POSTSCRIPT.

SATURDAY.

The Rouse of Commons was engaged the greater part of the sitting last night in discussing the scale of duties on tea and sugar proposed by the Government. On the motion for going into Committee of Ways and Means, Mr. Menem stated the course he should pursue. He argued, that "a condemned and contemned House of Commons" ought not to be asked to levy new imposts. He saw no reason why the budget could not be postponed until May. Let the Mutiny Bill be passed; let the vote of men ho agreed to on condition of its being the maximum number; let a vote of credit be passed ; but don't levy new taxes. He should object to tho increase of the tea-duties, and adopt a course that will provide that the Income-tax shall be 64. in the pound—in short, secure the fulfilment of the compact of 1853. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, supported by Mr. THOMAS BARING, objected to this course, that it would lead to a deficiency. Mr. GLADSTONE suggested that it would be better to go into Committee at once. After some more discussion the House went into Committee.

The CHANCELLOR of the ExCHEQUER, with a good deal of discussion on the principles of free trade, Arthur Young, and Sir Robert Peel, moved, "That in lieu of the Customs-duties now chargeable on tea imported into the United Kingdom, the following duties shall be charged,— that is to say, to the 5th of April 1857 inclusive, le. 94. per pound ; and from and after the 6th of April next to the 5th of April 1858 inclusive, Is. 64. per pound." The rates are fixed, under the circumstances, only for one year ; and the duty on tea, instead of being Is. 74. as at first proposed, is fixed at la. Bd. Mr. GLADSTONE opposed to this resolution an amendment, to the effect that the duty should be Is. 3d. and not le. 54. per pound. In the course of a long speech, he repeated his former condemnation of the budget, although in more temperate tones. Ho contended that it imposed now duties on tea and sugar, and departed from the principles of the free-trade policy ; and that, on the eve of a dissolution, the House was asked to adopt a course agreeable to the enfranchised but adding to the burdens of the poorer people. If he were an agitator for an extended and organic reform of Parliament, he should not desire a better case to show the effects of a limited representation than this budget. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER replied to this by a vindication of his own proposals. He contended that to alter a duty from Is. 94. to Lt. 64. is a reduction. But Mr. Gladstone says it is an increase "be contends that a reduction which is a less reduction than a greater reduction is not a reduction." The Government had asked for nothing not absolutely necessary for the requirements of the public service. In the course of his speech, Sir George Lewis repeated his former statement of the amount of taxes remitted. "In order to prevent all misunderstanding, I will again read what the remissions, according to rates calculated for the whole year, will be for the ensuing year, as compared with the amount at which these imposts stood during the period of the highest war taxation, two years ago. There will be a reduction of 2,000,000/. on malt, 9,12,5,000/. on the income-tax at the war scale, 600,0001. on tea, 135,0001. on coffee, and 342,000/. on sugar, making altogether upwards of 12,200,000/. It is quite true, as my right honourable friend reminded the House, that the whole of that reduction will not accrue within the financial year, inasmuch as it is well known that taxes are not always paid at the time they become due ; but that is the only way in which you can estimate remissions of taxation. I reiterate, then, quite deliberately, the statement which I made on a former night, that taking the taxation a the present year as compared with the highest taxation during the war, there will be a relief to the country of more than twelve millions sterling." Duinig the somewhat desultory conversation that ensued, Lord Joust. Russmr. repeated his approval of the budget as a fair and honest statement of the requirements of the year and of the manner in which it is proposed to meet them. The question is not whether there is reduction or augmentation in the duties on tea and sugar, but whether those duties are a fair proportion in the balance of direct and indirect taxation. With regard to the tea-duty, he had proposed that it should be Is. 4d., but under the circumstances he should not oppose the resolution before the Committee. Mr. GREGSON assented to this course. Mr. HORSFALL, thinking Lord John Russell right in principle, said he did not know how to vote, now that Lord John had abandoned his resolution. Mr. MOFFAT strongly objected to fixing the duty for only one year, as it introduces uncertainty into trade. Mr. MILNER GIBSON stood by the compact of 1863, and was for showing no compassion to a Chancellor of the Exche

quer; nothing is ever got by such displays of compassion. Mr. DisRAELI insisted that the proposed duties were new taxes, and that the budget was "a reactionary policy."

more debate on these points, the House divided on the question that Is. 38., as proposed by Mr. Gladstone, should be substituted. for Is. 64., as proposed by Sir George Lewis. For the amendment, 125; against it, 187; Government majority, 62. The resolution proposed by Sir George was then put and carried. Mr. GLADSTONE said he would not divide the House on the sugar-duties ; and his amendments were negatived without a division. Theresolutions of the Chancellor of the Exchequer WRS then agreed to. They reduce the duties on candy, brown, or white refined sugar, from 1/. to 18s. 44.; on white cloyed from 178. 64. to 16*.; on yellow muscovado from 158. to 13s. 104.; on brown muscovado from 13s. 94. to 128. 84.; molasses from 58. 44. to 5s.

The House having resumed, a little later in the evening the Incometax Bill was brought in and read a rust time, on the motion of Sir

GEORGE LEWIS.

Sir FITZROY Brix; stating his opinion that the Hongkong ordinance was illegal, asked whether Government intend to repeal it Lord PA.LNEWTON said that there is no intention on. the part of the Government to deal with the ordinance in any way. Mr. Evxxviv, complaining of the stripping and dismantling of the Resolute, and remarking that the restored ship should have been kept at least a year in the state in which she was presented by the United States, asked what is to be done with her ? Sir Cassusss WOOD said, what had been done was intended to conduce to the preservation of the ship : in stripping and dismantling her, the sole object of the Government had been to do what they deemed calculated to preserve as long as possible this most gratifying memento of the friendship and good-will of our Transatlantic kinsmen.

A Plenipotentiary will shortly proceed to China with full powers to conclude a peace. This person, whoever he may be, will not supersede Sir John Bowring, or in any way dispense with the assistance of the men who are at present conducting the affairs of the country in the Eastern Seas. He will, however, have the advantage of knowing the wishes of the Cabinet from the mouths of the Ministers themselves, and he will be acquainted with what has been said and done at home ; while Sir John Bowring, Sir M. Seymour, and Mr. Parkes, will be able to supply him with the necessary local knowledge. A military commander, with 5000 men, will also at once be despatched to the scene of disturbance. Of course, if the area of hostilities widen, this force will be increased. The Plenipotentiary will, we believe, seek to establish direct communication not with Yeh, but with the Emperor.—Times, March 7.

Yesterday, Mr. Richard Thornton, on behalf of the subscribers of Lloyd's, presented a requisition to Lord Palmerston, signed by 375 members of the association, requesting him to become a candidate for the City of London. A similar petition was at the same time handed in by Mr. Wilkinson M.P., from members of the Stock Exchange. Lord Palmerston, it is understood, declined the honour.

There were two meetings at Manchester yesterday. The members of the Commercial Association met in great numbers,—Mr. Aspinall Turner in the ehair,—and passed a resolution expressing the greatest apprehension at the repudiation by the House of Commons of our representatives at Canton. The second. meeting was held in Newell's Buildings. The old Free-traders met under the chairmanship of Mr. George Wilson, and passed a resolution requesting Mr. Gibson and Mr. Bright again to stand for the borough.

The first day's poll in the election for County Down took place on Thursday. There were two candidates—Mr. Clarke, Conservative ; Mr. Greer, Liberal. At the close of the first day, the numbers were—Clarke 2234, Greer 1401. It is stated that if Greer had all the votes remaining unpolled he would still be in a minority.

Some of the French journals speak upon the China question and.the defeat of Lord Palmerston.

The Petrie says—" Will the motion of Kr. Cobden, voted by the House of Commons, (which must certainly lead to the dissolution of the Cabinet or of the House,) result in arresting the progress of events before Canton ? We hope not. Should Sir John Bowring succeed before the arrival of the vote of censure recorded by Parliament in entering as a conqueror into that ci ,ty. which he first sought only to enter as a simple visitor, we do not think that England, which has absolved Warren Hastings and Clive, whose glory was nevertheless tarnished by well-authenticated crime, will impute blame to a man for an excess of seal, justified and glorified by success." The Univers takes the same side—" 'What do all these solemn debates and philanthropic declamations really signify ? One sole object—the political adversaries of Lord Palmerston wish to obtain his place. And while the Parliament of England is gravely discussing the justice or legality of this war, the Chinese are setting a price on the heads of Europeans, and are surrounding them with assuming, incendiaries, and poisoners. The Bishop of Oxford in his speech evidently lost sight of all that Christian nations have suffered from China The English orators are really too considerate when they invoke the right of nations, justice., and humanity, in favour of a population which by every act places itself beyond the right of nations, and systematically violates all the laws of humanity and justice." The Assembles Nationale says—" The vote of the House will remain as the eternal condemnation of a policy which has been justly censured by the most eminent men of all parties, and by those who are most. devoted to the real grandeur of England. Were another Ministry possible in the present dissolution of political parties, the Cabinet headed by Lord Palmerston would have no other alternative than to bend its head and withdraw before this condemnation."

The Gazette of last night states that MT. Jackson Eldridge has been appointed her Majesty's Consul at Kertch. Telegraphic advices from Athens, dated. this day week, announce the complete evacuation of Greece by the English and French troops.

In the Morning Post we observe a note from Mr. Goddard, in. correction of one of the division-lists, which represents him as having paired with Mr. Esmonde in favour of Mr. Cobden 's motion. Mr. Goddard states, that the announcement "was not made with either his knowledge or sanction ; as, had he been able to have been. in. his place, it was his intention to have supported the Government."

Yesterday, one William Webb was brought before Mr. Long, the Marylebone Magistrate, accused of attempting' to murder Mr. Buckler, assistant to a linendraper. It appears that Sandford, a porter on the North London Railway, heard cries of murder" as a train was approaching the Hampstead Road station. He ran up, and found Buckler with a knife in one hand and holding down Webb with the other.. Buckler was suffering from a wound

in the neck. Webb said that the gentleman had tried to stab him, but that he had taken away the knife and stabbed, the gentleman. Buckler said this was false. He was taken care of, and Webb was arrested. Buckler is in danger from the effects of several wounds. Webb is remanded.