The Sun.
London, England, 1849-07-21 00:00:00

Which was immediately to touch the national heart, to ote
fain the national support, to vanquish a Ministry, and to
conquer a Parliament, talked that evening of " shams" and
"dodges," Alas! that they were come to a period when in
a Parliament which they still held to be a classical assembly
ouch terms as " shams" and ',dodges" should be employed.
But he wanted to know what in the whole history of poli-
tical agitation in this country could be mere ostentatious in
its commencement, more violent in its assurances, more lame
and impotent in its achievements, more lacking in earnest-
ness, in reality, and in consistency, than the agitation for
financial reform.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") The
party)
Member after having read to them (the Conservative
reartY) that lecture, had gone on to ask if it was possible
they could come forward at the present day, and seek to
444Zse a duty on corn, which would amount to at least
..-tee-e7AOI- a year? But why should not the public pay
iry.ooo/. a year more for their bread after the experience
teeY had had of the blessings of a free-trade policy—after
thenang saved in their domestic expenditure, bY the repeal of
. corn-lea's, no less a sum than 2,000,00-01. a week ?
kneel', hear.) It was very well for Hon. Gentlemen op-
Poeite to talkbut those Gentlemen should not
forget the bitter disappointment which the people of this
ic nntrY had experienced in consequence of the credit they
!_ad formerly given to the statements of adroit politicalta.c-
-I,cia denied
ns and successful agitators.—(Hear, hear.) He
tne charge of the Hon. Gentleman, that the partywith
rliont he (Mr. Disraeli) had the honour to act had held oneinbliguage in that House and another out of doors. He s
""eY had done nothing of the kind—that they had do
nething inconsistent with the general tenor of their public
the It was true that they had moved an amendment
icaddress at the o encement of the session. But when
e had been calleedmumon to declare that the affairs of this
ittiontitary were in a prospeprous condition ; that our foreign
Wee conducted conducted in a manner which commanded the
Lof lic confidence, he thought they were perfectly justified in
ecing to join in any such declaration; and if Hon. Gentle-
-"en oPposite had been sincere and earnest in their repeated
attacks upon the Government, they would have supported the
Intendment which had been moved upon that occasion.
Saki,
(thethe Hon. Gentleman had said that out of doors they 1
e Conservative party) had held out to the farmers that
Ileciething but a recurrence to the system of protection would
i'meetil their fortunes ; and yet in the teeth of that declare-
tt'll they had brought forward a motion for an inquiry into
, e burdens upon real property. But he (Mr. Disraeli) con-
Teeesteteatitihat he could see no inconsistency in that. Nothing
Y made him regret that he had submitted that motion
!0 the Rouse • and he still believed that the proposal he had
ttid before them was founded upon a principle which the
°llse would ultimately think it right to adopt. The lion.
Gentleman reminded them that they had also brought for-
Ward a motion calling upon the House to take into its con-
sideration the state of the nation. They had no doubt done
nand when he considered who were the gentlemen who
4‘ °PPOSite to them—when he remembered that the name
Of Ireland was never mentioned in that House without
denounce at least five-and-twenty gentlemen to rise up and
uenounee the conduct of the Ministry towards that country
when he remembered that another batch of Hon. Members
told them that unless financial reform was instantly conceded
r
Meg would withdraw from her Majesty's Governmenttshe
84131)0n—when he remembered that there was another sec-
t
n of the House ready on every occasion to declare that the
foreign policy of this country was undeserving of the public
confidence—when he remembered that during all that time
the finances of the country were in a most deplorable con-
dition, and that agricultural distress existed to an extent
Unparalleled, perhaps, in this country, he knew no period in
our history in which a party could be more
ejustified than at
present in calling upon the House to inquire into the state of
the nation—(Hear, hear)—although the House had not con-
sented to that inquiry. But let them mark the consistency
of the language used that evening by the Hon. Member for
the West Riding. The Hon. Gentleman had said at one time
that the Protectionist Members professed a great principle,
but that they shrunk from its application. Ten minutes
afterwards, however, the Hon. Gentleman had said that
the Protectionist party could never expect to succeed in
Requiring the confidence of the more intelligent portion of
,the people of this country, because of their adherence to that
verY principle of protection which he had previously charged
them with -having. abandoned. The Hon. Member had under-
taken to give them a lesson in political agitation; but he
Nr. Disraeli) should be ashamed to come forward with such
inconsistencies at the humblest meeting, to say nothing of
tthe liouse of Commons, a classical assembly, although ad-
ressed in the language of " shams" and " dodges."—(Hear,
ciar•) But he should proceed to consider the subject imme-
bnnelY under discussion. A clumsy attempt had been made
tilearciec:.n. Gentleman opposite to convert that into a corn.
lawthat
debate. But let them see how that question had been
l X
that the His Right Hon. Friend (Mr..Herries) finding
toor
,ei statelse,venu e of the country was in a highly unsatisfac-
hatnhde that it was necessary in some way or other
should be 1 • Public coffers, had suggested that a tax
tax Wool levied on the importation of foreign corn, which
sßigh't'llne
believed'
be paid by the foreign producer.
--on- Friend had, however, at the same time, ad-
mitted,_ that if it could he proved that the tax would fall in
ue'eTeswaaary on the British consumer his whole proposal would
clearlyneVer
13ei:13;diall to the ground. Now, he (Mr. Disraeli) had
_, a.question discussed more temperately, more
bad been and
with. more severity of logic than that question
IN a, bY his Right Honourable Friend.—(Hear, hear.)
Ron. 'nritout was unquestionably a masterly one, watever
bee
ar entlemen might think of the conclusion at which he
been rived. But how had his Right Honourable Friend
0143, met?t, The first person who had addressed them in
Each ° nis Right Hon. Friend was the Chancellor of the
th.„equer, in whose speech he (Mr. Disraeli) confessed
zecae'sn_e did not find a single argument which it could be
had !arY for him to answer. The Right Hon. Gentleman
~,,..oeneade a few desultory observations, and then seemed co—'4l% sto leave it to the successful free-trade agitators to
Right forward and state their views upon that subject. His
lan,o Ron. Friend, he should observe, had brought that
al,",s`!_rin before the House not as a pure theory—for he hed
oilreb that although at the commencement of the month
reteurnarY this year the duty on foreign corn had been
And what he price had not been affected by that removal.
the easel OW,
WhY, A was
hethe answer that had been given to him?
ease N. Usual answer, that that was an excentional
(Mr. I.israeli) could not understand how
reelernbercolild be considered an exceptional one, when lie
(Plane" oef." that during that time millions on millions of
corn had been imported into till: country from
fevoreeri:tiPa
unopfotrltiaetiwoonrldeilowTehde
them
merience they had acquired
by that q
(1 1 e l't'r ehresa Pay ) that they could make
a portion of the taxes of this country.—
that 'O. He would tell the agitators that in discussing
Righl: Lot he would have none of their stale tricks. His
on tb 4.1011- Friend had shown that the removal of the duty
had
~Zign corn had not affected its price ; and after he
the ° own that he was perfeetly justified, and especially in
ip._ Present state of the finances of this country, in bring-
4:n u under the consideration of the House.
was it that, with that vast amount of importation, and
bring-
after the duty was taken off, the foreigner still demanded the
i:`,9le price? His Right Hon. Friend had given the then-
;eimal as well as the practical explanation of the fact. He
teiliowed that the foreigner had 25 per cent. profit, and that
wietrheowae a margin, permitting of a tax upon the foreigner,
ti_e lit interfering with or enhancing the supply. He
e 44 ed the question in a clear and logical manner before the
use- If that were so, the remedy he proposed would be
sjeillated to relieve the people of England, b filling the
odiequer, without imposing any new contribution on the
eject. Who could deny that, with an exhausted Exche-
(l.llee—a gentleman who had had much practical experience
in the management of the Imperial Exchequer, feeling that
he had a proposition which would meet that deficiency, sup-
ported by the arguments of practical men—who could say
that he was not justified in making that suggestion?—
(Year, hear.) He would be glad to know what Hon. Gen-
tleman in that House would justify the tone in which it had
been received ? He was satisfied that the people out of doors
Would think very differently of his Right Hon. Friend's sug-
gestion—they would not be led away from the point at
issue, which was purely a fiscal point connected with
national feelings of the most interesting character. No-
thing was more gratifying to the people of England than
to replenish the Exchequer at the cost of the foreigner.—
(Rear.) The proposition was one to reduce the surplus
pofiB,of
the foreigner—(Hear, hear)—and he had no doubt
it would soon become a popular one. Considering the state
of their finances, and believing that they were not likely soon
oimprove, improve, he thought Hon. Gentlemen on his side of the
Veuse were bound to leave upon record their opieion upon
tthe present state of the finances, and their best means of re-
ec'?isolting their exhausted Exchequer. —( Hear, hear. ) They
of%„.d ne it with sincerity, and without regarding the taunt!
lions without taking lessons from the Hon. Gentleman's plia-
to v
e°f talent below the gangway, trusting with confidence
?Z. lilipirrt of the people of England.—(Loud cheers.)
,vhatevyerefSßOßNE did not rise to question the policy or
tr°Peiet u the suggestion of the Right Hon. Gentleman.
!ion, he ~ pther Hon. Members might think of the discus-
it, At Qua not regret that the time had been occupied with
there. present it had met its natural fate, and he believed
le was at that moment no question before the House.
tee was at
not, therefore, interfere with the Speaker leaving
it'"e chair to
his duty tT into Committee of Supply, if he did not feel
saulli,djeterti:B,o_t::rioci. the attention of the House to an important
of the itLas7annierie he had given notice—namely, the entrance
ps into Transylvania. —( Roars of laughter
hadMr- COB Hear.")
ail, wherh r rose to order. He put it to the Hon. Gen-
at heart, beWas not injuring the they both
air. ostiollNrtngie-
t, Kit forward in that ways --(Cries of OG` said he was in the hands of the House.
The spEAxiir," and laughter, and " Chair, chair.")
was, that
reason that had
Mr he do nowamid the only question now before him
ler. BR/Girr leave the chair.
Member for Sta f
only inferm't anxious to find out what was the
induced the Right Hon. Gentleman the
toicituld
toeellor of t'henE B:eing some
ord to bring forward the question, and he
Ohara6 Exchequer and
having been formerly a Chancellor of
antedgulterrYlybciasln' 'I
tn. He remi d d probability of his being a
x hequer once more, he had determined
a large , at a question of finance without being re-
end that t"Lhentitnofo'?
haveprtiheee
oefffeecotrnoPfn e the House that they obtained
'ee from almost every part of the world,
sltioie oe eve. e melt it -.a auLy walla
the
turyozeLqumaelmtobetrhwef diminishing competition and supply, and
oliifnubnet toof
duty
ye
it ewxategnptrorpoaisseedd
toin levy.that
ecleclof
had
het fixed du°tryWthsekperfii
9uTh:
iignailthehadco
rsna said
wouldth that
not i f
have
ey
beenh a d
With re market; but he denied that such was the case.
, gard to his Hon.
Lad been most Friend (Mr. Cobden), he thought be
root', for all the unfairly attacked upon the question of eco-
reforms durin resistance that had been offered to financial
Member for theßguck pjesent. session had come from the Hon.
advised the Houmg amshire and his side of the House. He few se and the Governmentleaders to distrust the pro-
ease of Sir Robert Peel , because, referring to the
Rouse that 'they had all
others he need not remind the
that would probably be th abandoned their professions, and
Thickinghanmhire.. ni. e case with the Hon. Member for
West Riding had provedille9n. Friend the Member for the
cial reform and financial e ineself the sincere friend of Mien-
thing was more essential not y, because he knew that no-
of the country- He did not e well-being and future welfare
the discussion that night,earL the bringing forward of
that they were fully determined itt would show the country
of free trade so that no political o maintain the principles
alter them. party would ever be able to Mr. WODEHOUSE said the question
clearly before the House by the Right rie had been put so Member for Stamford, that it was quite unne: Gentleman the
to detain it by any lengthened observations. echsseary for him
question as being pro tanto an addition to the viewed the
savour of protection. He reminded the House tlliarfuments ill
Lord (Lord J. Russell) himself had on a formeroc the.joNoble
Posed a fixed duty on corn, but they had then declarednr°'
determination to accept of no compromise. 14
`'se Vfaa
on
.1:91?ghly convinced that the proposition of his Right Hon
rt. riend was one which was calculated materially to benefii
he finances of the country, and he had no doubt would be
extremely popular in the country.
thMr• VILLIERS was afraid the House had not attended to
Every important admission made by the Hon. Gentleman.
er, one knew that there was not a more honest or a more
rConsistent Member of the Protectionist party than the Member
z2_
,_ Norfolk, and he said he would not have the shabbiness--
rooclelcoie would not have the manliness—to avow that he
nor lee upon the imposition of a fixed duty as neither more
iszle__l. than a protection to agriculture.-to remunerate the
94.- 119", thorn INA a Ncblo Ltid is another LIM"'