Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1850-05-11
FROM OUR EUROPEAN CORRESPONDENT

the second reading OF the bill for extending the u
risdction of the county courts was startling one
for it exhibited Ministers with only sixty-seven sup
porters, whilst their opponents numbered one hun
dred and forty-four. II is true the bill does not
involve any political question, being merely intend
ed to extend the authority of these lower courts to
the recovery of debts to the amount of ESQ., the
present limit being EGO. 1t was evidently the de-
sire of the Government that the bill should not pass
and both the Home Secretary and the Attorney
General spoke strongly against it, and the carrying
the second reading by majority of more than two
TO one, against such opposition must be regard
ed as ministerial defeat. Lord JoHN however,
carried his motion for the appointment of COM
mtee to inquire in the salaries and emoluments of
public officers, judges, and the diplomatic staff, by
vote of $50 against l59-the latter number voting
for Mr.. DIsraeli's amendment; which asserted that
it was the duty Of the Government to make such
reductions may be necessary, upon their responsible
ty and that the appointment Of committee altogether
unnecessary, and could lead to profitable result Mr..
Hoseman advocated amendment the effect that the pro-
posed committee should also inquire into Ecclesiastical emou
mens; this rejected by Of 2Os against 95 prov
ing that nearly fifty members cared very little about minister's
abuses in the State, but determined that Church
matters should be inquired into Our radical Reformers
do not give the Administration much credit 70. this
They that this inquiry into the salaries Of the high unc
tionares is not volunteered until after those of The clerks Ia
bors artisans and other subordnates in the public establish
men had been pared down the last penny aud that Lord
John does not yield to the with good grace
but merely in Difference to public opinion Be this may
however, feel confident that the appointment of the
mittee will be fair and that the Of inquiry It will
pursue, must be searching committee appointed
and acting must lead to profitable results. The Of
the members who to constitute this committee yet
nn, roL ,o;,;.to
it. We the British public with an indispos
ton pay upon liberal scale for services rendered. but it
asked why in these positions should the scale Of salaries
be maintained which adapted to the high prices Of the
times when fxed that prices profits salaries and
wages in every other department of life have been
rally reduced The Times takes another view Of the ques
ton, and not that Of the comparative value of money
whether 95 900 may not be equivalent to &C. 900
more at former PERIOD but whether the lower would
command good services those which might be secured
by the higher This the Times thinks may be doubtful
The ultra journals say, /" no thinking will deny that if
the pay be really intended remuneration for the services
rendered. there Government places which
too large salary is attached which places would be filled
by quite competent to discharge the duties, and much
'more likely to discharge them efficiently, if the salary
lower We do not quite perceive the foundation for this
latter assertion These journals ask, whether efficient secre
Government offices could be found unless salary of
$4,000 co, 500 be attached to The office Whether
head of the postofce could be found under 500
year. or President of the Privy Council under "a 0OO
Commissioner of the Treasury unde. e. 600 year each
Clerk of the House Of Commons under e3 $780, assis
tant clerk for less than G2, 500, Comptroller of the
Stationery office under 9l,000 Whether competent
ambassador would represent in France Austria Rassie,
fur less than year, the smaller courts in Eu
rope under "a, 600 to e5. 900 EACH #..
An undoubted ministerial defpat occurred however On
Monday last, in debate upon the Stamp Bill, inodu
ced by the Chancellor of the Exchequer, when amend
men which he and his colleagues opposed, carried by
Of l64 against 1885, This amendment has dsarangd
the provisions of the bill that it supposed the will
be abandoned and bill introduced. We should GER
any be led to infer from residing the debate that the intro
ducer of the had very inadquatey considered its
bearings for to several questions which asked him, he
returned admitting of information. We
must be allowed to think that Sir ROBERT PE,L would
have ncauousy introduced important measure,
would any colleague, enjoying his confidence, have been
placed in unenvabe position Sir CHARLES WooD
at the termination of this debate
Mr.. MILsoR GIBSON brought forward his motion last
ing for the repeal of tie excise duty paper the newspa
per stamp tax, that advertisements, and that foreign
books The Chancellor OF The Exchcquer said he should be
always glad to taxation when he had the of
doing but he had already appropriated his surplus in
which not dsapproved, and he declined
init himself by declaration against any particular until
he had the power Of dealing with it. Lord JoHN RUSSELL
took similar Of the question: and the result was that
in spite of the advocacy of Mr. DsRAEL who is always
the side which Ministers not the motion was ne
gatved by vote of l9e against 49, giving ministerial
| jority Of l0l
We have wish prove what the experience of every
day would dprove that the present taxation Of this country
is light and inoppressve that it does impose serious
hndrance to the industry and improvement Of the people.
Sill it right to bear in mind the immense reductions
compshed during the last thyfve years. genera
ton has sprung in happy Ignorance Of and its scale Of
taxation 1t is thing however, to prove that the ratio Of
taxation property is far less than it has been, arc is
another prove that its actual pressure upon industry is
much less But this must of necessity be the during
war, when industry is already taxed its point of
endurance and money be levied to meet the pub
lie wants Property and ,Oeah furnish the only from
whence it be drawn and upon the return Of peace when
taxation be reduced the last tax put will be the first
taken off because it is the most and oppressive We
do know how much Of the undersated amount of with
drawn taxation has relieved property and how much has re-
ie,ed industry although from the nature Of thngs, the
former have had the far greater proportion Since ls
the following amount Of taxes exclusive Of property tax has
expired, been repealed, or reduced:
From 1915 to 1874 inclusive. e32, 1872, O30
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