The Express.
London, England, 1848-08-29 00:00:00

,
IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
ROUSIt OF LORDS.—M,oBuAy, Aeo. 28.
Tba LOID CHANCILLO a took bin seat at 5 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINEeS.
FIRST IcEADlNG.—Pariclusl Debt and Audit Amenclinent Bill.
THIRD ItRADING —London (City) resold Delia
PUBLIC EL'SINV.SS.
RECNIND READINGS. Labourine Roe fhelm't Sugar metes;'
Sheep and Caine Importatioe Prolittatioa; Sheep and Cattle Conta-
gious Diser•vra Prevention; tills.
GNU' ITEE.—MetronAltan Commissioners of Sewers Bill.
1111 RD READINGS.-Commons loeceure ,No. 2, ; Petty Rag,
&c., (Mice (Court of Chancery); Wolverhampton'ttinci (No. 2);
Poor Removal (N 0.2) • Reproductive Loan Fund InstltntMn (Ire-
land); Poor-law Uofon Charges (N 0.2) (adjourned debate); Bills.
PAROCHIAL DEBT AND AUDIT BILL.
Lad BEAUMONT complained that in consequence of
the hasty manner in which this bill had passed its third
reading on Friday, he was prevented from proposing an
amendment which the noble earl (Fortescue) who had
change of the bill had induced him not to move in com-
mittee, upon the undemanding that he should do non the
third reading. From the hasty and indistinct manner In
wblh a number of hills for third reading had been passed,
he did not, in the eontosion of sounds, hear the name of :he
bill in question ; hut it now appeared that it had been read
a third time and paned. Under these circumstances, and
with a view to the adoption of his amendment, he was
obliged to avail himself of the privilege of a peer, and by
on the table a bill to amend the Parochial Debt and Audit
Bill, and he should to morrow (this day) move that the
standing orders be suspended, in order teat the bill might
pass through all its stages.
SUGAR DUTIES BILL.
Earl GREY moved the second reading of this bill, the
object of which was to alter the existing sugar duties as they
were settled in 1846. The measure, which had been fully
debated in the other house of parliament, arose out of the
present condition of the West India planters, and it was in-
tended to extend the period of protec'inn to the sugar
grower beyond the time limited by the act passed in that
year. The noble earl said at this late period of the session it
was unnecessary that he should eater at length into the
subject, end proceeded to refer to despatches from Sir Hoary
Light. the governor of British Guiana, and other documents,
to show that undue extension of cultivation under the
stimulus of protecting duties had produe. d an artificial com-
petition for wages, and raised them to an extravagant
amount ; and contended that such wages, instead of promo.
Wig the real welfare of the ni gro, had rather tended to his
demoralisaton. It was prove,' also that such an extent of
cultivation wising from the system of mutual competition
among each other by the planters, and stimulated
by protecting duties, had been carried on under
enormous charges which returned an ordinary and usual
mercantile profit, but altoaether insufficient to preserve the
planters from ruin. The same observations applied to the
Mauritius, where the protection had been increased more
than sixfold in 2.5 years. There had been an increase in the
last two or three years in the Mauritius of 66 per cent. ; and
while this enormous increase was going on—during the
whole time from the year 1822 to the present period—there
had been constant complaints on the part of the planters and
merchants of that colony, of extreme distress and embarrass-
ment. Ile bad no doubt that such complaints were well
grounded, and why had they arisen ? Simply from this cir-
cumstance: by the exatence of protecting duties in this
country, the producers in the Mauritius were taught to
expect that they should obtain extraordinary profits, and
therefore capital was sent out from this countr7 to a great
amount, and cultivation was pushed, not to a natural, but
a speculative increase, by parties who ca culated
upon the profit that would arise from the protecting
duties which existed. And in this manner wages Main-
creseed, is spite of the enormous importation of labourers,_ to
the number of 89,0000 within the last few years. The
demands for their services, however, went on increasing
It
more than an equal ratio. Employers were bidding against
each other, and by doing so were rei-ing the cart of produo-
tion, and at the same time exceeding the quantity which this
market could carry off at the price which they calculated on
for their remuneration—and Die consequence seas their ruin.
This increase had bee n going on not only in the Mauritius
'
but in Malamm, Singapore, India, and elsewhere, and it had
been carried on principally by borrowed capital, the mer-
chants at home trading to a great extant upon credit. He
did not, however, blame these parties, but the two
houses of parliament, for having fostered this unnatural
system, which could feed to no other result.
(Rear, hear.) With reference to the prospects of
the future, there was no reason for despondency..
There was no ground for assuming that slave labour was
cheaper than free labour. Re believed, on the contrary, the
reverse to be true. He admitted, and deeply deplored, the
extreme severity of the existing distress of so many respect-
able parties; but he saw the prospect of improvement in the
future. The noble earl then reterred to various documents,
in order to show that free labour was cheaper than slave
labour in the Mauritius. In referring to the subject in Feb.
last he had said that when things were placed on a more nar mat
tooting wages would fall • and his prediction had partially
been realised : but they had decreased lees in the colonies,
where the highest amount had been paid for labour, than in
others where the remuherstion had been more moderate—
thus proving-the bad policy of the system to which he had
referred. In Demerara, for instance, the negroes had streau-
cooly resisted a reduction of their wages ; but in Barbadoes,
Antigua, and some of those colonies which po seised greater
natural advantages and where wages had not been forced
up to seek en extraordinary height, the reduction bad been
effected most amicably. The noble earl read extracts from
various deepens es to prove these facts, and also to show that
the redaction of wages had brought more labour into the
market. Improvements in the cultivation and manufacture
of sugar had been carried on more vigorously than before.
Sir H. Light stated that from an exoeriment which had been
tried its Demerara, it had been proved that by good
the land would produce one hundred per cent. more
the old system of cultivation and Lord Harris stated that in
Trinidad experiments bad been tried in the manufacture of
sugar and that by Dr. Michell's process the quantity of raw
material, which ordinarily produced "tiger to the value of
365., would, without additional expense, produce anger to
the value of 475. In spite of all discouragement, he found
that there had been an increase of production In Demerara
during the first six months of this year, as compared
with the corresponding period in 1847. In the latter
year the produce had been 19,120 hhds., whilst in the first
six months of this year it had increased to 21,628 hhds. The
export of rum In the same period in 1848 had been 11,600
puncheon', and in 1847 it had been 7,200 puncheons. 'The
export of molasses for the first six months of 1848 had been
4,167 ca-ks, and in 1847, 6,662 ca,ks, being a decrease of
2,385 auks, which was a won./ proof of the adoption of an
improved process in making sugar. (li=ar, hear.) The
governor of Trinidad stated, in a despatch dated tie 19th of
June in the present year. that matters had reached the
worst, that there was great improvement in the manu-
facture of sugar, and that things were beginning to look
setter. He stated,' moreover, that up to July, 1847, there
wee great facility in obtaining money and bills in Trinidad--
a fact which he (Earl Grey) merely mentioned to show the
imonsietency of the statements of those who Attributed to
the act of 1846 the ruin of the West India colonies.
The governor of Antigua was also of opinion that
the worst was passed and although hints-If in favAir
of protection, he admitted that its withdras.al was not an
unmixed evil, as it would lead the planters to look for more
extraneous assistance in improved modes of cultivation and
manufacture. (Hear, hear.) The editor of a Barbadoes
newspaper spoke in cheering terms of the spirit which pre-
vailed in that color y among all claasmot society and their
iiMeentination to use active exertions for the restoration of
presperity. The establishment of central sugar works in the
&woes was spoken of, and he (Earl Grey) thought such a
plan would be very deeirable, with a view to afford every
facility to improved manufacture. There was no ground,
teen, for diopairing as to the future prospects of these cote-
' Dies. lie had succeeded in proving that the former system
was essentially unsound , and the return to a better, although
=comedy. attended with considerable pressure and ditfi•
culty, during the time of transi•ion, did yet afford fair
grounds for hope. (Hear, hear.) The object of
the bill, as he had before sail, was to gnat
a longer period of protection to the sugar grower;
and he thought, notwithstanding the sentiments
which he had just expressed, that the governmer.t were jes•
titled in bringing forward such a measure, partly on account
of the panic which had existed amongst the planters, and
which it was necessary to check. They had been taught to
look to protection as their sheet anchor by their injudicious
1 friends in thia country, and by the practice of parliament
and unless the present bill bed been brought forward to ex-
tend that protection a little longer, sugar cultivati in might
have been discontinued to a considerable extent ; and if
abandoned for a year or two, it could not esaity have been
resumed. (Hear, hear.) Another reason in favour of the
measure was that the amount of advantage in-
tended to be secured by the act of 1846 bad
not been practically enjoyed by the planters. (Hear, hear.)
The consumption of sugar on the continent of Europe, and
even in this country, wu diminished, in consequen,e of what
bad taken place in several continents' states within the last
few menthe. For these reasons he thought tint they wire
justified in affording protection for tome time long-r to the
West Indies. The noble lord then proceeded to read the
I proposed scale of duties, by which the duties were lowered at
the same time that protection was continued to the Wert
Indies. He believed that the effa et of this general rAuction
of duties would be of the utmost importance to the British
growers. He did not believe that it would irjeriously affect
the revenue, because the reduction of the duties was to be
gradual, and therefore time would be given to allow for that
increase of consumption which would make up any lots
that might be at first occasioned by the reduction
of duty. A great advantage was also given to the
West Indians, in the reduction of the duties on rum.

Ile believed that if they had attempted more for the benefit
of the West Indians they would have effected Ins. Ile
hoped that the colonists would accept this measure in the
spirit in which it was proposed, and that they world not be
led away by those who told them that th, it welfare and pro•-
parity was not an object of interest to the government. If
he believed that protection was for their real benefit he for
. . .

one would be furwretracifig their stem, notwithstandinz that
all his opinion were against that system. It was because
he believed it to be for the real benefit of the colonists them-

selves that they should not go back to a rystem of protection
that he refused to do so. They must not depend o.i what
the legislature could do for them, they must rely on their
own exertions for prosperity ; and if they put forth all their
energies as they ought, he believed that prosperity would
be the consequence. lie was persuaded that any agita-
tion in the colonies on the question of protection
might have a powerful effect in preventing the influx of
further capital from this country. It might have a powerful
effect in keeping up alarm and uneasiness ; it might have the
moat fatal effect in this manner ; but there were blind oh
servers of passing events, who for a moment believed that
such proceedings could have the effect which was hoped
from them, of inducing parliament to alter that policy which
it had deliberately adopted. lie was convinced that that
policy was the right and the true one; it was one to which
parliament was finally and irrevocably pledged, and one
from which he believed they would never depart. (Rear,
hear.) Even those of their lordships who might differ from

hineion this point wood agree with him that eves if tide
potter was to be altered it was not to be done by ill advised
measures intended he sow eisc >meet and desatisfectien in
the4loni. s. (Hese, hoer.) With these oleervaiime he
bee e leave to mow- the sewed roadie! of the bill.
RE DBSDALE theualte that meat of Voir lordships
must lava ncard the latter pinion of the noble hoe, • reek
witlfrneoet. He Pewee it was rather v hesrless poles.
ti.e part of the noble lord, to ape* ahe did in the
later part of his a 'dress, se. ing that he was 01*i:111116(a
who imposed that isstem which brought upon the colonists
irrernedothle, and, he believed, frretre 'table distress. The
noble lord said that the farmer system wee a bad one ; tut, at
all events. that system bad enabled the colonists to produce a
very large quantity of saver, and led o a very large immi-
gration. The noble lord said that the new system was much
better; hut he was inclined to view with suseiciou a system
which began by lending 500,000/. which never would be re-
paid. He thought it was a eery bad system to reduce the duties
to the lowest possible amount. it seemed that they bad a de-
ficiency of 2,001,0901. which they were to meet by borrowing
to that amount. But how was that deficiency produced? lie
brOieved it was produced by the reductions which had been
mad- in various articles. Ile thought that Vie government
were grimly to blame for not bringing this measure under
the ootice of their lorlthipe at an earlier period At the
j. dent Ice period of the session he would not d,vide the
house.
Earl GRANVILLE was of opinion that the anticipated
lose to the revenue would be made up by increased con-
sumptiva. He agreed generally in the remarks which had
fallen from the noble lord opposite respecting the letene,s of
Idle time that the measure was brought under the notice of
their lordships. He admitted that the West Indians were
suffering great distress, and that they were placed under dis-
advantages with regard to labour. They were also placed under
disadvantage by the measures wt ich were adopted under the
influence of the anti-slavery advocates in this country. For
these reasons as thought they had a claim to some fell'ellr•
bat he would not support a system of protection to the injury
of the people of this country. (Hear.)
Lord DENMAN was glad that this measure was about to
pass without opposition, because it was in direct opposition
to that miasure which was introduced two years ago. and
which he looked upon as a mostdiegraceful one. It was said
that that measure was, to be a final measure, and was to last
for ever, bet he was glad to and that it had only an eternity
of two jeers and seven day,. (Laughter.) He hoped that
this measure would be the forerunner of the abolition of
slavery, without which the West ledies could not prosper.
This was a question of vital important*, and was pressing
more and more every elev. It might he said that he bad a
strong feeling on this subject,, because a person nearly related
to him wu concerned. he profemional reputatioe of that
individual weauble to take care of itself,and his feelings were
certainly not engaged in the question on that account. The
noble and learned 1: rd then defended himself from an
attack which had been made upon him for injustice
and illiberality on this subject by a daily paper.
The noble and learned lord said he could not believe that
Mr. Cliff bad ceased to be a sleeve trader from motives of
humanity. lie would not refuse to hear the evidence of
with a man, bat he certainly would not take big counsel as
to the best means of suppressing the slave trade. In
alluding to the proceedings of the committee of the other
douse, he said he knew 'hat many papers offered by thou
witnesses who were anxious to put down the slave trade
were refused. It was of immense importance that the nation
at large should rightly estimate the character of the evidence
by which the sommitte h, d been guided. He had called
Mr. Cliff a pirate because he was a slave trader ; but he
ought to apologise to Muses for placing them in the emu
augur, with slave-traders, who were guilty of a mon atro-
cious crime. The question returned, how was this infamous
traffic to be put down ? Not by our remaining passive spec-
tators. There were eaious grounds for apprehending ar-
neral insurrection of the slaves, and the massacre of all the
irbites—a catastrophe which could only be averted by the
timely extinction of the slave trade. Till that was efficted
there would be no prosperity for the colonies.
The Duke of ARGYLL said that free trade was not the
only .lenieet in this quieten ; the slave trade ought also to
be considered; and in this respect there had been a great
omission in the speech of toe noble earl (Earl Grey). The
protection had been taken away from our colonies solely to
make sugar cheaper ; and if the colonies succeeded in com-
peting with the slave states, they would owe no thanks to
the government, who had abandoned them to the fiercest
competition.scount V St. VINCENT regretted that the government
had not taken into account the difficulty which our colonists
had in obtaining a supply of labour. Till that diffictOty was
removed, there could be no fair competition.
Earl GREY, in reply, denied that there was any ripped-
'ietwei en this measure aed that of 1816. The difference
was only one of time. The measure of 1846 proposed that
our colonies should he put on the Matte footing as other
countries in 1851. This measure deferred that equality for
three years longer. There was no difference of principle
whatever in the two measures. The main object of the fill
of 164,3 was not, as had been represented, to cheapen sugar,
though ur.doubtediy that had been *collateral result.
_Se
far from the revenue being sacrificed, it had been increased
by the odl of 1846. In the last year of protection, 1843, the
total amount received tram sugar of all kinds was 3,574,0001.,
while in 1847 it was 4,404,000/., being an increase of nearly
900,000/.. and that too in a year of great commercial depres-
sion. The system of protection had held out false hopes to
the colonies. Under this sjetem they had largely mort-
gaged their estates, and the result had been disappointment
and in..
After a few words from Lord RILDEBD•LB, in explanation,
The bill was read a second time.
POOR-LAW UNION CHARGES (No. 2) BILL.
The Marquis of LANSDO WNE moved the resumption of
the adjourned debate on the third reading of this bill.
After a conversation, the bill was read a third time, and

pared.
The hum thenAat 9 o'clock ) adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MONDAY, AvG. '2B.
The SPEAKER took the chair at 12 o'clock.
PRIVATE BUSINESS.
THIRD BEADING.—The Earl of Gimplfis Ratite Bill.
LORDS' AMENDMENTS CONSIDERED.—Edinbargb and Oleo.
rga hallway and Edinburgh mid Bathgute Railway Amalgamation
PUBLIC BCSrNESS.
PETITIONS.—By Mr. BROTHERTON, from • union la Lyman"
against the Poor Removal H. WILLOUGHBY, net
an
exteneion of the friuxhier and rote by ballot, from a piece In Law
shire.
West IndiaColonles and
SECOND READINGS.—Savings Banks;
Mauritius; Coneotirrisied Fund; Inns.
liorre Lit:ewe, Re.; Poster on Newsom
COYMIITEPA—Prat-
pm (Channel lelandr); Wert India Colonies and Mauritian; Lock.
up Houses: Drainage Certificates; Spirits (Dealers in); British
Spirits Warsaw/Mg ; Bdln.•
REPORTS.—Ro)aI Military Aryium; Taxing Masters, Court of
assoyEa(litiand); Slave Trade (Moretti bits.
READlNCh—Battersea Park huh •
LOAM' AMENDMENTS CONSIDEISED.—Turnpike Trusts Bilk
WEST IgiDIA COLONIES AND MAURITIUS BILL.
On the motion that this bill be read a second time,
Lord G. BENTINCK urged the Chancellor of the Bache-
quer to take fuller powers under the measure to make such
advscoe to planters as be might deem, upon representation
being made, necessary upon the recurityot the growingcrops.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER could not
go further than he had done in the way of advancing money
for toe colonies. It was clear that the application of a pm-
! tion of the loan granted by parliament to the improvement
of roads, to dreinage, to irrigation, and to other public works
would be highly beneficial to the individual planters, and as
to any funds which the latter might require for their
particu'ar estates, he hail no doubt that parties might be
icund to advance any money that might be necessary upon
the security of the growing crops.
Mr. FORBES called upon the government not to drive
the colenisti to such extremities that they could not, even if
they would. pay taxer_
Mr. HUME also urged the essential necessity of taking a
broader view of our colonial in crests than appeared to be
entertained by the Colouialwfifice at present. Every news-
paper from England was calculated to make the colonial
more and more desperit-, from the reckless tyranny of ad-
rc.!ri,•ret on a anitestid by the ww,•n,m, tat 1 inc. In
Guiana the mod usatquirocal laugusge had bean
used on this subject by the Court of Policy. In fat,
there sta. not a single colony in w' ich great complaints,
of more or lea weight,were not constantly transmitted home,
and he fully expected that .vfore lung there would be •
general refusal to pay the expense cf the tespective
eats
blishments. (Hear, hear.) We had just hart to pay one
million sterling by realm of the wretched administration of
the Cape of Good Hope. ( Hear, hear.) And unless some
distinct reform were ill, c•ed in this department of the state,
there would be many million% more to pay.
Mr. BARELY 'waled to understand from the govern-
ment what course it was props'. dto adopt on the xtremely
probable event of the colonies ;.erg unable to pay the taxes?
The CHANCELLOR ot the EXCHEQUER replied that
the government would superinteou the distribution of the
loan, end appoint a receiver in each c:dony.
Major BLACKALL urged the importance of completing
I the roads in some ot thc colon. and alio of including Cey-
' lon in the prima re Let affordi d to the other British pos-
.
10111010.
Mr. HAWES said t'.at C.yion was included in the
general comm mild 'policy of the government, but the man
sure under consideration was exclu 'way meant far the bene-
fit of the sugar arowingcolonies, of which Ceylon sou not one.
He del not ll,' kit sere wry to p • into the various questions
mooted by the hon. member for Montrose, as that would
lead him Into a very wide field, but with respect to the
quarrel at Bt. Lucia, the expense 01 that inquiry very fairly
fell uton the inhatoitants on whose behalf it took place.
With respect to the suzgestio t
ow:: out that Jamaica
ice?
Guiana would refuse to payeir official fimctionaries, it
would be time enouth to provide for that contingency when
it occurred, an event LO: yet probahle. With respect to the
suggestion of tee noble lord (G. Bentinck), nothing could
be more dangerous than to enter Imo a system of making
advances on growing crops, cr on cultivation of any class,
and he would never sanction such a course. The lain accounts
sent by Lord Harris were toy no means so discouraging as the
noble lord had represented, for it was t uticipattd that there
would bee growth of 2,000 hogeheede of sugar more than
the exports of last season, and the same language was held by
Governor Higginson of Antigua.
Mr. BERNAL would not dispute the accuracy of Lord
Harris's or Mr. Higginson's reprceentations, as stated bythe
hon. member, but it ought to be rec.lletted that Trinidad
and Antigua were small islands, and that their condition was
not the rule of the West Indian colonies. Tne dispatches of
Sir C. Grey (coin Jamaica were of a very dill: rent character
to those quoted by the hon. member, sad nothing could give
a blacker idea of the state of a colony than those despatches.
The bill was then read a second time, and ordered to be
committed to-morrow (this day) at twelve.
SAVINGS BANKS BILL.
Oa the motion that this bill be read a second time,
Mr. HERBERT said that, unless the Chancellor of the
Exchequer would ilionsise that a committee should be ap-
pointed early next station to inquire into the suli.ect of
saving. banks, he should feel it to ire his duty to oppose the
present bill.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER declined to
make any such promise.