The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-04-19 00:00:00

The Duke of ATIIO b presented mistral petitions from parishes
In Perthshire, against any alteration in the present system of bank-
ing in Scotland.
LIVERPOOL RAIL-ROAD.

The Earl of 1-4allail4prese 711edapeti:10n from the town of
Liverpool; in favour of the'Maneheeter Rail mad.
Mr. Mandy, and oilier Members of theiCammons, presented mes-
sages from the Commons, giving their pevrnissino to the examina-
tion of 3lr• Cache Fn.ter, (lottlburn. Mr !I ark e. and other
Members of that 'louse, before them upon vatidos
subjects. . .

hie A. Campbell, it William 001111, and other Members or the
House of Commoas, presented several private Wile. •
CORN LAWS.
Lord CALTIIORPE wished to make a few observatioefs before
hepresented a petition which he then held in his hand, It was
from the town of Birminghatn, praying tar a repeal of 'the Corn
Laws. He could not forbear drawing their lordships' attention to
a petition coming from eo respectable a portion of the manufactu-
ring interest, and his Lerdship Wiieved that the petition expressed
the eendosents of the manufacturers of the kingdom. One of the
great evils of the Corn Laws was, their tendency to arm two jut-
portant classes of the community against each ether, and the IMter
the delay in repealing thee laws. the greater the delusion welch
must prevail between the manufacturing and agricultural interests.
His Lordship thought the conduct of his elajesty's Ministers had
placed the landed interest in en invidious point of view. The
landed proprietors-were held up ss ignolant and obstinate, and in-
capable of being convinced. It was the date of Ministers to enforce
such measures as they considered for the benefit of all drool, and
to assume-the responsibility of thole emeasures; and his Lordship
apprehen.ded that further delay would result in difficulties greater
than those which had isceurred during the Ire unfortunate crisis.
Ministers would be as little prepared, and they would have no ex-
cuse to fly to the country for assistance; because they had been fre-
quently cautioned and called upon to provide for the approaching
storm. TheirgLort)ships had-received petitions from numerous and
respectable bodies against the Corti Laws. The petitioners had not
merely consulted their own interests, but were actuated by a wish
to promote the interests of ail classes of the community. There
was no greater f4llacy than that the interests of two great classes in
the state should be inconsistent with each other. His Lordship
thought the interests of the ogriculudal and manufacturing classes
were identified, and if they should be placed in a conflicting posi-
tion it must be injurious toboth.
The petition weediest read.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL, was surprised at the uneroverked
attack which the Noble Lord had theught proper to make upon the
course which his Majesty's elinistees had puireted nn the subject
of the ('mm Laws. During the last Session of Parliament, he
(Lord LiverpoOl) had said, that the whole subject of the Corn
Laws should be reviewed
_by Perliement ; and he had not only
=Red -Rear, trefeeteran ataW;talltesitettle-trtetrisrtruattres The dlitit.
rent views in which lie thought the subject might be considered by
Parliament. Ile had also alluded to the Report of the Committee,
in which he did nor entirely agree. That Report confirmed him in
the opinion that the subject should be reviewed by Parliament ;
but when a great object was to be attained, it wits the duty of every
person, feeling an interest in the attainment of it, to look to the time
end circumstances; and, looking to them, he did not think this a
proper time to bring the subject ender discussion ; and he believed
that to be the general opinion. His Lordship had seen enough of
public life to know, that whatever might be the merits of any ques-
tion, there might be circumstances which ahnuld be considered be-
fore it could be pressed upon the attention of Parliament. There
might be times when it would be prudent to refrain from the agi-
tation of an important subject ; but if any Noble Lord wished to
bring the Corn Laws under the consideration of the House, it was
quite competent for him to do so. The :Noble Lord had amid that
the interests of' all classes time identified, and that no two
could be conflicting; that argument cut two ways; there were
other subjects as well as the Coen Laws to which it would apply,
and which required to be considered previously to the adoption of
those principle; which had been laid down by the Noble Earl.
His Lordship would bring the consideration of the Corn Laws be-
fore the Rouse whenever he thought the interest of all parties
could be bent consulted ; and he would exercise his discretion as to
the fitness of the time. With respect to the allusions which had been
made to the present supply of rein, the less conjecture was made
about the quantity the better. Those who had the best informa-
tion found it difficult to form an acecurate opinion upon this paint.
Whatever the present quantity of corn might be, his bordehip
could not see any advantage likely to arise from the agitation of
the subject this session. Although the Noble Lord had stated that
the interests of all classes were identified, he would fi that a
great clashing of opinions would take place whenever those iotc-
rests should be brought into discussion.

—LordI,4LTHOAPE explained.
Lord KING said, that considerable distress prevailed amongst
the manufacturers, which he attributed principally to the operation
of the Corn Laws; and if it should be asked what had been done
by his Majesty's Ministers to alleviate that distress, the answer
Must be—nothing. Last year an unsuccessful attempt was made
to art? the Canada Corn Bill, and at that time it was expected that
some measure would be introduced this Session ; but in that the
public were disappointed. It would be better to tix some period at
which corn from Canada would be admitted into the country. Such
a measure would hold out to the growers or corn in Canada an in.
ducentent to cultivate grain ; but he feared there would be
no great hope of that. Mt Lordship had heard o!' a power
behind the throne greater than the throne itself; and upon
the subject of the Corn Laws there was a power sitting near
the Ministers, greater than the 31inisters themselves. This
was elect from the defeat which they ext:erienced upon the'
Canada Corn Bill last year. The Noble Earl at the head of the
Treasury was ou tl.st occasion obliged to yield to his superiors—
. Molts gemens ignominiaw plagasque superbi
Victoria."
It was the Noble Earl (Maleneabury) who had been victorious—he
was the conquering hero of the Canada Corn Bill. For the Noble
Earl's ttiumph he deserved to have a Malniesbury Club, similar to
the Pitt Club, formed by the landed proprietors, to commemorate
the achievements of their guardian.
The Earl of MALMESBUIW said it was not for the beneSt of
the landed proprietors alone that the Corn Laws wete enacted ; and
his Lerdship conceived that their interest was very much affected
by the state et' suspense in which they were placed by some of the
regulations which had been adopted. With respect to the idea of
scarcity, he did not nee any apprehension of it. When he had op-
posed the Canada Corn Bill, he had 81:ppotted another Bill for
admitting the consumption or lounded corn.
Laid on the table. _

Lord KING presented a petition from the Corporation of Tailors
of the city of Glasgow, praOng tor a repeal of the Corn Laws,
which his Lordship observed was signed by their great seal. Ili;
Lordship presented a similar petition from Perthshire.
Adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, TUESDAY, Atm 18.

ABOLITION•OF NEGRO SLAVERY.

Mr. 11. :4.21AiL0,11 presented a petition from a place in the
county of Down, praying* die Abolition of Negro Slavery, and
complaining that the mild OM4a of Ministers had not been carried
into operation by the Colonist Governments. -
Sir ISAAC COFFIN said, that people seemed to forget the
battiest that had been fought for those islands. otherwise they would
not wish to relinquish a property so es ily. which had cost so much
in the acquisition. The most active petitioners were the Quakers
and the Saints, who never haratled their lives in acquiring or in
defending the possessions of the empire. If it was thought lit to
emnneipate the slaves, let an island be purchased for the experi-
ment, trembly to the proposal made by the inhabitants of An.
tigua. She vicpetiment might in that way be made with safety ;
but lie would undertake to prophet.),
.that free labour would never
pnwper in the West Indiert,
Mr. M. A. TAYI,OIt said, that the prayer of the petitior.ers
hid in its favour the unanimous voice of the empire. He a ould
always give his vote for the discontinuince of slavery, although he
was willing to yield to the iptentions of Gpverntacht to effect the
change by degrees.
Ordered to he on the table.
Petition, tp.thsa e me effect were presented from Stonrbridge, by
Sir T. Winnington ; from Crawley, in' Sussex, by Mr. Curlers ;
Arld from Bumtisland, by Sir ,Agutsou i also; from Forman,