Star. — London, England, 1830-11-09 00:00:00

i I I . - ;1.4 ;=.• • ' *A. : PEEL Said, that the fault must be traced to the arrangement tegulatitasof those empowered to direct the management in the City : two Algermeir who had stated that they were deputed to act for the Aailiorldes, and who had waited upon him (Sir R. Peel) were. • • the:on,e:the Lord Mayor elect, and the other said that he represented the present Lord Mayor. He was in self-defence called upon to make this statement, and he thought that the magistrates should have deputed proper persons to set. Alderman THOMSON explained, that the two Aldermen alluded to hail not been deputed or appointed, but had acted on their own reopen nibility, and without the knowledge or concurrence of their colleagues. Sir It. PEEL, in reply, repeated that on their own representation he had received their communication, without asking any farther questions, he had received them on the general understanding that they were the representatives of the City Authorities. Mr. HUGHES HUGHES said, that he had gone into the house of a frierol in the City, whom he found in great consternation, in cons , quence of having received a letter, couched in these words :—" If you illuminate your house, or any part of it, your life will be in peril." Signed " Swing . " —(A laugh.) The hon. alderman could assure the house that the gentleman who had received the letter had not smiled. He thought ' that the communication which had been made by the Lord Mayor Elect, ought to be viewed as a very disinterested act. He had in so doing 'mule a vast sacrifice of both popularity and honours, NI r. HUME said it was evident that there must be good cause for the popular disaffection that existed : it was not directed towards his , Alsje.ty, but against the Duke of Wellington and the hon. Secretary, who bad spoken last; against them it was that the disaffection of the people burned. Was there no honest man in his Majesty's council who would step forward to lay before his Majesty the progress of public opinion, and to reiterate the call to remove from his council those mi. resters rho surround the throne, and who placed the city in its present state of excitement ? The House of Commons must not stand still ; let the ministers be removed, and peace and confidence would instantly ' be restored. He hoped that the people would know their rights, and that they would be firm and demand them, but that the morrow would , pass off without insult or injury to any ; that they may be firm to their , purpose. but to use the proper means ; and if they wished the removal vt the Duke of Wellington, they will more readily accomplish their rads if they re main orderly. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that it was the I , duty of members who entertained an opinion that his majesty's minis. tern were unpopular to bring forward a measure to that effect, and try the question on the conduct of the ministers. He could say for himself sad his colleagues, that they were not desirous to remain one moment longer in office,when they ceased to possess the popular approbation and euntitience ; they would retire without regret ; in fact, with the greatest satisfaction.-4A laugh.) They hail been told that it was their duty, I as his majesty's ministers, to have resigned yesterday, and the hon. gen tleman had said, that then tranquillity would have been restored; but if we had done so, and shrunk from our duty, to accompany his majesty , to Guildhall, would not the hon. gentlema n have been the first to have I taxed them with cowardice, and they would then have been told that it I wan they who had brought all this upon his majesty, and that they then hail abandoned him in his diffiechiee. The Chancellor of the Exchequer , concluded with an earnest desire that the hon. member for Middlesex , would lose no time in bringing forward a motion to inquire into the conduct of the ministers; but that he should make as little delay as ; possible. Sir JAMES GRAHAM said. he did not approve of the measure proposed by the hon. Chancellor of the Exchequer, to bring the conduct of ministers to be decided by the house, constituted as it was : such a step he (Sir J. Graham) knew would only strengthen the power that had oppressed them ; but he could tell the hon. Chancellor that the disaffec nun would not be long confined to these benches only ; for it would , tind its way throughout the country generally. As one measure that would embrace the leading point of importance, and try the question at once, lie would propose, that on that day sennight the state of the representation of England should be taken into consideration by the legislature of the country. The Duke of Wellington's conduct , had occasioned a very great change in public opinion. His Ma jesty had lately visited both the Theatres, with scarcely a guard ; about him, and had been received in the most enthusiastic manner. But that point on which the Duke of Wellington has said he will con. ; cede nothing, is the very pinnacle upon which the peace of the whole kingdom depends. He (Sir J. Graham) had been in the country, where he had very recently met his constituents, and he knew this to be , the prevailing opinion, not of the rabble—not of the mob, but of the people generally. The King might have gone to the city without a , guard, but the Duke of Wellington was the most unpopular minister that ever swayed the destinies of this country. Whatever may be the opinion as to his civil conduct, as a military man he deserved the gra- 1 mud.: of his country. Goes forbid that any harm should reach him through the tumult of popular excitement , i t would be an indelible ' stain that could never be effaced from the history of the Lind ; but he ; hoped that the duke would not prosecute so stubbornly his unbending conduct, that might place in danger the lives and property of the people. Mr. SLAN EY defended the conduct of ministers mauling the city affair, after the statements of the two aldermen, who had been repu diated by their two colleagues. Sir C. FORBES thought that the Duke of Wellington was one of the greatest and bravest ministers that England had ever had. One single act of his administration was sufficient to hand his name with admiration down to posterity—his conduct in the Catholic question. If ministers were to resign, in Gon'e name who were we to have to succeed them ? He did not know a man in the kingdom capable of having the reins of government but the Duke of Wellington. Out of doors he (Sir C. Forbes) heard of no feeling of disaffection or want of confidence in the ministers. The abuse of the noble duke was entirely confined to bon. members in the house, and to a few blackguards out of the house. Mr. DEN MAN animadverted on the attacks made on the Duke of Wellington, as well as on individuals of an humbler description, the new pollee, who were, in general, he said, a most intelligent and re spectable class. With respect to the postponement of the King's visit, he could conceive no other question put to the two aldermen who had tendered their advice, than the question whether they were deputed by the whole body? Government should have examined on what grounds rested an opinion which the mayor elect had given as the result of mere rumour. Sir ROBERT PEEL said that the information which he had re ceived from the Mayor elect had been confirmed to him from at least twenty quarters. Ile would never lie said, forget the honourable con duct of the learned gentleman, with respect to the attacks made on the Duke of Wellington, a conduct which might make him unpopular among the low and vulgar, but was, he was sure, congenial with the sentiments of all the respectable inhabitants.—k Loud cheers.) Mr. BROUti II s 51 asked whether the Secretary for the Colonies intended to postpone his motion on slave evidence ; if not, he (Mr. B.) would bring forward his motion on colonial slavery on Wednesday next, instead of the later day at first fixed on. After a few words from Sir It. Peel., Mr K. Doueleas, and Mr. iIItuVUHAN, it was agreed that an arrangement should be come to to. 1110fTSII. The CHANCELLt tit of the EXCHEQUER being asked by an lion. member, whether the government intended to propose a bill for amending the Church Building Acts, said lie ass not prepared to answer. After a few words from lord ALTUORP. 31r. HOVHOUSS, and Mr. BROUGHAM, Mr. HOBHOUSE fixed on Friday the 18th fur moving his address to the Crown in regard to the Netherlands. lie would now ask whether there were not conferences holding at the Foreign Office to which certain foreign ministers were parties, and it' so, whether mi. sisters had assured themselves of the concurrence of the provisional government of Belgium. He would take this opportunity of hinting to Government, that there were circumstances which should make them distrustful of the information which Prince Talleyrand might give them. Sir R. PEEL said, that the only step which had been adopted at the conference, was one in which the honourable &ember would himself have concurred, viz. an earnest endeavour to induce both parties to a cessation uf hostilities. (Hear, hear.) With respect to PrinceTal lerand, he was the accredited Ambassador of the French Govern ment, and he (Sir R. Peel) could not foresee any room for want of con fidence. (Hear.) Mr. HUME asked whether, after all the delays which had taken place, there was any intention of paying the Deccan prize money ? Mr. ARBUTHNOT said, he believed the money would be distil. bated among the army in two or three months. Sir A. GRANT brought up the report of the Committee of Supply. Resolution agreed to WEST INDIAN INTERCOURSE. Mr. HERRIES moved the order of the day for the House to resolve ' itself into a Committee on the Act regulating the intercourse between the West India Islands and the United States of America. The Speaker accordingly left the Chair, and that at the table was, as towel, taken by Sir A. Grant. Mr. HERRIES said that his object was to make some eh aaees in the Act regulating commercial intercourse with the West Indian possessions of this country, with a view to establish a permanent system applicable to that part of our trade. The Act he proposed to amend was that passed in the year 1825, under the auspices of the late Mr. Huskiest:on ; and his amendments would relate to the schedule of protecting duties on the productions of our own country and our own colonies in exchange with each other, as compared with the imports into those colonies front foreign states. An event of considerable ire portaaoe to the empire, and unquestionably to certain pare of our colonia posses. dons, had recently occurred, to which it was indispensibly necessary that he should advert, in seder to explain to the committee the views under which he proposed the change in the schedule to which he bad , adverted ; that event was the final 'occludes of the point long con tested between Great Britain and the United States as to the degree and manner in which the latter were to prosecute their intercourse with the West Indies. He had the gratification of being able to atato that a to.' plc tot disoitedon between two nations which had occupied the longest' , time, and was et the most intricate character of any within memory, and which bad bees subject to many variations of pretension on both add, had asw been amicably, and he trusted fee ever, terminated to the satisfamisa of both parties. Farther, he had to inform the committee that the adjuserneit had taken place on the basis, and without the slight est departure from that basis, of the Act of 1825, which laid down definitively the principles on which Great Britain would allow to foreigners a participation in the trade of her West Indian pos sessions. It was well known to all that the dispute upon this point - had been carried on almost from the date when the United States ceased to be a component part of the British Empire. The views of the United States on this subject, in the first instance, were very limited, and they were then stilling to accept, as a sort of boon, what they had since claimed as a right ; the British Government was then, and had ever since been, willing to admit the claim upon any reasonable grounds; but various causes, from time to time, arose to impede the conclusion of the question by amicable convention. (Hear, hear, hear.) In 1794 the proposal of the British Government was finally rejected by the United States, and in 1810 it was found impossible to effect any arrangement. During the war a positive interdiction existed until 1815, excepting in caws when the Governors of Colonies were empowered, from time to time, to open the ports to the shipping of the United States. (Hear, hear, heat.) On the conclusion of peace this country reverted to her original principle of the exclusive possession of the trade of her own Colonies. From that date until the present scarcely a single year passed without an infructuous attempt on the one side or on the other to settle the question. By what was known by the name of Mr. Robinson's Act a fair opening seemed offered for the arrangement of the commercial intercourse between the United States and the British Colonies; but the measures adopted in consequence by the Republic were certainly not such as to render the Statute effective for the purposes for which it was passed. Since that date, the claims advanced by the United States, in 1824, had been entirely retracted, wit was obvious that it would have been impossible to have fully and completely arranged the matter in difference. They had unconditionally withdrawn their un founded pretensions, and this country now stood on the footing it oc cupied in 1825, and which it announced to all the world it was de termined to maintain. (Hear, hear.) He was bound to add, and he should not do justice to the United States if he did not add it, that it was impossible for any Government to have conducted a negodatioo, in which the important interests of both countries were deeply concerned, in a mare frank, straightforward, conciliatory, and therefore, as he thought, politic, wise, and prudent manner, than that pursued by the United States. He believed that on this occasion neither party had had the slightest reason to complain of the other, but every just ground of sa. defection and confidence. Certain documents connected with this impor. tent question had already been laid upon the table of parliament, and others, to complete the series, would, of course, in due time be communi cated. It was fit to state, in order that no undue impression might be made upon the mind of any individual, that in concluding this last and final ar rangement, the present Government had adhered without exception to the princis o lez m la c tl down by their predecessors in office, as expressed in th ose ts. The American government bad not only aban doned its former principles, but had also satisfied the British govern. meat, by producing the cowman under which the revocation of those principles was to take effect; and lest any ambiguity should arise, the most distinct explanations had been required on the one side, and given on the other. ' his country was thus called upon, by every considers. tiny to admit the United States to a participation in that trade from which they have hitherto been excluded. The law of 1825 was framed with a view that all should so participate; and it was only the conduct of the United States which had hitherto prevented them fran enjoying the benefits which others had reaped from participation. It must be sa tisfactory to the house to learn, that all those matters in difference were now finally and completely set at rest; but it was, at the same time, indispensably necessary to consider what changes had occurred since the enactment of the schedule of duties—whether anything had occurred since 1825 to render those duties unfit for the purpose for which they were intended; vis. the due protection of our own colonial interests. The effect of the existence of non-intercourse between the West Indies and the United States had been, to create new channels of trade, and to raise up a new class of claimants to the protection afforded by duties c it had produced a circuitous intercourse by means of our own North American colonies ; and whatever might have been the in. tention of this country in 1825, it was necessary now to tell the United States, that as they were the cause of the change, they must abide by the consequences. The act of 1825 contained the conditions of equality on which the trade was to be carried on, and it also contained the schedule of g duties ; but all parties were at all times given to understand that the British Government reserved to itself the right of altering those duties without responsibility to any foreign State. To avoid the possibility of mistake, this right has been especially impres sed upon the Government of the United States t no objection could there. fore be raised by any party to the course he now wished to pursue, and least of all, by that Government which, from time to time, had changed its tariff just as suited its temporary views. He should, therefore, propose some not immaterial alterations in the schedule of duties, the chief object of which would be to secure the interests of the British North American Colonies from suffering in consequence of the confidence with which it had embarked in speculations, and made investments, under the belief that the present system was likely to be of longer continuance. Whether our Colonists could claim this as a strict right was a daunt question, but there was no dourt ° =P l arliament aught to feel an earnest solicitude fur their interests. One object of the siulsof 1845 was to encourage the introduction into the West Indies of articles From our North Ame. thus colonic c it had succeeded, but, under the change of circumstances, it was now the business of this country to take off part of the duty on foreign shipping, which, to the present moment, had existed, and had operated against the United States. The dreuitous trade thesegh our North American abides had been entourariy r this gewommeat, and such, as he had already remarked, was the ot the soludnb. It was true that the lower descri of grain and lied sever yet through those colonises t hyed been derived from the United f= 11 ; but lumber of every desitlndes, _woad and elawes—of the gesseest ha patience to the West babe—led hen ewe* thither dads* hem our North MORI= sehmies. The schedule would themes; ewe ha. creased protection Is the Canada@ foe the antler althea 'Moles, ad protecting duty imbibe imposed tar theamismome et thole bowsaw a that duty would be meetly an basses of the horst urn lumber; it was already 7e. thenesnd staves, and he aloseld propose tlint kbe mired to 10e. IL re thousand. The planters mead thus be lhenlehod at as cheap a rate as they could reasonably expect, and the ipitelre et the change would be to Mod that doges of proceeds. which would Mince the foreign supply, se into give to the osnesvart as felt a martidon as passible. The better mode would be, that he should lay berme the house, in a printed hem, a comparison between the two schedules, so that the house would at once perceive how the law stood now, and bow he pa. posed that it should stand in future. That comparison was, probably, by this time printed; and the house would be aware that, in cease. quence of the distance, it was fit that no delay should occur, and that the new duties should come into operation at the date of the Order in Council which had already been issued. He could not refrain from ob serving, that these changes must operate considerably to die advantage of this country che did not know t ha t they would operate to the died. vantage of the United States, and he doubted if any country permanently pined by the commercial injury of another state. It seemed to him that much would be gained on both sides, to the shipping interest at home, as well as to our North American possessions. It was to him a matter of satisfaction to mark the growing prosperity of those colonies: among other recent benefits, they were drawing coal in some parts of Canada, of a quality of peculiar excellence, width they were lunging to be able to expect to the United States. A system of free intercourse must always be preferable to restriction, and the system he was about to re. commend was tar more beneficial than that which bad so long existed. Was such a state, the entire suspension of the intercourse between our West Indian Colonies and the United States, to be compared to that which he now had the satisfaction to see established? There was an important feature by which that schedule was distinguished from all former ones. it was this...that, in whatever territory the commodities intro. duced from our West Indian Wands into the United States may have been produced, they shall he admitted without any additional duty. The hon. gentleman then referred to the comparative tables for the proof of the advantageous terms under which the produce of our West Indian colonies will henceforth be received in the United States, and concluded by moving, that it was the opinion of that Commit. tee that " no duties be Imposed on commodities introduced into his Majesty's Colonies in the West Indies, from the United States of America other than those described in the schedude." _ _ G. ROBINSON would not trouble the committee with any remark on the schedule proposed for the sanction of the committee by the right bon. gent. opposite. But with respect to the hon. gents. man's assertion, that all parties interested in the commercial prosperity of England would receive with satisfaction the announcement of the new footing on which the intercourse of our colonies in the West ladles with the United States of Amelia has been placed, be (Mr. It.)could not help observing, that there was one party deeply interested in the question which would hear with great regret the change whi c h the British Government had thought proper to make in that inter. course. (Hear.) He acknowledged that in strict accordance with the policy of a Statesman, whose loss be (Mr. Robinson) deplored as much as any man—but he would ask the right honourable gentle. man (Mr. Henries) if there had not been a decided change in the commercial policy of the United States of America, sines th e toes . sores Introduced by the lamented statesman alluded to (Mr. Hush,. son) in the year 1828 ? He asked, if it had not been the policy of those states, according to the tariff, since enacted, to exclude hom their territory every article of British production ? He would ask if this be the time to make a change in our commercial pol ic y in favour of the United States, when. by the tariff of 1828, our productions are virtually shut out from their territories ? He insisted that it had al. ways been the object of the United States to obtain that uninterrupted access to our colonies in the West Indies, which ministers had now conceded, without any adequate compensation. His view of the effect of the present measures was, that they would throw the whole trade with the West India islands into the bands of the United States, to the exclusion of our North American colonies. By those masons, the whole business of the shipping at present emp loyed in the carrying trade between the Canada. and sibs Brithh }suasion' In the West In. dies, would be trenferted to the commercial naQy of the United States. But the honoarable gentlemen (Slr. Harries)) had told them that they have made concussions which they refused In 1818. Then ecocessions, bowrrer, seemed to consist in their retina to the dada existing before that time. When, by their reheat of the terms atrociprocity oared then, they found that their own oommeros wasinjured,they strove to compensate 1 their looses by the imposition of additional dudes on British colonial pro. duce. He remembered the bon. gent. opposite (Mr. H.) having said, that the consequence of the American Government persisting in that hostile policy might be, that we should be compelled to lay an impost on American raw modem introduced into this country 8 and the only question with the bon. gentleman then was, whether we could pose such a duty consistently with our own Interests ? Mr. Robinson referred to the correspondence of Mr. Canning with the Minister of the United States (Mr. Gelatin,) to show that, in consequence of the pMey pursued by that Government respecting the Intercourse of the United States with our Colonies in the West Indies, an alteration in duties to 1 which American produce should be subjected, upon its importation into those Colonies, must be effected by an act of legislature and not by treaty or convention. He (Mr. IL) insisted that our Colo nies in North America had a right to complain that they were taken by surprise, when measures Wectlng their commercial interests so deeply were adopted suddenly, and without giving them any notice to prepare themselves for the change. At the time of the Treaty of Ghent, the merchants and other persons interested were made acquainted before hand with the changes which it was proposed to effect in the commercW relations of the States who were parties to that treaty. He would ask why were British subjects in North America not considered entitled to a similar notice of changes seriously affecting their commercial interests ? He gave the right hon. gent. credit for his not having disguised this im portant result of the proposed measure—namely, that the commercial in. taests of British subjects would suffer by it, and especially the shipping interest. He knew it had been the policy of the government of the United States, in its anxiety to obtain for its commercial navy the advantages which it must derive from an extension of the intercourse between those states and our West India colonies, to represent that both parties would gain by the extended intercourse. He never believed it. In conse quence of the proximity of the West Indies to the coasts of the United States, every change in the West Indian markets is known in the coin. menial towns of those states a month before the information can reach our North American colonies. In that way the Americans of the United States would have overwhelming advantages in the competition with the Canadian merchants. This measure, therefore. would go to destroy an important branch of our shipping interest, which had grown up within the last twenty years in New Britain. Nova Scotia, and the Canada,. The registered tonnage of the British West India Islands and of our North American Colonies had in one year increased by nearly 60,000 tons (hear.) The carriage heretofore has been exclusively by British ships, and that to the amount of one mil lion tons, the greater part of which must, in the competition with the United States to which the proposed measure would give rise, be trans. (erred from the hands of our colonial merchants. In the course of a few years all the vessels engaged in the lag trade between our North American colonies and the West India s must be laid up. That branch of the shipping interest, which hitherto had not suffered the same depression as the other branches of the British commercial navy, would be reduced to a condition of which it did not require the gift of prophecy to predict the results. Much stress had often of late years been laid by hon gentlemen opposite upon the improvements that bad taken place in the Canada. Immense sums of money had been granted by that house to push the prosperity of those colonies still further; canals had been constructed in them at vast expense to this country; British subjects had been encouraged to treader large capitals from the United Kingdom to the colonies by °facial descriptions of their prosperity . He would ask, then, shall the British capital now invested in machinery, In shipping, and in the agricultural Improve ment of the Canadas, be totally sacrificed ? He was sure that the mo. meat the news of the measure now announced should reach those colonies, all speculation would be suspended, and instead of afford. lag an asylum to the superabundant part of our muladon, the distresses resulting from the measures would weemrily aggravate the distresses of the Empire at large. When the consideration of the question was pressed on the Government, in the time of Mr. Canning and Lord Dudley, it was declared that they would not consent to entertain it, unless the Americans should revise the Tarifof l8:18. It could not, therefore, be said that we were now making the commercial changes in accordance with the views of rite two statesmen (Mr. Canning and Mr. Huskisson) alluded to by the Right Honourable gentleman opposite ( Mr. Henries) unless the American Government had altered their whole commercial policy since the time of those statesmen. Would Mr. Can ning or Mr. Huskisson consent to such changes, after the hostility which the American Government had manifested to our interests ? At the very moment when we are making such concessions in favour of the United States, they are acting on decidedly an opposite p•i ple. Their whole scale of duties is one of prohibition as math the importation of British Colonial produce. (Hear bear, hear.) They have shown no disposition to concur in the li beral arrangements of this Government. He had some interest in the West India Islands ; but he really could not see that they would be benefited by those changes which must at all events, operate inju. Howdy upon the North American colonies. The United States can supply these islands with every article with which they are at present supplied by Great Britain, and by the Canedas; sod thus that trade wUI be sacrificed which it was the most deal:able to maintain—the trade which consists in an interchange of supalleMes between one part of the empireand soother. He Mt atd that the West Indies, in sup plying America with rum and saga, must late entirely the trade they at present enjoy with our possessions in North America, and a great part of their trade with the mother country. In anent negodatiems with the United States, the latter have bad the advantsge. He did met mean to say that our ministers Were less talented as diplemaliste than those of America, but they had exhibited less knowledge of the rela tive commiesdal interests of the two countries. The whole policy of the Umbel States towards us bad boss one of resaisdes and proldblikage while ours had beer to open se them first with North Asa. eke, then with the United Kinglein e eml Leidy with the West Indies. He shoal hop Chet the present ems= might pane es advantageous as had begs antidgetedley the blamable genignma Islamise (Mr. Hades), bet he *sad that meanly wadi ear Interest be in juriously aired by It, but even the Went lodine which it was proposed to Wasik, would refit teas It a considashle The chnegeo, if rade at all, ought at last a be patina ; odierwise sud. den transition esnaes onleisfeenadhatrieeable Ma. The right blameable Hagiss) had said, that as soon as the house should the then laid before it, the ports of America would assailing to the liegidsat's Massa, be thrown open to the in. tralection of our cohabit use, and be had urged that we should not delay to fulfil the condition, as in the mean time we are continually losing by the of the old duties. He believed, bow l:foe ever, that we =old be greater losers by the exclusion of British commodities feem the Wee hulks, which must be immediately occa sioned by the influx of American produce which would be poured into th ose monde, wan advantages with which our merchants could not compete. lie hoped that government would allow time for thaw whose interests would be &Shoed by the change, to prepare themselves for the result. The changes which had heretofore been made in the commercial pulley of this country had been introduced so suddenly as to involve in ruin all those who were concerned with the branches of trade affected by the alterations. (Mr. IL again retested to the Corms. pendants of Mr. Canning with the American Minister, from which he endeavoured to show that statesman's policy to have been directly op posed to the measures now adopttd.) Mr. Canning bad declared, that whatever change should be made is the intercourse between the United States and the West Indies should be effected by regular modest before that house. The change should be made by an act of the legislature, and' not by negated= between the two Governments. Contrary to that declaration, the house was thee called on to confirm a treaty which Go vernment had already ratified. The house was only consulted as to the rate of duty ; the Government had already decided upon the principle. He concluded by assuring the house that in the statements which he had made he had not been toluene= by prejudice; and that he would be glad to be aerated. if he were mistaken in his views. Mr. K. DOUGLAS considered that every regulation tending to ex tend the intercourse between the two nations, Great Britain and the United States, must give mutual confidence to the merchants of both. Gentlemen must be aware that in this attempt to protect the peculiar interests of our North Am ericani colonies, that protection must be put. chased at the expense of other parts of the British empire. In come. quence of the distressed condition of the West Indian interest foe some rime past, the Board of Trade had investigated fully all the burdens borne by these colonies, and had inquired into the causes of their dis tress. The result of that inquiry had been, that no countervailing duty would be imposed for their relief; sad the house was therefore milled on to remove the burden to which they were subjected for the benefit of other parts of the empire. Sir G. MURRAY thought that he had explained already that the West Indian Colonies would continue to receive without duty what they now receive on payment of a duty. The condition of the West Indies mot, at all events, be improved; and he (Sir G. Murray) did not con. ecive that the smprovement would be effected at the expense of the North American Colonies. He could not agree with the boa gentleman oppo. site, In his interpretation of the language of Mr. Canning. Having en. wed into Treaties with the Spanish settlements in America, and with other countries, and when we find that the United States of Ame. eke. (the only country which was excluded from participation in the commerce with our colonies) were coming round, it did seem advisable to admit the United States to that trade on the same conditions on which it was enjoyed by other nations. The only question then to be considered was, whether the duties described in the schedule submitted to the house were sufficient for the protection of our colonial interests? If they were auf6dent, the argument of the hen. gentlemen opposite fell to the ground. The principle on which they were founded was that of protection. The bon. member for Middlesex ( Mr. Hume) had said, that the proposed duties were too high; so that the whole question was now only one of degree. Mr. HUM E said that the admirals had on the peanut occasion fur. Dished an temple of the folly of bagging forward as plan for the Fa me of pleasing every body. tbsy hod suceseded IA pled nobody. The Wept WINN was dhos and the Noah Anaheim, was dis satisfied, and be (11r. H.) was dimedelled. it* . peetassed to act on the princip of free trade. But the : sad upon in the practice seeme( so him to be thee of mehhAg the adobe pay ga dourly se possible be what they consumed. When the menses now before the - house was bro u ght forwatd in 1826, be (Mr. H.) resist= it. that 6g:cited the feeling of inducims people to believe at one time mat would palterers in upholding such mope polies as that hitherto passaged by the Canada in the trade with our West Indian colonies. He deprecated also the policy b y which the several parts of the empire were considered as hat* not one common interest, but distinct and even conflicting interests. if • would contend most strenuously against the principle of the arran t •,.. meats, which it was the object of the present motion to carry into c le w. He did most sincerely hope that his majesty's government wo u ld the necessity of laying open the whole of the trade. For his p a r t it, could not let pass an opportunity of entering his protest against the min. nopolv of the West Indies; and as to what the right honourable get , demon had said respecting the improved disp osition of the presen t American government to treat with us, be saw no reason to complain o f 'the conduct of former governments; at lust he saw no grounds for the assertion that the present government of America was at all mate disposed to treat than any of its predecessors. He could not help expressing his surprise that any one would suppo. , it would be beneficial to this country to adopt the American Tariff; at the same time it was to be observed, that the American du des did not amount (0100 per cent. while, in a case that could be stated, the duty imposed by the Government of Great Britain amounted to 1.20 e per cent, on Tobacco, as the House knew, there was a duty to that ex. tent imposed. Was there any hope that the Government and the Le. eslamre would at any time arrive at the conclusion that we ought to have every foreign commodity at the lowest possible rate ? Convinced MS he was of that important truth, be could not but deprecate anything in the nature of retaliation; and he, therefore, with the deepest regret, heard the late lamented Mr. Huskiason, contrary to his usual practice, and in direct opposition to those principles which he attained his highest distinction by advocating, say that circumstances might arise in which it would be for the interest and advantage of this country to reta liate in imposing duties. Those duties were neither more nor loot than bounties, and surely no inconsistency could be more grow t h an the advocacy of free trade and the maintenance of bounties. It was well understood that the effect of those duties was to prevent inter. counts between the United States and our West India Colonies ; that object was to be effected by protecting duties. Now to every sort of protecting duty he was opposed. If any duty were required for the purpose of revenue, let it be imposed, but It no duty be laid on for the purpose of protection, or in any respect for the purpose of acting as a bounty, and least of all for the purposes of maintaining a monopoly. The time had arrived when all monopoly should cease, but he saw with regret that his Majesty's Government were not impressed with the truth and importance of that principle. Mr. C. GRANT said he must look at the original measure u an in terdict, not as one intended to benefit or injure the colonies. In 1824 the principle of protection was recognised, and also that of the national policy of being on friendly relations with the great and flourishing . states of America—states with - which there were so many points or interest, that he would never believe that it was intended that the two countries should be natural enemies. (Hear, hear.) The claim of North America was just, in requiring an equalisation of duties as re garded articles sent to the West Indies. The Right Honourable:Gent. then detailed the negotiations with, and claims of, the United States on ibis subject. He trusted the period had arrived for the moat friendly intercourse ; at the same time we ought not to sacrifice the interest of the Canada, (hear.) The present measure, as far as he could understand it, he thought to be a wise measure, as ar as it went; it was, however, to balancedifliculties and differences, which was an much as to say, to give as little relief as possible. Mr. WARBURTON said, as the right bon. gent. had not made any provision for giving freedom to the timber trade, he should, after the Christmas recess, move for leave to bring in • bill for that purpose. The Resolution was then agreed to. The house resumed. Report to-morrow. Sir H. HARDINGE obtained leave to bring in a bill for regulatin; the office of Sheriff of counties in Ireland. _ _ The house adjourned at a Quarter-prat Ten o'clock. At a meeting of the committee of delegates of the va rious societies and trades, held at the White Hart Tavern. November the Bth, the report of the committee was read, that in consequence of his Majesty's intended visit to his good and loyal citizens, the commit tee waked on the Court of Aldermen to ascertain what steps should be taken to satisfy the numerous societies who put themselves to the exp nee of loyal barmen and paraphatnalia to display their loyalty on the occasion. The Court of Aldermen kindly re ceived the committee, presented them with an unanimous vote of thanks for their exertions, and placed a very handsome sum of money at the disposal of the committee for defraying the extra expenses those societies might have been put to who had pledged themselves to the committee to attend on that occasion. The committee, anxious to allay any unpleasant feelings that might have arisen from: the disappoint ment, waited upon the Right Hon. Sir It. Peel, his Majesty's Principal Seaetary of State, who, although engaged on public urgent business, granted an immediate interview, and kindly stated that he was ever ready to forward the views of the committee for that deserving class of the com munity which the societies represented. He grieved much, and his Ma. jeer, also felt deeply disappointed, at not being able to be present with his good and loyal subjects on this occasion ; that he himself felt, as he always should feel, happy to second the views of the committee in any measure they could:devise consistently to forward their good,and that he would be happy to introduce the committee to his Majesty with such address, or petition, as circumstances would warrant. This report hav ing been read by Mr. Mott, one of the committee, was unanimeusly sp. proved, and the several resolutions expressive of thanks to Sir R. Peel, sod the Court of Aldermen, were unanimously adopted. Early yesterday morning a most daring attempt was made to break into the warehouses of Messrs. Huxley and Sons, wholesale snuff manufacturers, IS, Ropenaker-street, City. Not succeeding at one part of the premises, they attacked another, when fortunately the be/kluge( a Newfoundland deg alarmed the inmates, and consequently the burglars were frustrated an their objest.We understand a large reward has been offered for the apprehension of the offenders. Last night, at half-put eleven o'clock, a watchman dis covered a fire in the back part of Mr. Johnson's house, the sign of the Gun, Gun-dock, Wapping. He instantly gave the alarm, and the inmates,:who had but just retired to rest, escaped In a state of nudity. So rapid was the progress of the flames, that to three quotas of an hour the house was a heap of ruins, and not a vestige of pro. poty could be saved. A biscuit-baker, named Howard, who re s ided in an adjoining house, has lost his all, the whole of his property being consumed, and not insured. Mr. Downing's cork-manufactory situated at the back of the Gun, took fire, but Is not materially da maged. Mt. Downing is, however, a sufferer, in consequence of the spoliation in moving his property. The engines were ppcomply in attendance, and two ore three more of the adjacent householders may thank the firemen for their exertions. The fite was got under by one o'clock. Yesterday morning, about six o'clock, the inhabitants of. Fiaber-row were alarmed by shrieks proceeding from the house of Mr John Soper, the gun-maker. Several neighbours immediately ran in, when the unfortunate man was discovered in the agonies of death In hv4 workshop, having discharged the contents of one of the barrels of a double-barrelled gun into his head. It appears that he placed the but end of the gun on the Boor, against one or the suppons of a working bench, 'pointed the musk to his towhead. and then struck the trigger by means of a piece of bent iron rod, which he had pot , pared for the purpose. The ball entered his skull, passing through the brain in a sig-sag direction, to a depth of about six inches, and lodged in the back of the bead. The brain, from the beat of the powder, appeared to be melted into a liquid; and about a pint and a half of blood Sowed from the wound. He was perfectly senseless when found, but groans proceeded from the body for Mille minutes-The poor man had been in a very unsettled state of mind foe a long time past, and rose twice in the night, it is supposed . with the intention of perpetrating the dreadful deed, but at the solicitations of his wife again lay down. A coroner's jury assembled,and after inquiring into all the circumstances, returned a verdict of " Insanity."—RmAny Mttrerry. Sunday morning, about one o'clock, the inhabitants of Northfleet, near Gravesend, Kent, were thrown into a great state of alarm, by a tremendous fire upon the premises of Mr. Whitehead, a brickmaker. The fire turned out to be a stack of nearly fifty loads of straw, intended to be used in the making of bricks, and which had been set on fire by incen diaries, together with some sheds near to it, in which several pigs were burnt to death. Three men were taken up on suspicion of being the in cendiaries, who had been discharged from the brick-field. They had been regaling themselves at a public-house in the neighbourhood until past 12 o'clock on Saturday night, when they left it, and were observed to turn into the grounds lead ing to the brick-field, instead of going towards their homed. One of them had that morning received parochial relief from the overseer of Northfleet. Same night, about 12 o'clock, another fire broke out at the Queen's Head Inn, Northfieet, which entirely consumed How the fire originated is not exactly known. Ink TH. At Castle &undreamt, the lady of Alexander &underpay', Esq. 3 1 -F. of a daughter. _____ DIED. In Bury-stmt, St. James's, Alajor.Gen. G. Hill. late of the Guard': —Oa the 28th ult. at his house, Westgate Cottage. AbetgaveLay, seell iB, Wm. Lewis, Esq. formerly Lieutenant and Suwon of the Us' M in Dracs,ulle P at Bombay , of the cholera ameba's. George phis, . slim of the Nem. Company's ship Berwickshire. —Tram nth ult. at of seassuaptisa, in his 28th year. Langley Le" *llya Brocket i %t s oly . sce of the late Captain La of rigley Brackenbu r y , of SPlllbb —At sea, the beginning September, on . 11 ° pimp Ronk& la We Providence. Robert Scott, E* 4 l. 54r. gun of LW& Northillos. Londsou : Ptintsd sod Published by Jost* 11•msa, M do " ha ' Orrice., W.. I, Piskett-pbise, Temple Mu.