The Express.
London, England, 1848-08-31 00:00:00

2

which ailed for toe thin ordinary care, that shank' be
perfectly clear and intelligible, it would be the
the repro-
financial
exposition made by the headg of the government to
blastin of the nation. B unfortate the house,
though charmed with the olusiout eloquence yof the noble
lord, found his figures involved ie. a more than Thetsan
mystery ; and then comes the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
and says, "I am the manto put things right." (Loud laugh-
ter.) There had bean, said the right hon. gentleman, a great
misconception with respect to the estimates that had ben
laid on the table of the house. It was tree, said the right
hon. gentleman, that there was observable an increase in the
navy estimates, but it was oceasioned by the voyage of dis-
covery to the North Pole. (A laugh.) This was a satisfac-
tory explanation enough, in ao fa
but r as l
it admits t shnwed
of questionat the time
that we were rot going to war •
whether the discovery of the North Pole is not a scientific
turn/ ad_pted only for a time when we have a surplus re.
venue. (Hear and a laugh.) As to the miseellanceus esti-
mates, it is true, said the right hon. gentleman, teat there
is a considerable 'sieve's in them ; but It must not be forgot.
ten that the expenses of building the new houses of parlia-
ment, the eat of the British Museum, and the printing bill
of the House of Commons, hays been more than usually
heavy." And that was the defence made by the right
whic hon.
gentleman for the estimate+ of the year, a deface h
Welded the most extraordinary proposal ever yet made
to the House of Commons, a proposal whereby the
Chancellor of the Exchequer, to the surprise not on
those who usually supported government, but also of ly of
these
members of the administration who were not in the cabinet, I
suggested that the military and naval, and subsequently the
miscellaneous estimates, should be submitted to the
was exanmadeti-1
anion of committees up--tairs. That proposition
on the 21st of Feb., but the storm that had been rsised in-
doors and abroad by the first financial statement of the noble
lord dad not lull. The act of submitting the estimates for
the year to select committees upstairs would not pay the I
additional income tax, and there began to be visible sympt
-1
toms of a disposition which might have led people to fear tha
those tumults which had sub•equenily broken out in the
European kingdoms, would first manifest themselves in the
loyal kingdom of Great Britain. A curious circumstance
then occurred. A motion cf the lion. member for
Montrose on the subject of reduction of taxation stood
on the piper for discussion, when, on the 25th of Fe-
bruary, exactly 10 days after the noble lord's financial
statement was made, the Chancellor of the Exchequer came
down to the house, and in the handsomest meaner possible
presented us with another project, making, in fact, two
budgets. The right hon. gentleman then stated that the
misconception that had originally prevailed respectinst his
noble friend's financial projects still existed, and was on the
increase—that it became necessary, in consequence, to re-
view the petition of the exchequer, and that in doing so he
had no doubt the estimates might be curtailed by borrowing
in one quarter and saving in others; in othernot words, by
filching and screwing, so that there would be the
slightest necessity for imposing fresh taxes; and the right
hon. geetlemen then withdrew the proposal for doubling the
income tax, which the noble lord had estimated to produce
him 3,500,0001. additional to the Exchequer. Now let me
remind the house who was the occasion of this lose of ten days,
during which the whole country was agitated sed convulsed.
Was the Hobe of Commons guilty of having wasted these ten
days ? (Hear, hear.) Wes that waste occasioned by too
much diseuseion, or by the antiquated forms of the house ?
But so it was. Here was a WWI of ten days without the2Bth ad-
vancement of public Impinges a single jot.
On of
February we find the right hon. gentleman with an empty
exchequer, and hie only chance of getting 10a. in the pound
towards making up his deficiency is in paring down the esti-
mates which had been laid on the table of the house. Now
I find this Announcement in her hlsjesty's speech from t .e
throne : " Her Majesty has given directions that the esti-
mates for the neat year should be prepared fur the purpose of
being laid before you. They will be trained with a careful
regard to the exigencies of the public service." The exigen-
cies here referred to must be taken to mean a deficiency in
the revenue ; and yet the Chancellor of the Exchequer finds
that the estimates have not been prepared with that careful
regard to the exigencies of the year, inasmuch as be at once
says he is able to cut them down. Now Ide not intend
to enter into a dry statement of the course of public business,
in this house during the last ten months. I shall pursue
the topic of the finance', and show who it iv that most be
blamed for the loss of time that is charged on this house
collectively. The course of business progressed until the
30th of June, when in a manner a prpos to no subject then
before the house in the midst of a colenial debate, the
Chancellor of the Exchequer suddenly rose in his place,
ade
for
the purpose of answering, as was supposed, a speech m
by one of his habitual supporters--(laughter)—who was
seated on the Neches behind him; but instead of doisg that
he threw down on the table of the house his third budget.
(Laughter). And what occurred then ? Both the right
hon. gentleman the member for Manchester and the hon.
member for the West Biding concurred in moving that the
debate be adjourned, on the plea that instead of discussing
the ostensible subject of debate—namely, the alteration of
the great principle of the sugar bill of 1846—the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer had entirely diverted it from its
channel. In this manner two days more were occupied in
discussing the third budget of the finaece minister. I should
also remark at this time that my noble friend the member
fur King's Lynn had originally asked the minister whether
he included in his first budget the amount of to e corn duties
*when he was informed that they had not been reckoned
upon. But it suesequently turned out that the right bon.
gentleman had included them in his estimate of the Income.
Thus, from the month of Feb. to June, we find the business
of the government not advanced one jot. We, on this side of
the hoses, treated the ministry with the utmost forbearance.
But they failed in redeeming their promises, and having
produced three budget', found them all inefficient. Now,
sir, let us examine what a simultaneous wards of time was
goin on dung the whole of the pe h
r:od I ave specified.
'The estimates for the current year were all this while up-
stairs. The committee of supply was virtually closed. The
government, it is true, gut a few votes on account,an d
in
confidence, and for the purpose of paying wages
dividends ; bat the supplies were closed to them. About this
time, &peaking in behalf of the party with which I have the
honour to act—and it is only on that p 1 a that I could ven-
ture to refer to what so humble an individual as myself has
said in this house—l stated the objections which we enter-
tained to refer the estimates prepared by the minister of the
crown to the examination of a committee upstairs. I stated
that such a course was unconstitutional as regarded the move-
retell, and that it was unprecedented in so tar as the oed .srm of
the house and the practice of parliament were concerfn I
chewed that the precedents cited by the right hon. gentle-
man in behalf of this, proceeding were not in point, thou)
precedents having regard to finance committees, and in no
respect to the estimates prepared by the minister for the
House of Commons. I showed that there existed no prece,
dent for submitting estimates prepared on the responsibility
of the minister of the crown to a committee of this
house, whereby that responsibility was shifted from the mi-
nister on to the House of Commons. (Hear.) I showed that
this proceeding was nothing else than the appointment of a
select committee of ways and mean', and that it a *elect com-
mittee of the House of Commons was to be empowered to fix
the amount of the estimates, there was no reason why a
similar committee should not be empowered to fix the amount
and nature of the taxes that are imposed. (Hear.) I also,
sir, stated another reason for objecting to the course pro-
posed, namely, that it was unconstitutional, as regarded the
members of this house, who would thereby be deprived of
various rght of criticising the estimates, and of objecting to the
aris items. Well, and what did the noble lord opposite
say in answer to these objections? Why, that they were
quite futile, and that it was a delusion in me to suppose that
because the estimates were sent upstairs any member would
be thereby deprived of his opportunity of examining and of
objecting to the various items. But what did actually happen?
The estimates came down from the select committees in the
mouth of August, when there were two-thirds--I beg par-
don, tour-fifths at the least of the members absent for
the remainder of the session—so that, practically speaking,
the members of this house were deprived of their constitu-
tional right of objecting to the estimates. But independently
of this consideration, what, let me ask the house, has so much
tended to protract the sittings of the committee of supply as i
this sending of the estimates before select committees ep-
, stairs, whereby they were kept back from discussion until
the latter end of August 1 Here, then, I have shown you
in one department of the public business, under the exclusive
centrol of the government, that you have tied three unsatia•
factory budgets, and yet ministers have hardly been able to
stet their supplies for the year g ranted by the end
of August. (Hear, hear.) Now, let me again ask,
is the House of Commons guilty of the waste of
I one hour's time, in so far as finance is con
teed? (Cheers.) And yet after all this delay—with
three budgets—soda west* of months by the very men who
I were to be most prempt and energetic in their conduct of
public affairs, we are without a satisfactory statement of the
conditioa of the finances, and we are blessed with a minister
I who, wi.h what I may term a sublime cookie's, tells us late
in the month of July that his
his right b no. friend wil take an I
early opportunity of making financial s
he r.) 'Well the time comes. and at last we get tins lung
looked for budget. We have heard of a ministry of " all the
tihcitsl"—the present government has richly deserved
he
I name of " all the budgets." (A laugh.) But, alas tor e
fourth budget, it came late, and at a moment when nothing ,
lees than glad tidings were desired and looked for.
net, however, destined to bestow a few sunny mo-
meat' over the close of the session. It was brought
forward in a house the attendance in which I
never saw so thin upon such an occasion, and
the gloomy statement of the right hon. gentltman might
well justify so scant an attendance. He should never forget
the aspect of that evening. It reminded him of one who like
the Chancellor of the Exchequer had made four successive
trials, and who had experienced as many reverses. He meant
the hero who was so worthily celebrated by Cervantes. The
right hon. gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
touched with the same spirit which animated Quixote before
his delusions subsided, came forward in all the chivalry of
finance and trampled and cantered over us, The belief in
^hiihiff of D4l like that of Mt tis•he hod• cintle
man in his eremite of finance, suddenly disappearing, be r,
turns after his fourth sally to his home. The villegers,
although aware of his weattness, tzeated him with
specs_ {greet laughter)—and on his approach to the village
he is met by his immediate relatives and associates, the
barber, the curate, and the Batchelor Samson cr
ates, the
are well perso,:ilied by the noble lord the first minister,
the right hon. gentleinan the President of the Board of
Trade, and the noble lord the Forel to flecretary—who evince
that By:heathy with him, broken as be is in spirits, and
with all his delJsions put to tlipiit. But just at the moment
when this occurs the wife of Sancho Panes rushes in and ,
Rays, never mind the kicks and culls iso long as you have
brought home the money. (Laughter.) Now that is ex-
nvtly Vie state of affairs with the right bon. gentleman. He
ha+ brought home no money. In like manner as Don
Quixote ended his fourth and lest expedition so has the
rivlit hon. gentleman ended his fourth budget. (Laughter.)
That "m exactly the state of affairs in the department pic-
kled over by the right hon. gentleman. (Hear.) Mended

preessleaseasit met. The emote whiskleadeall around ea,
takes 'Mee Fsbroary Wt. the ovesMew of dynoes,
the egaikka of prim sad tetemildos the Willa down of
ministers, whose reasdathe MI Mame alined a put of hig-
h:ay, and who, for mate thew half a esswerh had wielded
the destinies of tbdrvespeethe eastatrim,en this turmoil sad
whirr about us, might mole M a tim ,e make vs forget even
the terrible cireeminenams soder which our OM* parleament
was emembled. But the boos would, with** iffileslty, St-
eal to mind that when the int session of the new par-
liament began its proceedings, we, here in England, were
suffering from events which, though not of the broad politi-
cal character which, bad given such importance to the
late revolution of continental Europe, were in themselves not
leas strange, and far more sad. (Hear.) The inscrutable de-
cree of omnipotence had gone forth which struck Ireland
with famine. Nearly connected with that terrible visitation
the commerce of England had been borne down by a crisis
of perhaps uuexampledseverity. (Hear, hear.) There had
been an upreoting of commerce
dynasties in England not
less striking than the fall of those political houses which we
had been of late the amazed spectaton of. Day after day
gentlemen who had long sat with them in that how, the
objects of general respect and regard, merchants of European,
of world-wide reputation, were, of a sudden, rudely torn, as
it were, from these binchee, not certainly with disgrace and
dishonour, but with • pitiable vicimitude of fortune seldom
equalled in the annals of history. (Bear, hear.) There had
been, then, when parliament met, • commercial crisis of
unparalleled severity • private credit stood paralesed,
trade
was more than 'dull, it was almost dead, and
there was not a heart in ell the land, whether
in the bosom of the wealthy noble, or in that
of the enterpris'ng middle clam man, which bad not smarted,
which was nut smarting, with the universal pain. (Hear,
hear.) The commercial clistress of the country was is pal-
pable, to terribly palpable, that it was one of the main
reasons put forware ter aseembling parliament in the unusual
month of November. (Hear, hear.) It was a principal
feature in the speech from the throne, her Majesty stating
that the had seen with great pain the distress which had if
r
some time prevailed among the commerdal classes of her
subjects, and distinctly callingupon parliament to enter upon
• speedy and fall consideration of the subject. Now, he
would ask the house whether this subject of commercial
distr..- had been so largely discussed this *anon as to have
occasioned the delay wheels was naw matter ot general com-
plaint? (Hear, hear.) On the contrary, there had been
scarcely any discussion at all on • subject which,
among other things, had necessitated the early
meeting of parliament, and which her Mejesty had
pointed cut as an exigency requiring immediate and effec-
tual attention. (Hear, bear.) There was, he believed, •
general feeling of blank discomfiture and dismay throughout
the country, among men of all classes of opinion, and of all
ranks, when it was found that parliament was paying no
heed to the causes of that commercial distress from which all
were suffering so severely, and that government carefully
avoided tnat discusaion of the matter which might, among
conflicting opinions and theories, have elicited the truth, and
have produced something like a satisfactory result. No
there had been no discussion on the subject. (Hear, bear.)
In the debate on the address there had been, indeel, as usual
a desultory discussion upon all ponible subjects, and *lone
these miecellansous topics the little matter of the menaced
ruin of our trade and commerce found place ; but the particular
discussion was very limited, those who duly estimated its im-
portance reserving themselves fur that compiebensive and
solemn deliberation upon they hole bearings of the subject
which they naturally supposeit would be the first business
of the government to introduce.
.(I.l.ear, hear.) It could
not be sad, then, that on the (Teuton referred to the sub
ject of commercial distress bad been too much discussed. He
might perhaps be reminded that the right hon. memeer for
Stamford had in a special discussion brought before the house
the conduct of the government in relation to their tear sac•
tions with the Bank ot England. Be should icy that in the
opinion of the great body of the house, and of the people out
of the house, nothing could be more appropriateeaergie than f
or
each a man s his right hon. friend to apply the s
his mind to such a subject, and that • discussion applied to
the topics so introduced by him could scarce y by any one
be deemed a waste of the time of the homes. (Hear, hear.)
But let him remind the house that members on his aide of
the house had not been permitted the alternative of silence
in this respect. Ministers had informed parliament, throueh
the highest medium, that they had takeaunon themselves to
authorise the directors of the Bank of England to violate
the law. True, the same speech intimated that although this
infringement of the law had been so sanctioned by the
government, it bad not, from circumstances, been carried
into effect; but in the opinion of the gentlemen with whom
he acted, an offence consisted not merely in the perpetration,
but in the intention to perpetrate--(hea, he 1— and, there-
foe, when • government admitted that it hat authorised
and counselled a public body to violate the law of the land,
though the offence had not been committed those gentlemen
considered the case one in which the judgment of the house
upon the transaction was imperatively called for. (Hear,
hear.) The discussion as to that offence had been necessi-
tated by the osteutatieus manner in which the retention of
that offence had been announced in the speech from the
throne, and scarcely less so by the further intimation that,
because of the non-perpetration of the offence, inquiry into
the subject was precluded, or at least wholly needless.
(Hear, hear.) Assuredly, then, tho discussion originated
by his right honourable friend wits neither intrusive
nor impertinent. (Hear, hear.) The whole conduct
of the government with reference to the noted
letter to the Brink directors was so utterly weak, so
thoroughly whimsical, that its only solution lay in the sup
position ot entire perplexity on the part of the
_government
throughout the whole affair. (Hear, hear.) The transac.
lion reminded ,him very strongly of the circumstance of •
periodical procession in a southern city, vastly delightful in
itself, hut rendered extremely uncomfortable at present by
the squabbles between its king and its people, where on a
particular day in each year there is • greatan coll
childecting
ll togM
•
e-
ther of the population, man, woman,•d , a
state of desperate alarm and misery, all quailing and sighing
and sobbing, as gentlemen opposite and people out of doors
were at about the time in question, the hubbub here and
at Naples being alike occasioned by the condition of congealed
circulation of a generally interesting object. Again, at
Naples. just when everybody is on the 'lnge of impenetra-
ble gloom, of beetles' misery, forth comes the Chan-
miler of the Exchequer—he begged pardon—forth
comes the Archbishop of Tsrento (laughter) end
smilingly announces that it's all right, that the
sangaiaeous Said of the blessed St. Januarius leas been re-
stored to a state of the mast healthy circulation, whereupon
the entire population, 111112, woman, and child, casting aside
sorrow and lean, becomes gay as a lark, th'owa panic to the
winds and betakes itself to music and macaroni, just as the
people here listened believingly to the voice of the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, the cure announced in both CAM being
equally inefficient_ equally a hoax. (Laughter.) However,
upon this subject the house bed certainly not " wasted"
much time ; he believed that, deeply important as that sub-
ject was to the whole nation, a dozen members
on hat not since
the session opened expressed an opinion up it. (Hear,
hear.) He must contest' that as fat as their discussions o
is
n
banking had cone, so ler they had greatly disappointed h
hopes. The fact was that by the ingenious straeegles pram
deed in that house whenever the subject had been intro-
duced, care had been taken always to divert the discussion of
broad principles intoaskirmishing affair between the advocates
of two particular sets of theories, with which the house in gene-
ral and the country had very little to do. (Hear, bear.) He
greatly feared that the only chance of the matter being
taken really in hand was the sorrowful recurrence of another
panc. (Hear, bear.) Coming now to another subject ot-
highimportance, that of finance, he would ask the hoe e
calmly to consider on that 30th of August, after sitting there
ten months, whether the financial diecussiora and mea-
sures of the year had been of • satisfactory, efficient, useful
character, or whether they bad no:. (Hear hear.) He
would ask the house how much time had been " wasted "
this year in those commercial deliberations which yet ought
to have occupied the earnest consideration of p irliament un-
der the auspices of the responsible government of the come
try ? Certainly it had not been in discussions on flume*
that the rooms of public business had been impeded estate
by reason of long speeches or by reason of impracticable per-
liamentary forms. (Hear, hear.) Early in February •
financial flourish was made in that house heralding ffies
budget. It was a meet percussive, pleasing affair owl
made such an impression upon the how e that there ;roes a
disposition to view the past conduct of government with
indu'gence. After all, people said, we must not be too hard
upon them; the Chancellor of the Exchequer, it is true,
seems no very great man of business—("hear, hear," and •
laugh), but we must make allowances, these are bard times
and even clever men are puzzled. (Laughter.) Though the
Chancellor did make a little meteor it with his deficiency
bills, perhaps he'll do better now he has got on the still
waters he talks about. The budget itself—a memorable
statement, not to be forgotten even amid the broils which
had since been agitating all around us—thebudget itself, too
vast a task to be entrusted to the thane:eller of the Exche-
quer, cams forth, and Tamworth itself could not have
arrayed a programme more magnificent in its style. (A
laugh.) Tb Prime Minister, the first minister of finance,
came forward—far it was no budget is be left to a man of
routine ; there wry need of the grave and long experience—
of the high spirit of the statesman there was the country to
be defended, as well as taxes to be paid ; there were poli-
tics as well as finance to be displayed for the consideration of
the house. There was a cry of alarm. The house was
called upon to express their determination to pro-
tect their country, their sovereign, and their hearths ;
they were told to receive with approbation, with enthusiasm,
an increase in the miscellaneous as well as in the military and
naval expenditure, and—which was tl.e sting of the epi-
gram—they were told that the income tax was to be doubled.
This little financial scheme bad clearly been lode matured.
It was no scheme dashed-off in an hour, no scheme written
off upon the hack of a letter, but a grand political and
financial undertaking at once to defend the country
and to fill the Exchequer. He thought he might very I
safely say that this budget had been received *rem/h.
cut the house with
.oiroi
axone,
odzis..saantisdfec,trioanu. hear.)
ene u' pro-
tested against it, and even behind the tres;"ty. benehr mur-
muritga arose, gentle, however, as a dove'. "mem com
parcel with the roar sent teeth from the univenal people
out of door-. (Hear, hear.) Nothing but • menagerie at
fet ding time could give the slightest idea of the unearthly
yell sent forth by the middle classes, especially by the trading
classes, by the followers of liisersl opiniuns—especiay At the
great towns of Manchester, Liver() 01, Leeds, Bradford,
and last, bra: not leas., by the City of London ite at, So
Friday wall the outcry, that on the Monday following the
Friday of the budget, the Chancellor of the Exchequer came
down with a speech, as heavy cavalry are sent down to see
what they can de when the main charge of infantry has failed.
And, sir, the Chancellor of the Exchequer made en that
occasion the most extraordinary speech
heard in this house ; for it was neither more nor less than
one contieued lamentation over the memonceptions that hod
awaited the statement made by his chief, as well within these
zalla as by the world at large. One esrtainly would think
thee if the:, v... 1 any partieuler parliamentary statement

the let

forward
relaxation
eld

.
gee • tim, -
the fiancees by proposing ft . , east.)-Noes„
I ask the limas cf Gonsosons to mat a retrosmersini g ' betke dial/ 01, /1111011....... —4l government ....._. _ to
over the period, the proceedings in which I have thus partly
sketched ; and I ask for • favourable verdict on our own le- government proposal on the sugar duties was made known,
acquaint the bouse-emar) ; and on the 16th of June the
half, in so far at lust WI the finance portion of the govern• that being a total and &Imitate departure from the Sugar Du-
meet business is concerned, for whatever has been ties Act of 1846, (hear, bear) which the house hug
been
the amount of time wasted and the delay that has twice informal it was the Intention of ministers to maintain
been incurred neither the one nor the other are unaltered. Now, does it net strike the government, as it
attributable to prolonged discussions or adhering too closely will have occurred to the house, that if these protracted ter-
to the antiquated
to of the home. (Cheers.) I will now giversations had been avoided the business of the country
draw your attention to another feature of the session that is would have been more advanced ? I shall not dwell now
about to clew. It will be recollected that, in the speech upon the details of the proceedings. on the Sugar Duties
from the throne, her Majesty was graciously pleased to iv- Aerations Bill ; all I want to effect is to discover the muses
commend to our especial ettertion two subjects upon which woy the public business has not been conducted in a satin-
we were commingled to heists. It is with the deepest factory manner. The 'pace of ten days was not too much to
feelings of regret that I find, on revising the business we devote to the discussion of a measure so important as the
have transacted, we have not compliei with the commands Sugar Duties Bill. But feta of those days must be deducted,
of her meet gracious Majesty; and I will endeavour to enter for they were occupied fa discusuag two episodes
into an examination whether we are in fault in that those which had nothing whatever to do with the bill itself. The
• commands have not been obeyed, The first of those recom- Chancellor of the Exchequer absorbed two with his inciden-
mendations in the royal speech relates to the necessity for tat budget, and two others were consumed in discuming the
passing some law for imeroving the health of the metropolis incident known by the name of the "miming despatch." Thou
and adjacent &inlets; the second relates to the abolition of debates were at the time styledt in the house petty personsli-
the navigation laws. With respect to the bill for regu- ties ; but I believe that couny was not Blow to cell
lating the sanitary precautions in the metropolis and them ministerial blunder'. Ido not now want to go into the
other places, it has now paved into • law. The details of the miming despatch ; but mill at this, almost the
bill was introduced into this house on the 10th regret day of the
remembersbiters the curtain C.lls, I cannot help
of February, and it was finally ordered to be visited as tingng the missieg despatch and some
amended on the 23rd of July. If the statistic.% of the bill are other papers which were not laid on the table-I cannot help
looked at during its progress, it will be found that any cherge expressing my regret, that we live in such a time, and have
against this house of an unneceseary waste of time during the come to such a pus in England, and that the eased f our
live months it was under consideration would be unfounded col.mies is such that even the despatch of a colonial governor
and unjust. We find it first brought in and printed on Feb. cannot be placed safely on the table of the British House of
10, price I3d. marked on it. On March 13, it was again be- Commons. (Hear, hear.) Ten days, then, having been
fore us in its amended form : and on May 15, it is again or- was
on the neolutions, I think I have shown to the house
I diced to be priated,when the price markedon limas increased that it is not the House of Commons which is responsible for
te 10d. (A laugh.) That must be taken to signify that it the protracted discussiena on the sugar question. But of these
, had been greatly amplified. After some further delay, it ten days' discussion only six were on the merits of the case
I comes to us from the flouts of Lords in July, the price -had they been sixteen, the merits of the case would h ism
1 swelled to lg. The size, I must remark, bears throughout an fully justified their cocupetion. (Hear, hear.) But at hut
exact proportion to the price, so that in swelling from Bd. to we got into committee, and here is the bill. LA us gee how
Is. In point of coat, the bulk of the bill was proportionately the time of the house was managed by the government
swelled by one-third. But during these succesaive changes whether, as the termination of the scssion was impeeding,
we find that the bid has altogether altered its character. the noble lord was conscious of the mageitude of the duty he
The functions, the constituent boards, the machinery, all had left unperformed or nelected ; whether he and his
have undeigone transmutation, BO that scarcely OUP feature faithful coadjutor, the Chancellor of the Exchequer, already.
in the measure when, after five months' discussion, it "cents in budgets-(a laugh)-whether they came forward
of the original Public Health Bill could he rec.,gniscd experienced in the value of time from his previous experi.
WWI back to us. I am, therefore, I consider fully justified with a penurious spirit, counting their minute*, and dealing
is smelting that it was originally printed in a form which out their instants at last. Let us see how efficiently and
rendered discussion and alteration in it absolutely necessary ; ably they prepared their bill for the consideration of the
and no one who recollects the efficient manner in which toe House of Commons. Let Us see whether those gentlemen,
hon.
theymembe for Oxfordshire examined and chellenged the whose fish dinner was rut economyo we had wasted the
details of ll will be disposed to do otherwise than ad- public time, bad acted with eof the public time
mit the valueof the services rendered by that hen. member during the week spent in committee on the suear duties. In
during the iscuesions that took plac i here respecting it. the first place, on the 16th July. when we ought to have
(Hear, hear) But what I wish to illustrate by referring to gone into committee, the trade had discovered, and my noble
up as matter for criminatiug the House of Como one, and for house, the blunder en/meting refining in, bond. (lieu.)
this measure is, that these discussions should not be brought friend the member for King's Lynn brought it befere the
imputing to us the delay which occurred in passing this men- I need not now enter into the merits of that case ; I need not .
sure ; and I must here take occasion to effortsy firm con. enlarge upon the injustice a not givin Englishmen the same
fiction that if it had not bets for the of the noble privileges as foreigners • I want oily to remind the house
lord, if it had not been far the great exertion' of the noble that the Chancellor of the Exchequer on behalf of the go
lord at thad o the department charged wih the Healh verement, promied, that in consequence of it having been
of Townse he
Bill,f whose admirable talents, kindly die discovered that sugar refined on the centinent wouldunder
position, and fine temper, had justly endeared him the bill be liable to a much lower duty than before, he was
to all parties in that house-(hear, hear)-that bill going to bring forward a general measure respecting
would not have been paned this session.
Is(Har, hear. refining in bond which would remedy tbe greut in-
Now let us examine into the other point that have sag- equality and injusiee. That was on the 16th ;
Feted, and see if we can justly be accused of having been and on the 20th a member interested in the sugar
the cause that the navigation laws were not altered during trade, the govern member for the Tower Hamlets, made an
the present session. 1 am not going to enter into any dis- appeal to gent to bring in a bill permitting BtfirliCg in
CURSIOII as to the policy of that change. As far as WO on this bond for home coneumption. On the very same day my
side of the house are concerned, we are glad the proposed noble friend brings forward another informality in the bill
change was not effected. But what I wish to draw attention respecting " growth and produce," to which the government
to is the progress of that measure in its business stages was unable to give any answer; and, on the following day,
through this house. On looking over the records of the past my noble friend opened what he called his masked battery of
I find it was introdueed here on the 15th May. There were twenty-three arithmetical blundirs in the bill. On thatday,
two nights then occupied in its sights nd subsequently, too, another objection wa s made to the rangement of the
on the 9th of June, there were two more so occupied, hill by the hon. member tor Cambridge; and thus it hap-
making in the whole four nights' debate on this the moat paned that in this committee three suceesswe bilis were in-
important measure that an English minister could introduce traduced.
(Hear, hell After much discussion, alter
to parliament. Now let me ask-was this too much time to having inflionced, in fact, the aspect of trade-after
devote to the discussion of so important a measure as this ? the trade had thankel my noble friend for the
ay (Hear, hear.) My recollection of the cletsate induces me to manner in which the question of refining in bond
s that it was most admirably ducted, and that great had been settled, the moieties for refining in bond
talent was di-played on that ocesoon. But again I ask- was never carried out, but was withdrawn by the genre-
was this a subject on which the House of Commons thinks ment. (Hear, hear.) Of course I need not say that when
time ought to have been saved in avoiding any discussion ? government comes forward in a committee an
flora to
announde,
ces
(Hear.) I do not think the noble lord will say that this their intention of proposing a measure satisfa tra
wag one of those occadons which unnecessarily and vexa- and in another night comes forward withdrawing that ini-
tionsly delayed the ministerial rob dinner. (Laughter.) portant announcement, it is not necesmry to remind the
But if the projected alteration in the navigation laws was a house that in a ease like this, and in • free parliament, such
subject of such paramount importauce as to demand epeeist conduct must lead to discuseions. What are me here for
mention in the speech from the throne why, let me ask, was but to attend to the interests of the trading classes, many of
it delayed until the 15th of May ? Shall I tell you ? It was whom are our constituents ? (Hear, hear.) Ouverement
because the noble lord thought fit to concentrate all his enee- cannot surely find fault with us that we have not passed
gies in the esrly part of the session on a bill which was not our such conduct without criticism. Well, at the end of
alluded to in the royal speech. (Hear.) lam not going to ono week the first bill was withdrawn, and a se-
complain of the introduction of the Jewish Disabilities Re- cond bill was introduced, in which the twenty three
moral Bill by the noble lord. (Hear, hear.) I gave him on blunders were dealt with, seven being corrected and
that occasion-no ordinary sacrifice either-my support. two new ones added in correcting the seven. (Laughter.)
("Hear" and a laugh.) But although Ide not complain, still Sixteen of the old blunders are reprinted in this second sugar
I must impute great blame to the noble lord, as manager of bill, which was absolutely introduced co the notice of the
the public business in the Horse of Commons, for having committee with a skeleton schedule, so mature are the pro.
wasted his time and our time in bringinr in a bill which he jtcts of government, eo busineemlike are the measure* intro-
had not the power tows. (Cheers.) The noble lord ought doted, so determined has been the govsrnment, that the
\
to have felt that he had no business to bring in a bill which 1 House of Commons should have no opportunity for vexatious
he had not a moral certainty of his ability to carry. 1 discussions. (Hear, hear.) But wilt it be believed that,
It was an improvident COMM for the noble lord to take to- having proposed two bills to the committee, it was found
wards those whom he desired to serve. A minister of the necessary to withdraw the second and to introduce a third,
sown, to bring in a bill which is rejected, throws nuts- containing the whole sixteen blunders which government
eerily a deep and lasting discouragement on the promoters had refused to correct and the two new ones which they had
al such a measure. The noble lord might have been de- added, making altogether twenty-five acknowledged blurs-
\
hated repeatedly, when in oppoon, in his attempts to get ders,and leaving seven unacknowledged, all ot which we have
mash a bill pused, and each defeat would justly serve to authorisedby our legislation ? Bat what is the result of all
sharpen his energies and to consolidate his determination, this ? I'll show you. After ten days' discussion in the
because be had always the right to gauge again and again Howie of Commons, with the Speaker in the chair, on the
the advance of public opinion on the. nuestion at issuesugar resolutions, in six nights aeven divisions took place in
the case is different when a prime monster takes a measure 1 committee, solely in consequence of the imperfect prepare-
in hand : and it is perfectly clear that the attempt to get the I tion of this measure, and of thole three graceful emen.tions
Jewish disabilities removed occasioned the loss of time with of administrative genius. I have now carried you through
regard to the Navigation Laws-a loss which must be inn the sugar duties, and am approaching the end of the session.
rated to the noble lord alone. But perhaps lam in error, lam aware that I have trespassed too much, but I have to
when I assert this to have been the sole cause why the Nevi- condense the history of ten month', and in doing so I touch
Felon Laws were not littered during the present session. nothing of a light or trivial character. I have endeavoured
The discussion on the resolutions which the right to place the case before the house in a clear, if not
hon. gentleman, the President of the Board of Tmde, an efficient manner, not mixing different subjects
brought leeward, terminated es I have stated on the together but tracing the whole course of legislation
bath of June, and during a session which has lasted to the and of ministerial management in every particular branch,
beginning of September ; there may still have been time to I have now put you in possession of the facts of the sugar
have parsed • bill founded on those resolutions. But what question, and 1 sek the bowie and the country, is it possible
prevented that bill from being proposed ? One of the mat to substentiate a charge of obstruction for at least a moiety of
extramdinary events of the learn -an event which lam the union which sho dld induce the people of England to
justified io asserting gave a tomilly different colour to the lose their confidence in the privileges or in the forma of Oda
session, and changed in totality the character of the sits logs house. (Hear, hear.) There is now a very important point
of this house-(hear)-an occurrence, I must add, which not urn which it becomes my duty to advert. I mentioned in
tally altered thenine of the debates here, but whichmaterislly referring to the discussion on sugar, which looted for ten
effected the position of the finances, as well as engrossed the days, thet of those ten days two were taken up with the
1 whole time of the house during tbe period that the subject missing despatch and the-which ?-oh,
otherh tbird
, was under consideration. The house will doubtless recollect budget. (Laughter.) But there were circum-
' that at the time we first met the sumr.growing colonies stances which absorbed our attention and divert
show symptoms d
began to of having felt the consequences of oar consideration from the great question. Almost
the sugar duty act of 1846-the lint and most infelicitous every day dyeing these ten days there were discussions about
effort at legislation of the present government. (A laugh.) writs. We had Derby and Slige, and Horsham and the rest.
But at that time who, let me ask, carei for the sugar-growers It is amusing what • quantity of time was hat this session in
in the West Indies ? They were told they only wanted a little moving for writs, and dealing with delinquent boroughs.
more rivalry in the markets in order to stimulate throat* make (Hear.) I want to know, I have tried to secertain, because
efforts which would put them in a way to outstrip all their all Idois in the way of investigation, why this hen been. I
competitors. But pocket after packet arrived from the cote- give no opinion : lam merely assisting you in drawing your
, nies, and at Imo it was evident that despair was fast taking inferences. Let us see how much time has been lost with the
hold of the minds of the West India planters. Fortunately, conduct of delinquent boroughs, and in how far the House
there happened to be in the house a member who was not lof Commons is responsible for that toes of time. It is a sub-
himself inane, way mixed up olio:inflected witlithe interests of jet% which I know has engaged much of the attention o the f
the sugaritrowen -and it war alike fortunate that he had noble lord. Well, we got into a mess at the beginning of the
influence in that house, and the intrepidity as well as the session about three delinquent boroughs. (A laugh.) No
power to constitute himself their champion. The noble lord one know, exactly what to do--whetb-r, when a gentle-
the member for King's Lynn, disregarding the charges con- man was turned out of parliament for treating or
Mandy brought against him of muting the time of the bribing, that constituency were to be virtually
house, thought it tit, at en early period of this session, to disfranchised cr not. Some thought they were, some not ;
bring forward amo ion, in order, if he could not obtain re- some were disfranchised, and some were not. (Laughter.)
lief for the West Indiana, to sec at least if he could In fact, it was evidently an oromion for a leader of the House
net set on foot an inquiry into their actual con- of Commons to come forward andcondi wend to guide public
dition. the
the 4th of February the noble lord brought opinion and the conduct of this house. And if I find •
forward the question of the present condition of the West leader of the House of Commons, celebrated for his coned-
l
col in • select to consider tution knowledee anreat historicsl attainutents-one
end examine onies
into the hole subject. Thecommittee government at who hesal the power of generalising from the large collection
first refused to grant a committee of inquiry. But at length of facts that is stored in his mind-a scholar as well as a
\
mach accounts arrived from the West Indies as made even statesman, and a man who in my opinion, is nut deficient
Demning.street listen to tilt: complaints that came from tb e in courage-1 moult' have that man in his high positien of great
planters; and we were then informed by the noble lord at the constitutional statesman and loads r of the Ho se of Com -
head of the ministry that a committee would be granted. raons to spare a little time num his councils of war to
Lord J. RUSSELL.-I agreed to grant a committee in tell us what was to be done with the delinquent
Droember. • boroughs. Here is a list of the writs which were moved for
Mr. DISRAELL-It would be most painful to me to find
[ that I did the nobleu lord
~t)teonalighle id injustice in stating the i
progress
perioda awderb;.laientilmaieada his aaw7lFnagnelania°Ticdratannt as&
committee with gratitude. The committee, however,
not appointed until February, but I shall not render myself I
liable to an accusation of in
when I state that the
noble lord, in granting the committee in February, expressed
his determination not to alter the policy of the government Ta
in respect to the sugar duties. The leisure of the committee
attracted during the first weeks of its sittings very little
attention on the part of the public. Indeed, for the lint month
very few persons except the colonist* themselves were cogni-
sant of its proceedings. It was meet impartially composed, shins ; Harwich, four ; and liorshatn-(loud laughter) -tin.
e bon. barb, the member for Flinn a great purist and
drawn. (Loud laughter.)
foe a majority of ite members were free-traders. But in • jag a principle
short time rummies were heard in the lobbies and avenues
of the house that such a case had been made out on behalf
of the West Indians, that even those tureen of the tom- Aylesbury. little or no debating ; Derby, debated on five oc-
-1 elan the whole, there were nineteen occasions on which there
wite considerable discussion on moving fur the writs ; discus-
wee none arising solely tram our not having. d.ecided on a princi •
pie, (Hear, hear.) But while all this irregular work was
going on, and while all this time was wasted, there was still
a Ft at deal of legislation goiog on about delinquent boroughs.
supporter of ministers, got ashamed of the state ct things,
and brought in a bill. It failed. Borough Elections Bill, I
No. 1, was mithdrsvm. Tried again.. No. 2 read • fizet mM 1
second time, considered in committee, and then with-1
And all this from our not ham
to guide us on this important question.
At last the subject began to get interesting, and after the
hon. baronethad tried his " prentice hand" at legislation, the
Horsham Borough Bill, some hoc or other, got upon the
table. It was read a first time, there was considerable dim
mittee who were most prejudiced egarost the planters berm
cussion on the second reading, awl at last we arrived at that
to relent. The incessant and in
usiduity of the
state of affairs which the Italians call an imbroelio. After a
committee was likewise a fit subject uf the warmest praise•
burned and a liberal great deal of time had been wasted the noble lord himself
1 The house hail recently witnessed a knig Wok up the matter, the Horsham Bid was withdrawn,
donation of the public money bestowed upon a gentleman
and a MA caged the Corrupt Practices at Elections Bill was
introduced. It was read a first sod second time,
. considered
who devoted eighteen hours a day to his ditties (otherwise
in committee for four nights, and then'
re-committed show-
men paid), as a relief commissioner in Ireland; and if that
and art
was a case meriting eulogy and recoMpence, much more n . ... . ,
(A
prie.eweethy sod deserving of commende!inw were the i g what a government can do when it takes a thing up.
laugh.) Government acted with tremendous energy,
last the bill passed and uup
aton
dt he other
should ho unsoet.
Lave.- ut
it might lull
settled before,na
efforts of tte noble chairman of the West Indian committee
and his colleogues, for frequently they. sat contincously
I had the Flint and Horsham bills, or the nineteen el'
during eighteen.: hours pursuing their inquiriee. The report
which so much time was lost. The noble lord sent his
omissions
or this unparalleled cemmittee was first printed on the 29th 1 in
bill to another place, where he does what e tikes.(A laugh.)
of May, and it contained a rccommendation that a scale
of duties should be imposed which Would give the pro- . h '
The most estraordinary thing occurred. In that place there
is CO. epees. t : ern there is an opposition by courtesy-
tection to the West Indian planters of a differential
duty of 10s. a cwt. But on the amen day on which this re-
hut in thee place there is not even the semblance of it. The
port and recommendation came before the house the noble
three or four mysterious entities to which I have alluded
lord proclaimed his firm determination to maintain the Sugar i were in • different place, acd at different work, on the 17th
Duties Actof 184 G. It was for the house to say hose firm
of Anon', when the noble lord seut up his bill. If govern-
the government bad been in adhering to this determination.
merit had not sent up the bill, if it had gone along with a
Ministers might, had they adhered to it, have passed the act
crowd of legisletion it must have passed. But •T
constitu-
for the repeal of the navigation laws. But what did the
node lout di ? On the 21.411 May he intimated hie firm nem tional piety, au whigs, 101.1. dill they do ? They began

..wwwee-wee-------l----
among themselves. The bill is moved by the
Millhanoellor, upon which the Chief Juatice—the
Attorney-Gleueral of the Reform Bill, and comer-
quently knowing all the delinquent boroughs—Gaughte,
and cries of " Order ")—I am only reading from a paper: I
me only m
aypeopleh • well known and muck o ore use
fat then mn pep imagine-(a laugh)--a person did say
that he felt it his duty to come down to the house for the
sole purpose of opposing this measure—(hear)--one, in his
opinion, liable to objections of every deamepti-n. (Hera.)
Whereupon-another personage, for whom I entertain the
highest respect, and who performs in another place the func-
tions which the noble lord discharges so ably here, got up
and withdrew the government measure. (Hear.) I make
no comment upon this, it is not my business; bat I ask the
noble lord, who is a man of generous temperament, e
can he
forget this, when he gets up and abuses tb
of the house, when he says " You malignant,
,
factious opposition, you are wasting the time of the
homes and destroying the health of the government:"
(Laughter.) I am sure that his candour will prevent
this. Well, sir, I was reminded of these writs by remember-
ing that they occurred during the discussion on the sugar
duties, that great question which the government had deter-
mined should nut be disturbed, until the indomitable prase-
verence of my noble friend the member for King's Lyn°, et
whom it may be said quod yule, va/de vide, had forced it
upon their attention. I reek the house if I have not gives
you some information t i enable you to form a judgment why
the repeal of the navigation laws, after having been affir
and
med
by seniority of Ode house, has not mimed this year,
wbee fault lies with the II -use of Corasaoas or with ,
somebody ther th
else ? I must here remind the house that during
this year—during these ten eventful months—there has been
sedition in England. insurrection in Leland. and revolution
all over Europe. (Hear, hear.) I should like to have seen ,
I the Whigs in opposition with such advantages. (Loud
cheers ) I think that in that case if the house could have
sat twenty months instead of ten, the time would have been
expended in attacks—tor what purpose I need not describe.
(Hear, hear.) I must admit that I brae already obtained
the acknowledgment of the noble lord the Secretary for
Foreign Affairs that, in as far es foreign policy was con-
cerned during the most i important year I have been is par-
liament, the forbearance and good sense of the house have
been distinguished. In fact, the desire has been not to prop,
upon the government; and es to wasting the public time, so
far as I myself am concerned, 1 have some twinges of con-
science for not having brought forward the affairs of the
River Plate ; but having had some experience of the inex-
pedieney.of discussion, at a moment when the noble lord had
all his time occupied, I could not think of forcing him to I
turn over the history of six missions that had failed, and I
therefore I gave up the question. Then as regards Eugland.
Ido not think that the condition or England question has
occupied much of the time of the House of Commons. (Hear,
hear.) There was an occasion mmt legitimate for such dig,
evasion, and that was the time when the monster petitron
was presented. There won then but one feeling in the house,
and that was that it woad be for the advantage of the country
that the subject should be fairly discussed. I do not
now enter into the question.Why ? I only recut
the great fact, to show that with regard to the
state of England, sedition being very prevalent. there was yet
no discussion. Therefore, so regards England, Europe, there
was no waste of time. Was there, then, any waste of time
as regarded Ireland ? Batty in the year our attention was
called in the Queen's speech to that subject. Government
brought forward a measure which was fairly discufsed, it
pane d bath heave, and I believe was a very good measure,
sad has worked well. Ncvertnelees, it is not to be forgotten
that in another place a noble friend of mine asked whether
it would not he advisable to do more—whether it wood not
be advisable to suspend the ebeae corpus and to pass a law
making treason felony. Inntime government foliowed my
noble friend's suggestion—it only shows what a friendly
opposition there is in another place. (A laugh) But
it ws shown in another way, for a nole duke
suggested that they mi,;ht revive the Alien Act.
They said they did not know, but, after a little time, they
did revive it. Bet I put it to the house—with the insurrec-
tion in Ireland, with the most unconstitutional of necessary
measures, what has been the conduct of the House of Com-
snots? ibis inc,nvenient have been those forms which
were framed for the defence of the minority and the preserva-
tion of the pubic liberties ! (lit ar, hear.) How inconve-
nient were those forms found when the question was to
rescind all the civil liberties of Irishmen ! The necessity
being felt, I want to know was the opportunity taken by
any bon. member to make speeches to annoy or hamper the
government ? Were there even any demagogues to avail
themselves of the occasion to excite the passions of the dis-
tant multitude? (Hear, hear.) I rest the vindication of the
House of Commons upon their conduct on that occasion.
Left without leaders, split into toctires, committing,
perhaps, some indiscretions, what was '
.h, conduct of the
house of Commons? I say that it was e n idel fur any con-
stitutional assembly in the world. (Hear, h ar.) The tradi-
tionary good sense, and instinctive courage tit 'he English na-
tion showed themselves on that occasion .and that old English
constitution. which it is the fashion now to ?int_ and rail
against as inefficient, unable to work, and not saiied to this
enlightened statistical age, gave an example to Europe, and
proved that our system of government ceuld, if neCe.9s y,
combine the energy of a despotism with tile enthusiasm i I
republic. (Len cheers.) I have now tested the two causes
which have been alleged for the present unmatisfactor state
of affairs. I have tested them through al the real business of ,
the oession. There is not a topic of any great import mce
which I have omitted ; and I think I have shown that he
two causes alleged were not remodel in fact, and trot if the
public time was wasted, it :was not by the oonduct4f mem-
bers
or through the forms of the house. But thistime has .
been wasted, and it now remains for me to tell you what •
have bet° •;.e consequences of that waste. lam now going
to read the bills of =motility of the session of 1848.
(Laughter.) The obituary is now almost complete —(con-
tinued laughter)—being drawn up to last Saturday night.
This is sweat the country has lost— fortyisetren bills, an upon
important subjects, some upon must important, and many
upon interesting subjects. More than two-thirds of these
were government measures, and therefore ought not to have
been brought forward, unles ofthey were demanded
ties Bill
for the
public weal. I say nothing toe Jewish llisabei
or the repeal of the Navigation Laws--ttey have couse.nated
monuments of their own. In this list I dad :
Outgoing Tenants (Ireland); Borough Electron' Elective Franchise
and Registration of Elec:ors (Ireland); Polling Place* (Ireland);
, Audit of Railway Amounts; Schoolassetere (Scotland); Tenants at
Will (Ireland); Metropolie Polioe; Agricultural fenant-right ; Poor
law Union Charges; Qualification of Members; Tithe Rent Charge.
rec. (Ireland); Borough Elections (No. 2); Horsham Borough;
Lunatic Asylums (scothuid); Qualification and Registration of Elec-
tors (Ireland); Election and Pulling Places (Ireland); Light Dees;
areentiec Societies; Boman Catholic Charitable Trusts; Roman Ca-
tholic Relief; Sale of Bread; Highways; Waste Lands (Ireland);
Poor Law Offizers Superannuation ABowances ; Landed Property
(Ireland); Bakehouses ; lit
Policies of Maumee; Cruel to Ani-
mas Prevention; Clerks of the Peace (Dabliu); Appeals tat Criminal
Ores ; Scoots Prohlhinon ; Remedies against the Hundred; Regis-
tering Births, in. (Scotland); Marriage (Scotland); Landlord and
Truant (Ireland); PrO•ides. Aseociations Fraud Prevention; Chan-
Regulation ; Charity Trusts Rrstulation; Fees onft
IllelMPMeri"4.lSigucies to Charitable tnatitutions ; Officers ofCourts
at Mole (Ireland) Arsimilation of Appointments; Poor Removal
Wand and Scotland) ; Renewable Leasehold Conversion (Ireland);
Now these va/lOul bills occupied our time for six
isontlas, and here again I trust I bays shown that the
moms which have been alleged for the uneatisfactog state of I
I Laraffaireare not put ones. (Hear, hear.) I hope
*s shown- that if there has been vacillation, !t
was not the House of Comment' which vacillated ;
that if there has been weakness, it is not we who
ought to be charged with infirmity of purpose. I have en-
deavoured to vindicate the house from the oppro
brium of being the cause of this great public evil. I
call it a great public evil, although I think that a weak
phrase—it is a great national calamity, because—what is
it?—it is neitaer more nor less than this that the
system of government which prevails in this country is a
system incompetent to pass those laws and to carry those
measures which are necessary for the public welfare. (Hear,
hear.) Now I cannot imagine a state of circumstencso more
grave or more perilous. I think it but right, having endea-
voured to persuade the house that the alleged cause of delay
is not the trne one, to state what in my belief is the cause. In
my mind it is not difficult to discover it—it is not hard
to find or difficult to recognise. I have no personal feeling
in the matter. lam wiling to admit that hon. gentlemen
opposite, its so far as their personal qualities are concerned,
need shrink from no comparison with any body of men in
this house who might be called upon to administer the go-
vernment. But if I sou asked the cause of this great public
calamity—of this avowal of political incompetence in the is
Mitutiors of this country—l must say that the great cause lies
there (pointing to the treasury benches). I see there a
body of men who acceded to power without a parliamentary
majority. I think that they were justified in accepting
office under such circumstances by the exigency of the case—
justified by more, by the practice of the Blitish constitution.
(hear, hear.) But though they were, in the first instance,
justified in taking that course, they are not, in my opinion,
in persistiug in it under the circumstances ;I and their per-
sistence in that course occasions, it appears to me, two re-
sults, both of the must serious nature. lii the first place we
have a cabinet which, in preparing their measures, have no
conviction that those meisuree will be passed. (Hear, hear.)
After all their deliberation—after all their foresight—after )
all their observation of the times and their study of the in-
. tereeta of the country, when their measure is launched from
thiteiriebenloietf received
.itavedt.mbymilik• confiding
he thme j
ocar
ibvinatto confidingthe h of::
otthea administration.measure
w ef t
Hear.)eter
ties and from sympathy with the great political principles
this house depends upon parties whose aggregate exceeds
their Influence. The temper of one leader is to be watched
--t ho indications of opinion in another are to be observed—
the propositions of a third are to be studied, until at last the
auseeee is so alters r, remoulded, remodelled, patched,
professedon
the
contrary, b y the
mtehme besuThece.,:issf
cobbled, painted, veneered, anti varnished, as to boar as
aspect of its original form, intention, or circumstances—
(cheers); or in disgust it is wehdrawn, after having under-
gone a prolonged and elaborate discussion, and been one
meat
aruuabelee tolfa a the
:hwe "pteu public ttrheatasoublic timeJ whichClieers.)Thisernec!ust
mother inconvenience attending this state of things,
which is in my opinion still more grave, although less
flagrant. It is that you cannot expect from minis'ers
so situated, the matured, finished, and complete meant,
which, under other circumstances, we should have a right to
I ozpoot. Men will naturally say, what is the use of taking
oil Yrs' pains, what is the use of all this consideration, what
is the use of all this stady or foresight, when the moment
the measure is out of our hands it ceases to be the measure
of the cabinet, and becomes the measure essentially of the
House of, Commons. (Hear, hear.) For these treasons
measures are thrown S. fore us with s foregone conclusion
that we are to save the administration much of their care and
trouble in preparing the legislation of the country. Thus,
instead of being purely a legislative body, we are
every day becamtng more and more an adminis-
trative assembly. The House of Commons is now
conducted as a great committee of state on 'mike
affairs, in which every roan speaks with the taw right, and

most of us with the same weight. No more do we eesfah
disciplined array, the traditionary influence of hereme.,.•
opinion, the readied experience of ancient 'misfits sagia
rams that for generations have lived and flourished in
practice of a high and noble system of sel "'
(Cheers.) Nothing of this. You are to be orimpeneamer,
future by other qaalities. The conceits of th, illeem
crotchets of the whimsical, the violent courses of 4 mute' 117
position, that acknowledges no gratitude to are iqui.yl-, mo-To
posterity no service, until at last this free and proud parm;
merit of England is to subside to the low water-mark --m.-
nutional assemblies and those provisional cone, ~•;:.,, wiLiek
are at the same time the terror and ridicule of
Sir, I trace all these evils in the disorganisatimi partyweldi
have known hon, gentlemen make observe tq4
prceiate party government. lam not now ~0.,,4 to
into the discussion of whether it is good or nut; oattiO
tell you, and I have told ym before, and it has east tesee‘o;.l
proved, that you cannot choose between pant ev maim-
and parliamentary government, that you cannot havevee patio
mentary government without party, and that, thevelem.
when you denounce the latter you are Prim,* out the
i‘
munstanee which has made this country, and which I lisspli
may keep it, ereat. The system which is now pannatellisll
system opposed to thoseold party conditioes that Itare the In ft
been the spirit and life blood of the House o Coasssaa
I am not charging untlemen opposite whit di porters flan
that spirit. I am charging them with a stint ea of which
they may be the unwilling admiuistrators; but
less is their responsibility for the comm „noes, l
nees "
can foresee-that which I dare not coot( reeisee-w hat
those consequences may be. In my menion they
are very weak words which should describe them urt ej ei.
cial to the realm and perilous to parliament, mud to that
high love of public life which hitherto has bee n our best
curity for national grandeur. It is, I fear, more than that
the " finis fatorum ' of the rest Dardanien This
sin sure of, that if we persist, the conerquence, e iii be such
as no revolution has succeeded in aceoinolishing-
such as no conspirator in those midnight conclaves whiffs
you have disturbed has had the audec.ty to deed know
that nothing can long withstand its deleterious it Mance. It
seems to me that the clue of public men widen ac so
been deemed glorious in public affairs will sw, pt from the
fettle. I protest against this system in the 1 moth hour,
and I call upon the country to brand it with iodignsat
repreliation. But, air, whatever may be those 1,11 -
whatever may be the fortunes of indiV.duals ;Vats,. of
institutions, at least I have had the sadists too of calling
public attention to this political plague-spot. I nave had the
duty of attempting to place m its true aspect the muss of this
great national evil, I have had more, I have h iiierionsolas
•ion of justifying this great assembly wherein it is my highest
honour to hold a seat, and of vindicating in 1,0 face of
England the character and conduct of the 11 ont of C
mots. (The hon. member resumed his seat ;mod loud Li
general cheering )
Lord J. RUSSELL said, I have in the first pleas to
thane the hon. member who has just eat down for his kind-
ness in consultiu.r my personal convenience as to the time
of bringing forward this motion. I have in 111.- next plate
to thank him as a member of this house for the very divert-
ing speech he has made. But whene• that im eek origi-
nated, or for what it was intended, I own it is
most difficult for us tq discern. With reelect to
its origin, the hon. member read a paragraph whisk
he said was extracted from a Sunday paper, with
respect to the fish dinner ' • and he adds that ti e paper in
question is scarcely of less authority then the London
Gazelle. This certainly is information to me, and in at fir
as I am in the secret of the fish dinner, the whole . story of
fixing it for the 19th, and then postponing it to the 26th, is
altogether tabulous. (Hear, hear.) But that statement
has formed the foundation of the hon. membees ddrese In
commenting on what has passed, the hnu. mew". r seems to
have thought that he had to defend the House of Commons
from some chugs which the government had made Rimiest
them. But when he was so defending them I was flecked
to say, as was said to those who were defending Hercules,
eituperaeit. It would be moat ungrateful en the put
of the government if they had made sash statements or held
such opinions, for during this session we have received the
support of the lieu to in alarm' majority of instances. Those
measures which we have broustht betore the hone have been
very generally supported, and even those which have been
abandoned or postponed, such as the repeal of the navigation
telemeter.: supported by considerable majorities. Se that we
are not the persons to assail that House of Commons which
the noble member has taken upon himself to puronne and
defend. (Hear, hear.) The hon. member seems to suppose
that we attack it because there have been lame ob centime
with regard to the forms of the house allowing very pro-
tracted and profitless debates. Now Ido not wish on
this occasion, on which no proposal is before the
house, to enter into the discussion of whether all of theta
forms are useful in the present state of our !taints and prim
tice; but this I will say, that there was no practice more con-
secrated by usage than that of continually discussing peti-
tions when first presented. The gentleman who prose-td
them usually commented on them at some length,
and I have known debates goirg down to nine
or ten o clock merely on the presentation of petitions.
And yet that system and that practice having been altered,
the hon. gentleman has nothing more to say for it then that
a more important right was never enjoyed by the people of
England than that which they possess with reeard to
petitioning. If so, it shows that there may be alterations in
the sense, forma, and rules of the house without injury
to out essential rights or impediment to the freedom
of
debate. (Hear, hear.) The hon. gentleman himself gave
an instance in which such a change had been made-and,
yet, I well remember that on that occasion a person of great
talent and ability, and of high authority on oonetitutional
matters, loudly protested against the proposed alteration,
which, he said, would have the effect of destroying all free-
dom of debate-so little is it true that no form of the house
can be altered, no practice modified, without sacrificing that
freedom of debate which is essential to our deliberatioas.
The hon. gentleman has gone linos history, or rasher com-
mentary, of the proceedings of the session, and has led the
house through the various measures which have been
brought forward, to some of which I shall have pension to
allude. But let me, before Ido so, remark on one seatecee
which fell from him towards the latter part of his speech.
The hon. gentleman said thet in the course of this year there
had been sedition in England, there had been incipient
rebellion in Ireland, and revolution in Europe. Now,
sir, let me call the attention of the house to
this fact-that the minister' of the crown are chiefly ap-
pointed to administer the affairs of the empire, and that
when you find that the sedition in Eneland ha thebeen Ho met
with a vigorous arm by the Secretary of State for me
Department, aided by his celleagues-thear, hear )-that the
incipient rebellion in Ireland has been suppressed by the
measures adopted by this house, combined with the energy
of the Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland-(cheers)-that the revo-
lutions on the continent have not shaken the institutions of
this conotry-(hear, hear)--that whatever the forma. entail
of those revolutions, however convulsed the autos of ths
continent may have been, we have hitherto pteserved peso
(cheers)-in the midst of those convulsions, I must my,
as a member of the government which is attacked, that ths
administratioa cannot be so very defective under which WE-
tion has been quelled, rebellion suppressed, our institutices
maintained, and peace preserved in the midst of events stick
as those which the last few months have witnessed. (Heir,
hear.) I say this, air, with the more confidence, breams,a
however the honourable gentleman may praise the anim
constitution of the country-and in that praise I should
be happy to second him, though, perhaps, my mats
eyrie would be less eloquent than his-I mast
remind him, and the house also, that this supposed duty of
the members of a government to introduce &great number of
measures to parliament, and pass them through in each suc-
ceeding session, is a duty that is new to the government in
this country. (lieu, hear.) It may have been more or leis
well performed by the present ministry, but it is a date
which was scarcely known or recognised by the retest sad
most powerful ministers that this country has seen. I will
mention three ministers who most assuredly and nedoubtedly
did possess the support of very large majorities of the House
of Commons, by whom, notwithstanding, this duty was
neither acknowledged nor performed. First, then was Sir
Robert Walpole. It would be diffisult to name any legisla-
tive measures he introduced or carried. It is true he on
deavoured to alter the Encire and Customs Duties, stadia
he tailed. Another great minister was Lord Chatham, who
was supported for six sessions almost without debate, and fx
one whole session without a division ; yet, with tee es-
ception of a bill by which soldiers' pensions leers
paid in advance on a deduction being made if
five per cent. on the amount, I hardly knee
of cue legislative measure that bears the name of Lord
Chatham. (Hear, hear.) Another minister-one who
jo:ymoma atnhdeedoraeladoioaogref
ottaminstafjonriftynginththisinhooouilise, aeoods wohfo
thsta:
country through the perils which surrounded them-I eptsk,
of Mr. Pitt--except some measure necessarily comet%
with his administration, with the exemtion of the Maims-
sure of the union with Ireland, there are no legislates see
owes to which the name of Mr. Pitt is attached; and every-
body knows that with regard to the eettleusent oh the Mks
he was net able to effect that, but that it sees decent, ere
many yearn ago, by the administration of Lord lielboaesh
(Hear.) I say, then, that it is not, nor has it ever been
be to , the whole or principal duty of the goverwitent to th•
troduce legislative measures and carry them through pad,
merit. I say, moreover, that in times of difficulty and pen!
the chief attention of the ministers must be given to Idl!
ly
questions of administration, the discretionary exereise Of
power confided to them by the crown which every do al
require and call forth-and it is therefore fa,rmdor
IOT
difficult, with the attention given to suc q
to attend to every clause and every p fawnumas,
detail of the various bills which are brought !
in parliament. And yet, Si/ in this state of things'
with these dangers which we had to meet, and the way
is
had to meet them, I find that of le.d bills introduatilbf
government during the present session, 105 have eitoooub"l,
already pseud, or have received so much of the sac tt
the house as to render it probable that they la reetirro7i
anent of the crown this session. (Hear, hears)
Min
dmea bills are measures of the utmost importenre-tossOf
I Crime and Outrage Bill, from which, with regard
land, the most important results have followed
m sup
fog the clime of assassination which sires
P en
;out. (Hear, hear.) The Evicted Deatituta roor "i2as
which, on the other baud, is likely to be of greatMee
arresting at d mitigating the cruelty which 'omens.
aehuerd
th
Meted on the poorer class of tenantry in Ireland ,
wad,
regard to the measure for facilitatingehe sale of me
.M. 7
estates, I own I consider that was a measure which,
required required the utmost attention to its det da, eideot
principle to form a foundation on which the state
.1 oeme
tontalretolseurhiomah
are
landlords brought into emersion red
them wle
attend to the wants and improvements of the tere7
(Hear, hear.) But, sir,the hon. gentleman has_ gone
sV
a long list of measures with regard to whice.
ill
vecidetiou or change of purpose on the pare tiolit ter e,,h;.),
ebehepaevinally neennatiumy beiaiedmitoed' bey laid, neat
merit has priodueed injurious effects. Th crt el"'oe
referred to was that of needs mmercial distress d't,,w_
one knows what happe upon that subject. "

in consequence of the
&Ord,
weans' to take a step which
re-ve--• itep which was
thou not Juli
tbeaet of ISO. Wethought
ansequenee of our having
parliament together,
called
soy
t'6l4avr e hued° felt a L duty
a tiuntY
aanisestimf.y.thre:tparconlid.umete,natnind
,togi
Now what did happen ? Tio
Osman betongs7-fhousor thee, bbut I
on. s
of ha pllqy in this
had d the good fortune to I
supplied
for Stamford
party seceded from the goy
were amongst them many me
and readiness in the disco.
which they had then to de
al'
defect of not having the assii
experience, acquainted with
in the public offices and
gwd fortune secure the ai
Etamford—a to
ent', man of
had tilled Mhos of great
had been the
turned
concerns country.
vision that right hon. gentl
what was it ? After st
which the government had
"ministers werejustitied,
do
pnblie confidence, t i auspen
law." But it to here 11111,10
Ught it our duty to h
elle
which if we were wrung w
we called parliament togeti
pleased upon our condue
that the person who came
passed a resolution jurify ii
!gentleman who, also, beer
is certainly opposed to us,
who now makes the charg
Then the hon. gentleman '
length with an a-.c tint
pleas to oily have b.
(" Hear, bear," and a late
the whole point of this jol
noble lord who now Dug
of the noble lord to dign
which is made on tin.
of a budget.
questioos connected w
it may be very wi
boa. gentlemen opposiu
or explanation nay be
budget, and to say, here
chequer who brings finer
argon; but I have linos
forward propositions on
concurrence of the count
withdraw them and pro
I remembe whe .I we
the ministry when they.
for two years—a propos'
the purpose of windins
that evasion the major
majority of the couitrj
just:fled, and on going
defeated. On the folio
a part of the malt tax.
in the whole amine
was, that the war
for in the way t
we were not then so w
men opposite are
sac
arrangements were pit(
messier), to charge t
forward three or four
anelogous to the pre
gentleman finds fault
select committee, and
between the committe
Mr. Pitt and the Duk
fact and sub tl
The Duke ofsenee Viellins
reagh's committee in
reed by Pitt, wo
the same words were
Lord G. DENTIN
Messages from the erc
Lord J. RUSSELL
sition cheer..)
tleman has spoken a
the constitution—as
the most serious col
tweet' it and former
instance there is n
hear.) Now, sir, I
from the crown will
ctedingy dangerow
—(hear) ; but that
cadent would be to
frame the estimates,
airy for the Pelvic
But, sir, we did no
mates on our own z
to stand by them s
the public service
committee would i
(Hear, hear.) So
this subject is a
foundation. (Hes
from the appointee
mendation in the
exceedingly met ul
has taken into its
friend the Secrets
will be in a great
far from being inj
The hon. gentles
question of the
of which, so far to
I am glad, and at
able to pats a m.
trodden &id of 1
foundation of ma
law relating to tl
administration.
says that measur
through the how
gentleman who
leges of the How
sore, would bar
went was bound
through uschan
the House of (
should not be oo
to which the ho
ing the navigati
of the house to
and the discussi
bon. gentleman
ing further wit
when the hon.
duties, I think
been the histor,
lected by the h
measure giving
colonial ea &gni
by those hon. s
rest to make t.l
vantage of the
government w
were succetstu
and defeated t
to admit any fi
the colonies.
favour of free
country and ii
in respect to tl
same forward
till duty of 21
following the
necessary to
therefore, ice,
their own, the
project of the
tion led and
the noble

TUE 11APU4g,J1111R8DA.T. ING, UQUid 31; 1848.
dgasa ribose Wed Clulleoht;••• ht to _ 'Antis, weed by' the
tenatedfine kurth Urn ana/bedret of Ms fm►atar the ell and yet May
kl entlemen. doleful-es bad brougliht bow, to Junel , • not which which 1 sienna
a Imp tell how man cabbala eminclie wide held ;
but aft the let
ogler 40'1'6414e
secuq rilterdis hitialia
deities." Cbe e, Lie pria►e nalniater. Who on the Vies May was
ought to have secured a aurplus, and, instead of cipr.w ing to 6t
rived to. b•
firm to existing duties, came forward
reduce a taxi he ends the second year his raid= osier and viola volunteered a datellbEit that some relaxatition
P would be made in the duties, of the nt of which it wo
."
".""
" "GP°ling
""p"
l°!nl (Bear' hear.)
Nov' be of thecotement thereafter to
.laeaa die duty of some own r
• .unit on the 16th of June the