The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-26 00:00:00

T SUN, LONDON, M OND r 1 Y, APRIL 26, 1841.

I ever convinced those who had moved for its appointment
were of the benefits of education. The only point which
was recernmendcd to their attention we; the distress exist-
ing in the Highlands of Scotland, and the immediate
remedy of that distress.. They hal to tire• into the
condition of the pepu'atioo of the Highlands anti 14ands
cf Scotland, and into the pracdeabnity of efferding tt:ein
relief by means cf emigration. They have made a first or
preliminary report, and they state in that, that the recent
distreis which prevailed in the Highlands and Islands of
Scotland arose mainly from the excess of population, and
they liege the necessity
of considering of some imme-
diate and efficient remedy to alleviate the existing dis-
tress. They state that the chief remedy for that dis-
tress is a xvelleregulated system of education; and they
call several witnesses of the highest respectability, and I
I will state what the result of their testimony is to you.
Mr. Baird, the Honorary Secretary to 'the Glasipw
Committee for Affording Relief to the Deatitote
Islanders in 1 837 , a eentleman of ample experience a's to
the condition of the Islanders, and the causes of distress,
was asked this question, " What' is the best remedy for
the present state of things in the Islands of Scotland ?"
And he replied, that the prospective remedy was eduenne
tion, the want of which he conceived to be the grcatent
curse of the Islands; end be gave an instance of four
islands, with a population of 1,105 individuals, which had
at present only one school for the four islands. He nag
asked in what wav education would benefit them? and he
said that it would qualify them for accepting situations
in the Low Countries, where they could better their for-
tunes, or for procuring an honourable livelihood in a
foreign land. The next witness was a clergyman, whom
lam proud to call my friend—a gentleman of whom Scot-
land may be justly proud—l refer to Dr. • Norman
M`Leod, who also bears testimony to the deficiency of
education, and its effect in promoting emigration. In
quoting these proofs of the deficiency of education, it is
but right to bring forward testimony to the moral courage
and the peaceful conduct of those who are suffering under
the severest privations..—( Hear, hear). There was a
gentleman named Braham appointed by the Government
to inquire into the condition of the Highlands, and who
said that education was the best and surest foundation of
any effectual cure that could be offered ; and he also bore
testimony to the morality, the patient forbearance,
and the honesty of that unenlightened people, who
were exposed to such severe privations. Mr. Bra-
ham said, the exertions they made for one another
were quite • extraordinary ; that it was quite beauti-
ful to see the sacrifices they made, and the perfect honour
among them.--( Cheers.) Now, it is on be'aalf of such a
people I make an earnest appeal to you this evening. It
is possible that a great part of this company is composed
of gentlemen who are natives of Scotland; and I look
around the meeting with feelings of pride and satisfaction
in reflecting that every hostile feeling between the two
countries is exeinguished—((sheers)—that nothing re-
mains but that generous rivalry which makes each rejoice
in the success of the other, and which makes each deeply
interested in that success ; first, because it contributes to
his own prosperity; and next, because it advances the nae
florid character and renown of eur own commit) country.
—(Cheers.) a But, 'gentlemen, you who are natives of
that country, I trust will never suffer those salutary pre-
judices to be extinguished, which ought to make you proud
of your country.—(Cheers.) I hope, on this occasion,
that you will remember you are Scotchmen, separated
perhaps for the terms of your lives from the country to
which you owe affectionate allegiance. I trust you will,
'on this occasion, mark your respect for your native land,
and your love fur its institutions, by remembering the
claims of your fellow-countrymen from whom you
are separated, by administering to their wants,
and laying the foundation of their moral and
social improvement.—(Cheers.) For us, who be-
long to another part of the empire, 1 trust we shall
never forget the obligations we owe to Scotland for
its ample contribution to the arts, sciences, literature,
naval and military renown of this great kingdom. I hope
we shall both acknowledge the claims upon our chae ity and
benevolence towards those who are far removed from us,
but who arc suffering under the severest privations.—
( Cheers.) This Society, as I said at the outset, is mainly
dependent on voluntary benevolence. Let me entreat you,
then, on this occasion to maintain the fund which enables
it to continue its useful exertions for the advantage of the
people of Scotland.—(Loud cheers.) Let me advise you
to adopt a simple rule. If you do adopt it you will never
forget it. There is not one man in this room, who, if he
adopts the resolution of doubling the subscription, which in
the cool and sober moments of the morning he resolved to
give, will regret it, or think that he has done so under the
influence of a wine-warmed imagination.—( Hear, and
cheers.) If you adopt this simple plan, there is not one
man among you, who, on rising to-morrow morning,
will not congratulate himself that he has done well.—
(Loud cheers.) If you will follow out this simple pro-
cess, I venture to say that not only the revenues of the
present year will be greatly increased, but that young suc-
cessors who will attend at future meetings, will be either
encouraged or shamed at your example, and will double
the amount of their subacriptions.—(Cheers.) Perhaps
some of you think that you have already committed your-
selves by handing in your subscriptions, but I have the
pleasure of informing you there is a locus panitenthe, and
therefore an opportunity of amending the involuntary
error you may have committed—( Cheers)—and of pre-
venting your names from appearing to disadvantage, when
compared with those more fortunate persons who have not
yet committed themselves.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen; al-
low me to say, that although these words appear spoken
in levity, they are yet perfectly true.—(Cheere.) Let
me assure you that you will not suffer or repent of so
doing, but will reflect upon it with pleasure ; and though
removed by hundreds of miles . from those whose
wants and privations you supply, their gratitude
will be as lively as if we were on the spot.—( Loud
cheers.) By so doing you will not only promote their
essential interests, but perform your uuty as Christians
and benevolent men, and strengthen the bond of con-
nection between this country and that potion of the popu-
lation who may be uneducated and illiterate, and hive been
its right arm in the day of peril, and have added to the
fame, and protected the interests of this country; and
who, under the pressure of severe adversity and of priva-
tion, amounting almost to famine, have shown that pa-
tience, forbearance, and submission to the law, which entitle
them to the commiseration and sympathy of every British
subject. The Right Hon. Baronet concluded a most elo-
quent speech amid loud applause, wines continued for
EC 'oral minutes, by proposing the toast of " Prosperity to
the Royal Highland School Society," with three times
three, and that enthusiasm which properly belonged to the
subject. The toast was drank with great applause.
Mr. Broadhurst then sang the following song, written
for the occasion, wi.h great applause:—
Fill your glasses all bumpers, till joy's ruby tide
O'erflow them with sparkles of light ;
And be this the libation to waken your pride,
The Chief of our meeting to-night I.
Let the roof-tree that o'er us its shelter imparts,
Re-echo the gladness we feel ;
Whilst our voices embody the Irish cf our hearts,
Health I Welcome I and Honour to Peel !
The far-beaming splendours of Iligl.land renown,
For ages have brighten'd the past ;
And their glory shall still go refulgent!), down,
Unclouded and puce to the last.
Yet famed as the noblest its anrals can boast,
Is the worth 'A hieh his virtues reveal ;
And 'tis Scotland's warm gratitude hallows the toast,
Health I Welcome ! and Honour to Peel.

The CIIAIkIIAN :.aid the bast he was .bout to propose
would render all ornament superfluous, and whore high
character would WM?. every attempt to pourtray it as it
(10,erved. He then gave ttiern—" His Grace the Duke of
Wellington, one of the Vice- Preiidents of the Society."
The toast was received with enthusiastic cheering,' which
lasted for some minutes.

A;r—" See the conquering hero comes."
Tile next toast given from the Chair was the health of a
untioman whose name was pre-erninently distinguished in
connection with every charitable institution of the country
4r. Bonjamin !Lind Caote'l."—( Loud cheers.)
Mr. CATSBELT, returned thanks.

The Marquis of NORTHAMPTON then rose, and, in an able
and eloquent speech, which we regret our limits will not
enable us to give, proposed the health of .‘ the Ch.irman,
the Right Honourable Sir Robert Peel," which was drunk
with the greatest enthusiasm.
Sir R. Pest, in returning thanks, a ive -tld to the kind-
ce,s ho had invariably received from the people of Scot-
land, and the honour conferred on him by the academic
youth of that country ; and said that, although he was,
from, the multiplicity of oth :r occupations, frequently
obliged to decline similar invitations, he could not front
these considerations decline the honour of presiding on this
occasion.—( Loud cheers.)
Song—" The Chinese Jars." . _ _

The CHAIRMAN subsequently propore.l the health of
" th 3 Earl of Eldon, the last chairman of the Society,"
,i the Marquia cf Northampton," ‘•• the Landowners of
the Highlands of Scotland," and " the Chisholm,"
" the Secretary," and other officers of the institution;
and the Stewards, each of whom returned thanks in. a
very eloquent speech, which nothing but the absolute want
of space prevents us from inserting.
The health of " The Ladies" was after Wards drunk
with great enthusiasm; shortly after which the Chairman
retired, amid great applause, and was succeeded by the
Chisholm, by whom the chair was ably filled until the
company separated. The Hon. Gentleman proposed
several convivial toasts, which were received with raptur-
ous applause. He took an opportunity, during his presi-
dency, of perusing a report of the evening's proceedings
which appeared in the second edition of thir paper, and
wh;ch was circulated in time room by the Stewards before
eLven o'clock. The great dispatch and accuracy which
uharacterlsecl the appearance of the Report appeared to
eir.Fite the utmost surprise and gratification. It would be
c'll'v m?rlileineeghaat hgeredai to
ninjustice
setro
etl. the
Inspiritedde ed,
w e h a proprietorsve 3oe
seldom
d theom
SOII'S Tavern, not to mention the excellent style in
sligicihnoinwaalsl resects went off with greater
rytendedTobi:
eclat,
song of " John Anderson niexcellent,j particularly the old
10Z,3P.r
A.DpA
.)7,, 1-1
DthueppwuaredhsessooffBsooonl:ers)e,
The Secretary in the course of the beyveNnliri.gßarnonanaulinuersetd,
which was rupturously applsuydei","
which the principal were, her Majesty (anntiu'llan)l7o2/s,
subscriptions
oavvmagoucnrviroiggst,
Somerset 10:
log,, the Duke of Buke:
ekueb 50/., the Duke of outland lugs, Lord Bexle
the Duke of Muctrose 10/., B. 'B. cdbto, Esq,,ylo‘::,
the
QDauccehrel Duchess of rouckinghain
_.,Maticet tor 10 ,s, sir'
George Murray 5 gs, .
Sir, Alex.,, t.rray Grant lo'gs, the
the Vice-Chancellor
of pion tiOgs, S,
Sir B. Brodie,
—enrY.Kerub'e •
I tid Briiiih (tin en ~,,, ' '
FAO,, logs., Sir IL Bee2....,___2______ . . _.,.

The VETES QV VERSAILLII.S.-,-The luxuwy of
dress, the splendour of equipages, the beauty of the Court
Ladies, the magnificence of the grand concert, presented
altogether a re-feet scene of enchantment. The gardens
of the palace were illuminated by several millions of va_
ris,:at;(l crystal lamps, %ilia' were lighted almost simul-
taneously, as if by ttie toticli of a inac,ician's wand. Some
eqiniate a the of itre rlituinitcations may be
formed from the evtense.bf the bouquet 'ALM flee. :9tl the
spa of a few moments thirty tbdwand rockets we'rc 'let
:
off, each pi k,iogil 9pnt a erown,—Thiodore 'Hooks
French .Stop,,

THE MANCHESTER. CH &TUBER

OF COMMERCE AND THE IMPORT DUTIES,

MANcuasmn, Arrat, • 422. —An ,c*lromely interesting:,
mt,:ting, of the Chamber of Commerce a3d Manufactures
took place here to-day, for ti,e further consideration .4 the
import duties queßtion, and for tic Purpose of determitdcg
On the propriety of petitioning Parliament on the question.
John Benjamin Smith, Esq., President of the Board of
Directors, W 39 present, and took the chair.

The PRESIDENT was happy to say that the questien
of free trade was not noW brought before this Chamber lot
the first time. He found that so-long ago as 1824, by the
records of the Chamber, that when Mr. Huskisson
brought forward his trade measures, by which it was pro-
posed to allow the lice exportation of machinery and aril-
sans, it was opposed by the Chamber, but at the same time
they passed the following resolution :—" That in the pro-
gress which Ministers,and Parliament are making towards
a revision and liberalisation of our commercial system,
this meeting think it necessary to request the Directors
of the Manchester Chamber ef Commerce to call their at-
tention to the overwhelming restriction under which the
commercial interests of this country are placed by the pre-
sent state of the Corn-laws, which not only tend to give a
factitious value to the most important article cf human
food, but to throw obstacles in the way of mercantile ope-
rations, by materially augmenting the difficulty of procur-
ing returns." From this resolution it was evident that the
Chamber thought it was beginning at the wrong end to
allow exportation of machinery without allowing a free
importation of food.—( Hear, hear.) In 1825, when Mr.
Iluskisson brought forward his free-trade measures,
the following resolutions were passed by the Cham-
ber :—" That having taken into consideration the im-
portant changes in the commercial policy of the country,
recommended by the resolutions of the House of Com-
mons, whereby foreign manufactures and descriptions of
foreign raw produce will be admitted on a greatly reduced
scale of duties, the members of the board feel it to be a
duty to declare their approbation of the proposed mea-
surer, their concurrence in the sound and enlightened
principles of government on which they are founded, and
their hope and belief that, whilst they are calculated to
promote the general prosperity of the cautery, they will net
prove permanently or seriously iejurious to any branch of
the trade of this district, provided they be followed by that
repeal of the duty on raw cotton which is pointed out and
required by the same principles of sound policy by which
these measures have been dictated. That the repeal of
the existing Corn-laws, and free access to the corn markets
of the world, under easy duties on importation (if any
should be required) will be more than ever necessary when
the proposed changes regarding the introduction of
foreign manufactures aro carried into effect, and ought to
be earnestly and unceasingly pressed on the consideration
cf Parliament. Such were the resolutions passed in
1825 ; since then the duty on raw cotton had been reduced,
but no change had taken place in the Corn-laws, and
very few changes had taken place affecting our commerce
with other countries.—( Hear, hear.) It was impossible
to look at the present state of our trade without feeling
considerable alarm.—( Hear, hear.) The effect of our
restrictions upon the importation of foreign productions
had been to establish manufactories in foreign countries,
particularlyein the north of Europe and the United States
of America, and now we found these countries seeking
the means of importing our machinery instead or our ma.
nufactures.—(Hear, hear.) Another important feature
in our commercial prospects was the near approach
of the termination of our treaty with the Brazils ;
their Government had given notice that, on the
termination of that treaty, unless we admit their
staple produce, enrich was sugar and coffee, that they
would prohibit our manufactures.—( Hear.) Now the
Brazils took a larger quantity of our manufactured goods
than any other part of the world, and therefore this be-
came a very important consideration.—(Hear, hear.),
The United States :were ,plso about to take into ponsi-
deraticin the duties on the finpart'or our manufacture§
there. At present they were admitted at an average
duty of 25 per cent. ; but it could hardly be expected
that they would continue to allow our manufactures to be
imported on such easy terms, if we persevered in excluding
their products from our markets.—(Hear, hear.) This
question, he was happy to say, was one in which men of
all parties could join; it was not a political question ; they
did not seek to obtain any favour from the Legislature ;
all they asked was a fair field for their own exertions;
they sought no legislative protection for their own inter-
ests—all they asked was to be freed from monopolies for
the good of others at their expense.—( Hear, hear.)
He would now read to them the resolutions prepared, and
about to be submitted to them.—[The Chairman then
read the resolutions, which appeared in our columns on
Saturday].
Mr. HOLLAND Hooen, in rising to propose the adoption
of the first resolution, alluded to the report of the Direc-
tors on this question read at the last meeting, and said he
Lelieved that the public mind had been more enlightened
by that document than by any report which had ever issued
from that Chamber. He understood that such had been
the demand for that report, that it had been necessary to
print 4,000 copies of it ; and when they took into con-
sideration that this was in addition to the wide circulation
which bad been previously given to it by the newspapers,
they would see the great interest taken in it, and that the
public mind began to be roused to the danger of our posi-
tion.—( Hear; hear.) He hoped that the interest which
had thus been awakened would not be allowed to diminish,
hat that this Chamber, and all gentlemen who took a lively
interest in the question, would follow it up by pressing
the subject upon the consideration of the House of
Commons. He himself imagined that ho had a
sort of protection, and he Was anxious to ascertain to
what extent, for which reason he hart paid some atten-
dee to the subject for the last few weeks. He, was speak-
ing in reference to the exportation of machinery. He had
supposed that he was protected against the foreign spinner
by the prohibition upon the exportation of machinery.
He examined into that question, and really if 'that was the
protection they enjoyed, it seemed to be reduced to the
smallest poss.hle standard, for it did appear in a most
extraordinary way that licences of the Treasury had been
granted for the exportation of what was called preparation
machinery, or machinery for manufacturing fidesses up to
that point where two slivers were joined together, from a
supposition that cotton up to that point was not under-
going any manufacturing process.—( Laughter.) He
never heard of anything more absurd; if that was protec-
tion they had it but in name, and the sooner it was done
away with the better. He woutd put the case in tit's
way :—Suppose the agritelftural interest, who were pro-
tected, or store supposed to be protected, by the Corn-
laws, were protected in this manner, what should we say
if all corn imported into this country were admitted, by li-
censes from the Treasury, in any state of manufacture
short of being made into bread, on the understanding that
until it had undergone that process it was not an article of
food ?—( Laughter and applause). Yet this was really the
sort of protection the manufacturer enjoyed, and nothing
morc.—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. J. HEREFORD second the resolution.

Mr. ADSDEAD could not conceive any subject more dr-
serving of attention than that before the Chamber—a sub-
ject not only connected wilt tie commercial policy of the
country, but also with the existence and prosperity of the
manufacturing, community. Inquiries had been instituted
to ascertain the bearing of these import duties on our com-
mercial aid manutacturiu,,e- relations, and he thought it
would be admitted by all parties that an amount of rvi-
dance so important in its details, so conclusive in its prin
ciples, and so full of valuable information, had never been
brought under the especial notice of the Chamber.—
( Hear, hear.)
The resolution was agreed to unanimonsly.
Mr. IL OARDNER, in moving the second resolution, said
that protections were a benefit to the community was
quite an erroneous doctrine. They might be a temporary
advantrge to those whom they were intendel to protect;
but, in the end, much evil would result from them. With
respect to sugar he found that in the year 1839 there had
been a falling off in the importation of that article, in con-
sequence of these protections, amounting to 12,400 tons ;
and in 1840 he found there was a still further falling off of
13,800 tons, notwithstanding the increase which was taking
pl leo in our populaion, in the consumption, being a full
reduction of 121 per cent. in the last three years. !Our
policy, as regarded our own population, and as regarded
that of our colonies, appeared to him to be really crooked
and suicidal in the extreme. The policy of our Government
always appe aced to him to be a starvation one..—( Hear.)
The obj•ret always appeared to be to ascertain the lowest
qaan‘izy of food they could teach the people to exist upon
—( Hear, hear)—or, to levy the greatest amount of taxes
out of t to small:at possible quantity of the necessaries of
life.—( Applause.) They appear to add tax upon tax,
till the more they increased the taxes, the more they
dcc eased the revenue.—( Laughter and applause.) It
was one of the most astonishing things to him ; and
if he expressed himself strongly, it was because ho
expressed his own feelings, that whilst we possessed
' colonies, and perhaps had a population under the
crown of this empire amounting to one-tenth part of the
population of the woad—that whilst we held colonies
possessing every quality of soil, and in every climate of
the world--colenies that vitro capable of producing as
many hundreds weight of sugar and coffee as we could
consume, , supposing we consumed double what
we now did ; he repeated that if we consumed
double the quantity of these articles we had ever yet done
in one year, we have colOnies capable of producing as
many hundreds weight as we now required pounds; yet,
notwithstanding this it was surprising that with a protec
tion of 395. per cwt. upon sugar, over and above the duty
paid for sugar grown in the colonies, and 345. per cwt. upon
coffee, notwithstanding all our immense territories and ad-
vantages, we could not produce the amount of sugar and
coffee necessary for ourselves, bUt were compelled to pur-
chase it from neighbouring States where they had no pro-
tecticn ; and those neighbouring States without this pro-
tection were able to supply our markets as well as their
own. For instance, he found that the consumption of coffee
alone, in one year, amounted to 12,823 tons; and of this
quantity, 6,470 tons were the produce of our colonial posses-
sions, while 6,353 tons% ere the produce of foreign countrieq.
But it must be clearly understood that this did not pay the
protective duty of 345., fcr Government admitted foreign
coffee touching at a British port at Bd. less per lb. (in.
creasecl.by the expense of reshipping, insurance, &c,, by
another penny) ; and thus these 6,353 tons of foreiga
coffee would have paid an additional duty cf about 375.
per cwt. Tali: really led him to conduce that our pro-
tection, our cradling- or nursing system, was a very bo onp
indeed,—( Hear, hear.) There was
.another inoonsistency
43 to our consumption of slave.growo sugar, fir while the
slarre.grown sugar was prohibited for consumption in this.
country, we purchased it and refined. it i.: bond, and
shipped it out for the'use of our colonies; therefore, while
the black population were supplied with fine sugar at
iP:; we were paying them at least 7d. or 71d: for their
coarser sugar..4l-lear, hem ) All this was done for the
libtirpv,oicsteoortf
tdhoaitng away with slavery; but so
protection lasted it appeared to him that it would increa,e,
and tend to increase the value of slave-labour, and it was
long as .this
his decided conviction that so long as slave-labour was
Tifitable, it could never be suppressed.—( Hear, hear. )
he only way to end slavery was to do away with the profit
attendin:.; it Hear, hair.) was his full and firm
du' ca were reduced, it
"1Y add t 6 'the revel-I'6e; but to the c'onitUsts of OP PC3PIP,
would 'hot
Mr'll.2A's4woiertl seccindetl the resolmtiOnl ;Ojai W 23
t ,t,t •

L. WILLIAMS trusted that much good would :Tsui
from publicity being given to what herd pitsied h 6).1
Chamber on this subject, and that public nttertion would
be drawn to it, f,,r iitl,erto he believed h bad barn le,ry
lir ;a regarded by the public. Mr. Williams thea mc.vcd
thir.i resolution. •

Mr. WM. M'CoNNELL seconde3 the motion.
Mr. PROCTER was engaged in the sill trade; and
though he could not speak for the whole trade, he knew
there were individuals among them who coni:elered that
they required protection in the present t•tate of
things. If the greater protection upon food and so forth
were remelted, that would alter the case.
The CHAIRMAN-1:11C resolution embraces them all.

Mr. PROCTER said, if it had pas3ed without observa-
tion, it would have been understood that the silk trade were
quite agreeable to give up these duties for protreCon ; and
they felt that they were exposed to quite as much compe-
tition as was desirable. He was engaged in the higher
branch of the manufacture, which felt French competition
tie most; and they felt ir, very much at this time. But,
by the way, he begged to state that they were net agr,:e-
able to the removal of the duties so long as other duties
existed—but, if the others were removed, they would [-a :A
el din any peculiar privilege for themselves.
The CHAIRMAN-1 understand Mr. Procter to say that
if the duties on all other articles were removed, their trade
would not claim any protection ; and that is the spirit of
the resolution.

Mr. W. Rawsoss said he belonged to a branch of trade
which had been formerly well protected—so well protected,
that they had now no businessat all. There was certainly
a protecting duty of 20 per cent. still left (he alluded to the
stocking trade); but they had been nearly two years with-
out employment. He had received a letter from a friend
et Coventry to say that there they bad 20,000 ribbon
weavers, who were all engaged in the silk trade, which was
getting this boasted protection, and their wages were not
more than 7s. per week. —( Hear, hear.) Could anything
place that trade in a worse position? It was a folly to sup-
pose that protection could be given to the workmen of this
country while we exported fifry millions of our productions.
It was a folly to say that an) body but the landlord was
protected. It kept up a high artificial price for ag:icul-
tural produce, while it was utterly impossible to keep up
wages and profits artificially. As regarded the exportation
of machinery, unless they could get rid cf the Corn.laws,
he should recommend manufacturers to be selling their
tools while they could get anything for them. His ma-
chinery was worth as many thousands in 1836, an is was
now worth hundreds ; he was not sure that he could get
anything at all for it; it was going into the state of old
iron, and was becoming more worthless every day.
Mr. IL lioneees—Allusions had been made to the ex-
pertation of machinery, a subject with which he was well
acquainted, and on which, ten veers ago, he strongly, and
almost alone in this town, raised his voice against the in-
convenience and extreme impolicy of attempting to forbid
the exportation of machinery. Of late be had held his
tongue on this subject, for this reason. He did think, when
Mr. Huokisson brought forward histrinciples of free trade,
and a general promise seemed to be held out, by the pro.
ceedings in Parliament, that they should be carried ieto
effect, that it might take away, to a great extent, that sore
point in the diplomatic intercourse between this and ether
countries, which the nations of Europe especially, urged
against permitting a free interchange of commodities,—
namely, that the British Government peremptorily forbade
the exportation of all labour, saving machinery ; and that,
therefore they were placed in such a disadvantageous
posi-
tion that they could not accede to the free trade principles
offered by England. That was one ground why he thought
:he removal of those prohibitory laws ought to be urged.
Another was, the original error that had been committed in
permitting steam-driven machinery, water wheels, and
heavy gearing to go abroad, at a time when it would have
been, to a certain degree, a protection to this country to
-maintain the- prohibition, these things being the very lous-
dal ion of manufacturing induetry. That had been origi-
nally done, he believed, because the iron-masters and en-
gineers possessed more influence in the Legislature than
the humbler classes of machine makers. lie meant not
to say that we should forbid the exportation of any sort
of machinery, large or small ; he held it to be a universal
principle that ad sorts of knowledge and all sorts of pro-
ductions of human ingenuity and human labour were for
the benefit of all men—( Applause)—hut if they de-
parted from that sound elementary principle, it was
most injudicious to send away that which they might
defy the foreigner ts get in the outset, forbidding him
those things only which he could construct fur himself,
and giving the very foundation of our manufactures. With
regard to the silk trade, there were very serious doubts
whether it could stand foreign manufactured silks, unless
all obstacles to free trade were swept away : and this
was what the resolution contemplated. In the same way,
in the article of leather, every obftncle must be swept away
to the tree importation of foreign hides, foreign bark, and
everything that added to the composition of the raw mate-
rial ; and then the tanners and curriers would say that
they would do very well. It was not that British industry
was inferior to French—it was not that any branch of
manufacture could not be carried on advantageously, pro-
vided it were permitted to exist on equal terms. But we
must not only take away duties, but prohibitions, for the
prohibitions of the import of live cattle made beets and
shoes dear. We must give to the people the means of
feeding themselves cheaply, and then every branch of in-
dustry in the country would not only be sustained, but
would flourish ; for such was the ingenuity, tire patient
persevering industry, the habitual frugality and par simony
of the British people, that they would live by their indus-
try, and repel any competition, if they were placed on
equal terms with other nations.—( Applause.) We courted
an intercourse with a people whose language and literature
were founded upon, and were continually copying ours;
we had a most beneficial trade with them, and yet we for-
' bade them to trade with us. They might send their ships
,
and take our manufactures, but to pay us, they must first
g the sieve Statea, buy cotton and sugar, and then
send it to us. And we were professing, all the while,
not only a love of free trade and of extended
intercourse with this people, but also, what every English-
man who had a heart in his breast must feel—an abhor-
rence of slavery—( Heat, hear)--whilst we
.were eec mrag-
ing the continuance of slavery in America in the must
palpable way in the world. It we were to tike the corn,
flour, and animal food which the free Sates would willingly
send us in exchaug,e for our manufactu es, our exports to
those c auntr:e3 would be enormously increased; they would
take all they now paid for in cotton and tob.cc e and
would superadd an amazing amount, many millions a yea-.
'The Chamber had been charged with having shrunk a
little from the position it had taken up two years ago, and
with blinking the great question of the. Corn and Provi-
sion Laws under the consideration of a geacral revision
of the tariff. It did not appear from the speeches there
delivered, that there was any falling cff in the feeling of
the members on the subject; but he should like to see a
more pointed and distinct reference to the mischievous chas
reczer of the Corn and Provision Laws than seemed to be
implied by the resolution so far. He had drawn up two
or three clauses, which, aehen they came to the petition,
might be embodied in it, and which he would then offer to
the Chamber. Applause.)

MY. JAMES KERSHAW, in moving the next resolution,
said he wished that Members of Parliament understood the
questiun as well as it was understood in this part of her
Majesty's dominions, and would set their minds end heir.s
upun puttiqg things on a better footing,
Mr. CHAIiLES POOLEY seconded the resolution.

Mr. DYER rose to submit the addition to the -pctitiln of
which he hal spoken, but withdrew it on the Cnairnin
assuring him that a special meeting would be called tt:>petition about the Corn-laws. Mr. Dycr said he ei 1 not
look for a repeal of the Corn-laws from the present House
of Commons; but if their petition was a third time con-
temptuously slighte,l, and inquizy refused, it would be the
,luty of the Chamber immediately to call upon the So-
vereign to dismiss that House of Commons and appeal to
the people, and he did not believe the present constitu-
ency would elect another Bread-taxing House of Commons.
Mr. R. ROBERTS moved the next resolution, and said
he would take the opportunity of adverting to the Bill of
Mr. Labouchere for the revision, of the colonial dutics.
He wished to direct attention to the question how this
would affeot the relative position of United States manu_
lectures and those of this country, in Canada and the
Bti•ish possessions in America.—(Hear, hear.) The
tluti,ts levied on our raanufnatuies importel into the
United States were on an average, at the. least amount,
25 per cent. ; and the goods which were admitted spc-
e,ally for the use of the subjects of this realm in Ca-
nada, he believed were subject to a higher rate
than twenty-live per cent. The practical working
of Mr. lathouchere's proposition would be this: the Ameri-
can manufacturers of exactly the same kind of goods as
we exported, who were in close proximity to our colonies,
could maintain an intercourse, by paying a duty only 4}
per cent. higher than ourselves, with productions. of a Simi-
lar kind, made from their own, staple commodity, the
growth of their own soil, and manufactured with all the
skill and energy which we know them to possess. Thus
they were to be allowed to meet us in their own
markets, while they excluded our manufactures by
a duty of not less 'than twenty-five per cent., thus
placing our trade in the., very worst position by this
arrangement. We were thus adding fuel to the fire
by giving another impulse to American manufac-
tures, and carrying them into our owe country. The dif-
ference of duty was only tif per cent., while we had to pay
the exi,ensc of transit, commission, freight, insurance, and
everything else.—[llr. R. Cobden—Arid the duty on
co:ton]—and then to meet the most competent, active, and
enterprising rival we had. —( Hear, hear.) , Was it pos.
sible that a gentleman who had been present in that Cham-
ber, and has heard as much as it was possible to condense
into an interview of two hours, could be a party to a revi.
eon of duties which should involve such a strange ano-
maly as this? He was positively forgetting that Canada
and the American colonies were British possessions, and
promoting an intercourse founded upon the very worst prin.
plea for our manufacturer.-
The Resolutions were agreed to.