The Express.
London, England, 1849-07-07 00:00:00

He contended that the taxation of the country bore most
unequall on the lower and middle claw", and that wale the
ground ony which he demanded a diminution of our national
expense", and a return to the expenditure of 1836 In 1828
the whole amount of our expenditure was 49,339,0001 ; in
1841 it was 41,422,0001. ; and last year it was 64,185,0001.
etecordieg to the finance committee of 1828, the revenue in the
eleven veers, Irom 1817 to 1827 inclevive, amounted to
n 1,991,9171., and the expenditure to 5591.92.7601., ',trine
ea the average an annual revenue of 52,908,3661., and an
manual expenditure of 60,890,2601., or en excess of income
over expenditure of 22,099,1671. on the 11 year., or more than
2,000,0001. annually; and yet this was when we had
scarcely recovered from the 'lvens and the consequences of
the French revolution. Gobi g farther back, they would fled
Lord Castlereagh saying that our expenditure ought not to
mist more than 13,000,0001. On the aver•gu of four yearn,
up to 1842, the total expenditure wes only 15,000,0001..
9.000,0001., of which went to pay the icter: at of the national
deb.. Our taxation was then 16 000,000/ , which left
1,000,0001. t larked' the sinking fund. But taking from 1833
to 1837, and from 1843 to 1847, the:house would find that the
aggregate mount of expenditure for the first period of five
years Wall 281.789,0001., and for the last 5 y are 278,123,0001,
showing an excess of 16,331,0001. over the fir-t period. Public
at psinements, civil and military, were the cause of this
increa'e, and :until they reduced their establishments, and
thereby lessened their exicuditure, they could not hope for
relief. If hon. geetleuit n opposite were really anxious
to improve their own condition as egricultueiels, and that of
the agricultural population, they must direct their atten-
tion to the one great means which he had p tinted out of
reducing the national expenditure, and then repealing theme
taxes which pressed so heavily and so unequally upon the
labouring classes. It was in that view that he had desired
to place upon record his opinion, that whilst the repeal of
some o' the restrictions had done good, it had not re moved
all the difficulty. The poorer the people, the more Imp or,
tent was it that our laws should be equal. Make ti em
equal—give fair play to industry—and they would he more
likely to afford relief to the distressed port.on of the country
than by pursuing shadows and Will o' the wisps, from which
no usef result could spring.

The Earl of MARCH ;aid that the speech of the hon.
member for Montrose was as full of protection sentiments as
ever it had been hie good firtune to beer even at red-ho:
protection meetings. (Hear, hear.) The boo. gentle men
was agreed with the hon. member for Buckinghamshire as co
the existence of distress amongst the working classes, and he
ask, d whether, if e ey bad not pissed the measures proposed
by the right hon. baronet the member fir Falmouth, they
would have been in as good e position? His (L id March's)
answer was, that they would, and that it they had
adhered to the slidine.scale the question of corn would
have adjueted itself in quite as eatistactory a manner.
Sir R. PEEL said I do not intend to enter at any length
into tht se c moiderations of a purely political nature which
are naturally raised by the que etien brought Coward by the
hon. member for Buckinghamshire. I a iould find it total
out of my power to do justice to those, coasid. rations
during the petiod I could fairly a xpect the house is lend
ma its attention. To discuss the question of Ire land,
the question of the colonial policy, and the crostini of the
foreign policy of this country in one speech must, if any at-
tempt were made to do justice to the se various e oneidera-
dons, absorb so much time of the house that little would
be left for the discussion of that which I consider to be the
main point at i sue this night—namely, shell we displa e the
g evernment for the purpose of suhvertit g the commercial
policy which they are punuirg? (Loud cries of "Hi ter.")
Sir ce the accession of the present government to power, I
have felt it to be my duty to wive to the great majority of
the measures which it has introduced my general support.
I have made allowance for the great difficultie a with which
they had to contend—commercial convuleions, famine in
Ireland, the ereatest moral and social revolution by which
the peace of Europe or the tranquillity of individual state a
was ever threatened. (Hear, he er ) I have thought that
it was for the public interest that the energy an-I the power
of the executive government of this couetry, during such a'
crisis, should not be impaired by factious or captious oppo-
sition. (Hear, hear.) At the same time, I wish it to be
didinctly undereteod that all I mean to irnp'y by the vote
I shall give this night is thitt, that I c irdi eby appr..ve
of the general principles of commercial polio. by which
her MOW, government has loon guider;, and that
I will not eons nt to a motion. the direct and
evolved object, or at least the main object of which is, to
[ c• neure them fur their adherence to the se princi; Its ot corn
mercial policy, and to euhoitute in their place some other
re one mica( principles. (Chan.) The course I prop es to
pursue, With the pet mission of the hous is this—to :amine
the grounds won which the hon gentleman the member fur
Bu kingieamshire has impeached the comfit-re:al policy
which has been acted upon for soma years. I then propose
to eon- bier whether or no that new principle, at least that
different principle, of ec.oomic policy which he proven to
subtei-ute in its place, has any foundation in re *sun, sod
whether it will cotdrinute to the welfare and pre ape rite of
this country. I understand the bon. gentleman to impeach
the commercial policy which has be en acted on for some
time, and to attribute to that certain, reiel policy a great part
of the cuff, rings under which it is admitted that some in-
to ri ate in this country, and melons of this cnuntty, are new
laiicuring. I was struck, I cot foss, by en admission ot th-
bon. gentleman at the comm ncement of his !Teeth. I owe
him the acknowl element which I willingly pt.), t for
that admission. Ile was describing the .rate of the govern-
ment of this country when the noble lord su-c-celed to
dike; and he made this admission with respect
•o the position and the influence of the government
in 1846. He said that Europe generally was eejeying
tranqu llity—that there was great conlidence reposed in her
M -jesty'e government—that if troubl-n arose, there w.in a
reedy reference to the authority of the British government,
and a willing acquiescence in its decision, in order to arrive
at a s lution of those diflicutice. Ile said, in n eover, that
Ireland was in a state of comparative prosperity, that the
egricaltural interest here was contented, and locked forward
weds hope to the future. He said that the lireat,st export
tra le that this country had ever carried on was Called ou in
the conne of the year 1845; and that the present govern-
ment, in sue reeding to power, had found a surplus of sme
two or three, or 'hive or four millions.
Mr. DISRAELI—I said that such was the state of things
at the rummer cement of the et -ar 1846.
r R PEEL—WeII. if that was tbe 'tete of the country
then, if all interests were so prospeloun, if sus wan
the condition of our finances, such the condition of
our export trade, I ask this :petition, het were the prie-
ciples of toolcommrcal policy which Ind been Adopted fur that
in previous that period ? (Hear, hear.) I find that
in the year 1841 there was a deficit ot upward• ot 2,50,0001.
In the preceding year, 1810, you had adopted the system of
imeoning additional duties up in import. ; you had placed
five per c• nt. in addition to all the existing dui a you fouled
upon the import of raw materials, upon articles ot food,
upon everything which constitutt d the import trade of the
choaudi ept rry,d.
uclesiti nado
cot that t
ptohbadt
naad daiutgi onin
esio,
t[pAliaoced p n o
futhoon imports
e venu,,
but direct y the reverse. (Hear, hear.) In the e eye of ad-
ditions to the amend taxes, in the case of additions to direct
taxation, the anticipations ot the Chaucellir of the Exche-
quer had been realised; but in the instances of additiene to
customs duthe upon imports his anticipations had Lot been
realised; the Loraine' 5 per cent. of additional taxation had
oroeuced no 5 per cent. of additional revenue. (neer .)
But in 1842 yen adapted a different principle. Yon I
imposed an income tax, and you reduced taxation upon ail
the great articles of subsistence. (Hear, hear ) Yuu re-
duced taxation upon the raw materials of manufacture' upon
food, upon the subsistence of the people. ar, Lear.)
You found prohibition upon every animal which constirutes
food; you found prohibition upon meat; you found high
pro•ecoon upon corn; you found heavy duties upon raw ma-
terials. You adopted a different system in 1842. You im-
posed an income-tax, by which five millions were raised ;
you remitted the prohibition upon the import of 11.11i1111111
and of meat; you reduced the duties upon every article
which enters into the subsistence of the great body of the
people. You greatly reduced the protective duties uoon
eorn ; upon 55.5 articles of customs you reduced the duties ;
and the result was—what the hon. gentleman describes to
have been the state of this country in 1846. (Corers.)
Observe—agriculturists looking for ward with hope—lreland
in a state of comparative prosperity—the greatest export
trade that ever was known taking place—all that
I will not say was the result, but at least it was coincident
with that reformation of the import duties (Hear, hear.)
But then, says the hon. gentleman, in 1816 you adopted a
totally new principle; and, from the introduction of that new
principle have r.sulted the evil consequences which we
deplore in 1848. Now, my answer to the hon. gentleman
up in that point is this: In 1846 we adopted no new coin
mercial principle. We certainly carried further the com-
=exist principle which had been adopted in 1842. (Cheers.)
I wish to conduct this argument as I would conouct any
°the r. I think it much more respectful to the hon. gentle.
man to submit his arguments to the test of reason than to
dent with them in any other mode; and I am endeavouring
t t conduct the argument in the same way as I should conduct
any -cientific investigation. But I adhere to my statement
that in 1846 no new principle was introduced ; and I give hon.
gentlemen the fullest opportunity of answering my argume-•t.
Wined new principle was introduced in 1816 that told in 1819 ?
More the end of 1845, the duties upon cotton had been re-
peated, the duty upon wool had been repealed. In 1844 the
reductions of duty upon articles of import amounted to
1,092,0001.• in 1813, to 411,000; in 1844, to 458,000/. ; in
1845, to 4,5'11,0001. The total amount of the re ruction of
taxation to the end of 1845 was 6,582[000. (Hear, hear.)
Toe articles upon which that reduction had mainly taken
place were either raw materials, articles of food, or
article) of subsistence. The duty upon cotton had been
'nailed. The duty upon wool had been remitted. In
1846, was any new principle of commercial legislation intro-
etried ? The amount of duties remitted in 1846, was
1,151,0001. There had been remitted 6,582,0001. in the four
preceding years. (Hear, hear.) The articles which were
selected for the reduction of taxation in 1846, were these :
tallow, an additional reduction of taxation upon timber,
brandy, soap, linseed cake, rape cake,—a great many arti-
cles on which it was important to than agriculturists
to be relieved from the duty. Heal, hear.) There
was indeed provision made for the ultimate re-
peal of the corn laws; but that is the single
instance in respect to which you can say that
any different principle of legislation was adopted in 1846
which road not been previously acted on i i 1812, 43, 44, and
45. (Hear, hear.) And now observe, with re erence to the
re peal ot the corn laws, that it did not take pl ere till the let
of February, 1849. (Hear, hear.) During 1847 and 48 you
would have had duties upon corn. From nec tasity, in 1847,
u repealed them. (Hear, hear.) The hon. member for
Deasetshire himself seconded the motion for the repeal of the
e ern acid navigation laws at that time. (Hear, hear.) In
1818 the y revived; and during all that year you had a duty
of from Bs. to 10e. upon corn. Consequently, if there have
been any evil effects from the repeal of the curl laws' you
cannot date them from an earlier period than the Ist of
February, 1849. (Hear, hear.) You had protection, in so
far as you thought it expedient to retain up to the Ist of
Yebruery, 1849. It is sad, however, that this tariff has

eau-ed the rommereial distress; that tee prim 'plea of
tree trade, ad mted tither in 1846 er at • pre.
C. th. g p. rind, have caused the distress that new
prevail.. No it is my firm conviction that the pre ciples
etch di in that terdt have not caused any one of the evils
under which we labour, hut that they have grearly mitigated
the pet 'sure of three evils. (Cneerse Lee as 14115)yrn the
tariff. And now I challenge you to chow me in what man.
tier it is possible that the free trade intreduceet Leo the
tariff can have caused the distresses of the enemy. Let n
take the . fficiel value of the imports into Great Britain. In
1846, the official value of the imports was 73 milliens. do
1848 it was 89 minuets. Some contend treat it is the amount
of imports, without any corresponding amount of exports,
which has caused the depreciation of iLdustsy it. this mum
try. Lot us analyse the tariff, and see of woo it c mane.
I divine it into three great branches. First, I take the ar •
cies tit coesumption—of food, of luxury—et that w: i h the
t eople either eat or dritik ; I next take the raw material;
and next, the manufactured goods. Your argumera is, that
the automat of manufactured golds which, u. der the op,ll,
lion of free trade, yuu have perm tied to Le ia
ported into this country is such that u hen
interfered with domestic industry, Red deprived many
amounts
Lot
t
iratthl;
0.
ueder
teyluthrtheahlh:t vt-
*ohataiefrint importsrs.s articleso° :01 flB ci their
.Bof ;ot nf
u 1818—namely,
mi
pa e li
l voy livelihood.
,Bu 9 raw striate 'an; aiyi la:
man
into
mass.,l
gretsuhideegyTt
been
be amount
one
esnutoat7na,tci
nofgot: articles
pound toi
rclubetsyhoot
gricotelhidi s,:ut ot: u: )
in,; ins. ors. ? (flea,, hear.) What have ere es:pep:en.
n
such • dernecruent
with? They have been imported; they have tee pr id for;
maencotiimatenolld.,inaijudnotous,ur
Can yo deny any one of those theee prep eitioren ? Then,
youe
d
iwurdi
ael
nrhbe,
reecr nwo:i
null'.
:t;
rydkti
withdrawn,
wf
consequence
sner,ef,
atltulhrneajedn:
pehttohepurrel
(Laugher.) You have sent out your gold It was sod, if
of the currency that foreigners will not take y ma, tine.
geld curie nary will be distutbed , the reserve of the Ban
elitseutelhtorw"dagoly"otuilsaceoPurutttlhor
and exh us ting process going forward—imports, it is true, bat,
cot meet transfenerun of gold, depreciate°. of .b. currency,
public
this—that at the ginning of this period the hank bee shout
10 mil ions of gold, and now it has 15 ? (Caere.)e How
happens it that, concurrently with table gri at increase or has
ports, there h s been at the same time no diminution efgold,
our, in cons quene- of the :tare of the exchanges, an increase
and acrumulation of gold? Who has cenumed terse
32 500.0001 worth of eatable and driukarilc nueet i Is ? Who
grudges them ? lies t eerie been any case of sure it or •
ease ? (Laughter.) Has the cholera be- n product din eoa-
attoiathweomuladtehriateco,,co.ftorls of the
sequence? Have diseases been intrudue d and sure rings
tint tied in consequence of this increase of impure ? I be-
lieve net ; but I believe the consumption of the %bee of
iphewoplebsorris country. and abundtethd
mistortethe if these 32 millions had by any awe be en re-
' duesd to 22 or t • 25 millians. (Cheers.) I beeeee the input
of chute mercies of subsistence hes notonly contributeddirectly
te the material c on torts of than who have *mimed thenebut
ems encouraged their labour, and csueed them to enc• urage the
lab our art others. (Hest., hear.) S mach for the .ruder
of consumption. Now, I come to the rear maltii4l,. The
great operation of any tariff with which 1 bare bet com
elected was in the diminution of dutin on raw neeeents.
Is it possible to cant-nd that you hove eimieishid the en-
couragement to domestic industry by rendering nen or
sheip'• wool etre epee ? Or that the reduerion or the duty
on +r ides used in dyeing—as logwood, motet ire Lee. oe
:Jny of the articles forming the raw materiels of mats.
factures, can try possibility have had any otter effect than
to diminish the rest of manufactured nide, and nun.
able you to contend with greater advaetage yew
foreign rivals ? is it possible that the recuerint of aka
duty on chose article can have intertered with eh men
inoustry ? (IL se, Lear ) But it in pessib:y the third,the
import of manutactured goods. How 'tends the are?
Here is title treat commercial country, lot refit" by the
export of is manufactur, it ke en inert. rote, it it be
not Tether a pose in advantage to tho aterial cos-
mos of very country with which it deals—(hear, hear)
—but it it he en interference with the imlustry
of those- countries, where is the delequent so meat
en ? (Hear, hear.) You have sported is
official va ue about 133 millions of the pr at you
Ineetery You have imported of eeelsred value tenet
4,722,0001. worth, in the year 1848. (Hear, hear.) Ths
lumens of raw materials in that year, to t e Obritatee by
y ur industry into manufactures were 48.400,0001. The
manufeetured goods imported were 4,700 004. (Hear.)
01 5,n4•0,70,001,,t0i01)10—,
itshteh
that
tmttune
amountt which
k which cuenuelorhyy"anryi-p:
eibility interfere well !our domestic ieduory ? No sack
thing. Yeti must deduct fr that Lwow. alit at yea
'me ape r. You cannot doubt the justice of thee 01 the
cotton g -ode which you imported from India and Europe
the amount was 512,00 M; but you re-nearest a reify cone
eider...tee pm tion 01 those, no bas them eie 00e1, warth;
.ud this amount must be deducted from the o her. (Hear.)
Can there be a greater proof of the beneficial hiker ce et
tree trade than this? You are makieg this ceuntry the pa
input for the productions of Europe. by year eardrum
and the facilities which you give to coalmen e, you are in.
viring goods to this c.untry, to be &petted ter the pulp
of being no:per:el (Hear, hear-) 1.. the transit, while
they lie line, y interfere wi hno branch et your Indus
try ; but they improve your trail they Maul .• e your cares
tal, they employ your shipping ; and there careen be a
gnawer advantage than that of make gel euun ry the
market for the commercial products a other ceuusries.
(Hem, hear) Well, you have Lad, it is feu , greet imports
of sda ; not, however, on account of the Latural ale :oath OS
of trade, but on account of the distress ie Francs, which led
to a desire to realise whatever could be geieed. (Hear,
hear.) With respect to silk, and other artiern, I may say,
generally, that the elemental and unexpected imports are
to be a tribubil to the depremiou of trade and the tardy-
ration of industry in other countries. But against the sdk
e hich you importer" is to be set no less than
870,0001., welch you expired; and therefore is
he ease of the imports of silk, wte n you an
t. sting the quantity, you must deduct, in the first natant
all that you h ore top rted in the course of your commercial
operatiuns. But there is another deduction whir h you met
make—a still mar- material eme. You mast make a dads.'
tiou from 'reliance imparts of all that would bane ben
imported by smuggling it you had chosen to have hen
duties. (Hear, hear.) If you had retained dune of 40 eir
50 per cent., no duubt nominally and a, par bey your in•
ports would have been greatly reduced. elanutecturen
might p pail) y thee have consoled the we've with the
thought that at any rote there had been only oai-fifth or
one-teeth of the amides imported. Nothieg could, bonne
have be en more di naive that, that imps': n. The sa tide
would hare corrected the absurditin of your coterie:Mil
system. and would have pocketed the gain wheel you Impel
to dm ive from it. (Hear,hcar.) But I will t.ke tee utters
of trade respecting which there have been the grtat4E. em-
planes. I will take watches, lea;her, aeons, t erleuiderio,
and needlework. Da you think that It you had neared
duties of 50 per cent. there woald hove been a c -reeved-
ing protection of domestic industry ? No such thief. (Rem
hear.) You would have lost revenue, but yi u soul( hen
given no protection. There was • commis ruts ova which
my lamented friend whose loss, I am sure, all wit e knew his
either personally or by character must dpkre,
1 mere Lord Grant ille Somerset,—in the per
1844 there was a commission to &yin taro
" We are disposed to admit that the annual le, ethic" the
the custom-house boards. Taat cueemesien r pets
revenue has eustained beers some approxiimei ie to ties kid
the ass sun; of duty. Of lace we are soured that Mere than
one half hes been introduced without the pismire of duty.
The proceedings in the court, as well so otter evidees
which we have had, show the ahnost amounted
fraud which has prevailed in the artic:e of alone We enter-
tain serious apprehension that frauds are not cOofioed to the
goods named." Well, with that evidence before us what
was the proper course to be pursued? Wu it to continue
high duties, to !remit half the duties derivable from glover
there will
than
aitb
tap iato the pocket of the emu:glee; to permit the import
of lace and embroideries to go on under a system which:
no vigilance could control ? (Hear.) Wes it not t
la
wisest coarse to facilitate import by henna; duties, and
enable the trader here to know, at any rate, the solute d
sad
extent of the evil with which he had to tout, red ? (line
hear.l New, let us take the ease of fereign manutectueimportpo
nt
imported—eimetals and glass, and c ipper and calla y. Sae
I have not fergooen the speech which • all meek ley the ha.
member for Birmingham.—(" hear, hear," a•d Isuetttre
in which he described, I think, the state Bonen:ham to
be such that the Birmingham manufacturers in bon,
copper, in cutlery, and in buttoes could la
find • sale for Birmingham artices, telling
that the Birmingham manufacturers weoevfiel
depressed, that they were !en ed by fonmtigre
who brought °ennui cutlery to this country and tr Inte
with them in the home market. (Hear, hear.) I . nee
marvellous thing that we who in Birmingham are Weill
the fe reigner, can beat the foreigner in all the u h. r marks'
of the world ? (Hear, hear.) Well, we called for sreiget
for much as we might be disposed to respect the a
of the hon. member for Birmingham, sac Coll3.,ira
course neceesury. Hearirg the hon. member's speteee
loudly cheered, said to an hon. friend of mine, "Let
know the truth ; let us move for an account of all these Wte
bent
cies of me:allic manufacture whiee have
ten
brought into this country, and in order theta
may be no deer rem, let us in the same eele
the precise amount of the manufactured articles, of t!1
metals, which have been sent out of this country—(,..r,
then we shall krew what foundation there is tor t
flare...-
tem thet the Birmingham cutlers and the 13.rmi rine
button maker., cannot sell their goods in the besmeeumeekto‘„
(Hear, hear.) Well, here is the re,ura ? (II hear.)
'
copper or bent work, iron or steel manufactures.
_fel
amount unmoor
or lacquered wino, &z.--and it gives the a a
It includes brass manufactures, cutlery mone:pcataten
from abroad. If you tell me that there dare
an
IIZ
many other articles which have been smuintl d, 010
is—Then let us reduce the duties. (Hear, hem, and errie
So far from this h. int; any impeachment of the red:rot:so,
duty, if you tell me that this is not a fair ratu f?!.
is, that the duties are too high, and ought to be Mr=
But if you say, on the other hand, as you mot rsy : eeet
muletetures
ameunt of imports, I ray the legitimate conclusion from the
there has bean no smuggling of brass m
or
tors, but this is a true account of the metteer.,o 0
_e
let us compere the importof these manufacturee
years, with the amount that we have sent to other rea_"'feee
' (Hear, hear.) In 1846, 1847, end 1818, elee_artura,
averspe amount e all of these things imported tete, en
102,0001., being 34,0001. on the average ofthe h awned
only to, t
years. To be sure, if we had exported ewe wen
of 20.0001., that might bee proof that our men, ow
from Germany and every other foreign eo
isarset,tua,
greatly interfered with, and that it was bee°
ugab‘7, get
contend with rival manufactures in neutral co
rted Is
in the same three years in which we etPaimonie
the amount of 102,0001., we exported to the