POSTSCRIPT.
SATURDAY.
The business in Parliament, last night, though protracted in point of time, was not of exciting interest.
In the House of Peers, Lord STANLEY carried an important amendment of the Parliamentary Voters (Ireland) Bill against Ministers. On clause 16, which regulates the preparation of the list of voters for counties, he moved alterations which will exclude from the register all new claims till the qualified persons have made a claim—so testing the value which the people of Ireland put on the possession of the franchise, instead of thrust- ing upon them the privilege of the vote. After debate, this amendment was carried, by 53 to 39; majority against Ministers, 14.
The Earl of ELLENHOROUGH wished to know what understanding had been come to with foreign powers in the event of any malicious injury being done to the property of foreigners in the Exposition ? In F.diu. burgh, some years ago, injury was done to goods, but as no buildings were demolished no damages could be recovered. Shall we act on the principle of Don David Pacifico ? The Marquis of LANSDOWNE had no doubt but if in Scotland the son of the Secretary of War had joined in the spoliation, compensation would have been given. In the House a Commons, Mr. CAYLE'f moved for leave to bring in a bill to repeal the Malt-tax. His speech enlarged on the distress of agri- culturists and their claims for relief; and he endeavoured to make out, from the state of the revenue and the stimulus which repeal would afford to other sources of national receipt, that the remission of the tax could be effected with safety to the national credit—especially as it is not proposed to make the remission begin to operate till the 5th of April next. The motion was seconded by Mr. CHRISTOPHER ; and especially supported by Mr. BASS, who was willing to sacrifice his interests as a brewer to aid the agricultural interests as farts is consistent with the supporting public credit and maintaining public defence. Mr. DISRAELI reviewed the repeated refusals of Ministers to aid suffering agriculture; and asked them what they proposed to say to the agricultural constituents as the session draws to a close, and the season of returning to the country ap- proaches? He argued for the relief from inland taxation by throwing a heavier share of the burden of taxation on imported goods. The motion was opposed by the CuAlecsttort of the EXCHEQUER; who advanced the usual array of counter-statistics to show that the consumption of beer has not decreased so much through the tax on malt as through the change in the preference of the people for tea and similar beverages ; and declared that the five millions of revenue cannot be spared, or put in jeopardy without offer of a sure equivalent. Lord Joule EussaLL told Mr. Dis- raeli, that he will leave prices to be regulated by the supply of this country and the world, and not interfere to raise them by law, whatever they may happen to be." The motion was negatived, by 247 to 123.
In reply to a question by Mr. DISRAELI, Lord PALMERSTON stated the receipt of the despatch from our Minister at Berlin, enclosing a definitive treaty of peace, signed on the 2d instant, between the King of Denmark on the one hand and the King of Prussia on the other hand, acting for himself and also for the Germanic Confederation, whereby all the differ- ences between Denmark and Prussia are settled. The treaty is to be ratified in three weeks.
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