The Sun.
London, England, 1849-02-27 00:00:00

(Ironical cheers.) They had never played them false
(Renewed ironical cheering, and eries of " t )h, oh ")
Honourable Gentlemen opp site had over and over
said that the Right Honourable Baront•t (Sir R. Peel) i
was pledged to support the corn-laws, mid the Ire e-
traders had always told them it was no such thing. The
Right Hon. Baronet had repealed those laws because
he happened to be the Prime Minister, but any one
who stood in his place must have done the same.—
(" Oh, oh !") Every year more of the farmers were
coming round to free-trade opinions.—(" Oh, oh !")
Had they not seen the farmers at their country meet-
ings giving up all hope of restoring protection, and
looking to a reduction of taxation as a means of relief?
Some proposed an alteration in the malt-tax, but Gen-
tlemen who knew a little better what was passing in
the mind of the Chancellor of the Exchequer candidly
told the farmers that if they went to Downing-street
and demanded the reduction of that tax, they would be
asked, " What had they to offer as a substitute ?"
(Hear.) The question had been put to him in deputa-
tions over and over again, and had always placed the
deputations in a fix ; but then they were appointed
nut to propose the substitution of a new, but the
removal of an old eix.—(Hear.) The farmers would
naturally answer they did not know what to substitute,
but that it appeared to them Government spent more
money than America did—for farmers now knew there
was such a country as America, because corn came from
it.—(" Oh, oh," and a laugh.) Sometimes, too, they
would stroll along Pall mall, and see the magnificent
clubhouses in the course of erection—(" Oh, oh")—and
the thought would come into their heads that
17,000,0001. was a larger sum than they ought to
spend for army and navy, for the farmers were not afraid
of the French, though very much afraid of French corn.
—(A laugh.) No doubt there was distress, particularly
in the southern counties. It was the duty of the agricul
tural Members to press on the Government with the frce-
traders—(" Oh, ob!")—not if they did not like it—the
necessity of making every practical reduction in expen-
diture, in order to effect some diminution in agricultural
as well as in manufacturing suffering. Let them recol-
lect what that taxation really was They were accus-
tomed to vote millions as if every county in England was
a California, and as if the gold was not produced by the
sweat and industry of men who were as much entitled
to their honest, merciful, and just consideration as
the proudest and wealthiest in either House of Parlia-
ment. When he turned to the last three years, during
which the manufacturing population had suffered the
most intense misery, and when he saw how noble bad
been their conduct, he thought that the present ques-
tion, supported by opinion so universal and fortified by
facts and arguments which there had been hardly an
attempt to meet, deserved the greatest consideration at
the hands of the House, and that if they would not con-
cede the whole, they would at least go as far as they could
in reducing the expenditure, and lessening the suffering
of the people.—(Cheers and counter-cheers.)
Mr. DRUMMOND said that the Manchester Guar-
dian was a great libeller, if the statement of the Hon.
Gentleman opposite as to the spirit of their meetings wai
correct. If the free-traders went to the farmers, the latter
might be reminded of the saying—trust not your ene-
mies, even when they bring you good news. The grounds
on which the motion was justified were a gross delusion.
When a man lived in a tranquil village in COrnwall or
Wales he might leave his door open, but he suspected
the Manchester gentlemen used locks and bars, and
took precautions, according to their opinions of their
neighbours. In the same way the present ques-
tion was not one of finance but of safety. The)
must look to the state of their neighbours.
It was a delusion in the farmers to bring
this motion forward as a means of relieving then
burdens.—(Cheers) The free-traders swallowed the
camel of 28,000,0001. interest on the national debt without
an effort, but they could nut get down the little gnat of
IS 000,000/. for military and naval expenditure.
they ought to du was riot to diminish taxation, but
to relieve the public debt, which was the only mean,
of freeing capital, and it was deluding thin
people to tell them there was any way of in-
creasing employment but by increasing the capital o
the employer. In the meantime the Manchester school.
not the mass of the people, were using every effort to put
our population out of work, and, nu matter what Mi
uister was in Downing-street, there was not one membi
of any Government who dared to stand up for the
English labourer against the foreign labourer, and ever)
one of the free-traders was going to employ foreign labour
alone, and to discard English labour altogether.
The House divided, when there appeareil—
For the amendment
Against it
Majority —l97
_

The House then went into Committee of Supply pro
forma. The House resumed; the Chairman reported
progress, and obtained leave to sit again on Friday next.
RELIEF OF DISTRESS (IRELAND).

This Bill then passed through Committee.
In reply to Mr. STAFFORD,
Lord J. RUSSELL stated that he would endeavour to
bring on the Irish Poor Bill on Thursday.
VICE-GDARDIANS (IRELAND).
The House resolved itself into a Committee on this
Bill.

Sir W. SONIERVILLE proposed to fill up the blank
in the Bill with the date of the 25th of March, 1850, a,
the period to which the power of the vice-guardians
should extend.

Several Irish Members objected to that date, and
wished that of the 29th of September next to bo axed
in preference.
The Committee then divided, when there appeared—
For the original motion 5O
Against it
_ _

Majority fur the Government
Colonel DUNNE then moved that the Chairman should
report progress.

Sir G. GREY hoped the Committee would allow the
Bill to pass through this stage, and take the discussion
on bringing up the report.
The motion was then withdrawn, and the Bill passed
through Committee.
The Overseers (Cities and Boroughs) Bill, and the
Out- door Paupers Bill, were read a second time.
The Petty Sessions Bill, and Distraining for Rates
Bill, were committed pro forma for the introduction of
amendments.

Mr. HEADLAM moved for, and obtained leave, to
bring in a Bill to consolidate and amend the laws relat-
ing to the conveyance and transfer of real and personal
property vested in mortgagees, trustees, and persons
under legal disabilities.
The House adjourned at One o'clock.

ROBERT HOUDIN. - ST. JAMES'S
THEATRE.
Close of the attractive Entertainment.
M. ROBERT IIOUDIN will have the honour to repeat his extra-
ordliaary SOIREES FANTASTIQUES, at this Theatre as follows:
This Evening (Tuesday) February 27.
To-Morrow Morning (Wednesday) „ 28.
Thursday Evening .. • • March I.
Saturday Evening • • • • „ 3.
Being the last Entertainment, owing to M. Houdin's departure for
the provinces.
Evening Performance at Half-past Eight; Day Performance at
Half-past Two.
Boxes, 4s. ; Pit, Is. ; Amphitheatre, Is. 6d.
Boxes, Stalls, and TiAets for this extraordinary Entertainment
may be secured at Mitchell's Royal Library, 33, Old Bond-street ;
and at the Box-office of the Theatre, which is open daily from Eleven
till Five o'clock.

I 11EATIi6 KOYA.L. EIAYMARKNit.
Mr. B. Webster, Sale Lessee and Manager. Old Bromptoa.
The public is respectfully Informed that this Theatre has, durb.g
.he recess, undergone very extensive repairs sad alterations and the
whole redecorated.

THE SUN,