The Express.
London, England, 1850-02-01 00:00:00

THE EXPRESS, FRIDAY EVENING, FEBRUARY 1, 1850.

was one of those who voted against the government when
that quietism was before the house. (Hear, hear.)
I then thought the repeal of than laws was a baserdoits
experiment, but I em now happy to find, from her Majes'y's
speech, that I wee mistaken, and that some powers have
tit/oily conceded those advantages to as which by the toke-
nism' we have made we have given to them, and that other
powers are expected speedily to follow the same cause.
(Hear, hear.) Ism quite sure the house will be u
hag as I am myself. that I should further teespass upon their
etten'ion—(" No, no ")—but I cannot sit down without
thanking them for the Wolper, they have shown me
sad without expressing • cordial reopen to the wish ex
pressed by her majesty, that by trombining liberty with
Wien by preserving what is venal/et end emending whet
b bffectlve, the fabric of our iastitatteas may he sustained
end this country long reveals the abode ann the shelter of
a free sad happy people. Mini cheers.)
The Address having been read from the chair,
Si, J. TROLLOPE fees and said that he felt it tartesess7
to crave the special iadalgence of the honer, in Wong that
which he houw was an unusual nurse of late years—by
proposing the addition of a few words to the aesteeee, in
answer to the speech from the %bream,. In the
shape of an amendment, and the more so, as
he was not is the habit of ideation( them.
Having briefly referred to the other psi eialephe of the
"'been, he said he mast venture to take excision to that
which began "Her Majesty has 'realm+ &faction in emirate
lilting yen CM the improved condition d, comma*. end Ise.
nuiseturn." Now, SO far he, and *wee who acted with him,
fully concurred. (Hear, hear.) All they (the sari in-
terns) wished—all nay ;shed. terms—wan that a little of that
prosperity hen adverted to might be reflected cm themselves.
At present they had not the eibtantsee of any of this pros-
perity, except in rowel to awe article, that had undoubtedly
received a great lavabo teem this rascal preoperity—he
alluded to the article of wool—(bear, hear)—in
which the district he was eoweented with was especially Inn
neon in supplying lugellehe inaunfeaturers of tho north.l
This article had obtained a considerable aceasion of price
within the last few miniffis. In the simmer season it was
lower than it had bossier 20 or 30 years; bat niece then it
hod rises full 25 or 30 iper cent., sad there wee still • great
demand for it. This warn index to the truth of that particular
psalm!. of the royal speech. But her Msbety proceeded to
say—' It is with regret that her Majesty has observed the
+implants which in many parts of the kingdom have pro-
ceeded from the owners and memplets of Her blejesty
greatly laments Met any portion of be subjects should be
muttering distress. Bat it is emerge efeneen gratification to
her Majesty 0 whines the Increased enjoyment of
the neeessanes and comforts of life, which cheap-
ness did plenty have bestowed upon the great
body of her people." He hardly thought that sufficient
deference had been paid to the many complaints which had
been maing far some time past from every county In Eng-
ine' as well se from Scotland and from Ireland, but more
especially hots England and Scotland. (Hear, hear.) Ire-
lead had • great grievance of her own to attend to is the
new law which had been adopted, and which was depressing
her energies—ao much so, that that country was absorbed in
the view as to how she was to get on. But it was net so in
Eastland and Scotland. Meetings had been had in almost
every county, from Cornwall to Caithness, relative to the
iiifficaltiee under which the agricultural classes were labour-
ing. His own county (Snob Lincolnshire) met last Friday,
and a more imposing assembly he had never seen together.
The number present on that occasion in the Castle-yard of
Lumen was not less at any one given time than 15,000 per-
sons, end not fewer than 20,000 persons had entered the city
that day to participate in the proceedings. A formidable
opposition to the meeting had been previonly prognoati-
eased, and some opposition had been got up by sums trader
ram in the town who held opinions in accordnos with
Mon advocated by the late Anti-earn Lew League, and who
had had the benefit, as it was said, of the assistance and
counsel of a great leader and agitator of that body. But
Month they took c Ansel of that greitlesaan, and pro.
posed to oppose the resolutions which were publicly atten-
tion, as likely to beoffered for adoption, the gentleman him-
self did not deem it right to stay for the meeting ; he did not
think it likely that he should hays a sufficient feeling on
his side to enable him to overturn th: resolutions, at d,
therefore, he wisely avoided an occasion which might have
given rise toangry feelings. Hie agricultural friends thought,
and he concurred with them in the opinion, that
their complaints had been treated with levity,
with • feeling skin to disrespect, at all events with a want
of attention. There had not been one word of redress in
any shape addressed to them, although various modes of re-
dress had from time to time ben l 'tined out by them. Why
didAot her Majesty's governmeut turn their crown lands to
account ?—and if they did nutlet them not reproach the land-
owners for apathy, when they themselves were open to a
timber imputation. (Hear, hear.) He believed that every
gentleman conneata with the landed interest had
laid out every year of their lives a certain por-
tion of their income in Lincolnshire in the improve-
ment of their properties. He himself had been an
owner of land 30 pears, and he had always laid out something
every year in improvemeuts. All Lis neighbours did the
same; and what was the consequence? They knew that
they would be able to meet the times; their rents were easy
and they were not in debt. But, then, the small proprietors
of land would he crashed. (Hen.) He represented in that
house some 5,000 freeholders. In the whole venstituecey
of the county of Lincoln there were 10.000 freeholders.
Most of the small voters were small landholder; men equal
to any others for loyalty aid industry. It was nor the great
landowners who met in the castle yard of Lincoln the other
day, but it was these men—these small tanners to whom the
question was one of lite or death, whether they were to be
deprived of their homes or whether they were not. (Cheers
from the protectionists.) The honourable mover of the
address had said that land sold and let as well
as ever at present. He (Sir J. Trollope) hod been in ":m-
-neunicatioe with many gentlemen who had told him • life-
rent tale. One gentleman, who was an 'Attorney in large
practice among them small freeholds—wine of whin were to
lie found in Yorkshire, where there were men possessed only
of their little hour. and garden—had tol I him that he could
hardly effect any sales at all, that if he did effect them it was
at • loss of 20 or 30 per cent on the estimated value. An-
other gentleman said : " I can tfGet no sales, there are no
prices offering, there is no confidence, I cannot sell at any
pric-," and he added, " I have numbers of mortgages called
in on these estates, and I cannot raise the money for the
I parties." The agriculturists were suffering, and asked for sym-
pathy, aid prayed that their remonstrances might be treated
with 'mooning like respect Therefore he had now en-
num/ to him a few words, which he should wish to add to
her Majesty's speech, atter the words" commerce and manu-
factures" These words were couched in • respectful spirit.
They pledged the house to no peculiar policy. They asked
hoe. members to take into consideration the present
condition of the sericulture' interest, and there
would be abundant opportunities of pointing out afterwards
how this was to be done. The words were these: " And
humbly to represent to her Majesty that in many parts of
the kingdom, and especially in Ireland, the various classes
connected with the soil are labouring ander severe distress,
mainly attributable, in our opinion, to many /0110461111111.
mune, and the operation of which is aggravated In many'
respects by local taxation." (Hear, hear.) The can of the
stocking weavers and others of Leicestershire and Notting-
ham had been alluded to, but he begged to remind the,
house that both the Leicester and Nottingham trades were
protected bides; that they had a protecting duty 0110 per
Best. (Cheers from the protectionists) Why were not the
twins-noses. palled down, if it were meant to have general
free trade ? And what was mascot tabs done with the malt tax ?

He had always opposed the mansion of this tae ; but it was
now placed in an altered position, for barley was of very
little more value than the duty on malt, and therefore
the tan was entitled to consideration. (Hear, hear.)
If they were loader than every other district in England in
their complaints, it waa because they ware in a condition to
make themselves heard, having don. their utmost to improve
their condition. It appeared to him they were getting
into difficulties that every day would become
greater. And those difficulties must be fairly met. It a
great and important interest in this country was to suffer •
great decline in its social position, if men were unable to
maintain themselves in their relative position, sod if the
remedy was to be that which an honourable gentleman had
proposed for distressed needlewomen—emigration—if emi-
gration was to be the only remedy, God knew what
would be done with those who remained at home.
Bat he had yet to learn that emigration would
be a sourer of relief ; for at the present moment voluntary
emigration was going on r xtensively. The hon. hart. con-
cluded by moving that the following words be added, by
way of amendment to the address, but humbly to represent
to your Majesty that in many parts of the United Kingdom
and especially in Ireland, the various claims connected with
the soil are labouring under severe distress, mainly attri-
butable, in our opinion, to reoeat legislative enactments, the
operation of which is aggravated in many respects by the
pressure of local taxation."
Col. CHATTERTON seconded the amendment in &short
speech, which was almost wholly inaudible in the gallery.
He referred to the wretchedness of Ireland. Amidst the
pressure of the continual °Amino which had fallen on that
country, old differences and disagreements were almost tor-
gotten. The common danger which prevailed terrified all
meu's hearts. The evils of free trade in that country were
so manifest that it would be quite impossible to continue
an enactment that must eventually revolutionise the
country.

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was glad to
find that in almost every point the hon. mover of the amend-
ment agreed with the address. Ile was glad, moreover, that
the boo. gentleman appreciated the measures that
her Majesty's government had adopted fur the preven-
tion of the spread of the disease that unfortunately
appeared in this country, and that he promised the
government his support to any further 'lemurss
they might adept with the same object for the future. He
was glad siso to bear from his hon. friend a disclaimer of
his concurrence la that intemperate language which had
been used at mate public meetings that had been
held in this constry—laairnage which, he truly said, could
but injure the emu. There could be so mistake u to the
meaning of the antemlineitt. His hon. friend stated most
distinctly that it was W urge on the house a reconsideration
of the subject of prehsetion ; that they should mon.
eider that linidaties to which, they lselieved, much
of the present Ply ot the country was owing, bet to
which Yea. /Mimes attributed that distress which
to a certain eons be admitted. He was gled also that this
question bad hew seised this night. that on this, the first
night of the emotes, the great ipuetiea wee to be gone into,
, end the deliberate opinion of that beau was to be called for,
and he truism farmisifti, whetber tYay 118111 to retrace their
stem Ice reemidse their want iesidastaa, of whether, " he
trasted,ead as hawse confide:4th' great inekerity of that house
would say, they were to preceod In that legislation to which
the present great prosperity of Ibis country, as he believed,
wee to be attributed. He had not heard from his hon. friend
any question u t r the prosperity of the trade and
nianufecttuis of this country. It was avt a little

remarkable that fa the sus remise, width was or-
dinarily takes is a test ad the well-being of the people,
there was a falling of is the two first ;Auteuil of the
year, and as Meese is the two last quarters. Is Irelsad
there was a hlliag off la the first three quartos of the
year, but an Maws la the last quite. yds leped fiat we.
• pretty fair alga of the trostlisoasorosat of em improvement
in the condition of that campy, and that the hers of the
hon. gentleman wield sot he titogethar realised. But
he would particularly all the attendee of the
hos. Solltlultha. tl's :dumber fer Warwickshire to
the etat•thints he had made, mud which were made by
the menoel lot Istickiregbamehire la the last session, when
they wanted V. show that the meanhereres of this country
were is • stele of atrophy. Whoa they were in • fair mats
of employment the hoe. gentleman referred to the table of
experts, and Remo, meld ersavlnee him that they could
eery on, year after year, a trade which he declared was a
dead loss. He ventured at that ties to stem that the cheek
in the demand La this senetry in 1848 wee mealy owing to
the troubled etas Of the continent. Now, what said the
elmaler Midi be bed Jett read ? Bat the boa. member for
Wareetehalthe Meted, mot only la that house, but elsewhere,
that he (the ammalier of the Exchequer) wee entirely
mistaken eta that foild•Or, lad that the disvarthel state of
the country, se hr heel deseesidag the deemed, increased it.
Now, what bad Iteppined dam? I. the muse of the last
year the state of the EleMbseat had greatly improved sad
what lad been the enemas BM& mthafeetured articles
exported thither? Weirs it leas that the prosperity of the
country IMO ►be be ne•SIAPOI by he exporta—wers we
to regard the mese of exported as the oeiy
(Titmice of the eadenal proms, there sever was such a
year of 010•thegareg presieep. (Hear, bear.) Meath
after month the eledeerei eine of the exports of British sea.
nufactures had lseoaeed, haws the begetting of the year to
the end, se essapared with the corresponding months of the
precedlag year. Adding together ths awned of exports
for each of the two years closet ea the 6th January, the M-
asan Is the declared value of the exports of lest year was
very little short of 10 millions.

Bir. RElLRlES—Cerspers4 with 1848 ?
The CHANCELLOR rl the BECHEQUIM—Cota.
pared with 1848. Taking the last three years the aatounti
were—for 1847, 62,000,0001; 1848, 48,948,0001 ; 1849,
68,848,000. (Cheers.)
Mr. HgaRIRS —What were they in 1846 ?

The CHANCELLOR of the EkCHHQUER arid he
was addressing himself to the argument of the boa. member
for Warwickshire (Mr. Newdegate), who had denied that
the decline in our exports last year was attributable to the
disturbed Mate of thoonatinent ; and, according to his theory
when the coutineat temaine leas disturbed, our exports ought
atilt to have fallen Ail. (Hear' hear.) Other hoe gentle.
men said we had been ruined by the free trade measures of
1848, 1847, and 11148, and that the disturbed state of the
centioent had net enhanced our distress. Bat now that the
continent was pacifieffour exports had brcreased ; while, so-
cording to the theory, they ought to havediminialted. Marvel-
lous,:ludeed, snit have been the effects of free trails had the
theory of the ion. gentleman been tree; but en thoroughly
had their predictions been falsified, that our exports, instead
of diminishing, had increased ten usillimia. (Hes:, hear.)
Ha had read the letters written by the hon. member foe
Warwickshire (Mr. Newdegate); they did him infinite
credit for the industry and research he had bestowed upon
them, and the extreme candour, se rarely found on that side
the question, which ran through all the admissions he
made. From his principles and facts, he (the Chancellor)
entirely dissented ; and when it wee seen that the exports
had increased to the amount he hod stated, he appealed to
the candour of the hon. gentleman to admit either that be
was wrong in his theory, or that some cause or other—no
doubt the system of free trade—bad entirely counteracted ,
the ruin which he had predicted. (Hear, beer.) He would
not dwell longer on this subject but for this reason. When
hon. gentlemen indulged in anticipations, and statement after
statement was made, confidently declaring the distress of
trade, and as ceefieteitly predicting is utter ruin, and when
those statements sod predictions were shown to be utterly at
variance with facts end incompatible with theory, be called,
not only upon that hoes*, bat on thole who might otherwise
be disposed to place confident* in thee, predations, to re-
ceive them with a little allowance, and not to be gait* sure,
they wire quite se much ruined as those bon. leadsmen
were fend of telling them. (Cheers.) He would quote the
returns of e very f-w molds. illustrative niche great increase
is our exports. Tie export of cotton mansfamsres in 1849,
as compared with the preceding year, had risen from
198,751,00011 s. to 395,654,090PN.
In MS, In 1010.
Cotton rem from
karthenware
liAberdenaery C121,000 tuakees
Iferdw.re end cutlery £OOll,OOO £1,190,0M)
(An article in which we were 'apposed be have been utterly
ruined by the operation of free trade.)
Wrought lather tree cwt. 14,000 cwt.
Gimes ZIO,OOO EIS.OOO
Being an increase of not less than 50 per cent.
Linen enenufecturee 110,000.000 yards le 106,000,000 rude
Linen y.rn . 11,000,000 lbs. 17,000,010 the.
Wrought iron
Silk inanuNetres..... .. 104,100 lbs. Ul,OOOlll.
Another article in which our amanfacturees were supposed
to hove been utterly rained by the admission of foreign
comoeti tame

206,000 lb.. 01,000 lbs.
45,0110 lb.. 105,000 lbs.
Good. reckoned by glees. 0,733,000 0,672,000
Dino. by yard 31,000 ON yards *0,00b,.00 yards
bloc Map
Brim' an increase of nearly double.
Woolf® yarns 73.000 cwt.

Silk rods—
Itisr silk

105,000 cwt

He had thus gene throgh the principal articles of one
manuteetures; and hardly as item could he named in which
toe increase was not perfectly extraordinary, and far beyond
what any one 'Auld hate anticipated. (Hear, hear) But
the hon. member for Buckinghamshire (Mr. Disraeli) said.
" True it is you have sent out a greater quantity of goods
but the price has Wien so much that the receipts have de-
creased; sad you will be ruined by being continually obliged
to give • greater quantity of British industry for a reduced
price." What proof wu there of that ? NM* whatever.
The gentlemen engaged in these trades had certainly found
them worth carrying on. He (hued, tram a publication
calk() Burnet Glance, of the highest authority la the even.
mercial and manufacturing districts, that, in every item, the
price of exported goods was higher than last year. The
average prim of each manufactured article exported has risen
as follows :
. 1949.
Calicoes, printed and dyed
9s. 04. 10n 3d.
Calicoes, plain , 0 6 9
!Justine
Linen manufactures 9 0 9 G
Dimities
Damasks and diapers

In every item it was the mime: he hoped the house would
give him credit for this, without reading the rem. Conse-
quently, not only bad we the benefit of the increased quan-
tity, bat of the increased price, of each article. (Hear, hear.)
The hon. mover and seconder of the address had gone into
the question of the effect of the repeal of the navigation laws
on the shipping of this country. The anticipations enter-
tained and the predictions made by those who opposed the
repeal of those laws—that the shipping trade of this country
would be destroyed, and that no foreign country would give
us reciprocal advantages—had alike been falsified by the
result. He held in his hand returns from the different ship-
building ports throughout the United Kingdom. At one
port alone, and that owing to peculiar circumstance!, had
there been a diminution in the ship-building ; in all the
others, that trade was at least equal to what it had
before been ; and in those ports which were
the main emporiums of that industry—as Sun-
derland, Liverpool, the port of the Clyde, and some
other Scotch poets ; the number of ships built had been far
greater than any one had anticipated, and had much
exceeded the number of any former year. As stated
in her Majesty's speech, SOON countries had already given us
those privileges which the legislature of last session bestowed
upon their ships; and there was reason to believe that every
nation on the continent had intimated its fanatics of relax-
ing to a considerable degree—some more and some ism, bat
forming a great relaxation on the average—those restrictions
in their laws which p ted our ships at present from en-
joying the advantages which had been proffered to them by
the legislature of list session. (Hear, hear.) He entirely
concurred with his hoe. friend who had moved the Wire's,
in believing that the best effect, would be produced in
other countries by the legislation which of late years
had been adopted in this country. (Hear, hear.)
To • certain extent, he believed, the existing distress among
agriculturists was the inevitable consequence of the' shame
in the law that had taken place; but he firmly relied on
the energy and industry of the British farmer to overcome
those as they always had overcome the difficulties
arising from changes in former years, which his hon. friend
admitted to have taken place, and which had been attended
with a fall In Wield to • greater extent than the present
change. Ile believed, and lamented the fact, that the class
of small occupiers was principally affected. (Hear, hear.)
He lament, d to know that a certain portion of agricultural
labourers bad been discharged from employment; and he
was confident that of all those who remained in employ-
ment, their condition had been signally benefited by the
reduction in the price of food. (Hear, hear.) Before sitting
down he should be able to convince the house, by facts
which were quite indisputable, that his hon. friend had
represented the extent of the distress to be greater than it
really was. He fully admitted that, in Lincolnshire, there
was an increase in the number of persona dependent
on the poor rates; yet, taking England throughout,
in the great majority of the agricultural counties, there
was a diminution of distress and of the number of persons
dependent on the poor rata'. (Hear, hear.) He was not
surprised that some distress should prevail am 'net the
agnculturista. He had never thought, and never said, that
• great change of this kiid could take place, without en-
tailing some suffering and distress upon • poetic, of them
co netted with the interests more lmmediat.ly affected.
The honourable gentleman had rehired to the fall
of paces which had taken place in former times
in this country, and had stated that the distress then
prevailing in his neighbourhood far exceeded anything of
the kind which he ventured to say now existed. If hon.
gentlemen connected with agriculture, would refer to the
history of former years, they would find that • fall of prim
had taken plank and • state of distress had meted under a
system of high duties. If the hon. gentleman appeals would
refer to what took place in 1822, under • ecsw law which
professed to ensure a price of 80s. • quarter for wheat, he
must entertain some doubt as to the moms of the remedy
he peopolted for the present distress. (Hear, hear.) Is
1817 the prim of corn was 965. 11d. per quitter ; for five
consecutive years it fall at the relent 109. per quarter per
annum ; and in 1822 it had fallen mare than SO moan.,
the avenge price of the year being 445. 2d. This was under
a corn law profaning to secure high prism. (Hear, hear.)
The honourable gentlemen said there was hops
then. Wnat was the hope ? Of eosins, that there
would be a return to that price white the legialeture
had Prelim*" to secure to the agricultural interest. Bat no
such Piton em took place. In 1829, tom yours after-

words, a corn law 11.2. Mood—certainly with some °mai-
d. the
= (no Wier:mists, but without any great opposition
••• litillokt•••--the avowed object of which was to ensue
not a pries of iffis., but a pricer of 84s. the quarter. What
happeued under that law ? In 1831, the price of wheat was
88s. 4d. the quarter ;in 1835, it was 39a. 4d. It fell at the
nee of about 6.. 9J, per annum for tour consecutive years;
and the fall wu lustily, not quits, 60 per cent. In 1839, the
prim of corn was 704. Bd. per quarter; in 1845, it was
50s. 10d.—egain under a law profaning to SKIM 645. a
quarter. In 1847, the was 89s. 9d. ; it was now near 40s. ;
the fall bang very little more than what MAO place between
1831 and 1836. But 1835 was n-t a year of families, as 1847
was; and surely the agriculturists need not conceive them-
selves utterly ruined when a fall had taken place of no greater
amount than they had suffered befogs in four or five year*, I
and from which their industry had enabled them to recover I
they were at nut no won than they were at the end ei
that period. Whitman the cause of the former fall is
Prices, it would not be attributed to the repeal of the gene
aws; for there was then a high protective duty. And be
would ark now, cid it follow as a necessary coosequiene
that the present fall must be owing to the rel of the
corn laws ? Awarding to the Mark-haw
price of earn in the countries of the Baltic was so high that It
would not pay te send It to this country. Oa the one hand.
therefore, It was idle to say that the low prism of corn in this
country was owing to free trade, since the importation of aeon
had diminished; while, on the other, there was every reason
to suppose from past expertise, and present circumstances
that 'he permanent price of wheat In this country would ass
continue as low as it latterly had been. The agriculturiel
must not be so easily persuaded that ruin was about to ones
take him. It was at one time asserted, and firmly believed,
that nothlag short of 80a. a quarter would suffice to enable
the farmer to cultivate the land. And yet the lumen never '
sines then obtained that price. Indeed the average price bed
since been somewhere about 539.; and it was not until 1848
that it rose to 64s Bd. Had land gone out of cultivation in
consequence? Had the unicult • of the country been
rained? No such thing. On the contrary, since 1816, there
had been a large outlay of capital on the land—and its
cultivation and production had greatly increased. He could
even strengthen his case still farther, by the fact that since
1815 the rental of the country bed increased, notwithstand-
ing that the average pries of wheat had been dimi-
nished. Referring again to the Mark 1,411{41 Express,
the right honourable gentleman, carrying out his
defence of • Inc trade in earn, stated that the
whole of our increased production and the whole of the
corn imports had gone into consumption—showing that the
people had found means to pay for a large supply of the
most necessary article of food when the price was reclined.
He same now to that part of the question which, atter all
was the main consideration with thou who objected to • free
trade in corn—namely its effect upon the agricultural pepu-
lation. In the county of Lincoln, he admitted, there had
been an increased number of persons relieved by the poor
rates ; but taking the great majority of the agricoitural
counties, it would be foetid that there had been not only no
finnan, but a great diminution in the number
of pinions so relieved. As • proof of this in
one part of the county he would refer to
the addreu of Lord Chichester from the judicial bench at
Lewes in Buses. It was well Known that the southern
coentriss were those which were the most likely to suffer
aglicultural distress, and that it hot bees largely anti&
paled both in Kent and Sussex. Yet Lord Chicheeter, as
chairman of the Quarter Sessions in the latter county, raid
it was satisfactory to find that the agricultural labourers pur-
sued their usual avocation., and that a greater number were
not unemployed; that the workhouse was by no moons full,
that the able-bodied paupers were by so means so numerous
as they generally were at that time of the year, and that they
must conclude there was so great dearth of employment ,
in the county. These facts were highly creditable to the'l
farmers of that county, considering the difficulties with
which they had Leon surrounded; and he thought that if
others would follow theirs:ample they would find it to their
advantage, as it was their duty, to procure employment as
far as they could for the labourer. In was sorry to hear
kis hon. friend say that that system had not been sufficiently
pursued by the owners and occupiers of land is Lincoln-
shire. The account given by Lord Chichester in Sussex was
net only that the number of persons unemployed was com-
paratively few, but that • most praiseworthy exertion had been
made by the owners and outriders of land to render it so.
After alluding to the deeree.e in pauperism, which he proved
by statistics, he went on to say With such facts
in view he would ask boo. gentlemen who talked of the
dimness of agricultural labourers, how they could
account for this enormous diminution in the Lum-
ber of persons relieved in the majority of the
agricultural districts of England if agricultural labourers !tad
net, !ike other classes of society, benefited by the cheapening
of the price of food ? ("Hear, hear," and cheers.) The
hem gentleman had truly stated that that was the class of
persons to whom their greatest sympathies and exe, lions
were due. liel,the Chancellor of the Exchequer) maintained
hoe-ever that the condition even of the agricultural labourers
had been signally ameliorated by the lowering of the price
of bread. He had stated facts which justified him in con-
tending that such was the ease, and on that grouirt, there-
fore he contended that it would not be wise or expedient to
recoesider the legislative enactments in reference to
the ohiof article of general consumption. (Hear, hear.)
These had also been • most satisfactory diminution in the
number of persons reesiveageolief in Ireland. From a state-
ment which he-bald in his:hand, it *opened that in the past
year, as compared with the plenum one, there had been a
decrease in the number of persons receiving in-door and oat-
door relief, amounting to 296,000. In the week ending the
3rd of Dee.. 1848, the number of pessons receiving in-door
relief was 192,009 ; in the week ending OR the 29th of Dee ,
1849, the number was 194,000. The number receiving out-
door relief was, in the Ist period, 393,421 ; in the 2od, 95,448.
The total number relieved in &helot period, was 585,439 ; in
the second., 289,458. Thus,though there was an increase of in-
door relief, there was a decrease on the whole of 295,972 in
the number of persons receiving relief last year. It was noto-
rious, too, that the diminution of expense was still µrester
than it would appear to be from thaws figures, in con-
sequence of the cheapness of provisions. tie was
happy to find that what Lord Chichester had stated to be
true of Bussex,was believed to be true of many cohere ',unties,
and that not only owners but occupiers of land wt re, by
draining and other improvements, endeavouring to imorove
the cultivation of the oil in every possible way. He had
never believed that the British farmer could meet w th
difficulties which he would be unable to surmount. Amongst
the various speeches which had been made on that subject
he had found one in which the speaker stated that, even with
present prices, an increased employment of labour had in
his own can led to an increase of profit. The wont policy
which (airmen could possibly pursue was, be believed, that
of discharging labourers. He was glad to find that through-
out England an increased amount of employment was being
given. That was the course which he believed to be best,
not only for the community at large but even for agricul-
turists, who would in the end derive a greater profit from
improved land than they did from the land in its pr. sent
state. His hon, friend had truly stated that there was one
branch of agriculture which was exempt from depression.
He could have wished that his hon. friend could have been
led to recognise that as a favourable symptom for agriculture,
and to indulge a hope that other branches of agriculture
would be benefited by the increased demand for their pro:
duce arising front the prosperity of trade and commerce.
(Hear, hear.) Such a hope, however, seemed never to have
crossed his hon. friend's mind, or, it it had done so,
perhaps he thought it would be unwise to express it,
considering that he had moved the amendment.
(Laughter.) Not only had the demand for British wool
increased to an extraordinary extent in this country in the
course of the past year, but there had been a corresponding
increase in the quantity of wool exported. In the year end-
ing the sth of January, 1849, exports amounted to
3,978,000 lbs. ; wherein the exports in the mune( the last
year reached the almost incredible amount of 11,000,000 lbs.
Was it too visionary a hope that the happy day would arrive
when corn, butter, and chimes, as well as wool, would be ex-
ported in considerable quantities? He did not think it
necessary to dwell on that part of the subject any longer.
The beet argument, if argument it could be called, for
protection was, that which was founded on the assumption
that its removal had indicted misery on the labouring
classes, and he had replied by showing that they were in a
bettor condition now than they were a year or two ago, es
shown by the fact, that there were fewer of them in the
receipt of parochial relief. (Bear, hear.) He would now
speak very shortly of the general state of the country. It
had always been assumed that the beat test of the pros-
perity of the country was the amount of the principal
articles of subsistence consumed by the community at large.
Now he found that, with the exception of coffee, the con-
sumption of which had fallen off, owing to peculiar circus"-
stenos, there had been an increased consumption of almost
every article. The consumption of coma had increased
from 2,936,000 lbs. to 3,200,000 lbs. ; of rum, from 2,987,000
gallons to 3,044,0J0 gallons; of brandy, from 1,600,000 gal-
lone to 2,187,000 gallons ; of Geneva, from 23,000 gallons to
27,000 gallons ; of tea, from 48,735,000 lbs. to 50,024,000 lbs.
The consumption of provisions had also very much in-
creased, though there had been a considerable diminution in
the importation of pigs from Ireland. He would now
allude very shortly to the consumption of another article,
and principally on account of the very contradictory result
which it showed to all the predictions that had been made
with reelect to it. He meant the importation of sugar.
The importation of foreign sugar (as we underlined the right
hon. gentleman to say) had slightly fallen off, while the quan-
tity of West India sugar imported had increased from
2,771,000 cwt. to 3,007,000 cwt. ; Mauritius sugar had in-
creased from 812,000 cert. to 997,000 owt.; East India, from
1,352,000 cwt. to 1,348,000 cwt. while the importation of
foreign sugar had fallen off from 1,200,000 to 497,900. With
regard to foreign spirits, so tar from it having fallen off,
the quantity had increased from 222,000 to 2211,200, and
though the quantity imported tato Ireland for home con-
sumption lhad fallen off dune the first three quarters of
the year, yet it had increased in the last quarter from
287,000 to 312,000 gallons, according to the last returns.
Other articles to which he would refer were the
raw materials which formed the bads of the em-
ployment of the people. The importation of indigo had
increased from 68,000 cwt. to 79,000 cwt. ; of flax, from I
1,316,000 to 1,876,000 owl.; of hemp, from 698,000 to
911,000 cwt. ; of hides (untanned), from 9,600 to 12,200;
hides (wet), from 320,000 to 508,000; hides (tanned), from
953,000 to 1,545,000; unwrought iron, from 21,000,000 cert.
to 24,000,000 cwt. ; olive oil, from 7,000 to 16,000 cwt. ; a
similar increase was observed in the importation of sheep and
rotten wool. With respect to the articlecopper, which it was
sail would suffer, perhaps, mere than all from the chugs of
system, they had the most favourable reports from the
mining districts of Cornwall. Employment was plentiful,
and wages were higher, while tin amount of copper imported
had considerably increased. The importation of copper ere
had lac :eased from 85,000 to 153,000 cwt. ; of wrought
copper, from 6,000 to 17,000 owe; of braes manufintures,
from 13,000 to 23,000 ewt, This increase In the importation
of raw materials woad continue, h. trusted, and would pro-
vide employment for Cite labouring elutes, An equally

lugs increase was apparent in the shipping of the country.
In the eleven months of the year ending January, 1848, the
number of ships which entered inwards war 28,245, of a ton •
nage of 8,200,000; while in the corresponding months of the
last year they were 28 946, of a tonnage of 6,687,800. The
mintier of vessels entering outwarle is 1848 was 23,394, of
4,679,000 tons ; while in 1819 it was 25,669, of 6,126,000 tons.
He felt that he was wearying the house with all these de-
tails, but upon so great a queotion he thought it his duty to
lay before hon. members all the feats in his possession—
facts which could not be dieputed, and which every
candid puma would admit fully proved all his statements.
He should ill discharge his duty on such an occasion were
he not to bring forward facts appertaining mots p•rtieularly
to the office which he had the haunt to fill in her Majesty's
government. He must allude to the state of the
The hon. gentleman (Mr. Villiers) who moved the address
had stated correctly the amount of the surplus. There had
been a considerable improvement in every branch of the
us during the last nisi. month.. He would not men-
tion the details; he was certain that the house would be
satisfied with the feet, that owing to the increased revenue,
and still more to the reduction of expenditure, there was an
exam of income over expenditure on the 6.h January
last, of 2,980,0001. (Loud cheers.) The hoe. gentle-
man had referred also to the state of the bank
and had correctly stated the amount of bullion in the
Bank. Nuw it was one of the greet arguments of the oppo-
nents of the recent legislative changes in the commercial
policy of the country that all the bullion would be exported.
Their predictions had been most glaringly contradicted, the
amount of bullion in the Bank having reached an almost
unheard of figure ; and the amount of bullion exported in
the coarse of the year not having been more than 600,0001.
or 700,0001. at the most. His hon. friend had warned them
not to boast too much of this prosperity. He quite
coneurnd in that warning ; but he did hope that
nothing would occur to destroy it; he hoped that the
experience se recently acquired of the effects of overdpecula-
tion would defer all parties from pursuing a similar course
new. He believed that the country had now entered on •
steady course of proapi rity, in which, under the pleasure of
Providence, it would cocaine. Tree imprevessent which
bad taken place in the general condition of the country, and
from which the agricultural interests had partially been ex-
cluded, would, he believed, very steadily extend itself to
them, now that they were dependent on their own intelli-
, genet, energy, and industry, loundationa which could not be
shaken. (Cheeses.)

Mr. H. J. HERBERT had heard much said about the
increase in the 000sumption of sheep's wool, but nothing
about the decrease in the production of sheep. The woollen
manufacturers were prospering, but the manufacture of
sheep had, by the withdrawal of protection, been rendered
unprofitable.
Mr. FAGAN said that the hon. member who had just sat
down had not made a single observation pertioent to the
subject before the house. Respecting the improvement of
Ireland, he differed from the honourable member, who
should recollect what was the condition of that country
prier to and daring the potato famine. Four millions of the
people subsisting on a description of food which tailed them
during a petiod of three) years, and the tenant farmers
obliged to dispose of their cat le and farming implements for
subsistence. A better state of things was now in promos,
and although the improvement was not eitentive,it was still
improvement, and gave good indications for the tutor..
Within the last two months there had been a con-
siderable improvement in the price of cattle, and
other articles of farming predate had also improved.
His hon. friend, the member for K ,rry, had alluded to the
increase of Irish vagrancy in England. He (Mr. Fagan)
believed that that vagrancy had diminished, and that, thanks
to free trade, the greater number of poor Irish who had
come over had found employment. (Hear, hear.) As to
the recent election of his bon. and gallant colleague being
proof of a re-action in Ireland in favour of protection. he de-
nii d the inference &hope her. (Protectionist cheers.) He em-
phatically denied that protection principles had anything to do
with that election. Having these views, he felt bonnd,
as an Irish member, to give his vote
.against the amend-
ment.

Sir J. WALSH had just returned from Ireland, and Ye-
gretted that the only article of produce which supplied eto
trade of that island red been tamp:red with, and its profits
deemed. He witnes-ed the severity of the competitiin
carried on by tt is country, when the utmost efforts rf 1 sbour
and science were barely able to reader the balance equal
with countries where the cultivator had but to scratch the
surface of the earth. The recent nt,asure of the ministry
had resulted in putting the spirit of patriotism, an' the in-
terest of the United Kingdom *picot the spirit of selfish-
mu and demagoguism.
Mr. GRANTLEY BERKELEY was sorry to fled that
in her Majesty's speech a total ril-rice had been maintained
respecting an important limb in the national oody corporate,
—namely, the colonies, which the :washer for Manchester
had recommended to be utteriy swamped. After a warm
and miecellaneeua attack on what tlae hon. meals r termed
the " Manchester schoA " of politicians, he declared that
although a free trader, he was forced to cangucl.s that the
,free trade which the ministry had bruezht in upon an un-
prepared country was a sad and d'egraceful failure.

The Marquis of GRANI3Y movcd the adj.)urnment of
the uebste.

Lord J. RUSSELL asked Mr. Disraeli whether, as far as
he could speak, it was probable that a thvition would be
come to to-morrow (this) night
Mr. DISRAELI replied that, as far as he understood, the
divicion would take place ti-morrow, but he could not give
allY pledge to that effect.

The house then adjourned at five minutes past 12 o'clock.

itCht erortgg•