POSTSCRIPT.
SATURDAY.
The debate in the House of Commons last night, on Mr. Disraeli's motion for the consideration of agricultural distress, was the most barren that has taken place on that exhausted theme. On the order of the day for going into Committee on the Assessed Taxes Act, Mr. DISRAELI moved the following amendment-
" That, in any relief to be granted by the remission or adjustment of taxa- tion, due regard should be paid to the distressed condition of the owners and occupiers of land in the United Kingdom."
Mr. Disraeli reviewed the political session, in order to bring to mind the bearing of his motion. He recalled the recognition of agricultural distress in the Queen's Speech ; the original non-proposal of remedies by the Government ; the interposition of the House, by a vote so virtually adverse as to shake tho Government to its centre ; the altered plans of the Government, under which the Chancellor of the Exchequer vouch- safed some propositions with a view to mitigate the distress which had been acknowledged but passed over; the interval of universal obloquy into which the Chancellor of the Exchequer fell, and the vituperation of him by the Metropolitan party—the party which .does not carry Reform Bills like Birmingham, nor repeal Corn- laws like Manchester, but which deports itself in an alarming man- ner at every crisis, crying "Stop the Supplies!" yet invariably ends by supporting the Minister ; then the important events which produced a monstrous crisis and a chaotic period of six weeks, over which he would throw a veil. Lastly, he dwelt on the repropose], by him who had been branded as the political Jonah, of the same financial scheme which had so unjustly provoked the Metropolitan discontent, with no changes beyond "increased favours" to the interests enjoying an "unprecedented pros- perity "—the party whom the Chancellor of the Exchequer had declared to be unworthy of confidence, and a withdrawal of the small favours vouchsafed to the only interest which was acknowledged to be suffering an "unprecedented distress,"—the latter withdrawal being made from a fee'ing of Parliamentary or personal annoyance, and in a tone of flippant caprice, because the favours had been received in so ungracious a manner. Such an aggregate of anomalies was never before equalled in Parliament. Assuming that the depreciation of rent is ten per cent, and that one- 'third of the agricultural capital of three hundred millions has disappeared, Mr. Disraeli, in a very cursory way, glanced over the measures which Ministers might have proposed. These were—the transfer of the charge of pauper lunatics, one of the boons offered and then so pettishly with- drawn, but which Mr. Disraeli thinks was by no means to be despised ; the expenses of public prosecution,s, and the permanent charge for gaols ; the establishment-charges and fixed salaries, which are local burdens, under the Poor-law ; and the "fixed salaries of officers invented and devised by your new laws." These items would have amounted to about 2,000,0001. With such a sum Ministers might have laid the foundation of a remedial system which would bring back the good feeling of the suffering community. But Mr. Disraeli expressly denied that he intended to make these propositions, or even to confess that by his resolution he has any covert design of recom- mending them. And he insisted, that neither directly nor indirectly, neither openly nor covertly, does he seek to reverse our commercial sys- tem. He desired only to soften the controversy between the great indus- tries of the country ; and to give Members, before they go to their con- stituents, an opportunity of bearing to the farmers an assurance that they will find sympathy and justice from the Legislature. Mr. DABOUCHERE professed himself mystified alike by the motion and the speech : the latter seemed to be a "financial exereitation," leaving the aims of the speaker in greater doubt than before. But at all events, it seemed aimed at the Budget—" sufficient for the day is the budget thereof."
Mr. GLADSTONE was not satisfied either with the Budget or with the shadowy and vague plan of Mr. Disraeli ; but he gave his vote for the Budget, as containing the least amount of evil.
Mr. BRIGHT taunted the minor Protectionists with the damage they do to their leader by open adherence to the delusion of Protection. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was as much puzzled as Mr. La- bouchere by Mr. Disraeli's speech : he slightly defended his plans ; say- ing he has received memorials from Edinburgh complaining of the inor-
dinate relief granted [under the new House-tax] to the agr terest.
Lord NORREYS declared that the amendment was intended to c an odious light to the agricultural community those who ventu. oppose Mr. Disraeli— It had been altered [by the omission of the words "in the first inst.m,e'l to catch votes. It was notorious that an attempt was to be mode t, over- throw the Administration—(eries of "Oh, oh !")—before they II:171 :111 op- portunity of proposing a bill to extend the franchise. (Cries op:Qtt:,,e Lord JOHN RussEtz called attention to the delusion practised on the House, and a great part of the country, by the repeated motions brought forward on this subject. The present motion, apparently the smallest of those brought forward ef a similar nature, proposed, instead of going into Committee on the repeal of the Window-tax, that in any remission of taxation due regard sheold be had to the owners and occupiers of land. If, as Mr. Disraeli said, the Win- dow-tax were to be repealed, and Ile assented to the proposition of the Chan- cellor of the Exchequer, it was clear, looking to the amount of eurplu;, that no special and effectual relief could be given out of it to owners and ec:.apit rs of land. But admitting what he said of the importance and numbers the agriculturists, you could not make reductions in general taxation, in the duties on windows, tea, soap, or the like, without giving them large relief. The intention to restore protection is denied. " But it' that is the case, why is it that, when the simple-minded yeomen and farmers who wish the restoration of protection go to the honourable gentle- man and other leaders of that party, and ask why they are continually bring- ing forward motions about local taxation, with respect to a particular class cc special question—why they do not at once ask Parliament to give them that protection—their answer constantly is, Although it was not the direct o"- Jed of the motion, it was the indirect object ; and they would find, if the motion was ever carried, although protection was not expressly involved, that the restoration of protection would follow from the success of that motion.' Both parties are deceived. Honourable gentlemen say they do not mean protection, and afterwards they say they voted for pro- tection. On the other hand, while every ono knows, by the test of the motion of the honourable Member for Gloucestershire, that it direct imposition of duties on the importation of corn would be, as it has been, rejected by a large majority, the divisions on these motions are ex- hibited as the test of the opinion of the House of Commons on the question of protection. I say, honourable Members opposite would be dealing more fairly and more candidly with the great body of their countrymen, if either they were to propose that Parliament should give relief by the reinis,ion of certain duties which they imagine affect the lauded interest, and that then we should hear no more of protection—that great source of dissension should be for ever dried up ; or if they said fairly, • We stand boldly on the ques- tion of protection : if protection is restored, we succeed—if it is denied, we fail.' Let it be a fair motion, and not a delusive motion, and, as becomes us great party in this country, let them put the issue fairly between us." The other speakers had been Mr. STAFFORD, Lord JOHN MANNERS, Mr. MILES, Mr. NEWDEGATE, Sir ROBERT PEEL, Sir W. JOLIFFE, Colonel SIBTHORP, and Mr. REYNOLDS, in favour of the amendment ; and there followed, on the same side, Mr. KEOGH and Sir THOMAS ACLAND. Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL and Mr. Joins O'CONNELL sided with (ho Government.
On a division, the numbers were—
For Mr. Disraeli's amendment 250 Against it 263 Ministerial majority 13
Mr. DISRAELI elicited from Lord JOHN RUSSELL the information that he would take the report on the resolution respecting the House and Window duties first on Monday ; then the resolution respecting coffee...tut' timber ; and lastly the Income-tax. But Mr. DISRAELI haying intimated that a discussion will take place on the Income-tax, Lord JOHN Ilussum, said that he would postpone that subject till after Easter, and should pro- pose that the House go into Committee of Supply on Monday, after the timber and coffee resolution is disposed of.
There being no order of the day standing for Wednesday next, Lord JOHN RUSSELL proposes to move the adjournment for the Easter recess on Tuesday night, till Monday the 28th.
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