The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-22 00:00:00

vision to pay them, nor had he furnished them with
any food. In the next instance given 650 people were
in the same condition. Supplies had been sent by
the Free Church Committee, but they had been ex-
hausted. In one place, containing 1,100 people, 950 of
the number were in a state of destitution; and it was the
unanimous opinion of a meeting called there,
that in twenty-four hours many hundreds would
be suffering the pangs of hunger and starvation.
The writer said also, that nothing could be done by the
people themselves, and the. proprietors did not appear to
be making any provision for them. The seed
corn was being consumed, and in many instances
had been wholly used. In a letter written by a
lady in the Isle of Skye, it was stated that
unless some means were taken to supply the people they
must starve. He did not wish then to make any ques-
tion as to the necessity of assisting the proprietors,
but the Government should take means to intro-
duce the poor-law as far as it could be made
available. Some steps should be taken by her
Majesty's Government to assist the people ; for,
in some instances, the tenants and proprietors
were selling their produce at a very low price,
in order to relieve the people as much as possible. He
felt that it was only necessary to call the attention of
her Majesty's Government to'these circumstances, in
order to induce them to do all that could be done for
these poor people, and to save them from the misery o'
want and starvation.
Sir G. GREY said that he could assure his Hon.
Friend that the attention of Government had
been fully directed to this question. It was too
true that the most extensive and severe dis-
tress existed in the west Highlands of Scotland in
consequence of this visitation; it was true that the great
majority of proprietors in
that district had made the
greatest sacrifices and exertions, in order to enable them
to discharge the obligations resting on them to support
the people in the present distress. There had been ex-
ceptions to this noble feeling, but he believed that the
exceptions were comparatively limited. The re-
port to which the Honourable Gentleman had
adverted had been communicated by the sheriff-
substitute of Inverness. He undertook his mission
throughout that district in which the distress prin-
cipally prevailed, and his friend the Earl of Eglin-
ton had communicated some letters embodying the same
facts as were contained in the report. Inquiry had
been directed into all the circumstances connected
with that distress, and the head of the Commissariat in
Oban had been instructed to see that a supply was af-
forded to those places in danger of suffering from fa-
mine. A few days ago he had received a letter from
Sir John M`Neill, chairman of the Board of Supervision
in Scotland, and that gentleman had ordered that
special inquiry should be made, with the view
that the poor-law as it existed should he carried into
effect. Captain Cowan had always received orders to
supply food, with the view of relieving distress where it
existed.

Mr. BAILLIE said, that he could painfully cor-
roborate that the distress had greatly increased
in the Western Highlands. He had seen a
letter from M'Leod, of M'Leod, verifying the fact.
Sir GEORGE GREY said there were two frigates
constantly engaged in supplying the islands of Scotland
with food.

After a few words from Mr. GOULBURN,

Mr. P. SCROPE said it was highly praisewor-
thy of those landlords who had taken care of
their poor, and it was equally reprehensible of those
landlords who did not support their poor. But what
was still more reprehensible was, for Government to
allow the poor to remain at the mercy of any landlord ;
and there ought to be an efficient poor-law to obviate
the evil.—(Elear, hear.)
Major MACNAMARA said there was not a man in
his part of the country who had not done his duty, and
as for himself he was the largest contributor in the
county of Clare.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. STUART said that he had received a letter
from M'Leod, of M'Leod, detailing the distress of the
persons on his estate, and concluding by stating that
he had, up to the present period, supplied his tenants
with oatmeal to the amount of 51. on an average, and
that such was the fearful state of the distress, that it
was quite impossible for him to bear up under it.
The conversation then dropped.
THE BUDGET.

The House then resolved itself into a Committee of
Ways and Means.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER rose for
the purpose of making the financial statement, and said
—Mr. Greene: Although I have little doubt but that the
importance of the subject upon which I am now
about to address the Committee would ensure the
attention of the Committee, yet I hope I shall not appeal
to it in vain for its indulgence during the statement I
am about to make. Though unwilling to shrink from
the performance of that duty which persons holding my
situation aro bound to perform, I am afraid that I am
not very able properly to perform that task.—(Hear,
hear.) I hope, at the same time, that my inability
may be considered as my excuse if I make my statement
as short as may be consistent with making my state-
ment as clear as possible, and confine my observa-
tions to that which is absolutely necessary,
in order to place before the Committee the
financial state and prospects of the country.
Sir, I put this further claim to the indulgence of the
House, that it is many years since a Chancellor of the
Exchequer has had to make so heavy a demand on the
Treasury, owing to the unfortunate state of the
country, and I hope it will be several years
before a similar calamity will render such demands
necessary.—(Hear, hear.) The Committee, however,
must be aware that the calamity which calls for this
demand is one which no prudence, either on the part of
her Majesty's Ministers, or of any Government, or
of any Legislature, could possibly have pro-
vided against.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.") It has
pleased Providence to inflict not only this country, but
that
assistance will be extended to them. —(Hear, hear.) Sir,
a great part of western Europe, with great dearth, and
sympa and assistance
that dearth has pressed peculiarly on that part of the
United Kingdom least able to bear it. Thousands
of suffering and famishing people chiefly in the west
to
of
this House,
appealfor
know that sympathy
if I were only to reflect on the past, or even the pre-
sent'
state of the finances of the country, I cer-
tainly should say that there never was a time in
which the finances of the country were so well
able to bear the demand which has been made upon
them.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen have now had in their
hands for some time the balance-sheet of the last quarter
By it, it appears that the whole excess above the re-
payments, amounts to 916,0001., and that the entire
balance is upwards of 9,000,0001. on the year.—(Hear.)
This is the first time, I.believe I may say in the memory
of those conversant with these matters, that a Chancel-
lor of the Exchequer has had to deal with so large a
balance. If, in like manner, I refer to the produce
of the great articles of consumption, it would show
that the revenue derived from them has exceeded the
most sanguine expectations even of the Right Honoura-
ble Gentleman opposite, who made his financial
statement last year. If I refer to the Customs,
I find that the produce of every article
for the nine months, from April to Decem-
ber inclusive, with one single exception, of those
duties which were reduced, is considerably higher than
during the corresponding nine months of the preceding
if
year. In like manner, I turn to the Excise
revenue, I find that in the last year, with
the single exception of soap, which, I believe
has, owing to some accidental circumstances at the
beginning of the year, on every material article the
duty has increased—even including that branch of it on
which the Honourable and Gallant Member for Lincoln
seemed to have some misgivings—namely, post-horses.
By the return of the quarter up to the 13th of February
last, I find that there is an increase in the ordinary re-
venue, as compared with the corresponding period
of the preceding year, of nearly half a million.
We have, therefore, great reason to be thankful that
such a demand came at such a time when we were not
unprepared to meet it.—(Hear, hear.) At the same
time, I think, we should bold out fallacious hopes
if I said we were entitled to look for a
continuance of such a season of prosperity.
Sir, I think that no person looking at the signs o f the
times, can doubt that there are circumstances existing
which indicate that we may be approaching one of those
periods when a revulsion in the prosperity of the country
will occur. Such periods of calamity occur in com-
mercial enterprises as well as in the progress of
the country. Such was the case in 1825, and again in
1836, after years of unexampled prosperity. I do not
anticipate anything like the revulsion which took place
on former occasions. I see no symptoms, and I
do not think it right to cause any fear in
the minds of persons by the expression of
such a belief. I think the experience of former times
has not been lost upon our merchants and traders, and
I hear from every quarter that the trade and commerce
Of the country is in a sound and healthy condition. And
I am inclined to attribute such a fact to the effects of the
measures regulating the currency introduced by the
Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Tamworth. I be-
lieve, but for the operation of that Bill, when the world
was not quite in a sober mood, we might have seen great
distress, consequent upon the mania existing for specula.
tion, and I believe that many of those who were most
adverse to the provisions of that Bill, have latterly be-
come converts to the system it contains. I attach not
only these effects to that Bill, but I believe sounder
principles and sounder notions of currency were
brought into operation, and persons were induced to
pursue a more prudent course than on former
occasions. People invested their money in the con-
struction of railways instead of purchasing Mississippi
stock and Mexican bonds. Great communications,
affording employment to the peoplo and calculated
to promote the co.umercial prosperity of
the country, were constructed, and I am, there-
fore, convinced, that no !such results ?fill now

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