The Sun. — London, England, 1839-02-20 00:00:00

I ; o (elit I'tystit 4rf,,, ',, Members cold be induced to eeme here and attend, certain I am that they could not be induced to come here day after • *lay, and hear the evidence. For the first day, perhaps, we should hare a very f u ll aterndance—great exc i tesnent wou ld ex i st on , subject, bje l et, and ive should have three or four divisions regularly and C creetested, as to whether an Hon. Member, the re e P re sentat . ..iee of a manufacturing town, or another HeM. Mem bth t h " eepeesentative of an agricultural county, should' have t. l" . ecestkrice in examining a witecss. No doubt, great ex :l...Anent w ou ld preva il a t fi rs t. Whil e th a t exc it e ment con atzkv,d, is it likely we should' make much progress in the inves tigstion of a subject of such a complex nature as this was. While this state of excitement continued, how can we hope to make much progress in imparting instruction to Hon. Members On abstruse points of po!itical economy. After a while this ex citement must fail. Hon. Members, the representatives of the manufacturing and the agricultural interests, having come to an u nderstanding as to who should have precedence in the ex enenetion of evidence, the House would very soon after settle dawn into the ordinary mode of conducting business. —( Hear, beer.) I can picture to myself the ap pearance which this House would present in the evening. say about half-past seven, we should find our worthy Chair man in the Chair, but whether he would be listening to the evidence, or writing verses—( A laugh)—or indulging in re- Tose, it is not for me to say. Other lion. Members would be I:`,‘lng to their various engagements, and the official Members would gladly embrace the opportunity of accepting engage ments to dinner. My Right Hon. Friend the Member for Manchester having presented petitions most numerously signed on this subject, might perhaps deem it a duty he owed to those petitioners to attend at the House during the whole time of the investigation ; but he would very frequently be the only Occupant of the official bench. I ask whether Hon. Gentle men will not agree with me, that this picture which I have now drawn is a correct representation of what will take fPiece should th e H ous e agree to the m o ti o n of m y H on . riend the Member for Wolverhampton. To use the fine len gnage of my Hon. Friend, the petitioners hope that they shall be heard at the bar of this House, and not condemned to the seclu sion of a Select Committee, my Hon. Friend brings forward as a sound and unanswerable argument in favour of the course which he proposes to adopt, that gentlemen, now living, who were examined at the bar of this House against the Orders in Council, have told him that at that time Hon. Members of this House would come to them, and say—" You have informed us of facts with which we were previously unacquainted ; you have enlightened us on the subject, have induced us to change eur opinions, and have secured our votes." I am not surprised, considering the time which has elapsed since the issuing of those Orders in Council, that these Geneereen, referring to the dim recollection which they must necessarily have on the sub ject, are inclined to attribute to their own evidence a much larger share of importance than it is justly entitled to or than it received at the time. But what yeas the case of the Orders in Connell ? it was an entirely new case; these Orders were issued in accordance with the policy of the then Go vernment ; of the reasons for which they were issued, the generality of persons were in ignorance, and the facts upon which those reasons were founded were not known. This was a reason for the House proceeding in the way it has done, but is this the case with the Corn-laws at present? Is there any new faet, or any new reasoning with which we are unacquainted? For the last twenty-one years, ever since the year 1815, the Corn laws have been constantly and perpetually the subject of dis cussion both in and out of the House. All the facts relating to them —all the arguments from those facts—and the whole state of the case may be made known to any gentleman who will take the trouble to investigate the subject. There was nothing but facts and arguments with which they were already acquainted to be brought forward on this subject, and these facts and arguments could be far more efficiently brought forward in the course of debate. I know that Honourable Members have recurred to the large number of signa tures which had been attached to petitions which had lieen presented to the House praying to be heard by evidence at the bar. I should be the last person in the world to treat these petitioners with want of consideration, or to dis pute the fact that these petitions arc entitled to great weight. But it is our duty as Members of this House to exercise our deliberate judgment on the prayer of the petitioners, and if, in our deliberate opinion we should, by granting the prayer of the Petitioners, not promote but defeat the object which the peti tioners have in view ; then it is our duty to refuse to grant the Prayer of the petition, and no considerations should induce us to grar.t their prayer against our deliberate judgments. We puseess means of forming judgment on subjects of this nature, 'which constituencies cannot possibly possess. It is hardly pos sible that persons totally unacquainted with the business of this Ilouse, ehould b e a bl e t o f orm a correc t o pi n i on on th ese subjects. Our duty to our constituency is, if they have been misled on any subject, not to betray their real in terest, by seceding to their expressed wishes ; this is our duty, this is the correct course for us to pursue, and from this we should not be induced to swerve by any considerations of popu larity.—(Loud cries of s. Hear, hear.") I have no further reasons to offer to the House, but I must say that I consider this motion as most ill-advised for forwarding the success of that cause in which the petitioners take such interest. I am not surprised that they should have endeavoured to force this cours e upon their representatives, but I am surprised at the course which their representatives have adopted. They have but ground ,if complaint against those Members who, having P arliamentary information, knowing the ground upon which Parliamentary decisions are founded, have suffered themselves to be misled into the adop ion of a course whieh is detrimental to the ultimate success of the object which they have in view. must ever deeply regret that the first. debate and first devi slots on this subject should have been brought forward rn such a manner that all who disapprove of that manner and yet wish well to the object which the petitioners have in view should feel compelled to divide against this motion. The sense of what is my duty to the House, to my constituents, and to the country, compels me to give my vote against the motion of my lion. Friend, the Member for Wolverhampton. and I regret that I should be compelled to give my vote to swell that mejerity which in popular estimation will be regarded as a majority in favour of the existing Corn-laws. It is not my fault that I am compelled to voiein this manner, but it is the fault of these who have exhibited such a want of judgment in the manner of bringing this question before the Howse.—( Cheers.) Mr PRYME (who rose amidst loud cries of " Question," " question," " divide," " divide.") said that having given notice to move, an amendment to this question, he would give the House his reasons for not pressing it now (Laughter, and cries of " Order.") He thought his Hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton would have gone into the general subject of the abolition of the Corn-laws, and as amendment would be brought forward more appropriately / rnen the general discussion arrived, he would defer bringing it forward until that time should arrive. Mr. WARD highly approved of the manner in which his Honourable Friend the Member for Wolverhampton bad brought t his question before the House, and would state a few obser vations in reply to the speech of the Noble I.ord. He had heard that speech with mixed feelings of pain and pleasure ; he felt great Pleasure in libter.ine to the manly avowal of hostility to the existing gystern of ,Corn -laws, and that he agreed with him in opinion that the Corn laws were injurious to the manufacturing and agricultural interests. There were other parts of the speech of the Noble Lord to which he had listened with feelings of the deepest regret. He could not by any means admit the justice of the Noble Lord's a rguments. 'fhe Noble Lord objected to bearing evi dence at the bar of the House on the ground that all the facts of the case were already before the Hon e. It was *tie that Honourab:e Members had access to the official returns It was true that they might be acquainted with the bald and discon nected facts of the case without any knowledge of those arguments which have a tendency to dispel. They had been told this eve ning of the manner in which the British manufacturers Were suffering from foreign competition, and one of the agricultural Members agreed with the Hon. Bart. (the Member for So uth , Wilts) admitting the depressed state of British manufactur e s, I nt there was a dispute as to the cause, they denied that this depression was at all connected with the Corn.laws teries of Hear, hear) —they said look at the Peace—consider the e ff ect w hi c h that must necessarily produce on the great nations of th e C on ti nen t, and how it has compelled them to become manufacturing nations. The manufacturers took a co ntrary view of this subject, and attributed the increase of Z e igtk competition in a great measure to the operation of the i -4:4-la.ws. What they ask is to be permitted to bring forward 9 'e, hest evidence on this subject that can be produced. The r i genee of men who have closely watched and studied the ef fects which they have produced on ourmanufacturing industry. ! h °, Only asked to be allowed to prove their case, and to show, they believed they could, that all their grievances might be traced to the Corn.laws ; and if the House refused that prayer, they would show a determination to act on a foregone conclu 'on of their own—a determination to come to a judgment with ° enquiry.—( Hear, hear.) As to " wasting the time of the Ilse," that was wasted quite enough already.--( Hear, hear, from the Opposition.) He did not know the meaning of that ' heer—if it meant that lam wasting the time of the House ? (Hear, hear, and laughter from the same quarter.) I am r!IY entreating the House to pause and to enquire before they Russell) H ear , h ear .) Th e t one o f the Noble Lord (Lord J. 'thssell) was unworthy a Minister of the Crown, when he ridi culed the idea of an inquiry into this question by a Committee Of the whole House, and talked of the Chairman writing verses, ' l ' l4 Members dozing. and the attendants dwindling away dur ing the inquiry—such observations only tended to convince the country that the House was incapable of adjudicating on a d l lY reat national uetion. The Noble Lord said the preee 'cut g of the Orders in s Council was in print, but it was a new C ase. Was it not a new case we should be driven out of neutral markets—(Hear, hear)—and all that was asked, was to inquire into th e causes of this unparalleled result. The Noble 1.,,rd had talked about those Members who supported the motion, voting against their better judgments, and cringing to their con stituents from a desire of popularity. But when his (Mr. W.'s) constituents represented to him that they were being ruined by the Corn- law e. and th tt all they wanted was to be allowed to prove that fact --could he refuse to support their request?— (Hear, hear.) He entreated the House not to be misled as to %l t effect which the refusal to hear evidence, would produce throughout the country. The House must not think that they could with impunity refuse to investigate such a great national .question, upon,such pretexts as their own convenience and the !lumber of days likely to be cousumed.—( Hear, hear.) This Tquiry was a necessary preliminary to the fair discussion of the Corn-lawe, and sooner or later it must be undertaken. , THORNELY said, so long ago as 1812 numerous pet. ` 4l) ns were preiented against the Orders in Council, representing that they had produced great distress amongst the manufac turing interests. This the Government of that day denied, _but ;M owe d ev id ence to b e h ear d a t t h e b a r in support of the '"egations of the petitioners. That evidence was heard, ar.d there was none of the difficulty about it which was apprehended itt this case—(Hear, hear) ;.—and although there was no divi sion a s t o t h e resc i nd i ng the O r d ers i n C ounc il, the late Mr. Babington, Chairman of the Committee of the whole Home, declared, that though before the evidence he did not believe the man u f actur i ng distress was produced by the Orders in Council h e had, after hearing the evidence, completely changed his opinion —and the Minister, upon his own responsibility. re- Pealed the Orders.—( Hear, hear.) He would not go into the general question further than this, that though he had no inte • re st lit manufactures, and little in commerce, he believed the prosp ec t ` o f th e manu f actur i ng i n t eres t s were most appalling, rd that the systemmust be changed, and not only the Corn ws be repealed, but the principles of free trade, adopted as t o r!ery art i cle of importation, or the manufacturing superiority of this country was gone for ever.—(Hear, hear.) He was glad to see the President of the Board of Trade in his place—it Was unnecessary to remind that Right Hon. Gentleman how many articl es t h e people of th i s country were compe ll e d t o buy a, dear markets, which otherwise they might procure at cheap markets._( Hear, hea r , he ar .) And the manufacturers efuf this country were ca ll e d upon to do an impossibility, frthey wer e were expected to export t h e i r manu f ac t ure s om a dea r t o a cheap country, and to compete with the manu t urers of th a t c h eap country, who were able to procure the it,ecessaries of life at a much lower rate. Mr. Huskisson long ago had stated this to be impossible, and had stated that the dif ference in price must be reduced from profits of capital or wages labour,. and it the system of the Corn-laws was not repealed 1 thguisis country, the profits of capital would be nearly ext in he aud the wages cf labour greatly redueed.—( Hear, near. l rr trade Ale system must be . changed, the principles of free e , t must be adopted. He should certainly support the mo tion for hearing evidence at the Bar of the Heuse against the 'resent system. Lord WOR SLEY said that cons id er i ng the present applica tion for hearing evidence at the bar was got up when the ma rfacturing towns were clamouring for a repeal of the Corn -4,3", be was con v i nce d th e o bj ec t of this motion was to obtain .e abolition of those laws.—(Loud laughter, and cries of " Hear, hear.") Now he had made up his mind that the repeal t e h f t e he Corn -l aws would be most pre j u di c i a l t o the interests of empire, and he thought that during the repeated diserssion u pon this question every Honourable Member must have had ample opportunitie s of making his mind upon the up 161 iL . PILE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY,-EVENING EDITIONS-FEBRUARY 20, 1839 grounds on which this motion is refused, by those who agree in the policy of a change in the Corn-laws. I can well understand why my Noble Friend near use conceives it would be inconvenient and unwise to grant this motion.—( hear.) His mind is made up on this subject—he entertains no doubt whatever with regard to the propriety of a change in those laws—he seeks no further information—he wishes for no fresh facts. I may be told by those Hon. Gentlemen who are against any change, like the Noble Lord behind me and his Hon. Colleague, the other Member for Lincolnshire, that they, seeking no change, still have made up their minds so decidedly and fixedly, that they also consider the hearing of evidence at the bar a waste of time. But give me leave to say and to state OR this question that this is a very different answer corning from those whose minds are made up in favour of a change. I entreat this House to remember what must be the feeling of that great body of petitioners who come before you, asking you not for a change, asking you not for a hasty decision—asking, not that you should at once legislate, but, that you should hear their case—that you should give them an opportunity of snaking out thei • statements, and laying their facts before you. I ask, what must be their feelings, when they hear from those, who are opposed to any c'iange, that they will hear nothing—that they will listen to DO statement, that they will give no opportunity to hear any evidence, but that they are determined to adhere to their decision. Who are the par ties who seek to come to tte bar of your House? Are they honourable in position in this coentry ? Are they per sons, whom we ought to trust for any ordinary purposes ? Sir, they are the representatives of the wealth and intelligence of a great portion of this country—they are the representatives of that class to whom you owe all that wealth, and power, and station which you hold among the nations of the earth.-- (Cheers.) Hon. Gentlemen may be proud of their landed property—they may be proud of their long line Of ancestors — but give me leave to ask you, what would your position now be worth were it not for the rapid advances made in industry, in telligence, and wealth by those manufacturing and commercial classes who now appear at your bar, asking you to hear their statements. Sir, those parties who stand at your bar are the representatives of the.Arkwrights, the Peels, and the Watts of this country—they are the representatives of those to whem you owe the means by which you have purchased your property, ynd your independence, and by which you have been enabled to contend against the united world for fifteen or twenty years. These are the parties who now come to your bar ; but I ask you when they merely seek a fair hearing—when they demand merely an opportunity of la) ing their statements be- I:re you, are they to be met with denial like that given by my Noble Friend and 'he Hon. Gcntlenian who has spoken last, that they will not hear them, because they have made - up their minds. What we ask is the opportunity of stating our case—of adducing facts—leaving you the full opportunity of disproving them if you are able. Suppose this inquiry were refused, in what situation will you stand? On the first night of the Session my Hon. Friend , the Member for Kendal in his speech made mention of certain returns, which showed that our exports were in a more favourable position last year than in any p:evious one. The Right lion. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) at once seized upon the admission, and -aid--" You have dole more to overturn :he case made by the Corn-law opponents than we could have done." Now, I will ask, are we toha.e no opportu nity of making clear our facts in o-position to that statement. and the deductions mrde from it by the Right Ho. Baronet? These manufacturers come here to tell you tl.at you have not the accounts from foreign countries to lay before the House, and that. you cannot he so intimately acquainted with the actual competition they now meet with from those foreign countries, and that which is now in preparation for opposing them still farther. They come before you, and offer to prove thei case —they offer to tender evidence at (he bar, which you may con contradict if you can—they Wish to show the manner in which the Corn-laws operate against their interest, and how it must eventually operate against. you.—( Cheers. ) But, Sir, if any thing could satisfy me more than another of the. propriety of acquiescing in the motion of my lion. Friend, is, that the pro posal was refused in another place. So long as there was an opportunity for the petitioners to prove their case before either House of the Legislrtur -, I w.culd have been satisfied; but in the other House access has been denied to us—eviCerice refused—and the petitioners have no place to go to but to this House—the representative of the nation ; and they are now before you de manding that which was never denied to any one in this country—they come here to demand the justice of being al lowed an opportunity of stating their own case. And what are the argument sused against us. Sir, I 'have heard from some Gentlemen?—l have heard from a Noble Friend and others, that inconvenience would arise from the prayer of the petition being acceded to. Bat, good God ! when the great interests concerned are considered, surely such an argument will not prevail in the House of Commons. But again, it ATM sail, how could an examination be conducted at the bar of the House? Too many questions would be put, it was said. I for one, Sir, am willing to take my chance of that.—(Cheer:,) All have heard the admirable speech of my lion. Friend the Member for - Wolverhampton, and if that required any confima tion, there was a quotation made use of in ano ther House last night, and being a quotation, I will take the liberty of repeating it, and I have no doubt that it will fully confirm the necessity for granting the prayer of the peti tioner—before I come to that point, however, allow me to dis pose of another objection. It was said that great delay would be the consequence of granting the prayer of the petition ; exactly the opposite argument is used by the petitioners. Delay can not be the object of the petition ; they pressed for the result at the earliest possible moment • they dread delay. The quota tion which I would take ;he liberty of reading relates to the result of hearing evidence at the bar against the orders in Council. I differ from the quotation to a certain extent, but I should wish that. the • same result should follow the present. motion. It was this :—" It was stated that, " on the 20th of April, 1812, the House agreed, without a division, t.o hear evidence in suppm t of the petitions. The inquiry on the order of the petitions was wholly conducted by two. Memlsers, and each night presented new operations and new defeats to the Orders' in Council, and new advantages to the oppositiOn. By incidental' debating' on petitions presented, by discussions arising on 'e.videuce ten dered, by other mighty matters broached occasionally in con nection with the subject, the Government at first conceiving there was a clamour raised out of doors against their policy, and hoping this would of itself subside, endeavoured to gam time and put off the hearing of the evidence ; but they kept steadily to their purpose, and instead of calling in their witnesses at the earliest possible hour, they at length prevailed so far as to have it understood that the hearing should proceed daily at half-past four o'eleck, and to continue at least till ten, by which means they generally kept on till a much later hour, those who took no peculiar interest in the subject having earlier left the House." That is the result which I should expect from hearing evidence at the bar of the liouse.—( Cheers.) I would not do Gentlemen the injustice of supposing that their minds were made up, and that they would not alter their opinions upon bearing confirming; evidence at the introf the noose, ; My Noble Friend says, that if you hear evidence ..on the one side,: you must hear evidence from the other—that is what we are anxious for. We arc impatient for it ; for statements are made in petitions that are reckless and totally unsupported. For instance, in one petition presented by an lion. Member opposite from Landbrecch , i n th e count y of Cambrid g e, in which it was stated that the petitioners viewed with in dignation and alarm -the dishonest and shameless cla mour which had been raised by ignorant persons against the Corn-laws.—(Loud cheers.) Honourable Gentlemen opposite cheered that sentiment, and by their cheering they say that the agitation now existing was both dishonest anti shame less. You. say that our conduct. is both shameless and dishonest —we want to show you at the Bar of the House, that it is neither the one nor the other, but that it is necessary for the welfare of the country that the House should have all the in formation that it was possible to - have on such an important sub ject. I cau scarcely believe, Sir, that Hon. Gentlemen would bring such a grievous charge against men as respectable and in dependent as themselves, without doing them the justice of giv ing them a chance of disproving the calumny.—(Cheers.) There was another charge in the petition :—" That it is an un questionable, as it is an undisputed fact, that foreign wheat, if duty free, could upon an average of seasons, be imported to the English market at a cost, including frieght and all other charges, of 30s. per quarter."—(Laughter.) lie (Mr. T.) utterly de nied that; he had no occasion for evidence to show that it was impossible. If they could get a small quantity, well and good —but that they could get any considerable supply at that rate was as impossible, and as much out of the question as to as sert that they could get it at 15s.—(1lear, hear, and cheers.) 'f he Right Honourable Barone . (Sir James Graham) seemed to assent to the accuracy of his statement. A gentleman had stated that he had tried the experiment of importing wheat, and found he could buy the best at Dantzic at 2ss. But when he denied an assertion of the kind, they denied him the opportunity of disproving them—of showing they were utterly unfounded. This was what the petitioners sought, and this was what they would not consent to receive. The petitioners, in the petition to which he had just alluded, went on to say, "That they hope your Honourable House will not be persuaded to listen to the clamour and importu. nity of persons, whose demands, selfish and dishonest in themselves, cannot be complied with but at the cost of the character and of the credit of this country."—(Laughter.) There might be truth in this,—but when such charges were brought against the manufacturing and commercial classes, they had aright to pray to be heard at the Bar. And after such a petition as that, the House had no right to refuse them. His Hon. Friend who had ouened the discussion, had stated a grea t number of facts, asking - for an inquiry into them. It was not his (Mr. T.'s) wish to add to them or to mention any difference he might have on the subject, if he had any. But he must say, in conformation of what had fallen from the Honourable Member, that without communication. with those manufacturers,he was satisfied that the trade and ma nufactures of this country were likely to be in a most perilous condition.—(Hear.) He believed that the prognostics which he took the liberty of offering to the House many years ago, were in a way now to be accomplished. He believed that although an increase might be shown in certain articles of our trade—although it might be shown that they were altogether stationary—he believed that this stationary position was most unsatisfactory.—( Hear, hear, hear.) He did not wish to go into - detailed statements, although standing in the position which he had the honour to do, it might be his duty to snake statements to the House.—(Sir J. Graham here made some remark.)—The Hon. Member laughed. Then he would give bins a statement.—(Cheers.) Now he would tell his Noble Friend (Lord Stanley), who seemed to think he had a set and -dried answer to some of the statements made as to the quantity of mills erected, that, admitting all his facts, whatever might have been the increase iu mannfactures, 'the difficulty in the race of competition which we had to run had been immensely increased dining the last few years. It was true that in what mi,,lst be termed almo-t all the materiali of ,the industry of the country, our exports had increased considerably, btit on those articled on which labour -most en. ered to any censidefable extent, or in which the manufacturing process had become more perfect, there we had, even fl•oin the returns, suffered from competition. - And it would not be satisfactory to him to continue standing even where we were at present, be cause the exports of other countries had gone on in au immensely progressive ratio in some articles on which ours stood still. Ile had separated, with reference to this, the particular trade which had been the subject of discussion, namely, the trade with the Continent of Europe, with the German nation—he had separated them into those articles which might be considered as very much ma nufactured, anti those into which labour entered but little. ___(llear, hear.) He put amongst the latter articles cotton twist, linen yarn, and woollen yard ; the cost of the labour by machinery upon them being only about 21-d. per lb., instead of Is. 2d. or Is. 3d. if the articles are made out. He would state to the House what had been the course of trade with Prussia, Ger. many, Holland, and Belgium, for through Holland, or Belgium, or Germany, the whole of the supply must go to the German union. The statement to which he referred was for 10 years end ing 1837. In I 827 ,on the first kind, the declared value exported was . 4,783,000, and of the last 2,259,000, making the proportion of the first kind the second as 67 to 32. In 1828 the proportion was as 68 to 31 ; in 1829 as 62 to 37 ; in 1830 as 63 to 36 ; in 1831 as 5S to 41 ; in 1832 as 58 to 41 ; in 1833 as 55 to 44 ; in 1834 as 55 to 44; in 1836 as 48 to 51; in 1837 as 47 to 52. Thus in the course of eleven years this change took place, that whereas the proportion was in the first yeas as 67 to 32, in the last it was 47 to 52. Ile should be prepared to go further into deals if necessary, but what he wanted to establish was this; that it was advisable not to look to general results—to statements of this kind o .Iy, but to investigate further, to probe the question more deeply, and go more narrowly into it. There is one point more with refer ence to this subject that I wish to draw the attention of the House to. It is to what took place in this House against the wishes of the Government, inasmuch, as they were beaten on a division on the sub ject I allude to the hand-loom weavers' Commission appointed by the Crown, upon an address from this House. Now, one part of that inquiry naturally led to inquiries abroad. I moved, the other day, for such reports as have been prepared by the Hand-loom Weavers' Commission to be laid on the table. The general report cannot be laid before the House until all the partial reports are in, but I have moved for such reports as the'Commissioners are in possession of. I may read, therefore, one of those reports which will be on the table of the House in the course of a day or two. One of the IsalTle, GeoHeinen who were sent abroad went into Switzerland, Austria, there was another great question on which evidence was taken at France, and Belgium, and the matter with which he con. the b a r, and that was the state of the Slave Trade. When Mr. Wil cludes his report relates to competition with foreigners. berforcc laid that question beforethe House, he considered what was [The Right Hon Gentlemen here read the extract, which stated the course he ought to pursue, and in May, 1789, a Committee of that we were fo cing foreign countries that had increasing poptila_ the whole House was appointed to examine witnesses. In 1790 he tions to manufacture those goods which they had hitherto pur. came to the House and complained of the inconvenience of the chased from us, but that they would continue to purchase to a great course pursued, that little progress was made by this proceeding, ar.d amount, were they permitted to send their agricultural produce in he snored for a Committee up stairs to carry on thet examination, return. The productive energies of those countries were oppressed because, by such means, they would proceed more expeditiously than by the Corn-laws, and thus we were prevented from having what in a Committee before the House. Now that was not named at the sr her countries could best spare and we most wanted.] That is the commencement of the following session. If we were to pursue the " this Gentleman has arrived at. (Cries of " Name, same course, we might, perhaps, come forward and say as little progress name.") The report will be on the table in the had been made. Hethought it would be necessary topursue some other course of two or three days, and then the evidence mode of inquiry. He was not d spored to the mode of inquiry his upon which this conclusion is come to, may be seen. I only wish Hon. Friend proposed, and thought we ought not to adopt this mode it was in the hands of every member now, inasmuch as I of proceeding to the exclusion of a Select Committee. He was think it would assist him materially in forming an opinion on this prepared to act upon the whole view of the facts; it was upon Lich the question. Sir, I have been led beyond what I intended to say by the Members of this House were prepared todecide, and wh en t h e mo tion cheer of my noble f r i en d opposite, relw ive to two statements of fact, was that the question should go into a Committee of the whole House, but I will not trespass further on th e a tt en tion of the House. My he was prepared to go into that question, but he was not willing to a a:g d um d e i n sc t u r n e t s e t i s .ite s d olely upon the right of the petitioners to give give the people an opportunity of saying because you refuse to hear evidence at the ba r . Th at evidence I ca ll on this Hou s e t o inf orma ti on a t th e Bar you shut out all information altogether. hear, unless it wishes to send those parties back dissatisfied It was not for them to prescribe the way in which they By refusing to hear it, you can gain thought information should be taken and the object was to give nothing —you will dissatisfy them. By agreeing to hear it you have information in the way in which M - . Wilbsrforce thought inconve. an opportunity of contenting them by allowing them to produce nicnt. Then let the question be brought forward, and let it go into a the ir facts; and as f a i r an d cand i d Ju d ges pi ought to hear that Committee of the whole House, and it would then be see n whether evidence before comi ng t o a d ec i s i on on a po i n t , o n which, I in my the Ho use f e lt di s p ose d to a lter the law, and go into evidence of conscience believe, re s t s w h o ll y t h e prosper ity, a nd the happiness all the f a cts. H e was n o t prepared to go into the general question o f the people of this country for many years to come.— (Cheers, and of the Corn-laws, but had merely confined himself to the question cries of " Divide, divide.") before the House, that of hearing evidence before a Committee. Mr. II INDLEY rose amidst loud cries of " Question. question,") Sir ROIVORT PEEL then rose (the House was then crowded in he would not trespass more than a minute On the attention every part).—He said, Sir, the sincere respect I feel for the yeti of the House ? but he wished to read to Honourable Mem. tioners, say firm conviction that the interests which tt ey represent tiers opposite the sentiments of one for whom he are of the utmost importance to the general welfare of this country, believed they entertained great respect ; and when he mentioned makes me unwilling to give in perfect silence a vote which the name, he had no doubt they would listen to him with silence— may appear to have something of harshness in it, excluding as it he alluded to Mr. Pitt, who in 1785, when certain petitioners request- does, the inquiry for which they ask. But, Sir, I find it exemedingly ed to be heard by evidence at the bar of the House, said " That he difficult to argue this question on the narrow ground upon which would at all times be extremely delicate with reeard to the intro. we are called upon to-night to discuss it— (Hear, hear)--for duction of any new precedent into the forms and proceedings of many of the reasons, upon which I feel bound to exclude the the flt use, and particularly one of a nature that could by any means enquiry, are the very reasons I shill urge, in vindication of the interrupt or impede the access of their constituents to Parliament, existing system or the Corn-laws.—(Hear, hear.) I must take either with petition, remonstrance, e r advice, when they thought a larger view of thi question then was taken by the Hon. Mem. their own interest, or that of the public, likely to suffer for want of ber for Wolverhampton, in coining to a decision. And I must look due information ; that he should feel an irresistible temptation to to the general and comprehensive interests of this country. — sacrifice, not only the forms, but even the positive orders of the (Hear, hear.) I must ask, even if the fact be admitted, that corn House, rattler than suffer them to be an obstacle to any corn. is dearer in this country than in any other. I must inquire from plaints which the apprehensions without doors might give rise what that has arisen. —(Hear, hear.) Is it the fault of the agricul to, in finding their way to the bar ; land so far was he turists, and what connection has taxation had with it ? When trans wishing to encourage any obstacle of that kind, you tell me that corn is 60s. a quarter, I ask, is there not a para. that although the House seemed almost unanimously to coin. mount necessity for maintaining the obligations •f public faith— cide with him that joint interests were not entitled to sepa- (Hear, hear)—and is it just to repeal the Corn.iaws, while rate iiiscussion of Counsel, yet he was satisfied he should be called continuing taxation upon the agricultural interests, whirls is the in and directed to proceed in his argument." That was t.e way very cause of the higli price of corn ?—(Hear.) Can I shut out of the subject was treated by Mr. Pitt.--(Bear.) my consideration altogether the operation of the land-tax—the Sir H. FLEETWOOD would not have risen except for the operation of the Malt-tax—the operation of the Poor-laws—the purpose of giving the Noble Lord the Member far North loin- operation of the county.rate—and of all those burdens cashire an opportunity of knowing what the truth was relative whim press upon the landed interests?—(Loud cheers.) Can to the manufactories of Preston, as the Noble Lord., had made I consent to argue this question merely upon the ground, a speech the other day, the whole effect of whirls rested on a mere that corn is higher in this country than in any oth , r, and passing conversat!on.— (Oh, oh, and laughter,) He wished to show that if it were lower it would reduce the competition with our the House and the people at large that even the Noble Lord was manufacturers ?—(Hear, hear.) Sir, I sue that I have excited some not so well acquainted with the subject but that he must make the alarm by stating such impsrtant questions, as entering into this w hole pith and subst nee o f his speech rest entirely on the passing subject, but I cannot exclude these great considerations in mating words of another Member passing up this House.—(Laughter.) up my mind as to the motion before the House.—(Cries of He held in his hand information derived from the town he had " Hear, hear.") Still, as it appears to be the general the honour to represent coming from gentlemen of the same wish of the Ilouse that, this question should be politics as the Noble Lord, and who expressed their astonish. argued upon this narrow ground—l will take that grotind ; ment at the statements made by him, which appeared he it narrow ground, or be it comprehensive ground, I run equally in the public papers,—(Hear, hear.) They asserted that no factory, willing to argue the questioti--:.(Cheers.) Well, then, Sir, lam (except one), had been commenced since the year 1836 ; that those asked to enter into an inquiry at the bar, as to the operation of the which had been built,. were engaged for long previously, and that Corn-laws. Why do 1 resist it ? Upon the narrow ground of there yesterday in the town of Preston, the working of short time, at eight being no direct precedent ? Upon the ground merely that the in hours a day commenced. He (Sir H. F.) would not enter into the quirt' would consume the time of the House? Ido not question then, except to give the Noble Lord an opportunity of resist it upon any of these grounds. I resist it from showing to the House, if he had it in his power, any evidence in the strong conviction in my own mind that the pre contradistinction to the facts he asserted the other clay.—(oh, oh.) sent system of Corn laws ought to be maintained— He would boldly asset t the whole of that statement was incorrect.— (Loud cheers from both sides of the House) —and because you have (Cries of" Hear, hear," and laughter on the Opposition benches.) hitherto b:ought forward no plausible arguments in my mind.— It was a statement only giving part of what he had said. The .(Cheers from the Oeposition.) Sir, would there be no evil in the Noble Lord did not ask for information on his (Sir H. Fleet _ protracted inquiry? ;You say the inquiry would be merely into the wood's) authority, but only asked whether such and such facts operation of the Corn-laws ? Can you limit it ? Can you exclude an were net the case ; therefore the Noble Lord must have known inquiry at the bar into the effect of the taxation of the land, and something of the facts previously, or he would never have asked other complicated questions? Is it not perfectly clear, that the in. him whether they were facts or not.—(Year, hear, and laughter.) quiry must be a most protracted one? hit not equally clew', that He had no hesitation in stating that he himself was in error, in during the progress of the inquiry the application of capital must be the number of factories he had imagined had teen built in a suspended—(Hear, hear)--that there must be a total uncertainty few y eat s.—(Laught er.) The confession of an error was on the part of the agriculturists and the manufacturers as to what no disgrace.—(Hear, hear, hear.) If a man like the Noble direction they should apply their capital ?—(Hear, heir, hear.) Lord the Member for North Lancashire—himself a Member for And would there not therefore be the:greatest evil in an in a large inanufeetur:ng district was only able to found his arguments Vire' protracted during this Session and the next ?—ldoubt if you on the passing: speech of another Member, what must be the case could confine it even within those limits.—(Hear, hear.) Then, with the in ,jority of Members connected with the House? As th e y Sir, I consider whether the arguments that have been brought for. woul : have opportunities to discuss the question, and as at that time ward in favour of an inquiry are so cogent as to induce me to enter of night it did no good to a cause to continue a debate he would into it ? Sir, I listened wills great attention to the speech of th e sit down.— (Hear, hear, and cries of " Question" " Question.") Hon. Member for Wolverhampton. I quite agree with hitn as to Lord STANLEY was sorry that he should have been called upon the great importance of this question ; and that we ought, ex. to enter into the debate, and would regret if an air of eluding all party and, political feelings as much as possible—that ridicule was thrown on the present important discussion. we ought, as men of business, to inquire whether the manufac- When his Honourable Friend, the Member for pre, turing interests are se depressed —are in such a state of ton, told him that he was extremely sorry that he decay as to lay the foundation for the investigation.—(Hear.) Now (Lord Stanley) should have acted on such loose information—(a says the Hon. Member for Salford (not imitating the example of laugh)—in making a statement as to the number of factories built those who preceded him in the debate), " I will throw discredit on in the town of Preston, he (Lord Stanley) could only express his the opponents of this inquiry by showing that this is a landlord's regret that he should have acted on such statements, and would as. question, and that the farmers have no interest whatever in it." sure the House that he would n.l again act on similar authority.— Sir, is it quite so clear that there must be a reduction of (Great laughter.) He was startled on a former evening by an ex. rent if the Corn-laws are repealed.—(Hear, hear) Don't you tell pression of an Hon. Member opposite that it could be proved that us that your object is not to reduce the price of corn within the last few years a great decrease of machinery and of ma. —that you don't expect to reduce the price of corn ?—(" No, no," nufoeturing had takers place in the manufacturing districts, from the Anti-Corn-law Members)—yes, many of you say, that Mr. HUME—Two years. though the effect would be to raise the price of corn in foreign Lord STANLEY—Two years. The Honourable Gentleman countries it will not diminish it here.—(Hear, hear, and No, no.) seas very particular—(Great laughter.) That for two years Suppose the landlords believe you, and that they don't reduce the manufacturers had been manufacturing and exporting their the rent of their tenants, do you believe that the stock goods at a loss, and, notwithstanding that, they had felt it impossible of the tenant, consisting in his plough, his farming titen_ to leave the trade ; but, said the Hon. Member for M a n c he s ter, h e ails, &e., can be so easily transferred to other occupations admitted, if new hands could come into the trade, and if the trade when the bad la nd s are thrown out of cultivation ?—(Hear, hear) had erected fresh machinery, his argument would wholly fall to the ground. Fortunately, or unfortunately for him (Lord Stanley), as Sir, this is a tenant's question fully, at least as much, as a landlord's question—(Cheers)—and when we come to a full consideration of it it might happen, his Hon. Friend the Member for Preston was it is a labourer's question.—(Tremendous cheering from the Opposi passing by, and having some acquaintanee with the town of Prestos Lion.) We will show you that your anticipated good can only arise having frequently passed through it in the last few from a reduction of wages, and that reduced wages, with a low price years—anti having remarked, as every one must remark, the num. ef corn, though commanding a greater quantity of corn, yet would ber of new factories that had lately been built, he asked his Hon. not command a greater quantity of other articles almost equally es- Friend, not whether there had been any great increase, but whether sential to the comforts of the labourer; that therefore the la_ he could furnish him with the precise amount of increase? " Yes," tourer will not be benefited by a reduction in the price •f said his Hon. Friend, " I can—there have been within the years corn.—(Cheers from the Opposition, and cries of "Ohl oh!" from the 1836, 1837—(" N', no," from Sir H. Fleetwood)—there beim Ministerial benches.) Sit, we are told that though' manufactories been, within the years 1836 and 1837, built in the town of Preston may have been building and factories erecting in all directions, yet 19 new factories, one of them at an expense of 60,0001. before it no profits have been raised.- Why, when the farmers: said this in could be put into operation, which 19 factories have occasioned the 1833—when they said that they were farming their land without pro building of 1,500 houses, and of those nineteen ,factorles• lit—what ridicule was cast upon them They were asked if Base -1 e—to show :lie accuracy of his Ifori e katend—(Laughter)_o 1 i shot-heath could be cultivated without profit, and you pr e ssed, as were built in One of those yew's, atid 8 sieve built in the other."— you thought, that there was nod iiiculty in divertin g ca pital from (L aug hter.) That was part of the conversation whirls his Hon. one cm)loyment to another--that it was ut:erly impossible th a t land Friend bad accused him of having suppressed. He did n o t say to could be cultivated without prefit. Well, the same argument applies 18:38 any new ones had been built—the speculations of the p rev i ous to your assertion that factories are building without profit.—(ilear, years caused an overbuilding, and there had been a stagnation, hear.) s l understood the lion. Gentleman to say that he admitted That was the statement of his Hon. Friend, the Member for Preston there had been an increase in the exports of manurat lured articles. —it was made; in the presence of several gentlemen near him First you say that the increase has' taken p la ce withou t an y c u rre . (Lord Stanley), who heard what had passed Oct ween himself and his seondingoroflt,and then you assert that the increase has taken place on Hon. Ft tend. He regretted if he had led the House into an error, but what may be eonsidcred the raw material—viz. that description of ma he had given the facts stated by his Hon. Friend, anti quoted his nufactured goods or articles in which the cost of hinnati food enters in words and language alone. What was the inference by his friend ? smallest proportion; that in every article in which there is much of He did not deny that there had been a great increase in the factories value and labour, there has been a progressive decay. In the case Within the lust few 3ears — his friend did not deny the facts, ancl u t e l i m g o u t' i c te o d, ttoanutdvviiisttehicisdecoctstsoet: the article rttlileelree is intended h i , i t t e tl u e de hdit t i o ian beuf labourusn t,e re : Hon. Member for Manchester endeavou rs to g et out of the g Lion for the last two years, for he said that the increase of factories tured abroad. I will suppose, first of all, that time Hon. Gentlemen's was no proof of prosperity, because they might have be en contracted statement is well founded. The Hots. Gentleman says that a great for two Years before. What cared he (Lord Stanley) for that, competition has lately arisen throughoutthe whole of Europe, and he when he saw that the inference sought to be drawn was that the assumes, that by the operation of the Corn-laws those who were Corn-laws were the cause of distress, and when it was shown that in the consumers of our manufactured goods are become our corn -1835, 1836, 18 37 , and 1 838 there had been a great increase in the Peiitoras Why, in the first place, supposing his facts to be tor_ factories. HE had no doubt that the manufacturers 'suffered a loss— red, lam not at all prepared to admit that that can be attributed he had no doubt that they did not make such large . profits now as to the Coriolaws.—(Cbeers.) How can we expect that there formerly. No man disputed th a t there was agreat falling off in the will not be an increase of manufactured goods all over the profits—no man could dispute that ; and since 1815, when univer- world ?—(Cheers,) The lion-Gentleman says, don't pride yourself sal p ace took place in Europe, it was not at all surprising that ma- upon the superiority of your English manufactures and your Eng nefactui es should have increased in foreign countries. Bet it was fish capital—don't suppose that some case will arise in which Eng. said this was a proof that the Corn-law system was a source of Kish capital must not necessarily prosper—don't, indulge in presages manufacturing loss. To say the least of it, it was the least that ought to be exploded, that you had some mysterious ant secret substantial argument he had ever heard. (Hear, hear.) power ever the rest of the world. Sir, nothing could be more eh Gentlemen said they had not made so much as before, surd than such an idea, but I ask the Hon. Gentleman to extend Now, his lion. Friend had thrown some ridicule on the subject, and the same reasonings, and inquire for himself, whether, after the he might therefore mention a comparison which had been given to lapse of twenty-three years of profound peace, whatever be the him by a friend, who had written to him the other day. He stated operation of the Corn-laws, it must not be expected thet the ns that the discussions that had taken place on the Corn-laws tions of the Contineut will become manufacturers for themselves ? put hi nin mind of an old woman who asked him for charity ; , she Look at Saxony, says the Hon. Gentleman, and see the enormous stated to him that she got her living by selling matches, but said progress she has made in fifteen years. Why, Sir, I ask the Hon. she—" I can assure your honour I lose by every match I sell, but Gentleman to read the history of Saxony for the four years God lye praised I sells great many of them." Such was the complaint previous to that of 1815, when it was the Wade-VW of the manufacturers; they said, "We lose by every yard we whereon all the great contests of Europe weredettided, and I ask you sell, but God be praised we sell a great deal."—(Great laughter.) when peace was restored arc you surprised that the inhabitants of He really had not intended to be led into a discussion, but as to the that country should turn their attention to the peaceful employment fact of a great increase within the last few years he would turn of their capital and labour ?—(Cheers ) Sir, it is because they are to the first Report of the Poor Law Commissioners in 1835. men—it is because they are embued with the samefeelingsof a love of That report stated that in Bolton, Manchester, and several other gain—these are the reasons why manufactures are extending them. places, there was a very great increase of horse power required selves throughout the Continent. But, says the lion. Gentleman, in 1835. 'The House must recollect that the Corn-laws had the United States of America are becoming manufacturers been in operation for a considerable period—the injurious Corn- —(Cries of Hear.) . Is any thin g more na t ura l th an laws, which prevented the manufacturers from having their profits. t he y shi uld become so' s ? In the progress of civilization, as their The new horse power ie that year required was a total in the towns and their populations increase with an enormous home cotton districts of Lancashire of no less than 7,507 h o rse.. market, as the profit of cultivating land diminishes, is the Hon. - Ile reed not stop at that period, for in the following year Mr. Gentlemen surprised that there is no extrinsic cause to account for Megeeridge stated that the expectations of Dr. Key, who had made such a country gradually increasing its manufactures ? But, Sir, I a ppeared likely to be fully say if I admitted the Hun. Gentleman's facts I should not be pre borthefle statements uut, at, d that t Isisthe le'rx7ciocutastiyo(nar,shad not been overrated. Ile pared to condemn the Corn laws upon the two grounds which he quoted this in vindication of having rashly, injudiciously, and inn. has laid down ; RI - it, that the price of corn is higher in this country prudently adopted the statement of 111 s Hon. Friend the Memb er than on the Continent, and secondly, th a t th ose w h o were f ormer l y for Preston. lie quoted this as a vindication of animprudence on our consumers are now become our competitors, his ,itairiet:,ceavue:estoexbcemytetrheentceod;—r J . C ‘, l . Zer ,, S ,i, ) ich T n h .t e z r h e t m ac ig t h fir t o , m ho a w d e i v m e i r : B M ir r. R V O I B L E L R IE T RS—I assert that. be PEEL—But I deny the Hon. Gentleman's facts. notion not of expenditure but of profits made by manufacturee, (Cheers.) The Hots. Gentleman says that there has been a gradual and there might be grounds for supposing that the manufacturers diminution its the export of all those articles in the cost of the pro. were not driving a trade where the profits were large, compared to duction into whish the cost of living enters. Now I trust that the the amount of goods exported. House will pardon me if I limit myself to the new ground upon which Sir 11. FLEE ['WOOD wished to state to the House what he he has argued this question, and I truit the House will listen to the really had mid. He was 'sassing up on the other side of the House, attempt I shall make to demonstrate the fallacy of the Honourable w h e n the Noble Lord stopped him, and asked whether there was not Gentleman's statements.—(Hear, hear.) iam going to show yo u a emit increase in the mauufactures of Preston. He answered him that the view which he take , of the relative increase or diminution that there was. He thought that he had stated that in one of British tnanufactures ought not to be taken as he has described. year there was an increase of ten manufactories, and another lam going to show you that not only has there been an increase in of nine ; but that he had never mentioned to him the year ; the amount of our manufactures— that not only in but when he came back he stated atondhtimhatthtatitetyhietafdacbteoerniehsuthdetnsibuuceil;t or amount tto o n f wool or or has woo t l h le e n re ya b r e n eii or an of co mr t e to a n ,e, tsvist but he hail rea ly stated to the Noble Lord, and though I will try to convince you that there has been a progressive inc. e rid of a question by a sarcasm, he 'in the export of those very articles, in respect to the price of which (Sir H. Fleetwood) could not agree svuth him in that.--(Laughter.) the cost of human subsistence does enter.—(Hear, hear.) Sir, I ell . Mr. BROTH ERTON knew very well that the manufactures of hold in my hand an account which I believe to be correct, before, rt, get the country had increased to avery great extent, and he hoped they being a comparative statement of the declared value of British hadschbsts..eir: cui would continue to do so, as the property of the country depended cotton goods exported from the United Kingdom in earls of • t cheering .) It was • ery possible that a the last eight years, distinguishing the several species of upon • had been contracted number of milts for years ago, manufacture. What lam going to show is, that there has been a he did whirls were nosy completed; h e might thgiarigke(iltf,',.)errl;n:, not deny that such was the progressive increase in the last year, as compared with the former case; but w hat had been the result ? Why, the m anu f ac t urers seven years. Not in the raw material a l one — not in cotton yarn, or w ere not getting the profit, of that there could be do doubt, and it cotton twist, but an increase in those very goods in which manual was a many periods also certain that atthose mills were carried on labour chiefly enters, and the price ef which ought to be affected by when tl e manufacturers were notgetting any pr o fit at all; and for the price of p rovisions. Now, Sir, : the total q uantit y of cotton the truth of that he could appeat to a v ast body of the mannfactur_ goods exported— ers of the country, when, however , they came to a certa i n l oss, t h en A n H O N. MEM flea —To all parts of the would? it was their int erest to stand slit.: • a Itogether. With reg red to the mills Sir ROBERT PEEL—'To all parts of the world, and say that this b e i ng erected, it had beets state d. over and ov er aga i n, t h at goo d s i s Infinitely more satisfactory than the opinions of any gentlemen which required grea t labour, d ecreased, but th a t w ith regar d w hom we may examine at the bar. That Hon. Gentleman may tell to yarns, the ex portation had had• increased. If gentl emen d eterm i ne d me that the exports to Saxony have declined on account of powerful not to have an a lteration iu the system of th e Corn.laws, until they cotton-m ill s being e s tablished in Switzerland or in France; but 1 d e crease, they Would fi t saw ma nufactures lie was id to their cost that that should prote st a g ainst an y conclusion tieing drawn from individual per i o d would be to o late. co nvinced that the interests and testimony. I s a y , Sir, refer to the total ex p orts—let us know the prosperity of the a g ricu'tur regar d depe n d e d upon the prosperity w h o l e o f the trade, and from the general results let us determine of the manta:t ures. With al _ e m toth e propriety of ordering cal- whethr that argument, founded on the decay of our manufacture. dente to be received at the bar if G entlemen had made up their and the only atguent I have to contend against, is well groundel minds heard, that it sho uld not be well and good—for his part he —(Hear, he ar ) —l shall exclude all the other p oints—l shall ex. required no evidence at all to prove to him the inhu- elude the case of Ireland—l shall exclude all other considerations, f t h e present law he had al wa y s b een d es i rous and argue this, a s y ou demand it, on y our narrow g round, viz., Has inanity o of labour for • children in factories,and he the export of th:ss manufactured articles, in which the price of of decreasing the hours a lways should be , but that was not th e sub j ect of the debate for labour and manual skill chiefly enters, declined ?—(Hear, hear.) that night. All he wanted was a clear stage and no favour.— First, I. shall take the total amount of CattOn goods exported (Laughter.) Tlme Hon• Gen tleman appeared not to be convinced I shall take the average of the last eight years, and I shell exclude that the object of having evidence heard at the bar was to from my calculation those years which the Honourable Gentleman, d to enlighten convince the co untr y an the mind of the som ewhat ar bitrarily introduced into his statement, taking at one landed interest.—(Hear.) Bring evidence to the bar of the time the yet.rs 1826, 27, and 28, and at another time, the five years he would show the farmer that he was not after the peace, but I shill take the last eight years, dining whirls this House, andoperation . 'That is the first test of the Corn rentsinterested in the question, but that the effect was to keels up the Corn laws have been in laws. Sir, I contend that these manufactures have flourished, of the landlords.—(Hear.) Lord JOHN RU SSELL said that in r espect to the question i and have progressively increased. I shall compare the average of before the House, what had been said by IsisNob'e Friendthe the last year 1838 wills the averages of the seven preceding }'ears, reasonable candour to attend to the results of War, had completely forestalled any thing he might be and I ask any man of S cr. tary I lay before the House; First, I shall state the total He would state now that his opinion was more in which 1 shall inclined so say. 1 the total amount of cotton goods conformity t o the ancient mode of inquiry . 'The various modes amount of cotton goo s it 18 were treated in the seven years preceding 38—the average was in which great objectsthat House, had been exported in I alluded to by his Noble Friend the Secret ary of War, who po i n t e d ot),100,0001. d ec lared va ue—•mind , not official valise. What It of the averag es for the lost y ear, out the diff erence between a for mer question and the question before has been the restilB3B ? Use House. This was a q uestion to which Me mbers of the House i Why, Sir, it has incre a sed from the average of 20 , 000 , 0001 . to Takin the total of cotton goods, came with minds prepared to listen to facts andd ecide impartially, bu t 24,000,0001. —(Loud cheers.) g the declared value of all the cotton goods exported in 1838, as ,ompared with the seven preceding years, exhibited an increase of 4,000,0001. declared value.—(l ouci and continued cheering.) No doubt the Honourable Gentleman will say, but you include in that the export of cotton twist and yarn. Certainly I do—l give you the total amount of cotton goods, and I shall tell you what the increase on the export of cotton twist and yarn is. The average of the seven years preceding 1838 was 5,340,0001.—the declared value of the cotton twist and yarn exported in 1838, com pared with the average of the seven preceding years was 7,430,0001. thus accounting, no doubt, for 2,000,0001. of the increase of the whole. Now, Sir, I have to account for the remaining two millions, which, in additi.n to the two millions on cotton yarn, is the treat increase for 1838. The Hon. Gentleman complained grievously of the declining state of the hosiery trade. He read to the House an account of the exports of hosiery from Saxony to Cuba, and the dimninisheel exports from this country to Cuba. Sir, I say, in order to judge of the whole results one must not take the single case of Saxony, nor the exports to Cuba ; but in order to decide whether the hosiery trade is in a state of almost hopeless de crepitude, we must look for the average of 7 years' exports to all the world, and then strike the average for 1838. The average of the seven years to which I have alluded, of the hosiery exported, was 587,0001.—the d eared value—while in this falling trade in 1838, .till the declared value amounted to 650,0001.—(Cheers) Now, Sir, I will take another large branch of our manufactures—one in which manual labour largely enters. I will new take the articles of calico, muslin, dimities, shawls, and hats. These are articles in which human labour constitutes the greatest part of the value. The average for the sere i peers before 1839—the declared value of our exports in these articles amounted to 13,300,0001.—in 1836 the de glared value of the exports of the same articles had risen to 15,320,000/.--(Cheers.) This is your ruined and falling elf trade. In cotton twist and yarns, as I have before stated, the average for the seven years previous to last year was 5,340,000, while in 1138 it had risen to 7,430,0001; se that you have an increase upon the ag. gregate exports of the country. I can tell you what it was. The increase during the last year is from the average for the last seven years of 14,700,0001., to the amount last year of 16,700,000. — (Loud cheers.) This is a positive increase, and that increase upon the highest description of our manufactures, upon those in which hu man labour most largely enters. Now, I shall ask how can it be gravely contended, with suck facts before us, that the manufac turing prosperity of this country is diminishing, and is in such jeopardy as the Hon. Gentleman would have us believe, or that the operation of the Corn-laws has been so hostile to the best interests of the country ?—(Cheers.) The Hon. Gentleman then efere en to the increase of the imports of cotton into various States in Europe, and therefore, as a consequence, there was good ground for believ. ing that our cot; on inanufactures must necessarily be on the decline. Now, Sir, I have a return in my hands. I cannot be answerable for its accuracy, but it is taken from a circular which was published in Liverpool, and woich is, I believe, implicitly relied on by the trade, and which contains an account of the consumption of cotton in all the countries during 1837 and 1838. The Hon. Member referred particularly to Switzerland and the States of Germany. Now, Sir, this return professes to give an account, and this is what it states. The cotton imported into England in 1337 was 1,059,000 bags, while in 1838 they amounted to 1,208,000 bags. The cotton impo - ted into France in 1837 was 357,839 bags, and in 1838 it had risen to 393,000 bags, showing an increase in France, but the result of the whole imports into the other countries of Europe, comparing the consumption of 1838 with that of 1837, was that there was a deficiency of 2 per cent. in the latter year. I do not mean to say that there has been a decline in all countries, but there was a decline upon the whole of 2 per cent.—(t dicers.) In France the increase amounted to 9i per cent , but, let me ask, what was the increase in Great Britain ? Why, the increase amounted to 178 per cent.—(Loud cheers.) Now, how can it be gravely contended, in the face of these facts, that our manufacturing interest was in such an alarming and falling state; the refore I cannot agree with the Hon. Member that our manufactures are in a gloomy and alarming state and that our former consumers are about to drive us out of foreign markets. My opinion, Sir, is that while the blessing of peace re mains with us and other nations, it is impossible for us to remain the manufacturers of cotton for the whole world. It is impossible that we can be s 9, for while a country has a long period of peace, when protection is given to her industry, it is the most natural thing in the world that she should increase her manufactures— (Cheers) —and I was mot aware before that it was one of the maxims of political economy to repine at or to take means to stop time progressive improvements of the human race. (Loud cheers.) The object of the Hon. Gentleman opposite, is to increase the price of corn in all foreign countries, in order to check the progress of their manufactures. Not a very benevolent object I must confess. The object then being to diminish the manufacturing prosperity of other countries, is there not a bare pos sibility that other countries may find out what our object is, and defeat it.—(Cheers and laughter.) Is it not just possible that they may attempt to save their manufactures by im posing a duty upon the export of corn, which will deprive us from the largo revenue expected from the core, and wholly defeat our object. I have already stated that this country consumes fifty. two millions of quarters of grain in a year. Let me how ask whether it would be a wise consideration for this country which has hitherto depended upon internal sources of supply to snake the experiment—(Hear, hear)—how far in case of war or famine it might rely upon procuring for money the necessary amount of food from foreign countries 2 (Hear, hear.) This would lead us into a general consideration of the Corn-laws into which accord_ ing to the prosbriliet limits of the Hon Member for Wolverhamp ton I shall not now enter, but which I shall be ready to undertake when a general consideration shall come on, and,to show that it is the interests of all classes, and the interests of the manufactur ing classes especially, not to persevere in the fallacious notion of interfering with agricultural prosperity for their own benefit. But I argue on the grounds of the Hon. Gentleman. He promised to make a prima facie case in support of his motion, that under the present system the declared value of manufac. tured produce, into which, reanual labour chiefly en. ters, has decayed, and that foreign manufactures have increased to an alarming extent; but I have shown that 'our exports in general are very much increased, and that those menu factures which are of a finer description have also increased, in our exports, in a corresponding ratio—that if the competition in cotton twist, manufactured abroad, is great, the manufacture of England, in this department is at least equally as flourishing. Now, seeing what must be the evils of a protracted inquiry, and of agitating the public mind, on these narrow grounds—passing by the general considerations of the question, I must, with all respect to the peti tionere, give my decided negative to the application. —(Loud cries of " Divide, divide.") Me. VILLIEItS rose to reply. When I brought my motion before the House this evening, I had some doubts as to the propriety of the course I lied adopted, and some doubts as to whether my view was justifiable and correct. I now rise with very different feel ' ings. lam now confident that the course which I took and which the petitioners recommended, was a wise and sensible one.—(Hear, hear.) Unfortunately I was not in the House when the Noble Lord ' opposite spoke against the motion ; but from what has been repeated to me I believe that what hest ited was very little in place.--(A laugh.) and Ile.tr.) He took it upon him to assure the House that the inqbiry would be idle, because the facts were admitted, and it would be impos-ible to add anything further. I think this idea 'of the Noble Lord has been disproved by what was subsequently said. As I entered time House the Noble Lord opposite (Stanley) was speaking. He seemed to assume that my facts were not car rect. Another Noble Lord spoke as if I had not spoken, as he threw my views entirely out of the question. He reasoned against the inquiry, on account of the general increase of manu factures and of capital iti this country—that there are mills, and more of the general materiel of manufacturing energy than hitherto. Consequently, argued he, the manufacturing Interest of this country is in s most flourishing condition. From what 1 have heard, however, I am enabled to say that the Right Hon. Baronet oppositetreated the sub. ject with the respect itdeserved, and in a more straightforward way than any other Hon. Member opposite.—(Hear, hear) I was told that the Noble Lord opposite ridiculed the idea of the inquiry, and treated my motion with contempt.—(" No, no," from Lord Stanley.) The Right Hon. Baronet, however, fairly admitted that if they should establish the facts which they had alleged in evidence, he had made up his mind on the subject. He (Mr. Villiers) did not blame the Right Hon. Baronet for this difference of opinion with himself ; he must have believed that he (Mr. Vil iers) had misrepresented the case, he must have believed that lie was not correct in his in. formation on the subject. He would, if the House would permit, set himself right with them on this subject by briefly recapi. tulating what he had said concerning it in his opening speech. —(Cries of " No," and laughter.) He begged to assure the House that he could do it in one sentence. Although he had said that there were certain indications designating the approach of considerable evil to this country by the loss of its manufactures well worthy of consideration in this investigation, lie had par ticularly guarded himself in the statement which he had made. The petitioners stated clearly that they had ceased to export to other countries, to which they had formerly been in the habit of exporting, and they wished to show the House the cause why they had done so, and, in proof, lie referred to the rapid increase which had taken place in the exports of other countries, while we had all the advantages attendant upon our being an old manufacturing country, while they were subjected to all the disadvantages necessarily attendant upon their being an infant manufacturing population, which so far from being an aclvantige, as had been represented by some Hon. Members, was a decided disadvantage. How is it that these countries hare so rapidly increased ? This is the case of the petitioners. On this case issue is joined, and on this issue the petitioners wish to offer sou evidence. There were indications already of the cause why our exports have not inc reased in the same proportion as the exports of other countries. Not only do we no longer pos sess that monopoly of manufacturing which we formerly possessed —not only do foreign manufacturers undersell us its their own markets, where we formerly ha d the monopoly, but they even go into other markets, compete with us, and undersell us there. We admit these facts—we admit that we are undersold, and ask you to inquire into the cause. The Right Hon. Baronet has stated no fact contravening these positions. He (Mr. Villiers) did not deny the official returns—he did not deny that the gross exports of goods had increased, but it was the difference in the proportion of those exports which constituted their case. Nothing has been stated to night which shows that the House is in possession of sufficient information on this subject to enable it to come to a decision on the general question. It is clear that the operation of the Cotted. laws in in producing this state of timings is not generally admi As long as any difference of opinion remained on this subject it was clear that it was a case for inquiry. The petitioners desired to be heard at the bar in preference to going before a Select Committee, because Select Committees had fallen into utter discredit. None of the great changes which had recently been effected had been effected by a Select Committee. In the cases of the Poor Law and the Municipal Law what had Select Committees done ? Not a fact had been elicited by the Poor law Commissioners which hail net over and over again been pub lished by Committees of this House, and yet they had been unable to produce any measure founded on the Reports of those Com. 'ultimo. If it was desired to smother inquiry, the best method that could be adopted, was to refer the matter to a Select Com mittee,—(Loud cries of " Question," in the midst of which the Hon. Gentleman sat down.) Sir It. PEEL—I would not have spoken at all if I hail not un derstood the Hon. Gentleman's first speech in tl , e sense I stated. If I had not understood the Hon. Gent. to have stated there we, e certain indications which provident statesmen ought to attend to, I should not have spoken at all.—(Cries! of " Spoke, spoke, Divide, divide.") I took down at the time what I understood the Hon. Gent. to say, namely, that the manufacture of those articles, in the manufacture of which manual labour enters, or is affected by the price of provisions, are gradually decreasing, and that the manufacturers are being driven out of the market by competitors. I read my returns for the purpose of showing that I did not think we were in the condition the Hon. Gent man suppesed.—(Hear. hear ) Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the House di vided, when there appeared— 17R For the Motion 361 Against it Majority against the Motion —lB9 t The other Orders of the Day were then disivmsed of, and he I House adjourned at a QUARTER to TWELVE O'CLOCK. 'es, e.,....esessesese A RoYAL ANECDOTE.—(From a Correspond ent.)—On Saturday afternoon last the Queen, accompanied by a few of her attendants, all on horseback, went out for a ride, and having preceeded as far as 0:d Oak Common, Hackney, it was the Royal wish to procee4 across there and return home by the Harrow road. From the heavy rains, however, it was found a matter of dialculty so to do, and her Majesty accordingly gave directions to one of her suite to ask an old shepherd in the service of R. Tubbs, Esq., a eounty magistrate, if he would allow them to go by a nearer war across one of his tnaster's meadows. To this request the old and faithful servant, whose name is Langley, end who has been in the family upwards of forty years, gave a pssitive denial, whereby the !loyal party ha.l to ',turn by the same way as they came. On it b- - eing mule known to Langley who the Royal party was, he did not seem at all surprised, but said should the like coincidence again occur he should act in a similar manner. _ _ CURIOUS PETITION.—At the meeting of the town council of Newcastle, on Wednesday, a petition was presented signed by 115 servant maids of that town, praying that they might not be compelled to sweep the streets in front of their masters' hong? s daily, as they are now obliged to do by the by-laws of the council. —Hull Paper. subject.--( hear, hear, hear.) He was a Member for an agricultural constituency, and be was certain the repeal of the Corn-laws would be most injurious to the agricubural, and through them to the manufacturing interests.—(Hear, hear.) He could not help recollecting what would have been the con dition of this country at a period like that of the late American distress if it had not been for the home markets. He was con vinced the present agitation for the repeal of the Corn-laws was the consequence of the late high prices of corn, by which, how ever, the farmers had not banefited.—( Loud cries of " Hear, hear," from anti-Corn-law Members.) For while the farmer nominally received 755. per quarter, he really only received 505., being compelled to pay his labourers 12s. or 13s. a-week, when he formerly gave them only N. or 10s.—( Hear, hear.) The Noble Lord finished by declaring that be would oppose the motion. N;.. HORSMAN said he should vote for the motion, just because it would lead to a repeal of the Corn-laws.—(Hear.) The Noble Lord who had just sat down might be well as quainted with the subject, but other Members were not, and was it fair that they should be prevented from informing themselves upon the question ?—(Hcar, hear, hear.) Until recent facts were laid before the House, he had no idea that our commerce and. manufactures bad been so much deteriorated by the Corn-laws, The Noble Lord (Worsley) said that no now facts were wanted on this question—that the House had already received all the details that could be wished, but it was no evidence that official returns had given but partial information. They might have shown the relation of our ex ports and imports, but they would not have shown any evidence of that alarming competition in foreign coun tries as was stated by the Honourable Member for Wolverhampton in his review of manufactures and manufactur ing establishments abroad. But when the House was told that not only were our exports decreasing—that some branches of our manufactures had mach declined, and that some countries, once our best customers, had now became alarming competitors —that unless speedy change was effected a great body of our manufacturers must leave the country—it must be confessed that those facts were new to many Hon. Members. They cer tainly were so to him, and doubtless there were hundreds of facts of equal importance, w hich would be adduced for the first time, if the proposed inquiry were gone into. Let them ask themselves who came forward to introduce these facts? They were men in whose hands were placed the entire manufacturing capital of this country—who supported a population of five or six millions by their payments of wages, and who had continued to pay them those wages for two years without receiving any profits.—(Hear, hear.) He repeated that those capitalists had paid the operatives for two years wi•hout re ceiving one farthing of profit, and would, he feared have to continue to do so. Now, al that those employers asked of the House as a great favour, was, that they would concede to them an opportunity of establishing their propositisms by evi dence at the bar; but he feared that if they were to retire with the impre-sion that all chance of redress from this House was hopeless, they must reduce the wages of their workmen ; and in this event he would beg to warn the House against the alai ming consequences that must ensue. As for the arguments that had been aovaneed against. the desired inquiry, they differed in no degree from those that had been adduced on former occa sions; and when, as the Noble Lord admitted, precedents were iratituted. After what the Noble Lord had stated as to the probability that if t e inquiry were granted ; one portion of the Hon Members wouldbe at dinner—another would b. asleep—the Chairman would be wi iting verses—and the only attentive parties would be the questioners and the answerers, he thought that if this indeed were likely to happen, it would not much raise the House in the estimation of the public. lie would not trespass farther upon the attention of the House, but would conclude by entreating them for the sake of justice and huma nity not to shut their eyes against the information that the peti tioners now offered.—( Hear, hear. ) Mr. HEATHCOTE rose amidst loud cries of " Divide,' divide." He. trusted that, as his Hon. Colleague had pre sented 170 petitions upon the subject, he might be permitted to say a few words. Now he would at once say that he would give a decided opposition to the proposal of the lion. Member for Wolverhampton, both on point of principle and on point of form. First of all he denied that there was any necessity for inquiry, because there was no necessity for appeal. He did not think that the Honourable Member for Wolverhampton had shown that deterioration in our manufactures which he had set out with asserting, but even if he had other reasons might be shown fir it. However, no class of men had a right to say, we will benefit ourselves at the expense of our neighbours; we will get out of the mire on the shoulders of ether people.- -(Laughter, and hear, hear.) During the long time that he had been a Member of the House he had never known of a similar inquiry. He assured them that if the inquiry now asked for were granted it would go on ad infinitum ; for Hon. Gentlemen must remember that if a great number of witnesses should be brought forward to prove one side of the case, they, the Corn-law supporters, should have to bring forward a great number to sustain their side. He would ask them, then, how long was this inquiry to last? Let them consider, further, that they must have two sets of speeches ; they must all know there was another House setting in town on this question ; and no doubt that the Members o that House admitted below the bar n-.ust be permitted to make speeches in reply to the speeches of the Members of this House above it.—(Laughter.) On these grounds he should most decidedly vote against the inquiry. In truth, there was essentially little or no difference between the prices of corn at present and those of apparently cheap seasons. The Noble Lord (Worsley) bad already shown that the pre sent high prices were the. result of the deficient harvest. They had scarcely had any Corn-laws for several months; the ports were open, the Corn-laws were in abeyance.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.) It was therefore an extraordinary time to bring forward the present application ; he hoped, however, the time would soon come when the question, who benefited by the Corn-laws, or who did not, would be decided. A serious disadvantage, indeed, would be entailed if this motion were to be periodically renewed. It must indeed be a serious inconvenience to gentlemen who had to come up from the country and remain a long time in town to learn that the question would be put off for a fortnight. The Hon,. Member for Wolverhampton ought to say that he would bring the question to an issue. —(Loud cries of " Question" and " Divide.") After some interruption Mr WARBURTON rose and said that, the lion. Gentleman who had just sat down had very much misconceived the utility of the motion now before the House. He did not know the precise object of the Hon. Member for Wolverhampton, but he thought that the intention must le an eminently useful one."--- an object to place all the Hon. Gentlemen opposite in the wrong—(Laughter)—an object to permit those who complained of the Corn-laws as a grievance, to show wherein the evils consisted, and to explain to the House what were these causes. Did they think that Gentlemen, predisposed on this question, would not be happy to receive information upon it? When the Honourable Member for Wiltshire, on the first night of the session, brought forward some facts in favour of the present system, which they (the Hon. Gentlemen opposite) considered undeniable, did they make any objection then ? Not they. He referred to certain admissions which had been made by the Chairman of the Manchester Chamber of Commerce. Those admissions, which told one way, were eagerly received, while those of an opposite character they now seemed unwilling to permit to be established by evidence.— ( Hear.) The object of the Hon. Member for Wolverhampton and his supporters was, as he had already said, to prove that the Hon. Gentleman opposite were in the wrong. Indeed, in doing this they were already successful.--(Laughter, and Hear, bear.) If all the Hon. Members of the House vi ere as enlightened on this question as her Majesty's Ministers must be, there would indeed be no necessity for further evidence. If they could examine the escrutoirs of the Right Honourable the President of the Board of Trade, and those of some other departments, and see -the representations of the Prus sian and other Governments, showing what advantages would ensue if the restrictions against the importation of their corn and timber were removed, then indeed they might re ' fuse to hear this application. But they had no such ample information. However, he would now ask the Right Hon. the President of the Board of Trade what representation he and his colleagues bad received from those several Governments?— (Hear, hear.) He (Mr. W.) had no intention of trespassing on the House at further length, but from the observations of the Hon. Member for Lincolnshire and of the Noble Lord, he thought it necessary to defend his Hon. Friend, who, he thought, had acted wisely and rightly; and had given those who concurred with him an opportunity of proving that the Hon. Gentlemen who opposed the inquiry were entirely in the wrong. He believed that until the manufacturing and working classes should pull together—until the fears of the Hon. Gentlemen opposite were operated upon—(Loud cheers)—until the fears of those Gentlemen were operated upon—( Renewed cheers) — by the whole body of the people and the manufacturers pulling together, the Corn-laws would not be repealed. — (Che ers. ) But the day would come, and then the Hon. Gentlemen oppo site would have a different story to tell.—( Laughter, and cheers.) Mr. Cayley and Mr. Poulett Thomson rose together, there were loud cries for the latter, but the Right Hon. Gentleman gave way. Mr. CAYLEY—As the Hon. Gentleman who had just sat down had most truly stated, when the working classes and their masters pulled together they would be irresistible, but the Hon. Gentleman was very much mistaken if he supposed the masters had so tar deluded the operatives—(Tory cheers. )—or that they pulled with them on the present ocetrion. The operatives of the master manufacturers had had the bitter experience of the last twenty years of the sympathy which the masters felt for them. Well had he seen since he had become a Member of that House, the sympathy exhibited by that class in favour of the poor, emaciated, crippled, death-like factory workmen. `Yell did he remember when his Hon. Friend lied, year after year, brought forward his motion for the relief of the hand loom-weavers what was the tone of the masters.—(Hear, hear.) Was the tone taken on the present occasion that adopted by them formerly? Was the subject made a ques tion of hunger, and as if that alone should guide their de liberations on the question? No. It was that the power loom weavers and spinners must have employ—that it was impossible for the hand-loom weavers to compete with them and therefore they must sink without either commisseration or sympathy. They assertion made use of out of doors, that this was a question of hunger, and ought not to be made a narty question, had been again brought forward. Why, good 'God! if it was a case of hunger—if it was the case of a nation stretching out for food, did they think that the landed in terest would not be as ready as the manufacturers to come forward?—(Cheers. It was not a question of hunger, but it was a question of whether the people of that country who had been engaged for centuries in the production of corn for their own consumption, would be allowed to do so instead of the labourers of another country.—( Hear, hear.) He en tirely agreed with the Noble Lord the Member for Northum berland, as to the impolicy of consenting to the proposition of the Hon. Member for Wolverhampton. He denied hat the distress among the manufacturers was in any way attribu table to the Corn-1a •s. Had Honourable Members not heard of the panic in the American market, and the reduction that had taken place in the demand for that species of produce both there and upon the Continent With respee to the statement put forth by the Hon. Member for Wolverhampton, that the in crease of manufactures in other countries arose entirely from the restrictive course adopted by that country with respect to importation of corn, he (Mr. Cayley) was prepared to show that the restriction had nothing to do with the matter. Foreign countries, long before that period, were prepared to manufacture for themselves. What was the case with regard to manufactures since the time of the invention of the steam engine? The application of steam came into full operation just at the close of the war in 1800, and it was impossible that that discovery, or its application, could be carried into effect on the Continent in time of war, but after the peace in 1814, the labouring population abroad had their exertions turned into that channel, and hence the competition that was now springing up. Perhaps he was not confining himself strictly to the question before the House, but he felt it right to answer the observations of the Honourable Member for Wolv rhampion He denied that the landed pro prietors of hat country had more interest in the question than the yeomen or s op-keepers of the West Riding of Yorkshire, in fact the latter had a ten times greater interest. In conclu sio he should gi ie his decided oppo ition to the motion. Mr. POULETT THOMSON—Sir, it appears to me that the question of the Corn-laws themselves is not to be discussed to nig t, but that it is to be reserved for a future occasion, I shall therefore confine ley-self in the few words, I shall offer to he House, entirely to the question immediately underour atten tion,viz., 'he propriety of agreeing to the motion, my Hon. F. mend the Member foriWolverhampton of herring evidence at the bar._ of hearing the petitioners in this ease at the bar of the House. Sir, I have waited till this hour, and I gave way to the Hon. Member who last addressed you, to hear what might be said against this motion of my Hon. Friend, by those Gentlemen whose opinions are generally known to be adverse to any change in the Corn-laws, and I must say that it appears rather strange to me that we should have heard but three Gentlemen, and these on this side of the House, whose opinions are against a change in the Corn-laws, get up and advocate the refusal of the motion of my Hen. Friend. I can well understand the FROM LAST NIGHT'S GAZETTE. WHITEHALL, FEE. 15, 1839. The Queen has been pleased to direct letters patent to be passed under the Great Seal of the United Kingdom, granting the office and place of Advocate-General or Judge-Martial of her Majesty's Forces, to Sir George Grey, Bart. DOWNING-STREET , FEB. IS. The Queen has been pleased to appoint Edward Hay Drum mond Hay, Esq., to be President and Senior Member of her Majesty's Council in the Virgin Islands. DOWNING-STREET, FEB. 18. The Queen has been pleased to appoint James Walker , E tc) be Treasurer of the Is land of Trinidad. WHITEHALL, FEU. 1, The Lord Chancellor has appointed Arthur Cruwys Sher land, of Tiverton, in the county of Devon, Gent., to be a Master Extraordinary in the High Court of Chancery. WHITEHALL. FEB. 14. The Lord Chancellor has appointed John William Elt , n, of Redland, near the city of Bristol, Gent., to be a Master Ei traordinary in the High Court of Chancery. Commi , sion by the Vice-Lieutenant of the County of Lincoln. Royal North Lincolnshire Regiment of Militia—R. E. Smith, Gent. to be Lieutenant, Feb. 15. ERRATUM in the " Gazette" of the Bth instant. Royal Carmarthen Fusilier Militia.—For D. Thomas, Gent., to be Lieutenant, vice Horton, resigned, read D. Thomas, Gent.. to be Second Lieutenant, vice Hawkins, resigned; Jan. 26, 1839. DECLARATION OF INSOLVENCY. JOSEPH MATTHEWS, tailor, Bath. BANKRUPTCIES SUPERSEDED. THOMAS CLARK HARDING, grocer, Winslow, Ruck inghamshire. ROBERT NEECII, jun., cattle-dealer, Pakefield, Suffolk. EDWARD BARKER, druggist, Exeter. BANKRUPTS. JOHN CHAPMAN, gardener, Sion-hill, Islevrorth, to sur render Feb. 27, at twelve, and April 2, at eleven, at ti,e Court of Bankruptcy. Lack:ngton, official assignee, Ironmonger -lane ; Brady, staple Inn. JAMES COOPER, innkeeper, Newport, Isle of Wight, tlareh 9, and April 2, at twelve, at the Green Dragon Inn, Newport. Griffiths, Newport. CHARLES REESBY, maltster, Stamford, March 2, and April 2, at eleven, at the office of Mr. T. H. Jackson, Stam ford. Fladgate, Young, and Jacksons, Essex-street, London ; Jackson, Stamford. JOSEPH NEWSOME, blanket-manufacturer, Dewsbury, Yorkshire, Feb. 26, and April 2, at eleven, at the Court-house, Leeds. Jaques, Battys, and Edwards, Ely-place, Holborn : Watts, Dewsbury. GEORGE JONES, silk-throwster, Taunton, Somerset shire, March 5, and April 2, at eleven, at Sweet's Hotel, Taun ton. Body, Tokrnhouse-yard, London : Bird, Taunton. ROBERT HAMILTON, merchant, Liverpool, March 9 and April 2, at eleven, at the Clarendon-rooms, Liverpool. Taylor, Sharpe, Field, and Jackson, Bedford-row, London ; Lowndes and Robinson, Liverpool. THOMAS MUCK LOW, agent, Duke's-row, New-road, Middlesex, March 2 and April 2, at one, at the Clarendon rooms, Liverpool. Wilde, Rees, Humphry, and Wilde, College hill, Queen-street, Cheapside, London; Radcliffe, Duncan, and Lowe, Liverpool. DIVIDENDS. At the Court of Bankruptcy, Basinghall-street. S. Barlow and R. S. Mußei, stone masons, Little Bartho lomew-close, March 14, at half-past twelve—S. Harris, timber merchant, Wardour street, Soho, March 14, at one—J. Bevil, auctioneer, Harleyford-place, Kennington, March 14, at twelve— J. B. Wienholt, merchant, Old Swan-stairs, City, Marsh 14, at two—A. U. Meredith, draper, Portsmouth, March 12, at eleven—A. Robertson, linen draper, Halifax, March 12, at twelve—W. Dickenson, Sen., T. Goodall, and W. Dickenson, Jun., bankers, Poultry, March 13, at one—A. Wallis, merchant, Springfield, Essex, March 13, at ele ven —B . Pomeroy, Jun., banker, Brixham, Devonshire, March 12, at half-past one—W. Kirkpatrick and J. Gadsden, provision agents, Austin-friars, March 12, at one—J. T. Tidd and J. 31allandaine, candle manufacturers, Marlborough-road, Chel sea, March 12, at half-past twelve—J. Ablitt, haberdasher, Silver-street, Wood-street, March 12, at twelve—J. H. Nainby, dealer in tobacco, Blackfriars-road, March 14, at twelve J. Arthur, paper manufacturer, Colyton, Devonshire, March 14, at eleven. In the Country. W. Dickinson and T. Throp, fronfounders, Blackburn, March 14, at twelve, at the Town Hall, Preston —J. Tre vethan, carpenter, Bury St. Edmund's March 18, at one, at the Six Bells Inn, Bury St. Edmund's—P. Harwood, iron monger, Yotk, March 26, at one, at the Falcon Inn, Mickle gate, York—R. Nicholls and .1. Groves, linen drapers, Stam ford, March 21, at eleven, at the office of Messrs. Thompson and Son. Stamford—W. Hunt, woollen manufacturer, Roch dale, Lancash:re, March 1 6, at eleven, at the ommis sioners' Rooms, Manchester. CEIMFICATES—MARctI 12. _ . - R. Dalton, varnish manufacturer, Derby—C. Welman, linen draper, Britlport, Dorsetshire—R. Garrett, lead mer chant, Woodstock-street, Oxford-street—D. Maddock, vic tualler, Liverpool—W. Mason, victualler, Old Town-street, l'lymouth—J. D. Stevens, paper maker, Hemel Hempstead— J. Saunders, butcher, Watford—J. and W. Slater, tallow chandlers, Strand—J. Eggleston'', publican, Manchester— C. Healey, grocer, Nottingham—R. Nuttall, farmer, Carr Barn, Lancashire—J. Hill, woollen draper, Cheltenham. PARTNERSHIPS DISSOLVED. H. and A. hill, wheelwrights, Tealby, Lincolnshire —W. Lee and E. Kemp, millers,. Reigate—J. Taylor, Sen., and J. Taylor, Jun., brushmakers, Birmingham—J. Peniston and J. Brooke, cloth dressers, Leeds—T. Grierson and J. S. Tripp, lacemen, Liverpool—J. and E. Brown, solicitors, Sheffield W. Swain and W. Wybrow, linen drapers, Cleveland -street, Fitzroy-square—J. and S. Wintle, linen drapers, Bristol— M. P. Hayman and R. W. Birtles, milliners, Lamb's Conduit street—M. B. Tulloch and D. C. Wilson, dealers in earthen ware, Newcastle-upon-Tyne—J. Fletcher and J. Bailey, builders, Stockport—G. Rudston and J. Dixon, woollen drapers, Kingston-upon-Hull—R. Tunnicliff, J. Croxall, and J. Ilolt, pot manufacturers, Midway, Derbyshire (so far as regards .T. Holt)--G. W. Veasey and W. Pate, coal merchants, Whiting's Wharf, Ratcliffe—W. Haughton and R. Jones, drapers, Birmingham—A. Maris and R. Roberts, American commission merchants, Great Winchester-street, Old Bread street—R. Birch and G. D. Thomas, grocers, Oswestry, Sal,,p. MARKET INTELLIGENCE. ( From the London Price Current of Last Night ) SUGAR—The demand for West India Muscovadoes on Wed_ nesday and Thursday last was limited, and importers in some instances submitted to a reduction on former rates of Gd ; on Friday, however, a fair business was transacted, and the prices obtained were fully equal to those of this day week for brown and yellow descriptions ; for Berbice and St. Lucia of dry brown and low yellow quality 56s a 58s has been paid, 58s a 58s 6d for low yellow Jamaica, and 593 a 64s for mid to good from other colonies ; the supply of low brown and strong re fining descriptions continues short ; the lowest price of Sugar suited for the scale is 58s, and the highest for fine yellow 68s ; 246hhds 81 casks Demerara have b •en offered at public sale, but they were so badly fresh water damaged that the prices ob tained formed no criterion to market rates, they sold at 10s, 10s 6d up to 56s • the bulk brought 47s a Jogs. Thi s a ft ernoon there was more life in the market : from the grocers there was a good demand, and for refining there was a fair b us i ness doing ; th private purchases amounted to 800 hhds and trs at Fri_ day's prices, and in some instances they were rather higher. llEFlNED.—Previous rates of 73s a 7:ls 6d for standard Lumps, 74s for those rather under, and 71s a 72s for other sorts have been supported. For exportation we are still with out orders at present rates. Treacle has been taken sparingly, bit lower prices have not been accepted. Bastards are dull of sale. and ord. qualities have keen sold on easier terms. Dutch crushed 34s 6d a 115 s. To-day, for the better descriptions of goods, higher prices were obtained, 75s 63 a 76s paid for Lumps equal to the standard. Pieces and Bastards in good request. MA IT us.—There has been a better demand,. and prices have improved Is 6d for ordinary, and fid to Is for good descrip tions; at public sale 4,735 bags sold with animation, and were principally taken for Bristol, ordinary to slha d tom 6 iddli t n o g s7 b g r , os t v r n brought 51s to 555, good middling to g dinary to middling yellow s!s sa to 61s, good middling to good 61s Gd to 62s 6d, fine 645. EAST hinia.—The grocers have purchased Bengal more freely, and an advance on former prices of Gd to Is has been obtained, the demand has been principally for middling and good qualities ; 3,700 begs were all sold, low white sold at 64s lid middling to good white 65s Gd to 675, fine (38 s t o 69 5, damp Vs' to 66s 6d, washed Gls to 61s Gd. In Siam prices remain and g ood s song white qualities are not t o b e purchased under 31s, Manilla is held firmly, good yellowish brown a - ' ) 3s 6(l.te 245, middling 22s lid to 235, ordinary 21s Gd to 225, an d under 2ls nothing of sound quality ca n b e ri demandircha b aed.; This afternoon, Bengal was in steadythegrocers ; 1,632 bags 190 casks were offered at au c ti on, t h e former sold at previous rates ; good coloury white at 66s to 66s 61, middling, rather greyish 653 to 65s 6 - 1, good middling yellow 635 6d to 64, Gd, damp 62s Gd to 655, washed 59s Gd to 62s Gd, the latter were taken in at 50s for low damp brown. FOREIG N.—Prices remain firm for all good descriptions, but ord and soft kinds may be purchased on e asier terms ; the transactions have again been limited by private contrac t ot Havannah as well as in Brazil, awl confined principally boxes soft white of the former at 36s a 39s for mid to good mid. MotAssms.--In prima of West India there is no change; purchases confined to the best descriptions at 31s to 32s per cwt. CorTET.--The grocers have purchased freely of the clean descriptions of West India under 100 s; unclean sorts have also been in fair demand, and the prices paid are 2s above those of this day week: mid and good clean qualities of Jamaica and Demerara, &c. have maintained the late advanced rates, and the supply is still short, 130 casks, &c. at auction sold readily, c ute to fine fine ord Berbice 98s a 103 s Sid, low mid to mid Jamaica 107 s a 111 a, unclean fine to fine fine ordele92sr. F. s a 100s r r ; a t I s t t e bulk of the stock in the docks is held by the dealers. d, for good ord Ceylon descriptions prices have generally p eels. Mocha has been fair demand b y p rivate paid; home 9Eis 61 a 993 has been paid by pr i v at im e i e b o r n o t v } r e r a i c y t a f t o e r e s o e n v t e i r a a e l t smell j'ilsr eonsump bulk was of superior yellow q ua Hon and ratherhighe.rrateshave een at auctionl9o Brazils have been offsesreds the a Gd 1100; 119 bags Batavia sort from -- lity, and brought 1 ° o ‘ been brought forward, and sold a t Singapore bass but is s formertil wanted, rates bhuaytefobr been sorts h n g 0 0 0 r d r mid_ prices, palish rat h erllsnsixedsf.etchpirnigce6Os s re tl a a i n 6 , l fi s r ; m 3o fo b r a a g l s l s a u o _p:e d _ nor Sumatra brought 60 g ° o rd ano 4 w s.6° il n sup tqiuwarleitieasreofyle'royrefiegwn, baunydeßrsr,az been p 47s, sod lore zioiovdat.erpduartch4as2sesah4a276,ci : i S n OO S t b . ar i s o f m i e n naot s l c o ll 9 c s rs t . c. I T l h l i s s ; af D te e r m no e o r n ar ß a, e u rb n i c e l e e. , dlinc , clean sold ordinary er ordinary Bos to 905, triage 675. Mocha is wanted ; , )00 prices there are no offered at public sale, which being subject to th e • duty, only a part were sold at full prices ; middling to auction good yellow at 87s Gd to 935, fine old 118 s ; 130 bales commo n b to al g e 7 r i were green Mysore were taken at 73s to 73s 6d, but reported singe to have been sold at 72s per cwt. The grocers have pawl 99s for some parcels of good ord and 100 s for fine ord coloury Ceylon ; some of the holders refuse to sell good ord under 100 s per cwt. COCOA.—This afternoon at auction 70 bags Grenada sold at the late advancedrates, fair and mid red 40s a.m.,. Tas.t.ow.—Prices on Wednesday declined to 48s 63 on the spot, and 47s 9.1 for delivery in March and April, for Peters bur'g yellow candle of first quality, but during the last few days there has deen rather more business doing for consumption, and prices have ralli-d to 49s 93 to 50s for first quality, and 48s for March, for delivery in the last three months, 47s per cwt. At auction on Friday 200 casks ordinary Soap Tallow were taken in at 46s 3d per cwt. In Town Tallow the quotation has fallen to 525, or 48s fid per cwt for cash. This afternoon the market is fiat, and prices lower ; 49 s gd on the spot for P.Y. C. of first quality, 47s 93 a 485 for de livery in March a nd A p ril, and 46s 93 for the l ast three months. T,A.—The purchases have again been limited, buyers wait ing for the two public sales declared for the 26th. Holders howeve r, remain firm, and will not sell, excepti ng at prices ' equal to those of the January sale. To-clap, small breaks of common Congnu h ave b een solda -day ta; a reduction of last sale's rates of id to Id. per lb. To RPENTI NE. —The few sales made in Rough have been at rather lower prices. 'rhe demand for Spirits has been limited ; 63s has been accepted for carboys, and 62s for puns. SricES .—A brisk demand has prevailed for black Pep per since our last, the better qualities having brought rather higher prices; common kinds have maintained former rates : at alio- falle n a nd , if o f 4,4lshiv * 4V I 7 bitO 1;1 ,10 11 blii 4~, y , •,y,,,, ~,'±~.