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MtecH 3^ 1855.] CTB- t .E.AffiE^ 2KE
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Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.
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Imperial Barltament. The Treat* With Sar...
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THE . NBW 8 KU ? t : » STAMF . - On the'order'f & r'thd'second reading of the'Hewss paper Stamp Duties Bill , Mr . D ™ ^ " * ^ **** the ^ second reading-be postponed until-the 30 th of April . The-: Chaocellos ^ of the Exchequer , he said , Si himself . suKJika- a sufficient argument against the bill by : admitting that it .-would create a deficiency in Wrevenue of 200 , 000 ^ y M ^ vich m ust - be suppHedc by-additional taxation * He ( Mr . Deedes ) waacoBvinced J ; ha * 'this isr net iho fitting time for the introduction .-of isucli a -measure . He objected to
restrictions upon-tbe size of newspapers , and beiieved that the measure would lower the character of the press . Glancing at . the . connexion of the measure with the question of nationaleducation , he expressed atfear lest the cheapening .-of newspapers ^ shoaldk-corrnpt the morals of the youngs and he objectedr-to the omission from the bill of-all . protection- to newspaper copyright . However , instead of moving , the rejection of the bill ( which he did not do becanse- he had no desire to throw out the present Government ) , he proposed to defer the measure until after the . financial statement .
Sir E » Bui » wer Ltttoit agreed- that there were details in the bill which required alteration ^ and that it was but just . to give to newspapers an , effective law of copyright , and to select , for the standard of weight or size , the newspaper which has the largest circulation . He bore high testimony to the ability , and integrity of the newspaper press ,-and said , that .-tire most striking . example of English- civilisation , was . to lie . found , not » in . owr docks , oucrailway . B ; or our public buildings , but in our newspapers . Th © chaw racter of the press-was determined , by the . cbacooter < tf the people ; and , if the American , press ( as-Jiad feen alleged ) was inferior to- our own ( though he must remind the House that there is scarcely an
author or statesman of eminence who has not contributed to it ) , the difference nrustt arise * from the inferiority of the people . He objected to the principle of the penny stamp , as implying a tax ? on ~ the expression of thought , and as rendering the establishment of newspapers almost impossible , except to capitalists , and thus throwing the press into the hands of a . few cliques ; If the stamp : were removed , he "beKeved that a good penny Conservative journal would be set up , conducted by avowed writers and men of established name , and would penetrate to the lower classes , -where he believed Conservative jour-Hals had not yet penetrated . ( This candid admission was received with ironical cheers . ) With respectto
the question of the impetus which would hfe given to immoral and blasphemous publications , he observed that profligate literature had always corrupted the higher classes before the lower . There was no class of the whole community which showed so little inclination for libellous or gossiping publications as the working classes . When those Sunday papers to ¦ which the Chancellor of the Exchequer referred were accustomed to profane the Sabbath-day by hebdomadal ribaldry and' slander , it was the clubs and b ^ awingrroomsr ^ cer tainly , not . thejwprking _ classeswho supported thenv But those papers were now extinguished by one or - two threepenny journals of superior character : * He called the attention of the
House to the fact that the Spectator of Addison and Steele was a penny paper , ' and that it was extinguished by : the tax that was laid upon it ; and concluded a very-capital speech by again enforcing the necessity for u cheap , unstamped Conservative press . The AItoknet-General pointed out the perplexed and embarrassing state of the law , which was such that it was impossible to enforce it , as the indulgences' granted to some publications had been claimed by others . As to the loss to the revenue , the extent was known beforehand ; and if the House was not prepared to meet it , it might reject the bill at once : But a consideration of £ 00 , 000 / . should not stand in the way of a good principle . He doubted
whether the great newspapers would be more exposed to piracy than now ; but if they were , it would bo the duty of Parliament to make the law more stringent . Sir Fkancis Baiting agreed with Mr . Deedes in thinking , that such a question-should not bo brought on , before the introduction of tiro Budget ,, and denied that the penny was a tax at all , it . being in fact an equivalent for poetal facilities . —Mr ; JPackb supported , the proposition for postponing ; the second reading , of the bill . —Mr . Miall . and Mr . DorffY spoke in favour of the measure ; and Mr . Drcmmond indulged i in some of his usual ccoentric remarks ,
pouring ; forth much contempt agamst the pipees-in general , and the Times in particular . Ho said ' -that the pressjinsteud of being the gi-catest glory , was one o & the greatest curses of the country . A newspaper wa »* a . mor « commercial-speculation—a gossip-shop Messrs Walters ( of tho Times ' ) set up a manufactory of gOB & i pi and hired forthoir cluuf man aomo barrister of sevetvyeari' standing-. Ho could recollect'several cditoracofithotTmios—Mr . Tucker , Mr . JJarnee , Mt . AlaagerjjMfc Stirling ,. Mr .. JJohinc , Mr . MEerriB , Mr . I ^ ow «/ A ( KlvMuBa 8 ent .:. Theeo persona were what they calUdi on > i board , ship > " Imady billioB , " alwayB ready h * m wanted . They , might' bo . honest'
imtfvidtiauy ; bat they -we * e ~ corrupt * eoUectivelyv Thfe * pressy in ? faeiy wa »^ libeltilaB-an * ' itteonsisttot ; and people worshipped ' if * onljHb *( cau 8 © 'they > were » - afraid ; of its The CkAweEtWoit ; « f tbw Exchequer ? did xmb denythat theloss-of ' , 000 ft a- ^ year w-as a ^ niaterial ciroumaitance"f < feB tWe ; conareterfttro » - o 6 the- Hbuaei Never tf & lesa ^ ia his - financial < statement aUowaacewould be mad * for' . the--Jess ? aad' the >* Gbvero- » - ment would" oir- tttetoresponsifeUity propose such a ^ scheme' of finance as woai * i provide * amply for thte ;
expenditure * - of- the yea *; inchidfcsg this saenfieev 200 , 000 ? . wa » -the estimate' made- by . thfr'Post ^ offioe ' authorities , notion very certam tfotto , and i * 'dfd ? . no « include acontingent -increase * of * the paper dtityy With reepect'tfta cljeap ^ boofc-postf hftring con fgrx edr with the Postmaster-Genera ^ he ^ was-prepuBe * to state that the < 5 overmnent would * , ! if tMs ~ bi 41 passed , reduce the book postage to » 'lower rate > whScfr would give greater * facilities for' the transport- of printed ? matter and considerably atrgm « rvt the-revenue * - He hoped the House would not adopt the dilatory motion of Mr . Deedes .
, Mr . Disraeli contended " , that the House should not repeal the tax until the substitute was known . ; in answer to which , Lord Talmerston said-that the law must at once be eitheirrepealed or strengthened ^ for that it was . a scandal for a law to exist which could not be enforced . As to the latter alternative ,, he was- sure the . House would not « consent to it *—Upon a division , . the numbers were—For the second : reading , 215 ; against ; 161 ; majority , M- The bill , was accordingly read a second time , and ordered-io , be committed on Monday ? . the 23 rd of ApriL ..
CIVIL SERVICE ESTIMATES . The House tlien went into / Committee of Supply , andagreed to ? several . ' Civil Service Estimates .-The -Criminal Justice Bill , which had been brought down from , the Lords , was readasecondtime . In the House of Lords , on Tuesday , the Militia ( Ireland ) Bill was read : a- second time ; and , someother routine business having , been transacted , the House-adjourned . . la the House of Commons , in reply to a question from Mr ; French , Mr . RoEBtrcKsaid he hopedthe Sebastbppl Committee would be-able- - to conclude its labours-very , shortly after Easter .
MILITTA REGULATIONS , ; Lord PAiatERSTONi in answer to Viscount Chelsea , stated that , in consequence of an expectation held out by the Duke of Newcastle—that miKtia ^ men would not-be required to serve—longer thas fifty-six days in the year—it ^ was intended to issue a 'Circular gLvingto those * , men who enlisted previous to the act of last session ^ the option to re-enlisfc ; o * 'to go . home . after they have servedithe- ^ fifty-six
davsj-EECONSTITUTIOK OF POLAND . MfvPrinNW moved , " That an humble address be presented to her Majesty , praying that she will be graciously pleased to command that , in the event of negotiations being commenced with a view to peace , her Majesty ' s envoys should use their best exertions for the reconstitution of the kingdom of Poland within "its-ancient-limits , * as-a-measure-just-and necessary in itself , in accordance with the ancient policy of this country , and as absolutely essential to the due maintenance of' the balance of power in Europe . " In answer to the objection that the object in view was purely Quixotic and Utopian , he appealed to tho numerous petitions which have been presented upon the subject , and to the declaration recently made by the First Minister of the Crown ,
that he considered Poland in the hands of Russia , a standing menace to Germany . The question , therefore , was one of great practical utility . He denied , also , that the question was too delicate for discussion in that House . The object of the present war should be something more than the defeat of mere temporary aggression ; it ought to afford guarantees for the future independence of Europe . The policy of Russia had always been to aggrandise itself at tho expense of Poland , to form alliances with the smaller states of Germany , and , by acquiring a footing , in that" country , to destroy the unity of action among the various- States composing that great'aggregate which might bo called the centre of gjfavity of Europe . Mr . Fhinn asserted that the . policy , of Austria had alwayB been opposed -to tho partition of Poland . '
" Maria Tuorcsn ,-the Empress Qu « en , had > stated to M . do Broteuil , the French Ambassador at . tho Count'of Vienna— ? I have brought a great stain , on my reign by all that has come of thu afiuir with . Poland ; . but I'osauva you that I should bo pardoned were thd-extent ' . ofiimy repugnance to it known , and how much ciroumatanocB huvo united to force my principles as well as my . resolutions against all extreme views of tho unjust ambition of RuAsia' and Prunaia . Finding no othor moans of opposing myself alono to the plan of these two Powers , I believed that , in exercising on ; my part exorbitant demands and pretensions , thoy would rtffuso mo-and break oflP the- negotiation' ; but ' my surprise and grief wore OKtromc on rtfeeivhig ; , in-repjiy to those demands , the onttro- consent of tho King- of Prussia and ' tho Czar . Iftver-havu I been * eo distressed j and I niust do Justlco
• to M * devKattnitz-for his great trouble at .-thig-tintec- Hfe Tnefc always . strongly ' opposed tbisscraaLtanangcsBBenfti ^ It thus appeared , that , within a « hort timaofijth * . pautiBjtion of Poland , Austriapercdved ^ tha mi 8 tak » w * uclKBlie had made . At the second partition she received no territory at all , and at the third a comparatively small portion . During the Vienna Congress in' 1 . 814 / Erliice . MetternicW wrote : — ' Of all the questions - t & r bi ^ ' d 6 ncossedt at-this 'Congress , the--king . would und & ubtedry " consider the aflfkir -of Folend as' incomparably the--most ^
iitaportant to the interests -of' Europe , if ' there * Ire- anjf ' chance ¦ that this- nation ; so-worthy'of-regard' ^ by . iftf antiquityi its-valomr , its nxisforhmea } and the 'services- i £ i has'formerly'' rendered to- Europe ,- might bte- resfcored ' t <* complete ' ihdependence ; The partition 1 , which destroyed ^ ife existence'as a nation , was the- preMde'to *—in" ' ¦ somet sense the * ause of—the subsequent' commotions to- wMchr Europe was exposed . ' Now , when- he was-told that hbt endangered the Austrian alliance by bringing ' this-sub >» - jeet before- thte House , he would call upon- * them to remembieir-the' declarations made- bv ^ th fe 1 Qovernment'of
that country . The- Austrian plenipotentiaries ; speaking ; in ' -tWe name of the-Emperor ,-after-Russia hadd ^ terminedv to- ^ ceep' her- holcl > upon the Duchy of Warsaw ,- said i- *—i'Thfe' condiict of the Austrian Emperor can h & ve ldft nt * ddtibViiit the-mtnet- ofthe- aHi « eb Powers ; that the-T : e * esta * b ^ stmfent ^ ef Pttfand' as- an independent States with- a ' Rational administration of its own , ' woulsl hare- fairy ; , accomplished' the'wishes « f ¦ * his Imperial Majesty ; - and ' that he would evcn \ have been Tr tlMng' to make the greatest * -sacrifice- to » promote- the- restoration of tHat ; aticient ; and'beneftcia . l ! arrangement . " This fact must bfer . sufficient ! toi shbw » 'tKat" thfe Emperor-is very far * from * entert & mirig any / j « ak > usy ; ' or * aTnciety a * to thb inters iference of the'Pfelish . ' -nation ' with * this empire . Austria " and
i Kas-never ^ onsidered ^ ee- independent- - Pdlaud as anr inimical or-rival Power- ; and the principles-on whichfaS ' illustrious predecessors acted , and which guided his Imperial Majesty himself until the partition in 177 S and 1797 , " were abandoned only under the pressure of circumstances which the Sovereigns of Austria had it not in their power to control . ' " Mr . PHinn also mentioned a circular , addressed , ' after , the revolt of 1831 , to the agents of the Austrian-Government at the various courts of Europe , expressing , though somewhat ambiguously , a- desire fbrsecurmg to Poland a complete independence . That was the-policy of Austria . England ^ . on the other , hand , had always followed a policy extremely
unworthy of so great a nation . George III ., even inanswer to the pathetic supplications of the King Of Poland , had refused to interfere ; but it was not generally known that Lord Castlereagh , in . a confidential correspondence with the former Emperor Alexander , had insisted oa the justice of restoring the whole kingdom of Poland * ^ Napoleon the Plrst was desirous of the same event ; so was the Vienna Congress of 1814 ; and so- was Louis Philippe , who stated to the C hamber that he had endeavoured , by the offer of his mediation , to assure to Poland " that nationality which resisted all times and changes , " to which the Chamber replied that they rejoiced to hear the assurance " that the nationality of Poland
shall not perish . " Louis Philippe had sent Count Walewski , himself-of Polish-origin , to _ this . country , to appeal to Lord Palmerston , then at the head of the Foreign Office ; but his lordship . had refused to interfere , on the ground that Russia was then a friendly power . As to Prussia , though she had always been distinguished by a slavish submission to the will of ltussia , he thought even she would fmd it to her interest to aid in the reconstruction of Poland . The present position of Russia with regard to Poland was a menace to England and France , just as much as her maintenance of
Sebastopol and her ascendancy over the Black Sea was _ a menace to the rest of Europe . Mr . Phinn likewise expressed himself in favour of assisting , the Circassians aswell as the Poles , and concluded by s tating that he thought Lord Palmerston the fittest man for effecting these objects . —Tho motion was seconded by Mr . Scnor . EFiEi . Di supported by Mr . Milnes , and opposed by Lord R : Cecii ^ who did not think the reconstitution of Poland necessary , and observed that England herself oppressed many nat ionalities , and waa now at war on behalf of a power which was a great sinner in . the same way . Lord Palmerston , in answer to the last speaker , denied that there was any real comparison between 4 our conquests , and' tho partition of Poland . WUii regard , to tho motion , although ho admitted the right of the House to discuss such questions , lie thought it was « ot advisable that it should dictate to tha Executive Government tho course it BhouW pursue with reference to the negotiations for peac * Those negotiations arc on the basis ° f the "lour Points , " and Poland is not one of tho Points . J . I 10 . ^^ ^ House should be very cautious in adopting such a ^ o ^ - ^ X . > sas-s & ¥ ^ M £ ~? Z z % * '' 4 MM 6 ^^ E ^ a ^^^^^^ M ^ M | m g on tho motion * sinoe the ^^ l ^^ B ^ 'J ™ " ^^ wTv ^^ CS P strueds for , if the House should negative th < hrootteny »< E ^^/^ ffl | P } > on tho gffouiida ho had-stAtod , . that ; neg ** iv « 'migMi .-j W ^ Wk ^ , ? mM ^ bo understood as implying differonccu of opmion on ** - < ¥ h ^ fWjfP \ tt V » l 1 ^ PT ^ T ^^^ f J W ^" V / % ' XI " y ^ f /
Mtech 3^ 1855.] Ctb- T .E.Affie^ 2ke
MtecH 3 ^ 1855 . ] CTB- t . E . AffiE ^ 2 KE
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), March 31, 1855, page 3, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_31031855/page/3/
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