The Sun.
London, England, 1831-09-13 00:00:00

WINE DUTIES.

Lord ALTHORP, in moving that the report on the
Wise Duties be received, said that as he was desirous that
the present measure should be adopted without opposition,
it was not his intention to introduce any clause respecting
the increase of the duties on Cape wines, which would re-
main at 2s. 91. ; but he begged that it might not be
thought that he was abandoning his former proposition
with respect to the year 1831.
The report was then received, the amendments agreed
to, and the Bill ordered to be read a third time this day.

SUGAR REFINERY ACT.

On the question that the Speaker leave the Chair pre-
vious to the House going into a Committee on this Bill,
Mr. KEITH DOUGLAS rose to bring forward the
motion of which he had given notice. The West India
colonies were already in a most depressed state ; and he
thought that the present proposition of the Government
would only tend to increase that depression. It was now
far a long series of years that the colonies had had to con-
tend against the greatest difficulties; and he thought, that
unless the Government of this country was prepared to al-
leviate those difficulties, it should at all events he prepare d
to absolve the colonies from their allegiance to this country,
so
to allow them to join with the United States; aed,

indeed, is his opinion, everything that bad tel/'
taking place in the West Indies had been tending tm;loat
What hopes could the West India colonies entertsl,llt
this country ? The Government, which should "ws
have put prominently forward this Parliament l'APold
its intentions with respect to those intereatsy 6°04
itself with this measure; and seemed to forget vehst
the colonies had on this country in eonsiderstO:or
slave trade; for while the foreign colonies bad le,
tage of a continual series of fresh slaves being brA
their markets, ours were obliged to get througb,ibeoo
with those who remained of former imporiatiatift
the price of slaves was considerably higher. .a:its
lowing the West India colonies to sink into ruitel
Government was not only injuring those .11
tr
but also inflicting considerable mischief °l'
manufactures of this country, which for so long ser
had found a market there ; and yet, with all tbeee,ig
siderations loudly demanding that our colonies #,s
0,,
supported, nothing of late years had been done ss,ol
the amelioration of their condition, with the exceP'ot
a small remission of the duties. It was true, tb,4tool
Lord Goderich was Chancellor of the Exchequer Woo
a show of doing something ; but after all, that o'o reii,
statement of an act of intention, and nothing had i°,
been accomplished. And, indeed, at the present tiloe
colonies were even still worse off, for, up to 18'0'0
co'onist had received an additional drawback of se' ,r 4,
had enabled him the better to enter into coinpetitiorle,
the foreign planter ; since that period, however, even
olil
had been altered : and now the affairs of the colaD
arrived at so desperate a condition, that he did I°4l
sitate to say, that one of the most imperative o'
which were devolved on the present Government if
inquire how support might be afforded in that q°o,:'
before it indeed became too late to do anything. t?
the colonists were thus depressed in their ilog'lr tri
neither were their interests better cared for in the rtioll,f
which, by the superior advantages allowed to Scold
Irish whiskey, was unable to compete in the British v;
against those spirituous liquors. These, then, were
the important grievances of which the colonies had tee'
plain ; and yet he found that the only measure which the,:'
Lord had to propose this Session, which had reference
West Indies, was this Sugar Refinery Act. To such'
he should at any time have objected, as being diamet)
opposed to the West India interests ; but at the P°
time more than any other there were peculiar objeetio,'
it. Ever since the French Reviilution of July, ISs,?
state of trade on the Continent had been in a very def,
stite, and England, among other countries, had fr •
depression ; the consequence was, that the maoul
of this country were lying on hand, and that the
nental articles of produce were in the same elit
then, we allowed foreign sugar.to be brought beret)
refined, and then sent back, the result would be II
being an overstock of the article on the Continent,/
our colonists would be forced to reduce their price 4„,
as the continental, to be able to compete with the 1
from that quarter. Such a circumstance would c°,nb
the ruin of the West India colonies ; and he should
it
.ore move, as an amendment, that the House red° c,
indteoraatiCoo n nm
thei ttsetea
toefmtehnet
sv:thcoallec u
Ina
toiuosnes,, toa
ntake
es
pi_°l

submitted to the Board of Trade, relating to the col.;
financial, and political state of the British West bl II
lonies, and printed by the House of Commons on tietls
of February, 1831. And in the event
amendment being agreed to, he should take 8 0
portunity in the Committee of bringing forwsrater(i
of resolutions on the subject. It would be bet,,il
Government to take an open course, and c°'
some settled determination as to the colonies"
would be better for the Government to say at Or)
will provide for your interests, or at once to atm° Or)
colonies from their allegiance, and to allow them reil
protection from some other country. To that, ".,0
frail, it would come; and if the Government d'ti
afford the colonies protection, they might be e%Pecio)
throw off their allegiance. The Hon. Member 00c
by
Mr.k maing his 'notion. O
DIXON said a few words,which were not a„ticli
Mr. P. THOMSON hoped that the House sv°,,,"
low him to go into a Committee, when he should
pared to make that statement of what were the
of the Government, which would be bett'r Inadeideot

Committee, and for not making which the Hon. "tt,6,
seemed inclined to reproach his Majesty's Gove
r fit.
He was sorry the Hon. Member had not chosen I'
opportunity to make his statement ; and that it we'l,oo
favourable one, the thin appearance of the House ettt„s
have satisfied the Honourable Member. ne
have other opportunities of answering the/
nourable Gentleman, and should, therefore,
following his statements. The Honourable tr,
her had, however, brought a charge agailllooli,
Majesty's Government, as to the course it had Por
and to that charge he would reply. The Hon.
complained that the Government bad not talc° seP";
papers into consideration which the West India leaV
had submitted to it; but the Hon. Member forgeV
af'er those papers had been submitted to the 13'„
Trade by the West Indians there was a debate ""tii
subject in that House. His Noble Friend (the Chi:"
lor of the Exchequer) then offered to refer the
ter to a Committee, but both the Noble Lord, °vet's"
her for Buckinghamshire, and the Right Hon. 70,
the Member for Tamworth, advised the West pttbsto",
to accept the offer, and declared that it was a,td
which the Government ought to take up, and ca
ward on its own responsibility. The Governatelor'
`teen pressed to afford relief, and it had done °:00
could ; but it could not, by adopting the stiege;thj
the West Indians, disregard all other interests. .I.'sci
vernment bad taken the subject into its considerane
such relief as it could give it had given, and further
sures were still in contemplation. The charge v4'sly,
the Government had not attended to the suggestifalsel
West Indians. The first of these was, that the °;')1
sugar should be reduced ; but his ls,oble Friend Its
once stated, that be could not concede to thatt: is
sition on account of the state of the revenue. I:ter4
point was to give them relief by enabling them 10 101.,'1
supplies at a cheaper rate. This had been done. iffy
tercourse Act had been passed, and reliefhad been a 0,
—(No, no.) At least Government had done soniLler
afford relief. The third suegestion was to give 3
on the exportation of refined sugar. He clid not de7
".4
such a measure would give relief to the West Indis"tses
it would injure the revenue, and increase the priret,At
consumer; and it was one which be was sure, l°e;lacp
he present state of pu'die feeling, the GovernMelPet
never propose, nor the House receive with 1)361,16
would not at present be borne that a tax should L't,-
on the people to pass directly into the pockets of the
Indians. The Hon. Gentleman said " No, 00°„fci
then, would it operate ? Would it not increase t'esi
to the consumer, and would not the whole sum gas
the West Indians come out of the pockets of the t
The Government had done what it could to introdueceo/;
'asses into the breweries, which was another °lr-0
giving relief The whole charge against the Gore,'
then fell to the ground. Why did the West India ,(ye
have the subject refer red to a Committee above stailloil`j
it was offered ; and why did they not ask for a Cler„,
of the whole House to examine a subject that real°
closest investigation ? It was impossible for a Coloe
of the whole House to examine documents and heloilrto
dence before it to substantiate them; and quite introit
therefore, that the Committee should be grantedbe
motion of the Hon. Gentleman. The charge of two'''
vernment not sympathising with the West Indians
borne out by the facts. The Government bad "Pant
labour to collect information, no labour to undefattcal
subject, and no labour to ascertain what was the he' Ci‘
to adopt. That it had not succeeded to the firirt,4
tleman's wishes was not surprising, for the Who
diens did not agree among themselves as tow pr.°
wished. The Honourable Member opposed theito4
Sugar Refining Bill, but be could bring West,„o 111(
well acquainted with all the bearings of the one't.":eev
approved of it as a benefit to the colonies. Sale
men thought the 'eduction of duty would hear.
oe'efilr,
nefit, but he could find West Indians who maintelt of,
it would be no benefit at all. The whole subjeebelld
colonies, particularly as they were referred to hY t isety
Gentleman at the close of his speech, was
with very important political considerations, Wit,' p' shis?
net fall within his province to discuss, that Pi-00
think himself blameable if he entered further ge,
let
subject on such an occasion, and in such a licnia
admitted the great importance of the subject, 't
was, in his opinion, a sufficient reason to regreloolf)
had been discussed incidentally, when so fey°
pF
were present.
at the96hj
on CeoxlouporetlinTgOßrellfirEieNd Ssudgiadr nuo.t,,scotnhcv
eeioen
ityb
could be devised to give rebel to the West Pcosef njeadib )
rest. That body had a right, he thought, 0, rfrai
of the Administration ; and not merely of t''ep
Administration, but of former Administrations. ositi
complain, too, of those who advocated its e,e,
they appeared not to understand it. Both
it'iisfi
of the distress and the measures that woul° ily
lief were more obvious than people gen,.ert'oar
posed. The great cause of the distress was, t"""ed l°1"
nies grew more sugar than could be ron'ufd tbe,
country: it was exported to the Continent, a'.lce 017
at which the export sold determined the Prt tbec
sugar that was consumed at home. The mstaoi •

--
r Inane

Hon. i
Gave'

Chosen a
at it 0.01
Hone
He °
,g the,.
refore,

wrable
aiv
agit
it bad pitATei

he Givery
'est laditi7
•
)ove ea 01
Or a C°i6o,')l
tequ
Fora C°"3
a and b3,1:ol l'tv
ittite ill'', toi
nted
gra-
tbe
j.e of
Ingdiana
t ~(1 aP‘ol '
11 ,
undeists"co,
La the be't
the 000',
the We't GI
Is to Wtte,
ased