Northern Times. — 1859-04-08 (Liverpool, Merseyside, England)

FRIDAY, APRIL 8, 1859.  THE DAY'S NEWS. But little business was done in Parliament last -night. The House of Lords adjourned at half-past eight, and the Commons about an hour earlier. In the House of Lords, Lord Derby moved the second reading of the India Loan Bill, and went into considerable detail upon the question. The Duke of Argyle protested against any responsibility beinc, thrown upon the Imperial Exchequer. The Earl of Albemarle noticed the impossibity of raising increased revenue from a • population already taxed up to eighteen shillings in the pound. Lord Monteagle complained of the form in which the Indian accounts were kept, after which the bill passed a second reading. In the House of Commons, Lord Palmerston gave notice of a motion for Monday, calling attention to the present state of foreign affairs. He would question the government as to the precise position of the country, whether as mediator or negotiator, in the dissentions now pending in Paris. The Chancellor of the Exchequer stated it, as the intention of the government, to pay off two millions of Exchequer Bills, falling due next month. After which the house went into • Committee of Supply, when several votes were taken for the Army and Navy. The Superannuation Bill was read a third time and passed, and the Combination of Workmen Bill passed through committee. In our second edition, yesterday, we published three days later news from America, by the steamers City of Washington and North Briton, and which will be found repeated in our impression this morning, The news is not important. Political matters were quiet, and there had been no great • change in the position of trade. The trial of the Hon. D. E. Sickles was anxiously awaited. The Paris correspondent of the Times writes that the great question of peace or war is still left to conjecture. Piedmont manifests no intention of disarming, while Austria insists upon this step as a preliminary condition to entering the Congress. The feeling that war is inevitable prevails at the French foreign office, and is shared by some of the highest functionaries. Count Cavour is reported to have said that he could, at any time, apply the match to the materials of conflagration at his command, and force France to .join him. The correspondent of the Herald reports that, although there is no doubt that negotiations are actively going on, there is no sign of Austria and -France coming to an understanding. The correspondent of the Times, at Rome, says the general opinion there is, that the Congress will simply delay the war, but cannot prevent it, because it will not effectually settle the Italian question. It is confidently stated that neither the Papal Government nor the Kin°. of Naples will consent to send representatives to the Congress. A letter from Milan says that the tone and temper of the Austrian papers prove that peace is not desired at Vienna. The Portuguese Government has authorised the - free admission of Indian corn. The Globe states that the Earl of Derby held a meeting of his political supporters at his official residence yesterday morning, but that no information with regard to it had transpired. We publish the addresses of Sir James Graham to the electors of Carlisle, and Lord Jsolirm aes Russellsaytso the electors of the City of London. the question really submitted to the people is this,' namely—Reform or no reform ; a liberal policy, or tame submission to Lord Derby. The execution of Prentice, for the murder of Emma Coppen, at Qeensborough, took place yesterday morning at Maidstone. It is advertised in London, that requisitions to Lord Stanley and Mr. Thomas Baring, asking them to stand for the City of London, lie for signature at certain places specified. The Globe publishes an abstract of the report of the confidential committee on the state of the navy, One of the heads of enquiry was, the comparative state of the navies of France and England. The expense of the French navy, for the last year, has been £38,395,000 ; and of the English navy, £53,179',000. The weakness of England is more particularly in steam-frigates, but the