Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1851-05-24
NATIONAL INTELLIGENCER.
FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT
LONDON, MAY 8, 1851.

LONDON, MAY 8, 1851.
The principal domestic events of the week have
been two Ministerial defeats in the House of Com
mons, neither of which, however, necessarily in
volve any official changes, nor any new phase of
party. They may, however, lead to new financial
arrangements, and will probably cause some diff
Guilty to the present or future Chancellor OF the
Exchequer.
The first division was on Mr.. HUME's motion, on
Friday last that the income tax should be renewed
for one year only-the Ministerial proposition was
to renew it for three years-and during the year of
its continuance to submit the question TO COM
mittee of investigation, in the hope, should it be
found necessary TO continue it, that it should be
levied in more equitable manner than it is at
present. The House decided against Sir CHARLES
Woops doctrine, that this tax, at present levied,
If not absolutely just in its operation is as nearly SO
as mortal hands can render it, by vote in favor OF
Mr. HUNS motion of 246 against 232. The ma
iority included 207 Protectionists and SO Irish
Liberals so that the vote in the same House, had
it been on The question of protection, would have
been 27l for free trade and 207 for return to the
old system and the fuller the house the larger the
majority for free trade would have been. The
vote is not indicative of determination to abolish
the tax, nor can it be correctly viewed standard
of political strength upon the great question which
gives the only true line Of demarcation between
parties. is however, very clear demonstration that the
House Of Commons determined that modification Of
the tax shall be madea decision in which OF all parties
appear to concur. In this division, Mr. CoBDEss Cor the
Mancheser) party found masse In the ministerial
ranks. The Liberals who supported Mr. HUME were 'he
quiet steady representatives of mercantile communities who
are general extremely chay OF extremes Inc House OF
Commons has the stewardship of the public ways
and means and the regulation Of the national expenditure
by this VOTE and has ordained searching inquiry into the
income tax. "Ne1t year." says the Daily Ns'os"-
Mr. HUME may perhaps be met by similar arguments
az at present such as the uncertain state the Ministry, the
approaching dissolution the danger of the Proteconss But
the can them now be voted for the year. by thus
compelling annual reproduction, Ministers viii De forced 10
their ingenuity towards devsing that lar
which may entle them to demand such tax Tor trennia
period Ii such screw this be pu, upon the Govern
ment direct taxation itself would be swamped by Its mere
unpopulary and unequal pressure
Lord Joas RUSSELL has much public appreciation by
bis ready and manly acquecence in the vote of the House.
The be adopted Monday evening most honor
able to himself and worthy Of all praise both for its spirit and
manner There unostentaous frankness and cor
dalty about t-that blending Of Cancellation with frmness
which constitutes dignity His course, on this OCCASION
(says leading Liberal Journal reminded one, than
any of the noble lords public appearances Of what he
was or what we used believe he was, when fighting in
saces, sdmouth spes and Orange ascendency bigoy
when leading the triumphant liberal phalanx in the days of
the Reform BILL We felt in listening to him, if had
found our old Lord JoHS RUSSELL again. after fearing that be
was lost for ever. ~',@@ @.
The Pemiers acceptance of the vote of Friday last met
in proper and honorable spirit by bis usual opponents Mr.
DsRAKLI showed that be could appreciate the and taste Of
Lord JoHS and COL yielded after charac
teristc grow the feeling Of the moment with better grace
than could have been anticipated Lord JoHS RUSSELL ad
heres repeal Of the window and the reduction in the
coffee and timber Duties and accepts the income tax for
year only with view to its acceptable modification before
again continued; depending upon of all parties CO.
operating with him supper, the financial credit Of the coun
try This understanding respecting the income tax will
probably render the remainder of the session comparatively
smooth and will undoubtedly accelerate its clese There
said TO be possibility of the Ecclesiastical Titles bill being
defeated in the Commons, and great proba iy that will
uotass the Lords The loss of the bill would not lead to
any new Ministerial crisis this session. An amended pro-
perry tax would be new and lasting bond among Lib
erals and satisfactory measure of electoral reform would
rally and probably completely unite the almost apowernl
Liberal pbaanx Lord JoHs RUSSELL has also golden
opinions by proposing very considerable reduction in the
diplomatic judicial and other branches Of the public exPen-
diure The Administration however, experienced another
defeat on Tuesday evening, when Lord MAS, MP for
Kildare moved for select committee to inquire into the
mode Of lsvyng the duty upon home made spirits taken out
of bond The he submitted to the House was very
simple By the present excise regulations, home mace
sprits on leaving the still drawn off into large receiver
placed close by. The quantity was then asceained by
,ugino and the duty was then entered that amount If
therefore, the spirits subsequently placed in bond the
diser was at the loss of all evaporation soakage not only
s to the Spirits in actually paying duty on an article that
had M existence The dser did ask for repeal OF
duty they merely asked for right in the denial OF which
thew conceived themselves have been hardly used theirs
be;no the only e1cseabe article which the duty was e-
WED n that peculiar aad unfair Ministers opposed
this resolution for various financial and other stated reasons
but division showed l59 votes for Lord MASS motion, and
L5e against it. The Speaker matter OF COURSE gave
bis casting vote with ayes This voe however, involves
M new party movement similar motion has been several
times affirmed in the House, although hitherto uniformly re-
iected in committee last year finally rejected by the
narrow majority Of one.
On the division beng declared, Mr. RoEBUcK, in his usual
rough and ready yIe undertook to school Lord JoHS
RUSSELL keeping in Office after being repeatedly placed
ia minority He believed the noble lord would more fully
satisfy the desires Of those who wished advance the great
principles upon which be supposed the noble lords
was founded if he said "I will not lend myself any
longer such Of things" If the House OF Com
wished TO take the administration upon itself, 1t
ought to have the responsibility Of finding an administration
that would obtain a majority.
Lord JoHN RussELLs reply was mastery and conclu-
ve, sufficiently severe upon the honorable member