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The following speech vras delivered by Mr O'Connor on the debate on the ' Budget , ' on Friday evening , ( Feb . 25 th . ) and which , from press of matter , we could not find space for . MRO'CoxxoRsaid : The nook lord has commented jocosely and not unjustly upon the waut of unanimity displayed by the supporters of the hon . tneraber for Montrose , while the nable lord may congratulate himself upon the perfect unanimity and cordiality by which his placemen and pensioner phalanx are bound together , and in their support of the government . ( Cheers . ) The noble lord , he contended , had not once touched the question under discussion , but had ridden off upon his limpiag
iobbv—the Irish difficulty . He had hoped to have heard an explanation of the speech of the right hon . the Secretary for the Admiralty , from the noble lord -=-a speech in wkick sinking fund and floating fund , ordnance and stores , men and dockyards , had been so fascinatingly jumbled by the right hon . secretary , as to make it difficult to understand what belongad to aaval expenditure , to the dead weight , to permanent tasation , or to the bill that we were called upon to pny . ( Hear , hear . ) But the hon . member for Sheffield ( Mr Ward ) must rest assured that this country will no longer tolerate cncii a jumble of its accounts frera a paid servant . ( Hear , hear . ) The noble lord should recollect that the honourable
member for Manchester had told him that the present nras a middle-class government . If he reiuced the < ite > 2 nditnre to meet the income , instead of increasing fieincome to meettheexpenditure . heTfQuldhaTetbe . support of the middle classes and the working classes with him . But by inflicting the tax he was about to levy , and the weight of which would fall upon the middle classes chiefly , in the first instance , but which they -srould subsequently not only shove off their own shoulders , hut ultimately would make a large prefit -ef—it would press most heavily upon the poarand industrious . ( Hear , hear . ) Let him explain the nature of the proposed system of direct taxation , in order to prove that the pressure must eventuall y fall upon
the poor . A manufacturer employing & thousand hands , and returning his profit oa their labour at . £ 10 , 000 per annum , would be compelled by this additional tax of two per cent ., to pay an additional . £ 209 a year . ( Hear , hear . ) Ay ! but see the source from whence he would draw it ! Will thi iionse believe that 2 reduction of one farthing per day from the wages of those 1 , 000 hands , will give the ^ employer nearly £ 330 a year , or £ 130 a year profit tipon the tax ? ( Hear , hear , hear . ) Well , but io go further— where is the master who would cot be able to reconcile his unprotected hand 3 to the reduction of a shilling per week , to meet Vueh sn infliction , and whicb woald giye
Mm a profit of about £ 2 , 800 a year , upon the payaent of a tax of £ 200-and all crimped from the wages of the poor , and abstracted from the profit of the shopkeeper . ( Hear , hear . ) The ahopkesping das 3 was an important part of the industrial community . They lixed upon ju « t profit , produced by fair comDetition , and that proSt was increased or diminished in proportion to the ability of the industrious classes , to secure the necessaries of life . ( Heir , hear . ) Well , the dednetion he drew from the opposition of the middle classes to this measure , wa 3 creditable , generous , and honourable , because they preferred opposing iheir old friends , to being placed in the odious and unenviable position of
r bsing compelled to make losses good out of diminished wages . ( Hear , hear . ) It was a fact , that could not be 'denied , that the infliction of this tax would compel the shopkeepers to pay it , not ont of their profits , which were ail , bat out of their remaining capital , which was daily melting atrey . ( Hear , hear . ) It would cause the middle and the working dasses to units for the first time , and their union vrculd be against him . He objected to the manner la which Ireland was made use of by Irish members In tnat house . He objected to the honourable memfeer fer Limerick telling the gorerament that , if s "er tain policy were adopted , they had only to whistle , ia order to get 200 , 000 Irishmen to fight tha battles
cf this country . That was tbe manner in which the Irkb . mind had been always debased and destroyed , gad for his part , fie could see no ebacca of regeneration in England until Ireland was regenerated in the first instance . ( Hear , hear . ) Ha felt gratified for the aid which hsd beea extended last year by this eonntry to Ireland , but what , he asked , wonld Irish members bs told if they had to apply for further aid to the people of England nest year ? Would they not ba told ' yon have since taken another tax out of our pocket * , and we are no Ion ger able to afford yon relier ? ( bear , hear ) The noble lord told thBB that he had not made a warlike speech , but howeTer that might be . neither he nor
toe right honourable gentleman , the Chanoallor of the Exchequer , had certainly made a retrenchment Speech . ( Hear . ) At a time when the industrial classes of tbi 3 country wera Belling everything they had , in order thet they might keep out of the workhouse , wss It right to tell theai that this was tha Tfiry moment to increase the p 3 y of the soldiers and th 9 rations of the sailora ? ( Hear ) , hear ) He would tell them that there were eTents passing around them that neither the noble lord nor he could shut their eyes to . Tha noble lord must be aware that the present itata of France was not ons which would warrant an increase of the expenditure of this country . ( Hear ,
hear . ) The sentiments expressed by the hon . memfor for the west riding ef Yorkshire on this subject lad hh most cordial assent . That hon . gentleman bad the confidence ef the middle classes of this country . aud oe ( Mr O'Connor ) could tell them , that if this tax was imposed he would also hare the eon'Sdence of aportionofthewerkinp classes , for having opposed it . ( Hear , hear . ) The noble lord felt { hat he might rely an gentlemen en that ( the oppo-Bition ) side of the house , who might be led away in the present state of Europe , with a fetliug that it was necessary to bare a strong government in this country . Bntthe people would net be satisfied . Sines 1 S 35 there had nerer been a division in that
home against aey proposed increase in the expenditure . As long as there wss a farthing in the wallet She cry was , ' Let us spend it ; ' bnt now the country waatesolred that tfaere most be retrenchment , and if the government asked how they were to sara tha pufalio money , let them look to the placemen and the pensioners who were sitting behind tbe Treasury benches , who were ever ready to brine tip the rear , snd howl at the back of the minister . ( Hero Mr Trelawney , who sat immediately behind Lord John Russell , started precipitately from bis seat and
witbout taking off his hat rashed from the Treasury benches , skipping across ttte officials , amid tremen-¦ doiii laughter , until the hon . gentleman seated bim-. salf at a considerable distance in the background . ] There ( continued Mr O'Connor ) if my petard has created sueh confusion in your ranks , what effect will the broadside of universal indisnationhave upon your eorpp . ( Hear , hear ; and : laughter . ) Ha wonld remind the noble lord that the profligacy , prostitution , gHbserviency and treachery ¦ of French officials , who howled at the baek of the
minister , and resisted reform , led to revolution , and the system was as cerrnpt in England . ( Hear . ) They should have reform , Tie country demanded it . The people felt that what led to the straggle for reform in France , was the tampering with " the public money by the government . ( Hear hear . ) The people would oblige the noble lord , or whoever was minister , to find out from what quarter economy should oome . The noble lord might ask tha supporters of this ' amendment where economy was to come from . If dinisters gave them their salaries , they might perhaps £ et an answer . ( A laugh . ) There was a saying in Ireland , it is not fair to keep a dog and bark yourself . Thecssreepnrsned by the noble lord
reminded him of the man who hadorderdhis rervant to cut the tail off a young dog . Hearing the dog barking every morning for some days after , he inquired the cause , and the servant said he waa cutting eff its tail . ' Did I not order you to do that a ¦ week ago f' said the master . ' Oh yes , ' was the reply , * but I cut off a joint every morning , because I -was afraid , as the dps isyounir , that he could not bear to have it all cut off at once . ' ( Laughter . ) That t ? s ? precisely the policy of the nob ! e lord in trying the extent to which the people could bear taxation —( hear , hear)—h » was cutting a joint of onr-tail of every morning until , atlast , we would have no tail at all . ( Great laughter . ) When this question came before the psblic , it would be hard to reconcile them to the belief in their poverty that the country required more soldiers . It would be hard to satisfy
them that all those items of expenditure were innoxious and harmless . When they were seen in one balk , the people would have a very strong opinion as io the greatness of the amount , although , when they were better able to bear it , they might not have been eo ready to find fault with the amount . He frit eratelnl to this conntry for what had been done : for Ireland , bat at the same time , as an Irishman , he should deny'th&t an agricultural country had any right tocomefrr assistance ss an alms to this country , while England-wasted her agricultural produce ^ or that the erjBtsneeof a cation should be left to depend on the begging letter of an archbishop . ( Hear , iear . ) The noble lord might rest assured that while the religion of the Irish people was made a oharge against their loyalty , they would be tempted to look to another country professing the Bame re-
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ligicn , that had liberated itself , for relief , rather than to a couh&ty ef a different religion . MONDAT , F £ B . 2 S . IIOUSE OF LORDS—The bill for enabling her Ma . jojty to establish diplomatic relations with the Court of Rome was read a third time , and passed after a short diicussion . The other business was of a routin * eha .
raster . HOUSE OF COMMOSS .-Oob Relations with FiiNCs . —Mr Home again rose ana said—Sir , I wish to ask & question of her Majesty ' s ministers in connexion with the gtata of affairs In France , where the gov » rnnent that existed no longer esiats . and a new government has been established . I wish , therefore , to ask her Majesty ' s ministers whether it is their intention to withhold altogether from any Interferenca with tha people cf France , and to leave them at liberty tochoosB what eert of government they please t I simplj ask the question , if there is no objection to answer It .
Lord J . Rihsell I hare no ofcjeetion whatever to answer the question of the hon . gentleman . We have received , of courie , the intelligence which Io generally known to the public of the chanje «» hlch has tikwi place in France . and I can assure the house—indeed , I should hardly have thought it necessary to declare itthat we have no intention whatever to interfere with the form of government which the French nation may choose for themselves —( loud ebeem)—or in any way to mcaaia with the internal affairs of that country . ( R-newed cheering . ) CHARGE OF BREACII OF PRIVILEGE AGAINST FEARGDS O'CONNOR , IN THE
HOUSE OF COMMONS . MrJ . O'CosswLsaid , ha rose to discharge a yery painful duty . He had to complain of a breach of the privileges of that houEe , in the shape of an invasion ef the freedom of the tribunal for the trial of contested elections . The breach of pmileRe to which he referred , consisted of an article in the Nobihkbs Star newspaper of last Saturday . That article ooBtained imputations on the right hon . gentleman the Secretary at War ( Mr F . Maule ) , as chairman of the committee of selection , and on him ( Mr O'Connell , ) br name , he being therein accused of
beins thedeadlr enemy of the hon . member for Not tingham ( Mr F O'Connor ) . So far as reeardec himself , he could assure the house that he would be prepared to treat the charge with perfect indifference . Bat he considered that in his person an attempt was made to overawe members of that house , which , if allowed to pass by unnoticed , might be fatal to the freedom and deliberation of election committees . He bagged leave , therefore ,, to move that the paper ia qaestion be laid on the table , and that the passage which he complained of bs read . ^ The article was then read by the clerk : —
Mr J . O'Cossell then proceeded to say , that he believed he was bound by the ferras of tha house to submit to it a mo tion ; and ho would do so as a matter « f fora , in order that he might hare an oppsrtunity of statine , that in his belief neither tho chairman of the selection committee , nor the chairman of panels , nor himself in particular , need care much for the attack that had been made oh them ( hear ) . It appeared to him , however , to be desirable that the public should ba msde acquainted with the mode in which election committees were appointed . He had to stats in the first place , that the right hon . gentleman , the Secretary at War , had no more power in the committee sf selection than any other member of that committee ; for he could only co-operate with & majority ef the com « mittes—that majority consisting of four oat of six
members—in selecting the committee tnat should trr any particular election , and in fixiDg a day for the coramencecent of it 3 proceedings . He had to observe in the nest place , that if there were any objeetien against any particular Member being appointed to serve on a committee , that member might bs ehalleneed for cause , altheugh a member could not be struck off as special jurymen could be struck off , without oause shown . He did not mean to trouble the house with any further observations upon the subjeet . But 83 a formal motion would be necessary , in order to give the house an opportunity of expressing an opinion upon the matter , if it shonld think proper so to do , he begged leare to move that the printer and publifher of tha Norshbr * Srxn newspaper be summoned to appear at the bar of the housa .
Here the Speaker inquired who seconded the motion , and no ene appearing for a considerable time , he declared that there was no seconder , when the hoH . member for Paisley , Mr Hastib , " flew to the reseue , and seconded the metion . As a breach'of the privileges ef the Honse of Commons is considered a matter of tbe gravest and deepest import , when Mr O'Coxkor rose there was s death-like rilence . He said that as proprietor of tho Nohtherh Sin newspaper , he wished to say a frw words in rcplv to the observations of the hon . member for Kerry . In forraer eases of complaiats againsi that paper , he had suffered in person ; and that wss the firit time that the printer orpublisher had been Bade in any way answerable for anything that
had appeared in its columns . He would now justify that article by precedent , statute law , and experience . He balieved that many members of that house had spoken of election committees as being unfair tribunal * , because the members of those committees generally decided according to their political opiniem . He had himself been canvas Bed for an election committee , anci be had on one occasion been denounced for v oting according to his oath in favour of a Tory candidate , while all the other membera of tbe eotnoiittea had voted aeeordine to their party predilections . So ranch for precedent , which justified him in the conclusion that party biss set all other obligations aside . The hon . gentleman was wrong when he said that there was a right of
ehallenge tor cause shown against any member ef a cammittee . There was no sack thing . There ^ was a right of challenge on account of relationship , or becaasa a member had himself been petitioned against . But there was no right of challenge for cause . If there had been Bach a right he shonld have challenged the right hoB . gentleman the Secretary at War , and the hon . gentleman tbe member for Kerry , ( Mr M . J . O'Connell ) in consequence of a personal quarrel he had had with that hon . member . Now what was the praetice , if he , ( Mr O'Connor , ) waa on trial for his life . ^ nd if t he Secretary at War ,, or the hon . member for Kerry , was upon his jury list he wou'd not waste his peremptory challenges upon exceptions to these two jurors , but he woald
make hii objection upon cause , and in both eases he ] would sho ^ y sufficient cause to justify the ' court in setting them aside , and the house shonld understand that this wise pro . visisnofthelaw wasas protective of the delicacy of tha juror as of the interest of tee prisoner , as it was Hot at all unu-ual for a jnror to objeet to himself on account of bias , and he felt assured that that bias on the part of the hon . member for Kerry was sufficiently strong to have justified sueh an objeetion . He had dealt with the questions of precedenr , ( aw , and experience , and he would now answer the sneereaused by his appeal to the eonntry for funds to defend his seat . He had had a taste of previous committees . He was an independent Baeraber . Ho did cot buy
his constituents and he wonld not sell them ; and bsinga public servant , he neither felt it , Her thought it , to be his duty to defend a seat whieh he held for the pub'io benefit . He did not deceive his constituents or the country upon this point , nor was he going to pauperise himself , if those for whom he straggled did not consider his position worth defending ; and as to the sneer « f the five farthings a man from the Land Company , he begeed to tell that hove , that since that Company was incorporated he had nev ^ r travelled a mile , or eaten a meal , at the expensa of the funds but bad spent nearly £ 1 , 000 out of kis own pocket on behalf of that Company ; and that he had cerer through the whole course of his life
ncoepted pay , gratuity , or compensation for any service he had performed . He had before declared to his constituents , that as he would derive no personal benefi ! from a seat in that hoB 8 e , he would not defend it at his own expense . He had sat in three parliaments without having giren offence to any one ; and if he had done anything to hurt the feelings of xhe hon . member for Kerry he begeed leave to express his regret . ( Hear , hear . ) He had certainly written th&artidein questiea under a feeling of some irritation ; and he could not forget that he had formerly been unseated by an eleotioa committee for want of qualification , at a time when he could declare on his oath that he had £ 5000 s year and that he did not owe aay maa a farthing .. . .
Mr M . J . O'Coxszll said he could assure the hon . gentleman that he had not brought that matter nnder the notice of the house on account ef anything that had been done to hurt sis feelings . He bad not brought forward the subject on personal grounds . The hon . gentlersan and he had had a difference , but it was not on that account that their intercourse had ceased . If an apology had been needed from the hon . gentleman , the apology ¦ he . had offered would have been accepted . But he could assure the hon . gen . tleman thst no apology was required . He hoped that the notice that had been taken ef that matter would prevent the repetition of similar attacks on the members of election ^ committees . He did not , of course , mean to press his motioni The motion was then withdrawn . Thb Bddqbt . — An immense number of pstitlons having baen presented against the propose * Income Tax ,
Ths CHAKcmoB of the Exchiqmb then rose to move the order of the day for tha Committee « f Ways ana lfean » , andin bo doing entered more fully into tbe finan . cial state of the country than Lord J . Russell had done when he mads bi » statement . The excess of expenditure over income in the year ending 5 th January was £ 2 , 955 , 000 . But out of the expenditure they Bhould dtdact £ 1 , , 009 incurred for Irish distress , leaving the actual exeess of eipenditure over tor < me at about £ 1 , 400 , 000 . Tee £ 450 , 000 of Cbins money , retained in the commissariat ehest for tha Caffrewar , would be received this quarter , so that if the ordinary income of the current quarter would equal tha ordinary txpenditure , this sum might be fairly dednetedfrom the expenditure of the year ending 5 th April , 18 * 8 , when the exces * of eipenditure over income for the year ending on that day , would be reduced below £ 1 , 000 , 000 , an excesB which ho thought was not greatly to be wonoered at when ths
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wcrG con * circumstances of tho estsntry for tho past year . ^ eidered . Many hon . gcatlomen called for «*•» t jj enj aaS some to a very large extent . But ho beg ?* ' ^ { ^ to remember that the revenue wbb divisible iot * distinct parts , over the amount of one of nMsfc . house bad no control . The charge for the fan * ™ deh ; was £ 27 , 778 , 000 , and that of tho unfunded < 9 e . ™ £ 752 . 006 , making the whole charge for the fiebv . $ 28 530 , 000 . Tbe charge on the consolidated fond ttat £ 2 , 750 , 000 , and that for supply service £ 3 , 659 CO 0 , making , with the interest on the debt , tbe whole araa not susceptible of reduction , and over which the houstf hsd no effective control , upwards of £ 35 , 000 , 000 , The estimates for effective services for the year , and over wltich the houao had a control , did not exceed
£ 18 , 153 . 800 . When honourable members , therefore , talked of reductions , it would be as well for them to remember that thesa reductions could not bo made upon fifty millions , but upon about eighteen millions , which were alone n quired for effective serrice . He woald bo very glad if a reduction of expenditure could ba * ffaoled , but he hoped that tbey would sol » et to work reducing it in a reckless and thoughtless manner . There were two portions of the expenditure in which redactjoa might be tffected . It was possible to reduce ths expenditure upon our army and navy foises , and to mnke redactions In the miscellaneous estimates , bat the events which bad recently occcurred proved that it would be inexpedient In them to recede fro m tho proposal , as to our military forces , made by Lord John
Russell . To that proposal tbe government must anJ would adhere . 1 / « ny redaction coald be made in the miscellaneous ostimatsB , ho would be happy to make them . But be would dtceivo the house if he left them to supproe that he thought such reductions could ba m « de within the year . If reduction was to be isade , it should ba madoj gradually aad not on tbe spur of tbe moment . The utmost exertions ef the ttvo committees lately agreed to , would not tnablo them to propose to tbe aousa any great practical rsdnction within the year , whatever they might bs able to suggest for a subsequent period . The right honourable gentleman then adverted to tha estimated income for the coming year , which Lord John Russell had set down at £ 51 250 , 100 . Deducting this from the estimated ezpenditnre , the deficiency for
tha coming yrar had bein set down at £ 3 , 300 . 900 How was this to bo toade up ? Under existing circumstances he b&lieved tkat thoy would not be justified in h »> ing recourse to a new loan . Nor could they propose to rerergi tbe financial policy of the house for tbe last six years . If , instead of looking to direct taxation , they re-enacted direct taxes , their polio ? would be denounced as that of retrogrisBion . They thereforo proposed to renew the income tax for a limited term , five years . If it irererenuwed at tha present rate , the deficiency above alluded to weuld nist . if but fora short time . To meet it whilst It laiUd , they deemed that it would bo unvriseto Impose any tax that would occasion any deringament in trade , tuch for instance as a per cartage upon existing taxea . Hs regarded the increase of tha income tax na
the easiest and moitlegUitnats mode oi providins for the temporary emergency . Shonld tbe tax be continued bejond tbe temporary emergency , it was a tax nhlch Ire * land , as well as Grant Britain , should pay . In the present . state of Ireland , however , it would b * unwise and Inexpedient to extend it to her now . They bad propossd , therefore , the renewal of tbe income tax for fife years , with an inoreasa of two per cent to it for the first two years of that term , by which tiraa they had hopsd that tbe extraordinary expenditure would have csased . He had beeu asked if he would guarantee the withdrawal of the additional Impost ef two per cant , at the end of two yearn , to which h « had replied that it wonld be very unwise to make any such promise . What might be the necessltUs of this country
before ttvo years wera tzplrsd—what might ba its condition and policy in the course of a few mouths ? Hot long was it since an honourable gantleman recently returned from France ( Mr Gobden ) bad assured them that the French had no object to serve by revolution . ( Loud and prolonged chesring from the Opposition and partly from the Ministerial benches t ) Sach had been the proposals of the government , He eertalnly could not say that they had been well received . From all quarters , both of tbe house and country , they had received unequivocal demonstrations of tbe popular disapproval of tbe proposed iacreaio of two per cent , to the income-tax . He himself thought that the Ministerial preposition was a wise oni , although , in consonance to the public feeling , it was not aow the intention of the government to pram the resolution which involved an addition to the income-tax . ( Load oheers and laughter . ) It nag not wise to attempt to foroo on an unwilling Home of Com . moaB an uapopular tar . He proposed then , that the
expenditure of the Caffro war and for aaty excess should be defrayed from ths balance in the Exchequer for the present year . That would reduce the excess of expen . ditare over income for the coming year by from thirteen t » feurteen hundred thousand pounds , which would reduce , with the existing estimates , tbe contemplated deficiency by frem a million and a half to two millions . The balances in the Exchequer were very high , and if they werete rely on high balances for , the time belog , they must enable him to keep up tha ordinary average revenue , so that in three or four years tbe revenue aau expendi . ture would be brought . ito a state of equilibrium . This he woald not be able to do unless they consented to the renewal of the income-tax at its present amount fora period of three years . Ho begged the house at the same time t « understand that bs left it open for tbe gevsrement to propose such an increase of tasation , in some * bape er othar , aa might be neceisary to equalise the iucoro 9 nitb the expenditure flitbln the year .
Mr Houe observed , that his miud still remaines un . changed as to tha injustice and inequality of the tax . If the house consented to it , there wouli fee no reduction of expenditure . They should now reducn their military force , and chow France that she had nothing to fear from as , Mr Osbobkb said that it wss not bo much to the amount as to tha principle efthe income tax that the in . dustrioue classes objected . - He would divide tho house on the principle of the tax , Mr Cudwell asked the Chancellor of tho Exchequer , seeing that his statement varied in so many particulars from that of Lord John Russell , to postpone the farther consideration of it to a future period . The Obahcellob of tha Exchiqfeb complied , being willing to postpone tbe committee till Friday night , te gire time to consider . Mr Gladstone , Sir H . Veraey , and Hr Francis Baring addressed a few remarks to tho 1 ouse .
Tha Chancbllob ef the Excazanss , in reply to a qaestlen from Mr Gladstone , explained , that he proposed to take the vote for the Caffre war and the naval excess out ef ths unappropriated balances of the E ( chequer , which on ths 5 th January last amounted to £ 8 , 009 , 000 , and whicb would amount to £ 7 , 000 , 000 on the 5 th of April next , when thesacharges were ( Jtfr&yed . Mr WiKtEi said tkat ths Chancellor of the Exchequer b&d been sbofiilng over his moety bags ever since too failure of tbe budgat , and he had found in consequence that he had ia a corner some odd batancea , out of which be could pay all the demands at present made upon bim .
Daring the last administration of the Whigs he had described them as gentlemen made of very squeezable materials . Tbe screw hsd been applied to them againthey bid yielded considerably , and in so doing bad acted wisely . They mail yield mire ; for the English public was resolved not to accede to tha financial projects of Ministers , He asked Lord J , Russell to postpone the discassion for a month , sod in the interim , to revise the whole subject ef expenditure and taxation , in order to see whether he could not give the country some real and substantial relief . He doubted now whether tbe proposition to continue the present income tax for three years . would be received kindly by tbe public .
Mr Cosdes expustd his false prophecy with respect to a revolution in France on tbe ground that be had not baen prepared for ' the insanity of a minister and the madness of a king . He charged the government with covert hostile intentions towards the French poople . Lord J . Busseli . deprecated a discussion o { the budgst when the question was adjourned , as most unfair . With respect to Mr Cobdcn ' s unsuccessful prophecy , Lord J . Russell said—The hon . member baa tried to excite a fiunpicion that I was not sincere in the declaration I made this evening , and that I would be induced by somo coteries and clubs to asaume a hostita attitude towards
France ; but I reiterate my declaration that it is not the intention of the government to interfere in any way whatever with tbe settlement that France may think fit to mabe with mpeet . to ber own government , We , an close and friendly neighbours , only wish that tbe institutions Fiance may adopt shall tend te her own prosperity . England did not hesitate to perform those duties of hotpltallty and friendship which h&vo gained for her tha title of asylum of the unfortunate ; and the bo duties I for one will never consent that England should refuse to perform . ( The neble lord's declaration was loudly cheered .
Mr Dissaeii laid that , bs we live in an age of revolution , we had , of course , our share of rev lutionary Ministers ; for , within one week , we had a . Prime Minister proposing one budget , a Chancellor of the Exchequer a second , and an intimation given that , before long , & third . would be propounded . We had now a ' seven year * ' trial of the new principles of commerce and finance , which wero to furnish , not oimple millions , bnt hundreds of millions , and add more wealth to the couatry than all Potosi ' s mines ever produced ; and yet we were pnwled how to obtain a miserable two millions . The people of England had to teBt Mr Conden as a judge , not merely of the poliey which would fill a Treasury , but also of the policy which weuid secure tbe happineBB and independence cf nations . la the one ease he stood forward as ths supporter of national bankruptcy ; in the other , he pointed as a model of
porfection to a revolutionary nation . What he most deplored was that we had been told that we ought to accede to the present budget on account of external circumstances . Ho lamented that IjOni 8 fnilippe had fallen . He wa » a great prince , a great gentleman , and a great man . ( A roar of laughter followed this oracular annunciation . ) Whatever mi ght be his faults to his people , to England and Englishmen he nad , alwajs shown a sympathising attention ; and of this charac teristic nothing could , deprive him—that he had been for seventeen ^ years the . securer of tha . ileaungs of peace . He deplored tbat-tiny Minister should ' have assumed aB a contingency tbdt-war would oe . cur between Eng land and France . What had occur rod in France was an additional reason for not passing the income-tax . The inoome-tax was a war tas , a » aa ought not to be enacted in a time of peace , Mr Bright aai Me Baajr a 8 raadea fen observations ,
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Mr O Connor said ; Sir , i shall not pretend to say what influences have induced the right hon . baronet to surrender his second budget , but I am happy to learn , from him and his supporters , that public opinion lias at length begun to operate upon the judgment of this house ; and , sir , although an unpractised financier , and although it is not my duty to point out the blunders of the financial minister ot the country , yet , sir , being challenged to the enc lunter by the right hon . baronet , I undertake to pi , ive , from his own financial statement , that whattwe . r temporary increase he is entitled to call for to jxiy his out-standing bills , that the country , from M » 0 \* n showing , is entitled to a permanent
reduction ol taxation to a large amount .- ( hear , hear)—anrf / rotn memory , sir , and without a single note , I shall endeavour to follow the right hon . gentleman throu&h his complication of incidental and casual expenw SHd permanent taxation . He had only to observe- 1 hat the noble lord and hit colleagues bad split on * he old rock , flanifly , an empty Exchequer . The couu&y had mor « than once seen that when the \ A higsr Jwned into office with a full Exchequer such had linen their hviiii 1 expenditure , that before they had besa > long in orEse-they had been obliged to come upon ihz country for more . He had come to the conclusrsiv that the Chancellor of the Exchequer was lookiagr for a penflaneni taxation in order
4 o meet an incidental want . TSe right hon . g « n-Cleman had shows an aggregate deficiency © f £ 2 , 900 , 000 , which ' fte reduced to 51 , 400 , 000 by taking credit for tbe-balance in Jiand of . £ 1 , 500 , 0 GB on ( account of Irish Joan . Hs is afeo bound to give eredit for £ 460 , CO 9 in the Coinfflf&sariat chest at ths Cape as applicable to the esjumse of the Cnffre War —that reduces his necessity to £ 1 , 003 , 000 in round numbers ; and thwr , presum . ing tha £ the house will net grant the hziF million for the enrolment of a militia , the increased naval and ordnance estimates , this reduces the tigttt hon . gentleman ' s demand to £ 530 , 000 . ( Hear , hear . ) And now , as against that camial demand , fcr the
payment of which , he says , national faith is pledged , and being challenged to the' contest , I proceed to show , firstly , tho sources from which permanent reduction may be mate ; and , secondly , the proj : 3 r source from whence to draw for the immediate call . The right hon . baronet , alWays yielding , always pliant and submissive , and easily coerced by the house when any addition is to be made to the salarira of placemen , pensioners , sad idlers , has , and I think unguardedly , stated t' e numerous instances in which he has augmented the aalaries of the non-effective force , or , in other words , the idlers , at the request of parliament . And from this I shall be enabled to deduce a great , a startline
and irrefutable fact ; because the right 6 on . gentleman went _ on to tell us that the military service bad , within this period of pressure , been ' iuereased by 35 , 000 men j and , taking credit for economy , he told us that the expenditure for the management of the affairs of that augmented service now wa » £ 620 , 000 a year less than it would have been under the old system . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) Well , then , if such was the case , that such a reduction had been made in the mana gement of the affairs of the employed , was it fair that an addition should be made to the salaries of the idle and the unemployed ? ( Hear . ) Perhaps , sir , this is the reserve which furnishes to the government the largest amount of
support , and consequently , receives the Hon ' s ahare of patronage . But let us apply this rule to the case of the mechanic , the operative , and the tradesman . Does their idleness in time of famine and distress secure for them the increased sympathy of the right hon . baronet ? ( Hear , hear . ) Bat , sir , lie has told us that those salaries are based upon national faith . ( Hear , hear . ) This I wholly deny . It may be that those salaries , in their original form , were based upon national faith ; but their increase stands upon the ] whim , the caprice , and the necessities of government ; and therefore , in times of general distress , tho increase consequent upon this parliamentary sympathy should be lopped off ,
and the salaries should stand upon naiional faith . That ' s one item of retrenchment constituting the large amount admitted , but not stated , in figures by the right hon . gentleman . Well , sir , the next item was , in round numbero , £ 27 , 700 , 000 interest upon the funded debt , and between £ 700 , 000 and £ 800 , 000 interest upon Exchequer biHs reduced for the March account from 3 d . to 2 jd , interest , leaving the June bills for the present untouched , but upon which account however v ? e are entitled to take credit for a sixth of the half of the interest upon Exchequer Bills , presuming that those falling due in Juna will share the same fate as those due in March ; and , in round numbers , sir , presuming that those
Exchequer Bills are equally distributed over the two periods , and if the interest on the Jane bills is reduced , that will leave & surplus of one sixth , or a halfpenny 'in threepence of the interest upon those bills , which in round numbers wonld be £ 60 , 000 io the credit of the Exchequer . ( Hear , hear , ) Now , lir , I am following this statement without a note , but yet correctly , and to the farthing . Well , sir , to show the incapacity of our financial secretary , the right hon . gentleman mada a blunder of £ 400 , 000 , when he stated that the interest upon
the funded debt-was in round numbers , £ 28 , 800 , 000 whereas it is but ^ 628 , 400 , 000 ; he gave us the ameunts correctly enough , £ 27 , 700 , 000 interest on the funded debt , and £ 700 , 000 interest on Exchequer Bills , but he made the two sums amount to £ 28 , 800 , 000 instead of £ 28 , 400 , 000 , and I , for one , am not prepared to vote sway the money of the people upon such wholesale miscalculations of a minister , whose duty it is to be correct to the farthing . ( Hear , hear . ) I shall now follow him through his labyrinth , and see what his admissions amount to He admits that in the estimates for tbe naval
department , that large , very large , sums are due for works that have been performed in the dock yardsbuilding steamers , building stoics , and paying workmen ; indeed out of the £ 7 , 600 , 000 of navy estimates presented by the right hon . the Sesretary for th ' Admiralty , " he showed us that no more than £ 4 , 300 , 000 was justly chargeable upon that account , and £ 1 , 300 , 000 for the dead weight , leaving a surplus of £ 2 , 000 , 000 for the payment of the bill , as the right hon . gentleman ealled it , and the current ex penses of the year . Now , that was another large margin to justify permanent reduction . ( Hear , hear . ) Then the right hon . gentleman informed us that the substitution of percussion locks for flint and
steel locks to muskets was a tremendous expense , which , however , he did not name ; but as I must suppose that we shall not have another change , I may naturally conclude that this is another item of incidental expense , but placed to the account of permanent taxation . ( Hear , hear . ) Then we eome-to the adoption by the government of expenditure on account of lighthouses , amounting as the right hon gentleman has informed us to no less than £ 220 . 000 a year , which he ( Mr O'Connor ) contended should be a local tax —( hear , hear )—and when seen in the general estiinatfc'in juxta-position , with £ 150 , 000 foi educatine a whole nation , the wonder , the marvel .
and astonishment of that house , should be that the people of England , now surpassing all other nations in sagacity and political knowledge , should have so long tolerated such a reckless expenditure of their money . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) Next came the expense of substituting the long range for the short range cunnon . which he presumed would not again be reduced to its original dimensions , and which may consequently be placed to ' the account of incidental and not permanent expenditure . ( Hear , hear . " ) But , sir , the right honourable baronet introduced these warlike improvements with a flourish . He told the house that the improved science of war led to those improvements . What , then ,
while the science of war , of slaughtering , and murdering , and all other sciences , are rapidly hurrying on to the gaol of perfection , is the science of legislation alone to stand still ? ( Hear , hear . ) He had now shown that the expense of the Caffre war was incidental ; that the sunk capital for dock-yards , increased stores , and other works was incidental ; that the long cannon and percussion lock was incidental ; the payment of cost of lighthouses was unjust ; that the Chancellor of the Exchequer had made a blunder of £ 400 , 000 and a slip of £ 60 , 000 ; and , therefore , he had made out his case and defied contradiction , that while £ 500 , 000 was all tha ' was required to pay the bill , he had shown a margin from which the country had a right to demand
a large permanent reduction ef taxation . ( Hear hear . ) But he would go still'farther , and if we were not to be eternally legislating for posterity without reference to the wants , the comforts , or the wishes of the existing generation j and although not paid for performing the duty , he would show the right hon . gentleman a source from which he might draw enough to pay his bill , and leave a surplus of four millions , and he begged the attention of the house to this particular portion of the subject . There was included in our funded debt £ 3 , OOQ , ppo per annum in the shape of long and terminable annuities , which would expire in 1859 and ' 60 , and one million per annum paid on account of life annuities , and with which latter stock he could , aot well deal i bul if he ehose to purchase up one quar-
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ter of a million of the long terminable annuities , at the present market price which wa ? eight years purchase , the sum he should pay would be ; 62 , 000 , 000 , while if he choosed to make that small amount of a quarter of a million per annumpermanent , instead of expiring 1859 and ' 60 , he could at the present price of stock realise six millions and a half , leaving bim two millions to pay the holders , half a million to pay his bill , and four millions to add to the Exchequer , thus entitling ; the country , from that source and other sources which he had shown , to a large reduction of permanent taxation . ( Hear , hear . ) But , says the right ho . n . gentleman , a government cannot deal with the affairs of a country as a private gentleman
deals with his establishment . Sir , I deny that the rule does not apply , because a private gentleman , if he is wise , will cut down his establishment according to his ability to meet expenditure , and so should the government ; while , upon the contrary , all former precedents prove that the greater the distress of the nation the greater the demands of the government . He ( Mr O'Connor ) was by no means a convert to the opinions of the right hon . hart , the member forTamworth , when he stated that it was the desire and the policy ot all governments to pare down expenditure to the lowest point , and that it was a fallacy to suppose that increase in taxation was the desire of the government , while on the contrary , ! their interest
was in keeping it down to the lowest point that the necessities of the country wonld permit . Now he , ( Mr O'Conno ?) denied this because one fact was worth ? a bushel of arguments , and they had the unbroken'and irrefutable fact a * admitted by every preceding ministry awd confirmed by the present iftat taxation ? had gone on increasing in the same ratio in whicnV poverty , cfestitution , and want increased . ( Hew ,-hear . ) But the right hon . baronet loved to deal in plausible precedents , aatfpo did the house . One hon . gentleman 1 got up and read a postscript from the fetter of a t fiend of great capacity and uadoubted talent , of whora the house-, or the world , had never heard before , and we wsre asked
to pause ere we legislated' in the face of such philosophy . ( 'Hear . ) Another hon . gentleman informed us of what one dead man said , what ' another dead man . thought , what another had- written , and another bar ] done . And they asKed us to be guided by those dead men ' s lucubrations , who were ns authority when : living , and whose opinions-and notions were drawn from the sluggish mind of an uneslightened age ; I governed by barmughmongering legislation . ( Hear , , feaar . ) Were t | iese the sources , he wmild ask , fromwhence precedents were to be drawn to goyern the active mind and genius of the present day ? What ha > 3 a great authority ( Lord Plunkett ) . told them , on& of their Ch 3 incellors , upon the passing of the
Reform Bill ? Why , that all antecedent history was an old almanac-. And he _ ( SJr O'Connor ) told them that henceforth they must draw their precedents for the government of the excited genius o / the eonntry from the electric telegraph , steam navigation , and the flight of railways ; from the printing press , the penny postage , and the penny stamp upon newspapers ; from the invention and improvements of mechanical power and other sciences , which had disinherited man from his natural position—in short , from those electric sparks which were now communicating an interchange of opinion between man aid man . thus concentrating' thought—and not by the opinions of the dead . If the precedents relied upon
were good , and if they were to be governed by dead men , let them henceforth meet in the grave-yard , and sit upon the tomb-stones . ( Hear , hear . ) He would now sail the attention of the house to a branch of the subject , adverted toby the hon . member for Manchester . That hon . gentleman , in order to prove the value of free trade , told us that within sixteen months , three times as much of our manufactured gnods had been taken bf the Amciican «; but he ( Mr O'Connor ) would be glad to learn how much less wages the operatives of Lan « cashire and Yorkshire , who produced those goods , received for the large amount of produce . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) Now , that was the whole
question , and that constituted his ( Mr O'Connor ' s ) reason for opposing any additional tax upon the middle classes , because it was invariably shoved from their own shoulders to those of the producing class . ( Hear , hear . ) As to the question of Free Trade , which had been introduced into the discussion , he ( Mr O'Connor ) , never flinching from the position he bad occupied out of doers , would now undertake ia prove that free trade increased the horrors of famine by increasing tbe price of food , and that , but for free trade , wheat , which stood at 110 s . the quarter , and touched 120 b ., would not , under the sliding scale , have reached 80 s . 6 quarter , ( Hear , hear , and cheers from the Protectionists ) Yes ; but
he could answer that cheer presently , by showing them what , under those circumstances , their position Would have been . If free trade had not been carried , the importers of graia would have bought and sold with the day ; they would have adopted the farmer's maxim of quick sale and light profit ; they would have sold directly to the miller instead of to the speculator , the monopoliser , and the forestaller , because those who were obliged to speculate in the duty , as well as in the raw material , would not ha ? e undertaken that hazard of sacrificing their capital upon the chance of increased duty , consequent upon diminished prices . ( Hear , hear , and cheers . ) And thus , we should have had
demand and supply equalled—whereas , only having to speculate in the price of the commodity , and not in the duty , led to a scandalous amount of speculation on famine , the necessity of renewing bills , and , eventually , to a diminution of price and loss of capital , consequent upon the glut , occasioned by a large supply being thrown upon the market at once to meet ; the demands of the bankers . Now , this , he contended , led to the derangement in the money market , and led to famine in the midst of abundance through unrestricted speculation . ( Cheers . ) But the hon . member for Manchester asks what we would have done without that corn ; he ( Mr O'Connor ) replied that
they would have had it at 80 s . or 70 s . as freely as at 120 $ ., because other nations were able to spare it ; England was the richest market and able to take it , but its price abroad was naturally ruled by the price at home consequent upon the famine , for let it not be supposed that any brought to this market , with risk , freight , and insurance stamped upon it , would have been again re-shipped . But now he would answer the cheer . Suppose upon the other hand that the opposition to free trade had been successful , and that the measure had not passed , and that wheat had ranged from 80 s ., 70 s ., or even 60 s . a quarter , what wou ! o > have been the power of the free traders ever an excited , famishing , and
unemployed people . ( Hear , hear . ) Why , sir , the people of this country , if free trade had not passed , would never have learned that the promised blessing would have amounted to 120 s . a quarter ; and if under restriction it had stood at 80 s ., 70 s ., or even 60 s ., the free traders would have been enabled to persuade ihe people that if their measure had passed the price of wheat would have been much , very much lower ; whereas the high price took the charm off free trade , which , had it been otherwise , Parson Spencer , the perpetual curate of Hinton , might , according to his promise and threat , have led on a starving phalanx of unemployed' operatives , whose belief would have been confirmed that had the
raeasure passed they would have had cheap bread and plenty of employment , and they would have raised the famine howl before your doors . Then , instead of coming to this house for the amendment of your Game Laws , and an alteration in the laws of Primogeniture , Settlement and Entail , they would have invaded your every institution , and have demanded the surrender of those privileges which they have now permitted you to enjoy , in the hope , mind , that you will henceforth use them for national benefits instead of individual enjoyments . ( Hear , hear / Hence , sir , I arrive at the conclusion , that the right hon . baronet , the member for Tamworth , although reviled , denounced , and deserted by the landlords of
the country , has been their saviour , their protector and emancipator ; and never was there in the history of politics a more unjust , ungenerous , or fatal desertion of a leader , who , as I have shown , saved the landlords from their own folly and from the inevitaile vengeance of their opponents . ( Cheers . ) The hon . member for Buckinghamshire spoke of a paltry £ 3 , 000 , 000 , but it was only in the sense in which it had been used by the Chancellov of the Exchequer , who was accustomed to deal lightly and jocosely with round numbers ; but let the house see what this three millions wonld have done , —it would have
given .-66 a year to half a million of his ( Mr O ' Connor ' s ) starving countrymen ; it would have , g iven £ 12 a year to 250 , 000 starving Spitalfields weavers and English operatives ; thus , if properl y applied , allowing . five to a family , it would have - given to two millions and a half of Irishmen , or to twelve hundred and fifty . thousand Englishmen , more , than they can earn in the year . ( Hear , hear . ) As . the subject ' of Ireland had been introduced hy the Chancellor of the Exchequer , he ( Mr O'Connor ) hoped that the threatened necessity of England , which promised the [ extension of the Property and Income Tax to Wrelaudj ^ ould , opeiato upon the susceptibility of y
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those pliant honourable Irish membr . rs who followed in the tail of the ministry , whether lie led t / iem to the new lobby or the old . ( Cheers . ) This waswhat he always expected , that the slavish precedent established by Irish members would one day inflict a wound upon their own country . That was hisr ( Mr O'Connors' ) reason for opposing a tax wjion the middle classes of this country , in order that h ¦• may be at liberty to oppose such an infliction upon hti own . And for the same reason he woukl oppose any additional tax being laid upon the landed interest of this country , because he hoppd to see the landlords giving up their useless and anomalous privileges , in obedience to the requirements of the age , and once more becoming the natural patrons of
their natural clients , bound by the mutual tics of protection and support . He had visited and examined more estates than any man in England within the last three yenis , and in the discharge of this < luty hd naturally inquired into the character of lanrilords . andl he found that adding the relation of landlord and } tenant there was scarcely a bad one to be found * He turned to where he commenced his operations , in Hertfordshire , and there he was surrounded by the tenants of the brother of the noble lord at tha head of the government , and by th » parishioners o £ another brother of the noble lord ' s—one faithfully discharged the duties of the landlord , and the other amiably discharged the duties of a clergyman . ( Cheers . ) He then turned to Vforcester . bire , where
be was now engaged , and he aaked any honourable member who donbted the value of the landlord elaps , to take a walk or a ride with him through the estates of the honourable member for Worcester ,. ( Mr Ricardo , ) and he would show him schools for the instruction of t&e children of the peasantry that did honour to the honourable gentleman , and such S 3 would not be found " or permitted for the itistrnction of the operatives in tiro manufacturing : districts . Well , then , this- was a class whom h ? I would invite to the corrcstion of their own abuses , in t&e hope that the real market for industry may \) V opanecT . He would now conclude by exposing the . delusion attempted to be practised by the Chancellor ofthe Exchequer upon the house ar . d the country . He had asked for eoore , much more than he was aware would be granted' to bi ? n . If he had asked' for the increase of the I ' r . come Tax and ttie
centfnHance ef the Income an-d'Property Tax for two years , he-was aware that the infliction would . have ¦ been refused—4 hat would have- amounted in round inuraber 3 r wfth the proposed increase from 7 d , to U , jupon one class , tofaljput fourteen'millions , whereaj , ie now proposed the continuation of the present ' Property and Income Tax for three years , which ^ in round " numbers , would amount to'siatfien and s half millions , thus rewarding our opposition and Ihe country ' s reflation by an increase of two millions and a half above the amount we- have rejected —([ hear)—whtle the right hon , baronet had forewarned us that he would watch' the period of pliant yielding to come again to the- house ia aa opportune season and ask for an additional vote to pay his out standing debts . Did the-Chancellor of . the Exchequer scppo&e that he could' come dows after a short time and demand andther- increase is
taxation ? Let the hon . gentleman beware that he was not obliged to come sooner than' he expected for something of another kind . If government seriously intended not to interfere with the affairs ef France , let them show that although , they wished to > preserve peace they were in a condition to go to war , but let that condition depend upon the conviction <¦ £ the industrious classes , that peace was worth preserving . He begged the noble lord not to mistake the calm attitude of the people of England to an acquiescence in grievances . He was sorry , there were not more competent gentlemen at the head of the monied department , to give a more satisfactorj
explanation of our expenditure . The day of temporising was gone . We lived in new times , and required new men to govern us . Before he sat ^ down , he would call upon the hon . member for Blontrose , whe ? had upon the last occasion deceived both him ( Mr O'Connor ) and the house , and he would tell that hon . gentleman , that a wavering , temporising policy , was not the way to unit « the people or gain credit for himself . ( Hear , hear . ) Ho haped that this time he would divide the house , and g ive the country aa oppor tunity of distinguishing between their friends and their enemies ; consistency wa 3 an important ingredient in a representative of the people , and he for one would not consent to be mode a fool of .
Col . Sibihf > rp , Mr Mun ' z , Mr Mitchell , Bnrd Dadley Stuart , Sir R . Inglia , and Mr Bl * ckstonp , caade & faw remarks , Mr HobsMAN gave notice th&t ho abould persist in H « amendment for a more equitable afaeum ^ nt of the income tez . Ths debate was then adjonrnsd to Friday . ' Tbe JgiuuStock OouipsEi « 3 Bill net read a &QC . 0 & 4 tirao . TaEsDAT , Feb . 20 . HOUSE OF LORDS . —Tha Lobd CHisaitio * pro . pored st resolution , which was seconded bj tbe Duke of Richmond , expressive of ths thank ) of the houae to thslr late olerk assistant , Mr Birch , on his . regignueloa ,. which nas agreed to , as vra * also a motion for granting ' to that gentleman a retiring pension of £ 2 , 01 ) 0 per ensuro .
The Earl of Auckland , in reply tothe Earlof Malmesbury , stated that tokens of approbation and renrariishad been forwarded , to be conferred through the Boj " of Tuiii * , on til persona concerned in savinar and assisting tha surviviug portion of the crew oi H . M . ' a late : Bhip Avenger , thrown on tbe African coast . Tho Marquis » f CLiNRiCABDE , in answer totlse Dulio of Richmond , sai i that he had good meoa for believing ; that the rumoured destruotion of the India ruuil Was false . He had M . Araeo ' a authority for stating that it reached Paris on the 27 ih , and after sotio delay-in that capital , for which neither the postal authorities nor the provisional government of Franco were responsible , i 6 « vai forwarded on in the usual manner . M . Arago also stated that every effort would ba made , hs beini ! now at the head of tho postal department in Frsnce , to ensure the speedy and safe transit and deUrtry oi letter * parsing into and through that country .
Sari Gbet , in an explanatory speech , moved thn second reading of the New Zial . ind Qorernment Bill , which motion , after some ebaervationa feom Lord Stanley and the Earls of Waldegrave and St Germans , was agrerd to . HOUSE OF COMMONS . —Mr DEBDsareported , from the Lancaster Election Committee , that Mr GrsRson was not duly elected . A new wr ' . t wa » ordered to ba issued . FBBNcn JtEPCBtic . —Mr JIosckto !* Milnes . —I am desirous to know , air , whether the provisional government established at Paris ha » made any formal communication of Its existence to the foreign powers of Europe .
Lord Palmbbston , —I have received this morning from Lird Normunby a copy of a communication which Wftgmade by M . LiunarUne , who ia minister for Fsreiga Affairs in the provisional govirnmsnt , —a copy of a communication made by him , I think , to all the foreign ambassadors at Paris , announcing tbe formation of tha presegt provisional government nod declaring at the same tlrno thit the now farina and ( nititiitioai ) which Ilave been adopted * by Franco will mako no alteration ia the position of France in Europe ; fttidtfcsit : Ua French government will display the satnu loyal snd sincere desire of maintaining tko most aifiicablft rttUttons vriih alt powers who may , like France , deUrmino to re > pec : tha independence and rights of tuitions . ( Cheara )
Irish Pooa Law . — Coloai . 1 IDpsjkb movedfoja select committee to inquiro into the working and efficiency uf the Poor Law ia Ireland , The honourable and gallaut member contended that the Irish Poor Law wiw s c » mpleta fAilure , and urged tho necessity of Lwouiug tbo area of taxation , Mr O'Flnhertj B 8 eonued < tiie motion . Mr Drummond opposed-frh&motion . Sir O-. Obey , although he admitted that Bowe defect * , were found in the Ir > sh ? oon Law , could not consent ta . the appointment of the commiUee , because he ttioiwii '; it would have a taosi mischiavoag effect , inducing t-08 belief that the Irish poor could- not look to tha law . tor support , but that a grant from Parliament could alone reUivre tbem , The law niigM rtquire some alteratioa after due experience- of Us oys / at ' on ; tut to creato the id » a that it wouldi immediafaly be repealed or greatly morlifiod . which the appointment ei a commutes of the House of Commons- would do , would bo productive of
great mischief . An Irish debate then followed , in whieh tha principal speakers we ? e Mr Pax . G&lonel Cooo'ly , Mr I \ P . Max . wall , Mr FUsstephsn Vruneh , C aptain Jones , Mr 1 'agan ^ Sir J . Walah , Mr 3-, « mwford , Miijor BladtaU , the liarquia of lvildone , Mr Hame , ana Mr AgUouby , who , aa . English zaombers ,, made nn application to the govern : nunt net to refusa this committed , wbicU had b > en caiiea for b alfflost every lrioh member v&o had &dd *! 38 ea the house . , _ Sis "W . SoME » vaiB arguei tha > , as tVo Irish P . oor Law was aot yet actually in for * , and as tnereforo ^ . tie materials of inquiry we » aot «»« ,, it ™ ttldta premature to appoint a committee of tha House off
Commons . Mr S O'Beibh spoko in fa « aur of the motion . Mr L 4 B 0 DCBEBB likewisa spoUe in oppositioa » a ttia motion , , , « Lord Lincoln considmd that the . Irish membevs naa bocn bad ly treated by Ihe government on tb , is occasion ; but notwithstanding ^ that ihe Irish members generally aeemed desiraus ' of this committoe , he \* as himself ot « Hgcd to vote Bgaiwt it , ' Mr Waklei csnsured tbe ministers for opposing the w 1 bus 3 of the Iilsh member * when they ware all
unanimous . Thfc ananimiky of the Irish mecobers was a phenomenon , and ought to produce an effect . He ask *! the govem&ent to consider ia wbai on awkward plight it wouWfee l . ft , If the English members were to walk in a . bo 4 y out of the house , and to leave them to deal 3 \ &tiie IriBk members bj thonweim . Ifee gogUsb
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March 4 , 1848 . THE _ N £ RTH £ Rjj _ STAR , 3
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Citation
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Northern Star (1837-1852), March 4, 1848, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1460/page/3/
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