The Sun. — London, England, 1846-01-27 00:00:00

;c:"----e•---..„.....--............,..------ tria"te"d' fat. The incre:sed f , ecility et fc;• gettine the toi rthu ~, N . v i11,. 1 h e p e , be some .eorei the tion to the dery on all ; tit 1 Dee tor di ing away with 10 find ' B'—(l,llll,hter ) ' These who may De dis posed ., f , e. • . relied that with this measure, will, I hope, protective Mies 41 , t hat I have prop , sed, the removal of ile fro Some of the great articles of manufacture. , 1 44 . 1 On the manufacturers to show the first ex- Ra lt ', now come to the proposal which I intend to t e With ne w c ome to corn.—(l-lear, hear, and cher, :_) lte e ra Pc'e at once to remove the duties upon all ani a Ni, lillaierated in the tariff; and I propose, Sir, a t s_ le 1 '4, 4 (4 an adle rence to these principles, that t ~a d s 413 " animal and vegetable food, and also upon 1 d„ an other animals, shall at once c 100 act propose an immediate repeal of ea tii_ l e: a,r°° that artcle, but to come to a gradual repeal, i 1 g irt : t . e t st t s t) . g i ve tim e for the adjustment of agricultur , a_ I thick it would be out of my power to s'l.l NIP' modification of the existing corn-laws, which ni • , ~ . existing lied I it 4 t%vim the aparoeation of tee country, the in cons: (pence propose such a measure. Ithe euetraonS have ctenplained of the in inner . in which llpli!ivoi will tiny foreien cettle is low leen a, these be eubtirel; aholished.—(Hear, hear.) knel e 0 c that a very considerable re duction should . be I N 4 t° rll, and that the reducti, n shall be limited , t . o lion he three Years.—(Loud cheers fr, en the Opposi that 8, e1a1 .) My measure shall contain a provision a 1,4 at that Ithat period of the year, 'lamely on 4 inh'euruarY, 1 849, oats, barley, and dre w J`ct to a nominal rate of duty, which I have wheat, shall lfy LI Proposed to affix to Indian corn.—(llear, hear.),,e lelaf r e ssion as to the policy of providing impeulai'l. il, rola a great portion of ' the people remains . 0 et/ rah — • I cannot admit --and I sincerely regret it- 0 _ ' , i e pre - 1 4 (4 adneit that I take an erroneous estimate r( the st; l iar re for relief which, before the arrive. o looking It the proi?eSt' InaY arise. I think, not only kase a Pects of the next spring, but looking at the Nse- (l 4 4 , el ecs of the deficiency in Ireland, that it is of the kai,rl"linportance, as far as legislation can take ... p . . kt,,ide).'gainst the suffering, which it was painful were I Sib' ' to g prev a il, prevail. - Indeed, I wish it we ak e tt .„`° take advantae• 1 of these unhappy 1 % el e s "ees, and extract' benefit from them, tie e r n ' I introducing in Ireland a taste for a highe as i ltitl i° e it e i . ood. The potato, in which there w of kr klieuriency and disease is the food of million . s_ er ttt, prZsciount.rymen. We ' have, then, to consider Llto • 'ea Is to be made • for we cannot make leoprQo:(hate change in 1t,,, as shallpresent the ' tastes of the people. Ntie s e to make such reduction on the realizteha gr a eat . part of the advantages h'tellthWOnirl attend of the ports. I pro kd ha ',l there should b e g reat oeulu g duction in the amoe . int, krioe ant so re duced ea shou r l e d continue for a limited tt ) ,. 'l'll,d allerwards be changed into a merely nominal % es t4O4Y colleagues and myself krtikiitbthe stThject with the greatest diligence an _ _ e. have addressed d o j u in_ s no w proud the result of that has been the levy whi r n e l oot t"wP O Se to meet the present exigencies 1 t al z/ , ts of the country. According to a t . h e . e .. opti c , -w, the rate of duty upon other d o _ (tty anat_of grain has been regulated by the rate s t . 4 o ° th Iv"l'at. Now, with regard to barley, oats, 1 3 Fa.! I t g r , inferior rain- we propose that there shall Cs o n ;f ir ' eg g tle a t ai i° o l a i ri t th g e same rat' a reduction of a corre- S I , i r :,, nr e the Passing with the principle l' now stated. 3- Pro r atithitted of this Act, thatall•co u lo y n .— ial wheat al l 41 cheers at a merely nominal a t (Hear, ( Q ,_ th e , ro _, ) I also propose that the duties on i,:lcers.)r,. once of the colonies, shall be removed.— C , ger retttLean see no reason why they should be any ' it atheai:L' e d. Thus, I offer to those who insist_ on_ , 44 0 1 , ,r. thew and u nconditional repeal of these laws of duty, 1 41148 ,rnmediate admission, free tPropese to colo.nial grain.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) the t illtt d Sta tes a dmit, as I said before, maize from 4 A fon , du:y free. Well, then, we now propose - Tvhtantgfr_duties up . to . the Ist of February, possessions all corn 4i be invuoinrte,,the colonial ktt! e°tlntries u"' duty free. That from all I t . ere s i lo , , 5 , that when corn shall be under k ie ' anel wh en 0 a duty of 10s.; above fi 495., it shall be o at ass's, ',..0 at 305., 78. ;at 515., , '. d 545., it shall 4 14 g i rv a s: ; and when it shall exceed when at 525. L. li re 84 4 , arleble duty of 4s. With respec h t a t v o n w g heat 17 r e th e 7, a duty of 4s. I think that after . l : t ar th at `; 101 15e the general rates of duty, it . will la b id e 4 11 Y k . ti wil - 1 4411°1.11d not go more into the details h a e s appear in the morning in t _ (, 8 tit it t P : r a• - As I said before, there shall k s - Preseot" date 4s. on foreign ,01,11r0Pose to . This, then, is our proposition. wheat from l ( , Nee s , accompany that arrangement . .. with m e o n tl s i a ef ~tl-...bu , caieulated—rwiil not say to give eo p eNe f t ', ealcniated in my firm belief; materially . to l kl ee art:r interests' f that portion of the community , to repears, the . lapse of three yea , will tits i 9 t . rel i n e that protection which has, up be called ' lB is a ltl 3 e, been extended to them. I believe . that itnot, th e arrangement, and that whilst it wi ll Nll also tue interests of other portions of the h c k ou t n h t e r m y k 't d th , e wauleitl_to. theirc ownhave adventsge. I Lam burdens, borne their ; 1 ,40 th e ex u a ' ra v ril i h they he f 4 of th e D e which l a m obliged to them . they ki ,_ orh,a,_ community. have have thus set to other r '' state''uc,e Which they . e exercised. I will ih,llse wnat are the measures with which we ' l c ; uvlathatt accompany. this present reduction ., bins e aiiii;eY ofstn extension of the measures which 1 h great advantage to that portion of the ektillii'c'ywi„te wh os , welfare the interests of the whole 04 1' 4 're bounLe up—the farmers. lam perfectly kIN, that there are burdens which press heavily upon dl 8441 e of which are, in my opinion, r of alleviation —not by putting them on CkLll,lltrtiractileosn ohlutthebYlocai ea rs e t asures eta e rroducing a reform in the of which they hare , ;, % ° l l to complain. But fi k the existing let in le4igtetneet with respect to one great source of ex - 04 jug 4re—the one great burden which is constantly kit,;tlY complained of by those ..,t-l'ra. pursuits I *(1 mean the amount rates an la connection with highways. in ,gri n (Hear.) siler 11 "' la it not possible, without subjecting r,ihtyearties to the expense of supporting the highways, Itlliti; duce an useful reform into that expenditure,. by Pe het„heY Would experience a great relief'. I believe.. r rt t r !' ° ' k sible. we e " -Y, what is the practice with re 000 (hat" eighweys of this country ? There are Vtree e'r"erent local authorities, each of which have the . ;"t of ~.. rcada. Now, each of these highways bec . o k m e. 4, 14 1dt, ascent iMportance as railways advanced, turpi 0 , kl.„ 4 , Bi ders.a) l4ll ways now nf little importance, will become be ,11 .1 tipf - I value and importance. But what can , •r l i l l iee l kil i;et a ti vetotttiltiall the e.h s a a n 's n t e e l m o t f hat places a highway, t° l ot P4B4 la the na°l qt diff eren ?tigh . different parishes under the con communication, and . hr t :eaUlt is, as pari shes and _di t ff rent local trustees. this 0s who •kI have said, tba diffe rent total number of tf „%ktat t , t'ttce the management of the . highway in eie el Is not less than 16,000. It is the practice .. 4e, 4 trusts ifnot to appoint a surveyor in each parish, matter e ll if t h- * nothing whatever about the ti o c ildte 4 1 ' ° Meer did his duty, still it is an officer that o . and present entire posi ts; th e 1 y. Indeed,. the 1 1'bi t Ystern for regulating the highways . is such 1 (41 t0 bto theed tr , e materially altered, .for it is one which raetit: a Very bad and defective system of ma- Ilhich . ° Re of the modes of management . is v . 4 r e N,. aieh r egulated by an Act of Parliament, enter into a rite_rittatry _s ev eral parishes purpose e ma o y a ti ii t Z et , ; Itl)lettlasfejetr isthveolupnutrapy lih d d i ato re , a , i ' hardly en instance of this r that f is r e them remedying d v 3 being . i r n y g reason e t a h e s o a o s r n e . . of d - Zh a t-- (llear hear.) Now, in ac order to re he burden the offect to ll .k i ` - ih t t d l i ta . relic; to t P o r t o h p e c:s a c gric l u l 4 40 ter th, s q'tenl kale sea on Um litluutt-i only ly fro h m ave t a m kiii :ill erd_PoWer from a voluntary tobut I el sop r 0 compulsorypoos e. cr th e be c but N: (1 10 pe„„... t the arishnow 0 41 4111)., -eaace this superintendence then have authorities which m a .t ) a • I Y tcl o ' and it oay agree to that you th/vttala r,atzthorities instead of 16.000. t 5 pa,.rtf°Nse to make the guardians of of the unions w o ill uax, compulsory hear.) lo tt el i ,lieie t 4 °Pon whom it would discharge the duties 14 'Eteh I ,a cempetent surveyor to s _ stem of ea:,,!olahrl..ave alluded. With regard to the .1 Of '' I hjqY ttnion of parishes, I willfirst different mode the kn antie e il l ray hand of the result- of a he North of read th, 4 t eP a'ent adopted in a district of tuon. a st ate- Baronet ,;1A tea in in extent. The Right .._ woe th 44 th the document, in which It management eis let by d . a . mode of e 44pease, ,_ a i orent re .atee te ' , ad been reduced very materially. In thltek(ltettatee w here the charge upon the parish tp ‘ r . the n ta s Ned , a e l f a . high ways was from 6d. to "__.,,a,,,, q rio w , lie teeny was conipletely thrown tax u^ wa •T s d'4 l r N to frt.l4ad better roads, and the I sow the re a l a Is. 2d. to 3d. in the pouno,.and in other t i w icontie uction. was from 3d. to 4d. in the pound. te t . °ten s" &Al with a law which has for a . c . ) : ~,rizse. .1 allterZa justly Complained o by the itg . r e ic ar. l: Itlt zlt• rltrYjusitiq which the agriculturalists ree e • 11c4',,, In the tio,""Y, kid that is the poor-law seeentlee -IPl°Yed ill M e e?? rcisperity many d P gr P eat r etri •°n of a itaa;""ll,'acturing towns, an e , s a of the n 1 1(,1, ufacturin e lak life is often consie . m ct a t il _g..0.0rl eend„... ocalrer, the town lt d he _duct tittlid in dustry is derived from The whole of his character tis th en wh at • r s • A revulsion in trade takes place, 441 fan are the course adopted ? The dis s,_4 fretf which 0 sent back to therural man and who has dr t hi s i• they came. The man , at t i es rite as a and he l a g u l f ‘ B, hi s „ , Manufacturer 'returns to the rural fertte unfitted or are interrupted, 1 10 1 to a newg or his new occupation. Ho con -1 1(44, ono home, and separated from his , ~. 1- sill ' -" of Cour •h' f ling is destroyea ~s,i. therefore se is moral ee is trans. re to .I"'R th e 1. propose, for the purpose . of Lo i il . and from such burden, and in order re c ., e st le , , , a ne(1011ae is '''' the labouring man, that an industrial 11,7 1 0 e of e __ 4o Y Parish for five years withoutthe a com • set 111:4eellear:fly offence, shall give to the individual b t ken rl e .'Y. and the pwer of removing him shall e a after having rioNed C. th e Case of such a man shall h t t h e 04 , years to labour, his claim for support.o 1 4 .? ti t h e In i e Place of his original settlement, but s , h i a n l . l a k +try h.y!ac where the price of his labour . tt di,ll ~,,a aee.lll bestowed. —(Loud cheers.) In 1842, ottvreat rlistress prevailed in the manufacturing eaa "'S th e Practice was that the manufacturers who \vet, settlements in the agricultural districts itin,4l, at 'what°nee In to their original settle this "thi "lent now propose fro year 3.-ewar, no.person who has resided for more than %.stil that 5 111 any parish shall be removed . 1 ;Ile, PariSh. No residence in prison —in wry lunatic 'qee---in hospital or in any pour- house, or receiving lt b, to be counted as part of the time. and neither shall 4 tt, ti all is t e h e ; kl t/ned as interruption to the time. Not only 1'1, 4 : ell l i d ' sreenx: th e t o e f t.t h d i t a o n tri l an, but to his children, and to wife—legitimate or illegitimate, under , 41 ,0v k ed ge of 16 years, and such egl children shall not be re :net t,vidtgre theren; oval of thersonhimself is forbidden. " i rea r - ,, tr t shall not be the power of separating the clail tali 110 - ':,,ln their parents, an that every wan shall have "tr, the right of requiring support, riot crow his THE SVIN, LONDON, TUESDAY RIPENING, rANUA'RT"27, 1846. place of settlement, but birth. At present, immekliaiely I upon the death of a labouring man in the mattufecturieg I districts the widow of that man is removed. Now, we Allah propose that no widow residing with her husband at the thee of his death shall be removable for twelve months from the parish in which r husband resided. At present when a man's health is wasted by extreme labour he has no course to adopt but to leave work. Now, we propose that in sickness an asylum shall be found for him, and there shall be no power of removal from the manufacturing to the rural districts.—(Hear, hear.) This, I think, will be considered an alteration of the law by which great social advantages will be obtained, and at the same time relief to the agricultural districts. —(Hear, hear.) I now approach ithother matter in respect to which I am prepared to advise that which, without loss to any other portion of the community, will be a great advantage, not only to the agricultural, but all the beet interests of the Country. There is a dread of competition if the duty is removed, but that competition may be met by skill and industry and in order that the English farmer may compete with the foreigner. we propose that the State shall encourage agricultural improvements. Now on that subject the evidence with respect to the entailed estates is most important, because it shows that, by means of im provement there is a means of greatly improving the produce of the land. It shows, also, that teere are immense districts in . this country that might be very greatly improved by means of draining. The difficulty attending on aey scheme of meeting the defective system of draining, is shown in the re port I have alluded to. There have been various schemes proposed, and some of them by an Honourable Friend of mine, to facilitate agricultural improvements, but they have been met with great difficulties in conse quence of the interference of the farmers. The great elifficuby has been the raising of money are entailed estates so as to afford satisfactory security to those who might advance it.—(Hear, hear.) Ts ob viate this, 1 intend that the public credit shall be em ployed in order to effect agricultural improvements, by advancing sums of money on certain terms. Those sums of money I intend shall be advanced when application is made that improvements are to be effected, accompanied with a statement and a proper estimate of how it is to be expended.— (Hear, hear.) Hitherto, if we made advances of Exchequer Bills, it was on a high rate of interest ; but in the present case, in advising an application of the public credit to effect agricultural improvements, I propose that the Exchequer Bill Commissioners shall be empowered to make advances to the proprietors of estates at a moderate annual charge. These grants, I propose, shall be made through the advice of a Board that is now in existence. I mean the Board of Enclosures. The Enlosure Commissioners I propose shall make all inquiries respecting what parts of the country should undergo improvement ; they shall receive all applications for money, calcu laiing the value of the land, the improvements proposed, and the amount of the expense they will cost; which done they shall report the result in a circular to the Exchequer-bill Commissioners who in that case shall on their advice make the advances re commended. It being arranged that the money so ad vanced shall have paid on it an annual rate of interest, and also that the principal shall be re paid in regular yearly instalments.—(Hear.) But in this course I propose that in all cases where there are heavy burdens on land—where there are prior claims to meet by advances on mortgage or otherwise —that no advances shall be made by the Exchequer-bill Commis sioners without the consent of the party having the lien. In all such cases, however, I apprehend par- ties will perceive it to be their interest to consent to such advances, as they will lead to great improvements in the land, and do much to enhance their interests in the property. I believe an arrangcrrent of this kind will be found a great benefit ; that the objections to it on the ground of entailed estates may be obviated, and the expenses so applied, I am certain, as to advance the interests of all proprietors, and lead to great agri cultural improvements in the country.—(Hear, hear.) I do not limit the amount of improvements to these merely local advantages. I believe that the spirit of improvement generated by this plan will go on pro gressively. I believe that every proprietor of land will follow the example set him by scientific men, and strive to improve hive state, and that this innova tion on the part of the Government will lead to an ex tended spirit of agricultural improvement over the country. —(Hear, hear.) Well, that is another mode in which we propose to enable the agricultural interest to meet the competition with which they may be threatened on the withdrawal of the duty. Now, with respect to the direct local burdens, I have given the most serious consideration to this subject, and I cannot advise any material alteration of the system on which the assessments take place. There is no doubt that a sum is levied under the name of poor rate, which is employed partly for the purpose of relieving the poor, and partly for other ob jects. It is said, and said with some apparent justice, that this is a charge upon land, and that, therefore, there ought to be a very great alteration in the principle on which levies of that kink were made. Now, in point of fact, this charge is not a charge upon land.—(Hear, hear.) As far as this charge is concerned, the oppo sition is not one between the country and the towns—the opposition is not one between land and other interest, the opposition is one that arises between real and personal property. But it must be remembered that real property includes mines, houses, and manueactures, and it is such real property as this that is subject to this assessment. It might possibly be considered just, and it might perhaps be advantageous to make personal property subject to a charge for the maintenance of the poor, but you must recollect that the charge is a local charge, and not a general tax. The land could, however, gain nothing by making personal property liable from this rate. It will be no advantage to the land if the same principle were carried out in Manchester, Stockport, and other manufacturing towns. It would be only a dif ferent distribution of the burden within that locality. You may say, subject personal property to the change, but if you do you must also subject personal property in the rural districts.—(Hear, hear.) But now how will you levy small charges on houses? It is possible to levy a charge for the general purposes of the country, but if you come to levy an amount small as this on personal 'property, you may depend on it that this sort of inquisition will not be tolerated. So far from it being a benefit to the land—considering that the charge is always a local one—so far from it being a benefit to the land to raise the amount by means of an inquisition instituted by mere parochial authorities, it would be a burden to the land. Now, I am quite willing to admit that there might be parishes in which there may be a large rural and a large manufacturing population. Well, in parishes so situated, then, I do admit that I think the assessment an unjust one. I am not prepared to suggest any mode of removing that evil, but I cannot think that there would be any advantage whatever to the land, considering that the charge is a local one in the establishment of an institution, for the purpose of making inquires as to the amount to be raised. If you do so, you must inquire into the profits of trade and the profits of the former might also be made the subject of inquiry. You certainly have been charged upon personal property. But even there exceptions were taken—(The rest of the sentence was lost, in consequence of the Right Hon. Baronet at the moment turning his back to the gallery.) lam aware that the State might take upon itself the maintenance of the poor ; but I am sure that there would be the greatest objection to that ; and while the charge continues to be e n m e y fi t firm y t ie b e a l t i e n f s rs t e h . at l th a m e l a n n o d t e pr i e n p t a e r r e e ( s i t , would i not o n e t: p t w h ra e i sn r e c ai f p o rlee., fair t B a c us s ti u nal g g tb e . on s r t v de a i r n ne y i cwt namendmentcertainly from s to o h some e el t ti that present aati fu n there d Some of these burdens would probably fall upon land, and frome those land should be relieved. I cannot mention any . compensation, but I believe that we lay a foundation for a great essential improvement by taking upon the Government some of those charges which now bear upon land. Some of those charges were brought under the notice of the House by the lion. Member for Somersetshire last ssear. I was teen obliged' to admit that the relief that west small,ho should devise e b v u is t e l ford; say,tlie agr i cu ltural interest would be but pro t e ction, that I think the circumstances no w, when you are about to deprive land u a i r t e im eh at a e n d g y e e d it , a y. n , i)thatave i g u. r ,w e a t th e i x s t n e l it t i l; u we e e outs) they relieve it y o t f h a e s c a d i n t i o u g a be effected, and I would only take the cases of felony, the xpenses of which are always thrown upon the land, and perhaps a still greater illustration, the expenses which arise from the offences which are classed as tnis demeanours. By these means the charges that have hitherto been buane by the land ought to be re moved, and that those expenser should be by the State, so as to render them equally imposed on all classes. of the community. I think, therefore, that the funds necessary for this purpose ought to be provided by the country, and that some provision should be made for the removal of these difficulties; and I sincerely trust that no unnecessary discussion will ensue on these provi sions. Now, with respect to these circumstances it ought not to be forgotten that there is a material difference between England and Ireland. In Ireland there are the peculiar land terms. In England the matter is different. We have here our accustomed ,erms; but in Ireland they have no such advautge. [n Ireland a material benefit would be obtained by the ministration to trade and to advantages which are likely to be enjoyed by the agricultural interests. The bene• its to - f.• enjoyed - by that interest are no, to be taken from the advantages enjoyed by the country. But in Ireland there is a consideration of public convenience as well as profit, and it should be observed, in order to come to a correct conclusion, that the whole of th e community .are affected by the decision st which you will arrive to-night. Now, the burdens on land materially aff ect that decision, and I think that the expenses imposed in consequence of this source of national inquiry, ought to be borne by the state rather than by the lauded interest, and that if even it should be imposed generally, it ought n ot to bear heavily on this part of the United Kingdom. N ow, if we ta k e a fair view of the burdens, and of the advantages which land has to suffer or enjoy, I believe that the benefits wwil l ill be enjoy f?und th to preponderate, and that the labourer e profits which is likely to a ccrue to the State .. !!t large, and particularly to this portion of the United Ivlngdom. I believe this will be the m eans of placing the police I force directly under the entire control of the .a Govern went, and prevent the possibility of all interference the by local interest.—(Hear, hear.) It will ri?ke system of police as perfect as you can possibl y make it, and exclude all power pr l,ocal knowle t,he E dge, or local cutive l interference. I propose, therefore, 1,14 G o o e : e er a n s me po nt ss t i a b k le e . i : - , e ()iic, e e f 4 of f Ireland, and in order to make that controel as m • I the force shall be paid . 0 4t a phe public Exchequer. I In fact, a g iim) return N T 0, withdrawal of protection, Government ore disposed to cernmend that the whole charge of the rural po i in Ireland shall be borne by the public. There is another charge borne by the Lnded interest of this coun try to which I wish to allude, and which we propose to share with them. I allude to medical relief. —Hear, hear.) If the performance of any one pert of the functions of the Poor-law Commissioners has given more satisfaction to the country than another, it is the way in which they have administered medical relief.—(Hear, hear.) And yet, I am sorry to say, this description of relief has often been ex tremely defective, and many distressing cases have often been brought be fore our eyes in consequence of this defect.—(Hear, hear). We propose, therefore, to improve the medical relief afforded to the poor and destitute of the cou ntr y .—(Cries of "Hear, hear.") And for the purpos. of giving . the Executive greater control over the distribution of medical relief in England and Scotland. I pro pose to take one half of the charge of the whole medical relief of the country. Thus we shall be enabled to do away with the objections which have been urged by the guardians, to the interference of the Poor lee Commissioners, in the matter of medical relief by the fact that we contribute one-half of the expenes, which the relief occasions. I estimate that the amount of charge will be not less than 100,0001. in Eng land, and 15,000/. in Scotland, In Ireland there will be a separate law which passed this House sonic time ago, and which will occupy the attention of the other House of Parliament in the course of the present session. With respect to Scotland there is a separate charge to which I wish to refer, and from which I think Scotland ought not to be released. The expenses of maintaining a prison in Scotland I think ought to be borne by the public rather than by the landed interest ; and for the satisfaction of the Perthshire landlords I may state that the expense of maintaining that establishment is to be moved from the landed interest, and thrown on the public. There is another subject, having reference to the union workhouses, to which I wish to direct the attention of the House. I mean the defective system of education which exists in some of these establishments. I am anxious to avoid the rais ing of any religious question, but I think we may safely interfere in this matter without doing so. We propose in no way to interfere with the appointments of the officers, and to avoid as I have stated, the raising of any religiousquestion, the appoint ment of the schoolmaster shall still remain with the guardians, but still we shall be ready if the guardians cannot procure them to undertake the expense and duty of providing competent schoolmasters and school mistresses. If, however, the guardians claim the right of providing these officers themselves, we require that the officers shall possess ample qualification for the performance of the duties which shall devolve upon them. We shall claim the right of inspection because if the schoolmaster and schoolmasters shall be found incompetent, we shall be ready at the public charge to find competent and respectable persor s to supply their places. It is our intention as well to undertake the duty of educating the children of the destitute poor, and it shall be our care to provide proper and competent masters and mistresses for that purpose. Then, again, with respect to auditors, the amount of remuneration to be given to them shall be the same as that of the Commissioners. Now, ob serve, in almost every case in which I have proposed any remission of the burdens on land, and at the same time to propose the attainment of some great object connected with the public good.—(Hear.) If this general scheme will meet with the approval of the great body of men, at a very early periol all restrictions upon food will be removed, and instantly other duties which apply to the importation of food. With respect to clothing there will he liberty to purchase in the cheapest market. With respect to medical matters there will also be a great improvement.—(Hear.) I do hope both parties will reflect, that instantly, with respect to many articles of food there will be a free importation. With respect to all a free importatiOn at an early date. Whether the measures I have proposed will be sufficient to satisfy both parties I earliest say, but I sincerely hope the entire scheme will be fairly and delibe rately considered by both sides, and that you will reflect upon the consequences likely to result from the immediate rejection of these measures.—(Hear, hear.) I do not ask fur an immediate expression of opinion at this moment, but, after the interval of a short time, I hope you will pay attention to my proposal. Permit me now, Sir, to conclude with two observations—one upon foreign policy and our com mercial interests, and one having reference to our own domestic concerns. Sir, I fairly avow that in making these great reductions on the produce of foreign countries, I have no guarantee that other countries will immediately fellow our example. Wearied by our long enduring efforts—(Hear, hear) — we have resolved to consult our own immediate interests. —(Loud cheers from all parts of the House.) We wish not to oppress other countries, or ourselves, by con tinuing excessive duties and the encouragement of unlawful taxation.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) We have no communication, therefore, whatever with any other Government in making the proposals which we have submitted. I cannot promise you that France will make any considerable alteration in her tariff in consequence of our proposed alterations. I cannot promise you that Russia will prove her gratitude to us for our reduction upon tallow. You may tax your articles, therefore, in opposition to our present plan, to meet the it ingratitude, but yet you will exact nothing thereby. I may, perhaps, be told that in many foreign countries, since the relaxation of cur duties, the people hare been benefited, and yet they have not followed our example not only have not followed our example, but have actually highered the duties on the admission of our manufac tured goods into their countries.—(Bear.) I quite ad mit that fact. I give the whole benefit of that argu ment. I rely upon that fact as a positive proof of the present policy of foreign countries. It is a fact that other countries have not followed our example, nay, that they have, in fact, in some cases highered the duties upon the admission of our goods. But what has been the result of that polily upon the amount of your exports? —(Hear, bear.) You have defied the regulations of other countries.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") Your export has greatly increased.—(Hear.) The trade of the smuggler has been in operation in consequence of the policy of other countries with respect to the admis sion and exportation of articles of manufacture despite the strict regulations of continental countries. Your exports, whatever be the tariffs of other countries, or the apparent ingratitude with which they have treated you—your export trade, I say—has greatly increased. By the remission of duties upon raw material, you have been able to exceed the amount of the past revenues of the country. And, notwithstanding the existence of hostile tariffs, the declared value of British exports has exceeded, by 10,000,000, the amount of the last three years. I say, then, that hostile tariffs, so far from being an argument against the remo val of restrictive duties, furnishes a strong argument in its favour ; and depend upon it, that although other nations may not at first join with you in the removal of these duties, depend upon it, I say, that your example will ultimately prevail. — (Hear, hear.) When your example could be quoted in favour of restrictions it was largely taken. And when your example can be quoted in favour of re laxation, as being conducive to your interests, it will not fail to have its proper weight. It may not be at first received by Governments or foreign boards, but depend upon it that the exercise of reason and a consi deration of the common interest will induce a re laxation of these duties.—(Hear, hear) 'That is my firm belief ; I see something of this already at work in the last accounts from the United States, notwithstanding there are some indications of a hostile spirit in that country. I see something of that spirit at work. Look for instance at the report lately made by the Secretary of the United States.—(Hear, hear.) That shows that the example is not altogether unavailing. In that re portcmoeu rnetery Mr. agriculture, As Walker,w.el well m states gahm ti t d h at in the conflict of op posing tariffs the) sacrificed the interests of com merce, they m t navigation se of monarchicalheir and aristocrati ca l institutions upon ')o their G ment. Let co mmerce , h e says, be as free them t F in) d e r nta to open independent as our Government, and advises open their ports to all the world, and nation after nation would then follow their example.—(Cries of 4 Hear, hear.") And if the question should be asked— ho shall begin this work of removing these restric tions ? it is answered, he says, by the fact that England had already abolished the duties on most of their export s: the y had reduced their duty on the importation of cotton, on bread stuffs, provisions, and other articles. The reduction . of iff, n admission that you have set the example—that c th re e ase t d ar amount lle of a drdesvenuweo.uldHerele, lead an Sir, is is the you reduced the amount of duties upon your articles of import and export, without any pre liminary engagement with any other Government. I can give you more examples—l can give a country, opposed as a country can be to the United States, now entertaining liberal views. I must say, in justice to the Sovereign who now rules over that country, that I have seen documents written by him, contain ing, with respect to freedom of commercial intercourse, opinions as liberal as could come from any mann facturer. (Hear.) That Sovereign is constantly urging a relaxation of all commercial duties, and I do not despair that at a very early period his wishes will be carried into effect. Aus tria is showing an inclination to follow the same ex ample, and also other countries.—(Hear, hear.) Sir, I do not despair that the example which we are going to set will be followed by every other country on the con tinent, and that they shall quote you as an example for pursuing a similar course.—(Hear, hear, amid cheers.) Sir, I trust this freedom of commercial intercourse will constitute a new bond of peace—(Cheers)—and that this House will not oppose any measure which may have such a tendency ; for the permanent continuance of peace will prevent us from being exposed to sudden fluctuations, and will gain for us new coueumers. And I do think we should neglect no opportunity to gain such an advantage by having an abundance of cheap food in this country.— (Loud cheering.) It may be said that I haye proposed these measures in order to foster a love of gain and an accumulation of this ld. butbi public burdens. neldsrnbaodounfetrci burdens country ts enh.o . nl:f3s w , I brt:od i ynr e vl d s bo h osun Bertseeuahsantatl like wise, wealth. I d . evise these on no such principle. I believe the accumulation of wealth, that is the increase of ca pital is one ct the means hy wp can main tainnt h; sos t alleviation ah o f e et t oi h aowml e nl o r at f i irio C nau : ver h the etyltd,e wmi e vt m ecehro.l d so t have h ec e il a r c iat cumulati . on of wealth, but it is directly conducive byto the diminish ing the claims of paupers, but übpye ev o it it is conducive to the spread diminishing the temptations to crime that arise from poverty.—(Hear, hear.) I ask you, therefore, to give your cons,nt, not on any narrow view or principle cont. ected with the mere accumulation of wealth (or increase of the revenue); but upon the far higher principle of increasing morality. Depend upon it, if you increase luxury you will increase voluntary taxation. I ask you, therefore, for the sake of morality to consent to this measure. I ask you to consent to it upon the proof which I have brought you, that abund ance and cheapness diminish crime. I could give you many instances of what are the social effects of cow paratlve cheapness they may occur in numbers to the mind of this House. It is said that there is no danger of scarcity. What was scarcity ? It was a relatiac question. what was scarcity to some might not be so to others : but remember that the lapse of three years of abund ance had produced a great change in the habits and the feelings of the people.—(Hear, hear.) Three years of comparative cheapness had indt ed produced a change that, which was not scarcity ; in the hard winter of 1842 would be scarcity now. I was told the other day that in one of the battalions of the Guards the increase in the ntimber of the private soldiers who had applied for furloughs during the last few years was very great, and had be: r very rapidly in the increa e as compared with preceding years. They had more than doubled in 1845, and I was told that the reason of this increase was that the friends of these soldiers had been in much more comfortable circumstances during the last few years. I confess I thought this a singular and a striking moral instance of ti-e abundance which existed in this country. I also think that this occasional leave of absence was productive of much good to the soldier, fur it permitted him to en joy the society of his friends, and made him return with feelings better qualified for the performance of of his duties. I was asked the other night why I was dissF•sed to disturb the state of prosperity to which I have alluded ? I was told that in the face of the abundance of the last three years no sufficient plea was given for disturbing the present arrangements, for that prosperity co-existed with the alterations which had been made in the law in 1842. My answer to this is that the prosperity referred to existed up to October last year ; but in that year and during the months that have since elapsed all in dications of the preceding prosperity have dis appeared then and since that there had been a sympathy between the prosperity of the manu facturing classes and the prices of food. I con fess that from the month cf October, 1845, we had reason to feel that a great change was necessary. These, Mr. Green, are the proposals, whieh, on the part of her Majesty, we have to lay before you.—(Hear, hear.) I can have nothing to fear from any ungenerous feeling of this House. There has been no ap peal to the popular feeling on this question. The feeling, the general feeling of the country, is in favour of the setth meat of this question. We can now approach it in a proper spirit. There has been a great anxiety, on my part, with respect to this question. The example you set in taking upon yourself the settlement of this all - important question will be followed by the rest of the world. There is in your justice, in : - our wisdom, the means of doing justice on this question, because you are not subject to any coercion. —(Hear, hear, and cheers.) You must bear in mind that we may have worse harvests and worse times than the present — (Hear, hear)—and that the measure which I have stated to the House have been brought forward into the general desire of effecting an adjustment of those great questions which at present so prominently occupied the public attention, and that they may ultimately tend to the advantage of her Majesty's subjects. They have been brought forward from a sincere desire that they will benefit all classes without injuring the agricultural body. They have not been brought forward a ithout the deepest consideration hav ing been given to the effect which they all have on the commerce of the cauntry. I therefore recommend them to your calm and dispassionate consideration, in the sincere hope that they will conduce to the mainte nance of friendly relations betwen different classes of the community—to giving securities for the permanence of peace, and with the assurance of maintaining loyalty amongst her Majesty's subjects ; that they will increase their confidence, and better the condition of the whole body of the public. The Right Hon. Baronet then resumed his seat, amidst loud cheers principally from the Opposition, having addressed the House nearly three hour,: and a half. Sir BOBER r PEEL rose again in a few minutes after he had concluded his statement, and said he wished to allow any time which tlle House might deem reason able for the consideration of his proposition before the discussion of it should take place. lie did not ex pect that any unreasonrble time would be required, but he would he entirely guided by the sense of the House. Sir R. H. INGLIS rose, and was (LEFT SPEAKING.) cottons formerly were subject to a duty of 10 per cent. He proposed it should be imported duty free, without restriction. The duty on manufactured cottons, which was now 20 per cent., he proposed to reduce to 10 per cent. He was the more anxious that the manufac turers should assent to this, because they had set the example by asking for prott etion. Adam Smith stated that it was not the agriculturists but the manufacturers that had commenced the system of monopoly. " Country gentle. men and farmers," said Adam Smith, were least actuated by the wretched spirit of monopoly."—(A laugh.) Pro. tection was first pressed on the Legislature by the trading interests, and, therefore, they should first relinquish it. With regard to linens and woollens, he proposed that they also should relinquish protection, and he doubted not but that the skill of the country NS ould beat foreigners. Woollen goods were subj‘ et to a duty of 20 per cent. Ile propostd to reduce it to 10 per cent on linens as well as on cottons and woollens ; that the coarser sorts should come in duty free, and that in regard to the finer sorts the reduction of duty should be reduced to one-half of its present amount. With respect to silk, he thought that they should apply not the same system but make a great reduction. They had a duty which in respect to many articles was pro hibitory, and it was conside red a protection to domestic industry. It was no such thing, 'or there were houses in Paris which would guarantee the delivery of the goods in London at one-half the duty. They would, by a re duction of that duty, encourage a lawful traffic instead of an unlawful ore. There were many articles of silk on which the duty was more than 30 per cant, as, for instance, on crape and other articles of manufacture. He proposed a new arrangement of those duties, and that the general rule should be to levy a duty ad valo rem, in no case exceeding 15 per cent. Then with re gard to paper, the duty was Is. per square yard, without distinction of quality. He proposed to reduce that duty to 2d. per square yard. He now approached those ma nufactures connected with metals. All manufactures of metals were charged with a duty of 15 per cent. He proposed that no duty should exceed 10 per cent. : that was to be the maximum. Then with regard to brocade and earthenware, he proposed a similar reduction Then with regard to foreign carriages, he proposed to reduce the duty from 20 per cent. to 10 per cent. He proposed to reduce the duty upon candles to one-half of the present amount, and also a similar reduction in foreign soap. Hard soap now subject to a duty of 305., he promised to reduce it to 205., soft soap to 10s., and Naples soap from 565. to 15s. There were many articles in which he proposed to remit the duty altogether. There were 500 articles standing in the tariff in respect of which there was no duty. He pro posed to apply this principle to many other arti cles. In respect to all articles connected with the manufacture of leather great remittances of duty had taken place. He proposed to remote altogether the duty on dressed hides, and then there would not be a single raw material subject to duty, and then he proposed to reduce the duty on foreign boots and shoes ; from boots is. 3d. to Is. 9d. per dozen; Boots from 11. Bs. per dozen to 145., and for shoes from 14s. to 7s. He proposed to reduce the duty upon straw plait from ss. to 3s. 6d. per lb. He was disposed to act freely and impartially. He had exhausted every article of manufacture. He proposed to reduce the duty upon brandy and foreign spirits from 225. per gallon, and the consumption was not now greater in this country than it was in the 17th century. There was no article in which smuggling more prevailed. He proposed to reduce the present duty of 225. to 15s. per gallon. With regard to sugar, he intended to propose the reduction of the duty on foreign free labour sugar to 3s. 6d., reducing by that amount the differential duty. He now came to those articles connected with agriculture. There were many articles subject to heavy duties which did not operate as protection. There was, for instance, the article of to bacco ; and, in tr. ating of these articles, he hoped that that House would bear in mind the necessity of support ing the public revenue, and not press for a simulta neous removal of duties which would be thought hich, He would take first those articles not connected with food, and he thought that, by reducing the duty on grass seeds, he was conferring a benefit on agriculture The duty on clover seed, for instance, was a heavy bur den or agriculture. He proposed to reduce the duty on all seeds to ss. per cwt., as a maximum duiy. In order to promote the fattening of cattle, which was so neces sary to the production of manure for the fertilising of the soil, he proposed that Indian corn should be hence forth admitted duty free, or rather with a merely no minal duty. He considered that, in doing this, he was not doing any injury to the agricultural interest He proposed to subject buck wheat to the same rule, and the flour of those articles. He proposed to admit the meal of those articles on the same footing as the grain. With regard to linseed cake and rape cake, the price had been gradually rising for years. He had been re quested to enable many articles used in feeding cattle in the United States—such as rice cake—to be admitted duty free, and he therefore proposed to admit it. He came now to consider those articles of agricul tural produce used for the food of man, and he felt the difficulty of dealing with them. His object was to come to some adjustment of this ques tion between the demands of those who upheld unre laxed protection and those who contended for the repeal of all duties. He feared neither party would approve of his plan, but he proposed it for the public advantage, as the foundation of a settlement. He did not propose an immediate repeal of all duty, although ho proposed an immediate reduction in respect to all, and immediate and total repeal in respect to many. He proposed to make an immediate reduction upon the whole of the articles. He proposed to reduce the duties one-half on butter, cheese, and hops, and on cured fish to ls. per cwt. He proposed to repeal immediately the duty on bacon, fresh beef, salt beef, fresh and salt pork, and vegetables of all kinds. Every thing of vegetable, everything of animal food, should henceforth be imported duty free. He had, by removing previous duties, enabled the agriculturist to compete with the foreigner; and, therefore, he called upon him to give up his protection. He proposed that all cattle, and animals imported from foreign countries, should come in duty free. complaints bad been made as to the injurious and un equal operation of the tariff with regard to fat and lean cattle. This alteration would redress that inequality. He trusted that the agriculturists would bear in mind that he had called on the manufacturers to set the example of giving up protection. He would now state his proposal with regard to the corn-laws He did not propose their immediate repeal, but in order to give time fur adjustment, although he proposed a tem porary reduction, he proposed that after the lapse of a certain time foreign grain should be admitted duty free. He proposed a considerable reduction in the existing amount of duty, and that the continuance of that re duced amount of duty should continue only for three years. He proposed that after the Ist February, 1849, oats, barley, and wheat should be subject only to that nominal duty which he proposed to apply to Indian corn He could not admit that he had taken an erroneous view of the pressure to which they would be subjected before the next harvest, and it was necessary to take precau tions against the approaching calamity. He much wished this calamity might induce among the people of Ireland a taste for a higher order of food. They had to consider what provision was to be made to meet the deficiency in the potato crop. He was not now about to propose what be had proposed in November, the immediate suspension of those duties. He proposed that there should be immediately a great reduction in duty, to endure only for a limited period, after which it should be merely nominal. Under the ex isting law, the rate of duty on all descriptions of grain had been regulated by that of wheat. He proposed that all colonial grain should be admitted at a nominal duty— that all restrictions applying to the importation of meal should be removed. He proposed that the enactment, to endure for three years, should be as follows :—The duty on wheat when the average price should be under 485., a duty of 10s. ; above 495., 9s. ; 50s. and 51s, 75.; above 525. and under 535., ss. ; and whenever the price of wheat shall exceed 545. there shall be an invariable duty of 4s. With respect to other descriptions of grain they followed the scale which they had adopted with regard to wheat. There would be, therefore, now levied on wheat, instead of a duty of 165., a duty of 45., and other descriptions of grain would be subject merely to a nominal duty. He proposed to accompany this provision with others calculated materially to advance the interests of that portion of the community, which, after a lapse of three years, would be called on to relinquish pro tection. He would review some of the bur dens pressing on agriculture capable of alleviation not by the transfer to other parties, but by reforming the manner of buying. With regard to the higway rate, be thought it possible to introduce reforms which should be a relief to the landed interest. At present there were 16,000 local authorities for the management of the highways. What could be more absurd than that every continuous high way should be y subject to different higway sur veyors? There was a law existing enabling parishes voluntarily to enter into a union for the management of continuous highways. He proposed to make this compulsory, which would reduce the local authorities from 16,000 to 600. He would compel the guardians to appoint a competent COMMONS' SUMMARY. The SPEAKER took the Chair at Four o'clock. Several petitions were presented. About half-past four o'clock his Royal Highness Prince ALBERT, accompanied by the Earl of JERSEY, entered the House, and took his seat under the gallery, mmediately behind the Sergeant-at-Arms. Shortly afterwards his Royal Highness the Duke of CAMBRIDGE entered the House, and took his place by the side of Prince ALRERT. Immediately after the Duke Of CAMBRIDGE had entered the House, Mr. M. PHILLIPS, amidst loud cheering, presented the great Manchester petition, pray ing for the total and im mediate repeal of the corn-laws. On the motion that the order of the day for the Howe resolving itself into Committee on the . paragraph of Her Majesty's Speech relating to commercial policy be read, Mr. MILES trusted that ample time would be given to the House to state its opinion on the subject. Sir ROBERT PEEL said his statement would be rather a commercial statement than a financial one. He would not call on the House to come to any decision. He would not wish any opinion on the plan until after the lapse of some days. The House then resolved itself into Committee, and Sir R. PEEL rose to explain to the House the mea sures which the Government proposed for their adop tion, in order to carry out the recommendation which had just been read in regard to commercial policy. Whatever might be the opinion ultimately formed with regard to the merits of the proposal of the Government, he was sure that the vast import- ante of the interests concerned would secure to him a patient and indulgent hearing. He was about to review the duties applying to many articles, the produce of other countries. He proceeded on the as.umption that the repeal of protective and prohibitive duties was good, that abstractedly those duties were bad in principle, and that it was necessary to show special cause for their maintenance. He agreed that during the last three years there had been increased pro- duction and increased consumption, concurrent with the repeal of prohibitive and the reduction of protective duties. The course he should pursue had been sanctioned by the House, and it was perfectly consistent to follow out that course. He maintained, however, that in the adoption of good principles they should not be regardless of- meriting public credit, nor should they forget the recommendation that no loss should be inflic . .ed on any class of her Maje-ty's sub jects. He wished the house to deal deliberately and dispassionately with his proposal. Perchance he was about to meddle with so many interests, that all might unite to oppose him, and when the question came forward for discussion, it might be met by a notice that protection to domestic industry was a good object, and ought to be persevered in. It might be that those who dissented from his scheme in part might be dis posed to support it as a whole, in order to bring the present conflict to an equitable termination. The principle of the relaxation of protective duties he was not about to apply to any particular interest. He was not about to call upon the agriculturists to relinquish protection and continue it to others; confident that his principle was a wise one, he called upon all protectionists to re lin q uish their protection. The principle of the new tariff had be en to lower all duties subs t egoaubeouut yearst 20 per the principle ce n t ad val ore m, had been still f urt h er carried out. The duty o n the raw material of manufac tures that wa s i n 1842. In had been relinquished, and therefore he was en titled to call upon the manufacturer to relinquish his protection. He proposed to continue to act on the prin ciples which that House had sanctioned, and to remove the duties from those articles of raw material still subject to it. These were only tallow and timber. Tallow was largely used in i mpor t a nt manufactures, and he pro posed to reduce th e duty levied upon tallow. The present duty was 3s. 2d. per cwt., and he pro posed, in order to e ncourage Russia in h er libe ral should, without • • policy, that E n g land stipulation, reduce the duty from 3s. 2d. to Is. Bd. With regard to timber ; Colonial timber was admitted at a nom i nal duty, and as they were about to affect domestic interests, they had a right to effect a reduction in the timber duties; and he was anxious the consumer should reap the advan tage of the reduction, and therefore he proposed to make it gradually. On an early day, after there had been an opportunity of stating the details of the su bj ect, the in tention of the Governmeat should be made public with regard to the reduction of the timber duties. These were reductions, not repeals, and with those exceptions he hardly knew any j raw materials which were subject to duty. He, there fore, called on the manufacturers to g i ve that proof of the sincerity of their convictions of the i mpo li ey of protective duties by relinquishing the protections. He asked the manufacturers of woollen, linen, and cotton, to set the example of relinquishing their pro tection, His Hon. Friend, the Member for Dorsetshire, and he trusted that no political differences would inter rupt their private friendship, had expressed a hope that small interests would not be interfered with. lie in tended to interfere with great interests, and to meddle as little as possible with small ones. Manufactured surveyor to undertake the management of the highways. In a district in the no.th, in which this plan had been carried out, the roads had been improved, and the exponse had been diminished from 6d. in the pound rate to lid. in the pound. It was one of the points of relief to agriculture which he proposed to relieve Then he proposed an alteration in the law of settlement At present a man moved from an agricultural district to a town. The manufacturer had - the benefit of his labour—he was thrown out of work and he was sent back to the rural districts. For the purpose of doing justice to that man, and to the rural parish he proposed ,hat, after being devoted five years to labour in any place, the labourer's settlement should be in that place, and also the settlement of his wife and children, At present, immediately on the death of a labouring man, his widow must be removed. He proposed that she should not be removable for twelve months ; and that when a labourer became ill no order ,hould be taken out for remo- val on the ground of chargability by sickness or accident• He recom:nended that the state should give facilities for agricultutal improvements by adopting measures to promote _ drainage by a loan of public money• He would advise the advance of loans immediately under the superintendence of the I! closure Commission, and that their certificate should be the warrant for the advance to be repaid b.,• a rent charge, and by annual instalments, giving this loan a priority of payment over all other obligations, except in cases wlTre the parties having rueh prior charge object to that advance, in which case the advance should not be made without the consent • of the Court • of Chancery, With t espect to direct loccal burdens, he could not advise any material alteration of the system under which as sessments took place. It was said the poor-rates were a charge upon the land. In point of fact it was not so. The opposition was not between land and other property alone—it was between real and personal pro perty, and as this was merely a local charge, there would be no advantage in making personal property liable to it, and how could they levy it in small amounts, as personal property in rural districts? If they instituted an inquiry into the profits of trade, they must do the same into the profits of the farmer, which, conducted by local authorities, would be an intolerable inquisition ; and he believed, that for the State to take upon itself the maintenance of the poor would be most objectionable. He proposed to take upon the Government the charge of the maintenance of convieted prisoners, and to defray it from the Consolidated Fund by an annual vote. He proposed, also, that that portion of the expense of prosecutions which was borne by local rates should be borne by the Government, which would give them a control, over prosecutions. In Ire land this would amount to 17,0001., and in• England to 100 ; 0001. a year. If any part of the kingdom would suffer by the removal of agricultural protection, it would be Ireland, and he proposed to relieve Ireland by taking under the control, and into the pay of the Government the whole police force of the country, thus relieving the land of the whole of the rural police rate. With regard to medical relief under the poor-law, he proposed to take one-half of the charge of the payment of parochial medical officers in the Consolidated Fund. He estimated that would amount to 100.000 L a-year in England, and 50,0001. in Scotland. He also proposed, with regard to Scotland, that the charge for the prison at Perth should be borne by the public. In many workhouses the provisions foreducation were very inadequate. He proposed that the right of appointment should be vested in the guardians but they proposed to provide a competent salary, on condition that they might require competency in the schoolmaster, and exercisa the right of dismissal. In every case in which he proposed to place upon the public the payment of these public burdens, it was accompanied by some public good. Before the mea sure was rejected, he hoped both parties would seriously consider. Immediate removal of du ties in many instances, distant removal in others, was what ho proposed. He asked fur the ex pression of no immediate opinion, but he trusted the statement would be seriously considered in the same calm temper of mind in which it had been listened to. While he had no guarantee that other countries would follow our example the Government had resolved to consult the interests of the country, and not to punish other countries and our own by a continuance of those high duties. He admitted that other countries had increased the duties on our goods and yet our exports had increased partly by means of the smuggler, and partly by the high tariff, so increasing the cost of production in those countries, that, notwithstanding the high duties, we had been enabled to compete with them. But, they might depend upon it, that the example of England would be followed. The interests of the consumers would ultimately pre vail. and prohibitory and protective duties would, in spite of Governments, be removed. The recent report of Mr. Walker, Secretary to the Treasury of the United States, proved that such would be the case. In Europe the exempla of England was producing i:s effect. In Naples liberal commercial views were beginning to hold sway, and the Sovereign of that country took a personal interest in the subject, mid he be lieved that from Naples they would have a liberal tariff. Sweden, Norway, Austria, Hanover, were all becoming more liberal in the commercial policy, and he did not despair of their following our example. He trusted that increased commercial intercourse would increase the bond of union between different countries, and give a guarantee of the preservation of peace. But it should be remembered that peace exposed us to in creased competition, and it was therefore necessary to secure a pre-eminence that we should have abun dance and cheapness of provisions, and security for the continuance of that abundance. This would contribute to the increase of wealth and ito the alleviation of local and general burdens: He asked them to give their consent to these measures, because the true source of increase of revenue was in creased comfort, and an increased taste for luxury. He asked them to consent to them, because abundance dimi nished crime. It had been said there was no scarcity. Scarcity _was a relative, term; and they should remem ber that two years of abundance had altered the feel ings of the people in this respect. That which was not scarcity in 1844, would be scarcity in 1846 . L e t them not check the genial current of prosperity by forbidding the import of articles of food. The furloughs of the soldiers in the Guards had increased greatly in the last three years, in consequence of the increase in comforts of their relatives, who were constantly inviting them to visit the country. If asked why he disturbed the existing law under which this prosperity had been enjoyed, his answer was, that since October last there had been a sympathy between the prosperity of tqe manufacturing districts and the price of provisions. These were the proposals, which on the part of the Government, he offered for the ultimate adjustment of this question. He would not appeal to any unge nerous feeling to induce them to consent to this measure. There had been agitation but not toa greater extent, but ho believed that there had been in the minds of the mass of the community a great at tention on this subject, but still there was a general feeling of contentment and loyalty. Their consent to take taxation on themselves so as to re lieve the labouring classes had produced gratitude Hind he besought them to avail themselves of the present opportunity of affecting an adjustment, which he felt could not be much longer delayed. For these reasons he should deeply lament the failure of his present attempt, which h e recommended to their calm consideration, as one cal culated to maintain friendly relations among all classes of the community, by bettering the condition of the great body of the people. The Right Hon. Baronet, who had spoken for up wards of four hours, then sat down amidst loud cheering. The CIIAIRMAN then read the resolutions, and Sir R. PEEL suggested this day week fot proceeding with the further consideration of the question. Sir B. INGLIS wished to know what would be the amount of increased expenditure to be saddled on the country by his measures? POLICE INTELLIGENCE. MANSION-ROUSE. Just as the Lord Mayor was leaving the bench, John Kin chin, master of Waterman steam-boat No. 5, and Edward .3fackey, one of the crew, were placed at the bar charged with a riot. It appeared from the evidence of the policeman making the charge, that from instructions he received that morning at the City Solicitor's office, he had just taken the defend ants into custody on account of the dispute which arose on Wednesday last respecting the pier at Paul's-wharf. The case having been partly heard, a solicitor appeared on behalf of the defendants, when the Lord Mayor, before he had time to make a remark, asked who he was? The gentleman stated that he attended from the office of Messrs. Newbon and Evans, the solicitors to the Waterman's Steam Packet Company. The LORD MAYOR then said, "" Go beyond that railing, sir ;" and on being remonstrated with as to the place where the gentleman was then standing being the usual one for solicitors when attending there, his Lordship said if you do not go out from the railing you shall be turned out. The solicitor then went outside the bar, and the statement of the police having been taken, the Lord Mayor ordered the defendants to find bail in 100/. each, and two sureties of 501. each, to answer the charge at the sessions. The solicitor, during the hearing of the case, stated so th ri a' st, lie took the order to go beyond the barrier as a per insult. The LORD MAYOR said, in reply, meant you to take it as such," and the solicitor then left the Court_ GUILDHALL Phnbe Richards, a young woman of respectable appear- . . . . once, and Edward Barlow, a clerk at Messrs. Wreford and Co.'s, 2, Aldernianbury, were re-examined, charged with stealing a writing-case and other articles from the Commer cial Hotel (the Barley-mow), Salisbury-square. Mr. Clarkson, with Mr. Philp, the solicitor, attended for the prosecutor, and Mr. Ballantine with Mr. Hudson, soli citor, for the accueed. The room was crowded with the friends of the parties. Mr. Clarkson said there had been a short examination on a former day, but it would now be necessary to go into the matter minutely. He called— Mr. Pare, the landlord of the hotel, who deposed that the female prisoner, Richards, came to lodge at his house on the 15th of December, representing that she had come from South Petherton, near Bristol. Her luggage was brought in a cab. Having a sitting-room for gentlemen staying at his house, but no such accommodation for ladies, she was -in vited to sit in the bar parlour, and while she was lodging in the house property to the extent of 30/. was lost. She left on the evening of the 20th of January, williout any inti mation that she had taken a lodging elsewhere. She went away pretending she was going to the Great Western Railway to meet her sister, who would arrive at half-past nine; but, in fact, she went directly to Hoxton, where she had taken a lodging a week before. There was a raffle at presecutor's house fur some silver watches, which were kept in the bar parlour. The raffle was to have taken place about New Year's-day, but on looking for them they could not be found. They had been last seen in the bar parlour on the 23d of December. The chamber-maid miss ing something on the 19th, the servants had notice to quit. Barlow was a frequent visitor to Miss Richards, and was ter acknowledged suitor. As she did not return on Tuesday night with her sister from Bristol. although she had ordered an extra bed, and that the fire should be kept up, he went to Barlow on Wednesday morning. Barlow said he had tot done anything with the young lady, and he asked if she owed anything ? Witness said she owed 1/. 4s. Barlow said he would call and pay it in the evening. Witness re quested him to bring Miss Richards with him, as she had, no doubt, by mistake, taken away seine ar ticles which belonged to Mrs. Pare, or to Mrs. Clarkson, a lady on a visit to her. Barlow pro mised he would do so ; but, in consequence of some infor mation, both the pritemers were taken into custody in Aldermanbury about 6 o'clock in the afternoon. On Wed nesday morning a note was received by post, bearing a Cripplegate post mark, setting forth that she did not return last night because her sister arrived so late, and that they slept together in Aldermanbury. He went with the officers to search the lodging at Eliza-terrace, Hoxton, and saw cer tain articles found there. None of the missing property was found on Barlow, or amongst his effects at his employers. Mr. Alderman CHALLIS asked how the female prisoner accounted for removing her luggage, if she gave no intima tion that she was going to leave? Mr. Pare said he was not aware that she had removed her luggage, but he returned from the country in the course of that day. Mr. Willoughby, a lodger at the hotel, stated that he missed his writing-case from the commerciaProom on the first floor. It was safe about five o'clock in the afternoon on the 20th, and he missed it next morning. The outside was of russia leather, but there was a black leather portfolio in side. He identified the clasp of the portfolio by a scratch. The case contained bills and papers of importance to him. The policeman produced the clasp which he found at the lodging at Hoxton. There were ashes of paper under the grate, and he also found in the ashes some small nails, screws, and a hinge, which he supposed to be the remains of the writing case. .7, Mrs. Bircham, of 1, Eliza-terrace, Hoxton, said the female prisoner slept there on the night of the 20th, and she heard her busy with the fire till a late hour. Witness had two furnished parlours to let. Barlow first looked at them, and said he would send " his good lady." She took them to be man and wife, and the lady came afterwards and approved of the place. She did not take possession till the morning of the 20th, when she brought her luggage in a cab, but went away immediately. She returned with Barlow about eight in the evening, but he went away about half-past ten the same night. On the following day witness entered the room while Miss Richards was absent, and saw under the sofa-pil low a strip of Russia leather with a torn edge. She also saw a gold chain with long burnished links, and short inter vening links. The officer said both these had been removed when he searched the place at night, but he found another chain. Such a chain as was described had been stolen from Mr. Pare, but the chain produced was identified from the work box of the bar-maid. She saw it safe in her bed-room two days before Miss Richards left. The bar-maid also iden tified two pocket handkerchiefs found at the lodging at Hoxton. One belonged to herself, and the other to her mistress. Mrs. Clarkson, of the Walworth-road, who was staying at the hotel on a visit to Mrs. Pare, identified a brooch which she had broken, and which was found at the prisoner's lodging. . _ _ .I , :lizlibeth Fisher, the chambermaid, identified Barlow as having been in the commercial-room on the afternoon of the day on which Mr. Willoughby's writing-case was stolen from it. Mr. Clarkson then proposed an adjournment of the hear ing till Saturday, and he was willing that the young man, Barlow, should continue to remain at large on his recog nizances. Mr. Ballantine said ho was willing to assent to this, for the fuller the inquiry was he was sure the clearer would the innocence of Barlow appear. He had been paying his ad dresses to the young woman, intending to marry her. He had hitherto appeared as counsel for both the prisoners; but from this time he should represent only Barlow, who be lieved the young woman to be innocent till proofs of her guilt not to be resisted were produced, but now he could no longer endeavour to rrotect her. The female prisoner, who seems indifferent to the result, was then remanded till Saturday, and Barlaw was bailed to appear at the same time. WORSHIP-STREET. A middle-aged man of respectable appearance, named George Samuel Abrahams, described as an auctioneer and house-agent, was placed at timber, before Mr. Broughton, for final examination, on numerous charges of embezzlement and felony, end obtaining money under false pretences. Two charges of fraud, after an elaborate investigation, the Magistrate considered it unlikely would be followed by a conviction, and they were therefore abandoned, but the pri soner was committed upon one charge of felony ; and A lady named Lane now stated, that wishing in the latter part of December last to dispose of some property at her villa, at Ealing, the prisoner, who was recommended to her by a friend as an auctioneer, waited upon her to draw up the particulars of sale. Amongst other articles in the list were an agate snuff-box, gold-mounted. and with a beautifully executed representation of the Coliseum at Rome upon the lid ; and a silver cruet-stand, both of which having sustained trifling fractures likely to depreciate their value, the prisoner took them away with him on the excuse of getting then" repaired. She had repeatedly applied for their restoration, but unsuccessfully, and now found, upon their production by the officer, that they had been pledged by the prisoner, and of course without her sanction. She bad also seen a set of mounted cruet, found by the officer at the house of the pri soner, which were likewise her property, and must have been abstracted by the accused from her house on the occasion of his visit, and without her authorisation, as they were entire and needed no repairs. The snuff-box and cruet-stand were produced in 'court, the latter by Mr. Russell, a pawnbroker in Shoreditch, at whose shop it had been pledged by the prisoner, at the latter end of December. for 41. The prisoner offered no defence to this charge, and Hol land, the warrant officer, next produced a cigar- case, which he had discovered upon searching the prisoner's house, and which was identified as his property by a Mr. Rubens, a vanilla merchant, who had left it in an apartment to which the prisoner had access, serving as the temporary bar of a publican named Collins, residing in Wellclose-square, Whitechapel, whose house se suddenly fell down that his family had scarcely time to escape with their lives, and for whose benefit a subscription was set on foot and collected by the prisoner, to the amount of more than SOL, and applied by him to his own purposes, with the exception of about 61. only, which had been obtained from him by stratagem. In this case the prisoner, who betrayed the coolest self possession throughout the proceedings, expressed his inten tion to reserve his defence for another occasion, and he was then fully committed for trial upon all the charges. RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS. YORK, JA N. 26. STOCK EXCIIANGE.—The sales are—Newcastle and Darlington Ex tensions, 11!,4—York and North Midland Extension, 39—Ditto, New (East and West Riding), 10%—Newcastle and Berwick, 20% — North British, New, Carlisle Branch, 3—London and York, 4% — Grand Union, V. 188.—Lancashire and North Yorkshire, 21 19s. Leicester and Bedford, 2—Manchester, Buxton, Matlock, and Mid land, 4;i —Welsh Midland, N. - • ,_ HULL, JAN. 26. STOCK EXCHANGE.-1191 sales are—North British, Carlisle, 3—Ambergate, Nottingham, Boston, &C., 3—Axliolme , 2,7,', —Derby and Cainsborough, 21s.—Grand Union, 358.—Great North and South Wales and Worcester, ss. 6d. —Hull and Barnsley Junction. 38s. Gd. —Lancashire and North Yorkshire, 21. 19..—London and York, 4% —Manchester, Buxton, and Matlock, 4 —North Western, 3—North Staffordshire, 5/. 7s.—South Midland, 41. 17s.—Shrewsbury and Bir mingham, 33e . SHEFFIELD, Jew. 26. A — l fflWsales are—Grimsby and Sheffield Exten sion, EICU "E. Quarter shares, 21i —Leeds, Wakefield, and M id ;lonand' 21. 18s.—Ditto, , 2/. 19s.—Sheffield and Lincolnshire. 4—Ditto, Extension, 31. Is. _south Yorkshire Coal Railway, 3 LEEDS,JAN. 25. STOCK EXCHASGE.—The sales are—London and Croydon, 221,6 c. —Manchester and Leeds, Sixteenth Shares, 11% p.—Shefilehl and Manchester, Quarter Shares, No. 3, 6 —East Lancashire, No. 2 (lato Accrington), 4N, p.—Great Grimsby and Sheffield, 10—Ditto, Exten sions, 15s. p. — lluddersfleld and Sheffield, 22—Leeds and Bradford, 50 c.—Leeds and Dewsbury, New Shares, 3% p.—North British. New Carlisle Branch, 31. Is.—Wakefleld, Pontefract, and Goole, New, 7% I..—London and York, 4% —Liverpool, Ormskirk, and Pres ton, 4N—West hiding Union, 6%—Ambergate, Nottingham, and Boston, Bs. p. — Bradford, Wakefield, and Midland, 10s. die —Clithe roe Junction, 2?,—Grand Union, 10s. p.—Lancashire and North Yorkshire, l7s. p.—Leeds and York, 7s. Gd.dis.—Leeds, Wakefield, and Midland, 10s. p.—Manchester, Buxton, Matlock, and Midland, ii. 17s. p.—Midland and Thirsk Junction, 18s. dis.—Northumberland and Lancashire Junction, 15s. dis.—North Western, 2%—Shropshire Union, 3s. p.—South Midland, 2% P. THE IRON TRADE.—AII branches of the iron manu factures of South Staffordshire continue in undimished acti vity, and it is expected that a further impetus will be given to the trade before the expiration of the present quarter. During the past week contracts for 120,000 tons of iron rails for the Great Western Company have been taken, a large proportion of which has been contracted for in our own dis trict. This immense order—which, it must be borne in mind, is only a small portion of those that may be looked for from the railways which are all but certain to pass in the present session—is required for the Great Western main trunk and its numerous branches, including the Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton line, the operations of which have already commenced at various points. Of these 120,000 tons, 45,000 are taken by the Colebrook Dale Company; 40,000 by the Plymouth works, Glamorgaushire ; 20,000 by Messrs. Malins and Rawlins, of West Bromwich; and 15,000 tons by the Chillington Iron Company. We understand that these contracts have been regulated vbject to the fluctuations of trade, but at the present prices they will realise more than 131. per ton. Taking, therefore, into account the large sup plies which will be required to meet the demand for British railways, and the orders which may be looked for from the Continent, to complete the great lines under contract, we may, without indulging in any very sanguine safely conclude that the present price of iron will, under net now, we circumstances, be hilly maintained. There * 1 fon in South speculations, safely are informed, a single ironwork of any description Or if not fully Staffordshire which is not in constantoope a_ nd ironstone.—Bir employed, the circumstance is the raw materials of manufactare, attl-ulable to the want of gham Journul. c ExuANGE ._on Saturday l as t , COLCHESTER CO RN notwithstanding nerid depression of the trade, th ere opposition,„ the gneiicsted by the farmers to the p o li cy was less Sir Robert Peet, 11 :fl an we had been led to imagine by t h e Pr otec Essex of e Society" would be the case. I ndeed d themselves favourable to r e p ea l, and none InaTe'dexiiiiCf::(l to favour a gradual ab o liti on. The general feelingseel seemed to be, if the corn-laws are to be repealed, let t be done Lit once. It is evide n t th at t h e farmers in Essex, u ninfluencednizifiuenced by their landlords, are not as a body in favour of the "Protection " system.—lpswich Express. The Duke and Duchess of Somerset are entertaining a select circle at Wimbledon Park. Lord Glenelg ,Lord Sey mour, Sir Edward Colebrooke, Lady Shaw Stewart and ]Visa Stewart, Mr. P. M. Stewart, M.P., and the Hon. W. Grant, are among the guests of the Noble Duke and Duchess.