intained a reputation superior to that acquired
by any of the whig leaders. During this year the government was not
successful in reconciling either parliament or the country to their
plans of revenue. Their defeats were signal, and their victories very
hardly won. Soon after the meeting of parliament, Lord John Russell made
a financial statement, from which it appeared the income fell short of
the expenditure by nearly three millions. Lord John estimated that the
balance for the year 1848-9 would show a deficiency of more than two
millions. To meet these adverse balances upon two years, his lordship
proposed that the income-tax, which was to expire in April, should be
continued for five years, and be increased from sevenpence in the pound
to one shilling. This proposal was received by a burst of ironical
cheers, and other sounds indicative of the strong disapprobation of the
house. His lordship stated that Ireland would not be included in the
measure, as from her recent and present sufferings, she was unable
to bear increased taxation. This statement was received with the most
violent and vehement shouts of disapprobation from the English and
Scotch members on the ministerial side of the house, and the most
boisterous cheers from the Irish members on both sides--the opposition,
generally (with the exception of the exultant Irish conservative
members), remaining silent. The opposition to the income-tax out of
doors was very energetic, so that on the 28th of February the chancellor
of the exchequer came forward with an amended budget. He proposed that
the income-tax should continue at the same rate for three years. After
a warm parliamentary opposition, led by Mr. Hume, the government
resolutions were carried.

_Bill to legalise diplomatic intercourse with Rome_.--A bill for this
purpose was introduced in the lords by the Marquis of Lansdowne. It was
opposed by the Duke of Newcastle and the Bishop of Winchester with
great earnestness, the latter particularly objecting to the expression
"sovereign pontiff" in the bill. The influence of the Duke of
Wellington secured the second reading without a division. On the
committal of the bill, the illustrious duke proposed the substitution
of the words "sovereign of the Roman states" for those of "sovereign
pontiff." The Whigs, always ready to conciliate their Roman Catholic
supporters at the expense of principle, offered the utmost resistance
to the duke's proposal, which, in spit