The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser. — London, England, 1826-02-24 00:00:00

ye without directly encouraging the smtigg'er, With a ll t h ese asalerations betere them, he hoped the House would go into an i:St . my with a view to prevent distress. If they turned their eyes cn • t h e `on es they wimld see two-thirds of the manulac turned nut of el7lOillyOAnt, and the remaining one-third mire. d., n g the same fate. This was in some measure the consequence h the trade before prices were brought to the state ice ha..! bier:. at least before the introduction of a paper He would read from the 31accleslield Paper a cutups e of labourers in the year 17117 and at the pre ; the rice tit dour was raised from Is. rid. to 30. Rd.; nett. to 7d. or Rd., and rent halm 21. 10s. to 5/. or .s:tles. to how much distressiMthe labourer expoeed (ruin seen of wages and the nece - -saries of life; so situated, the t'us country must necessarily view foreign competition : ought we to have recourse to the poor-rates ? or w xdo mu landed interest tat e the manufacturers off the hands of Hoe. Ge-tlernan ? If the Right Honourable Gentle ntan you:d say that thirty per cent. was sufficient to protect the ~ then In had a case; ha:, from all the information that he Ellice) had been sitar to collect, it did not appear possibl. t ...e the trade could be carried on under existing circumatanceae lJ : again asked the flritise whether, if those who supported this th , a sute on the evidence of Mr. Hale, on that also of some foreign stee ticmcn, and on the opinion expressed by some fflanchester ma- nu:acturert , who said, if two years were given them they should be alse in camnete with the foreign market—he asked the House and me itig:v. * lion. Gentleman opposite whether, supposing those who gave this evitlenee in 11124 now ready to come forward and say at the bar it the House that their experience had been in direct op. posii , on to that evidence, the House would not Pay, under such ri.:tinistances, that a Conmittee ought to be appointed to inquire into the nature of thew important facts ? That Manchester had undergo:pc this chauge or opinion he was well informed. He v'u!.: candidly comes. that his own expecta;ions had been coniii deral.dy :aiscsi when he heard the Manchester manufacturers conic boldly forward and assert that old people, those of the more ancient s i us a„ kr.ow nuthing of the means, of the power we now possess. •• Give us two years." said they, " and we will show you what we ca n st: will let you see that the machinery we possess will enab:e us to compete successfully with the foreign market." He re p e ated, when this was uttered, be for one had his reason wiled away by the promise it held out, lie had heard it said out of :Goes that the distress which was now felt was the result of over trading. Suppose it was: what led to the evil ? With whom had is r^gi :atcd ? He would answer these questions—the Hank and Let the House remember the necessity there was rcdm•eg nineteen millions of paper currency to nine before the Bank t. old resume cash payments. There was no doubt but that t , .ta 1,11 to the whole di the country's difficulties. But shy sr.c iii pear people, whom he wished it to be understood he re. p re ... e ,i e ,l on the present occasion, to be the sufferers, the victims od t'..,se n.easures ? Thee had led to to high wages, and a state approaching to famine. 'He coupled high wages with famine t le: he contended that they might be considered the greatest mis blare that coukl befal any class of men. Was it proper, then, at this moment, when trade had been extended by the stimulus it hai received from Alfilisters, that they should turn a dent ear to t:;eir miseries, instead of favouring their petition ? The Govern ment had but very lately talked of the prosperity of the country, and then saw no reason why that pmsperity should not be permanent. Surely their it was nut to be wondered at if these poor people fell into the same mistake—if they. like Government, borrowed more money than they were able to pay. He should like to know of the Right lion. Gentleman opposite if„ during the experience of the last two years, there had been any reciprocal advantage enjoyed by this country as an equivalent for the sacrifices it had made ? lie wouhl not go so far as to say that a part, or even • considers bit. part of the people were not to have a certain amount of tempo. ray suMring thrown upon them—were not to be called upon to 1,41.•1 . I a. hi , r. r.ike a certain sacrifice, if ultimate extensive benefit was to re : nit ; and he did not therefore say, that 3linisters were not to take off the present restrictions with a view to public benefit but t:•ea t i shouli be sonic return; and what return was there hem? ohj , et in obtaining the Committee was to gain time. Suppose he couY i!1 the t.'otrn , ittee establish his case, was it not possible that i,ister: might do good by ascertaining the bad policy Oa . theirmeasures ? Ile wished once again to impress upon the necessity for i's considering the present state Odic. racterisi: the liott tre“ in which these poor people were involved.lThe metropolis was sutil.rirg ciougli to winrant the present application, but in Mac. they were still worse, most of the artisans being thrown upon th. poor.rates, while in Coventry not above one-third of then: could procure work, the remainder being reduced to the last shill to exist rye. When large !wihes of people were o ab.nlute want and wretchedness, he thought the cel itself imperatively called upon to inquire into erieranee, that it might adopt the most expedient Ilcust the war( reinesy. lle suggested this. for it occurred to him thit they might feel themselves necessitated to reverse their steps. He fr-.red he had detained the House for a considerable time (Cries of " No. no"). a: d had very imperfectly laid before them the nature of the difficulties he was anxious to present to their consideration. Ile e:e. !to: vise to commit Parliament to any particular measures; whet Ire desired was. that they would inquire into the statements he had tm.de, 31. d the prayer of the petitioners. The lion. Gent)eman sat dewn movirg, " That the House should refer to a Select t'ommittee all petitions against the importation of foreign silks." Mr. J. Id"ILEU MS rose en second the motion of his Honour eec Friend. He said he thought it worthy the consideration of Minister* whether, at such a moment of distress pervading, not a single class of indislduals, but the country at large, and the ma nufacturing e:itrics more especially, they would unsettle the let ter by continuing to subject them to severe aufferirgs. and obliging them to charge their ocettrat ions to get a livelihood? The town of elacciestind had hero till wird to by the lion. Gentleman. In the s ;tar 17140 the whitle popula inn of that town (lid not exceed 4,000. I. 1326 it amounted to 23.000. Out of this number 20,000 were employed in the different breeches of the silk trade. 'rite House would hear with regret teat in the course of half a year, by the ope. mewl of these measures, there were 14,000 persons deprived of employment. To give some idea of the distress occasioned, he woelit inform them of the fact that not less than 1,6000 families wire supported by voluntary contributions. Their prospect was indeed C.:,..itry : all they had at present to look forward to was the c‘i att,tut ef their fund and the absence of all work. Ile had beta info-tired by the Mayor that the Poor laws, too, had been let in tull force. That gentleman had signed eleven orders of re. reovel, and had passod many to their parishes. The subscription Le••i i it etthaustill, all that remained few them were the Poor laws io.d the c. cumbered land. lithe, referred to Manchester, they weld find that. in the spring of 182. i, 111,6146 looms were employed. Now, in last January there were wily 4.100. • it would therefore he seen plat there sere about 6,400 unemployed. If they referred to London it would be seen that in Bethnal-green alone there were 1.000 stew:led by parish relief, they being incompetent to maintain Om:selves. The argument which he established upon these state vtietits was—not that Ministers should, not persevere—he did not say no. Though the greater start of the population was driven to drspait..-though some of the largest manufacturing towns in the country should suller—if the measures were caleulated to do future good, let them proceed; but let the Ministers prove this, and it they could not, he called on them to pause, to hesitate, though it might be in opposition to the theoretical opinions which had been formed, before 01 evils now In existence took a more serious torn, and instead of mere distress, became absolute ruin. If these doubtful measures were to be pursued in a time of such general eistress, he feared the worst consequences would ensue. The Hoe. t ierilemsn, he believed, attributed the misfortunes of this clan of intik iduais to the very same principle that had operated to the disadvantage of the country ; he await the speculations and the iivertrading. He believed that was the Hun. Gentleman's theory. lie mien expect then to be told that the Hon. tietitleman could not consistently with his theory now interfere; that the mischief ought to work its own correction ; that if it were left to its natural operation, the ovntrading would he cured by the present distress, by the manufacturer being compelled to sell at low and ruinous prices, which operation would eventually restore the demand. It became however a quetion, whether that relief which would result front a fresh demand was not suspended by this measure. If this could be established, he apprehended the petitioners would make out a good ease. On the subject of demand he would call the attention of the House to two facts. The persons who had stock on hand were the ware. housemen and the mercers. Nnw, at this season of the year there et was gen..lly th e greatest demand; but at the present time both the mercers sari warehousemen weer considerably' below par. What then s h ou ld b e th e general result P Upon the principle of the Honinitable Gentleman, there should now be a demand on the leenefacturer. but there was no such thing. This was one view of rise. The other VON that they were looking forward to a sup. I' trait the foreign market in the month of July. It was this that de...toyed any demand upon the home manufacturer. The pries labour must of course be a great end dependent on the price of provision. What chance was there then of a fief competition when at Lyons bread was only three sous rer pound. while in England it was two-pence halfpenny, just double? That would render the price of labour two to one in favour of the French manufacturer. II Ministers thought of aplying any corrective in the war of hi g h duty they would only increase the smuggling trade without benefiting the manufacturer. What he (Mr. Williams) complained of was, that there was no reciprocity; all the liberality was on the part of this country. 'l'he Ministers had ineurreu a fearf u l res p ons ibility, a nd they must discharge themselves horn it faithfully by s due attention to those who had a fair claim upon them. Ile trusted they would not allow the happiness, the comforts ol' so many to be sacri :iced, merely that they might maintain a few poor abstract prin. Ple% This would be exhibiting a degeneracy of beset, which, as Burke had deathbed it, would resemble, in point of fact, 3 malignity and contempt fin all mankind, the devil himself. The state of distress was tient 'peening, and he would ask whet wait done for the purpose of relieving that distress ? It could not be relieved by the discussion a general principles; he would recom mend to his Majesty's eliniaters to pause and heir facts. It was trio seriims a subject to legislate upon without deep consideration. it would be necessary to inquire whether there was a community of helmets out of doors, and whether they went with Ministers in their Present determination. The SPEAK} R then read the motion " to refer to a select e!enmittee all petitions against the iniporration of foreign silk." "Übe question being put, Hon. He'SKISSGN ruse . H e t h oug h t w h atever influence the ee • Memb er f or Coventry might he wider from his connexion wide.r tutu place, he did not mean to question his motives, nor did to inquire into the motive of the lion. Seconder, although h e • t'PPeated to labour under an infilience more recently formed (J augh), perhaps may expect to succeed in becoming the 1111fra ague of his g bat whatever were his motives he appeared tn b e el" • • nip cautions in making any concessions; he would not ad- • an i t hing, but acted with all the caution of a lawyer at a Court 1 of Justice. What might be the Hon. lifember's object, he (Mr. R.) felt no anger, nor dal he mean to use any declamation it, meeting those charges which were brought forward, but he must observe that he heard the new lights of the Hon. Member for Lincoln that night for the tint time. That Hon. niernher, and his friends around him, had claimed credit for their support of those principles of free trade upon which Government had acted. and how could they new reconcile their hoittiltty to those very measures? The views of the Hon. Member for Coventry. and the statements of the Alember fur Lincoln, coming as they did from a numerous body of sufferers, were entitled to consideration (Hear); and when the Jim. Member had insinuated that Ministers were indifferent to the distresses of the people— ' Here Mr. IVILLIA3IS disclaimed any insinuation of the kind. Mr. lIUt4KISSON. in continuation, stoked what then was the tenor of the Hon. Gentleman's arguments—what, he would ask, was the object of his quotation, a quotation which should be met with a feeling of contempt and From ( Hear.; heart, but he hoped he could completely repel it. The Hon. I lentleman opposite had argued as if this was the introduction of the measure instead of its being an Act of Parliament paned through the House of Commons unanimously. There were then no complaints by either of those Geotlemen who wets now such strenuous advocates for opposite doctrines. They wish now to break down the liberal system—to abandop the system of reciprocity. The light in which the present system should be 'hewed wan this_-SilOWiti the country retrace its steps ? And it mon be considered that, if there be any departuit from the principle In one instance, the House must retrace its stebe. The question then was, will the country continua the enlarged po licy ? and he begged the House to look closely at the conduct of Ministers, and, late as it was, he must refer to a petition from the City of London, which was presented in May, 1820; in that peti tion the distresses of the country were trot attributed to " demons of malignity," but to restrictions upon traria That petition expressed so forcibly and so clearly the views which the merchants of the City of London took of' dui commettial difficulties, that he would beg leave to rend a few extracts front it. That petition prayed that foreign commerce should be freed from all restraint , and that the people might be afforded the opportunity of buying in the cheapest market The floiree would recollect that those principles upon which Par liament had send woretwit the wild 'ahem:, of theorists, but were sanctioned by the wealth and experience of the City of London. Ile could not avoid laying great stress upon that petition for two Tenons, first, because it slid not emanate front theorists; and secondly, because the City of London frme whence it was sent was the seat of wealth and commerce, and the petition represented the opinions of the great trailing ‘ interotte. The first signature to it was a gentleman whose name would protect hint from any impute, lion of hardheartedons, a gentleman who had been Governor of the Bank of England. Tnat gentleman WS? Mr. Samuel Thorne ton; but he did not allude to the petit ion not to the respectability or the signatures for the purpose of extenuating what was done. He still continued to tionk as he had done formerly, that the principle of free train was calculated to promote the best interests of the country. And the writers who supported the measures of tree trade had done service to their country ; he would claim no credit for the Government more than was their due—they followed public opinion. It sae their duty to be slow and to deli berate cautiously before they gave general effect to those opinions. I Year after year had they been reminded of their slowness by those very gentlemen who we'e row arrayed against them on the pre sent occasion. The lion. 51ember for Taunton had, in an elabo. rate speech, maintained foreign trade, in order to bt profitable, must be free from restraint, and he taxed his Majesty's Ministers with indifference to the interests of the commercial community. The Hon. Gentleman had complained that every country was de termined to live upon its own produce; and that if this country persisted in its excluding system, the people must shut themselves up in their own island a but let the ilouse look at what was the state of Spain, with her exclusive system ; but he would allude more particularly to some of the details of the lion. Member's speech upon the occasion to which he alluded. The first measure to which he referr ed was the restrictions upon exports from Eng land. The Government said, Let the duty be taken oft' all ex porn but the Hon. Gentleman said, Let the duty remain on English wool. Government would not take one off without the other. After years of trouble, 3lininers succeeded in abolishing the restrictions; and what was the an - sequence? up to the present time not more than 100.000 pounds e• wool had been exported, whereas the country had imported 40,000.00 c paunds. There was another subject, he meant the Revenue Laws, a subject which he would not discuss at the present hour. Government had done all in their power to correct whetncr evil might be complained of. The cottemy in 11117, was not so great us in the subsequent years. The various articles of trade were encreued in wool, in cotton, in tallow, and various other branches of commerce—in tallow alone there was an increase of 100 per cent. In silk, also, there was an increase to a considerable extent, upon the whole, the advantages of removing restrictions were to be perceived in all the branches of trade. In 11317, that period of great pressure, the Bank had a large stock of gold. They gave notice that they would pay all de mands in gold, and atter this announcement three was only 37,000!. drawn out of the Bank. It was also proposed to repeal the Na vi,„mtion Laws. The Government did not go so far, they would not go the wild length of the Honnurribie Gentlemen, but such modifications had been enacted at tended vr'v much to extend the commerce of Eugland all over the world. There were also the remarks upon the Malik duties—it was his pleasing dutyao in finni the House duo thaws *rut bees-Were away' with; Tirol principal objection of the lion. Member for Taunton was,thiscoun try would not remove those restrictions which impeded the free inter- 1 course between England and France. Propermeasurn hatibetn taken', on that subject, and France bad been invited to establish the inter, course of trade betwen the two countries upon a footing of equality. ' Then with respect to the conventon with, and es to the udders issued by. France in respect of the trade of Asia, Africa, and America. France was entidcd to make her own regulations, but England considered it necessary to insist that if she relaxed her principles es to other pans of the world, they should be relaxed as to Bri tish ships as well as those of France—that his Majesty's Govern ment did, and that was all they had a right to do; what remained to be done must be left to time and public opinion. It had been also said by his Hon. Friend that the trade with British India should be thrown opon ; he (31r. flushlsoon) roust say on e *hie subject as he had done with respect to the Bank of England and the Joint Stock Companies that they bad endeavoured to press on the India Company t hel prudence of extending the trade; at the same time his Majesty's Government were bound to protect vested rights. Those were the main points of his Hor.' Friend's recommendations on a former occasion; and he (Mr. Hut kotson) must say that he had alluded to them all and accepted them all. His Hon. Friend (Mr. Baring) had charged that nothing had been done. The Hon. Gentlemen said he would ask what was the principle on which the Committee of Foreign Trade was formed in the other Howie of Parliament? Would it be said that the Noble Marquis, the Chairman of tint Committee, had changed his ideas, like the grasshopper blown aiwut on the top of the Royal Exchange by every wind ? That Committee sat, and having borne in mind the smuggling in the silk trade, they inquired into the state of the silk trade by evidence and whnesue, and they took it upon oath, and the report stated that there were no bounds to smuggling under the prohibition. He (Mr. Iluskisson) could not but mention a circumstance that had occurred, of two foreign mer chants coming to England lee the purpose of purchasing silk goods, and certainly they could have no interest but in stating the truth : on the other hand, as regarded the opinion of the manufac turers, it must of necessity have a bias; yet one of those gentle men stated that the difference between the price of silk articles in ' France and England was from 21 to 25 per cent., and in the opinion of the other 20 per cent., while they preferred the English silk hosiery, as better and cheaper than that of France. , In 1823, as the !House of Leeds could not give effect to their own report, a measure was put forward in that Howie, upon which occasion the Hon. Member for the City of London (Mr. Wilson) came down with a petition from the masters and manufacturers of Spitalfiilde ' they wanted to do away a law that protected the workmen; and he (Mr. Huskiseon) was quite eatisiied, that if it had been said to them at that time that they could not hare both measures—that they could not have the prohibition and the Act—they would have said, let us have the Act, and let she prohibition go to the winds. The Hon. Gentleman here read extracts from the former proceed ings of Parliament on the subject of the silk trade, and said that it was in consequence of appeals that had been made to them that his Majesty's Government. In cennequenee•of his Right lion. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer having come down to the House and stated that he could give up that duty to the public, had pro posed the termination of the prohibition, and substit u t e d a protect. mg duty instead. When it fell to his lot to open the details on that occasion, he heard a serious opposition from the fien t lledber for Coventry, who stereo:ly urged the necesairy of gime, some time, in order to prepare for the chaege—at Last e period of two , years: during that period the Hon. Member hal saidthat month by .• month, and day by day, the capitals of all persons of property would be resent, and ruin would ensue. (Hear, hear, from the Opposition benches.) He could rot but mention a ease in which i , highly-respected individual hart coneeponeed with him on thesub eject, and that individual thought the if he should be overwhelmed by foreign competition, he abould he entitled to a compensa tom ; bun the fact was, that so far from the fears baying being • realised, that in point of fact he had assured kiln (Mr. Iluakieson) that he had not suffered st all, and that Bill parsed in the spring of 1824. In 1824 the silk trade went on with unparalleled success; but in DM ouch an excitement, inch speouletiturs were set on toot as no person could believe possible ; old ntablishrtsents and old loom; would no longer answer the purpose, and there were at that moment buildings erected and machinery put up, although not completed, which had cost ten and fifteen thousand pounds; never in the most s times had such a state of things existed. The Hon. rl n e n tn= n (Mr. Ellice) had given a description of the state of Mac clesfield; but he (Mr. Iluskinon) regretted that the wlwle of the facts as regarded that town were not stated. Ile must say that speculation was never carried to such an excess as in that town. The last census was taken in 1821, and the population amoented to 17.746, and he would suppose that between the years 1821 and 1825 it might have iocrearted to t. 10,1100. What, however, would the House suppose was the state of that ruined trade ? They ' would find what it was from the circumstance he was about to mention. In the Macclesfield paper of the 19th February lan appeared a -notice to the following effect, addressed to over seers and guardians of the poor, who were desirous of ending persons in work in Macclesfield -Abu from four to five thousand paean were wanted. (Neer, hear.) And he begged the atten tion of the donee to the following fact, that they were to be from seven to tweet years of . age, and to be employed in throw. ing and mane silk, the great increase of trade Noting cooed a scarcity in number of hands. ((dears, bear.) It was also seated thee one hundred houses to lodge thaw peewee in, end this Ina stated from a place which was to be ruined by the aliseides In July NIL Was it possible, therefore, to rely on soy statamost wallaby that trade, that it would be ruined, and Mel alleged's: ? and aft oath inhuman conditionasibose which called upon the childless, the helpless, and the &ethnic, to be turned off. according to the statement made, in a few oaths, in' a state of aggravated distress. tpon the point of order for removal, which had been an expatiated upon by the Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Ellice) what turned out to be the fact? 'Why. dtat only eleven persons had been so removed. (Hear, hear.) He was cer tain that he could while the House that if there trasallatrese In Spitalhelda it arose from the causes be had stated. The same observation applied to Sudbury, Manchester, Stockport, and many other places, but Spitalfields had made greater progress than at any other time in the creation of manufscturies ; and from those cir cumstance, it was that the House must suppose the Silk Trade did not form an exception to the general distress. In the follow ing Session, at the recomrnendadmi of the Crown, and in accord. *nee with the appeal of Parliament, he (Mr. Huskissoa) brought forward trice/lures changing the civil policy and commercial system. The alteration in , the colonial policy became ne'd celeutry in consequence of changes that were taking place else where, which called for such alterations on the part of England. On the subject of the commercial system a paper was in a state of forwardness which would be put into the hands of gentlemen within twenty-four hours, showing 'What had been imported in every ah tide on which duties had been curtailed. In the article of wine, from the increased coos u mpti o n, the duty was still increasing, mat on that of coffee it had doubled without affecting •the cone) sumption of tea. The Right lion. Gentleman said he came but he had to bog pardon to the House for the length to Which hel had gone—he cam mow to "what, in point of fact, was OW only question that remained between him and his Honourable Friend (Mr. Baring) which was, that the article of silk was ea. sily smuggled, yet smuggling wee not prevented by prohibition ; it had existed at all times and under all circumstances. The argument in favour of prohibition was, that when once the goods were landed and forwarded the y could be followed into the pockets of the manufacturer upon the oath of the informer. That the ton. Gentleman (Mr. Ellice) should stand up in favour of that system was not the least extraordinary among these eiredm. stance* which it had been his duty to point out to the House. According to the principle just mentioned, what would be the case an to Bandanna handkerchiefs? Why, that from the peasant to the Peer their home, might be they D ' e tart ' all Bandanna handkerchiefs, was, the 'they were hugely imp it sold for foreign consumption ; 1,0P0,900 handkerchiefs were told' yearly at 45.. they were then shipped for Amsterdam, Rotterdam; Guernsey, and various other places, and were smuggled back again into I:nglead and sold at the price of Rs., being a elate additional expense, of no advantage to the State. of 4s. on each handkerchief. In France silk handkerchiefs were not used ; it was a comoion practice at the French theatres to take out the handkerchief and place it on the seat, and it would be always found of cotton manu facture. There would be little doubt that if, under the system alluded to, an informer went before a magistrate to lodge an in. formation, be would have one equally liable round his own neck, and in all human probability the magistrate would have one in his pocket. (1. iughter, and cries of hear, hear, hear.) And the truth was that prohibition so operated. Define the law was altered there was a person of great experience (a foreigner), who considered that he amid not do better with his property than establish looms in Etiglaed ; he did so, and (detained his patterns and workmen ; he excited the jealousy and drew upon himself the uumerited persecution of the British manu. lecturers. They made a charge against him for smuggling, and in consequence of a report appearing in the public wipers, his Right lion. Friend (the Secretary of State for the Home Depart. nient) sent for ail the parties. The charge of the British manu facturers was heard first : the other parties were then called in, and the manteacturers said if they could get a sight of his books that they could prove the act of smuggling. The person charged said that he had a capital of 40,0001. and was perfectly willing that they should see his books, if an officer would go for them ; the officer did go, and the books were brought; every thing was regularly entered, and upon being examined by the revenue officer, he found the names of the persons employed ; they went to the manufactory and found man for man at work upon the particular pieces de scribed ageing their names. (Hear, hear.) The British manufac turers still pereevered, and said that among some of the silk there were parcels that were foreign ; upon that statement the Treasury determined to prosecute. They called upon the manu. factarers making the charge to send some person of skill down, and select from Hid pieces such as were considered French. That person selected ti pieces, and they were seized, but the foreign merchant brought up Rom Manchester the menewho had made them, anti it was proved on oath that they all had been made there. It was with disgust that he tingle this statement, but it was an important one. The Hon. Gentleman said he had been told there were 500,1100 persons engaged in the silk trade in France, and he had asked what might be the average wages? Whether as low as on shillings a week ? Whether children might earn Is. Gd. a week there, and work from nine in the morning until nine in the evening; he did not know. It' they one with another cern ten shillings, there would be 13,000,000 in wages, and the interest on capital would mike it eighteen or twenty millions. The Lord': Commi• tee took it at tea millions, but he (Mr. Li uskisson) would take it at twelve or fourteen stallions. It the manufactories of Eng. land were totally annihilated, and fourteen minims of silk goods should be imported, it would give four millions of duty, while the whole consumption or France was nut equal to that of England. The Noble Lord, the Chairman of the Committee in the House of Grade, a Noblernau_pf the acurittessintiguient. Ai/am evidence-eve oatli,liad decided that 15 eer cent. Would be. an ndequate protec tion ; but in order to meet the question fairly, by erring on the right aide, raid the protecting duty had been put at double that amount; and since t he report to which he had Mluded had been made, a reduction had taken placv in taxation amounting to 20,000,600/. The proposed measure had been , treated as one only adapted for the Island of Latium ; but when the Hun. Baronet ventured to state his own views of the measures which he considered advan tageous for the country in its present circumstances, when he wished to elevate bins to the treasury bench of that celebrated island, he could pot help asking in his own mind what recommendation lie should carry to its inhabitinta ; certainly not a letter from the lion. Baronet, who had given the clearest proof*, by his conduct on tiff fetent occasions as well as die present, that he was In reality a Brobdignagian. (Laughter.) During the that contest on the bullion question the point in dispute was about the nature of the standard of value. Mr. Ilaskisaon and his trio:eels said as their forefathers hul said, that gold and silver formed that standard. If practical men had agreed on this simple conclusion, the question about the depreciation of the currency would have been settled at once ;. but this proposition did not suit mute other (lentlemen. At least a hundred pamphlets, quartet, octavo, &c. had been written to prove that geld and diver were not the standeeds of value, and to give the new rimers which the different writers entertained of the nature of that standurd. Taking someinterest at the time in these disputes about the doctrines of their thettiathers, the Right Hon. Gentleman had the curiosity to extract from these voluminous re. cud', fifteen definitions of that standard ; and what was then but a matter of curiosity, would in the present juncture become of con siderable value. (inc of the most favourite definitions was, that the abstract pound sterling was the real anti only standard—a doc trine which found numerous partisans in the City, till it was ex ploded soon after, by the discovery that a unit was the true standard value. This hypothesis lived a few munths, and it was then found that a sense of value in paper money, with reference to commodities wan the grand arcanuni, the salt source and standard source of value. If lie were banithed to the island of Laputa, as proposed by the Hon. Gentleman, he would only take with Min the dictionary of these definitions; and he was sure that no philoscplier in these celebrated islands would dispute the palm of wiedom with ene, fur nished with such credentials. The whole finances of the country would at once be put undeeltis superintendence, and all the coun try banks of Laputs would be placed under hte management. Un less philosophy had made a very astonishing progress since the last century. the period at which we received the last authentic ac. counts from Irsputa, no one there could compete with him in eh straction. metaphysic, or absurdity. (Laughter.) If the expo. rienee which they had recently hail should ituluce the House to revert to the old doctrine and maxima, he should submit to a guide so infallible ; but lie hoped that an imperfect trial would not be considered as canclusive on a point of /inch moment. Nutbing hid het led him to doubt the wisdom of the measure. (Hear.) On such a measure it is perhaps too much for fallible Man to pro nounce whether the work will eventually prove to be good or bad (Ileac, hear.) 1k stated it, whatever the Hata tientlenian might say, without any obstinate adherence to Consistency—he stated it' herein the Houser and before the public, the charges which were brought agaiesa him out of doors were as paltifol to Ida faelinp an they were unjust. (Hear, hear, beet.) fie was ailed mein to retract his measures—he was treated as a nian who ought to be overwhelmed with compunction and remorse for having entailed so much voily upon individuals. Could any one bemuse that he wet more itM , rarble than others to the distress which pervaded...not this beam* of manufactures only, but every other brunch of inenufacumps "rand commerce in the kinedom But whilst he had the, feeling* of a man, be had the duty of d Minister to perform. He had a painful office to discharge : he must put all persocal considerations aside, aged, must ask himself the simple question, whether the course mcommended was likely to assist theme unleippy persons—whether it would restore te e m to a more emilottable aituetion— whence his reeentance wouhl prevent the recurrence of such calamities, Under all the circumstances he would conclude in adhere to that system which he thought minutia! to the intervals of the country, essential to guard le against tell the hazards of fluctuation and in security of property, essential fur the safety of the enste, and for the preservation of public prosperity. Ere very long we should have to protect the security and stability of our commerce against the most powerful competition from foreign countries. kkieb countries were not wanting so Europe as well as on the other side of the Atlantic, and this was an inaportaat circumstance robe considered whenever we speak of man mere. or Mantlfacroren. He was not wiry that these statements had been made in the face of this House; be cause it was the only place where he could reply to such unwarranted and he would say unmanly appeals to public feeling. H e looked with cheerful hope to a better state of things. He out that there was nothing in the situation ef the country which g h t wins. nently to excite our fairs; for be sew our power still rest on its ancient and secure foundation. The springs of the machine had been too much prtesed and had. become unable for awhile to per. term their fu ; but the carob, would won revert so ;bat state of confidence and friend', thlacout ee se h"faleh every man in stead of mistrusting : his neignhoul winuu hid and support hatt ih the pursuit of hie inter ata whilst he should labour at t h e same time for his owe. Tbin . wire rue!?7 itedividttaL, bode in this House and oat of doll% wb•sua molder die paths -weigh he, bad Famed fee dim wain w ere tea adapted to the actual rireamoisiroN - eh‘lowore7. wits use,the'eldy einvolatien 'which: ire • &Omit ele .sapecssd under the ei ts jogs, ir r itipsa WWI bias and upon himself, sesieafe he did al by the owe of Parliament, sad dist it wad thnatety waUl le the " C9rlSl sed bast !Mats 0 as country. DRURY-LANE THEATRE. To-morrow Evening, SATI.:II9 A Y, Feb. atp, will be performed FAUSTUS. The printipel Character, by Mei.m. %Toflack, Harley, 14 J , Moses Sleplvene, 1. Paton, and Puvey. After ‘9lkb Gyinuaetic Exerclem by 11 Moroi., Antonio. To conclude with _ _ _ DF.R. FRE ISCHII rz. Ortocar, Mr. Mercer; Caved.. Mr. Morn ; Adolfh, Mr. T. Cooke. Undo, Miss grarklon ; Itooe, Nvey. COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE. GRAND PERFORMANCY OF ANCIENT AND MODERN MUSIC, UNDER 1 mANAnsaaire? or *IR 019 ROS Th Evening, FRIDAY, Feb. 24,- will be performed (second time/ • now (MS., ()retort°. In Two Peat, entitled 'THANKSGIVING. Hy Sir J. A. Stevenson _Mn,.Doe. . . End of Part 1. a Ftintsvla • on the French 'Horn by Mr. Sehunke. Pat M. A Grand Miteellaneout Aet, including Selecttotes from Ram berg, Moore, Parr, Ro , ,•ini, Arne, Braharn, and Bishop. Prtnelpal Vocal Performers—Mevsra. iirahatn, }forecastle. Phillip, Rohintkm, and Tinney ; Mawr Barker and Longhnrst ; &hunk 11. Cawse, Farrar, Coward, Love, Paton, and Stephens; and Madame Tastily. COVENT-GARDEN THEATRE. To-morrow Evening, sATu Fe:). 25, will he perfnmed the Opera of ARTAXERRES. Arbace4, Mr. Brabant; Rimenes, Mr. Henry; Artabano, Mr. Phlllipa Artaxerxes, Madame Ve4rts ; Mandan', Mt Paton. After which the Farr' of A ROLAND FOR AN OLIVER. Si: Mark Chase, Mr. Fawcett ; Alfred Hlghflyer, Mr. -fore;; Fiattue, Mr. Rayner. Maria Darlington, Mad.une Veatria. To conclude with CHARLES THE SECOND; Or, THE. MERRY MONARCH. King Charles the Second. Mr. C. limble ; Lord Roche ter, Mr. Jone 4 Captain Copp, Mr. Fawcett. Lady Clara, Mrs. Faucit. ENGLISH OPERA-HOUSE, Oppodte Waterloo-bridge. Tido Eveolog, FRIDAY, Feb. 24, and WEDNF:SLAY. March I. LECTURE .ON ASTRONOMY ANI) THE PHENOMENA OF THE HEAVENS AND OF THE EARTH, To be Delivered by Mr. BARTLEY, oft the Wedoeldayt nod Friday, daring Lem. Beghtsat Seven—Conclude, at Ten. TM Styria■ Puss commenced pribll.hint yesterday morning at a quarter put tire u'el4k. LONDON. FRIDAY, Fcasu•RY 24, 1826. The principal circumstance of importance contained in the French Papers received last night is the debate in the Chamber of lkputies on the complaint of M. Dr. eai.a. Basal - against the Editor of the Journal du Commerce, for an article published in that paper on the 7th December 1823, containing reflections upon the Chamber of Deputies. M. Dr SALADERRY, on making the complaint, observed that such a case would soon be disposed of in England, and moved that the Editor should be cited to appear be fore them, and subjected to the maximum of the punish tnent appointed in such cases. (From the Doile dated %Vednesday, Feb. 22.) The firt:t two pages and a half of the Emile are occupied with the debates in the Chamber of Deputies, coinciding with the other journals, hut it has besides THE BRITISH PRESS., Mr. BARING roe amid ories of '•Question." iliebdosed a short portion or the attention of the House, and mademsoo obser visions on the remarks which had fallen from the Member fee Eo rwntry (Mr. Ellice). But the cries of "Qnestion" being still continued, Mr. CANNING observed, that the question wa% too important to be decided at that late hour, and moved that it should be ad• j4urned till to-morrow. Adjourned at ONE o'CLoce. NOTICE OF MOTI Mr Henry Hardinge—Ordnance EHt PRICES OP BRITISH Rank Stock 294 4 :Mt 203 3 per Cent. 'Led. 74 78i 3 per Cent. Coy.. 76 +. 77a Ditto Acct. 7 t! 774 j ;63 77 3} per Cent. Kit 33 per Cent. Red. 341 854 New 4 per Cent. 94 941 tt PRICES OP POItEIGN Colombian Bond• Ditto Bonds(1814) 44 94 5 45 515 Dltt, Acct. 44 4 5i 5 4 CI 49 Banish Bonds 51.6 24 4 Ditto Acct. 524 French Betties S Cent. 65f. Rschange 26f. 50c. Orsek Bonds Dltto Bonds (1825) 184 j Id Dltto Acct. 18 lON (THIS DAY). (In Comudttfie of Supply.) iTOCE'S YESTERDAY. Long Ann. India Stock 226 22$ Ditto Roods 3 6 4 dt Ex. Bids 1000 L I I pm lii•to WI. I pm pat Ditto Small I di, I pm Lottery Ticket. IN. WE si•otKs YESTERDAY. Me:lean Bonds Ditto Sands (1825; 57 I 6 It 718 a el Ditto Acct. 67 8 7* 8 * 8 Peruvian Bonds 52 6 2 Portuguese Bonds 71 Ditto Acct. 72 PriDsiaa Itoudi 82 Russiaa,Bonds 77 Spouts() Bond. I.lj 10 Ditto Bends (Dint 6; 7 Anglo-Mexican Anglo-Chlnan . lirttlth Iron ... Raytien ..... nited Mexican Dltto New .. Blrrolaelarm And Liverpool' 6stisrel Ngam'NwlgaUau PRICES OF SHARES YESTERDAY. r~MI►. IRUM NAILW•iII. rrnctl . a * nova . Share. Pa►.l. 100 40 10 411 . 100 5 2t the 100 30 10 dis 100 5 3 die 40 20 4 , 0 14 14 pm 50 3 fpa . 100 • 2k abi kr, itr r.. ritiott aPreo%. 17 T !NO or THE 213 T FEB, The order of thedriii; the continuation of the debate on the complaint of AI. lie Salliberry against the Journal du Commerce. Mechia yas the fiat coiled to the tribtinal. He said that there it nobody in the state which ought to be more jealous of its dignity (ermsikratiou) than the Election Chamber; that this dig nity is the condition of its existence, and that the basis of it Is in the fidelity of the elections. . . . But ought the Chamber, for expressions that have fallen from the pen of public writers, to suspend its labours, and put these writers in prison? No. The susceptibility of the Chamber shows that it reckons for something public opinion the queen of the wos:d. (Murmurs.) However this be, but for the complaint of M. de Salaberry the article in the Journal du Cozumel ce would have been forgotten—it had passed unperceived. It is falling in a passion in cold blood to prosecute a misdemea nor committed three months ago—a misdemeanour which the public tribunals had not though t fit to prosecute; but the complaint of M. lie Sslaberry was explained yesterday. Three victims have been pointed out; the Journal dm Commerce. the A/is/argue. and the Conrrier. (A laugh.) It is the Aria/argue, in particular, which is aimed at through the JOUTUU, ti“ Commerce. (Pro's of laughter.) It is Hot only the Journal du Commerce, and its old article that is aimed at, but the Journal des Debuts also. The object is to destroy the freedom of the Press. The Speaker declares that being taken unawares he can only offer general considerations to combat the complaint of his Honourable Colleague. The author of the ar ticle attacked began by rejoicing at the two decrees of the Cour kayak. If this is a crime all France is guilty. It is the last paragraph but one that has given offence., The ez pressions, however, are not stronger than thine employed every day in the other journals. N. R. M. Chiffet ascends the tribune after M. Mechin, to sup. port the motion of M. the Salaberry ; N. Royer Collard defends the journal accused ; M. Duteire demands that the Journalist shall be punished, and M. Aries would have contempt_alone do justice to him. FRENCH FUNDS.—PARIS, FEB. 21.—Fire per Cents. W. Three per Cents. 66f. ltle. Bark Stock. 2,000 f. Hente de Napleg, 73f. Royal Spanish Loan. 47 4 . Exchange on London— One Month, 26f, 60c. ; Three ditto, 261; 26e.—Coure Art/weaves. A Flanders mail arrived last night with Brussels Papers to the Vld inst. Their contents are uninteresting. Whether the of of the Memorial forwarded to Fife ?louse by the unanimous vote of the Mansion House meeting will be acceded to will soon be known. In the mean time the distress which prevails is spreading so ex tensively that we think it not possible that the interference of Government can be much longer delayed. The referring the mercantile embarrassments of the country to the Bank Directors, and procuring relief through that channel, ap pears to be neither so effective nor so constitutional a mode of proceeding as the prompt interposition of Ministers, acting under the autltority and sanction of Parliament. There is nothing in such a transaction which need shrink from the light, and in all such cases an open and straight forward course is always the best. If it would be impru dent or impolitic on the part of Goientrnent to make any advance by war of loan to the mercantile interests, we see not how it can be wise or prudent on the pait of the Bank to do that which Ministers refuse to do, or on what ground they can be asked to afford that relief indirectly, which those in office have directly and distinctly declined as grant. If the measure is one of sound policy, the less circuitously it is carried into effect the better. It is snore consistent with the principles which at present go vern the conduct of Ministers, to grant a loan of Exche quer Bills on paper and efficient security, than to encou rage the Bank of England to enlarge the quantity of its paper for the purpose of administering that a id w hi c h me, deem it expedient to refute. It is a rest important fag, that when the Joao of Exchequer Bills watipintud hi the year 1793, commercial credit began to reopen' 4tsslf be fore those bills were actually delivered, No stronger proof can be adduced to demonstrate die utility of moth a measure at this moment. It may be deferred, but even tually it mutt be conceded. Thiap cannot go on etch lonper in their present deplorable train. • It matters not to what you ascribe the origin of the•evils that sureettind us. You may refer them to overtrading—to Lied:iota capital—to hqbble companies—to country banks-4o ex. cessive speculations —you may refer them •to any one of the thousand NUM which have all conspired, cure or less, to produce them—but, after all, you are nethlog the nearer. It is a waste of time to philosophise. The mass of evil is before you ; and the only question worth discussing is—how is it to be got rid of? It is of no we, st this crisis, to read lectures upon the folly of overtran ing, when our factories are atia stop, and the great concern is to set the wheels a-going. If those who, by their prudent speculations, have brought ruin on themselves, could be selected and set apart, it might, p:lliaps, he then worth considering how far they ought to be left to auffer. Our stoical apathy in such a case, though neither liberal nor humane, might at least be pardonable. But to ext r. vice the same cold and unfeeling discipline towards' the whole mass of honest, upright, industrious intlit Wash . , whom these speculators have brought into distress and difficulties by tl.cir failure—there is nothing in this pro. ceeding that can recommend itself to approbation, either from its moral expediency or its political justice. Our manufacturing districts cannot long continue in tie it present stagnant and starving condition. It is not in the power of Parliament to give bread to the labouring pupa lation ; much, however, may be done by a prompt and judicious application of those means which are within its reach, in staying the issues of calamity. But the reiief to. be adequate must be immediate. The Bank u.ay do much, but without the co-operation of Governinent its best efforts must fail of their effect. It is the risible and explicit intervention of Parliament that call alone quicken the return of commercial confidence, and revive the energy of the nation. We cannot close our remarks without adverting to tie disastrous state of the working-classes in the SiM. Trade. The extremity to which they arc reduced endangers the vital interests of all those great manufacturing districts in which their looms are thrown idle. Whatever the poli tical Economists may think of it, this is not a time to feed foreigners with their bread. To withdraw sev , n millions from the wages by which their industry was supported and their families fed, and to give by the same operation three millions in hard money to the silk-manufacturers of Frat en and Switzetland, would be a fearful experiment in the idst of times ;—at the present period the consequences that may flow from it are such as we are net willing to con. template. The alacrity with which contributions have been fors warded to relieve the distress of Spitalfields is most exem plary; but we said at first—and we repeat it—the funds of benevolence must fail ; it is hopeless to look to precari ous charity for the relief of permanent wretchedness. The subscriptions raised amount to ten thousand pounds, and by the introduction of foreign-wrought silks these weavers have lost their employment, and with it their wages, which in the aggregate amounted to ten thousand pounds n-ipeek It is easy to calculate what private charity can furnish towards the supply of so dreadful a deprivation as this; The prospect is appalling. Humanity has no resource but in turning aside from the anticipation of it. We abstain at this late hour from offering any observ e • tions on the speeches of last night. The interest, as wEp be seen, arose rather from the deep importance of the sub. jects than from any additional arguments with whieh thefr were enforced. In truth, all that can be urged, either its the way of reasoning or remonstrance, has been exhausted. The secession of Mr. Wit.sosr, the City Member, from the Treasury Bench, excited a strong impression, which could nor fail of its effect. At half-past one this morning, the debate on the Silk Question was adjourned till tchnight. —....w. CITY, THEIVDAY EVENING. The malicious rumours that we noticed yesterday, and the industry with which they bare been circulated, kept the Stock Exchanges this morning in a state of extreme agitation, and the meeting at the Mansion-house had not the effect of allaying anxiety. We noticed yesterday that the rumours with regard to London houses were false, and it was proved this morning that none of them were founded in fact. Although the City was free from reports to-dai,' still the fluctuations in Consols were excessive, varyieg between 761 and 77i in less than a quarter of an 'The last bargains were done at 76} 77. Lank Stock was ;;0i • 2051 205 ; India ditto, 226 288; and the Bonds 3s. Gs. 4s. discount. Exchequer Bills were Is. dis. to is. prem. The Liverpool Deputation on the subject of an ad. vance of Exchequer Bills, had an appointment with Mr. Huskisson yesterday morning. The combined Depatatioi from Liverpool and Manchester will be received by Lord Liverpool to-morrow (this day). It is understood that Ministers persevere in their deter. mination not to make the advances solicited; but it is believed that Lord LIVERPOOL has intimated to thi. Bank a desire that in conformity with powers imparted by the charter, and provided for by the regulations of the establishment, the Directors will make advances on the security of articles of merchandise. The decision of the Directors will probably be madp. known at Lord Li VLRPOOL'S to-morrow. Wecan on good authority state tbat nothing has occurred in the course of this morning to alter the views of Ministers on the subject in question, which is one that the eyes of all speculstors are anxiously turned to, as the price of Snicks siill pr.,- bably be regulated by the decision of the Bank as to its making advances on mercantile property. In the Foreign market the fluctuations are not important as compared with those in the English Funds. Colotnliirt Bonds were 4.5 44g ; Mexican Six per Cents. 87f SSA Russian Bonds 771; Spanish ditto, 91 10; and Greek ditto, • .' The transactions in Shares were extremely limite4; Money Stock continued scarce throughout the day. •-• , . Yesterday afternoon, coon atter three o'clock, the 1.41 Mayor, Sir James Shaw, Alderman Bridges, Aldeienala Thompson, Alderman Wood. and Mr. Thomas Wilsort waited upon the Earl of Liverpool, at his house Fa • Whitehall. The consultation occupied about an hour. ift ter which the Noble Earl had an interview with the Chan. cellor of the Exchequer and Mr. Secretary Cannin* previously to his going to the House of Peers. Yesterday the Portuguese Ambassador transacted bu. sinew; at the Foreign-office, in Downing -street. The preparations for introducing the silk manufaeturo into Ireland are in active progress. Orr Monday the Seoz dricus, Mertens, from Cette, in the South of France, era rived in Cork, with 26,000 white mulberry trees, valued at 10,000/., and the property of the British. Irish, and Colo. nial Silk Company. They are comigned to Geenge POO', Esq. agent to the Compq, and are 110111 the purpose of being planted. Ten serer of the Earl of s estates, near Afitchelstown, are shindy laid out for them, under the directko of Mr. Young, an luta= Scoisrnan.—The remainder the trees are to he pl at Mallow and Neuman., County Kerry.—Freeinuree Journal. T. I