Star. — London, England, 1828-04-26 00:00:00

Ali ore. , to n e )4 lcct the elf ife • f t!),• C,iirch by ;, sot did te . g41 , 1 f..r it temporalitie s —(Ci.eering). Tbr Earl of ltOl ) EN. in explanation, said ti e Kti} ht nu. p i elates were mistaken in supposing th it he me mt .to i m ilitiate any thing of the kind imputed to him. Q.rit • thec^t much lamented that they should ex hibit so much indifference to the admission of persons di o eming !tom their e-tablishment into the offices of a Clui,tian Government and a Christian State. Lori ItEDESDALE could not conceive what objec foncould be entertained to the amendment of his Noble and L e arned Fiend. No man who was a Christian and a Protestant could object to calling him so. Sonic per sons there were who thought the wc.rd superfluous. But t ir denied this; and even if it were superflu , ,us, it could v0 ;d01 , 7 harm. The proof that it was not superfluous as , die long debate it had already occasioned in that - - - __ The Earl of ELDON—He knew that the House, to the indulgence of which he had been s' long accus tomed, would give him their attention after they had heard him charged with being engaged in a mischievous enterprise. He wished the Noble and Learned Lord, after passing through as long a life as he had d one , m i g ht at the end ofit feel as little consciousness of having effected mischief as he then did. He had never been engaged, to the best of his knowledge and belief, in any thing mischievous, and high as the authority was from which this imputation proceeded, he repelled it with scorn and indignation. He would now apply himself to the argument of the Noble and Learned Lord, and he must say, notwithstanding that argu ment, that he was as much convinced as ever that there was no law requiring the declaration against Transubstantiation from persons entering into corpo- rations. No man was bound under the Test Act to make that declaration merely as a corporator. This was the law, as he would lay- it down if speaking under the sanction of his judicial oath. It was said that he ought to withdraw his motion; but he felt bound in conscience, if he voted alone, to persist in it. If the liable and Learned Lord on tlseWcolsack really thought his opposition mischievous, he must have changed his opinion within a very short period; for, as a member of his Majesty's Government, he, no doubt, was a party to the resolution of that Government to oppose the measure. He meant no sarcasm or reproach, but it was rather too much to tell others that a resolution was mischievous which he himself, with many of the' best men in. the country, entertained only a fortnight ago, but from which they had seen good reason to recede. The measure was, he firmly believed, most mischievous. It was in effect a revolutionary measure, tending to dissolve the connection between Church and State. He had been introduced into that House to do his duty to the public. That he would do, and what ever mischiefs might arise, he should not be responsible fm them. The Right Reverend Prelates opposite must allow him to say, that the civil constitution of the Church was e idangeied by this Bill. Its religious doc trines he knew were independent of this or any other laws. As to the Petitions, be. knew well how they were to be got up. It was only necessary to have a Cm mittee, and send two or three forms of petition to every Dissenting Minister in the country, and they were ail sure to come back numerously sianed.—Tbe King was obliged to take the Test, which they appeared to think a hardship to his subjects. The LORD CHANCELLOR. explained. He bad never said that the intention of the Noble Lotd was mischievous. He intended to say, am, if be recollected aright, did say, that he thought the Amendment sone cessay, and it it was unnecessary, it was likely to be mischievous isa its effects. He assured his Noble and Learned Fiend that be entertained towards him un abated sentimentt of respect and estrem, which it would indeed be impossible for any thing he could say in that House to alter. The Duke of NEWCASTLE considered the Test and Corporation Acts of great importance as a security to the Church, and he lamented that his Majesty's Government should. have so far given way to popular clamour as to agree to their repeal. He thought the Declaration as it now stood, entirely nugatory. During what period, he would ask Noble Lords, had more per fect religious peace been enjoyed by this country, than since the passing of these Acts? And this question might to be gravely weighed before they consented to abandon them. He had the highest confidence in the Noble Duke at the bead of bis Majesty's Government, but on, this occasion he was compelled to differ from him. He could not be satisfied without a declaration in favour of Protestantism, and he called upon the Right Reverend Bench to insist upon this necessaryameodmeot. The Bishop of LINCOLN read a clause of the Bill, acknowledging that the discipline, doctrine, and wor ship of the Courch of England were inviolable parts of the law of the country, in order to show that the accu• colon of supineness against his Right Rev. Brethren and himself was unfounded. It was remarkable that ithe only person in that House who had moved that this chose be expunged, was the Noble and Learned Earl himself. The Earl of ELDON begged to assure the Right Rec. Prelate, that he had sever proposed any such ring ; he had objected to the words itideed, because ;hey stated that the doctrine, discipline, and Govern ment of the Church were inviolably secured by the laws of the realm, while he, on the contrary, contended that the very Bill, where this expression was put forth, was t-inng away the security, and destroying a portion of tte laws by which the inviolability of the Church bad hitherto been preserved. 'the Bibhop of GLOUCESTER said, that his princi pal motive to vote in favour of this 13111, was the abuse and profanation of the Holy Sacrament to which the present state of the law was liable to give rise. The eerlaiation, as an expression of the will of the Legisla tore, Was necessary, and without some such declaration he would nut have voted for the 1311. He was disposed to vote in favour of the amendment, in order to satisfy the scruples of many conscientious churchmen, who had a suspicion —a most erroneous one, he knew—that un der cover of this 131 , 1 they were doing something to facilitate the admission of the Catholics into power. It vas on this grourd solely that lie could support it, for l ieeid not see how it could either add to the security of 41 Claud), or injure the situation of prospects of the Catholics. (bastion was then put, that the words s• I atn a litotes. " hr inserted, on which the House divided: Cuntents—Present . . Proxies • • • Now Contents— li. at he lie a od m r• c- If 1. Id ,p T• le 55 Present • • • • Vf Proxies . . . . 40 --117 Majority against the Amendment . "r re-adrnis , ion. we found th e Earl of WINCH RLISILI ad- , k 7et their Lordships. lie contended that among Prot e st a nt s h 7 Ids no doubt as to the outnber of the Canonical Books, and upon ebe necemity of a declaration recognizing the audio. of the Sacred Volume, /le had found among the Neighs's-re Who were no more entitled to the name of Christiana "boot.; nf illahos—who evert denied that such a permit 1114426. 1 bad e nv i erexisted upon meth. It was to eldest* soeh per °' from office that he wished to introduce this amendment. The .eirniltnent was, that these worda be inserted in the declaration— •• I believe that the Galenical Books of the Old and went, as sec forth by authority In these realms, are the revealed worth of Goo." Lord !JOLLA ND spoke to a point of order. He doubted whether at the present time this amendment could be regularly proposed. Some•conversation took place upon this point, which was not ultimately pressed. The Bishop of CHESTER. thought that the essential object of the Noble Earl had been attained by the Amendment already in troduced on the motion of the Noble Duke. Ile thought it needless to dogmatize upon the subject. If a man was willing to declare him self a Christian, he did not see the necessity of any turther scrutiny. The Bishop of LLA N DA FP opposed the amendment, upon the ground that it was unnecessary. The Earl of WINCHELSRA entertained a different opinion from that of the Right Rev. Prelate. If that Right Rev. Person had taken the pains to read the Petitions on the table, he would have found many persons calling themselves Christians whom he would not call so. The Earl of ELDON said a few words in support of the motion, and the Bishop of BATH and WELLs against it. The House then divided on the Amendment. Contents • • 22 Not Contents . . 70 Majority against the Amendment —4B On our return to the bar we foetid— The LORD CHANCELLOR reading the Clause, which enn merated the class of persons which it was proposed to exempt from the obligation of taking the declaration. The Noble and Learned Lord proceeded to enumerate those persons who, by a former Act of Parliament, were exempted from the obligation of taking the Sacramental Test. Officers in the Army and Navy, ftom the rank of Admirals or Major-Generals. Commissioners of Customs and Excise, and all persons belonging to the Postmaster's depart nient. Lord ELDON did not contend that the class enumerated by the Noble and Learned Lord was not quite satisfactory. The LORD CHANCELLOR consented to the postponement of the Clause, and said, if the Noble Lord (Eldon) would com municate to him privately the object of his amendment, he would insert it in the Clause, and would for that purpose consent to the present postponement of it. Lord FALMOUTH proposed the insertion of a Clause to the effect of excluding Dissenters, Members of Corporations, from voting on the appointment of Clergymen to Benefices within the patronage of the Corporations to which they respectively belonged. Lord ELLENBOROUG II did not think that the proposed' security was at all requisite. The Church property had a far better , and more-perfect security in the character of the Clergyman, and in the attachment to the Protestant faith, iu which he was edu cated—( Hear, hear). The Bishop of LLA NDA FF concurred in the opinion of the Noble Lord who spoke last, that a perfect security was given to the Church, in the circumstance of the Clergymen having been educated in the bosom of the Protestant faith ; in the examination which he underwent front his Bishop; and in the strong obliga tions by which he was hound to the interests of the Church. So strongly, indeed, was lie of this opinion, that he should feel no apprehension even front the power of presentation being vested in the Catholic Laity. Indeed he disapproved of the disqualification under which the Catholic Laity suffered upon this point. It was an unwarrantable interference in the rights of private property, and was one of the worst relics of those penal laws which dis graced the Batute Book, and which so much required to be al tered. Neither the safety of the Church, nor the interests of the Protestant religion could lie Impaired whilst the Clergymen were properly brought up in principles and feelings, inspiring them to an ardent and zealous discharge of their duties as Ministers of re ' ligion, whether the patronage was vested iu Catholics or other ' Dissenters.—The clause was withdrawn. Lord ELDON proposed that some provision should be made as to the time and place of making the Declaration. lie suggested that it should be made within one month alter the appointment to any of the offices which rendered persons liable to the taking of the Declaration. The LORD CHANCELLOR intimated, that due provision should be made for the taking of the Declaration, at a proper time and place. Several other Clauses were agreed to; the Bill, as amended, was ordered to be printed; and the third reading was ordered for Monday next. The Plothe adjourned at a QUATTED PAST TIN O'CLOCK. tummy AGAINST TIM ISSPEAL Of THE COATORATION AND MT ACTS. Dissentient—Because we think this Bill proceeds upon the alleged expediency of repealing the Sacramental Test, for the purpose of substituting as a security for the support of the Established Church, which is an essential part of the Constitution of the State, nothing but a declaration as to Corporate Offices, which may be made by persons not . Protestants, anti not even Christians; and hecau.e, also, it does not render necessary even such a declaration to be made by any persons accepting offices and places of trust, but leaves it wholly in the power of the Crown to require, or not to require, it to be made by any such persons. (Signed) ELDON. MA utessuity, E aortae, NSWCAaTLA, BROWN LOW, FA LALOUTK, WA LSINGIIAM, HOW F. BOSTON,, MANSFIELD, BEAUCHAMP, STANDUP& • HOUSE OF COMMONS. Lord W. row LETT presented a Petition from Middleton, in the county of Durham, praying for protec t ion t o th e B r i t i s h Lead Mines.— Laid. on the table. • Mr. DUNCO BE presented a similar Petition from a place in the North Riding of the county of York.—Laid on the table. Mr. C. PA LLMER presented a Petition from Cobham against Slavery.—Laid on the table. Mr. BRIGHT presented a Petition against the Friendly Socie ties' Bill. Mr. W. PEEL said, that great alarm had been created by this Bill, and particularly in Birmingham and the populous manufactur ing di tricot, where the destruction of Friendly Societies must add greatly to the poor rates. After a few words from Mr. Wool) and Mr. Baton; the Peti tion was referred to the Committee. Mr. Alderman WOOD presented several similar Petitions from London ; Mr. CALVERT, from the True Suns of Equity Society ; Lord G. SOMERSET, from Monmouth and Newport. Referred to the Committee. LIDDELL moved for Returns of the Number of Pearce dons fur Forgeries in England and Ireland within the last ten years. —Agreed to. Mr. S. COOPER gave notice, that on the 2d of May he should call the attentito, of the House to the One Pound Bank Restriction Act. Colonel ARBUTHNOT presented three Petitions from the county of liducaidnie and Aberdeen, in favour of the *xistiag Corn Laws. Sir E. KNATCHBULL presented similar Petition* from vs. rious parts of Cornwall. Mr. CHAPLIN presented eighteen similar Petitions front dif ferent places in Lincolnshire. Mr. BURRELL presented a similar Petition front certain per sons attending the Brighton Market. Sir' '. GOOCH presented a similar Petition from the Hundred of Illy thing, Suffolk.-I.sid on the table. Colonel SIBTHORP presented Petitions from Dishy, Don niegton, and two other place* in Lincolnshire, praying tor an ade quate protection to the Agriculturist. Mr. HEATIICOTE presented similar Petitions front Rippin gale, Poynton, and another place in Lincolnshire. Sir G. NOEL presented a Petition from the Landowners and Occupiers in Itutlandshire, against the Reeo!utions before the MANIC. Mr. P. M 4 QUEEN presented a Petition front Bedfordshire, signed by 2,462 persons, upwards of six hundred of whom were Shopkeepers, nos Agriculturists, praying for adequate Protection to the Agriculturist. S:r Al. CHOLMELEY presented a similar Petition from a place in Lincolnshire. A Message from. the Lords announced that their Lordships had agreed to some Private Bills. Mrs ASHUILST presented Petition* front three places in the County of Oxford, against any further concessioa to the Roman Catholics. The Margo, of CHANDOS presented similar Petitions froth Embetton and the Hundred of Newport, and another place in the County. of Bucks. The Noble Marquis said that the Peddimers had requested him to support the prayer of the Petition, and he should certainly oppose the Claims of the Roman Catholics to the utmost of his power. Mr. CHAPLIN presented a similar Petition from Stockton. Mr. MOORB presented similar Petitions from the Lord Mayor and Corporation of Dublin, and front the Corporation* of Joiners, Tilers, and Weavers hi the same city. Tie lionourabk T. DUNCOMBE presented a similar Petition from the Clergy of that Archdeaconry of the East Riding of the County of York. General KM° presented two dmilar Petitions from the Cleanly of Sligo. Mr. DOODA LE presented a similar Petition from Coventry. PALMER presented a similar Peados from the Arch. deacon and Clergy of the county of Berks. . silt 0. CLRliit presented few similar Patitiessakeisstit aaaimilis of Armagh, Invite, and Wioklow. s(r T. GOOCH presented a similar Pesklasi kiwis ie Cissgy e the Archtleacoory of Sudbury. ' Mr. C.'PALLIsIER presented a similar Petition from Cobbam. —Ordered to beprintrd. Mr. M. A. TA Y LOR presented a Petition from Stocitltm - uP•n• Tees, signed by persons of all persuasions, in favour of Catholic Emancipation. Also a similar Petition from the Roman Catholic . Inhabitants of Middleton Lodge, in Yorkshire. Sir C. COOTipresented several similar Petitions from Queen's . County _ _ Mr. S. COOPER presented several similar Petitions from the County of Sligo. Sir H. PA ItNELL presented a similar Petition from a Parish In the Queen's County. Mr. CALCRAFTpresented a similar Petition front the Borough of Dorchester. Sir W. W. WYNN presented three similar Petitions from the Roman Catholics of Abergavenny and another place.—Ordered to be printed. Mr. W. SMITH presented Pctitions from the United Asso. dated Presbytery of Glasgow, certain Roman Catholic Inhabitants of Norwich, and the Roman Catholic Inhabitants of Cossy, near Norwich, in favour of the Roman Catholic Clainis.—Ordered to be printed. Sir M. CHOLM MAY presented a Petition from Grantham against any further concessions to the Roman Catholics.—Ordered to be printed. Sir T.' ACLAND presented Petitions from the Romin Catholic Inhabitants of Axminster, Newark, and Cbudleigk, in favour of the Roman Catholic Claims. Colonel CUST presented a Petition from Horncastle, against any further concessions to the Roman Catholics.—Ordered to be printed. Mr. W. WHITMORE presented a Petition from the Roman Catholic Inhabitants of Morley in favour of Catholic Emancipation. Sir J. WILOTTESLEY presented similar Petitions from the Roman Catholic Inhabitants of Wolverhampton, Thull, and an other place in Staffordshire. Mr. LES I Elt presented a similar Petition from the Roman Catholic Inhabitants of the parish of Nlatnholl, Dorsetshire. Sir M. RIDLEY presented similar Petitions from the Roman Catholic Inhabitants of Newcastle-upon-Tyne, and two places in Warwickshire. Lord HOWICK presented >imiLr Petiti , ns from Almiugton, and another place m Nuttliumbet lard. CATHOLIC ASS , CIATION. _ _ _.....-. Mr. MOOll pres-oted a Pei.iun .. from the, Lord Mayor and Corporation of Dublin, for the. suppression of the Catholic Association, which inflicted evils on the community at large. A sense of duty to his constituents compelled him to offer a few observations on the sub. ject of the Petition. He need n , t remind the House that the proceedings rtf the Catholic Association had been the subject of discussion in Loth Houses of Pattie meta, the re tilt of which was, the passing of the Illegal S'iciety Bill, to which the Catholics professed to pay obedience. That Bill admitted of the meeting of assemblies for particular purposes, for fourteen days. The new Catholic Association adopted a form which came literally within the provisions f the Bill, but with an ingenuity that characterised their proceedings, they acted in a manner that gave them an appearance, in the eye of the Catholic people, of being a continuance of the same body that the law had attempted to sup press. They exersis.d the sane powers, and every objection that existed to the old Catholic Association ' applied equally to the new. He called the attention of the House to their established connection with the priesthood, and the multiplication of Cathol:c agents all over Ireland, under the denomination of Rent Col lectors. It was a Catholic Republic existing in the heart of a Protestant Constitution. It was a Govern ment which frequently eclipsed the legitimate Govern ' ment of the country. There were various sanguinary Associations in Ireland—need he mention the Ribbon ' men? The Catholic Association had exhorted the members of that society as if they were their rulers. GOD forbid he should doubt their sincerity. He knew there were many loyal men in the Catholic Association; 'but he must know little of the human mind who did not know that men impelled by ambitiln, or the strong desire of attaining any object, did often con ceal from themselves some of the tendencies of their proceedings; and he could not but think that the existence of the Catholic Associatico gave encourage ment to those societies. It was well known what a ferment was excited in Ireland by an Act of Par liament called the Sub-letting Act. He was informed of a fact he would now state. The Honourable Mem. ber for the county of Waterford presented a pe i tion against that Act, and at the same time expressed his opinion in its favour. He was immediately publicly condemned by the Catholic Association, and the conse quence was, that the following night an extensive range of fences he had erected on his estate were levelled with the ground ; thus plowing that the public mind was poisoned by the proceedings if the Association, and were willing spontaneously to carry its threats of yen. Seance into effect. If he were asked whether he had any remedy to propose, he must answer that he had not—(Loud cries of Hear from the Opposition). He was too humble an individual to propose a remedy—he pointed out the evils to the Government and the coun try. Need he refer to the proceedings of the Associa tion to prove that their object was to exasperate the Catholic feelings, to intimidate the Legislature and individual Members of Parliameot. Could the existence of such an Association be compatible with the princi• pies, or with the existence of our Constitution? Tt e House, on many occas ons, received its tone from public opinion ; but public opinion also sometimes received its tone Isom that House; and be wou:d call upua every Member of that Houte, who supported the Catholic claims, to estinguoh the Catholic Association, whose proceedings, it unchecked, must terminate in all the horrors or a civil war. Mr. SPRING RICE said, he rose to second the motion that the Petition be brought up. He believed the Hon. Gentleman would he surprised; he however remembered, that as long as he had been in Parliament some Hon. Gentleman, a few clsys before the Catholic disabilities were to come under the discussion of the House, presented a Petition like the p esent against the Association, for the purpose of exciting angry feelings. He was as anxious for the suppression of the Association ,as any man; but he considered the present Petition WAS in fact a Petition for Catholic Emancipation. The Law Officers of the Crown had obtained from Parlia ment all the power they asked, for the purpose of sup pressing the Association, and they had failed. What was the conclusion? That as it was Catholic exclusion produced the Association, it could only be put down by Catholic Emancipation.—(Hear). The Honourable 'Gentleman had said the Association bad dragged the Members of that House to their bar. He had himself been the object of their censure, but to him their cen sure or applause were equally indifferent ; though at. 'the same time be would say, they had a right to express their opinion of the public conduct of public men.— Th e Petition was ordered to be printed. Trllli COMPOSITIONSLIALAND. Lord MORPRTH presented a Petition from certain Inhabitants of the Union of St. Mary's, Ross, in the county of Wexford, com plaining of the conduct of the Clergyman of the Parish, respecting the composition of the Tithes ' and of :he constitution of the Courts of Appeal on such questions. The Noble Lord concluded, that the Petition was emitted to the serionssormiderarion of the House. Mr. MOORE explainetliiiidliralAred the , coaduct.of the Cler gyman. Mr. M. RITZGERA Lb sdppatedihe -Petition. The Courts of Appeal required alteration. He had asked a substantial farmer who had complained of the amount of the Tithes demanded, why he did not appeal? and the Linnet' had replkd in the strong lan guage of the lower MA, " Plase your honour, would you have me carry my cause into Hell, when the Devil's the Judge ?" After a few remarks from Dr. Plin.r.usoas and Mr. Irate, the Petkloo was mitred to be printed. On the motion of Colonel SI LITHORP, Returns were ordered, of the officW velvet., 4p BritWa Wqol u 4 Woeßeile expiirtetrfrorn (Treat Britain during the , three years sodas January, 1828, and of the official value of all foreign Weel and Woollens imported during the tame period. On the motion of Mr. W. SMITH, an humhle Address was ordered to be presented to his Alajesty fur a Copy of the Corres pondence, not already before the House, which had taken plate between his Majesty's Government and Foreign Powers; his Majesty's Government and the Mixed Commission Court; his jest y's Home Government and the Government of Sierra Leman and other Colonies; and also between his Majesty's Government and any of his Majesty's Naval Officers employed in the Suppres- sion of the Slave Trade. On the motion of Mr. SYKES, the Order of the Dsy respecting the Freeholders Districts Bill was discharged, and the Committee upon the Bill was fixed for this day sernight. Mr. FYLER presented a Petition from the Directors of the Poor in the Parish of St. Michael, Coventry, against any inter. ference with the existing law respecting Friendly Socitties.—lte. fel red to the Committee on the Bin. The Hon. Misuses seeing the Right Him. President of the ' Board of Trade in his place, wished to ask him a question of very great importance to the Silk Trade of this country. In October, 1t426, au Act was passed, by which foreign silk was to be admitted into this country on payment of a duty of 30 per cent. The opera. tiun of that Act was limited to two years, and therefore it would zpire on the 10th of neat October. He wished to know what ccurse his Majesty's Government meant to take with respect to the admits on of foreign silk into the English market? Mr. GRANT said, that as it would be his duty in a short time to bring the subject before the House, he should beg to defer giving any precise answer to the question of the Hon. Member at that period—(Hear !) Mr. HUME presented a Petition from the Medical Students at the University of Aberdeen, praying that the House would remove the difficulties thrown in the way of acquiriug a knowledge of anatomy.—Referred to the Select Committee. Mr. HUME presented a Petition from a place in King's Conh ty, representing to the House the imperious necessity of its providing a permanent Nightly Watch in the Market Towns in irelatut CORN LAWS ACTS. On the motion of Mr. GRANT, the. Order of the Day was read for the House to resolve itself into a Committee on the Corn Laws Acts. On the motion being put that the Snag's ‘ abould leave the Chair, Mr. LESTER said, he had an objection to the scale of duties, which he did not think could be removed. 'the objection was, that after the price had passed sixty thillungs, the duty decreased in so jumping and jet king a manner, that it would check importation. As the Resolutions at present stood, no person would sell while the price of corn was between sixty and seventy shil lings, and the consequence would be that the ma: ken would be inundated when the supply was least wanted, when the grower was least able to bear up against competition. But he had another objection to the pre sent Resolutions—there was in them no fair proportion between the protection granted to wheat and that granted to barley and oats. They were different to the Resolutions proposed by Mr. Canning, and which had been adopted by that House after much consideration. The argument advanced by the Duke of Wellingtomon the subject was in fact against the alteration. He wished to know whether it was the intention of Government to continue to act upon the principle of free trade,' an r to continue the Sinking Fund? It would greatly influence his conduct to know whether, in the event of a surplus revenue, it was to be applied for the purpose of reliev ing the country from its present load of taxation? Mr. KING said, that in the present state of their cur rency, he had doubts as to the policy of the measure proposed by Ministers. It was at least, under existir.g circumstances, impossible to give it a fair consideration. So far as cash payments had hitherto gone, it was at tended with a great sacrifice to the landed inteiest. It was on that the prosperity of all the other interests of the country depended. They must share deeply both in i s prosperity and adversity. The SPIALMS left the Chair, and the original Resolutions, as proposed by Government, having been put, Mr. RENE IT rose to propose a new set of Resolu tions, by way of amendment. The difference between the proposition he should submit to the House and that of Government was so trifling, that he trusted Ministers woulJ accede to it. His proposition was the same in effect as that submitted by the Member for Dorsetshire last year. He should be disposed to take his pivot price a. 625. Bd. and proposed that when corn reached that price the duty should be 245. 4J. On this, however, the House had before come to a resoluti n. and it would be useless to press it again. What he would offer the, eiore, by way of amendment, was, that when the price was above 625. the duty should decrease by 2s. with every advance of Is. in price. Upon this scale the duty, at the price of 655. would be 3s. less than that proposed by Government at 70s. His reasons for desiring that the duties should be reduced at the price of 62 . more considerably than they were in the scale of Govern ment, were, that odium would be thus avaided by the agricultural interest, which did not, in reality, require further protection. The measure, he believer', was not in ended by Government as one of finance, aid therefore they could have no intention in raising the price to 625. His object, certainly, was to gain protection to the amount of 625. Bd. This be thought was necessary, to enable the agriculturist to carry on his business, and to secure a remunerating prsfit. At 595. price, he should propose a duty of 28s. Bcl. and at 555. 335.8 J. This would, in effect, be no addition to the duty proposed by Government, but better regulation of it. All he wanted was a protection as nearly as possible to 62 . Bd. Under the pike of 625. the protection he propcscd was three shillings mo e than that contained in the scale of last year. it was neat necessary for him at preset t to enter into tl:e general question. All seemed agreed that some protection was necessary, and that this country should not be left de pendent for its food upon foreign supply. The Right• Hon. Gentleman (Mr. lltokirson) atinutted that ti ey ought to have protection to the amount of 5Ss. The duty at that time on the present scale was 28s. 8.1. With that duty, importation must commence,accordrng to the Right Honourable Gent letn in, at 291.4d—.(Cries of " No"). The duty being 28s. Bd. and the price 58s. the balance was 29. 4J. and that he should suppose was the price at which importation might take place, and it showed the fallacy of what they heard so often stated, that importation could not take place under thirty-four shillings. It was well known that corn of the best quality was imported last year at 221. and it could be proved that any quantity of it might now be imported at 24s.—(Cries of " No"). That was his serious belief. What right had they to expect that the pric i e m w po ou r l i d er 4evier.. 41id. se o n G 2 place s of a price 29s 44 T which give d the heard much about a surplus population in this country, but he contended there w , s no such thing. The stir. plus was merely artificial, occasioned by the low price of corn. This gave rise to a greater demand for labour, so as to make a difference of no less than 7,000,0004 sterling to the landed interest, the whole of which was squeezed out of the wages of labour. There was co surplus population now in the manufacturing districts, though they heard it much talked of some time back. There was no surplus of hands in the carpet manufac ture, for the weavers were now in a state of rebellion for high wages. Give agriculture sixty-two shillings, or sixty shillings, or even 58 shillings price, and they would hear of no surplus of labourers. He did not mean to attach any exclusive importance to agriculture, sad would advocate no measure which he did not consider for the general interests of the community—(Hear).— He should merely observe, that the average duty is \ ~. { 11 I • 1 4, I i'