The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-07-14 00:00:00

POLITICAL MISCELLANY.

The official list of the ministry published last week does
not differ from that which we published on Tuesday.
Mr. l'raed, the Conservative Member of Parliament for
St. Ives, Cornwall, died on Wes!nesday.
Lord Morpeth has forwarded £39 towards the funds
for providing a national testimonial to Mr. Cobden.
Mr. Monckton Milnes has wr tten to his constituents
to say he shall support Lord J. Russell's ministry.
The Rochdale free-traders are about to commence a
subscription for rewarding Mr. Bright.
Sir Howard Douglas, M.P., Mr. Moffatt, and a depu-
tation, had an interview with Lord John Russell, on
Friday, at his official residence in Downing-street.
Mr. Charles Grey has been appointed private secretary
to Lord John Russell. Mr. Grey was secretary to Mr.
Francis Baring when Chancellor of the Exchequer.
It is somewhat singular that, at the time of the last
election, Sir Toornas Wilde should have received during
his stay in Worcester his appointment as Attorney-
General, and that on Tuesday. on the eve of his second
election, he should have received his elevation to the dig-
nity of Lord Chief Justice. _

- -
PEEL AND COBDEN.—On Monday last, two votes of
thanks were passed to Sir Robert Peel and Al r. Cobden
by the Manchester town-council—to the former for his
candour and resolution in introducing and carrying the
late measures of government, and to the latter for his
seven years talented and influential advocacy of free trade.
It is said that Lord John Russell intends to propose
the immediate equali,ation of free and slave produced
sugar. and thus extinguish at once all the protection of
our West India planters. If so he will be opposed by a
re-united Conservative party, and the Whig Administra-
tion will be at an end.

NATIONAL TESTIMONIAL TO SIR ROBERT PEEL.—It
appears by an advertisement in the London papers, that a
committee is being formed for the purpose of raising funds
to present a national testimonial to Sir Robert Peel. The
provisional chairman of this committee is Col. Peyronnet
Thompson, and the provisional vice-chairman. is Captain
Polhill, the Conservative membt r for Bradford.
Among the last acts of Sir Robert Peel's Government
was an official announcement that Roman Catholics and
Unitarians were to be ecriallv eligible with other deno-
minations for professorships in the three new colleges of
Ireland •, and that one Unitarian would be put on the
board of management and examination with one Trini-
tarian Presbyterian.—Dublin paper.
So far as has yet transpired, Sir George Clerk, late
master of the mint and vice-president of the board of trade,
is the only member of Sir Robert Peel's administration
whose retirement from official life has entailed an additional
charge on the resources of the country. Sir Geone Clerk's
name has been put upon the list of those entitled to pen-
sions for civil services. The amount assigned him- is
£1.200 per annum.
ENTERTAINMENT TO LORD STANLEY AND LORD GEO.
BENTINCK.—On Wednesday last, an entertainment was
given to the above noblemen, at the Trafalgar Tavern,
Greenwich, which was attended by about a hundred pro-
tectionist peers and members of parliament. Reporters
were not admitted, but we learn, from the Morning Post,
that the speech of Lord Stanley was full of uncompro-
mising spirit, and was received with hearty approbation
by the distinguished assembly present. Lord Geo. Ben-
tinck was equally firm in his language, and was rewarded

with the apiflatis7e of his hearers.
PUBLIC DINNER. TO LORD G. BENTINCK.—Thc ban-
quet to be given to this distinguished leader of the Protec-
tionists will take place on the 4th of August, in the town
of Lynn, West Norfolk. The Earl of Orford, the Lord
High Steward of Lynn, has consented to preside. The
demonstration is not to be confined to the county of Nor-
folk, as already a great number of persons favourable to
the principle of protection, from the counties of Cambridge
Suffilk, Lincoln, Bedford, Herttord, Northampton,Wilts,
Somerset, Devon, Surrey, Essex, and other places, have
expressed an anxiety to attend, to no-rk their sense of his
lordship's conduct during the course of the late debates
upon the Corn Laws.
THE SUGAR DUTIES.—The new Sugar Bill will be the
first, and probably the only important, measure brought
forward by the Russell Cabinet this session. Its provisions
will be looked to as indiealing the future policy of the
Government; and the debate on it will most likely deter-
mine the position of the parties in the Commons,
whose
attitude is now uncertain. Two plans are pwforward,
each having some pretence to authority. The Times sup-
ports one, for Sir Robert Peel and his followers: the
Chronicle the other, tor Lord John Russell and the Whig_
Radical party. The difference between the two is mauni-
fied rather, as it would appear, for the sake of party dis-
tinction thin for any real opposition in either principle or
detail. How is Sir Robert Peel to oppose the Ministry
unless he can establish some difference between his views
and theirs? As a politician his first want is some ground
to stand on. He has been too long used to a command of
his own to readily sink down into tie position of a subal-
tern. Accustomed to play Hamlet, he will riot without
an effort rest contented with the part of GutidenBttrn.
The Times is disposed to second his exertions, and insi•
diously urges him to prepare his amendments. The agree-
ment of the rival plans is much more remarkable than their
difference. It is admitted that the absurd distinction esta-
blished between foreign sugars is to cease at once. S..lave-
grown and free-grown sugars are to be admitted on the
same terms. The differential duty of 9s. 4d. will for the
present remain, but the adinissson of slave-grown produce
will reduce the degree of protection it now affords. The
first provision of the new bill, we may assume, will be
carried with little opposition. There will be the duty of
14s. per cwt. on British-grown sugar, and 23s 4d per cwt.
on farrign sugar, from whatever country it may he brought.
—Britannia.