The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1826-05-06 00:00:00

b e ef the dlonday were blighted on the Wednesday. That 11 " 1° „„„e re e en late in the year as the month of Jun e . Th e G overn . e"e - matt , was Ito:ever charged with vacillation, hut th oug h he har m that a good harvest would pat to flight all ap. I..ewe on the subject, he was of opinion that a wise pee- hould be prepared against the ea They sus ty . oevernment s g in look to the Corn Laws as a remedy. but as a danger. In wrenas at the head of . t he Ministr y, r ee i e t Eatl of C h at h am . w , and that b ei m the Earl of Camden, presided an the House of lends. ty e , was there a more popular Administration in the country. But mo t the errs of Parliament there conic a f amine, and those f Ministers encountered the most violent censure, be r tr f " I' adopted • .measures similar to those which now • pea they had &t oed for the Ministers particular powers of counteracting such asix • me l e e as might occur. The delicacy and danger incident to t :est:Cele of those powers seemed not to be undermeml. The popular 31inieterso' whom he hail spoken, when the d i ffi cu l ty eri .4 e e tl, consulted the rotas pppufi, and adopted measures the con- He se of the present proposition. They proceeded to stop the ex. pets Sin of the corn of the country, while i t w es the object a t pre sent to allow th e Import it ion. T he pr i ncip le of both measu res was the sa me—tu provide against the exigency. What was the conee pence of their proceeding ? When the Parliament assembled, the ee ,„t violent debates ensued. in condemnation of the step which h a d been taken. Though all admitted the necessity of the me,. precipitancy of its adop. sure, they nevertheless blamed the min. The most virulent diecues.ons followed, and the severest cert. e ns were Indulged in against the two most popular Ministers that the country ever beheld. The blame in that ease was grounded is the fact of their having anticipated the sanction of Parliament at e t ime against the sudden exigencies of which they could not have been reasonably expected to provide: yet they did not escape. If then such was the consequence in that instance, how much more would the present Government be reprobated, fur neglecting to unripe te the occurrence of such emergencies as they, under the reasons which now existed, would be charged with having neglected to planl against. flow forcibly would it then be represented that they had sufficient forewarning of the coming storm, and that it was their own fault not to have appealed to Parliament for its saaetion. Another objection to the proposed measure is, that the necessity should first exist for the exercise. and that then the Ilinistets might look for indemnity. (Hear, hear, hear.) hut it to be summed that Gentlemen who objected to the giving Odle sanction of Parliament to the exercise of that power would be etelined to indulge the Ministers with an indemnity for the acts which they had ventured to do without requiring the sanction of Parliament in the first instance? (Hear.) No; they would un doubtedly begin to catechise, and to ask if there were no warnings before the close of the Parliament, to indicate the probability of each as emergencyits Lad occurred ? Were not the prices regularly ming? (Cheers.) Such, undoubtedly, would be the nature of the objections, and Gentlemen would Insist on the want of foresight evinced by those Ministers who had despised the signs of the coin. ing storm. It would be a dangerous experiment with the example of the two pcpular Ministers of former days before their eyes. The fate of those men, to equal whose merits lie and his colleagues could not aspire, was sufficient to deter him from pursuing a Mini. Leonine. It would then have been said that they ought to have hot recourse to the very measure for which they were now blamed. tehy, it would be asked, did they not apply to Parliament to sanction the use of their discretion ? The best way to avoid such consequences appears to apply, in anticipation of the cootisgnmy Mr that sanction. They would then avoid the charge of setting the Parliament at defiance. Ir the Parliament should refuse, the time may come when they should be obliged to ask for indemnity—but they would not do so on their own responsibility, bat on the responsibility of those who wished them to act without it. But if the power were given, the difference wuuld only be that they would be acting with the discretion of Parliament, and not on their own. And if the case should occur in the six weeks before Parliament met, it should never be objected that they preferred the exercise of the discretion of the Crown without the unction of Par liement. The argument against the measure was that the power existed, and the difference of the present and the former ease was, that the present .31inis:ry had the power of applying what Lord Chatham and Lord Camden did not possess. They should not, therefore, permit themselves to be seduced by the false lustre of the example of their probeesure in o ffi ce. The little difference to which he had adverted would be pointed out to the prejudice of the present Ministry. The persons who refused to give the power would be to blame. If any gentleman in the discussion of the Corn Laws had said that they ought to be in the fullest operation he might be in clined to waver; but that was not the fact, for if the difficulty were to occur, no one would nay it ought to continue for three month s . It was foe the good of the agriculturists, and for the purpose of postponing the discussion of the general question tall next Session, that the present mode was adopted. (Hear, hear.) The same reason influenced the suggestion of the other measure respecting the banded corn. The measure was proper as a sanction for that responsible discretion which was desirable to exist in the Crown in cows of emergency. The resolution which he should propose was of the following purport : The Right Hon. Gentleman then read the resolution, *".fliat it is the opinion of the Committee that it is elpedicit to empower his Majesty, by an eider or orders of his Ma. Int, in Council, to permisunder certain regulutiotus,and for a time to be limited, the entry, for home-consumption, of an additional mantite of foreign corn, meal, or flour, subject to the duties which say he imposed by any Act to be pseud in this Session of Pau la. men:." The mode of executing that object was therefore, first, the imposition of a duty ; second, restriction of price; and third, llamado" of quantity. When the question was brought forward the other night, the duty was made 12a. To that specification of a sum many of his friends were averse, and agreed with lion. Gentlemen opposite that it was itnprudent to fix a settled duty. Others objected to assuming any duty as a maximum. Ile per. belly agreed in thinking that it was wrong to specif) , any rate, be. anise it would tend to establish an opinion that such was to he the standard foe future regulations of the Corn Laws. As to the price, an lion. Gentleman had supposed that 655. ought to be the rule at pretest ; but the appointment of any such price was liable to the some objection as the former case, for it created a popular impres sion that the price would never exceed that amount, which was oily prescribed, in reality, for temporary purposes. It was better not to encourage such kind of delusions, but to leave the adjust ment of those matters to a discretion regulated by the state of the gauntry. As so the third point, which regarded the limitation o f comity. It was supposed that Ministers wanted to get rid of the Corn Laws by aside-wind ; that opinion was not correct, and this limitmian was a sufficient proof, for the duty and the price might be raised to meet an exigency of short duration, without affecting the future relations of the Corn Law,. But there wen a great dif. ference in respect to the quantity, which, if unlimited, might ope. toe in a different manner, and extend the temporary effects of the o her two brioches of the measure unreasonably, thereby affecting the intended discussion of the general question during the ensuing Session of Parliament. The rule of quantity wee certainly in some' respects arbitrary, because it depended to future contiegencies ; but it was deemed right to adopt a certain amount, and permission was therefore required for the Importation of so much in addition to what was already bonded, as would make the whole 500,000 quarters. The intended mode of eperatien was, that the additional quantity should be brought in to supply the deficiency caused by clearing out what had been in the hooded ware'muses. The Right Honourable Gentleman then proceeded to read the particulars of the Bill, which accorded sith the explanation already given as to the disposal of the corn which has been already bonded on the 2d of May In the first in. ranee, and the limitation of the quantity to the total of eOO.OOO quitters, ai d cf tne time to two months, and also the provisions as to duty and prices. The Right lion. Gentleman then repeated his nines for not making any specification of duty or price, as it wen preferable to leave s u ch p o i n t s to di scret i on , if the exi gency of the ca se s h ou ld require the danger of famine to be met by the propose{ mode. lie hoped that the elitege of keeping bad faith with the country would not he Resisted on after the explanation which he had given of the melees wheel induced Ministers to adopt the expedient. They thought it the more prudent course to guard against contingencies. !huh might, indeed, be remote. b"t yet required to be provided rue. Redid not apprehend that the danger was probable, and he baited it would never occur to call the measure into action, but he mimed that the country weuld feel that the Government on the Prili/U OCCaliOn. as well as on the liberation of the bonded corn, els infleenced in its conduce by a regard to the happiness and wel. Goof the community. (Cheers.) The Resol ut i on wax then put by the Chairman. Mr. C. WILSON hoped that, on a question so deeply ineol 1 `g the interests of the country, an humble country gentleman like ,Itneelf might request the attention of the notlse for a few minutes. teard He did'not agree with the principle p ro po se d b y th e lio uell urable 31e:tiller for Bridgnorth (31 r . Whi tmore). b ut a l t h oug h . w might be mistaken in his views on the general policy of the Corn tw ee* s he had no doubt as to the policy of the temporary measures ~ommended. It was • question of life or deals (Hear.) The 4 ,11, !1tY of von in th e critintry wee generally believed not to be very large, and if t h e measures recommended by Ministers were h4t adopted, the eteatast distress might cuter. It, upon calm con. V. a eralion. he (31r. %Vilma) thought the measures proposed by the non. Member foe Bridgnorth beneficial, they would have his pup. Pen in or out of the House; but that was not the question. at 11)::rena Plain The present question was one of immediam pressure. Country gentleman, he might be under the necessity of returning to the simple food used by his ancestors, but it was not for turn to look to the amount of this year's revenue, or to his own tn toosuotion of the luxuries of life, even those which ,he habits of et_y bad Tads n ecessary ; he felt it better became him to look to the state of the poor and of the country. In his view the proposed measures were well calculated to allevia , e e present distress; and, elder this impression, the pro"'" ition of the Right Hon. Secretary (Mr. C a n n i ng ) h a d his cordial support. Secretary hit T. LETHBRIDGE said, that although the Right Hon. for Foreign Affairs had stated his proposition in his meal abheand fascinating manner, he saw the subject in a dif ferent Point of view. Perhaps he w find himself in a great u ati t i i n s or fiw ite tti in_hi s opinio n , b ut h e conf es sed be was not thoroughly that a ease had been made out. There were no facts to e. r i i heee PP er t were the n e o rohabili . ty_on which the proposition was founded. Lie opinion t . e tre:ono' for the expected calamity of a famine. In h as no p robability of any such calamity during - left had come down to ask for t putter which hail been describ ed ", the Resolution. Ile was convinced that the probability upon which the p roposition was founded was most remote. lie was not ' T ' ll 3• fictl e i erefore, to grant th e . power demanded by Ministers. ;1 1 . ty of corn to be whintied was left to the discretion of elesee's Ministers: 5 00,0011 qtiartere, the Right Hon. Gen tlemen stated, might be admitted it the discretion of Ministers, t , id w n u ot until corn had risen t o w h at might be called a famine price. would not easy to determine what t h e Right lion. Gentleman call a famine price, but he seemed to say that Ministers amid act upon the discretion which they asked to be given them, *NM corn rose to GA.' the quarter. blitaismie ought not, however, to hold out to the country that a quarter was a famine price. If such was their doetrine, it was very opposite to what had been pre viously maintained and acted upon. The power of Ministers was limited, then, to the admission of 500,000 quarters, which, added to the quantity now abret to be let out of bond, would mak- very near one million quarters. lie calculated that there were 4;10.000 quarters in bond, which would be let nut at the low ditty of 12.. This was a very large quentity. The only co nso l a t ory purist in the Right Hon. Gentlemen's statement was that the power aeked by Cayernment was to be limited se to the quantity of corn to be admitted. Ile confessed that he did not entertain so strong al objection to such a proposition, at if the quantity was to be unlimited, which was what he at first apprehended. But whilst he freely admitted this, he thought it his duty to state, that his objection to the principle of the proposed measure was in no de gree diminished. If 5410.01t0 quarters were admitted, such • measure won'd be looked upon es a precedent, and he feared would produce the most injurious effects on the agricultural interest. On future occasions the duty of 12e. would be thought sufficient, because such was the duty upon which it was now proposed to admit it. The Right lion. Secretary (Mr. Canning) had gone far back—he had gone so far as the days of hoed Chatham and Earl Camden, but he (Sir T. Lethbridge) asked, was not the state of the agri cultural interest in the year 17fiti, and its present state, materially different ? Was there any thing like warehouse corn then in the country? The teasiming on the present proposition was utterly unfounded. There was no approach to any thing like a famine ; it was a grievous fallacy, and there was no serious pro. 'eet of that calamity on which the Right lion. Gentleman grounded his proposition. If the Government were in poseesnion of any information that would lend to such a conclusion, it was the duty of Ministers to lay that information before the House. The Right Hon. Gentleman founded his measure upon the possibility of a remote danger. The Right lion. Secretary's arguments were not conclusive to his (Sir T. Lethbridge's) mind, and he would not allow himself to be carried away by the authority of the Right lion. Gentleman. He must say he coneideree that this measure involved the question of the Corn Laws. lie thought it would be the last time there would he an opportunity of contending the the principle of those laws. The 12e. duty would he acted on in future as a precedent, and the real protection deserved front the Corn Laws would be at an end. Mr. PORTMAN said he had opposed the first proposition of the Right lion. Gentleman, upon the ground that his Majesty's Government asked for a discretionary power for which they had not shewn a sufficient necessity. lie did not see how that measure would affect the present distress, which was not attributable to the price of corn or provisions, but to the want of employment (hear), which arose out of the want of credit. (Hear.) His opinion on the first of the Right lion. Gentleman's propositions remained unaltered, but he fairly confessed that his views were altered on the measure now proposed. Himself an agriculturist, and a re. presentative of agriculturists, again desiring to be elected as the representative of a county (Dorset) exchistively agricultural, he was not prepared to take upon himself, nor upon the agricultural interest, the heavy responsibility which was so forcibly pointedout by the Right lion. Gentleman. Ile thought it right that the Government of the country should be responsible for such a measure, and he would now throw on Ministers the responsibility which the Right lion. Gentleman wished to throw upon the coun try gentlemen. Ile would say to Ministers, if they slid injury to the agricultural interest, be it on them. (Hear, from the Treasury Bench.) it was said that the price of corn might rise to a dangerous extent. In expressing such an opinion, he thought Ministers had done much to unsettle the agricultural interest. The Right lion. Gentleman said that he did not mean to gabble with the Corn Laws but he (Mr. Portman) was fully prepa re d t o state , I n t h e face Of the House, and of the county he represented, that when the proposition was pressed lie should be anxious to go into the con sideration of the ('urn Laws, the more so now when it was alleged that those laws were dangerous and insufficient for their purpose. He was one of those who thought that whenever the question was brought forward it should be discussed calmly, temperately, and under the responsibility of his Majesty's Government. Mr. 11. SUMNER was convinced that the arguments of the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Secretary Canning) were totally un founded. The Right Hon. Secretary thought, only 18 days ago, that there was no necessity for any alteration in the Corn Laws, and he asked what had since occurred ? lied there been a blight within those 18 days? The Right lion. Gentleman said, that on • former period there was a most promising ',ammo.' the Monday, and on a Wednesday the hope of the country was blighted. Had any such thing occurred on the present occasion ? Were not things now precisely in the same situation as when the lion. Member for Bridgnorth (Mr. Wnitreore) made his motion; The distress then prevailed in the manufacturing districts, and if those whom it pressed were driven to outrage, it was not in 'avow of Government that they did not interfere earlier. On the 18th April his Majesty's Ministers saw no necessity for interference; there was no distress then—no want of corn. On the 4th May, however, they came down saying they were all wrung—that there was great distrees— that there might be a famine. Such a course was calculated to pro duce the greatest injury. What could be more injurious than the Right Honourable Secretary to state in the House of Commons that there may be a famine before October? The Honourable Member for i)nrsetshire (Mr. Portman), said he shrunk from the responsibility of refusing Ministers the discretionary power they demanded. lie (Mr. H.Suniner; had no difficulty in taking his share of that responsibility. (Hear.) His information led him to believe that the upply of corn in the country was quite ample to meet all demands through the season. The Right Hon. Secretary had pro duced no document to prove the contrary. Ile (Mr. IL Sumner) therefore thought himself justified in relying on the information he had received. It was said that the manufacturers were starving and in want. They were in want, not of food, but of employment. If corn was only Is. a quartet it would be no advantage to the manu facturers if they had not money to purchase it. The conduct of Ministers tended exactly to that which they ought to have avoided, bringing the agricultural and menufactoring interests into collision. The present high price of corn had teen alluded to ; fees. was the present price, and he contended that it could not be grown and sold throughout the kingdom at a less price. The Corn Laws ought to have been brought on last year, and es Ministers neglected it then, they ought to hate brought on the question this Session. It was his opinion that Government was not disposed to give the egricul turabets sufficient protection, and that with open ports the agricul tural interests could not enjoy success. Twit the ports should be closed whilst corn was below a certain price, seemed a sine qua non to agriculture continuing a successful pursuit. As to the diffi culty apprehended from the want of a Parliament, he did not see why a Parliament should not be brought together in six weeks, if it was thought necessary. Mr. Secretary PEEL said he had never come to any discussion In which he had felt a deeper interest. In the first place, he begged to express his entire concurrence in all that lied fallen from his Right lion. Friend (Mr. Canning). lie thought it his duty also to remark, that if he was again called upon t i vote upon the mo tion of the Hon. Member for Bridgnorth, he would again come to precisely the same decision. (llear.) If this were the Illth of April, and he could be gifted with the power of foreseeing all that had RUbscquently occurred—with all the benefits of experience, fore seeing the charge of inconsistency and vacillation, with a view of waiting for a calm and dispassionate decision, he would vote against the proposition of his lion. Friend for entering into the question of the Corn Laws in the present Session, (Hear.) There could be nothing more unfounded than the charge of inconsistency. The proposition before the House was made, not because it was a season of dearth or famine, but because it was a period of great pressure. Under such circumstances a contingency might arise, in which it would be necessary to exercise the discretion with which his Ma jesty's Ministers desired to be invested. in order to prevent addl. tionel inconvenience. His Hon. Friend the Member for Dorset. shire (Mr. Portman), whom he had heard with great pleasure, said that he cast back the responsibility of the proposed measures on his Majesty's Ministers. They were willing to accept that responsibility, it was proper that the effect of those propositions should fall upon his Majesty's Ministry. His Right lion. Friend (Mr. Canning) had only said, that if the House refused th e di scret i onary power which Ministers called upon them to grant, the responsibility wo ild fall upon thine who rsfesed, and not upon his Sisjeety .Inters. But should the lh oar agree to the propositions of his RI ht Hon. Friend, the responsibility would rest in the place wh re it ought to rest, upon the Executive Government. His Hot. Friend the Member for Surrey (Mr. 11. Sumner) charged the too ernment with Teti It in, because they had negatived the me. do i or the lion. Alemb:r for Bridgnorth ; but where was the con * cony of the Her. Gentleman himself? Did he not vote against the discussion of the question of the Corn haws ? Nrhen it was proposed last year, for the benefit of the agriculturists, to let out a certain quantity of the bonded corn to prevent the introduction of fereign corn, did the lion. Gent. oppose that measure P He appealed to that fairness which he knew the Country Gentlemen to possess, whether, if they wet e willing on a former occa s ion to prevent a rise which Would bring foreign corn into competition, by letting out the corn in bond. they should not now consent to similar measures, whicle was intended to afford relief to another interest, labouring under a heavy pressure P As to the charge that it was intended to press upon the agefeultutal interest--upon an occasion like the present private interests were of little importance; but he might be allowed to say, that no man was more closely connected with the agricul. turd interest than he was. ( Hear.) lie merely observed this, to show that lie did not speak under any undue influence. In objection to the proposed measure, it was said that there was no use in lowering the mice of corn, because there was not money to purchase it at any price. This was assuming that there were ttone to purchase it, but those abounding in wealth and 'lime in the extreme of po verty. This was leaving out of view the intermediate class. But it was absurd even to say that those who were deprived of the power of purchasing, would receive no immediate advantage from u di minution of the price. Could this bessid of the ten or twelve or I I 000 persons who were no supported by the contributions of ti.e affluent ? And if a fall in the price had the effect of enabling an additional quantity to be purchased, out of the contributions. enulul it be maintained that the proposed measure would be productive of no advantage to the suffering manufacturers ? There could not be more miserable eophistty than such an assertion. But the amount of the distress was doubted. He would rather rely on the feelings of the. House than enter on a detail of the melancholy recto. lie presumed that every Member was acquainted with those facts, through the instrumentality of the daily press. Under such eircutustunees, he could not see any reasonable objection to glen,. • discretionary power to Government to admit 600,04 quarters, in cane of necessity. It was pad by one Honourable Ciendenten (Sir Thomas Lethbridge) that he apprehended that the proposed duty of 12s. would be assumed to be sufficient on all future occasions, and acted upon as a precedent. In the measure oflsst year • duty of 10.4. was deemed sufficient, but that precedent was not now proposed to be acted upon. Even as a temporary measure, the former rate of duty waanot assumed; and this was the best assurance that the duty now proposed would not prejudice any future proceedings which might be necessary. But the Hon. Gentleinaa wee alarmed because ii was proposed to adutit 00,600 quarters. The Hon. Gentleman, however, would find that it was not absolutely necessnry that sn large a quantity should be ad mitted. According to the I:mom of the resolution. if 210.000 quarters. or 100.000, or even 50 not quarters, were lotted sufficient for the public Exigency, there was no obligation to admit 500.0010 quarters: that was the maximum, hot the power demanded by Government would not be exercised to that extent, except in case of necessity. There was one ot h er c i rcumstance referred to, upon which he felt himself called upon to make sonic observations. it was said that Parliament should make no 'Nance shin to an In. furiated snob. There was no man less disposed than he was to make concessions to any mob, however powerful--no man more likely to counsel resistance to tiniest demands. But there were two kinds of courage : the one was the coot ige to refuse unjust demands; and the other description of courage was the courage to do right, and disregerd imputations of pu sillani ... ity. (Hear, hear, hum) With the conviction that they had done right, they might laugh at thetnissuided violence of a mob. A mob was nothing. ((fear.) There was • force-- a moral energy in the enuntry, which would instantly crush the spirit of outrage. No doubt the distreming occurrence, in the ma nufacturing districts had been greatly overrated. Ile had seen in the papers that applications hid been made to hint months ago for military assistance, and It was insinuated that there was an inertness on the part of Government. There could be no impute. lions more utterly unfounded. So far from any supineness on the part of Government, foreseeing that distress might produce outrage, he had taken the precaution of doubling the military force in the northern district. It was d ou bl e w h at i t h a d been hint ear or in the beginning of this. This precaution had been taken without any requisition having been made to him from the local authorities, as had been erroneously stated, and, in addition en this precaution, made without any implication ; It could add, that no application had been made which was not instantly acceded to. He thought it necessary to make these observations in answer to the insinuations thrown out against Government. It so happened that a very few persons had the power of doing a vast deal of mischief by destroying power looms. These machine s wer e ma d e o f camte i ron, and one hundred or one hundred and fitly persons might do an infinite deal of mischief before the military could arrive to defend the property. lie hoped lie could persuade the House that there was no dapger that the paining their measure would be imputed to fear. Govern ment would exert all its energy to repress excesses and to punish offenders—at the mine time it wax their duty to view with the greatest possible lenience the impatience of those who were driven by diary's. lie hoped the House would not be deterred because riots existed in some parts of the country, but would be bold enough to pass this measure, and to despise the paltry clamours which might ensue. His H n. Friend had said that the effect of this measure would be the increase of the poor rates, but lowering the price of agricultural product was more likely to have the con trary effect. lie thought he could easily show that the admission of toreign corn would tend to reduce the amount of the poor rates He did not know whether he ought to read documents which illus. orated the dependence of the poor rates on the price of corn. lie believed that most perishes !would regard the repeal of the Corn Laws as the greatest poesible blessing. The Hon. Member fur Somerset had said that Ministers sought to persuade the !loose, without any statement of facts; but what Ministers said was, that circumstances might occur which would make it advisable for Mi. nisters to have a discretionary power of admitting corn ; a demand which did not require any statement of fact*, yet the case was not so denuded of facts as was supposed. He held in his hinted an ac. count of the prices of various articles in the peseta year, compared with the prices from which they recently fell ; and it would be at once seen that wheat maintained its price in a remarkable manner, compared with other articles. In the year 1825, the price of cotton was from 94d. to 10d.; to 1826 it was from cad. to 5d.; in 1823, Pernambuco was front 19.1. to 201 ; in 11126, horn 10,1. to I Id. Coffee in 1825 was from 84s. to 865.; in 1826 it was from 48s. to 52*. Sugar in 1825 was 705.; it was now only ft2s. Rum was last year 2s. 2tl. per gallon ;it was now Is. lid. Tallow in 1825 was 415.; in 1828 only 321. But wheat, which was at 664. last year, was now at 605.; and oats, which were at 255. 7d. were now at 235. 71 The comparative high price of corn was sufficient to show that some circumstances operated to make it less abundant than was desirable. But the present measure was not a repeal of the Corn I.swn, but only a temporary removal of the inconveniences resulting from them. By those laws foreign corn could riot be admitted until after striking the average, and if the average amounted to eighty shilling., it might be intro. duced; but in the interval before striking the general average, the price of corn might rise to any sum. He thought he saw that his Honourable Friend the Member for Taunton intimated by his change of place, that he would insist on going into the general qnestion of the Corn Laws. It an amendment were made to go into the general question, he (Mr. Peel) was ready to vindicate the conduct of Alit:lacers. He had already declared, that he entertained the same opinion now as on the RI th of April, lie thought, however, that the present measure would insure a fair and impartial discussion of the important question of the Corn Laws, which was to come on in the next SCIMICIII ; but the House had clearly already by a large majority that th e p resent was an improper tune to consider the general question of the Corn Laws. his Right Honourable Friend had gone most completely through the constitutional arguments; and it' there was a right to carry the measure, it ought certainly to be admitted that the present was a tit juncture to put the right in practice. His lion. Friend, We Member for Surrey, had said, that the transactions In 1766 were nut in point ; but lie (51r.P.) found that all the circumstances of the two periods were exactly similar: the Minieters of the day had used their authority .and had admitted foreign corn,and in the followingNovem her the King's speech to Parliament was such as lie conceived might suit his present Majesty, if he were to address his Parliament in No. vember next. The speech stated that the high prices of wheat and other grain had occasioned the severest dissress, in consequence of which lie had been obliged to call Parliament together ; it then stated that urgent necessity had compelled his Majesty to make use of his Royal authority, and to lay an embargo on the expor tation of wheat until Parliament should be assembled. If Pia_ Itament were now treated with such disrespect by ;Ministers, the latter would, he had no doubt, be threatened with impeachment. It was not characteristic of a moderate Minister to resort to prero. gative without imperious necessity; it was better to consult Par liament in the first instance, than to be afterwards obliged to take refuge in prerogative. In support of his opinion he could adduce th e testimony of Lord Minefield. The Right lion. Gentleman then proceeded to read an exstract from a speech of Lord Mansfield, which deprecated the rash use of the prerogative without law ; it was a boldness always prejudicial to the country. That was the edge which cut an sharp as to be insupportable, the rock on which the State bad so often dashed; it was that which had cost one prince his crown and another his head. It was a power, the cxer cise of which stood branded in that charter of our liberties, the Bill of Rights. Ministers ought not to be afraid; but the prerogative was a power the exercise of which rendered them unfit fur the peo ple, and for the King. He loved a bold Minister; but his bold neas ought to find a fit place, and the enemies of his country were the only proper objects of his boldness. But the power which Ministers now asked, was one which might be sarcly exercised, if it were, the immediate effect of it would he the relief of distress; perhaps it might not .be used at all, and perhaps only partially; but he would say as a friend to agriculture, that he deprecated every thing which tended to prejudice the free discussion of a goes tion, which must next year come before the Ilnuse, to make a per. manant arrangement for the importation of foreign corn. Mr. H. SUM NER explained in a few words. Lord ALTHORP thought that the reasons assigned by the Right lion. Gentleman who introduced the measure, to explain his change of sentiments since the 18th of April, were by no mutes ea. tisfactory. !le did not approve of a measure which interfered obliquely with the Corn Laws, and which would leave it in the power of Ministers to alter the value of p r oduc e at th e i r discret ion. Colonel DAVIES said, that although anxious to seethe Corn Laws repealed, tied better laws substituted in their place, yet he could not approve of the manner in which the present measure had been brought forward. nor of the discretionary power with stitch it invested Ministers. He der ied the connexion between the distress of the people and the prices of corn, as well as the inference which had been drawn from the relative fluctuations of corn and other are ticles of trade. 31r. BENETT admitted that the question had been argued with much skill on the part of Government ; but dust, he thought, had been thrown in the eyes of the country Gentlemen, in order that advantage might be taken of their blindness. It was true that wheat had fallen during the last year only 7s. per quarter; but when it was considered that two-thirds of our cotton was exported, it would be evident that too argument could be formed on the rela tive fluctuations of the two snider. On the other hand, he found that the rise of prices of almost all articles of trade since 1792, exceeded that of wheat ; the rise in the price of wine was 140 per cent, in livery cloth 80 per cent., in carriages 109 per cent. But during the same period the rise in the price of day-labour was not more than 13 or 14 per cent.; the price of day-labour seemed to keep pace with the price of wheat, and the comparative price of the latter was not at present so high as in 1792. Sir W. W. WYNN rose to support the measure. Ile trusted that the admission of 600,000 quarters of wheat would afford im mediate relief, and allow trade to resume its wonted channels in tranquillity. Mr. W. WIII TMORE defended the course he had taken on a former night. Ile had felt the same apprehensions which now ac tuated Ministers, and hail stated them to one of the Right lion. Gentlemen. When he considered the inconsistency of the Right Him. Gentleman, he was lost in aniszemtnt. The present Inca- sure would cause, he feared, an alarm to the agricultural body, which would not have been occasioned by the discussion of the question when he (Mr. Whitmore) had brought forward his mo tion. Ile trusted that 3linisters would give an account of their plans and intentions before the measure was finally earned. Such an explicit declaration from 31iiiisters would contribute much to allay the ferment of alarm. lie lamented deeply that the measure had not been carried at an earlier stage of the Session, and that ir quiry and discussion hal not preceded its passing into a law. Such a course would 1111 V.: been more desirable as regarded the people at large, as well as the agricultural interests. Lord M I LTON stud lie did not intend to oppose the measure at the present lunge. lie thought the Flom Baronet (the 3lember for Somersetshire) had some sort of complaint at the manner in which the measures had been introduced to Parliament. They had been , introduced without suthcient consideration. Ilia object always wen to draw lion. Gentlemen to a consideration of the Corn Laws, before they should come to a conclusion. It had been stated that those measures would have the effect of emptying foreign ware houses of corn ; they v out 1 also hare the effect of emptying the warehouses of Lallflllllllt Of the cotton goods which were now stowed in them. They would have the effect of reducing the prices of corn, but they would also have countervailing advantages. li e would still hail the present measure as a minor proposition, hoping that at a future Session something more eflectual slid permanent would replace it. At the same time he must again repeat, that he , wished in see the question net at rent this Session, as It would serve to miler the public mind, and to put tin end to all uncertainty. Mr. CA Lunn FT mid that he, anti those Ore Hem" who were opposed to the measures of the Right Hun. Secretary, had been charged with a pertinacious opposition to Government ; but it now appeared that Government had thought it necassary to modify done propositimis. He declared that no Interest, public or private, would induce him front opposing wkit be thought would nut be fur the benefit of the community. He concluded by saying, that he hoped on a futon- occasion not to be obliged to oppose the motion. Cul. TRENCH contended that the intereets of Ireland were deeply affecoeti by the proposed change in the Corn Irma. Mr. T. WILSON rose amidst loud cries of" Question !" We understood hint to support the measure. Sir E. KNATCHBULL said his only moth* in rising was to express hi a h ope t h at , i n t h e present temper of the House, the ' question might not be pressed to a division. Mr. H. SUMNER said he wished to ascertain what would be the rel,tive duty cm corn and flour in futon. .1 r. Secretary CANNING said that there was no intention of increasing the duty beyond •hat the present Act prescribed. The gallery was then cleared for a division, but none took place. The resolution was consequently agreed to, and the House palmed to the other Orders of the Day. The Registration sal Aliens Bill was read a third time and passed. The Prisms in Ireland 11111 was brought up. Mr. SPRING RICE objected to the clause In the Bill which tended to increase the salary of the Inspector of Prisons from 7391. to 1301)1., and moved as an amendment that the words 10001. should be substituted instead of 13001. Mr. 111 1 31 E observed that he had not been aware of the exist ence of this clause in the Bill, or he certainly would not have allowed it to proceed to a third reading without giving it his de , cider! opposition. Nothing could be more improper than thus to increase the public burdens, when economy ought to be the order of ' the day in all departments. Ministers, by this measure. seemed to triply that the gentlemen who had previously held this sitiation had not properly discharged its duties, and that on this acconnt it was necessary to get persons at a larger salary, more Etted to perform it. Ile was confident, on the contrary, that the gentlemen who had discharged the office for 7501. a year, would du it as well as those whom it was proposed to employ at the sum of 1.300/. He should therefore, even in this stage, take time sense oldie House on the subject. Ile was sorry to see that the Chancellor of the Ex. chequer was absent, as usual, when any Irish question itas dis cussed, and had left the whole weight of the debete on the Right Hon. Gentlentan (Mr. Goulburn). It certainly was the duty cf the Chancellor of the Exchequer to attend to such discussictis, even when they were confined to Ireland. Mr. GOULBURN replied to these observations. They ought not to consider at what rate it would be possible to procures person who would discharge the duties of Inspector of Prisons, but what awn would he a fair remuneration for one who would have a duty of so great importance to perform —a duty which was in many cases extremely invidious, and which could not be performed without sub mitting to many disagreeable circumstances--n duty, too, which, in order to discharge it effectual ly,req uired that the person should be on terms of intimacy with the gentlemen in the quarter of the country with which he was connected, and that he should be capable, by his influence and representations, of carrying many points of im portance, which could be carried in no other way with that descrip. (ion of persons. It was necessary, for this purpose, to give the gentleman who held this situation a salary which would place him in a situation in some degree equal to that of the persons with whom he would an frequently come In contact. It was a mistake to say that the salary was increased to thirteen hundred pounds. This salary included an allowance of 5(101. for certain contingent accounts, in the shape of travelling expenses, stationery, &c., which were formerly delivered separately, but were now, for greater convenience, thrown Into one sum, which did not exceed the ave rage amount of these contingent expenses. Mr. HUME said it had been argued that the additional salary proposed was merely fur the purpose of clearing those contingent expenses, which, in the present state of things, were paid In sepa rate accounts; but no statement of the amount of these accounts had been given on which it was possible to form an estimate of the amount which would be required. The expense which would thus be incurred was so considerable, and it was incurred at a time when economy was so imperative in all departments, that he was determined to divide the Ilouse, if he should divide alone upon the occasion. It was the grossest job which had been attempted this Session. always excepting one. Mr. GOULBL'RN observed, that the sum which it was pro posed to grant in the shape of salary was only 8001. a year. As for the other items, of travelling expenses, &c., which it was usual for. trimly to pay separately, it was prop osed now to pay them in one sum; and the Hon. Gentleman ought not to complain, as he would be enabled to throw all the blame of the expenses upon hire (3lr. Goulburn) in consequence of this arrangement. After a few observations from Mr. V. FITZGERALD. the gallery was cleared for a division, but no division took place. On our re-entering the gallery, we found Mr. HUME ad dressing the House. He observed that he considered the whole of this measure as an insult on the country gentletneu of Ireland. Mr. Secretary PEEL thought there ought to be one uniform system of Prison Regulations in Ireland. After a few words from Mr. C. G RANT. the Bill was ma a third time, and passed. The Alehouses Licensing Bill was read a second time, and or dered to be en - omitted ou Monday next. The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the House adjourned at a QUARTER PAST ONE O'CLOCK. PRICES OF BRITISH Rank Stock 2'O 1119 $ per Cent. lied. 77* 741! 77i I per Cent. Cone. 77i Ditto Acct. 77i I per Cent. tui Di per Cent. Bed. 8311 i d New 4 per Cent. lej 941 r et ITOCKS YESTERDAY. Long Ann. DI4 9-IS 11-16 India 'Stock 229 _ India Bunch9lo pm Ex. BOW IOW& 9 II pm Ditto 5901. 9 11 pm Ditto Satan 9 11 pm Luttery Ticket.. 211. 19x. PRICES OF FOREIGN Brazilian Bonds 55 Milan Bonds 41 401 40 1 Colombian Bond* a' Ditto Acct. Ditto Bonds '1824)41j jell Ditto Acct. 411 # I j I 4 Daniell Bonds ;1825) 64 4#161 Ditto Acct. 541 j French Itente‘ 5 per Cent. 07t. 96f. Exchange 25f. 60c. Guatimala Bonds STOCKS YESTERDAY. Greek Bonds Ditto Ronda ;1125) 15 Ditto Acct. 15 144 / 15 Mexican Bonds 524 34 Ditto Bonds (1925; 624 1 2 /9 2 Ditto Aect. 621 i 3 i 2 4 2 11 1 2 Peruvian Bonds 30 221 Ditto Aect. 30 itu.edon Roads 751 Spankh Ronde 7 1 1 1 Ditto Honda (1823) 5 COURSE OF EXCH. Amsterdam C.F. 12 01 Ditto at sight Rotterdam 2U. 12 10 Antwerp ........ ..... . 12 10 Hauthurgh 24 U. 27 101 Aitona 24 U. 37 10 Fari., 3 days' sled 25 75 Ditto 2U. 26 0 Bordeaux Berlin Frankfort on Mains Ex. 1f . 156 Petersburgh, Us. 84 Vienna, effective 10 24 Trieste ....du.... ......... . 10 24 Madrid . ....4 354 Cadiz l.3g Bilboa l3 ....... 93 Sevilla ........ ............ 35 Dibralita' THE BRITISH PRESS rite Britt ht WOO. KING'S THEATRE. THIS EVENING will be performed Morley!'Ps Opera Stria, In Two Acts, TERALDO E ISOLINA. The principal Characters by Mademoiselle Sordid, Diadems Castel'', signor Pelluti, Signor Curtoni, Signor Devine, Signor Porto. After the Opera the fer..urite Ballet of LE DAL CHAMPF.TRE. •s• A Masquerade in In preparation fur Monday, the 15th Inst. Applimitions, &c. as usual. DRUItIf:CANE THEATRE. This Evening, SATURDAY, Nay 6, will be performed the Ht,torical Play of WILLIAM TELL. WlElam Tell, Mr. Illacreaily7Alart,lK:i Vincent y Michael, Mr. Walluek. Emma, Wee SmithAun. After which the Romantic Opera of DER FREISCRUTZ. Adolph, Mr. T. Cooke; Cava: Mr. Horn ; Bernhard, Mr. Bedford; Kilian, Mr. ; Zamlel;Mr. 0. Smith. Linda, Miss Graildon ; Rose, Mimi Furey. COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE. This Evening, SATURDAY, Slay 6, will be performed the Grand Romantic and Fairy Opera of OBERON; or, THP ELF-KING'S OATR. The principal Character, by Afea.ws. Ilmham, Cooper, Minut, C. Bland, J. Isaacs, and Baker; Hisses Paton, H. Carrie; Madame Yos hio, Mrs. Vining, and Mrs. Davenport. To conclude with the llfm.ical Farce of PAUL AND VIRGINIA. Paul, Madame Yearley Virginia, Miss Coward. ENGLISH OPERA-HOUSE. MR. MATHEWS AT HOME Ms Evening, SATURDAY, May 6, with an entirely new Intertala ment, in TWO Parts, founded on hiv Observations on Characters, Manners, and Peculiarities, entitled' MR. MATHEWS' INVITATIONS. Pear lII.—A Monopolylogne. to be called THE CITY MARGE I evsn Characters by Mr. Mathews. Doers opus at Half-past Seven (instead of Seven, u heretofore)) me Performance begins at Eight precisely. The BRITISH PRESS commenced publishing yesterday morn ing at a quarter past six o'clock. LONDON, SATURDAY, M* 6, 1826. Our extracts from the French Papers, received last night, are but few, but if they are to be credited, they are highly favourable to the great cause of Greece. ft is as. settled in the private correspondence of both the Journal des Debuts and the E toile. that the renegade, Se loves, had evacuated Tript Liza. and though the first represents him as having fallen back upon Motion, and die latter on Pa tras, the di3erepancy is not very material, although the two places are rather at opposite points from Trpolitza, since the error might arise from the difficulty of ()Winning correct information as to the real point of retreat. The Journal des Debuts attributes the retreat of the renegade Frenchman to famine, while the Fluile expressly sail! was in consequence of orders fro m th e P ac h a . whichever of the* catisesit prObeeded, we shall rejoice to find it conflruied. The report of the death of bluAßlll.ib repeated. gimes, MAICH 39. (rItIVATIC CORUCSPO : NDENCII ) The fate of the Egyptian army is about to be accomplished oa all sides. The reneged°, Selves, pressed by famine. evacuate(' Trip •litza on the 25th Inst. in order to fall back upon Alodon wish the 500 Egyptians under his command. The Greeks, on the 27th, took Possession of the city thus abandoned by the Barbari. s, who !tad previously set tire to the houses which they had inhabited slur. frig the preiod of their occupation of the piece. Thus is the epee watch ought to have been the centre of their operations for raysg, ing the northern and western parts of the Pelopennettes.—the point from which they must have set nut to besiege Nauplea.—once more occupied by the Christians. 'Nit, event will have a powerful in.. fluence on public opinion; and it is probable that Selves must es. perience great losses in his retreat,. for we know that Coloartronie Zaintia, Stsainis, and the principal Greek Chiefs, were in aenbustr in the defites by which the enemy had to @Peet Irts rdteeat. [From the Etoik, dated Thursday 1. rears, MAY 3. We have just learnt. that Soliman Bey kite renegade Selves) bay received orders from Ibrahim to evacuate Tripnlitsa, rind to repair to Patriot. He has execut e d t hi s or d er , and h as set lire to Tripe litzs. Ties news gives reason to believe dirt Ibrahim was really repulsed in the attack of the 24th of March. While letters from Corfu, of the eth of April. Art"' that Mipsoforighl sill lesieted, acounts from Bucharest of the sameshite. received Co - rough Vienna, announce that Mistiolonghi is takeh. Everything is therefore cort. tradictory in the noes received froin.that country, and we must still wait for more exact information before we can affirm anything re- specting the affairs' of Greece. The following is an extract of a letter from the cider of a Greek battelion at AlissJlotighi, to a friend in Paris, detei the 9th of April :-.. t• 31y dear friend,,--t hove to inforut you dist we were attacked at all points on the 24th of March, by the barbarians commanded' by Ibrahim. I was posted on the sea-side. The reiterated attacks had brought down a part of mit. fortifications: We were forced to' till rime hogsheads with sand, and to eotiench ourteloes behind, them with our guns. It was here that I was wounded. At length the E•gyptians and the others were repulsed, and some of theist sere burnt with their vessels'. These furious barbarians having advanerti IS mount a second time to the r monk were once more . repulsed. Ibrahim, seeing the prey escape from his hands. rushel forward at the head of hie soldiers, in the hope of re-estimating them. ( Greek Who recognized hint took aim at him, and gat.e him a wound of which he died some days after. At this moment my cout.trymen perceived the troops cot manded by the brave Fab- - vier, Oouras, and other chiefs, to the number of 0000. The Turku frightened, then ran away. They were routed by the besieged. and left Mehemet Pacha id the hands of Gotrras. The others took re fuge in Lepanto, and wherever they co u ld. O n ly a b out bee men got off by Pea. 'The fleet entered the fort and recaptured VassiLadea. Faxecu Tuxus.—PAßl3, MAY 3.—Five per Cents, 96f. 00c. t Tbree pee Cents. 64f. 45e. ; Bank :Rock. 20051'. ; Rents* dc Naples, 73f. 80c. • /loyal Spanish Loan, 44i. Exchange on London-:-One Month, 25f. hut.; Three Months, 25t. 40e. — Cours A Who: live. A letter which has been received from a person of the highest respectability at Marseilles, dated the 27th April, contains the following intelligence :—" On the 23t1 of March the Greek schooner gpartiate, Captain M gala cis. entered the port of Marseilles. The passenger* remained in the Lazaretto performing quarantine until the 20th April, when, instead of oLtaining prat iep•e, they were in formed by the Captain of the Lazaretto that he had ce:ved orders to detain them in it till further notice. On the 22d the passengers (to the number of ccven) petitioned the Board of Health and the l'refect for permission to quit the Lazaretto, but received no answer. All they could learn through the medium of their frierrds in Marseilles,was that the miter had emanated from the office of the Marine Minister, and that on the 26th further commands would most likely be received. Yesterday it was peremptorily notified from the Loud Authorities to the masster and crew of the vessel to leave the port of Marseilles the instant they received pratique, and carry away the passengers with them. We cannot comprehend the reason of this most strange proceeding ; but rumour says that the Ministry had receives! intelligence which led them to telleve that the object of this vessel's coming to Marseilles was that of destroying the vessels constructing here for the Paeha of E3Y PT ; but what the passengers have to do with the ves sel it is difficult to say. Why were they suffered to land and perform quarantine, and why was not their merchan dize at least allowcd to remain ? The whole is a mystery which we hope will soon be explained, but certainly in na justifiable manner." l'ire cannot help taking some credit to ourselves for doubt ing the extent of the disasters at Manchester on Tues day evening. It turns out that, instead of one person being killed on the spot, and another so severely wounded as to die in the hospital soon arter, only one man was wounded by a pistol loaded with small shot, and fired by a person in the factory, which had the effect of reducing the mob —women, youths, and boys—to something like quiet ness, from alarm, if not from reason. We regret to say,. however, that we have to-day something new, and unfor tunately disastrous, to communicate from Bradford, its Yorkshire ; but the press of Parliamentary debate forbids us from doing more than referring to the accounts in another part of our Paper. Our latest intelligence, last night, represents every thing as tending to a return to tran quillity; to which most desirable end, nothing seems to have et outributed so much as theexample set by our Most Gracious Sovereign and his Ministers, and so munificently followed by the Nobility, Merchants, Bankers, Manufacturers, and, in fsct, by all classes that have their mite to spare in the sacred cause of charity. When the debate on that part of Mr. CA mxricc's propo sition relating to the Corn Laws, the object of which was to give to the KING in Council a discretionary power (under certain limitations and duties) of opening the ports to the importation of foreign grain during any recess or dis solution of Parliament, was adjourned on Wednesday night, many persons expressed a dread that Ministers, if not ab solutely defeated, would have a most powerful resistance to encounter on the part of the /muted interest. In that opinion we (lid not participate. We thought, and the re sult of last night's (lobate is our confirmation, that they knew little of the disposition of the landed interest to alle viate, as far as they could, the distress which at present unhappily prevails in more quarters than one—and still less were they aware of the universal support which the nation is inclined to give to his MAJESTY'S present Ministers, in sincere gratitude (or the real benefits which they already have conferred, and are still conferring on their country—if they supposed that a measure, intended solely for the pur pose of affording relief to those portions of the community from which the Great derive their riches and the Govern ment its power, would be attempted to be defeated by any branch of the Legislature,"cppectally that which derives its essence and its power from the people. The proposition of Mr. CAt te l O seas accordingly lag night agreed to in the House of Commons, even without a division; and it is, in substance, that his Maissry in Council shall be empowered to admit, for home consump tion, under certain regulations, and foss time to be limited, the importation of an additional quantity of foreign corn, meal, or flour, subject to certain duties to be fixed by a Bill which will be brought into Parliament forthwith. CITY, Fitinay EVKX!WG. The English Funds to-day were without Interest and without fluctuation, 77 a beirg the price all day. Exchequer Bille were 9s. II s. pm. Bank Stock, 200, 199. India Stock was field lightly at 229, and the bonds were Bs. 10s. pm. South American Stocks continued newly at yesterday's quota. tion, but Northern Securities rather drooped. Russian Honda were 75 and Danish ditto, 64 aa. Greek ditto were 15, and new Spluthn El. Accounts ere in town from Manchester, of yesterday morning, a nine o'clock : all was tranquil, and the demand for goods we increasing. Mexican Paper. have been received to the 4th of Mtn*. The Colombian brig of war, General Manrigtic, arrived at Vera Crimea the 2d of March, after twelve days' passage, having on board • Commissioner from the Colombian Government to that of Mexico. From Carthegena of the 18th February they state that the expedi. lion for the island of Cuba was in great forwardness. An express has arrived from Paris: there was scarcely any elm. anon in the Funds on Wednesday. ~.:.-_ , lANGE YESTERDAY. Leghorn 47i Genoa 43* Venice Malta Naples ..... Pa1erm0....... per es 11$ Lisbon Oporto Rio Janeiro 8ahia........ •• ....... ..•• 47 Buenos Agree Dublin, 21 days' sight Cork SCI.LION, PIS OS. a. Portugal Gold. Is eels .. 0 0 0 Foreign Gold. In bars. .. 3 17 6 New Doubloons New Dollars . 0 0 Silver, in bars, standard 0 4 11* ll=