The Sun.
London, England, 1825-05-03 00:00:00

COUNTY COURT:A' BILL.

Lord ALTHORP brought up the report of the Committee
on the above bill. The Noble Lord made a few observations
which were inaudible.

Mr. BROUGHAM said, that in consevence a the altera-
tions'which had. been made in the Committee, having for their
object to prevent the increase of the influence of the Crown, the
bill now met his entire approbation. He concluded by com-
plimenting the Noble Lord on his persevering and useful
exertions.

The report was ordered to be taken into further consideration
on Wednesday rext.
• Sir G. MURRAY presented a petition from the owners and
occupiers of land in Perthshire, against any alteration of the
Corn Laws.

Mr. LYTTLETON presented similar petitions from certain
millers in the neighbourhood of Sheffield, and from certain
owners and occupiers of land in Staffordshire.
The House then resolved itself into a Committee of. Supply,
when, on the motion of Lord PALMERSTON, two grants were
voted for defraying the expellee of the disembodied Militia for
Great Britain and Ireland for the year 1825. The House then
resumed.

•
The Irish Bankers' Bill passed through a Conarnittee,- and
the report was brought up.

BONDED CORN.
On the motion of Mr. IIVSKISSON that the Rouse should
resolve itself into a Committee on the IMportation,of Corn Acts,
Mr. CURWEN said, he would take this 'opportunity uf
calling the attention of the Right Hon.. Gentleman to s:orne
points which he had intended to suggest to him on a former
evening when this subject was before the House. 'He wished
to remind himpartitularly of the fact stated in almost all the
petitions which had been presented, that there was a :suffi-
cient quantity of' corn now in the country for the cinisump-
don of the present year. He trusted that , the „Right Hon.
Gentleman, in, proposing to the 'White any :measure on-ttiii
subject, would 'state, either frOm
.somee-infoTtnaiian on which
he 'could rely, or from his min belief, or upon .some other
satisfactory grounds, 'that a' want of corn was likely to he ex-
perienced; as that could, alone, in his2(.3lr. Curweress opi-
nion, justify an alteration in the present qatern. I.lnleas the
Right Hon. Gentleman should he able to:do :this, ' how-
ever reluctantly, must be compelled' to oppose his resolutions.
He had no doubt that any regulation which ssheidd havethe
effect of preventing the averages from riiiingloo high, would
he beneficial. to the country ; but he repeated, that in order
to justify any _alteration, it ought to be made out to the sa-
tisfaction of the House, that the
,hOine supply Waa not, or
was likely not to be, equal to the necessary consumption.
Mr. CURTEIS said, it was the general' opininn here and
in Ireland, that 'the. produce would be. kin* "Sulficient for
all the Wants of the country in the present' YeUr. 'To propose
any alteration which should have the effect of reducing the
' present prices of com would, be 'thought,' tinder '4iiili.circum-
stances, be a breach of faith with the fartnets. In the' pre-
sent state of the Muse, he shoUld be sorry to have a topic
of this importance entirely decided ; bot he,ahould be very
glad to hear
.what the Right Hon.' Gentleman had to pro-
pest, and to take it into consideratiOn on sonic Tiattre day,
which * he' might name. if it were intended' now'. to carry
`thoie measures, he was ready, to confess that he aPPreherided
he should not be able to go along with the Right Ifoninirable
Gentleman.
After a few words from Mr. LO cx HART, did House resolved
itself into a Committee.
Mr. HUSICISSON said, that after the discussion which 'this
subject had:undergone in the course of the Ilia week, it WOuld
not, -he 'thought, be necessary for hiM to enter trito any :lerie;
discussion upon it. He wished only to bringhefore;the corisi-
derition of the House the 'Liw 'relating foreign Corn alit now
stood, and the facts which Were connected wiikthat'laitOn
order ;that they might both be distinetlyunderstead. 'They
were, then, simply these z—ln the year 1810, anlic . t,Waspasied
by which all foreign corn was prohibited !IM admitted
into the ports of Great Britain, wheiKecr Ifie swag '.P.ticea
should be under 110 x. per quarter. "Ataubsitquent,Aet of 182
left the last Act unaltered, but it prolidetfthat fOreign' corn
should • be :admitted when English corn had reached 70s.'per
quarter, upon payment of 17s. per quarter. , This was the state
of 'the law at ,he present moment, with_ regard to this deseilp-
Pin' of corn. IC had occurred to him, 'and:also to Others vilio
bad 'Paid 'attention to the, subject,:That Pricier theireseni Or-
eurnstanCeS, Dialog:moe high prices which corn haditeaChed,
and to the-detelioration which the corn now in the warehouses

'led under bond etle l3eely to suffer, it was desirable that some
fazilay should • •bee efibrded to the admission of that 'corn for
aonee consumption, until the supply which the next harvest
would afford should be available. This view was taken, not for
the benefit of the individual holders, but for that of the public.
No other consideration could have induced the Government to
recommend a departure from the present regulations which
—effected this branch. of commerce. Now, with respect to the
facts, he begged to remind the House that three weeks ago the
enice of English corn was 695. per quatter. Since that perio d.
-the price had been gradually rising. This day it was higher
than on Monday last by three shillings per quarter, as he
...was informed, (An Honourable Member behind him said.
smug shillings.") Well, if it were so, he had a right to as-
ue that the former low prices were the consequences of an
unnatural- stagnation, and that the rise had taken place owing
to the time of year, and the belief that no alteration was to be
;vide in-the existing laws, at least during the present year. It
. might be said that we could take off the limitation as to the
price reaching 705., when the corn would be admitted on pay-
ment of 17s. ; but to this there was an objection. Parties,
then, under the expectation that prices must rise, would perhaps
abstain from 'sending in .their corn, because as they knew that
they could always bring it-in at 705., on payment of, the duty,
they would believe that they might as advantageously release it
at. 80s. on payment of no duty at all. The object of the present
regulation must, therefore, be to induce the holders to bring the
men into consumption before. the 15th of August next. Before
the debate of last Thursday, he (Mr. Huskisson) had cane:
tionsly abstained from seeing any one interested in this question,
because to have had any communication
.with them woold, he
felt, have been open to the objection that it was likely to give
rise to speculation. He had since been induced to fix the duty
at 10's., believing that amount would be sufficient at once to
secure the public, and to induce the ,holders to bring their corn
into consumptihn ; but he had heard that even with this duty,
the holders would prefer to keep back their corn until after the
Jath of Augest, in the hope that the average price wouldthn
have reached 80s. - If, in the course of this discussion, t 10s.
per quarter should be thought too high, and that it would defeat
its object, he was not indisposed to lower it, for it
-was not a
question of high or_ low duty, but of what regulation it would
he most advantageous to adopt for the benefit of the public
end the consumer. His proposition would be this--
elaat the holder should have the option. of bringing out
dsi stock in portions of one-third at a time. There would
be a space of three months between the passing of the Bil
and the 15th of August, when its provisions were to tenninatel
Daring this period the corn now in warehouse was to be ad-
mitted upon peyment of a duty of 10s. per quarter, after- which
the present: -regulations were again to come into force. The
• Committee would therefore see that this measure, besides the
objects he had mentioned, would accomplish that of preventing
. corn from reaching too high a price. The quantity of corn now
ln the warehouses, including a small quantity of barley and of
- Canada corn, was about 400.000 quarters. The effect of its
- introduction must depend chiefly upon the supply at present in
-..he country. In the year 1820 the introduction of a very small
quantity of oats had depressed the markets very materially;
and in the last year the same circumstance had produced no
such effect. From the state of the markets throughout the
coantry, as well as that of London, it was evident that there
-was a tendency to increase the prices of corn. He was therefore
entitled to contend that this introduction ought not to be com-
plained of by the holders. Part of the wheat which it was the
- object of the measure to release had been in bond six years.—
;aerie of it had arrived here just at the period when the ports
were closed in 1819, and other parts had been actually shipped
et that-period, and had been kept back by contrary winds until
- after the passing of the ,; et in that year. It was, howcver,wholly
impracticable upon such a question to enter into a consideration
of the interests of any individuals. The regulation was proposed
solely upon public grounds, and however it might serve here-
. after to point out any alteration in the-Corn Laws generally, it
was intended now to apply solely to the corn under bond. The
other resolution which he had to submit was relative to Canada
corn, of which there was now in this country about 20;000
quarters. It wave perhaps, hardly necessary to legislate upon
that quantity, since it would be liberated by the operation of
law, at 675, per quarter. He should, however, propose imme-
diately to set Canada wheat free, upon payment of a duty of
is. per quarter. The ,freight could not be less than 14 or
165. per quarter, and this would, probably, be quite a sufficient
protection. The Right Hon. Gentleman said, in allusion to a
remark of the Hon. Member for Taunton (Mr. Baring) on a
former evening, that it 1815 he had been present at a Meeting
at Fife-house when the question of the Corn Laws was discussed,
and he had then proposed a duty instead of the alteration be-
tween a free trade and a monopoly. lie afterwards supported
the regulation which was substituted for that which he had re-
-commended, because he was satisfied that some alteration was
necessary. He stated this, for the purpose of showing that his
opinion of the principle had undergone no change- The Right
lion. Gentleman concluded by moving resolutions for carrying
hue effect the proposition he had submitted.
alr. 13;ARING said, that if his Right Honourable Friend
1-ad Veil opposed to the Bill of 181.5, at Fife-house, be was
rot tlerefore a less zealous defender of it in that House. He
had no objection that a sufficient protection should be enjoyed
• by those interested in the cultivation of corn, but he had contend- ,
that a sufficient protection then already existed, and that it
could not be extended without prejudice to the other classes of
theohnumunity. With respect to the proposition before the
/louse, he entirely concurred with it, and he believed it would
be A desirable and wise measure to let in this foreign corn. The
lion. Member alluded to some hints of his Right Hon. Friend
on a former evening respecting the currency, which he said..
hea been misunderstood, because his Right lion. Friend was
too well aware of the importance which was attached to every
thing which he uttered to have given any ground for the alarm
which had been occasioned, and for which there was not the
slightest rea.eon.—(Hear !)—He thought it would be unwise to
Lout the period to the 15th of August, because the folders
- might not be dieposed to bring in their corn until the last mo-
. nient. He should rather it were restricted to a month or six
weeks at farthest, which would be quite long eaough for all
useful purposes, and would prevent the speculations which the
nearer prospect of the harvest might give rise to.
Mr. WODEHOUSE said a few words which were inaudible
the gallery.
BENETT contended, that. the admission duty on- the
handed corn ought not to he less than 17s. a quarter. Say only
thee corn was imported at 325., the duty of 175., making OA.,
would still be a bounty upon bringing it into the market. To
. let the bonded corn in-at 10s. duty
-would be to give a bonus to
the importers of 140,000/., which might much better be petaled
to the revenue for the year. Such a course would amount to
little less than a breach of the understanding which had been
-*entered into with the home grower.
Mr; LESLIE FOSTER believed, that the letting in the
'bonded corn' at that moment, at any, and at whatever duty,
would be the beet thing that could be done for the benefit of
the home grower: If once the ports were opened, which would
gertainly be the case if this measure did not pass, the whole six
yearwaecuroulation of wheat, which was now lying in the ports
aE Prussia and -Poland, would be poured in upon us, and give
rs shock to ihe'landed interest which it would be years in- reco-
- -kering. The corn to which lie alluded was now selling on the
.cantinent for 295. a quaxter freight and insurance included, it
not. be imported at 2,35. ; that was the evil that the Agri-
eeleural cloasses. really had to fear. .The Hon. Gent. sat down
jiy stating that lie was in favour of letting in the bonded flour,
se. well as the wheat, but at a duty of 4s. per cent. instead of
9th •Whiali he did not think euflicient. •
-General GASC 0 Y `E supported the admission of the bonded
cart'', and contended- that it was an aid given to the lend Owners,
. father than tiny benefit to the public. He was of opinion that,
even at 10s, duty; the corn let in would not be brought to
Maiket, but kept to take the chance of higher prices. He there-
fore moved as an arne,ntheent, that the admission duty should be
'CA. only.
-•Mr. BENETT said a few words in explanation.
Mr: Yla ES supported the plan of the Right Hon. President
oeaadie Board of Trade.- It had never been intended that the
e referee-shouldderive any gain from the duty on corn ; the
liniasure.proPosed was only ohe of justice, and of tardy justice,
to th imrters.
Sire M. C poHOLMELEY was inclined to support the reso-
• lotions.
'Alderman THOMPSON said, that he should be very sorry
' to see the ports opened ; and thought that there wasv 1,0a0,0001s
of cepital locked up in the bonded corn which Goernment 0w
as
to set at liberty the.moment.it could lie done with safety.
Ite should move, as a further amendment, that the admission
duty should be 5.5. instead of Bs.
' Mr. FARRAND would move a farther amendment--he
thought that the corn ought. to come out duty free.
Colonel WOOD was opposed to the resolution of %the Right
lion. Gentleman (Mr. Hisakahon), because he deprecated any
thing like breaking in' upon the Corn Laws. He had no fear
. of any advance which would be injurious to any.party.
_ lalt. CRIPPS felt nes doubt that if the resolutions were car-
ried, the bonded corn would at once come into the naaket.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER was in favour
of bringing the bonded corn out at once; and thought that the
sense of the House was decidedly in favour of the prop haosition
of his Right Honourable Friend. He would not -support the
resolution before the Committee, if lie thought that it would
have the effect of keeping the bonded corn out of the market,
for it was his wish that it should come into it, but he did not be-
lieve it would have that effect. He could assure the Committee,
that lie did not recommend the -10 s. duty in preference to the
_ lower sums, for the miserable addition which it reieht make
to the revenue of the country, but because it was for other con-
siderations to be preferred to either of the amendments.
H ANDLEY expressed his concurrence in the propoei-
• don of the Right Hon. Gentleman (.Me. Huskisson) as far as
the 10s. duty on bonded corn, but he could not approve the

plan for importing wheat from-Canada at the intended low duty..
After a few words from Colonel J onx sox, which were inau-
dible in the gallery,
Mr. MAXWELL said, he would admit that-the British
farmer lied a right to expect a protecting duty equal to the
tithes, poor? rates, and those other imposts Which pressed pe-
culiarly upon him; but beyond this the -House ought not to go.
Any protection beyond that would be derogating from the dig-
nity of that House to afford.
Mr. MONCK understood the. high duties to be sought for
for the protection of the country gentlemen, becatfie, as the
House was informed, they were men who lived on their estates,
Land spent their money in the country ; and they were also most
valuable to the State by acting as the unpaid Magistrates.,-
Truly, all these were most important services, but he did not
as that they:were. altogether unrequited. From the calcula-
tions which had been .made, it appeared that the effect of the
present Coln Laws was to raise the price of the quarter of wheat
to 705., and that without them it would not exceed 5135. Now;
taking our consumption at 14 millions of quarters, as was con-
tended by some Hon. M embers, here was a duty upon the great
body of-the people of 14 millioniofor the benefit of the country
gentlemen. He did not mean to say that their services Were
overpaid.; but after this, he hoped no man would assert that
they were wholly unpaid.— (Hear !)--H a should support the
original resolution, because he felt that the country in general
would derive benefit from it.
Mr. HUSKISSON said lie had not advertetito tbe.quantity
of corn in the country. Ile had most cautiously guarded him-
self against the expression of any opinion on that subject. His
resolution was not founded upon it. It was founded, not upon
any speculative opinion, but upon his knowledge of the fact
that.there was a quantity of. bonded corn likely to perish in the
warehouses, and on his wish that it should be gradually brought
into the market, for the purpose of keeping down the price, and
of keeping it steady. If it was the general sense of the Com-
tnittee that lie should lower the duty at which this should he
brought out,' he would most willingly assent to it; but he did
not find that to be the prevailing wish. As to the apprehensions
that what bad been emu on the subject of the proposed alteration
had produced the impression made on the money-market since
Friday last, it was, he must say, quite absurd. The discussion
took place on Thursday, and the-impression Was not on the next
day, when all that passed must haye been well known, but on
the day after. He did not seek for the cause of that impression,
but most certainly he was convinced that it must have originated
from the same cause, not relative to this question, operating on
that most sensitive machine. With respect to any depression
which might have been produced in the foreign exchanges as
against this country, he thought it was, a subject which ought
not to excite alarm in the minds of any ; or that any opinion
unfavourable to our general prosperity could be drawn from it.
It was quite ridiculous to entertain such an apprehension. The
exchanges had been for a long time against other countries,
and in favour of this, and yet we did 'not see any general de-
pression of their commercial prosperity produced by that cir-
cumstance. The recent slight turn against us had arisen from
circumstances which must be of a temporary nature, and which
would, in a very brief period, work their owa remedy.
Mr. WESTERN said, that if he concurred in the proposi-
tion at all, it would be in the terms of the original resolution.
On the general question of- the Corn haws, he would observe,
that on the whole the consequences bad been beneficial to the
country. Had it occurred, as was predicted, that the price
would never be under 80s., if even the Corn Bill passed ? On
the contrary, had not that price been tower since than it had
been for some years before ? He did not think those laws hal
been fairly dealt with. Honourable Members had talked to.
the great fluctuations in price; but it should be recollected,
that the high price of 112 s. occurred while a free trade existed,
and that the low price of 38s. was under the protecting duty.
After a few words from 51r. HUME,
Mr. HUSKISSON denied that the country was satisfied with
the Corn Laws as they now stood. On the contrary, there was
he contended, a very general wish for their repeal.
The resolution was now put, and the amendment being (as
we understood) withdrawn, the original motion was carried
without a. dioision.
Mr. HUSKISSON next moved that all restrictive duties
now in force opt the importation of corn from our North Ame-
rican colonies should cease and determine, and that there should
be imposed in lieu thereof a duty of ss. per quarter on all wheat
imported from those colonies.
Mr. is. FOSTER said, that this resolution was on quite dif-
ferent grounds from the last, and comer. led, that without in-
vestigation, we had no data on which to decide whether 5.
duty was the 'proper Rum at which importation from Canada
should take • place. That investigation had not taken place;
and if in the absence of it lion. Members were prepared to say
that f,s. should be the duty at which corn should be imported
from Canada, he did not see what should hinder them from
going at once into the whole question, and decidin.g what
should be the duty at which we. might import it from
Dantzic. The price of wheat at present in Canada, they were
told was 385.: the expellee of --its transit across the Atleroic
was 12s. per qr., and the proposed duty 55., which would make
the quarter here 555. ; but what proof had . they that Xs. was
the average price in Canada? It might be much less for any
thing the- House knew at present on the subject., The lion.
Member then entered into a statement of the prices of corn in
Amsterdam for the last 5 years, which shewecl that the average
price in. the whole of these years was not more than 32a. 7d. ;
and he contended that it could be imported at the same rate into
this country. Under those circumstances, he did not think it
would be wise or prudent to introduce any alteration in the laws
with respect to the introduction of foreign corn. We had tried
the extremes of prices. We had corn at a high price, and we
saw the good effects of it operate on the manufacturer, who trth
a proportionately gond price for the articles of his trade. We
had afterwards very cheap corn, and the manufacturers had -to
.deal only with bankrupt customers. He concurred in the ob-
servation made by en Hon. Friend on a former evening, that
655. or 60s. might be a fair remunerating price, but he did not
think•that, without some investigation, the market ought to be
opened
.permanently to Canada corn at 555.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that his
Hon. Friend could not sec why Canada should be excepted from
the general role with respect to the importation of foreign corn.
Did his lion. Friend consider that Canada was one of our co-
lonies—thet its inhabitants were-our fellow-subjects ? (Hear,
hear !)—Were we to treat them. as if they were foreigners and
had no connection with the country ? It the argument of his
Hon. Friend were of any force, aught it not apply to a regale.
lion by which (in 1306) we admitted Irish corn into this country ?
—(Hear, hear !)—What would his Hon. Friend say, if theesam e
objection had then been made which he now made to the impar-
tation from Canada ? And he could assure him there were many
who entertained apprehensions lest that measure should be found
injurious to the corn trade of England. However, it was found
to be of vast service to both countries. But had we no other mo-
tive for dealing with our North American colony ? Did his Hon.
L Friend forget what had happened to other colonies ? Did he for-
get the policy which this country lately adopted with' respet to
the colonies of other countries? What had been the conduct
of Spain to her colonies ? Every. thing which the most narrow
policy could dictate she practiced to. cheek their prosperity.
She prevented even the cultivation of the vise among them, and
did all.in her power to cramp their energies in every way ; and
what was the consequence ? She lost them.—(Hear,. hear !)
Were we to imitate such an example ?„ The Canadians had no-
thing, they could have nothing but the raw material to send us,
and it was our interest arid our duty to give them an encoargn-
ment for its growth. Did his lion. Friend mean to contend
that no such encouragement should be held out ? He seemed
to forget thevote.which. the House came to last year, for the
purpose of. enabling great numbers of the' poor -half:starved
peasantry of Ireland to pass over to Canada in order to settle
there, and that a .similar vote was passed in the present year.
Were we now, after having induced those unfortunate persons
to emigrate, to turn round on them .and say that ire would give
no farthur encouragement to .their labours ?_(Hear, hear !).._
He did trust the-Committee would look on this subject with a
more liberal feeling towards those parties at borne and abroad
who might be affected by it. ...
Mr. NEW WAN was fayourable to the importation of corn
from• Canada, but great precautions ought to be taken to pre-
vent our receiving the-corn of the United States instead of that
of our own colony. He was informed, that in contemplation
of the present _measure cargoes of corn had been Sent from Eu-
rope, in order 10 be re-shipped from 'Janette to this country.
Any attempt of this kind ought to he strictly watched.
Colonel WOOD could not concur in the resolution, for if
they agreed to it there -was an •end of their corn laws. By,
those laws it was enacted, that when. corn reached qs.,
here, the market should be open for Canada corn at a fixed
duty.
the
Now, the fair way to deal with that would be to lower
opening price, but not to make that great departure from
the corn laws so as to say, that at all times our market
should be open to Canada corn at the low duty of five shillings.
The Honourable Member - then went to contend, that this
would be a departure from the general -principle on which
we had hitherto acted. When we had a free corn trade, and
when the home price was 525., we had a duty of _Os. on all fo.
I reign corn, which carried the price beyond that at which we
were now going to receive corn from 'Canada. • All that the
agriculturists wanted was a remunerating price, and it was the
interest of all parties in the country that they should have it.
Mr. WESTERN made a few remarks that were utterly in-
audible in the gallery.
Mr. BARING supported the resolution on" the ground that
the real consideration with regard to the Canadas was that
which had been stated by the Chancellor of the Exchequer_
I t was preposterous to suppose that cotri would be sent from.
Dantzic to Canada, and aft:One& from Canada into this
country. The freight would be .so high as to render such
a trade any thing but - profitable. It was equally Prepos-
terous to suppose that it wed.ld he sen int 6 Canada from.
the United States for such a puFpose. In corning to Canada

from the United States-it must cross a broadail'er ; and it Was
almost impossible-that in doing so it Would escape observation.
Mr. HUSKISSON contended.for the- propriety of the reso-
lution. The Canadas drew all their manufactured goals frOm
England, and ought to be allowed to send us in return fur..
them their staples which was. corn: At present- they wetc
al-
lowed to send it here, but then, as soon as it arrived, it was
placed under lock, and remained useless until the markets •
reached a certain place, The consequence-Walt, that the bills
of the Canadian merchants had been protested, and our own
manufacturers deprived of payment. - He would ask, whether
the Canadians ought to suffer such indignity; and whether it
could be expected that they would long submit to brook it
quietly? .As to any alarm being created by this measure, lie
utterly denied it: He had stated the outlines of it six weeks
ago; and- yet none of tile petitions which had recently been pre-
sented on the subject of the Corn Laws contained one syllable
about the petitioners-felling any apprehensions as to the result
of this measure.
Mr. NEWMAN said that he was credibly informed that a
vessel was at this momtnt chartered at Hamburgh, to go from
that port to Canada with corn, which was afterwards to be im-
ported info England. The idea, therefore, of such a trade was
not quite so preposterous as the lion. Member for Taunton
seemed to suppose. ..
Mr. LOCKHA UT opposed the resolution, and contended on:
the autiority of Tachus, that it was not the interest of the mos
ther country.tO extend too much protection to the agriculture
of a colony. Tacitus related, that during a fathine in the reign
of Claudius, it was discovered that there were only 15 days'
pro Vision in Rome..
_TAIL, treated considerable consternation,
and Tacitus, in describing it,' Mentioned with great regret and
indignation, .that in. courquence of certain immunities granted
to the colonies,. Italy, which had formerly exported corn to all
her provinces, wea deft at the mercy of -Sicily, Egypt, and
Africa, for the daily support and maintenance of her inhabi-
tants. He. truated.that the rulers of this country would take a
hint from the reinaekli 0 that author, and not leave England
dependent on any fOrsigrination whatsoever for a supply of the
most mouisite necessary of human life..
The resolutions waie'then agreed
,to. The House resumed,
and the -raport war drdered to be received to.morrow..
DISSENTERS' MARRIAGE BILL.
Mr. W. SMITE moved the further consideration of the re-
port on this- Bill.
On-the motion that the SPEAKER do now leave the chair,
ROBERTSON• rose, and opposed it at considerable
length. Ile contended .that the Protestant Dissenters were not !
entitled to the privileges which this bill would bestow upon •
them,- because they were not even so much of Christians as the
Mahometans. These Protestant Dissenters denied the divine
mission of Christ, which the Mahometans admitted. In proof
of this position the Hon. Member read several passages from the
Koran. He then proceeded to shew that even the Jews were
better Christians than-the Dissenters, and concluded by mov-
ing that this report be taken into consideration this day six
months.
Nobody being found to second this amendment, it fell to the
ground. The original-motion was then put, and carried. The
Bill was then committScl.
ln the Committee, Mr. W. SMITIi remarked that he should
not deign to answer the speech which had juat been made by
Mr. Robertson, as it showed a total ignorance of -the tenets 'of
die Dissenters, and of the details of the present measure.—
;Hem., hear!)
The House resumed.—Report to-morrow.
The other Orders of-the Day were then disposed of, and the
House-adjourned at TWELVE O'CLOCK.