The Express.
London, England, 1848-07-04 00:00:00

live rose against them to 183,0001., and in the same month
in 1847. twelve months after the act of 1846, which admitted
slave-labour sugar into the home market, it was 410,0001.
(Hear, hear.) This was the position of a house that never
bought a single ton of sugar, all the money having been ad-
vanced in cultivating their own estates on the faith of acts of
parliament, the violation of which enteiled upon them
lees of from 400,0001. to 500,0001. Then, with
reeled to the argument of the too great iacrease
If oar zolonial mph e, the Mauritius was the key to India.
If we hail possessed the Mauritius 50 yeas before we did we
should have conquered India with less difficulty, and re-
tained it with tar less cost. (Hear, hear.) And suppose
that colony were now in the hands of the French, what would
be our position in regard to our Indian possessions ? It was
the same as to many of ear other colonies, and he contended
that imperal as well as commercial considerations were eon-
nquent4 invo:ved in the consideration of this question. Let
America possess Canada, the West India isiandr, and the
Gulf of Mexico, and what security should we have for
retaining the commercial advantages which we now
enjoyd. The right hon. baronet the member for Ripon
(Sir J. Graham), who admitted that he supported the
government proposition against his conviction, said that he
BA so because he (Mr. Doriteli), in opposing the measure of
1846, had said the time would soon conic when a spirit of re-
action would arise, which would compel the resein ling of
that measure, and the right hon. baronet would not vote
with the hon. member fur Droitwich, because he would not
twist in fu;filling that prediction. But the government had
themselves fulfilled the prediction. Ilia prediction was not
trt lucid. of any particular duty. What he said was that the
,1,1 pave before log to chum:, is course of legiala •
.
lion—(hear, hear)—that it would nave to go owe, an.:
they had gone hack. (Protectionist cheers.) Aed whether
the, protective duty proposed was 7s. or 101., the reaction was
the some. (Hear.) Reaction was not a thing which could
be regulated by act of parliament—the c Aurae of reaction,
which was the ebb and How of public opinion, was inevitable
—it WAS the courage of hcpe deferred—of false representati.n,
and of the awakening of the nation out of the delusion into
which it hail been lulled. And when they found the capital
of the colliery wasting away—the mills standing still—
the lobourers was not surprising that
there should be distrust in the theories the adop-
tion of which had produced those results. (Hear,
bear.) It might be well for the right hon. baronet (Sit J.
Graham) to soy there was no reaction : he rememhered gen-
tlemen who used to adopt the cry of "no surrender," and
then laid down their arms (hear, hear)—but such bravado
would nit arrest the progress of public opinion or the inevita-
ble course of human affairs. Let them continue the ceurse
they were now quitting with so much hesitation and
so much timidity, and let the principles of the
right hon. member for Manchester be pursued, and
within an interval of two years the right hon.
baronet would have to raise the cry of " no reaction "
amid a dna lying empire and a des; airing people. (Cheer.,
and cries of " Divide.")
Mr. C. P. VILLIERS denied that the majority of the
sugar I nil coffee planting committee were tree traders, or
that they were in favour of reaction. There were ten pro-
tectionists ad only five free traders on that committee.
(Cries of "No, no," and "Name.') He repeated there
were ten protectionists either in principle or for the occasion
on toe article sugar on that committee. (Name.) Then, as
to the question whether the proposition of the hon. member
for Drottwich was carried by a majority. The proposition
to which the committee could not be brought to agree was
that of a 10s. protection ditty ; and the hots. member for
Liverpool was only able to carry it by two members leaving
the committ, e, who, had they remained, would have voted
against it. There was no evidence taken before the corn.
mince whieh showed that protection wan necessary tor the
prosperity of the West India colonies; the effect of the evi;
deuce was rather to show that what was required was a
forced introduction of labour, and the exclusive posussion of
the British market. (Hear, hear.)
Sir J. PAK INGTON—What he bad said wan, that
the committee did recommend a duty of ten shillings.
But he was disposed to hope that it woulA not be necessary
to keep up that amount of duty longer than three years,
and after thatthere should be a descending scale.
Lord G. BENTINCK rose merely to answer the question
be had been challenged to answer respecting the constitution
of the committee. Of the 15, whose names were settled
between the Secretary of the Treasury and himself, only
three had voted whist the bill of 1816—(hear, hear)—
Sir J. Pakington, Mr. P. Miles, and himself. Five
had voted in favour of that ant, Mr. Lat.ouchere, Mr. Goul-
burn, Mr. M. Gibson, Mr. C. Villiers, and Mr Ewsrt.
(Cheers.) There were of avowed free leaden., whose opi-
nions on the subject were not known, Mr. Cardwell, who
did not vote fur or against the act of 1846; Sir T. Birch,
Mr. H. Hope, Mr. J. Wilson, Mr. J. Matikeson, and Sir
E. Buxton. The resolution of the committee, which was
eventually carried was proposed by Sir T. Birch, the
member for Liverpool, and it was by the spe-
cial desire of the secretary to the Treasury acting for
the gore, nment that Sir T. Birch had been put upon the
committee. (Hear, hear.) Lord G. Manners was the only
other member, and he was supposed to favour the opinion of
the chairman. He had fairly stated the composition of the
committee, and he appealed to that house—(cheers)—whether
its decision in favour of the resolution moved by the hon. mem-
ber for Droitseich was not entitled to respect as the opinion of
a committee fairly and impartially framed and constituted. If
there was any bias it wascertainly against the pl inters' interest.
and in favour of the opinions of the noble lord. (Hear, hear.)
He hail much to say in justification of his hon. friend's reso.
lution, hut at that late hour he would not enter upon the
subject, but reserve himself for another occasion. (Ironical
cheers.)
Mr. CARDWELL having said a few words explaining
the course taken by him and Mr. Goulburn on the tom-

mittee,
The committee divided.—For the amendment 169
Against it
Mr. BARELY, who said he also had an amendment to
propose, moved that the chairman should report progress.
Lord J. RUSSELL requested that the committee might I
be allowed to proceed with the resolutions.
The CHAIRMAN haring put the question that "thirteen
shillings " stand part of the preamble.
Mr. GLADSTONE said he thought the resolutions wire
of so much importance and intricacy that it would be im-
possible to get them through before Wednesday. He would
not ray whether blame might not attach to the
government for not bringing the question on earlier. He
thought it objectionable that duties should be thus .ruled on
a simple resolution of the house ; at all events, no advantage
would be gained by commencing a consideration of the re-
solutions now. He would recommend the noble lord, now
that the house was in committee on the sugar duties, to take
a temporary resolution continuing the duties of 1846.
Mr. COBDEN saw no great object to he gained bypassing
these resolutions now. It would be running a race against
those merchants who were importing large cargoes of sugar
on the assurance that the scale would not be interfered with.
If the resolutions were passed. it would be a serious loss
to those merchants who bad probably given a higher price
fur the sugar in expectation of having Is. 6d. lees duty to pay.
Lord J. RUSSELL said that, seeing the objections that
had been made, he would not now press the committee to
paw the resolutions. lie would not propose a temporary
resolution continuing the duties, because such a course
would be quite unlocked fur. As it appeared the question
could not be !settled before the sth July, he would propose
that the chairman should report progress; and he would
name Friday next for going on with the resolutions.
Mr. GLADSTONE wished to know what would be done
in reference to the duties which would come into operation
on Thursday. It was not a question affecting merely those
who had sugar in bond, but those who had it on the way
towards this country.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER, in answer
to Mr. Gladstone's former remarks, said it had been the in-
variable practice to give directions for the alteration of duties
on a simple resolution of the house. He referred to several
cases in point, and said that that precedent would now be
followed. By the course now proposed, all the sugar that
tame in between the sth and the time the resolution was re-
ported, would come in at the reduced dt.ty.
Mr. GLADSTONE repeated that this arrangement would
be attended with great inconvenience, He urged the noble
lord to give notice of n resolution for this day, to be
reported on Wednesday, and thus the question would be kept
opt n.
The motion for reporting progress was then agreed to. and
the house resumed.
TRIAL OF JUVENILE OFFENDERS IN IRELAND.
Sir It. FERGUSON obtained leave to bring in a bill for
the more speedy trial and punishment of juvenile offenders
in Ireland.—The bill was afterwarda brought in and read a
first time.
SELECT COMMITTEE ON THE TENANTS
(IRELAND) BILL.
Sir W. SOMERVILLE brought up the report of this corn.
mittee' which was ordered to be printed.
The house adjourned at two o'clock.

DUBLIN ELECTION CONNlTTEE.—Yeaterday the
scrutiny was proeecdtd with, and Mr. Reynolds's majority
was furtho r reduced by three votes.
WESTMINSTER REFORM SOClETY.—Yesterday a
general meeting of the members of this society, whose ob-
ject woe to extend the franchise, and to send to parliament
two repreientatives who advocate their principles as re-
formers, was held at the York Hotel, Upper Wellington-
strt et. N, r. %V. Gceson took the chair. The minutes of the
proceedings which took place at the last meeting were read,
and on the qu'stion of their confirmation being put, Mr.
Prout said that he wished to propose an amendment on the
following grounds, that be thought it would not be prudent
to confirm the minutes of the last meeting, as no notice was
given to the members that at that meeting it was intended
to revise and alter the general rules on which the society
was founded. His amendment was " that the society having
at their meeting of the 10th ult. materially changed its princi-
ples and mode of government without having given any pre-
vious notice thereof to the members, and as a large majority
of them must have been ignorantof such intended alteration,
the present meeting refrain from confirming the minutes and
convene a special meeting for the reconsideration of the
alteration made in their rules and principlei."—Mr. Cribb
seconded the amendment, which was put and lost by
a large majority.—The minutes were then confirmed.
—Mr. Pouncey thought that if the resolution which
he would new propose was carried, perfect satisfac-
tion would bo afforded to all the members of the
society. He moved, " that a spedal general meeting of this
society be called for Monday, the 17th of July, to reconsider
the rules and principles adopted on the 19th of June." Mr.
Lagram seconded the motion.—. Dr. Brett moved, and a
member seconded, an amendment, that it be .tot enter-
tained, which was carried, and the original motion lost. It
was then agreed that 1,000 copies of the revised rules be
printed and circulated, and a letter having been read from
Sir De Lacy Evans, stating his determination to support the
petition, which the meeting sent to Mr. Luahington for pre-
sentation to parliament, the meeting separated.