The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1850-03-19 00:00:00

is 2

Vroreettino in parliament.

HOUSE OF LORDS-TUESDAY.

'The royal assent was given, by commission, to the party pro-
cessions (Ireland) bill. The commissioners were the Earls of
Shaftesbury, Minto, and Carlisle.
Lord REDESDALE presented two petitions complaining of
agricultural distress, and praying for a return to the system of
rotection. The noble lord, pursuant to notice, called attention
to the subject, and complained that though parliament had
been sitting six weeks, no notice had been taken of it. The
noble lord concluded by asking the government, first—What
!were their views with respect to the present distress, and
aecondly, whether they could hold out any hope of an imme-
diate and considerable improvement ?
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE admitted that considerable dis-
tress existed, but said the quantity of foreign corn imported
lad diminished and was diminishing, and there could be no
.doubt that the agricultural classes would participate in the
prosperity of the people at large.
A discussion followed, in which Lords Grey, Malmesbury,
and Redesdale, took part. The petitions were ordered to lie on
the table.

HOUSE OF COMAIONS.—TTIESDAY.
Mr. HENRY DRUNIMOND moved a resolution, that whereas
the present taxation depresses all classes, by diminishing the
funds for the employment of productive labour, adequate means
should be forthwith adopted to reduce the expenditure. He
gave a rapid sketch of the history of the last few years—the
lavish profusion in the time of war, the command we obtained
by the wat over the commerce of the world, and the stimulus
which this prosperity received from a gradually depreciated
currency. The peace, he observed, changed the aspect of
affairs ; the demand for agricultural produce fell off ; the cur-
rency measure of 1819 augmented the difficulties of the landed
interest, and the corn law was given as an equivalent. That
law was now repealed, and, although he did not ask the house
to reverse its policy, he called ❑pon it to halt midway ; he
demanded a reduction of expenditure in the matter of salaries,
and that all burdens should be revised which checked the
growth of raw produce. When salaries were increased on
account of the dearness of the necessaries of life, it was never
supposed that they should be maintained at their high scale
when prices became low ; and whilst the value of produce had
been lowered, the cost of production remained the same. By
what right, he asked, were the yeomen of this country pre-
vented from growing what they pleased upon their land ? and
why were they subjected, in their rural affairs, to an inter-
ference from which other trades were exempt? His two pro-
positions, therefore, were—diminish the salaries of all servants
f the crown, and remove every impediment in the way of the
cultivator of the soil.

CAYLEY seconded the motion.
A long discussion followed, in which Sir !UM. Peel, Col.
Thompson, Lord John Russell, Lord John Manners, Mr.
Bright, and others took part. Mr. Drummond having replied,
the house divided, when the numbers were—for the motion,
356 ; against it, 190; majority, 34.

JEWS IN PARLIAMENT.
Mr. WOOD then moved for a select committee to search the
journals of the house, and to report such precedents and such
acts of parliament as relate to the question of Jews or other
persons being admitted to take their seats in parliament with-
out being sworn upon the holy gospels. He said that he was
induced to bring forward this motion in consequence of the
anomalous position of Baron Rothschild, who had been twice
returned for the city of London.
After a few words from Sir Robert Peel and Lord John Rus-
sell, the committee was appointed.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-WEDNESDAY.

COUNTY RATES AND EXPENDITURE BILL.
On the motion for resuming the debate on the second reading
of this bill,

PAKINOTON rose to move that a select committee he
appointed to inquire into the present mode of levying and ex-
pending the county rate in England and Wales, with a view to
ascertain whether any more satisfactory mode of levying the
said rates, and of giving to the rate-payers more effectual con-
trol over their expenditure, can be adopted.
Mr. W. PATTEN said that the house had already stated as
their opinion that the rate-payers should have some control
over the expenditure of the county rates.
Mr. HUME supported the measure, which was opposed by
Packe.
Sir J. GRAHAM said the present system of expending the
county rates was universally condemned ; and an improved
'node of superintending the county expenditure became a mat-
ter of necessity. As regarded the principle of the measure he
had no objection to support it, but he thought the details were
objectionable. These details, however, could be revised and
corrected, and it might then be made a most valuable measure.
Sir GEO. GREY, whilst he approved of the principle of the
bill, objected to several of its details, which he should be pre-
pared to discuss in committee.

- Sir Robert Peel and Sir George Strickland also supported the
till, which was o; posed by Mr. B. Denison and Sir H. IVil-
/ougliby.
After some further discussion, the amendment was with-
drawn, and the bill was read a second time.

HOUSE OF COMMONS—TwuRsbAY.
Lord ASHLEY, in answer to a question from Mr. Lushington,
stated that the hoard of health had no power whatever to prevent
interments in churchyards, and the subject required the atten-
tion of parliament.
Sir G. GREY added, that soon after Easter the government
would introduce a measure upon the subject of intramural
interments, founded upon the recent report of the general
board of health.

Lord ASHLEY then, in a long speech, moved for leave to
bring in a bill to declare the intentions of parliatnent with
regard to the hours and modes of working in factories. The
result of the case in the Court of Exchequer was adverse to the
interpretation put upon the act by the inspectors, Mr. Baron
Parke declaring that the words of the act were not sufficiently
stringent to carry into effect what the court considered must
have been the intention of the legislature. Lord Ashley ap-
pealed to those who had voted for the ten hours' act whether
this was not their intention, the very object of the law being to
afford to the younger classes of operatives means of instruction,
recreation, and health, which, under a system of shifts and
relays, opening a door to evasions of the law were unattainable.
Ile showed the lamentable effects of the relay system upon the
operatives, contrasting with it the beneficial results of the
limitation of labour. Whilst all the vaticinations of ill on the
part of the opposers of the measure had been totally falsified,
the health, social, moral, and intellectual comforts of the ope-
ratives had increased beyond his anticipation, and even their
wages had been in some cases augmented. If the legislature,
whilst talking of educating the people, refused to interfere in a
case like this, it would be reproached with disgusting hypo-
crisy. Having put the house in possession of the benefits
which had been wrought by the ten hours' act, and shown the
utter falsification of all the predictions of its enemies, he con-
cluded with a solemn appeal on behalf of the temporal and
eternal welfare of thousands, in the name of Almighty God, to
the justice and honour of parliament.
Mr. EDWARDS seconded the motion, expatiating upon the
ill effects of the relay system.

After remarks from several members for and against, leave
seas given to bring in the Bill.

The Highway Bill was read a second time.
The Chief Justices Salary Bill, fixing the salary in future at
£B,OOO a year was read a second time.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—FRIDAY.
Lord STANLEY, at the entreaty of the Marquis of Lansdowne,
refrained from provoking a discussion on the aflairs of Greece
by bringing forward the motion of which he had given notice,
the noble marquis declaring that if the motion were persevered
in, he, in the present state of affairs in Greece, could take no
part in the discussion.

On the motion of Lord STANLEY, the railways audit bill was
read a second time, and referred to a select committee.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY.
The CHANCELLOR Of the EXCHEQUER, who was warmly
greeted on entering the house after his long illness, laid before
a committee of ways and means his financial statement for the
year. He had, he said, estimated the income of the year
3842-50 at $52,262,000, but the actual result had been
$52.87.1,000, showing a surplus beyond his estimate of $612,000.
He could not estimate so highly the revenue of next year, as
there had been a falling off in the last quarter, but he thought
it might be taken at the sum of $52,785,000, being less by
about $BO,OOO. He had estimated the expenditure of the country
at $50,858,000, but it had only amounted to $50,533,000,
making a difference of $300,000, which, added to the surplus
beyond the former estimate, and combined with the surplus on
the estimates for this year, would give a total surplus of
.$2,225,000 on the two years. He anticipated that in the cus-
toms there would be a decrease of revenue principally if not
entirely to be attributed to the decrease of importation which
might be looked for in the articles of corn and brandy. The
right hon. baronet then recapitulated the various items of
revenue and expenditure, the latter amounting to only the sum
-of $50,613,000, and leaving a surplus of estimated revenue to
the amount of, in round numbers, $1,500,000. He then ad-
verted to the various propositions which had been made for
the reduction of taxation to an extent far beyond the capabili-
ties of the revenue, and dwelt upon the disinclination which
prevailed to apply any surplus which might arise to the liqui-
dation of the debt. It was a mischievous policy always to
borrow when the revenue was deficient, and always, instead of
repaying, to reduce taxes when there appeared a surplus.
Since the year 1831 we had borrowed no less than $35,000,000,
of which we had only repaid $8,000,000. He was of opinion
under such circumstances that it was not right to appropriate
every surplus that arose to the reduction of taxation. Repu-
diating the various propositions which had been submitted to
the house by other hon. members, the right hon. gentleman
proceeded to submit his own views to the committee. He pro-
posed, with the view of benefiting the small holders of land, to
reduce the stamp duty on transfers of land under $l,OOO in
value, and to render more just the duties on transfers of land
of a higher value than that sum. This he thought would be a
boon to the poorer agriculturists, but there was another which
lie thought would be still more advantageous, as it would tend
to the providing better dwellings for the labouring classes—he
meant the repeal of the duty on bricks. He also proposed to
reduce the duties on bonds and mortgages up to $l,OOO, in
Order to give a facility for obtaining capital to improve the
land, and he likewise proposed that on all leases under $25 the
stamp duty should be reduced to half-a-crown. The loss to the
revenue would be, in his estimate, about .6'300,000 on the stamp
duties, and $455,000 by the repeal of the duty on bricks.
'This would be about one-half of the estimated surplus, and
this he thought a fair division of the surplus—one-half to the
reduction of taxation, the other half to the reduction of the
national debt. It was his intention to propose advances to the
landed interest for the purpose of draining and improving the
land, and this he hoped to do without making any charge upon
the country. Some time back .$2,000,000 had been advanced
in this way to England and Scotland, but our neighbours north
of the Tweed were so active that they obtained by right of
priority of application no less than $1,600,000, while England
got only $400,000. He would propose another $2,000,000 to
be advanced to England and Scotland, and would take care
that a fair portion of it should be reserved for England. He
would also propose that $1,000,000 should be advanced to Ire-
land for similar purposes,and that $BOO,OOO of that sum should
be expended in arterial drainage. These were his chief propo-
sitions, and if the house would support him M carrying them
out he believed that future Chancellors ofthe Exchequer would
be able to carry out princitAes of retrenchment and economy
with greater effect. The right hon. gentleman concluded by
moving a vote for $9,200,000 exchequer bills, and sat down
amidst loud cheering.

Several members expressed approval of the learned gentle-
2nan's statement, whilst others spoke strongly in condemnation
of it.

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.

ALTCAEL COURSING MEETING.-FRIDAY.
CROXTETH PURSE. Second ties : Alcohol beat Theresa;
Cinderella beat Penketh ; Bleng beat Lioness; Perseverance
beat Czarina.—Third ties: Cinderella beat Alcohol; Bleng
beat Perseverance; Cinderella beat Bleng, and won the purse.
ALTCARSTAKES.—Third ties: Winlove beat Clearwell ; Wee..
wee beat Piper; Glent beat Peggy; Criterion beat Spaniard;
Glent beat Criterion ; Wee-wee beat Winlove; Glent drawn,
and Wee-wee won the stakes.
WEST DERBY STARES.—Third ties : Jenny Lind beat Tri.
inthe ; Weaver beat Empress; Roger heat Blank; Coruscation
beat Patty ; Jenny Lind beat Weaver; Coruscation beat Roger;
Coruscation beat Jenny Lind, and won.
LANCASHIRE STAKES.—Third ties: Duchess beat Cobweb;
Thornton beat Coronet ; War-dance bert Hermit; Captain
Cook heat Merrylegss.—Fourth ties : Duchess beat Thornton ;
Captain Cook beat War-dance ; Captain Cook beat Duchess and
won.

SEFTON CUP.—Third ties : Columbus beat Compact; Sefton
beat Cerito ; Columbus beat Sefton and won.
MOLYNEUX PLATE.—Border Boy beat Well-I-Never: Rat-
tler beat Molyneux; Border Boy beat Rattler and won.
ALTCAR GOBLET.—Flycatcher beat Boatswain; Topper beat
Morocco ; Flycatcher beat Topper and won.
A, large company present, amongst Whom were Lords Sefton
and Molyneux.

FOREIGN AND COLONIAL.

FRANCE.

On Wednesday morning, at twelve o'clock, what is
called a complete list of the result of the Paris elections
was published. The numbers are stated as follows :
Carnot, 132,881; Vidal, 128,317 ; De Flotte, 126,835;
Foy, 125,673 ; Lahitte, 125,163 ; 10njean,124,009. The
votes of the soldiers of the army who are natives of Paris
are stated to be as follows :—Carnot, 6.699; Vidal, 6,615 ;
De Flotte, 6,553 ; Foy, 5,378; Lahitte, 5,363 ; Bonjean,
4,911. The triumph of the three socialist candidates at
first caused a fall of 11 per cent. in the French funds,
which have since, however, somewhat recovered.
The Moniteur du Soir gives the following as the result
of the elections in twelve departments :—Moderate candi-
dates returned—Arriege, General Pelet ; Isere, M. Bar-
rel ; Hautes Presnees, M. Goulard; Var, MM. Clapier
and Simeon ; Ardeche, M. De la Fourette ; Allier, M.
Dufour; Cher, MM. Desgranges and Vogue. Socialist
candidates returned—Bas Rhin, MM. Gerard Vidal, Va-
lentin Laboulaye, Hochtulh • Loir et Cher, M. D'Etche-
goyen ; Nievre, M. Chas. dambon ; Haute Vienne, M.
Ducoux ; Sabne-et-Loire, MM. Esquiros, Madier de
Montjau, the elder, Carrassin Duvigrier, Hennequin
Dain.

The prefect of police, in Paris, has published an order,
commanding that in future no money-changer shall expose
any large sum of bank-notes or gold in his shop-window.

The Pope's return to Rome is positively announced for
the 2nd [qy. Ist ?] of April.
The Turin parliament has abolished all ecclesiastical
courts throughout the kingdom of Sardinia.
DANUBIAN PRINCIPALITIES.—It is certain that the
order had been given for the Russian troops, with the excep-
tion of 10,000 men, to quit the Danubian principalities.
When, however, the news of what was taking place in
Greece became known at St. Petersburg, a courier was
despatched to Jassy, and the Turks were informed that
the state of the weather would not permit the Russians to
quit the principalities till May.
BRAZILS.—An arrival from Pernambuco has brought
advices from that place to the ith February, and Bahia
and Rio Janeiro to the middle of January. There is not
any political intelligence of importance. The province of
Pernambuco was tolerably quiet. Previous accounts in-
formed us that the yellow fever bad broken out there.
The advices now to hand state that the epidemic had been
raging with fearful effects. Many sailors had fallen vic-
tims to its malignity, and some vessels in consequence
had been disabled, and thus prevented from proceeding
to sea. The disease had made its appearance at Bahia,
but was not near so terrific as at Pernambuco.
AURIFEROUS WEALTH OF RUSSIA.—We see it in the
continental papers, that in consequence of the quantity of
produce extracted from the Ural Mines, the Emperor of
Russia has, by an ukase, recently established at Cronstadt
an imperial entrepot for the deposit of metallic produc-
tions, consisting of gold. Since the receipt at St. Peters-
burgh of large accessions of the precious metals, there
rAnained in the entrepot of that capital a very large aggre-
gate, the produce of the mines of the Ural and the Lena.
The amount named is 400,000,000 of gold, silver rubles
of the value of less than a shilling each, say 9d. or 10d.,
making a sum of £15,000,000 sterling, being, we presume,
the coin in which it is estimated.—Mining Journal.