Star. — London, England, 1826-05-06 00:00:00

`N petition with the Branches of the Bank of England...— He rose rabidly to ask the Noble Earl opposite, if he could state the amount of the advances made by the Bank to manufacturers and traders in consequence of an arrangement concluded two men*S ago, by which the Bank was empowered to advance u far as three millions. This being a private concern of that Establishment. could not be obtained by a motion ; but if the Noble Earl was in pos. session of the information, he would perhaps have no objectfbn to state the extent of those issues and of the applications for them. . The Earl of LIVERPOOL had been authorized to state what the general amount of those issues was; but before he f 1i4, :9 he conceived it his duty to say that the Wink had acted on that occasion in the most liberal manner. Deputation from the principal towns had been sedt ie express their sense of the excellent arrangements and most satisfac tory mode in which that establishment had allotted the sums ap plied•for in the manufacturing districts. Their Lord.hips would perhaps be surprised to learn that the whole amount advanced eras • under 400,000 L or front 370,0401. to eOO,OOOl. The Earl of LAUDERDALE was understood to recommend that Joint Stock Banks in Ireland should have the privilege of ap pointing an agent in Dublin, as those to be established in this coon try would be allowed to do in London. The question was then put, and the Amendments agreed to. The Bishop of FERNS, after having referred to some Papers which he had caused to be Lid on the table, entered into a detailed history of the origin ' nature and mangement of Chartered Schools In Ireland, and defe nded them against the charges contained in the Report made by the Committee of Inquiry into the state of Edu cation. He contended that that Repot t was hasty and erroneous, and that if it had been maturely considered it would have been ♦ery different. Lord KING quoted many facts in support of the Report, to prove the existence of great inattention, mismanagement, and gross abuses. The frisk Clergy seemed to him to live in the habitual neglect of their duty, the defiance of the law, and the contempt of their oath. _ _ The Marquis of LANSDOWN trusted that after what bad been derived from the Report, what had reached his Majesty from other quarters, and what might be collected from the pretended exculpatory Papers appealed to by the Risht Reveiend Prelate, no intention could be entertained of maintaining those extremely vicious establishments. After a few worth from Earl Daimler and Viicomint CUMIN, The Bishop of BATH and WELLS remarked, that even in the best establishments it was easy to point out deficiencies. He said tkis, however, only in extenuation, for he must in fairness allow that great neglect and gross abuses had been proved in the manage ment of Chartered Schools in Ireland. He hoped that good would proceed from the present inquiry; that it would make the Irish Clergy more 'vigilant and active; and that nothing would prejudice the proves* et education in Ireland, as there was no kingdom in the world where religious education was more wanted than in that country. The Bills having then been respectively forwarded a stage, the House adjourned at &cur o'Caoca till Monday. HOUSE OF COMMONS. At a quarter before four o'clock the Usher of the Black Rod summoned the House to attend the House of Lords. The Speaker and Members accordingly proceeded to die House of Lords, and on their return, at half-past tour o'clock, the Speaker acquainted the House with their Lordships' concurrence to several Bills, for an account of which see our Report of the House of Lords. Mr. LA %/LEY presented several Petitions against the Liver pool and Birmingham Rail Road. The Hon. Member said, that in compliance with the wishes of several Landholders over whose land the intended Rail Road would pus, be would move the third reading of the Bill that day three months. The Bill was accordingly postpooed to that period. Sir J. NEW PORT presented i Petition from the Physicians ef Vt aterford against a clause in the Prison Bill of that county, which obliged them to attend the Jails without fees.—Referred to the Committee on the Bill. Mr. ELLIS presented& Petition from the Ship-owners of New castle, pray lag for a protecting duty on British Merchant Ships.— Ordered to be printed. Lord STANLEY presented a Petition from a Parish in Caer narvon, praying thatithe duty might be taken off "ooals.--Ordettd to be printed. Mr. STEWART presented a Petition against Negro Slavery, from Clangaree.—Ordered to be printed. Similar Petitions were presented from South Melton, in the county of Deveei. and several other Parishes in the same bounty, by Sir T. Actrun - and from the Burgh of Jedblargh, by Sir G. Waasausaa.—Th; Petitions were laid on the table, and ordered to be printed. EXPORTATION 01 MACHINERY. Mr. HUME rose for the purpose of presenting two Petitions; the one from the Master-machine Makers, and the other from the Operatives engaged in the same business at Manchester, praying for a repeal of the law w Lich prevented the exportation of machinery to foreign kingdoms. There were several foreigners in Manches ter, who declared that if machinery were allowed to be exported, it would prevent the number of workmen (who were going abroird, he, Mr. Hume, was sorry to add) from departing from this country. He knew full well there was a prejudice existing in the breasts of Manufacturers, that if machines were allowed to be exported, it would produce a comfetition with them, which they (the nranufacourers) could never excel. It WAS a distressing lict, that our workmen were proceed ing abroad every day, and that the capitals of foreign states were crowded with our workmen, and this ma terially diminishing cur celebrity, as machinists, every day. This was all owing to the prohibition of the ex portation of machinery. He entirely coincided with the Petiticters, and hoped that Parliament would repeal those laws which prevented machinery from being exported from this kingdom. The country owed a great deal to machine makers, and he hoped the House would direct their attention towards protecting them. From the evidence on the table of the House there could be collected a fact of great importance, namely, that if the power looms were destroyed an immense num ber of hands would be deprived of bread. The power looms were in Let a great sower of industry to the country, and be hoped that the poor deluded men would be informed that they were going on in a wrong course when they thus destroyed them. He trusted the House would introduce a statute similar to his two years ago, which would allow a free exportation of machinery, and 'kat !Midgets would withdraw their restrictions upon this subject. He did not see why machinery was to be the only mer chandise excluded front exportation. Mr. P. Ulf ENFELL concurred in the prayer of the Petitions. He could spode from practical knowledge, as he knew one manufacturer at Manchester who em ployed 150 workmen in manufacturing machines, which were not allowed to be sent abroad. He knew very well that there were foreigners who smuggled workmen abroad, because they could not smuggle machinery. He could vouch for the fact of there bAng agents of foreign manufacturers who were employed to inveigle the workmen abroad, and thus robbing England of her best workmen, and reducing manufacturers to a low ebb. During the time of the American war, Go vernment thought if they prevented the exportation of copper bolts, nails, and other articles engaged in ship. building, they would prevent France from rivalling them hr their ships. What was the consequence? They seduced our workmen over to Normandy, and established manufactories of these imple ments' and which manufactories remained up to this hour rival schools with our own. He trusted the House would give their serious attention to the Petitions. The Petitions were brought up, and ordered to be printed. Mr.SCARLETT presented a Petition from Mr. D. O'Connell, praying that Lord Norbury might be re moved from the office he now held as Judge, owing to his incapacity. He had received the Petition from that Gentleman last Session, who had requested him at the same time nut to present it, in the hope that the object against which he was petitioning would be removed. Toe Noble Person alluded to in the Petition, he stated to be eighty-five years cf age, deaf, and all:fitted at the same time with a lethargic stupor, which rendered him almost unable to hear any cause brought before him. 'The Petitioner related that, during the trial of an indi vidual for murder, the Judge (LnrdNorbnry) was asleep. The Jury returned a verdict of• MI G.dly, lo complete eontradlo. ticn tOthe charge of the Judge. • He Would forego the object of tie Petition, if•any Jodgeeould say that tire present Lord Norbury Was able to decide In any cause. The Petitidner took great shame hims4f that he hid not petitioned earlier upon this subject. He . Starlet) did not propthe to take Poy lurthe step in the affair,' ut he et the same time thought settle Hon. IriSh Alembers would: He had done his duty in presenting the Petition, and did not wish to do any more in the case. He was totally unacquainted with the Noble Individual mentioned in the Petition. I Mr. GOULBURN denied the principle for which the Hon. Gentleman contended, as he was aware that many Judrs as old as Lord Notbury sat on the Bench, and gave much satisfaction in the discharge of their duty.: His experience warranted him in vouching for the judicial capacity of the Noble Lord. In one in stance he knew him to have differed from his brethren of the Bench, and to have maintained au opinion which ultimately proved to be the true one. _ _ _ _ _ Mr. NORTH said that the statements contained in the Petition were exaggerated, and he hoped that the Noble Lord would be continued in his situation. At the same time he admitted that he would have better consulted the interests of his own fame, it he had retired some years since. Mr. Secretary PEEL bore testimony to the unspotted character of the Noble Lord, who would have retired before but for the menace of the Paition now before the House. He wished to impress, that when the Noble Lord's retirement would take place, its occurrence would not be occasioned by the Petition. The Petition was laid on the table. Mr. HUME presented a Petition from Michael Staunton, Pro- prietor of the Dublin - Register, complaining that though the circu lation of the Register far exceeded that of other papers, Govern ment did not favour it with the Insertion of official documents. The %ion. Gentkruan stated, that on a former night he had made assertions, on the authority of the Petitioner, which were denied by the Hon. Member for Dublin. The Petitioner here declared his readiness to prove the truth of those statements at the liar of the House, and that was in part the object of the Petition. The SPEAKER. said, that an allusion to statements made in that House occurring in a. Petition rendered it not receivable. The present one therefore could not be received. Mr. ELLIS said, that he was able to disprove the statement of the Petition. No selection of Papers had been made from political motives. The Correspondent had been employed even when it ad. vocated the Catholic Claims. .Lord STANLEY presented a Petition from the Inhabitants of a place in Lancashire, praying for a protecting duty on Corn, and stating that they would be sufferers by any other change in the law. Mr. HUSK ISSON opposed the prayer of the Petition; and as he was on his legs, he took that opportunity of adverting to the observations , made last night by the, Hon. Member for Sorneraetshire, and cautioned him against giving credence to the information upon which be had grounded his statements. So far from his having made any communication of the kind intimated, he held in his hand a letter (to which he had not yet replied),l stating the great advantages which would result from the purchase of bonded grain by Government; and that the foreign wheat was now at 4s. 6d. That letter was written on the Tuesday, and on the following Saturday the returns of the Liverpool Corn Mraket showed the prices to have been from 41. to 41. 3d. Here was a depression of three pence per bushel in the marker. The accounts went farther to say, that the transactions in bonded wheat and flour were unimportant, and the prices low. He held in his hand a paper of yesterday's date, which contained like returns for Tuesday, and stated that foreign wheat and flour continued to be dull at tier last quotations. He would put these documents into the hands of the Hon. Baronet, that he might show them to his authority for the statements he had made; and he hoped that he (Mr. Haskbson) now stood ammkted in the estimation of the House. (Loud cheers, and cries of assent). Sir T. LETHBRIDGE was perfectly satisfied with the state ment of the Right Hon. Gentleman. At the same time he must say, he had his intelligence from most (otherwise) unquestionable ruthority.---The Petition was ordered to lie on the table. Mr. HEATHCOTE presented Petitions fronithe Corn Mer chants of the town of Boston against the two Corn Bills now in their progress through the House. The , Petitioners were largely engaged in the trade of corn, and ia,consequeoce of the declaration of Ministers embarked a la rge fortune in the purchase of corn, which would be lost to them by the present, ineatures of the same Ministers. Mr. LEYCESTER supported the' Petitlooi. . Mr. BENETT (of Wiltshire) was surprised that she advocates of economy in the House had not supported hiss .the other , night when he made a preposition on the Coca Laws, by which the country would save 75,0001 per annum. Sir J. SEBRIG HT said, that the question was not who should buy the corn, or what its price would he, bet in what degree it would lower the price of bread. He did not see that the effect it would have in that way would be sufficient to justify the measure. He thought 12s. a quarter insufficient as a protection,- but at all events as bread would only be lowered a halfpenny, or a penny at most, he thought it was net worth while to excite resentful feelinp which it was certain to produce for so slight an advantage. Mr. T. WILSON differed from the Hon. Member who presented this Petition, in supposing that by passing this measure, they were giving a bonus to foreign corn. Tie object was not so much to lower the price as to prevent its rising. After a few words from Mr. &mover, the Petition was ordered to be printed. Mr. BEAUMONT gave notice that so Monday he should pre sent a Petition against Lord Charles Somerset; he deemed it right and courteous to give this notate of an important Petition. CORN LAWS. Mr. Secretary CANNING moved that the House go into a Committee on the Corn Act, with the view to resume the cow& deration ads* Ministers' second proposition. - Sir T. LETHBRIDGE said he should reserve his opposition till the House were in a Committee. Mr. CALCRAFT trusted that the House would give its most stubborn opposition to this second proposition. He could compro mise no longer; he was prepared to go into a fell discuttion of the Corn Laws, but he was against any expedients. Sir E. EN ATCH BULL spoke to the like effect; and said, they' were called upon to legislate, without adequate Information. He only withdrew opposition to the present motion because it would be more convenient to discuss the question in Committee. His constituents were alive to the distresses of the manufacturers, but they saw no general good likely to result from this proposition. Sir J. WROTTESLEY bad been ready to assist the distressed manufacturers, by letting out the Bonded Corn, attending the City Meeting, &c. The House then resolved into a Committee on the Act. Mr. Secretary CANNING—Sir, before I proceed to an explanation of that Resolution which I am about to propose, I will take leave, with the permission of the House, to clear away some general objections to which the whole of the measures have been subjected—objec tions which, though they could not, even if founded in truth, prejudice the merits of the question itself, would nevertheless, if established, throw considerable blame on the conduct of his Majesty's Ministers. . And, Sir, I am anxious, in the first place, tl chase away the imputation of a breach of faith towards the agricultural interest. The opinion declared by his Majesty's Ministers on the first day of this Session, and practically renewed since, on the motion of the Hon. Member for Bridgenorth, that this is rot a convenient season for interfering with the Corn Laws, with a view of altering the present system for one of a different nature. That opinion, declared and acted on by the Government, remains unchanged ; and, Sir, if there be any one thing more than another by which the resolution I am to move is chstracterised,i it is this, that it . enables the House, without the-risk of any inconvenience which might otherwise attach, to post pone the discussion on that question to another Session.' I am quite ready to admit, that if any thing had been doue by us to prejudice the question of those laws, after' the declarations we have made to the House, that it would be, and deserves to be, considered a breach of faith upon our part, if any thing has ever been done inconsiderately that would !ore a tendency to produce that effect. I confess, alter the professions and opinions to which se have gisen utterance, that it would lie our duty to remove any impressions which have arisen from such an accident, and to conciliate, to the utmost of lour power, the prejudices which may have been excited by it; but I not only believe most sincerely that this I measure is calculated to do astral,' with any ineonve niences which might attend at this season a general discussion upon the infect of the corn trade, but I am also of opinion, that sb far from its being a breach of faith, it is a preservation of that faith; and while it is calculated for the benefit of all classes, that it is, above all others, adapted to the preservation of the interests of that class whose rights are said to be most peculiarly • ffected. If, on the one hand, lam ready to acknow ledge that any attempt upon our part to prejudice the general qttestion would be unfair as regards the agri culturists, and unwise and improper as a measure of policy, I hope I don't ask too much, if I wish to get credit to his Majesty's Government for a conscientious desire to do their duty to all classes, and to guide their councils so as to preserve the intetests of every portion of the community, whether commercial, manufacturing, or agricultural (hear, hear/) In addition to the im putation of a breach of faith, there has been another charge brought against us, less serious I confess, but which lam still very anxious to refute—l mean a some thing which has been presumed pretty generally, of some sudden change in the councils of his Majesty's Ministers with respect* to the Corn Laws, since that question was brought under the consideration of this House by the Hon. Member for Bridgenorth (Mr. Whitmore). There is, however, still a third charge, in addition to this inconsistency, which has been arrayed in argument against us since the commencement of this discus ion. It is stated that my Right Hon. Friend, the President of the Board of Trade, gave, in his place , in this House, such an answer in reply to a questionl from the Honourable Member for Shaftesbury (Mr.' Loycester), as led to the belief that the bonded corn would not be meddled with this year. The Honourable Member for Shaftesbury may have been actuated by a blameless curiosity, or by a desire to' consult the interests of those whom he represented, when he asked That question ; but I feel certain that he will now agree with me in looking upon a question, as unfit for a prompt and full answer, to which the answer, if transmitted by the next post to any of the great parts of the kingdom, would have the effect of raising the price 20 per cent. Every Minister is bound not to ansiser questions which may produce highly important effects,l unless reasons of a convincing nature are stated, and particularly if the question was afterwards to be turned against him. Each Member of this House, it is true, is liable to have questions of this kind put into his hands, on which, as connected with pecuniary objects, he is bound to exercise his discretion. I have sometimes had questions of that kind proposed to me, the import of which I afterwards learned. lam certain that the Hon. Member will agree with me,in maintaining that questions which may, if answered by "aye,"raise the price of any articles 20 per cent.: or if by " no," lower it 20 per cent. ought to be carefully considered before proposed. It is decidedly the duty of a Minister not to give an answer to those questions unless he knows the motives on which they are founded to be solely for a public be nefit. I, therefore, have to regret that my Right Ho nourable Friend had not been silent on that occasion, which would, perhaps,.have been the best answer to such a question. I have now removed two of the impediments which were opposed to the full and fair discussion of this point; but the Committee will ad mit that there has been no influence in the Councils of his Majesty!' Ministers, arising, from vacillation on this subjett. I come now to discuss the special proposi tion which I have brought forward. and to one part of which the House has already given its assent.— If I had not every reason to believe that The views of his Majesty's Government on this question were sound, and the consequences such as I am about to detail, probable, I would from thence have any wa vering fixed into certainty, and I hope it - will not be considered an unfair inference, that if I shew what we have already done, and the expectation of what we are about to do, to be producing great good, I may be allowed to anticipate still greater from the consumma tion of our intentions. The account of what we pro posed upon the subject of the corn trade reached Liver pool on Wednesday morning, and on this day there are letters in town, one of which has been put into my hand just before I came down to the House. It is not from any friend of mine, nor an acquaintance, nor a political supporter either of mine, or of my Right Hon. Friend, who succeeded me in the honour of representing that City in this House; but, on the contrary, from a Gen demo decidedly opposed to me in the principles of party. I know him, however, to be a man of high ho nour, unquestioned integrity, and possessing great esti mation as a mercantile character in the city where he resides. In this letter, dated May 3, the writer says, "There has been a . considerable improvement in the trade of Manchester yesterday; but on the intention of Minis ters being known here toliberate the bonded.corn, cotton could not be obtained except at a rise of 5 per cent. and few sellers could be found to part with it at that price. If despondener should follow the present improved feeling, I am certain that nothing can be devised equally calculated to convince the disturbed districts that Go vernment is prepared to do every thing in its power to assist and relieve them." I have seen another letter since I came into the House. It comes from an equ illy respectable quarter; and as it is not addressed either to me or to my Right Hon. Friend neer me (Mr. Hos kisson), and as it is written like the one I have just read, by a person of opposite political sentiments, I trust I may be excused if I read a passage from it. This letter is also dated the Sd of May—" From the moment (says the writer) that it was known to be the in tention of the Ministry to liberate the bonded corn, we have been all alive. The holders of cotton, who have been for some time in a very depressed condition, now begin to look up—and one good effect has already been derived from the contemplated measure in raising the price of that article, which, before, was offered at any price." This is no unsatisfactory proof of the feeling produced in the mercantile world, and of the manner in which the measure recommends itself to the House, and of the way in which it is likely to execute its purpose. There are similar letters from other parts of the country; and I think, therefore, the House, seeing how this measure ope rates, whatever doubts, it might have originally enter tallied on this proposition, may now go to the second with some degree of confidence reflected from the first. But I am quite willing that this measure should stand on its own grounds, and that we eknnot necessarily in fer that the subsequent measure, which stands on dif ferent grounds, should lead to the same end. If, on the one hand, I was of opinion that the present Corn Laws ought to stand unaltered, and brcome the permanent law of the land ; or, on the other hand, that the time for revising them was come,---a time of prevailing distress, of excessive excitement,--I say, if I was prepared to maintain either of these prepositions, my course would,,, certainly he to declane to the I-louse that my Ppitfrns were changed as to the permanent policy of the Corn Laws. But my opinions are not changed, but confirmed ; and the very circumstance which recommends this mea sure to my mind is, that it will furnish the means and opportunity for a deliberate enquiry into the Cora Laws. I have heard no one mention the contrary opinion, that it would not be a great misfortune if the existing Corn laws were to go into full operation. I hold it, indeed, to be one of the peculiar features of this measure, whirr recommends it most strongly to the considera tion of Parliament, that it will guard the country against any consequences which might ensue; if the existing Corn Laws were even to be put in operation. A* yet, we all know that they have been a dead letter;. but I think any man must have taken a very irapiers• fect view, who, in comparing the circumstances ot the present with those of former times, would not look with apprehension on such a state of thing* , as I have been contemplating—(Here, hear). Ao Hon. Baronet upon a former evening wished, mit very fairly, to know what were the circumstances whicirt induced us to do any thing, and asked why these di*c cessions had grown up since the propositions of the Hon. Member for Bridgenorth had been disposed of? To this I answer, that a considerable rise in pri es has since that period taken place, and although I will not go so far as to predict a famine, I must still say, that it is the duty of Parliament to provide against the possible contingency of an unproductive harvest, par ticularly under the circumstances in which the country may be placed during the next three months. Last year, although the harvest was a month earter than usual, the produce was not found sufficient for the consumption. This year it may be a month later, and 'the people be obliged, in the absence of some measure, like that now before the House, to subsist upon its pro duce for fourteen months instead of twelve. In ordinary cases, and under other circumstances, such an evil might, perhaps, be without difficulty averted; but, I ask, whether there is nothing in the present state of the coun try to call for more than ordinary caution and prudence upon the part of his Majesty's Government ?—(Hear.) The very fact that the country will be without a Par liament for many months of the present year would be, in my opinion, alone sufficient to justify such caution. I repeat, however, that I do not by any means wish it to be understood that I am predicting misfortunes, which, I am well aware, may not, and which, I trust to Gou, will not, occur. A fortnight of mild weather and west wind may insure us such a harvest as will render unnecessary all the precautions which we are now taking'. I maintain, however, that it is as much the duty of Government to provide against a possible, as a probable contingency. It cannot have escaped the recollection of Gentlemen, that in the year 1816 the prospect of a favourable harvest was changed in the course of a single night, and that the promise of the Monday was totally blighted on the Wednesday.— Are we then, with such experience of she past, and with such a prospect before us, to be deterred by the paltry charge of a vacillating mind, or varying councils, to. sit down, seeing all this, and so. do nothing? Would' it not shew a base dereliction of principles, if, with the knowledge of these facts, we were—because the:e had been, for the last few days, some circumstances of a more mitigated character, but which the slightest rumour of a bad harvest would put to flight—to avoid taking those measures of prevention which a wise kre. sight renders justifiable. But it has been also objected by the opponents of the present measure, that it is unne cessary, because his Majesty's Ministers already possess the power ordoing that which they call upon Parliament to sanction. I am willing.to grant that we do constitu. tionally possess that power if we choose to exercise it, but I will ask Hon. Members to look back with me to the his tory of the last century, and say whether there is not one instance during that period, which may act as a warning, if not for an example, to the Ministers of the present day. In the year 1766, the great Lord Chatham was at the head of the administration of this country, and with him Lord Camden, the most popular lawyer this country ever saw, was associated. For a few months nothing could be more popular than their Government.. A change of circumstances however arrived, and during a period of distress, they were induced! to take a step, , which, however it might be palliated or justified upon the principle of the salon midi, was notwithstand ing illegal. Actuated by a similar motive. they introduced a Measure which was the converse of that now before the House; for they prohibited, by an Order in Council, the exporta'ion, while we are very desirous to admit the importation of grain.— When Parliament met, the most violent debates rook place on this subject, and although all parties admitted the justice and expediency of the measure, still there were many who maintained that Ministers were deserv ing of censure and liable to punishment, because they had acted precipitately and without a due regard to their duty, in taking such a step without having ob. . tained the previous sanction of Parliament. (Hear.) Here, then, is a warping to us; and though the circumstances were not quite the Same, are we, after this, to be blamed, because we do not think our course sufficiently secure without subjecting it to the approbation of Parliament? (Hear). There are Gentlemen who say we have not done right to come before Parliament, and that we' ought to wait the possibility of any contingency which, might happen, and then act upon our unaided di_cretion. : , They say to us, " Let them go on—let the c :cunt.; ' stances arise—then use the power of the Crown in the emergency, and come down to us for a Bill of bikes nity. •—(Heer, hear!)—lf then, I ask, those circum stances had happened, and we, relying upon the pre cedent before us, had exercised this power—would this Bill of Indernity, I ask, have been readily granted?-.. (Hear, hear.) Who that has witnessed the spirit its which we have been catechised here for the mere at tempt to ask for that power, can say so ?—(Cheers.)— It requires rather an extraordinary measure of credulity to believe that those, who now refuse to grant us that which we ask, would, if we chose not to consult them, be willing to concede it to us, without investigation, as a matter of right—(hear)—that those who now refuse to cooperate with us, when the circumstances of the country appear to call so loudly for our interference— whe,when famine is stalking through the land, and want. has seized upon our manufacturers, can say, that w Ant and corn have no connexion —()rear, hear)—would,if we acted upon our own responsibility, immediately cease their opposition. To believe that such would be the result of an opposite line of conduct from that which we are pursuing, would be, indeed, a species of madness ; as it would be a proof that we imagined ourselves exempt from the fate which has awAited gtealer mein than we can pretend to be—a fats which we should de serve if we presumed, with oar eyes open, to-do an act wbich we know, however justifiable it may be in the case to which I have alluded, would id ours be clearly r - p!kx,.ai