The Week.

speech in favour of recognising the Southern Confederacy Eurl Russel , in reply to the noble Lord , reiterated the arguments which he had previously employed in support of the present policy of her Majesty ' s Government . He submitted that there was no parallel betAveen the position of the insurgent South American colonies of Spain when their independence was

recognised by England , and the present situation of affairs in the Sonthern States . The Spanish republics were not admitted into the family of nations until they were perfectly free of European troops , and had proved clearly for a number of years that they had established their independence . It was not so on the North American continent at the present moment . The

war was still being carried on with vigour on both sides , and the North held a considerable expanse of territory which ivas claimed by the government of Richmond . AVith regard to mediation he could only repeat what ho had urged before . There was not the slightest prospect that an offer of the kind ivould be favourably received ; on the contrary , he believed that any such

interference would only tend to postponewhat they allso strongly desired , the termination of this war , with all its attendant horrors . On Tuesday , in answer to the Earl of Shaftesbury , Earl Russell said that the only information he had received as to the arrest ancl delivery of certain Poles by Prussia to the Russian authorities ivas contained in a despatcJr of Sir Andrew

Buchanan from Berlin , in which he stated that ten Polish students had been arrested in Prussia and demanded by Russia , but as the French Ambassador hacl claimed them as naturalised subjects of France , it was hoped that they would not be delivered up . —In reply to Earl Grey , the Duke of Newcastle said that the applications made for the formation of distinct colonies in Australia were so numerous that it would be impossible to comply with them all until the different districts should

become more settled and more populous . The progress of exploration , however , had of late been so rapid that he believed it Avould in a short time be desirable to create the territory to the south of the Gulf of Carpentaria into two neiv colonies , one on the Albert River , and the other on the Victoria River . But in the meantime one of those districts ivould be annexed to Queensland , ancl tho other to South Australia . On Friday ,

Lord Pahnerston promised Mr . Busfield Ferrancl every facility , as soon as possible after Easter , for bringing on a discussion on the question of the cotton supply . —In reply to Sir John Pakington , Lord Clarence Paget stated that the experiments at Shoebuiyness , on Tuesday hist , proved conclusively that 5 _ - inch iron plates could easily be pierced by Armstrong and

Whitivorth guns , but at the same time the Admiralty saw no reason to alter their opinion as to the relative merits of iron and Avood in tho construction of ships of war . —Mr . Baxter moved a resolution declaring that the House was not prepared to sanction a renewal of the Gal way subsidy ; but , after an animated discussion , the proposition ivas rejected by a majority

of 14 . —Mr . AVhiteside having called attention to the fact that Hayes , the murderer of Mr . Braddell , was still at large , Sir Robert Peel stated that every possible effort had been made to secure the assassin . It was rumoured that Hayes was in America , but Sir Robert believed that he ivas still in Ireland , and , although there was reason to suspect that lie ivas sheltered

and protected by tho peasantry , there ivas some ground to hope that he would ultimately be brought to justice , On Monday , Lord Pahnerston , in reply to a question from Mr . Seymour Fitzgerald , stated that her Majesty ' s Government were favourable to the principle of the convention proposed by President Lincoln for the adjustment of complaints of the violation of of neutral rights . The two governments differed in points of detail , but he ivas not Avithout hope that they might yet be

able to arrive at an understanding on the subject . —Mr . Hennessy made another speech on the Polish question , in which he strongly censured what he called the " mean" policy of Lord Pahnerston . He maintained that the defeat of Langiewicz did not amount to a defeat of the cause of Poland . Numerous bands were still in existence , and he submitted that a moral

obligation rested upon England to interfere in behalf of the Poles . Lord Pahnerston , in a speech of some length , explained the nature of tbe obligations imposed upon this country by the Treaty of Vienna , and defended the policy of the Government . He assured the House that representations had been made , and were still being made , to Russia on behalf of the Poles .

The House then went into Committee of Supply . On Tuesday Mr . Hubbard moved that the incidence of an income tax touching the products of . invested property should fall upon net income , and that the net amounts of industrial earnings should , previous to assessment , be subject to such an abatement as may equitably adjust the burthen thrown upon

intelligence and skill as compared with property , Tiie lion , gentleman having reviewed at some length the objections which had been raised against his scheme , adduced a number of cases to show how unequally the burden fell upon intelligence as compared with property , and urged that the time had arrived ivhen the House ought to give its approval to some simple basis

upon which an income tax should in future stand . The Chancellor of the Exchequer said that it ivas not possible to devise an income tax that should not be full of injustice and irregularities . Any alteration such as that proposed by Mr . Hubbard ivould not only be contrary to the authority of the most experienced financiers that hacl ever sat iu that House , but would merely substitute inequalities that were novel for those that Avere Avell known , and on that account borne with less

discontent . He objected to relieve one class of the community at tho expense of another , ancl to putting his hand into the pocket of one man for the purpose of placing its contents at the disposal of another . It might be urged that a surplus revenue might enable the matter to be adjusted , but he held that ivhen a supplus appeared it should not be employed in exempting

industrial incomes from taxation , but in doing justice to all classes who contributed to the public revenue . The motion was negatived by 118 to 70 . The Partnership Law Amendment Bill ivhieh is to extend the principle of limited liability to private Partnership was read a second time by 56 to 39 . —On AA edtiesday , Mr . E . Potter gave notice of his intention to move for a

select committee to inquire' into tho condition of the distressed operatives in the cotton districts , the modes adopted of relieving them , ancl the policy of emigration as a means of relief . The rest of the afternoon ivas occupied in discussing the Irish Salmon Fisheries Bill introduced by Mr . M'Mahon . Speech after speech was delivered about it until a quarter to six o'clock ,

when , in accordance ivith the standing orders , the debate was adjourned . GENERAL HOME NEWS . —The mortality of London continues to increase . The number of deaths last week amounted to 1626 , Avhereas ihe corrected average was only 1416 . The excess of 208 above the average is very unusual . The diseases

that play the most important part in the mortality of this week were of a pulmonary character . The births for the iveek Avere 2231 , AA'hich was about 250 above the average . A Court of Common Council Avas held on Monday , at which a graceful and touching letter from the Princess of AVales ( signed by her Chamberlain ) was read . The Princess apologises for her silence

on the occasion when the Lord Mayor presented the address and the magnificent present from the corporation , wliich she attributes to her inability at the time to find Avords to express