The Sun.
London, England, 1822-05-21 00:00:00

parts of his Right Hon. Friend's Bill. It might be said flat
they were a body who felt anxiously alive to their own exclu-
sive interests ; but so did all bodies, and so ought all bodies of
men.—(Hear, hear !)—lt was their opinion, that where a com-
petition existed, an advantage should not be taken from one
party which would result to the benefit of tly.. other. But the
difference of expence in navigating an English ship of 509 tons,
and a foreign ship of the same burthen, was, including the
building, insurance, sailors' wages, and food, upwards of 1,7001.
against the English ship ; and therefore the foreign ship ought
not to be placed in the carne condition with the English ship.
At all events, parties should haVe time to consider the subject
before it passed into a law.—(Hear, hear !)
The SPEAKER then -left the chair, and-the Bill was com-
mitted.

Mr. DAVENPORT moved that the words " thrown silk"
be omitted in the enumeration of articles to which the Bill
should extend.

Mr. BASTARD was for further time for those interested in
this question to understand.
Mr. T. WILSON denied that he had been a party to any
clamour on the subject. lie did not think that the measure
would be productive of the good which the Right Hon. Gen-
tleman anticipated.
Mr. ELLICE rose only to suggest the propriety of giving
time for the fullest consideration of the subject. Silk, which
could be thrown in this country only for 95., could be thrown
in Italy for 2s. He hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman would
give an opportunity of discussing the subject at spine future
stage, either at the bringing up of the report, or some more
convenient time.

Mr. WALLACE said, he would not consent to have the
Bill stopped ; but he was not at all- unwilling to hear what
Hon. Gentlemen, had to say at any stage upon the subject.
Mr. M. A. TAYLOR would oppose the Bill in every stage,
and would be for inserting any article by which the Bill might
be likely to be thrown out. If passed into a law, it would
transfer the trade of England to the opposite shores.
Mr. DAVENPORT was understOod to withdraw his amend-
ment.

Mr. RICARDO said, he thought he was not so much wed-
ded to old opinions as his Hon. Friend near him.—(A laugh.)—
lie would support the Bill, for his only complaint was that it
went not far enough. He hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman
would go on in the same course.
Mr. Alderman BRIDGES made some observations which
were not heard.

Mr. BROUGHAM said, he recognised in this Bill a por-
tion, though a very minute portion, of the improvements in our
law which had often been recommended from his side of the
House. A few years since, he had occasion to call attention to
the state of the manufacturers of this country, who had been then
almost as much distressed as the agriculturists were now.—
He had then alluded to the improvement of the. Navigation
Laws as a remedy. He had remarked that they. had indeed
been once beneficial, but that their character had since changed.
01; that occasions the very person who now brought forward the
present measure, the head of the Board of Trade, had moved
the passing to tie Order of the Day. Such had been the Right
Hon. Gentleman's mode of treating the Petitions of the people
then. He (Mr. Brougham) rejoiced that in this improving
age, in the course of five years, the measure which had been so
treated then was now brought forward under auspices which
made-success almost certain. From the circumstances, however,
he would make this inference—and it was the moral of the tale
—when gentlemen on his side of the House proposed measures
founded on the soundest principles, sanctioned by experience,
and supported by the authority of the wisest men, they ought
not to be set down as visionary anti absurd; for such had been
the epithets applied to his suggestions from the benches oppo-
site, which had been then more replenished with Members, for at
~present they were not in a state of replenishment. The usual
logic had then been resorted to—" Never mind whether the prin-
ciples are true and the measures proper; it is necessary to op-
pose them, coming from the other side." Finding that relaxa-
tion had begun on a point where it was not natural to. have
expected it, he had no doubt that some farther relaxations would
take place as those points where a liberal policy was more ma-
nifestly the interest of the merchant. If such relaxations were
proposed, he was sure that they would be received with the same
consentaneous chorus of cheers that the Houie had heard
upon the present occasion. He hoped, in the first place, that
the principle of this Bill would be made more effectaial by
being applied to the criminal law and the system of taxation,
as well as to the commercial policy of the country • and he
trusted in the second, that when -at another time similar pro-
positions should emanate from his side of the House, they
would meet with more liberal treatment than they were accus-
tomed to receive from the Ministerlal Benches, and better for-
tune from the House at large. He heartily rejoiced that the
Petitioners -were still to be heard, though they h'ad lost their
opportunity by laches ; for the Bill, if passed, would then be
passed with greater contentment, and would be productive of
more extensive relaxation.

~Tlie CHANCELLOR
of the EXCHEQUER said when
the 1.....rned Gentleman brought forward his motion
for relaxation a the Navigation Laws, it was admitted that
mignt,.n rated from a strin
of other resolutions, which the Hon. and Learneu metuuel aui
mitted, and which the House could not entertain. He had
never been an enenry to the policy of relaxing the Silk Trade.
He had always bcea of opinion, that monopoly in that branch
ought to be done avay.
Mr. ELLICE sad; that if the House consented to take off
the restrictions now mposed on trade, it must also consent to
take off all the burdens in the shape of taxation to which it was
liable. If he did nit believe Ministers to be in earnest in their
anxiety to takeoff al the burdens on the Shipping interest, he
would say that it walla be better to leave the laws as they now
were. With all It s professions he still believed the Right
Hon. Gentleman op?osite (the Chancellor of the Exchequer) to
be the greatest enemi of a free trade.
The clause was thin agreed to. Theßill was then read, clause
by clause, and some verbal alterations were proposed and ne-
gatived,without any discussion. .0n a verbal amendment, pro-
posed by Mr. E. WODEUOUSE, the House divided. The
amendment, however, was lost by a majority of 67 to 14.
The other clauses were disposed of, the House resumed, and
the report was ordered to be received on Wednesday.
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of.
In answer to a question from Mr. Hu ME, the Marquis, of
LONDONDERRY said that he would on Friday next move an
adjournment for the holidays, from that day until the follow.
ing Thursday.—The House adjournedi at ONE O'CLOCK.