The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-02 00:00:00

internal condition of this country or its external
relations.—(Loud cries of "Hear, hear.") At this mo-
ment, important and numerous as are the subjects for our
consideration, doubtless the most exigent would seem
to be the state of Ireland ; the language which I find
in the note which I have made of the Speech does

not convey to me the impression that her Majesty's
Ministers are of opinion that the state of Ireland re-

quires any immediate remedy.—(" Hear, hear," from se-
veral Irish Members.) The language is obscure, and, if
it can be satisfactorily explained, it will show the advan-

tage of discussion in the present instance. I find it stated
that the seperation of the laws for the relief of the poor in
Ireland will properly be a subject of early inquiry; " and
any measures by which those laws may be beneficially
amended, and the condition of the people may,be improved,
will receive my cordial assent." "Now, I think it is of very
great importance to know what her Majesty's Ministers
mean to convey by the phrase "early inquiry."-(Hear.)
Is it an inquiry, for example, by a Committee of the House
of Commons? In that case the "inquiry," no doubt, might
be early, but the conclusion most probably would be
delayed.-(Hear, hear.) And why an inquiry by a Commit •
tee of the House of Commons? lVe have had sufficient ex-
perience, I think,- of what inquiries ,by Committees of the
House of Commons may accomplish upon subjects upon
which an Administration, duly informed, ought to have
initiated measures. Ido not see why, in the present in-
stance, for example, the case. of the poor -law in Ireland
should be an exception to that rule. You have a Poor-law
Commission in Ireland, you have a Government Board in
Ireland, and I want to know from what sources can
the Administration obtain more ample and satisfac-
tory information than from such quarters? They ought
to be in possession of the information; if they think
there ought to he an alteration in the laws,
they ought to be prepared to legislate upon that well-
digested information. They have had sufficient time well to
consider the authentic information that has reached them ;
and certainly, in the present state of Ireland, if the only
measure that her Majesty's Ministers are about to bring
forward with respect to that country is the proposition of an
inquiry into the operation of the poor-law by a Parliamen-
tary Committee, I think that is a course neither satisfactory
nor statesmanlike.-(Hear, hear.) I do not doubt for a
moment-no one can-the urgency of the state of Ireland.
Honourable Gentlemen who represent that country have
much to answer for, in my opinion, by their conduct with
respect to their constituents,--(Hear, hear)-they have to
consider whether the state of iteland is merely brought about
by the present operation of the poor-laws-whether it may
not in a great measure have been occasioned and aggravated
by other measures which they supported-(" Hear, hear,"
from the Opposition benches)-and by the non-adoption of
other measures which they oppose - (Hear, hear)-mea-
sures to which, by-the-by, they gave their private en-
couragement and offered their public opposition.-(Hear,
hear.) Therefore, when gentlemen representing Ireland
come forward and complain of the condition of Ireland, it is
well that they should recollect how far they individually
may be responsible for the present state of Ireland.- (Hear
hear.) I believe I see a gentleman opposite who represents
a county in Ireland-I read a speech of his at a county
meeting the other day-I read the reasons he alleged for the
present condition of Ireland; and one of the weightiest was
the repeal of the eorn-law in the year of our Lord 1846.
But when I referred to the list of those who voted for that
repeal, I found in it the name of that worthy knight of
the shire.-(Hear, hear, and a laugh.) I think it is well
for us to consider whether these circumstances-Irish
Members complaining so much who supported that repeal,
and who opposed measures that were brought forward on
this side of the Hoube, privately encouraged at meetings
holden by those very same Members - (Hear, hear)-are to
be forgotten at this moment.-(Hear, bear.) I confess it
is a subject upon which I have no inclination or heart to
dwell upon the present occasion. - (The Hon. Member
paused a moment, apparently somewhat embarrassed by his
feelings.) There was a policy once proposed in this House
with respect to Ireland-(Hear)-which by the Irish Mem-
bers was defeated-(Hear) - but which, if it had been pur-
sued, would have produced a very different effect from what
we now see in that country-(Hear, hear)-a policy which
was obliged to be part:ally pursued, even by the Govern-
ment who then opposed it.- (Hear, hear.) The proposer of
that policy is no longer among us. At a time when every-
thing that is occurring vindicates his prescience and de-
mands his energy, we have no longer his sagacity to guide
or his courage to sustain us.-(Hear, hear.) In the midst
of the Parliamentary strife his plume can soar no more for
us to rally round.-(Hear.) But he has left us the legacy
of heroes-the memory of his great name, and the inspiration
of his great example. Sir, there is one subject, I confess,
with regard to Ireland, which I am glad to see has been
omitted from her Majesty's Speech. I think I may con-
gratulate the House, the country, and the Government, that
they have not brought forward a measure with respect to
Ireland, the only recommendation of which was the tradi-
tionary approbation of statesmen who existed half a cen-
tury ago, and who, if they were not mistaken in the opinion
that they then adopted, at least formed that opinion under
circumstances very different to those under which we unhap-
pily now liYe-(Hear)-a measure which it was rumoured
was to be introduced the moment Parliament assembled, the
rumour assuming at one time all the colour of authen-
ticity. I think it is a matter of congratulation, with all the
difficulties which we have to encounter, that we have
not that measure introduced-(Hear)-a measure which,
while it would violate principle, as it appears to me, could
not accomplish any of the objects of policy-which must, un.
der all circumstances, be a great blow to the Church, from
sanctioning a too prevalent misconception as to the tenure
under which the ecclesiastical estate is holden-a measure
which would not conciliate those whom it was projected to
please, and which would at the same time have outraged the
sentiments and convictions of the great majority of the popu-
lation of the three kingdoms.-(" Hear, hear," from the Op-
position benches.) I thitik that omission from her Majesty's
Speech is a significant subject for congratulation.-(Hear.)
It argues, I think, rather a want c resouree in th..tatesmen
of the present age, that their only-expedient for the cure of
Irish evils should be the revival of an antiquated project,
which really is not suited to the spirit of the age in which
we live, or to the present condition of these kingdoms.-
(Hear, hear.) I trust we shall hear no more of that project.
-(Hear.) Of this I tun certain, that it will never bear dis-
cussion in this House, and that no Parliament will pass it
that fairly represents the opinion of the people of these
realms.-(Hear, hear.) Sir, there are three paragraphs in
her Majesty's Speech which I must describe as congratula-
tory paragraphs; they refer to the state of commerce, to the
state of manufactures, and to the state of the revenue. There
can be no difference of feeling among gentlemen on
either side of the House in respect of pleasure at hearing that
there is an increase of employment in the manufacturing dis-
tricts, especially among those gentlemen who come from
rural regions, because certainly they cannot assure the House
that there is any great increase of employment in that
quarter.-( Hear, hear.) But lam bound to say that when I
am called upon to express great satisfaction that commerce
is reviving from those checks which during the last session
we had to deplore, I am required to assent to a statement
which appears to me contrary to fact, and which, under the
authority of Parliament, is calculated to convey to the people
a very deceptive conclusion.-(Hear, hear.) I must take a
general view of the commerci3l position of this country at
the present moment. It appears to me that the commerce
of this country is greatly suffering. I find that the exports
have fallen off by millions; I find that the decay has been,
though rapid, in a certain sense gradual, and that it has
taken place under a new commercial system.-(Hear,
hear.) That commercial system was introduced to
our notice and adopted by our votes, on the ob-
servation of three years ; and now I bring to the consi-
deration of its results also the observation of a period
of equal duration. lam perfectly willing to admit-more
than willing to admit, I am anxious to enforce-the expe-
diency and extreme necessity of the most unimpassioned
spirit in discussing now our commercial tystem. When these
alterations were proposed, they were theoretical projects, and
our apprehensions were equally theoretical: it is not at all
surprising that under such circumstances there should have
been some heat and passion;, but when we have results be-
fore us, when we have facts to deal with that are official,
conclusions that cannot be contradicted, all that we have
got to do is to exercise the common sense which I trust we
all possess, and draw those deductions which no one can
deny, if they are founded upon data, the authenticity of
which no one disputes.-(Hear, hear.) In my opinion the
new commercial system, the results of which are referred to
in the Speech, has had a trial, a fair trial, and has
failed.-(" Hear, hear," and some murmurs.) lam per-
fectly aware of everything that can be said on the other
hand; I hear murmurs that are repeating the arguments
which are daily brought forward ; it will be said, " True it
is, the new commercial system has been on trial for some
three years, but it has had to encounter exceptional circum-
stances which no one could have anticipated."-(" Hear,
hear," from the Ministerial benches.) Hear, hear !-
exactly ; I am perfectly prepared for your giving in your
adherence to my statement of your own case. "The new
commercial system has had to encounter a famine of corn
in Europe, a famine of cotton in America; it has had to
encounter more than these two great disadvantages-it has
had to encounter convulsion throughout the continent; you
cannot, therefore, be surprised that the system under such
circumstances should have failed." Now let us look at
the facts of the case. I am anxious to test the state of
commerce in this country in a manner most advantageous
to the opinions of gentlemen opposite; I test the effect of
your measures upon the markets which you have most lauded
-your chosen markets, and with reference to the effect upon
that branch of industry whose interest you most advocate,
and which all must acknowledge to be the most important
in the country, because all interests in the country in
turn are obliged to bow to it. I will see, for ex-
ample, how your new commercial system has worked be-
tween England and the United States; and I will take with
every advantage your chosen item of the cotton manufac-
ture. I will not weary you with statistics. I will give you
the conclusions at which I have arrived upon official state-
mopepnotrst,ntnoiwtyhoicfhraefonuticng can
tahperopea.l; and if you doubt my con-
clusions, in the course of the seslsniotnhethyeeraerwliBl4l7btehpeleimntpyoorf
impor-
tations
inf the Aromthine
eUrineaitn edStates into this country were the
greatest in amount upon record. There was an importation
of
language
is called " breadstuffs "-
(A laugh)-to so great an amount that the extra profit of
the Americans upon breadstuffs, as compared with the prices
in 1848, amounted to 5,300,000/. sterling; so that besides the
ample and
oaenedesoufffiperiieenet
is
Brolfit4t7,he Ameticans would have obtained
under any circumstances, by the prices of 1848 for example,
in consequence of the famine of
corn in Europe, gave them an extra profit of 5,300,000/. ;
while, in consequence of the famine of cotton in the United
States, although they sent a much lesser quantity than in
the preceding or subsequent years, the extra profits upon
cotton amounted to 3,200,000/. ; therefore the Americans re-
ceived from us an extra profit that year of 8,500,0001. Now,
that was a year extremely favourable to commercial in-
terchange, and therefore your two great evils of your corn
famine in Europe and your cotton famine in America com-
bined together to test the principles of your new commercial
system with every possible adwvaenhtaagvee.
trlh'heeenoamttpuleatlegrueetsatironna
tish,easvehcaitreduidintshtaenAcemse?ricNanoswt,ake from us in exchange under
upon this point before us; and I find that they took of our
cotton manufactures, in round numbers, 60,000,000 of
yards extra.-(Hear, hear.) Instead of 25,000,000,
which they took from us before the change of
the law, they took in 1841, under the remarkable circum-
stances I have stated 85,000,000 of yards; an amount not
equal to that which the whole Levantine market takes at
the present moment. The question, therefore, for you to
consider is whether taking 66,000,000 yards more of your
manufactures is an equivalent exchange for the immense
importations you received from, and the immense price you
paid to the United States-(Hear, hear.) But it so hap..
operation
that returns before us prove that even these 60,000,000
of yards were not an exchange at all on reference to the
rnsNvhoifeh Ithe new law, because it appears by American
tslict
uttlur
wreir
eoeeeeSadariotYl Low possess, that American home manufac-
-itrtna.toe);nrefe,
importa siteahuai
nenrtd.
nghi et ahoh tuele
year 1847,
or
laeaBniretn4eeue
ef7afoora:rofeei
n3dta:Olycrt, 0:
se:
uOinarOstcme
inibiyumaaudeel
eeeahtnsrnaccnpoetheteooree
teat amaptnktheanherenuanutmht
manufac-
ture al-
lowed t
couldeahlerlceireamo.
r
" breadstuffs," she would have taken your piece goods all the
64114 C. 4'149 inveyed by ;ho patent fact OA aio re-