The Express.
London, England, 1847-08-05 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, THURSDAY EVENING, AUGUST 5, 1847.

Utica to those of his friends with whom he bad had the
midurtuais to differ. (Hear, hear.) As he was first called
to their notice by his advocacy of free-trade Prin-
ciples, he was most happy to think, and he congrat.dated
them upon the matter, that those principles were rop:411
progreastag throughout the whole civilised world. (Hear.)
He rejoiced that Liverpool had at length done herself credit
by returning to represent ber in parliament his honourable
Mend, who had done him the honour to nominate bim at
that 'setting, in conjunction with Mr. Cardwell. It was • I
matter of congratulathm that the most important seaport in
the world had premulgated these common-sense views, and
it became the duty of a great and enlightened people
la* the constituency of South Lancashire to follow
the example. The corn laws, which were so utterly abo-
liabed, would have left us, had they existed, in a moot
perilous and dangerous state. Great as the calamities of the
country had been, how much would they have been aggra-
vated had these abominable laws remained in existence.
Their removal had placed the merchant in a position not to
be afraid of venturing into speculation to contend with
ascending duties and descending prices, and had enabled him
to go to every cleaner of the globe for produce to -
relieve us from the diffloulties in which we had been
pieced. Free trade had done more ; it bad removed a duty
from our shoulders of 7,600,000/. of taeation, or as Sir Rota.
Peel had stated, 8,000,0001. (Hear, hear.) In 1841, before
these measures become so fashionable, the income was
51,800,0001. I.lader their influence, the income of the
country, under circumstances the most unhappy as to a want
of food, had increased to 59,800,0001. Now, let them add
7,600,000/., or 8,000,0001. to the second 8,000,000/., and it
gave a clear gain to the country—less the property tax
(5,400,0001.) --- of 10,200,000!. per annum ( " hear,
hear," and applause) ; and yet there were men in
the House of Commons, and out of it, too, who
hoped to re-enact these obnoxious laws. (" Shame,
shame.") They must, however, be prepared for wide an
attack. The scarcity of provisions had produced, and would
produce, great incitement to exertion all over the world;
and the time would come, probably in a year or two, when
the produce of the soil would be below a remunerating
price. This would be the time when they (the free-traders)
would be attacked. Now was the time for the country to
send to parliament those representatives who would not per.
mit the clamour of the hour to destroy one of the best
measures ever adopted in this land. lie would say a word
or two upon taxation. All taxes were very great evils, but
as they were necessary evils he would agree with them that
they must endeavour to place the burden upon the proper
shoulders, and upon those beet able to bear it. He believed
they might, with perfect safety, take off the duty upon
copper ore, which was a raw material, and reduce the duties
urson tea and tobacco, without distressing the Chancellor
of the Exchequer. But they would agree with him that
the credit of the country—the honour of the country—
must he sustained under every possible steritice. Hear,
hear," and applause.) There was another subject to which
he would allude, because it was one upon which many of his
constituency held a different opinion to himself. Ile meant
the Ten Hours Bill. He was convinced the great suf-
ferers by that bill would be the operatives them-
selves, who had been the means of introducing it. It
would be 'memory to produce the ordinary sup-
ply of goods for home use and for expeation.
When the law took eff‘et, females, whether adult or not,
would not he allowed to work more than ten hours per day,
and this would necessarily compel the men to suspend their
labour at the same time. Then, to produce tie ordinary
quantity of goods, we must call into operation one-sixth
more mills, and one-sixth more operatives. It was quite •
delusion to suppose that the masters could pay six days la-
bour for fire days' work, unless they consented to be
driven from the market of the world, whore they had
active opposition, the effect of which would be to
throw the operatives out of employment, and con.
secouently cause distress and suffering both to themselves
and their families. (Hear.) Assuming that we had brisk
trade for a time, and the operatives for that time got better
wages; assuming, again, that they got but five days' wages
for five day.' work—for the masters could not afford to give
them more—in the event of dull times coming, these hands,
to a very great extent, mum be thrown out of work, the con-
sequence of which would be that poor-rates would increase,
for the competition which would result would reduce swerve
and increase pauperism, and, he feared, drive many indus-
trious artisans to the alehouse to drown their cares,
for it was a matter of fact, and of record,
that there was more ale, whisky, and gin sold in
times of distress than at any other period. (Hear,
hear.) He should be most happy in haring given his vote
againat the Ten Hours Bill to find that he had acted in error;
but he conceived the best thing which they could do for the
operative was to allow him to employ his time to the best
advantage, fur the best wages he could obtain—the more the
better—in order to clothe himself and his family, to have a
well. furnished cottage, and a comforable fireside. (Hoar,
hear, and cheers.) When this was the case they would
have • clam of men who would have a becoming de-
gree of self-respect ; and if they continued this Ten
Hours Bill, and decreased the wages of the operative,
they necessarily robb:ll the poor man of what 1,4 to him
his capital—his time, and inflicted a great evil upon his
family. This was rather a difficult subject to place clearly
before the operative., and could be done better in a written
address than in a speech from the hustings; but he would-
like the working man to understand that when, under the Ten
Hours Bill, the mills at present in existence were found in-
sufficient to perf"rm the orders which might be received,
additional mills would be built, which would require more
capital, and add more cost to the goods manufactured,
and would necessarily and unavoidably prevent the masters
from advantageously competing in the market .of
the world. He would now go to the subject of
education—ono that was likely to ruse, and had caused,
considerable discussion throughout the country. He had
felt himself in a very awkward position in the house when
the education bill was brought forward. He had always ad-
vocated it warmly, but he found that the bill, as it existed,
excluded the catholic'. He had felt in a dilemma upon this
subject ; for he felt it as desirable to extend the benefits ofedu-
catton to the Roman catholic' as to any portion of her Majes-
ty's subjects. (Hear, hear, and applause.) However, he
voted for the education question, considering that her Majes-
ty's government would include our fellow-subjects, the
catholic, ; and he was glad to find by the minutes of
the council of the 10th of the lost month, that whatever
grants shall subsequently be made to religious sects of all
denominations, all that the government requiem would be
an account that the money so granted should be faithfully
expended upon education, and that an far as religion is con-
cerned, they (the government) would take the report of the
masters of the schools upon the matter; and it afforded to
his nonconformist brethren an assurance that this method
would have the means of extending the voluntary system.
If he could control this matter altogether, he would
go a little further : he would collect a moderate tax from
every individual in the kingdom. for the purposes
of education, which should be returned to those religious
societies and communities who had paid it for the purpose of
educating their folks. The day had gone by when any
government could coerce, abuse, influence, or interfere with
the religious opinions of those who honestly and conscien-
tiously differed with them. The currency question was the
next subject upon which be would touch. 'this was • ques-
tion in which the country was deeply interested. He could
not see any reason why banking should not be as
free as any other pursuit. All they required or ought
to require, when an individual issued paper payable
upon demand, or at a certain stetted time, was that it should
be paid in the current coin of the realm. He was afraid, how-
ever, they could not get that freedom in the banking system
which he thought desirable. They should endeavour to get
a power lodged with the government in order that in cases
of emergency, relief might be given to the trading CCM-
munity. He conceived it impossible that a fixed amount
ed
paper, or of gold, or of silver, were at all times adequate le
meet the fluctuating requirements of our extending 00.•
merce. The navigation laws would be a prominent an**
in the next parliament. A vast mass of evidence had been
collected relative to this subject, which he had net bad an
opportunity of strictly examining, but he was sure it was
enough to know that our navigation laws are full of anomalies
and want amendment. He should be most happy to remove
from them every restriction, and give to them the greatest
freedom of action, so as to render them advantageous to our
shipping interest, and what was of paramount consideration,
the defence of the kingdom.
The sheriff having put the nominations to a vote, they
were anted to unanimously, and he then declared the two
.entleraen duly returned.

LINCOLNSHIRE (SOUTH).
The nomination and election took place yesterday, at
Sleaford. Sir .1. Trollope, Bart., of Casewiek (one of the
late members), and Lord Burghley (son of the Marquis of
Exeter) were the only candidates. Great discontent had for
soma time prevailed thrriughout the division, at the bring-
ing forward of Lord Burghley, in consequence of his youth
and inexperience, he having attained his majority only last
year; and it was expected that an opposition would be
raised at the hustings. No one, however, could be induced
to 'Mad in the place of the retiring member (Mr. C. Tumor)
except Lord Burghley, and consequently there was a " walk
over for the representation. There was some disturbance
at the hustings, and two or three fights—the oppo-
vents of Lord Burghley having exhibited en boards
rude paintings of a school-boy playing at ring-
taw, riding a rocking horse, and whipping a top: one of
these boards was demolished after Nome broken heads had been
given and received.—Mr. A. Peacock, of Rauceby, proposed
Sir John Trollops iss a fit person to be again returned as
member for the division. Ile raid the hon. baronet was one
of those who were returned in 1841 to uphold the agricul-
tural interest, when in behalf of that interest Sir R. Peel was
borne to power on the shoulders of the people ; but unlike
the late prime minister, he had not betrayed his trust, and
surrendered the best interests of the country to, the clamour
of a league ; but he had stood manfully by his professions,
and is the last fought the battle of the agneulturists.
—Mr. R. Renard, of Spalding, seconded the nomination.—
Mr. Charles Chaplin, of Blankncy, in proposing Lord
Burghley, raid the noble lord's youth and ignorance of par-
liamentary proceedings were certainly against him, but be
belonged to a good family, and his father (Lord Exeter) bad
ever shown great devotion to the cause of his country. He
(Mr. Chaplin), as chairman of the Protection Society, had
strongly solicited Mr. Tumor, the late member, to retain his
seat, but be objected to do so ; application was then made to
Mr. Welby, the member for Grantham, and to Lord Granby,
the member for Stamford, but neither of those gentlemen
were willing to relinquish their previous engagements;
failure was also the result of an application to other parties.
In the emergency Lord Burghley was applied to and he
(Mr. Chaplin) had no doubt that in the course of a few years
the noble lord would justify the choice that had been made of
hint—Mr. C. Tumor seconded the nomination.—No other
candidate haying been proposed, Sir John Trollope and Lord
1121itey were declared elected.—Sir John Trollope returned
and commented upon the vacillation and trimming
II which distinguished the last parliament above 111 that had
i preceded it for some years. He said he had actually blushed
for those who went to the house of commons pledged to up-