The Sun.
London, England, 1830-02-09 00:00:00

THE ADDRESS.

Mr. Secretary PEEL brought up his Majesty's most
gracious answer to the Address, (for which see Lords.)

On the motion of the Right Hon. Gentleman, it Iva,
ordered to be entered on the Journals of the House.

Sir J. GRAHAM presented a petition from Cumber-
land, praying the House, at an early period of the
Session, to take into their serious consideration the
distressed state of the country. The petition stated, that
after a period of fifteen years' peace trade had become less
profitable, and profits much less.—(Hear, hear.)—
That the distress now felt throughout the country was
not confined to any particular class ; it oppressed both the
landlord and tenant, the ship-owner, the banker, the
miner, and tradesman, of every class and degree—all were
falling into a general ruin. The petitioners stated that
they could not assign any particular cause for such an
universal disaster; but they were of opinion that some
general ground existed, and begged of the House to in-
quire in the fullest manner into the subject. The Ho-
nourable Baronet said it was not his intention to go into
a statement of the vital importance of the subject contained
in the petition, as several notices had been given when
an opportunity would be afforded of so doing. He would
however no* mention that at an early opportunity, he
thought on Friday next, if it met the wishes of his Right
Hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer, as that day
was named for a Committee of Supply, he would move
a resolution to the following effect, " That the
salaries of all persons employed in a public situa-
tion, either civil or military, be reduced to the
scale of 1797," That was the effect of the resolution he
should propose. He was aware that the Hon. Member
for Aberdeen had a notice of motion for that night, but he
hoped that his Hon. Friend would allow his (Sir J. Gra-
ham) to take precedence ; be had no doubt but that he
would do so, as it would be only in unison with the gene-
ral tenour of his accommodating spirit.--(Laughter.)
Mr. HUME had no hesitation in acceding to the re-
quest of his Hon. Friend, as it appeared to him that the
object of hie Hon. Friend's motion was to effect the reduc-
tion of the expenditure, and therefore it ought to precede his
motion, which had for its object the reduction of taxation.
Taking it for granted that his Hon. Friend's motion
would occupy a considerable part of Friday evening ; and,
unwilling as he was to bring on his own at a late period
of the evening, he desired to give notice that 1?e should
postpone his motion from Friday until Monday night.
Mr. HUME wished to know from the Hon. Gentleman
opposite (Sir G. Murray) whether it would be necessary,
for him to make a motion for the production of the accounts
respecting *174 expenditure, IYbi9 bv, had pro!

PRICE 7D.

mised last year to lay before the House in the course of the
present Session. He (Mr. Flume) thought it necessary
with the view he and others had to a complete revision of
the expenditure of the Colonies, that those accounts
should be laid before the House in as correct a manner
and to as late a period as was possible.
Sir G. MURRAY was not exactly aware. to what ac-
counts the Hon. Member alluded ; but if he would have
the goodness to mention the subj!et to him any day in the
course of the week, he would give him all the information
in his power.
Mr. HUME said that during last Session an account of
the revenue of every colony was moved for, and those ac-
counts should be printed ; when the Hon. Gentleman op-
posite said that in the course of the ensuing Session he
should be able to submit to the House later and more cor-
rect copies than he had it in his power then to do, such
were the accounts now enquired after.
Sir G. MURRAY promised that the best and latest
accounts that could be procured should within a short
time be laid before the House.

Mr. HUME said that there was an account which
had lately been called the Dead Weight—an account
showing the amount of paupers for superannuated allow-
ances, distinguishing several departments for the years front
1822 to 1825, inclusive, and he now moved for a similar ac-
count, to be continued for the years 1826, 27, and 28. Also
for an account of the advances from the Bank of England
to Government, including Exchequer Bills for the years
1827 and 1828, such ns had been laid before the House
for the nine preceding years. An account of the foreign corn
imported into Great Brit tin and Ireland, distinguishing
the foreign and English ships that brought it for
the years 1827, 28, and 29 An account of the silver
coinage from July 1828 to December 1829. Also an ac-
count of the funds placed at the disposal of the Crown, not
usually as considered coming under the cognizance of Par-
liament, from each year from 1520 down to the present
time.

Mr. O'CONNELL presented a petition from Cork,
praying the House to take into consideration the situation
of negroes in the Britisk Colonies. The petition
was passed at a public meeting ealled by ad-
vertisement, and numerously attended by persons of
every religious and political persuasion, who all cordially
agreed in the resolutions. Me would not yield to the temp-
tation of entering into a premature discussion of this subject,
but he felt bound to declare his unalterable con', iction that no
human being could, consistently with justice, be the pro-
petty of another human being. He had been desired by
the petitioners not to allow the present Session
to pass by without applying fur a legislative en-
actment (which lie should certainly do, should that
be left to so humble an individual as himself) to fix a
period beyond which no British subject should be born
a slave, and if he should not proceed in procuring that
enactment, he should move for an Act to admit slaves
to redeem themselves from slavery at a fair price. Mr.
O'Connell concluded by giving notice that he should bring
forward another petition, which complained of the il-
legality of Mr. Gerard Callaghan's election for Cork on
the 25th. Also that on the 15th March he should move
for leave to bring in a Bill, declaring that the publication
of truth should not be declared libellous.—(Laughter.)