The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1851-02-18 00:00:00

Prorratngs In Vartiaintxt.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MONDAY.
After the speeches on the Government measure against the
Papal aggression inserted in our last,
Lord ASHLEY denied that it was necessary, for the exercise
of episcopal functions, that territorial titles• or jurisdiction
should be enjoyed. The office of a bishop was entirely spiri-
tual; and the claim to possess territorial designation must be
set up for some purpose other than spiritual. If Dr. Wise-
man's object was simply spiritual, why did he not assume the
title of "Archbishop of the Catholics in Westminster," instead
of "Archbishop of Westminster." In the one-case, the juris-
diction was restricted ; in the other, it was universal. Mark
the conduct of English Protestants. When it-was resolved to
send a bishop to Jerusalem, the p'ermission of the Sultan was
asked and obtained ; and in tbedeed of confirmation, care was
taken not to claim or assume territorial jurisdiction where
none existed. The words were, " Alexander, ,Bishop of the
united Church of England and Ireland resident in Jerusalem."
Mr. GRATTAN contended that, as the titles and position of
the Irish Roman Catholic prelates had been repeatedly recog•
raised by lawyers, ministers, and acts of parliament, Ireland
ought to he excluded from the bill.
The debate was adjourned until Wednesday.
Mr. A NSTEY was refused leave to introduce a bill for the re-
peal of ail enactments against the religious profession or disci-
pline of Roman Catho!ics, by 173 to 35.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TuEsE

Petitions were presented from all parts of the country against
the Papal aggression, for a repeal of the window tax, for mea-
sures to relieve agricultural distress, &c., &c.
Sir B. HALL gave notice that it was his intention, on Friday,
-to put a question to the noble lord at the head of the. govern-
nent, whether it was his intention daring the present session
to brinr, in a bill, with the concurrence of the archbishops-and

Inshops, to prevent the continuance of Roman Catholic forms
In the Protestant churches, of which the archbishops and
bishops had complained.

In reply to a qUestion from Mr. 13.(ILLIE,
Mr. HAwEs said that it was the intention o' the.government
to lay upon the table at the earliest possible period the evi-
dence taken before the Ceylon committee, with the exception
.of the portion of it relating to Capt. Watson, which-wouid be
withheld, as that gentleman was to be tried by court martial.
In reply to a question from_Sir J. WALMSLEY,

I,lrd.J: RussiLL said he did not intend to introduce in the
present session any measure to extend the suffrage. He still
believed the Reform Bill might he improved, and when what
be thought the proper time should arrive be would introduce
bill - a - t. (This announcement was followed

o:. .ge sulJec
about of laughter.)

THE AGRICULTURAL INTEREST.

Mr. DISRAELI then proceeded to move the resolution of
which he had given notice—" That the severe distress which
continues to exist in the United Kingdom among that impor-
tant class of her Majesty's subjects the owners and occupiers
of land, and which is justly lamented in her Majesty's speech,
renders it the duty of her Majesty's ministers to introduce,

without delay, such measures as may be most effectual foi
relief thereof." It was, he said, his intention to have bro

forward evidence of the depressed state of the agricultural 'in-
terest. but it became unnecessary tbr him to do so now that it
was admitted in her Majesty's speech, and not disputed by any
hon. gentleman on either side of the house. Experience proved
the fallacy,of the calculations upon which the house was in-
duced to embrace the doctrines of free trade ; but the govern,
inent would not be taught by experience, and the Chancellor
of the Exchequer would have every year exceptional. The
hon. gentleman proceeded to contend, that recent legislation
was nothing less than a war on the middle classes in the rural
districts, tending to reduce the agricultural population to two
classes only—the proprietor and the peasant. He wished the
house to understand the ground I

desired to occupy. He had
tention to make any attempt by an underhand proceeding
T a restoration of protection. That was, as lie had said
ssion, a proceeding which he would not undertake. It
e done, if done at all, out of doors, and by an immense
'erance of public opinion. His object was to show that
Lrmers could not compete with the foreign
grower, owing to the weight of taxation which had been placed
upon them, when prices were artificially high, and which had
not been reduced now that they had fallen to such an alarming
figure that it wasoimpossible to go on cultivating with a profit.
The hon. gentleman reminded the house that the noble lord at
the head of the government had said that the farmer must no
longer depend upon his wheat crop; while at the same time
they prohibited his growing tobacco, in furtherance, of course,
of the principles of free trade, and laid an enormous amount
of taxation on his crop of barley. The right hon. member for
Ripon, a practical agriculturist, and well acquainted with rural
life, had declared if they repealed the corn laws they must also
repeal the malt tax. This tax, however, they were still left to
contend with. Thus a large portion, nearly one-half, of their
foreign revenue was derived from the restrictions placed on
the British agriculturist against growing tobacco, &c., and a
larr,

210
to li
last
must t)(
preponc
our Englis

7oportion of the inland revenue was derive'd from a tax
species of the produce of the agriculturist—that of har-
t malted. To these were to be added the local taxes
the land, and which amounted to an enormous
I that these burdens were counterbalanced, as

on (
ley
-pressing,' (
sum. He d(

.some r