GIBSON, THOMAS MiLicEn; the Right Hon., politician and statesman, only son of maj. Milner-Gibson, was b. at Trinidad, 1807, and educated at Trinity college, Cam bridge, where he took a wrangler's degree in 1830. He entered parliament as M. P. for Ipswich in 1837, on the Conservative interest. As his political views expanded, he threw off his allegiance to sir Robert Peel, for which he paid the penalty of the loss of his seat in 1839. In this year he assumed the name of Milner, by royal licence. His, eloquence, ability, and superiority to party ties having gained for him the confidence of the Liberals, in 1841 lie successfully contested Manchester against the Conservative can didate, sir G. Murray. He had previously distinguished himself by his advocacy or free-trade; and during the succeeding five years, occupied a prominent position, both in. and out of parliament, among the orators of the league. When the measure for the repeal of the corn laws was carried, and the Whigs came into office in July, 1846, he was made a privy councilor, and vice-president of the board of trade; but, in April, 1848, gave up a post which was by no means commensurate with his powers and pretensions. More and more identifying himself with the opinions held by Messrs. Cobden and Bright,. when the war with Russia broke out, lie espoused the unpopular doctrines held by what was called the "Manchester school," or as it was otherwise designated, the "peace party." In 1857, the Whigs and Conservatives of Manchester successfully united to unseat him and his colleague, Mr. Bright. Milner-Gibson was, hoWever, returned at end of 1857 for the borough of Ashton-under-Lyne, which lie represented till Dec., 1868. In 1858, he moved an amendment to the second reading of the conspiracy bill, express ing the abhorenee of the house at the attempt by Orsini upon the life of Napoleon III , and its readiness to amend defects in the criminal law; but censuring the government for not replying to count Persiguy's dispatch of Jan. 20, 1858. The amendment was_
carried and the government of lord Palmerston was shattered to pieces. When that Noble lord again took office next year, he recognized the skillful parliamentary tactics. and influence of Milner-Gibson by offering him a place in his cabinet. Tie became ad interi4n president of the-:poor-law commission in June, 1859, and nresigent of the board: of trade next month. The duties of this office he efficiently discharged till 1866. Milner-Gibson will be honorably and gratefully remembered for his strenuous advocacy of the abolition of the taxes on knowledge. He was for twelve years president of the association for the repeal of these taxes. His labors were crowned with success, first by the repeal of the advertisement duty in 1853, and, secondly, by the repeal of the compulsory stamp on newspapers in 1855. There then only remained the paper duty. Milner-Gibson had made several attempts in previous sessions to induce successive chan cellors of the exchequer to abolish this impost; and in 1858, he carried a resolution, " that the maintenance of the excise of paper, as a permanent source of revenue, would be impolitic." Mr. Disraeli, then chancellor of the exchequer, consented to accept this motion, but held himself at liberty, with his party, to oppose the paper duty abolition bill proposed by the government, of which Miluer-Gibson was a member, in 1860. The bill was thrown out by the house of lords on financial grounds; but was, next session, incorporated into the general financial scheme of the year; and on Oct. 1, 1861, the paper duty ceased to exist. 3Iilner-Gibson received at a public banquet in London, in the early part of 1862, a valuable and gratifying commemorative presentation of plate from the members and friends of the association for the repeal of the taxes on knowl edge. Since his defeat at Ashton-under-Lyne, iu 1868, he has taken no prominent part in public life.