The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-08 00:00:00

CHINA.

In reply to aquestion from Lord ELLENBOROUGH,
Viscount MELBOURNE said that it was impos-
sible for him to tell what might have been the
terms ultimately agreed to with the G.vernment of China.
But unquestionably they had sent out information that if a
definitive treaty should hove been concluded according
to the preliminary articles which they had received, that
it would not be satisfactory to her Majesty's Governmer.t,
and that they would not advise her Majesty to ratify
such a treaty. That decision was taken here, and not by
the Governor-General in India.
The Duke of WELLINGTON wished to ask the
Noble Viscount whether the island of Hong-Kong had
been taken possession of ?
Viscount MELBOURNE said that he believed it had,
Lord ELLENBOROUGH asked whether Chusan had
been evacuated by the British troops or not.
Viscount MELBOURNE said he could not say; but
orders bad been sent out to re-occupy that island in case
it bad been Evacuated.
SITE OF SCHOOLS BILL.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE moved the second
reading of this Bill. The object of the Bill was to allow
in certain eases the sale of property for the erection of
public schools.
In reply to the Earl of MOUNTCASIIEL

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE rtited that the Bill
would not extend to Ireland, but vra; confined to England.
The Government had the care of Ireland as regarded the
subject under their coniiieration.

The Bill was then read a second titre.
THE CORN-LAWS.

Earl FITZWILLIAM presented petitions from Ken-
dal and Halifax, praying for a repeal of the Corn-laws.
The Noble Earl also presented a petition on the same sub-
ject, of which he had given notice yesterday, from
the town of Leeds ; and considering the great import-
ance, and the station of that town, be hoped their
Lordships would allow him to read tips petition. (The
NoLle Earl then read the petition, the substarn e of which
was, that the present Corn.laws were based in the opinion
of the petitioners on the baneful principle of benefitting
a particular class at the expense of the community—
that the most severe and extensive distress had resulted
from those laws during the last three years—that they
ILA led to an immense destruction of manufaetining
capital—to severe imitations on the part of the labour.
ing classes, and to a derar gement of the currency, which
had injuriously effected both public and private credit.
The petitioners also stated that the laws tended to encou-
rage rival manufacturers in other countries ; and they
concluded by praying for a repeal of so injurious a system
of monopoly. The petition was signed by 25,000 persons
which was in fact the entire adult male population of Leeds.
Lord ASHBURTON expressed his regret that the
Ministry bad, by the announcement they had made on the
subject of the Corn-laws, stirred_ up so much ill blood
and bad feeling in the country as would be sure to result
from the agitation of the question, particularly at the pre-
sent period, when the country was already di,tracted by
divisions on Church-rates and Poor-laws. He should observe
that the agriculturists of this country had not at any time
fur centuries been left without some protective lawn. At
so remote a period as the year 1463, the importation of
foreign corn was prohibited, when the price was under
15a. 1011—a sufficiently li.gh sum for that time; but in
tho year 1670 imp, nation was prohibited until
the price reached 533. 4d. There was a fur-
ther increase in the protective duty in the
reign of King Willfam, and subsequertly at various
periods laws had Leen passed of a similar tenc'eney. The
fact was that it was net protection that was novelty; the
novelty would be in withdrawing protection. It should be
remembered, toe, tht.t there was no country in Europa in
which there were not some provisions made for the protec-
tion of native agriculture. If it were said that other coun-
tries would be ready to open their ports for our manufac-
turer, in ease we admitted their corn, be thought that the
supposition was a roost erroneous one. He would be ready
to put the whole question on that issue ; and if he could
be assured that Prussia or France, or any other country on
the Continent, would make to us the slightest concessions
in return fur a repeal of our Cern-lawn, he would not
press his opinions on the subject. He was convinced they
would make no concessions ; and it:would be idle to en-
tertain any hope of that nature. If the Corn-laws were
repealed a small country like England could not still hope
to manuracture for the rest of the world. Other nations
should have their share of trade; and the most dependent
of people would be those who looked to others for their
supply of food. That would be the most miserable of si-
tuations.

The Earl of WICKLOW observed that the petition
presented by the Noble Earl (Earl Fitzwilliam) was by
no means a petit on favourable to thu ps,jeet of the pre-
sent Ministry, of which, however, he believed tl.e Noble
Earl approved. For his part. he thought that when the pe-
titioners became acquainted with the intentions of the
Government they would be ready to agitate in opposition
to them, as they not want a fixed duty, but a total aboli-
tion of all protection.
The Earl of FA L M 0 UT II expressed his belief that t're
question would not be settled even if the Government
measure were adopted, but that that would be but a first
stcn touards a total repeal of all Corn-laws.
The Duke of W ELLINGTON said that notwithstand-
ing ti e opinion so often and so confidently put forward
that no one could support the present Corn-laws, he
wished to say a few words on a measure which he him,elt
had the honour of introducing to their Lordships. He
thought it too bad that this description of vituperation
against the landed interest should be repeated every night,
whenever a Noble Lord had petitions to present. It the
Noble Lord oppmite (Earl Etzwilliarn) thought that there
was no well-grounded expectation of a decrease of rent
by a repeal of the Corn-laws, he should not be surprised
that the minds of other men were not so enlightened as his
own ; and he might admit that they could have some other
motives for desiring a continuance of those laws besides the
dirty moti‘o of self-interest.—(Hear, lie.ir.) The landed
interest was said to be a debtor to the public in consequence
ot those lows ; and urge, the Noble Lord was as large a debtor
as any other Member ot their Lordships' House. But he
(the Duke of Wellington) did nr t bel eve that the Ci rn-
laws had b• en maintained Er the purpose r f keying up
high rents and filling the pockets of Noble Lords. They
ha.. been maintained, in his opinion, for the purpose of
gisiug protertion to agriculture, and in order to render
this country independent with respect to it, subsistence—
( Hear. hear)—in relation to sill other countries. It was
perfectly true, as stated by his Noble Friend behind hint
(Lord Ashburton), that for centuries English agriculture
had enjoyed some tom or another of protection, arid the
objet of all the enactments on the subject was, he would
repeat, to render this country independent of others for its
supple of food. That was the object for wi ich the sys-
tem of 1828 bad been introduced, and it anti upon that
principle on which it had ever since been supported,
at least it was the principle on which it was
supported by him, and on which he would continue that
support. It was perfectly true that there was not a coun-
try in Europe in which Corn-laws were not to be found.
pealed,derN• rtohme Rau.se ica,t(iPi dr
u ofs-
If the laws in England wewroeulrdey
the quantity of corn they
Sir, and other parts of the world; but were there no
Corn-laws in thesecour.tries? Had not the Noble Lord men-
tioned a law lately enacted or
system r proclaimed
u s
lied in
,arid
thrice
countries, altering tie whole
prohibiting the exportation of foreign corm? tie wculd
not blame other nations fur prohibiting the exportation of
corn c;tber in tirne of peace or of war, They might have