inquiry, and without: any expressed opinion of those
whom it had appointed to inquire. He complained also of
the manner in which statistics bad been used in this discus-
sion, especially by Mr. Wilson, whom he accused of mak-
ing comparisons which were unfair and inconclusive,- and
an abuse of statistics.

Mr. \VAT-vs gave his opposition to the scheme, conceiv-
ing. it to be fraught with mischief.

Lord INGEsTRE also opposed the measure, for which the
government had not shown that there was any urgent ne-
cessity. He believed that this scheme would prove highly
detrimental to our maritime supremacy, and consequently
to the hest interests of the country. The 'noble lord dis-
putJd the opinions expressed by Sir J. Stirling, which he
delivered were in direct opposition to those of naval officers
in general. He regarded this as another attempt to sacri-
fice a great interest—our " ships, colonies, and commerce"
—to the untried theory of free trade, and he thought that
the time selected by the government for introducing the
measure was inappropriate with reference to the state of
the continent.

Lord J. HAI- differed from Lord Ingestre. He had
considered this question, and he firmly believed that it was
calculated to produce that energy and enterprising spirit
in this country which must increase its wealth, and naval
superiority. tic was convinced that first-class British ships
might be built and equipped cheaper in the Thames than
in any other country. In answer to the sneers which had
been cast upon the statements in the blue book, respecting
the moral conduct and discipline of British masters, he
took upon himself the responsibility, on his own personal
experience, of maintaining every one of those statements.
When in command, off the Douro, where there were 80 or
HO British ships, he was called upon almost every morning
to decide quarrels between masters and their crews ; and,
in nearly every instance, the master was in the wrong.
Mr. HILDYARD strongly urged the enormous risk which
the country, and the shipping interest in particular, ran in
this experiment; and thought the government were bound
to show the paramount necessity of this measure, which
put in jeopardy a capital of £40,000,000, and the very ex-
istence of a large class of men who got their livelihood by,
and were only fit for, one occupation. It was idle to sup-
pose that Prussia would carry her menace into effect, for it
would cost too severe a sacrifice; the number of her ships
entering inwards from her ports in England was four times
that of British tonnage from those ports; and, as to Ame-
rica, her Executive Government might be controlled by
her Legislature and reject our offer, and if the veto of our
Government were then interposed, it would provoke an
angry feeling more dangerous than the menace of Prussia.
The hon. member pointed out, with much effect, results
favourable to his argument derived from statistical facts ;
and concluded a speech, which was attentively listened to,
with an eloquent warning to the house of the consequences
of this irrevocable step—vestigia nulla rctrorsum,—that,
if the experiment were entered upon, it would be utterly
impossible to arrest the evil ; and we should have the mor-
tification and the remorse of reflecting that it had been
brought about through no imperious necessity, and with no
reasonable hope of obtaining a corresponding benefit.
No member rising to address the house, there were loud
calls for a division, and after some discussion, whether the
house would divide or agree to a majority by Sir J. Walsh
for an adjournment of the debate,
Lord J. RUSSELL proposed to resume the debate after
that respecting the Spanish correspondence, which bad
been fixed for Monday ; but some members still calling for
a division, on the question of adjournment, the house di-
vided upon that question, which was carried by 236 against
73.

It was then arranged that the debate should be resumed
on Monday.
The Law of Entail (Scotland) Bill went through com-
mittee, and the other orders of the paper being disposed of,
the house adjourned until Monday.

FOREIGN AND COLONIAL.

AMERICA.

The Royal Mail Steam-ship Britannia, Captain J. C.
Lang, arrived here on Monday afternoon, with ad-
vices from New York to the 16th instant, Boston to the
17th, and Halifax to the 19th instant. She brought £3,600
specie and 43 passengers.
The political advices are not important.
General Scott embarked from Vera Cruz on the 30th
April for New York and great preparations were making
in the latter town to give him an enthusiastic reception.
Upwards of three hundred buildings had been destroyed
by the great fire at Detroit, and the loss is estimated at
above two hundred thousand dollars.

A fire broke out at Albany on the 15th instant, and da-
mage estimated at thirty thousand dollars was done.
The United States (steamer) will in future be employed
as a regular packet between Havre and New York, leaving
the latter port on her first trip on the 10th instant.
Judge Moore, of New York, has set aside judgment in
a case, on the ground that Aaron Bradley, as a man of
colour, was incompetent to act as counsel.
John Jacob Astor, the late great millionaire of this city,
it is said, has laid aside in his will half a million of dol-
lars, for the establishment of a free library in New York.
He has wisely limited the cost of the building to 60,000
dollars, so that his beneficence shall not, like Girard's
(of Philadelphia) be thrown away on marble and mortar.
The Indians Yucatan still continue their depreda-
tions. They have destroyed the town of Valcalla by
burning it to the ground. Five hundred of its defenders
had retired into forts, while the women and children were
taking care of themselves as best they could, and were
flying in all directions without money or food. Even the
inhabitants of Balize were threatened with an attack, and
were preparing to meet it. On the 13th Ipril there was
an action between about 300 Indians of Eli's division
and the Yucatecos. The latter were successful.
The following is the latest account from Hayti, dated
Aux Cayes, April 14 :—" Our city and its environs are in
arms. The people have determined to overthrow the pre-
sident and the present order of things, and to elect another
chief. All stores are closed. Every citizen is enrolled in
and performs duty day and night.
Tlse
mi
ministerstary
resigned by desire of the populace,
All
is disordc r and cunfusion, and we have fears that the pre-
and the newly-elected ones are afraid to accept office.
sent state of things may
last for some time.'
Intelligence from 5 Cambria by the Cambra steam-ship
'
was received in New York on the 14th instant. It had
rather a favo:arable influence on the markets. Prices for
cotton had stiffened, and there was more inquiry for ship-
ment; for the better grades prices were very firm, while