Tuesday night was given up to the discussion of the
duties on spirits in Great Britain and the prohibition of spirits in Rome. Mr. Whiteside raised the former discussion, maintaining of course that the duties led to large illicit distillation and to poisonous adulterations in Ireland. Mr. Gladstone admitted the adulteration, admitted that,— "Poor Paddy of all Christian men, I think, On basest food pours down the vilest drink," though denying it was poisonous or pernicious, but strenuously maintained that illicit distillation was not increasing, and proved that in 1852, when the duties were low, the cases of illicit distilla- tion were in Ireland more than twice as numerous. Then the House went into the subject of the illicit importation of British spirits by Mr. Home into the Papal dominions, and the way in which the Pope had in consequence ejected that gentleman, and disap- pointed his ambition to be a sculptor. Mr. Roebuck maintained that Mr. Home, as a British citizen, had a right to go where be would, and take his ghosts with him. At the mention of Mr. Home, Mr. Milner Gibson (who is supposed to have dealings )vith Mr. Home) fled precipitately from the House. It seems fair to say that Mr. Home ought not to smuggle his ghosts into Rome without separate passports for them, and as you cannot inspect the ghost it would clearly be impossible to riser the passport. Mr. Home has no remedy.
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