NARRATIVE OF PARLIAMENT AND POLITICS.

IN the HOUSE OF LORDS, on Friday, May 27,
the Earl of MALMESBURY called the attention of
the house to the Critical State of Affairs at
Constantinople, and complained that the demands
of the Russian mission under Prince Menschikoff
were quite at variance with the declarations of the
Emperor of Russia respecting his intention in sending
that mission. In conclusion, he wished to know
whether the French and English ambassadors at
Constantinople were acting in union, and whether they
were supporting the independence of the Porte.—The
Earl of CLARENDON expressed his willingness to furnish
Lord Malmesbury with all the information compatible
with the public interest. The latest intelligence received
by the government from Lord Stratford came down to
the 9th of the present month, and though telegraphic
despatches announcing events that had occurred since
that day had been received by the government, it was
difficult to form an opinion as to the causes which had
led to these events, much less to act on such intelligence.
With regard to the general policy of the government on
the Eastern question, he could assure the noble earl
that it had undergone no change, and that the government
were still convinced that the maintenance of the
integrity and independence of the Turkish empire was
essential to the best interests of Europe and of England.
With respect to the English and French ambassadors at
Constantinople, he had no hesitation in stating that a
complete identity of feeling, and the most cordial
concert in action, existed between Lord Stratford and
M. de la Cour.

The Earl of MALMESBURY moved for a select
committee to inquire into the probable effect of the
proposed Tax on Successions to Real Property.—The
Earl of ABERDEEN opposed the motion, as obstructive;
and said that the government had not the slightest
intention of wavering in their conviction as to the
wisdom and justice of the tax on succession.—The Earl
of DERBY maintained the dignity of the House of Lords,
as an assembly whose functions were not confined
merely to registering the acts of the House of Commons.
He contended that they had a right to judge measures
by their merits; and accordingly proceeded to argue
that the succession tax had no merits whatever.—Earl
GRANVILLE defended the tax against the objections
which had been made, and hoped that it would meet
with no obstruction in that house.—Lord ST. LEONARDS,
after a discursive attack upon the general financial
policy of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, gave his
opposition to the tax on successions, upon legal grounds,
as having none of the good points of Mr. Pitt's bill, and
as being seriously detrimental to the interests of
property.—The LORD CHANCELLOR deprecated the
discussion of a measure which was still under the
consideration of the other house; and contended that
inquiry into the question would not give them any
information that they did not already possess. At the
same time he defended the tax against the objections of
Lord St. Leonards.—Earl FITZWILLIAM objected to the
tax, not because it was an imposition upon land or
property, but because it would press hardly not only
upon this, but upon coming generations, and would be
productive of consequences dangerous to the peace
of society. He thought it inadvisable that their lordships
should enter into any contest with the other house,
and therefore it was that Lord Malmesbury had wisely
selected the time for making his motion.—The Duke of
ARGYLL, alluding to assurances made by several
preceding speakers, said that it was impossible not to
believe that noble lords opposite opposed the tax on the
ground that it was hostile to the land. And this
impression he endeavoured to efface, urging them to
consider the measure in relation to the other portions of
the budget—to look at it without any party bias, in
which case they must come to the conclusion that the
land was not unfairly dealt with, especially when
compared with the financial propositions of the late
government.—On a division, the motion was rejected
by 139 to 126.

On Monday, May 30, the Earl of CARLISLE presented
a petition from ladies of Kingston, Jamaica, praying
that the government should interfere in order more
effectually to carry out the treaties with Spain for the
Repression of Slavery in Cuba. He reminded their
lordships of the engagements under which Spain was
bound to this country for the suppression of the slave
trade, but under the present captain-general the slave
trade was carried on with unusual activity, so as to
make the unhappy island of Cuba, gifted by nature with
every requisite for a paradise, little better than a hell.
He was informed that between November and February
last no less than 5000 negroes had been landed in Cuba
—at least so much was known; but, no doubt, a
considerable number in addition had been landed on the
unfrequented parts of the island. Since then 600 had
been landed near Matanzas, but amid all these disgraceful
proceedings it was most satisfactory to find how efficiently
our gallant naval service was discharging its duty in
these seas. This year six slavers had been taken, but as
yet he had to learn whether the position of the emancipists
had been improved. Of these three had been taken
in one day, by Captain Hamilton, in her Majesty's war
steamer Vestal, and of this gallant affair he had the good
fortune to possess an account, which gave a most striking
picture of British heroism on its own element, the sea.
It appeared that there lay in the harbour of Havanna,
at the same time as the Vestal, a slave schooner, called
the Venus, built at New York, a model of piratical
beauty, and the fastest sailer on these seas. The captain
of this vessel intended to take advantage of the circumstance
that the Vestal's crew were busy painting and
refitting, and suddenly to leave the harbour in the night.
Of this Capt. Hamilton received information, but did
not declare his own intentions in consequence. One
night during a thunderstorm and tornado, the Venus
slipped out, and got away unnoticed past the Moro. But
at daybreak Captain Hamilton sprang from his bed, and
in less than three minutes the Vestal was under a crowd
of canvass, and as she passed out of harbour, the foreign
ships, among others the Americans, like good kinsmen,
gave her a loud cheer. As soon as she got out of harbour
the Venus was recognised by the whiteness of her new
sails, and pursued, but night and another thunderstorm
came on, but on conjecture she was followed and
overtaken at the Bahama shoals. The Vestal dared not
approach her, there being only four fathoms less a
quarter water. Capt. Hamilton, however, tried the
effect of a long shot, which pitched right into her, and
she yielded. Immediately after two other schooners
appeared among the breakers. The Vestal could not