The Sun.
London, England, 1839-02-19 00:00:00

12,!.389 individuals, and the Chamber of Commerce of
r.ieweastle-on-Tyne, for a total repeal of the Corn-laws.
, . lord BROUGHAM presented petitions to the ,
!a!ne.'effect from . Stourbridge, Sollihill, Henworth,
;'rest Bromwich, and St. Peter's Ward, Birming-
lam. He held in his hand a number of other
petitions to the same effect, with the names of which he
weuld not trouble their Lordships. Among others
was a petition from a most respectable body of
their fellow-citizens, the electors, and non-electors of
the borough of Marylebone, signed by many thou-
sn d persons. 'He had also seventeen petitions to the
same effect from various places, but he would not
trouble their Lordships with reading their names ; one
one of them was from Carlisle. He had also a
petition signed by sixteen thousand inhabitants
of Birmingham assembled at a public meeting, who
afterwards signed that petition. That meeting did not
come to a resolation in favour of the present petition—
( Hear, hear, from the Oposition benches)—but he would
shortly show that it was so inuch the worse for
the opponents of the Repeal of the Corn-laws.
Thoie who opposed the petition were any
thing but friends. to the Noble Lords opposite, fur they
went a great deal further than the 16,000 who had
signed the petition. They took their ground, and de-
tided that until extensive Reforms were effected
ill Parliament, there was no use in petitioning either
that or the other House. He was happy to
say, however, that 15,000 or 16,000 respectable per-
son 3 differed with them, and still had confidence in Par-
liament, and still were ready and willing to trust their
case in their Lordships' hands. He had petitions
a!so to present from the great town of Liverpool,
signed by twenty-five or twenty-six thousand inhabi-
tants to the same cffact. This was agreed upon at a public
tretiog, :Ind he believed with no dissentient. It was
to be prvseitte.l by a Noble Earl connected with York-
titire.and Northaraptonshire,but who had been pr ,vented,
lvateident, presenting it, but whose opinions entirely
'*eel with it, The Noble and Learned -Lord then
Lord, in rising—
Lord 'VERNON--1 have some petitions to present.
Lord BROUGH.A.NI-1 made a pause in order to
eb!e Lords to present their petitions and ask
However I gave no objection to wait for
~e. •

~'~t ~tio:a.

Lord VERNON then presented a petition from
.;:•Iper, in the neighbourhood of Derby ; from thv
,yor, Aldermen, and Town Council of Stockport ;
7,000 inhabitants of Stockport, pra3 ing to
-d by their Counsel and Agents against
syst-An of Corn-laws. Ile would
Ice that opportunity, if it was not detaining
"- and Learned Lord or the House
to correct a mistake which had been made as
what he did last week. He had the honour pre--
ging a petition from the Mayor and Corporation of
praying for the total repeal of the Cunt-laws.
-ort, Viliich appeared of it, it was stated to he

pi.eJetit

too loci

le the r

from ;lie 01Neweastle ; how such a mistake
arose he (lid nut know, unless it was because a Noble
nl of his had presented a petition Immediately
before him from Newcastle. He would net have
taken any notice of the mistake, only it was liable to
give rise to ;to opinion that petitions were carelessly
ated ire Ci 4 t House.

CORN-LAWS.
Lord BROUGHAM said—My Lords, is rising to
addle..sa your Lordships on this very important subject,
whidi occupies the minds of all men out of doors, and
winch, I may add, occupies no small shire of the
interests and attentions of this House, 1 conicss
I have considerable difficulty in performing the task 1
uotlertoek, and very great uneasiness at the proTeet
I bare of standing before you, opposed in ne
common tneasure to strong feelings among many
of you, and to very great—and 1 will add, with
all possible respect—l am almost sure groun't-
lees apprehensions. It has often been my lot
whether at that bar, or upon your bench, in the dis-
charge of professional duties, or standing here as a
I'eer of the Realm, to deliver my own individual opi-
nions—it has oftentimes been my lot to state things
which were distasteful to this House—(Cries
of " IL'ar")—when I knew that my statements differed
from your Lordships' opinions. I have sometimes gone
against strong, conscientious, deeply-rooted convictions,
grounded on principle. I have at other times been
compelled, by a sense of my duty, imperative and un-
yieldiug on me, to run counter to what you deem
the interests of the mass.—(Hear.) But on the
present occasion I feel that both these antagonist princi-
ples and feelings are working against me, and that you
think you have an interest in opposing this, and that if
you do not succeed you fail in performing a duty. Little
then should I think I should ever discharge my duty if I
did not know, that there is in this House, and I
trust always will be in this House, the highest
Court of Judicature in the country—the gravest
and most. dispassionate Senate in the country—
a
body of the most enlightened men that adorn
and, fortify the Constitution. who never will rashly.
de..iide on behalf of any proposition without hearing it
thoroughly discussed, but who still less even will de-
cide against any proposition without giving those
who proposed it the most ample and impartial, and
dahhoPate, and calm hearing upon its real merits.
'MA you should reject a proposition only calling upon
you to hear—that you should say " no " to a prayer
only preferred to consider and examine—that with-
out hearing what can be said, and urged, ani
proved, you should turn your backs upon the
prayers of the people—that when evidence is
tendered at your bar upon oath to propositions of fact
•• of the most alarming importance to the highest interests
of the country—you, this high Court of Judicature—
you, this grave Senate—you, this body of reflecting,
accomplished, learned, and deliberative men, should at
once say " the matter is important, but we will not
hear it—le propositions of fact which you offer
to prove are grave in their consequences, aye,
in their nature, perilous in their possible re-
ti but we won't hear a tittle of the evidence
which you say you are prepared to give on your oath."
My Lords, I will not believe it, till you yourselves tell
tee the impossibility, and that it is true. There-
fore it is, my Lords, I feel less anxiety now,
than I did when, a few minutes ago, I rose
to commence my address to you, for I now feel fortified
by the conviction that that is impossible, and that you
never will tell me that that is true..—(Hear, hear.)
My Lords, I dare to take consolation from
another source. lam here to war with no interest.