The Sun.
London, England, 1841-08-28 00:00:00

the disposers of power in this ceuntry, that there must be some
reason given for your proceedities—that you world think the
Sovereign who placed at the head' of the Goyerament persons
not possessing in any way the confidence of the country, was
not justified in such an act; and so. likewise, with regard to the
House of Commons he ing met by a Ministry ie possession of
the confidence of the Sovereign, that if they think it their duty
to express their want of concert in that confidence—if they ex-
press an opinion that these Ministers should make way for
others, they are bound to give their reasons, and to found
on
argurriente connected with the welfare of the state the conclu-
sions to which thsy come.—(Loud cheering.) And yet, Sir,
I have • heard no argument on this subject except the
one addressed to the House by the Hon Member for the West
Riding of Yorkshire, who moved the amendment, by the
Noble Lord who followed him, and the Right lion. Gentleman.
who has spoken th.s night, arid I must say there was a re-
markable discrepancy between the line of arguments they
pursued.—( Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman stated that he
felt it was incumbent upon him bringing forward a motion of
such magnitude, and involving such vast consequences, to
ground himself on the best reasons he could state for the neces-
sity of that motion. Ilis whole argument was lbunded on the
conduct of the Government in past years, beginning with the
Government of Lord Grey in IWO. The Right Hon. Gen-
aleman has made a speech te-nigle giving his opinion on the
state of public affairs, and' the wholej of his arguments have
been, vested on the Budget which was proposed by the Chan-
cellor ef the Exchequer. and the measures respeeting the
Corn-laws I intended to have proposed in the last Session.
Now, Sir, I beg first to address myself to the arguments of
the Hon. Member for the West Riding of Yorkshire, and I
must say that, after the most careful review of the statements
put forth by Hon. Members, there never was a case made out
upon such meagre grounds.—( Hear, hear.) Whenever, upon
former occa ions, the House of Commons has passed such cen-
sures as are now proposed to the House, some strong grounds
have been alleged—( Hear, bear)—some great charge has ,been
brought against the Governmont, and strong facts were
brought forward to support them.— (Ilear. ) At the end of the
American war the charge against Lord North's Government
was that he had wasted the treasure and blood of the country,
and that he had sacrificed thirteen colonies.—( hear, hear. )
In the case of Mr. Addington, the charges were equaly grave.
The Hon. Member for West Yorkshire says that we arc pledged
to peace. Sir, Ido not deny that we have pledged ourselves
to maintain peace, as far as we could do so without provoking
war.—( Cheer?.) With respect to Belgium, which has always
been a source of war in Europe since the tine, of E izabeth—
and since her time, from the reign ofWilliam the Third down-
wards—the contentions were amicably settled by Lord Grey
having made the first arrangements, and Lis preliminaries being
followed up by the present. Government.—(Cheers.) With
respect to Spain and Portugal, I admit that the policy of the
Government has been very much challengened; and I can
say, Sir, that, at all events, it has been success-
ful.—( Great and continued cheering.) But, Sir, our policy
in the East has been assailed. It was the opinion of all the
that Mc hemet Ali should no longer retain Syria.
We concurred in that opinion, erste ia.eonsetsueoce oftheit coos:
currence we took means which restored Syria to the driminion
of the Porte.—(Hear.) In India an attempt was made to
shake our power, and Dost Mohammed was put forward as the
instrument by which it was to be overthrown. I cannot yet
say what is the result of our policy in respect to China ; but
this I can say, that wherever our operations have been con-
cluded our operations have been successful. , Much has been
said of the inefficiency of our navy ; but I think, Sir, that
there are living disproofs of that charge, in the persons of
Admiral Stopford and another gallant officer, who is now a
Member of this House.—( Cheers.) I think it is unnecessary
to occupy the House by going into any details, I think that
the result of cur policy has been, that we held up the name
of England high amongst the nations of the world, and that
under our administration, neither her honour nor her power
has been diminished.—(Cheers.) With respect to the Colo-
nies, all I can say is, that they are in a state 01 increasing
prosperity. With respect to one of them, Canada, which is
connected with one of the questions before the House--which
is, I mean, connected more especially with the timber duties,
I must remind the House of the difficulties which we had
from the first to contend with. We had given to a French
population, unaccustomed to British habits, a constitutional
form of Government, and the failure of all attempts to
conciliate that population having failed, a rebellion brake
out, which, however, we were enabled to suppress.—(Cheers.)
That rebellion was put down by a General, whose military
talents enabled him to suppress that insurrecti in. The minds
of men were disturbed, and it was felt that without free institu-
tions in British possessions, no permanent peace or prosperity
could be firmly established.—(Hear, hear.) Every thing in-
duces me to believe that those institutions will prosper as there
is already, on many occasions, a desire manifest, el in favour of
British connections, and a disposition aiid f. cling of loyalty en-
gendered towards this country.--(Cheers,) But I thought it
necessary to state to the Governor-General that the whole
question being taken into consideration, the extent of the
Canadian frontiers, which is 1,200 miles, and viewing the
nature of the population, the late excitement that took
place—it was necessary to take means for the future defence
of Canada by her Majesty's arms if necessary, and for
the future improvement of the province by which its peaceful
progress in prosperity may be promoted.—( Cheers.) That
was the matter to which I alluded when I said to Lord Syden-
ham, that there was a measure through which I hoped the
people of Canada would be reconciled to the alteration in the
timber duties. He said the progress of Canada and its re-
sources, would be crippled in consequence of the debt of Ca-
nada. And when he (Lord Sydenhem) introduced that in
the speech which lie made, he thought proper to give the
Assembly the whole of the despatch, and read it on the oc-
casion. It know not if I should have thought it necessary
to give that despatch, but in all probability he thbught it would
give confidence to those who supported them at the lime; to
show that these who had beenfaithful to the Crown would not be
abandoned by the Crown—(Cheers)—that every means in the
power of Parliament would be taken to prove we were inter-
ested in their prosperity, and ready to make common cause
with them in all their contingencies.—(Cheers.) The Bight
Hon. Gentleman did not say he disapproved that policy. 1 feel
confident it was the only policy, that if you were determined as
some philosophers advocated, and as a Noble Lord, a Member
of the other House, upheld, to separate from Canada, you
should do to at once, and if you are determined to defend
Canada, you should do so effectually, and not suffer those who
gave generous support to the loyal cause to suppose that a luke-
warm aid would be exerted in their defence, or to doubt'
whether that ad would be continued to them. But, Sir, whe-
ther that policy be right or wrong, the present state of things
is, that the colony is well affected to the mother country, and
that it is improving in riches and strength, and that there is
not, with respect to any other British colonies, except those
external dangers with regard to Canada, any room for appre-
hension.—( Cheers ) I tow come to our domestic govern-
ment—(Cheers)—and I ask, with regard to our domestic go-
vernment—l ask, is there anything in the state of this country
under our government that creates cause for apprehension,
whether you take such measures as I will hereafter speak of,
and which I think necessary for the well-being of tl.e country,?
--(Cheers.) I will not speak at present of the distress of the
people; but with regard to their disposition, I think I may
fairly say that that disposition is a disposition of loyalty, of
tranquillity, and of obedience to the law.—(Cheers. With
respect to Ireland—whatever may be thought of the outrages
and the crimes which had long existed there—l think with
regard to political feelings, no disposition of aliena-
tion towards the Crown of this country was fo-
mented during the present Administration.—(Cheers.)
Well then I say that the Hon. Member for Yorkshire has come.
forward to propose a vote of want of confidence on those who
had been successful in their transactions abroad—who had been
successful in their goveromete. of the Colonies—who haul been
successful in their Government of Great Britain and Ireland.
--(Much cheering.) You may tell me you have succeeded.
You may tell me that there are others to whom you are dis-
posed to transfer your confidence, but though this is an exer-
cise of the right of the House, it is an exescise of it in a case
where you have not proved any want if an efficient adminis-
tration—(Opposition cheers, answered by loud cheers from the
Ministerial Benches)—when you have not proved that any of,
the great interests of the country have suffered in the
hands of the present Administration—(Continued dicers.)
Why, Sir, we had debates on this subject before, and We had
the same debates in the course of these four n'ghts. I remem-
ber in the commencement of the year 18-10 one motion of
want of confidence, and Honourable Gentlemen brought
forward the gravest charges they could against the
Government ; and one of the gravest charges was, that I made
a speech at. Liverpool, at which no reporter was present, and
of which a garbled account bad got into the papers, not half of
it being given, and that half misstated.—(Laughter. ) An•
other charge was in a speech of the Right Hon. Gentleman,
that there was some person appointed by the Registrar-General
who registered births and marriages at Birmingham, and who
was by mistake selected because he turnedout to bee Socialist;
and it was upon a charge of that kind—because in the Govern-
ment of a great county an erroneous appointment had been
made—upon a crime of that extent the House Would be in-
duced to withdraw its confidence from them.—(Cheering.)
We had another great debotc this Session, and the charge
then was, that we had not been able to carry certain measures,
and, among others, was one which has been freqnently re-
ferred to; and which, even at the risk of wearying the House,
I must say a few words upon. I mean the Appropriation
Clause.—)Hear, hear.) That was not a measure brought for-
ward to deprive the Right Hon. Gentleman office, for it was a
vote frequently given by Hon. Members on this side of the
House, who thought that the revenues of the Irish Church
were too large, and that a portion might be given for the
benefit of time whole community, Protestant and Roman Ca-
tholic. It so happened that Lord Wellesley had then recoin
mended a measure with regard to tithes, and had also recom-
mended a Commission to inquire as to the number of each reli.
gious persuasion. At the same time the Hon. Member for
Lheffield brought forward a motion, which was agreed to by a
great majority of this House; and the Right Hon. Gentleman,
and the Noble Lord opposite, left office on accoudt of the mo-
tion. At this time Lord Spencer succeeded to the Peerage,
and a new Ministry was formed. Were we to alter our opi-
nions on that account ; were we, who asserted those princi-
ples ; were we to say, because the Right Hon. Gentleman
was in power, that we should forget, or give them up?
No, Sir, and accordingly, (luring the administration of the
flight Hon. Baronet I brought forward a resolution affirming
the principles we had before asserted with regard to the rp-
prepriation of the revenues of the. Irish Church, and the con-
sequenne was his resignation of office. The Right lion. Gen-
tleman might have remained in office till there was some more
decisive vote, but having tendered his resignation I then stated
teat he had acted in accordance with the Constitution. We
immediately proposed a Bill containing that chaise which was
passed in this House, but was defeated in the House of Lords.
We had there two courses to pursue. We might have gone on
with the Appropriation Clause, and after the tithe question was
unsettled ; but that would have expose— Ireland to to the evils
of agitation on the subject of tithes. 1,177 were anxious that the
Appropriation Clause should be carried, because we thought it
would give contentment to the Irish people, and renovate them
to the Established Church, but after being twice defeated in
the House of Lords it would have looked like a hostile feeling
to do so. When it mas said that having been unable to carry
that clause it was our duty to resign. Now, sir, I think our
duty was to consider what was best for Ireland, and with
with respect to the administration of affairs of this
country, nothing whatever but experience will convince
me that there is the greatest difference between
the party I act with and the tarty opposite. Notwithstanding
all that that lion. Gentleman says of his intentions, he must
lailiddevolvbecominge ul
poi a
v
place power in Ireland in the hands of an exasperated minority.
The
orders
benevolenterin enat, b
and
impartial,
n
those who will execute them with malevolence and rancour,—
(Cheers.)i
The
\e and b e maynet ic b e
t Go
Right Hon. Baronet and the party opposite
Cheers.) Ido not wonder at ti at, but I must
—many of whom share his intentions—think 1 sin wrong in
that opird'in.--e
regard to the that the expressions made use of
shy that all past experience has shown the truth of what I now
iu
sel; and I must further say
great majority of the people of Ireland—the
mode of speaking of them and their clergy by the organs of
the party opposite—the mode of speaking even of a Member
of that Housethe calling the people nothing but sa-
vages shows the spirit from which such language pro
ceeds—(Cries of Hear")—and we are bound to suppos-
that the acts will proceed from the same source. With that
opinion—holding such sentiments, it appeared to me that it
was our duty still to remain in office although the Appropria-
tion clause was not carried, because, although we could not
give the people of Ireland the benefit of that clause, still we
could give them the benefit of a just administration of the
laws which we thought they had not had before, nor were
likely to receive from the party then in opposition. Now,
Sir, with respect to the internal condition of the country—we
haze been charged with getting up an agitation on the subject