Weekly national intelligencer. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1841-1869, 1857-03-28

strengthened in this determination by the majority
which he has just obtained in the House of Lords,
upon the very same question as ne has been con-
demned upon in the House of Commons He re-
CARDS the confidence and approval Of g the highest
judicial assembly in the world the British House
of Peers has been frequently termed as far superior
to the censure of an assembly which has assuredly
few judicial pretensions, and none whatever to ex-
press the opinion of the country upon the merits or
dement's OF Lord Palmerstons government.
I In the House of Commons, last night, Lord PAL-
MERsToN said that the House would naturally ex-
pect, after what had passed on Tuesday night, that
he should state the course which, on due reflection
her Majestys Ministers intended to pursue. After
the House had, by combination of parties, af-
frmed resolution which was ayowed to be meant
as vote of censure, under ordinary circumstances
they could hardly hare any alternative but to tender
to the Sovereign the resignation of their Offices
But the present case seemed to be of so peculiar
character that they had felt it to be their duty not
to submit their designations, but to advise the Crown
at the earliest period which the state of business be-
fore the House would permit, to call upon the con-
sttuencies to exercise the right which the consttu
ton placed in their hands. 1t was vain to deny
that the vote of Tuesday rendered it very diff
cult, if not unseemly, for any Government to con-
duct the business of the country, in the state OF
parties which the vote indicated, throughout the
session. This was a very old Parliament; it had
seen three administrations, a transition from pro-
found peace to great European war, and from that
war to peace again. The state of public business
did not allow an Immediate dissolution The esti4
mates had not been voted taxes to be imposed,
and the mutiny act had not passed What be pro-,
posed therefore, was course which had been adopt
ed on previous and similar occasion namely, to be
content with provisional and temporary measures, to
continue taxes which had been voted for three years
only for the ensuing year, to vote sums account
of the estimates, and to continue the mutiny act for
portion of the year, leaving other matters to the
new Parliament, which would assemble in May.
j Mr.. dIsRAELI thought the course proposed by
Lord Palmerston would be most to the public adj
vantage, and he would, he said, give every facility
in his power to the progress of business He be-
lieyed that the appeal to the country would prove
of great benefit to the public interests and he trust
ed members would be returned with more definite
opinions.
Mr. CoBDEN said that Lord Palmerston entirely
/ ignored the vote which had been given on Tuesday
night and he asked him what he was going to do
in consequence of that vote? A new Parliament
could not assemble until the end of May, and what
was to be done in China in the mean time?
Sir G. WooD said it was not his intention to re-
open the question. Efficient measures had been
taken to collect sufficient force protect the Bri-
, fish residents in China.
Mr.. S. HERBERT asked whether the war was to
be continued for the object of securing the entry
! of Sir j. Bowring into Canton?
Sir g. GREY said the object of the war had never
been to obtain entry into Canton.
Lord j. RUSSELL considered that the House
was entitled to ask for explanation of the policy
intended to be pursued during the next three
months after it had determined that conduct which
3 had been approved by the Government was worthy
of its censure Ministers should state the terms
that were to be asked of China what in fact, was
the object of the hostiities. He declared the
charge against him of combination with the Con-
servatiye party to be false and calumnious The
] concurrence, he said, was on the merits of the
question; and he believed that no vote would con-
fer honor than that of Tuesday upon the Rar-
! lament of 1852
Mr.. KoEBUCK rose to protest against the state
ment of Lord Palmerston that his vote was the re-
suit of comb 2dtfUn, by which ne meant CTS
racy of parties. He knew nothing of any conbina-
ton of parties but voted as he did because he con-
sldered the honor of the country endangered BY the
policy of the Government A set of men he'd dis
graced England, and these men were supported by
the Government.
I Mr. GLADSTONE asked, if we were not making
war to obtain the admission Of Sir John Bowring
into Canton for what were we at war +? Three
months would elapse before Parliament could reas-
semble, and upon whose policy were the measures
in China to be carried on during that interval?
The House was bound, he said, to require an an
sWer to this question. 1t was not right to vote
supplies for carrying on war which had been con-
aemned by Parliament; yet it had been distinctly
indicated that it would be carried just as if the
resolution had never been adopted. Lord Palmer
ston had talked of combination when had it be-
fore happened that case was so strong as to COM
pei the House to interpose in order to check the
mad career of the Government in another quarter
of the globe? Overriding necessity had altered
usage, and the division comprised the names of
Lord j Russell, who had led the Liberal party du-
/ ring more than twenty most eventful years, and
Mr. Roebuek, no political enemy of Lord Pal
merston
i Mr.. T. DUNCoMBE said that the noble lord was
going to appeal against if not a combination, a
strange union of parties, and he was justified by
the division lists, where to be found voting in
the minority twelve out of the fifteen metropolitan
members, member for the West Riding of York
shire, and members for Birmingham, Leeds, and
Liverpool. The noble lord had said he did not
mean to act upon the vote. After some sharp CEN
sures upon the foreign policy of the late Admins
tration, Mr.. Duncombe expressed his conviction
that if Lord Palmerston proclaimed to the country
that he would maintain the honor of the national
flag, he might defy the petty jealousy by which he
was surrounded and set at naught unprincipled
/ cabals.
/ Lord PALMERsToN said that it was not his in
tention to renew the debate upon this subject With
regard to the expression he had used of "combina-
/ tion y he had said notb;nr 1rbob he tb,,,olt