The Sun.
London, England, 1840-01-29 00:00:00

China; and the question was,with respect to the latter, whether
' the occurrences that had taken place could be fairly charged
upon the neglect of Government to do what was necessary for
the maintenance of British interests and the honour ct the
British Crown. Upon that subject the voluminous pap s s laid
upon the table by his Noble Friend would supply the fullest in-
formation. Before these papers were read or examined, the
House was called upon to condemn the policy of the Govern-
ment. He would ask the Hon. Alderman whether, as a com-
mercial man, he could find any fault with the measures adopted
by the Government for the protection of the commercial inte •
rests of that country ?—( Hear.) With regard to their colonies,
he had so frequently obtruded himself upon the House that he
was unwilling to refer, at any length, to the subject; but now
that he was no longer connected with that department, he
might express his satisfaction at the trifling space they occupied
in the speeches of the Right Hon. Mover and Seconder. He
believed the Hon. Alderman was connected with the North
American Colonies, and he would ask him whether he was not
satisfied that there was at present a prospect of a satisfactory
settlement of the affairs of these colonies?—( Hear, hear.)
That had only been marred by the suspicions which had been
instilled into the minds of the disaffected, that the House of
Commons had resolved to withdraw its confidence from the
present Government. He was gratified to think that such
was the result of the Government of his Right Hon. Friend (Mr.
P. Thomson) of whose appointment, although much had been said
out of doors he had not heard one whisper in that House.—
( Hear, hear.) With regard to Ja,maica he begged to express
his heartfelt satisfaction at the state' of affairs in that colony—
he rejoice.) that after the warning conveyed in the proceedings
of last Session that the House of Assembly had proceeded to
business in a spirit which he trusted (although it had not yet
been fairly tested) would show that they were still worthy tf
being entrusted with the affairs of that colony, and that they
were willing to legislate in a spirit of fairness towards all
classes of the community.—(Hear, hear.) He asked the
Right Hon. _Baronet whether, in his opinion, matters
would have progressed so satisfactorily from the time
of Sir Charles 3letcalrs arrival in the Island if
the policy which he had advocated had been fol-
lowed out by the Government at home ? He saw in a Con-
servative journal, the Times, and in a conspicuous part of it, a
communication from acorrespondent who, he was satisfied, from
his intimate acquaintance with the opinions of the leading Mem-
bers of the House of Assembly, could be no other than the
agent for Jamaica. In that letter the writer expressed his
satisfaction at the tone and character of the speech of the
Governor, and strongly condemning the course adopted by the
Conservative party in that House. There they had a statement
made by a gentleman, than whom no one could be more conversant
with the opinions of the House of Assembly, that the course
adopted by the Conservative leader in the House of Commons
was not the one which had produged the present happy results.
That was only a specimen among many that upon the
various questions of policy the Right Honourable Baronet
did not go far enough for those with whom
he was associated. He had a tendency—and he
(Sir G. Grey) spoke sincerely when he said that he admired
him, that he highly respected him, and esteemed him for his
character, his position, and his talents, and he still more ad-
mired him for that tendency to liberal opinions, for his avowed
deference to the opinion of the public, and for his anxiety to
elicit truth, and he regretted to see that he was obnoxious to
many Hon. Members whose passions would carry them farther.
—(Cheers.) Before he left the subject of thdir colonies he
would observe that he was rather surprised throughout a ques-
tion of so important a nature not one word had been said with
regard to that great and important part of their dominions,
India.—( Hear, hear.) Was it that India had furnished for
the first time no charge against her Majesty's Government ?
(Cheers.) Was it on account of the remoteness of its position ?
Why the Right Hon. Baronet the Member for Pembroke last
year, before the result of Lord Au ckland's policy and the
triumph of British arms was ascertained, had given notice for a
motion upon the subject for an impossible day during the recess
—( Much laughter)—avowedly because he would not lose a
single moment in calling the attention of the House to the
affairs of India. From that day to the present they had never
heard a word of the notice, while Lord Auckland's policy and
British valour had:achieved a triumph, for which he hoped that
House would, in a very short time, by a unanimous vote, con-
vey to them its thanks.—(Hear, hear.) Was it on
that ground, he would ask, that the confidence of the
House was to be withdrawn from her Majesty's
Government, because India had been governed in a way
that reflected honour upon the British arms, had extended her
possessions, and protected her commerce? He asked why that
subject had been omitted altogether from the speech of the
Hon. Baronet, when its importance in connection with the
policy of the Government was considered ? Before he sat down
he begged to express his satisfaction that the tone of the debate
was not likely to partake of what 'might be considered ex-
tremely unfair to that House, viz., the introduction of topics
connected with religious differences, which each side of the
House had kept out of view lately.—( Hear, hear.) He had
heard nothing, and be assumed that it was not intended to be
made a charge against her Majesty's Government, that the
Roman Cathoic Emancipation Bill had not been suffered to
remain a dead letter. He assumed, although he saw
the Hon. Member for Kilmarnock taking notes, that it
was not intended to condemn them on account of the appoint-
ment to the Government of gentlemen who were eligible by
the Act, proposed by the Right Hon. Baronet, in the spirit in
which he was anxious to carry it out to the full participation of
those rights which were legally conferred on them. He was
not aware that there were any other points to which it was ne-
cessary he should allude. With respect to the general charge
of tampering with the institutions of the country, he might
point to the formidable array before him, as a proof that there
was no ground for apprehending any dangerous innovations—.
(A laugh)—but he would refer also to the speech of a Conser
vative leader in the ether House (Lord Lyndhurst), which lad
been printed, and widely circulated throughout the country,
and his boast was, not that these institutions were not tampered
with, but that nothing had been done in the House
of Commons—(Hear, hear, hear)—and as a proof of that
he had referred to the absence of Acts of Parliament, and
of all legislation on the part of the House of Commons.
Had the Right Hon. Baronet nothing to recommend him but
the connection of his party, he would venture to tell him that
it was not from that side of the House, but from his own party,
that he had most occasion to fear. Lord Lyndhurst had given
a striking illustration of the unfortunate position of the lion.
Baronet, when, in allusion to an analogous case, he asked
how, under such ciacumstances, could the King's Government
be carried on, and the event to which he then so prophetically
alluded had been truly verified by the result.—(Loud cheers.)
If there was one point more than another which had tended to
excite the new-born zeal of gentlemen opposite, it was that
Ministers had adhered to the principles of the Reform Bill, and
sought to carry it out in its spirit and intentions, whenever
that measure was agitated in that House. Hon. Members op-
posite gave it their unqualified approbation, although at the
same time they sought to excite a clamour against it out of
doors, and to deprive by such means their Catholic and
Dissenting fellow-subjects from the full benefits conferred
by it. Had that House not to consider when it was called upon
to withhold its confidence from the Government whether the
Hon. Bart.'s policy or that of Lord Lyndhurst was to be adopted.
There was one point to which he felt parficularly called upon
to allude, that was whether H in. Members had not been atten-
tive observers of what passed on this subject during the last
Session of Parliament, in which the Hon. Baronet had taken
a part which had gained for him the unqualified approbation of
that House. He, the Honourable Baronet, was on that
occasion left to fight his battle single handed, but he
had fought it in a manner which entitled him to the highest ad-
miration of that House; and if now the Hon. Baronet were to
become Prime Minister of this country, were Hon. Members
opposite prepared to give him their confidence and support in
those measures which he might deem necessary to the prospe-
rity of the country ?—(Cheers.) He would ask the conductors
of the motion now under discussion if, as its result, a dissolution
should take place, were they prepared to oppose themselves
to those improvements which that House had sanctioned,
and to others which the country called for ?—( Hear, hear.)
If he wished for a proof of the unanimity and c. nsistency
which prevailed amongst those Hon. Gentlemen he had only to
instance the case of the Recorder of London, who in a tone of
triumph, and as if speaking of a matter of the most perfect in-
difference said, with reference to the proceedings in Stockdale's
case, that the lion. Baronet was supported by a small portion
of the Conservative party—(Cheers)--and that small party
was composed of the very persons who would refuse to
support the Honourable Baronet ih any liberal measures.
That small party, no doubt. included the Hon. Member for
Lancashire ; indeed the Hon. Baronet had acted most candidly
when, during the last Session, he had stated the names of eight
persons upon whom he mainly relied for support. and who con-
stituted that contemptible array of auxiliaries? He had no
wish to wound the feelings of the Right Hon. Baronet; on the
contrary, lie sincerely hoped the Right Hon. Gentleman would
meet the reward he merited for the fair course he had pursued.
—(Cheers.) But it did become an important question for that
House to ask itself before it came to a decision on the motion
now before it, how far the sentiments of the Right Hon. Baronet
would be supported by those on his cwn side of the House, and
how far he could rely upon them for support'?—(Cheers.) They
had not now to inquire what were the principles of the Hon.
Baronet, but what were the principles of his party; for the
question before them was a question of principle, and before
Hon. Members voted they ought to ascertain what were the
principles they were going to vote for, and those principles ought
to be stated. He had ever advocated a course of gradual im-
provement ; he would still support all improvements which
might be necessary, and would oppose those which went fur-
ther. He would ask the House to recollect the improvements
which had taken place under the present Government, anti
within the last century, and then say under the existence of
whet class of principles those improvements had been adopted;
to the maintenance of those principles, for good or evil, he would
adhere, rather than submit to the repeal of those Acts by which
Dissenters had been admitted to come privileges, and their
Catabolic brethren had been rescued from degradation. He
would not regret to see the Hon. Baronet coming manfully
forward, and avowing a change to more liberal principles;
and ho should only regret that such a change might lose many
of its beneficial consequences by not having been earlier
made. But what was the charge preferred against her Ma-
jesty's Government, and upon what grounds was it the
House was asked to withdraw its confidence? Was it because,
that, under that Government, 800,000 of our fellow-subjects
had been redeemed from slavery, and England and Scotland
obtained corporation reform in spite of all the opposition that
could be raised against them ? These were but a few of the
items of a most important catalogue of reforms which had
been effected under the present Government, and he would
leave it to Hon. Members opposite to say what had been the results
of their policy during the period their party held office. The
measures of reform to which he had pointed their attention were of
no insignificant character, they were measures of great magni-
tude—they were imperishable memorials, which hereafter
would be appreciated by their descendants and posterity. He
had been pressed by the other side of the House into this con-
test, and he would now conclude by offering his most decided
negrtive to the motion of the Hon. Baronet. The Hon. Mem-
ber then resumed his seat amid the most deafening cheers.
Lord GRANVILLE SOMERSET then rose, but for some
minutes was rendered inaudible by the rush of Members
leaving the House. He said he felt he should not be dis-
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Newport ; but if he (the lion. Member) were aware of the
calamitous results of those proceedings, he vr,uld scarcely have
alluded to the subject with such perfect indifference as he had
done. Was there, he would ask, nothing serious or alarming
in the fact of a large body of armed men marching upon
a town—was there nothing alarming in the loss of
life which was occasioned by it—or were they to look lightly at
an event for proceeding with which three men were now lying
under sentence of execution:—(Hear, bear.) He would tell
the Hon. Member that were he connected with the district in
which those events had happened, he would be inclined to think
differently on the subject, and he felt sure the views entertained
by the Hon. Member would not meet with the approbation of
the public. The fate of that unfortunate man, Frost, rnialst
be traced as a consequence of the rule laid down by the Noble
Lord (Lord John Russell) a rule which he had taken
care not to follow up himself.—(Hear, hear.) By the
appointment of Frost to the Commiss:on of the Peace, that
Noble Lord had incurred great responsibility, because it gave
to Frost a power and influence which enabled him to do much
mischief. That was the opinion of many who had considered
the subject, and who thought that that appointment had a
wth the
crimes striking influence in producing the events at Newport. He
fate(Lord G. Somerset) had resolved not to satyeai
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word uaspon crimes of those unfortunate men while h
unde-
cided, but he would new go back a little farther. In 1 836 Frost
had been appointed a Magistrate—before that appointment he had
been on two occasions reprimanded by the Lord Chief Justice.
Had the Lord Lcutenant contradicted one of the charges