The Sun.
London, England, 1841-04-06 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON., TUESDAY, APRIL 6, 1-141

The Hon. Gentleman had talked of eee ct t on manufac-
tures. \Vas it, he would ask, to be supposed that they heel
anytl ig to fear from taking off these high duties But
the et (lon. Gentleman Ind stated user this ITU net
merely a question cf manufactures, but it also ineolved
g; eat shippieg question ; he admitted that, and he thought
the Heese ought to look most carefelly into the subj. et.
lie had most anxiously looked to the effect the resolutions
were likely to travel upoli navigation, and he would venture
to say that they would have a most beneficial effect. The
Right Hon. Gentleman bad said that he apprehended
g"cat injury to the c)lonies of British North America by
the alterations proposed in the duties by the second rese-
lotion. Now he (Mr. Laboucliere) was satisfied that the
alteration he here proposed would produce no such effects.
He was exceedingly surprised at the observations of the
Right Hon. Gentleman with reference to the resolution
he had proposed relative to tea. He had proposed that
tea should be admitted into Canada at a reduced duty from
America. He did this at the suggestion of Lord Sydenham,
and he believed if the system he proposed we-, adopted, the
revenue for t-a would he trebled is amount. Then as to the
4th resolution, he thaught the Right Hon. Gentleman had
acted a most urgrate ful part with respect to that, because
he had introduced it at the suggeition of the Right lion.
Gentleman himse'f. Then with regard to the fisheries,
the evil :bat now took place was, that the exemption now
enjoyed was made the means cf a most extensive system
of smuggling, it was therefore necessary to adopt some
remedy, and he thought he had done. so by the resolution
he proposed on the suhject. But the Right lion. Gee-
tien air had said that he had opened the door so wide that
he felt ne doubt it would be carried on as much as ever;
he (Mr. L.) did not, however, think that such would be
the case, with the proper reetrictions he inteaded to pre-
peso. The Right Hon. Gentleman had twitted him with
making alterations in the resolutions since he had brought
them before the Howse. He admitted that he had done
so, and he was not ashamed of that, as he believed those
alterations would be found to be great improvemeets. He
did not meat t) say that these resolutims had met v, ith
approbation everywhere; but this he did believe, that no
resolutions a ere ever proposed in that House that had met
with such universal concurrence.—( Hear, hear ) The
stsongest opposition he had met with was from persons in
the provision trade in the South of Ireland. Its conclu-
sion, be trusted that the Committee would adopt the re-
solutions he had j-roposcd.
Mr. COLQ UllO UN said that with many of the previ-
sions in the resolutions lie entirely c r curred ; but his ob-
jection to the measure of the Right Hon. Gentleman was
that by it he made promises, but he did not perform them.
He did not think that byethe resolutions the East and West
India colonies were placed on the same footing, for the
same articles bore different duties. In the East Indies a
duty was imposed upon woollen manufactures of 2 per cent.,
and upon cotton manufactures of 3i. per cent, whereas in
the West Indies even under the proposed alteration there
would be a duty upon these trattufactures of 7 per cent.
Linen, glass, silk, and leather were admitted into our East
India possessions without any discriminating duty what-
ever ; upon these articles in the West Indies the resolu-
tions imposed a discriminating of 7 per cent. The Hon.
Gentleman, then Member for Wigan, in speaking of these
resolutions had called it a system of free trade. He (Mr.
Colquhoun) could net agree with the lion. Member in
that definition. It was, however, a very important and use-
ful measure, and he trusted the House would be induced
to extend still further benefits to our colonial possessions.
Mr. HUME said it was quite cheering to hear the
speech of the Right Hon. Gentleman after that of the
Hon. Gentleman the late Chancellor of the Exchequer.
He thought the Government were entitled to the grati-
tude of the House for the measure which they had intro-
duced. He agreed, however, with the Hon. Gentleman
who had just addressed the House, that the measure did
not go far enough. Many articles which were admitted
free of duty into the East Indies were still subjected to a
heavy duty in the West. He must say, he had been ex-
tremely surprised to bear the Member for the University
of Cambridge rasing fears and alarms as to the result of
this measure. To show how unfounded were such fears,
he would state the result of those changes which had taken
place in our commercial system in 1815, 1823, 1824, and
1825. The Hon. Gentleman had spoken of maintaining
the colonial principle. What was that principle ? It had
been that of exclusiveness and monopoly. One result of
that system bad been to give to Newfoundland a monopoly
by which it was first exempted from all duty, and then a
duty of 25 per cent, was imposed upon all fish im-
ported into the West Indies. If they meant to deal
with the West Indies as they were dealing with the East
Indies, they should let the colonists maintain their own
custom-howee. Upwards of 500,0001. a year was levied
in the cclonies under the British Custom-house officers,
not one farthing of which came to England : and
yet it was proved that upwards of 140,0001. was
paid annually by this country to maintain those
establishmente. He advised his Hon. Friend the Chan-
cellor cf the Exchequer to consider what bad been the
result of the partial relaxation of the old system. Let him
look at the change which had taken place since the re-
moval of the monopoly in the Indian trade. The total
annual value of the exports from Great Britain, in the year
1814, was 1,874,0001. In the twelve years that followed,
under a comparative free tilde, the exports increased to
3,499,000/. ; whilst in 1839, after the trade had been thrown
open, it had increased to 5,600,000/. In exact proportion
to the relief of the trade of that immense continent from
the old monopoly, had the resources both of India and of
our own country been developed. He well recollected the
shipownera attending the House for the purpose of opposing
the measures brought forward by the•late Mr. Huskisson,
Which they did upon the ground that they were calculated
to iejure them. But what was the result? It was said
that the effect would be that the Americans would, in
twenty years, destroy the whole of our trade. In 1815, the
commencement of the reciprocity with the United State?,
and the first real step in free trade, the inward tonnage
was 1,379,000. In the last year it was 3,101,000. In 1824
Mr. Huskisson reduced the duty on raw silk to a low amount,
and on thrown .si k from 15s. Bd. to rates varying from Sc. 6d.
to Is. 6d. In the ten years preceding 1824, under the pro-
tective system, the average consumption of raw silk under
the protective system was 1,940,0001b5. ; in the twelve
succeeding years 4,169,000, and in 1839 5,000,000. Not
only so, but England bad become an exportiag country.
Last year she had exported 860,0001b5. of manufactured
silk, 66,00011)s. of which had been sent to France ; and he
felt sure that if the whole trade in the manufacture of silk
were thrown open, and a reasonable duty imposed, it would
go on increasing, and our artisans find more steady employ-
ment. The same was true of linen, iron, and every other
commodity on which the duty had been reduced. Inever}
instance in which there had been a relaxation of the duty
on imports the export trade had improved. In no trade
was the improvement more remarkable that in that of linen.
All the duties ought to be reduced to a duty for
revenue, and there should be no such thing as a
protecting duty. If that principle were adopted in this
country, other countries would follow the example. It
was to be remembered that we had now a new population
in our dominions—the free black population.—(Hear,
hear.) The first step for their i.nprovernent would be to
put the West and East Indies en an equality is respect to
customs duties c,f every kind. He recommended this to
the consideration of the Noble Lord the Secretary for the
Colonies, whose enlightened policy on colonial affairs did
him the greatest honour. lie heard, with tl e greatest
pleasure, the Noble Lord, in his speech on the Newfound-
lend question the ether night, intimate a desire to leave
thd colonies to regulate their own affairr.—( Hear.) He
hoped the Noble Lord would leave them to regulate their
own affairs isa respect to customs duties and revenue.—
( Hear.) He was sorry to have heard a Noble Lord ia
tl • other House (Lord Ashburton) who had been in this
House, who was one of the greatest advocates of free trade,
caet a most unfounded imputation on a Committee of the
House of Commons, of which he ( Mr. Hume) was Chai--
man. He had applied to the Noble Lord to cot tr :diet the
statement in another place, and as that had not been dune
be thought it due to the- Committee to state that the
charges made against it were not well founded. In, con-
clusion be hoped the Government wordd persevere in the
wise course of commercial pal cy which they had com-
menced.

Mr. lIERRIES said it was not the object of Hus-
kisson to destroy that ststeno, but to ascertain the point
to which duties might he lowered without removing the
protection.—( Hear, hear.) He thought that the Com-
mittee of Inquiry had collected a useful map of informa-
ti,n, for which they deserved thanks. But lookirg to the
short time in which that information had been collected,
and that it is rally ex parte and all on one side, he
thought it was nt,t to be endured in this country that any
step should be taker, upon it without hearing evidence on
the other side. He had expected that there would le ano-
ther Committee appf in.ed of a more enlarged constitu-
tine, comprehending a greater variety of of anions. With
respect to the opinions attributed to Mr. Huskisron he
must say that it was an injustice to that statesman to ray
that he was an advocate for fro e trade, and it was an in-
justice to his colleagues to say that they were less liberal
than he.—(Hear, hear.) His Right Honourable Friend
the Member fir Tamworth, and his other colleaguei,
concurred in everyone of his measures; and he (Mr.
Herries) never had any difference of opinion aii;ll
him upon this subject. (Hear, hear.) If the
Right Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Labouchere) would
follow cut the same principles, as it appeared from Ilia
si.each this evening be was resolved to do, that is, to re-
duce the duties as low Ad were consistent with protection,
he should have as cordial a support from that (the Oppe-
sition) as from the other side of the House.—( Mar.)
He would not touch upon the details of the Bill until they
came regularly before the House. But there mai one
point to which he wished to adveit—the case of those
traders whose interests would be damaged by substituting
a duty of 24 per cent. upon tea imported by land into
C,nada for the present prohibition. They were convinced
that smuggling, after the alteration, would be carried on
theiremc e:lCanada
udcuraean 3t
couldatoughtsh ept
raio:ectegoe
the
b.
lecaedt
u considered, nt
subjecthsocd
to a greater extent than at present, and he thought that
beforeutheyt
(cdo
askednsthipdoreorwpva
Provinces
socpnefoo.ssreotafl
thenrAetdol
their
Lord J. RUSSELL agreed in the general description
given of the policy of Mr. Huskisson, although he thought
the descrii,ti n had scarcely gone far enough.—(Chcers.)
He was rejoiced to hear that the Right Hon. Gentlemen
hiroFe'f, Lord Liverpool, and the Right Hon. Baronet
the Member for Tarnwortb, had agreed wit!)
Mr. Huskissefi in opioiun. The support given by Mr.
Canning to those principles was well known. He was
the last wan who wpul,l think if arrogating to his own
party, or his own Governme:4, the merit of those prinei-
pies • on the contrary, he y,
P twas.glad to find such a general
con CLITTCIIC!. in
them on the other side of the House, and
he hoped they would be carried i oto effect by the largest
majority postoVe, and, provided these principles could he
carried into effect, he would willingly let former Geyrrn_
meats have all the credit of them.—(Cheers.) The Right
Hoy. Gentleman who had opened the debate had, how-
ever,l'ff mot ton", confessing
spoken in a co t. that the reso-
lutions were good in themselves, and that. the nicaoures
• osed would be advantageous to the colonies; plop olomes •he thought
the example of thiS good, and these
advantages were so
noxious, tbat it was impossible to say what might follow.—
(Cheers and laughter.) He thought the desire to hat e
better and cheaper ar;icles was so catching, that other
branches of industry would be desirous of posseaing the
same advautages.—(Loud cheers.) If he bad mis.

interpreted the Right Hon. Gentleman's meaning then he
would sly that the g acting of that which was advantageous
cOuld never form a precedent for graneing that whieb was
i jurnos; and when that which was iejuil us should b
prorio:ed, no doubt the Right Hen. Gentleman would sud •
c.ed in defesting it. He (Lora J. Russell) did net
er-
prove of that system which forced the colon'Ets to take
British manufactures to their own great i jury, end thee,
by way of compensation, fore d the farmers and labourers
of the United Kingdom to take the produce ; and, in reply
to t',e complaints of the farmers and the labourers, geac
them in the it tura advantages at the expense of the menu
which, seeking the
afac u
d:atri
teargs.e
fT
ah a w
pt
ar
tais a c
ul
avrl system,eciloaissss,l:nt sight of the benefit of
the whole community.—( Cheers.) He understood the
policy of M-. Huskisson to be to grant a certain protec-
tion, but not such a one as should citable the manufacturer
to set competition at defiance.—( Cheers.) Such had
been his policy with respect to the silk manufacture; and
such had been the po:iey of Mr. P•t, in 178(3 with
respect to cloth and earthenware ; the consequence had
Veen the iaiprovemeet of the manufacture in every in-
stance. Ii the Right Hon. Gentleman adhered to his
prieciple of granting only the honest rate of protection re-
quired, he would not find any great difference of opinion
between himself and her Majesty's Government on the
subject in debate. In the present state of the country,
protection was necessary; but it should-not be so'given as
to give one class a superior advantage, when compared
c there. The Right lion. Gentleman d ished for en.
other Committee ; he left it to the members of the Corn-
nr:ttee of last year to v:ndicate their proceedieg; ; hut
when the Right lion. Gentleman expressed his r greet that
persons of greater experience had not Leen es aarieed te-
fore that Committee, he owned that he knew not who
could have affordeil more information than ore of the
gentleman they had examined—he meant Mr. Hume.--
( Cheers.) lie had been lone- engaged in public affeirs—
had been in the confidence of Mr. Huskisson—and with re-
gard to experience he knew not if they had gone further how
they could have found better in that respect. The evi-
dence taken be fee that Committee contained a mass of
valuable information, and greet credit was due to those
who made that information available; but whatever mea-
sures the t overnment brought forward would not be
brought fersard solely en the grounds of their accordance
with the recommendations of that Committee; they would
be brought forward because the Cabinet considered they
were based on proper and just princ;plese That Ge-
vernment would be acting in a mean and nnsatisfac-
tory manner which should merely say, here are mea-
sures brought forward solely because they arc in ac-
cordance with the recommendation cf the Import Com-
mittee. They were bound to consider these important
subjects in every point of view, and then to propose
that which they though most needful, and, be their opinions
right or wrong, there was a general agreement on that
point in the Csbinet ; they were prepared to bring forward
such measures as they m;ght think useful for the country,
and would net shrink from the responsibility of those tree-
surea on which Parliament and the country must decide.
They were not insensible of the immense importance cf
the subject. They brought forward these measures because
it vi an granted that some such measures were necessary,
and they endeavoured to adopt the line of policy which was
auppoi ted by the greatest weight of argument and expe-
rience, and if they were not mistaken in their views they
were carrying out the policy calculated to confer on the
conntry the greatest bent fits, and if they failed they would
have this consolation, that their intention had been to pro-
mote the commerce, the industry, and the fortunes of
this mighty empire.—(Loud cheers.)
Mr. HERRIES explained that when speaking of those
who had given evidence before the Committee he had not
intended to state that they were persons without knowledge
or experience. From his knowledge of Mr. Hume he was
the last man in the world to speak lightly of that gentle-
man, to whose character and attainments he willingly bore
testimony. He regretted that the Committee had not in-
vestigated the other side of the question, and that the opi-
nions of those supporting it had not been put upon record.
Mr. L BOUCHERE deprecated the hints that bad
been thrown out by the Right Hoe. Gentleman, that a
further Committee was necessary on the subject ; he
never could agree to that, as it would only lead to delay.
Mr. VILLIERS, after the able and satisfactory speeches
that had been made that night, had some scruple in address-
ing the House. Nothing, he confessed, since he had a
seat in that House had been so satisfactory to him as
the statements that bad been made that night by several
of her Majesty's Ministers.—( Hear, bear.) He could as-
sure the House that he should watch most closely in order
to see how they carried out the principles they had that
night professed. The speech of the Right Honourable
Gentleman opposite that night had net surprised
him; he had attacked the Committee, because he
conceived there had been evidence received mere.
upon one side than the other. Now, he must
say that such was not the case. The Committee
did not call the witnesses for the purpose of hearing their
opinions, but in order that they might state facts and ex-
plain official documents ; and the facts that had been sub-
stantiated alone gave the inquiry importance. What was
inquired into by the Committee was what duties were
imposed for revenue and what for protection. All the
witnesses that were examined before that Committee were
persons of unblemished character, and one of them, a
most honourable man, had stated that the taxes which
pressed upon the people were far greater than those
raised for the purposes of revenue. He attached great
importance to these resolutions, because they recognised
a most important principle; they recognised the principle
with respect to the colonies, that I.berty in trade was cc-
sential to their prosperity.—( Hear.) The Right Hon.
Gentleman the Member for Cambridge seemed to him to ad-
vocate the principle of monopoly when be of to these
resolutions. It seemed to him that the Presideet of the
Board of Trade had proposed these resolutions under the
conviction that the old policy, with respect to trade in the
colonies, was totally ineffectual for the purposes intended.
Mr. Huskisson was of that opinion years ago, but he
seemed afraid to adopt any measures on the subject. There
seemed to him no ground for the opposition to this mea-
sure, save that which had been hinted at by the
Right Honourable Gentleman—that it recoguised a prin-
ciple that might be applied in other matters. Nothing in his
opinion could be so injurious to the colonies as the present
restrictive duties. The system adopted with respect to
trade in the colonies was rotten to the core, and must be
remedied, and nothing was more likely to effect that ob-
ject than the present resolutions. He was ready to take
these resolutions, smal as they were, as an instalment to-
wards a great principle; and he thought they were an
earnest of good intentions on the part of the Government
and the House. He lamented that so long a time had
elapsed before any Minister of the Crown had thought
proper to bring forward a motion like the present, but he
was at the same time rejoiced to find that a small progress
had been. at length made in the right direction, and

should have his best support.
Mr.' G. PALMER said that the Hon. Member for
Kilkenny, and the Hon. Member who had just sat down,
had clearly enough pointed out the injurious conse-
quences that would result from carrying out these
resolutions on the principles proposed by the Right
Honourablo. Gentleman the President of the Board of
Trade ; and the Honourable Member for Wolverhampton
had distinctly shown that so sure as one reduction of duty
took piece, another must follow.--(" No, ne.") The Irish
provision merchants would assuredly put in their claim,
and then there would be a cry to take the duty off Bil,ic
timber, and, in fact, to remove all protectise dutes.—
( Heir, hear.) It appears i to him that the subject required
much further consideration before they proceeded to legis-
late upon it.
Mr. BINGHAM BARING, who was very indistincily
beard, was understood to complain of the ca,nstitution cf
the Committee, which had examined witnesses upon one
and the result was that they had left very importaq
interests unprotected and urdifmded, With resrect to
the observations of the Hort. Member for Wolverhampton
upon what had been said elsewhere, he must say that they
sz.voured of that flippancy which generally characterised the
ohsi.rvations of that Hon. Member.—( Loud er:es of
" Order.") He hoped the Committee would allow bill to
precedes.—(Loud cries of " Chair.") Ile had net used
these expressions without due consideration, and be should
not submit to the observations of the Hon. Member.

Mr. VILLIERS wculd repeat that the observa-
tions which had been trade with reference to the
constitution of the Committee were personal, offai-
sive, and unfounded.—(Loud cries of " Heir, hca-.")
The noble ptrsorage to Whom they both refcriei had
stated that the constitution of the Committee sLvoured
of trawl, and trick, and coLtrivance. Now a Committee.
more fairly chosen, cr nv,-;ro dispeted to do jusii.c to all
paitie3 interested, ncver was appointed by that flcuse;

and it was fir the House to inquire wi.e,ber a Committee
formed r.ceordipg to the usage of that House, cotill be

said to s;ivJur of fraud, trick, and corniivanc,. As to any
ob,icrvations made by tl'e Hop. Membcr towards himself,
he treated them with the most perfc•:;t contempt, and would
not waste time by replying to anything the Hoe. Member
might chose to call Hat to order for.—( Hear, and cries of

Chair.")
Mr. HUME was proceeding to make some remarks,
upon the constitution of the Committee, when,
Mr. GOULBU'IIN ruse to order. The House had
just seen exemplified the wisdom of the rule wh'ch pro-
hibited reference to statements made in the other House
of Parliament. They bad a few minutes ago seen the
natural consequences of references of this nature,—a refe-
rence being misunderstood by one gentleman, which, if
properly understood, would not have justified his observe.
tions, and calling forth from the other side of the House
irri.ating expressions, from a gentleman who was connected
with the person in the first instance personally attackei.
He was sure, therefore, the House would pardon him for
interposing to prevent reference to the debates in the other
House of Parliament, which were not necessary for the
illustration of the subject, and which were only calculated
to excite ill-ceelings.—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. HUNkE said that be had no wish to excite ill-feel-
ings, but the trun should be told.--(Hear, bear.) .
The CHAIRMAN said he bad teen that nearly the
greater part of the discussion this evening had been irre-
levant. He was sorry to say that since be had first entered
the House, attention to the old rul, of not referring to
what passed in the other House of Parliament hard been
gradually growing less and less. He had been unwilling
to interfere ou the present occasion, because he had seen
such references made without being checkel on various
occasions, but be was quite feasible that it was clearly an
irregularity of practice; and as ill feelings were excited
by it, be trusted that the good sense of the Hon. Member
would induce him to desist. —( Hear, hear.)
Mr. B. BAH ING said a few words, which were in-
audible
Mr. HUME said that he had copied the words from
the Morning Chronicle and sent them to the Noble Lord,
and asked him what), r they were a correct report of
what he had said, and he (Mr. Flume) had the Noble
Lord's own adndision that it was correct.—(Cheers.) lie
would
the 'feelings cf Hon. Gentlemen opposite were so sensi-
not.Furiue the subject further than to say, that if
tive, they should not blame those who were first attacked
for
defending their characters.
Mr. B. BARING said he could assure the House that
it Was not Lis wish to excite unpleasant feelings; but
whPn it Was stated that he had blamed the witnesses, he
begged to say that he bad never made use of any such
expressions, but he considered the proceedings of the

Committee were i,regulsr, and deserving of t'ie designs-
tor: he had given them.
Aqer a few wart's from W HITE,
The CHAIRMAN slid thst b• fire be 1 ft the Chair he
thoeeht it bocornieg to take netiee cif some exer. Leis
that had been u,ed ie the caurse cf the debater.—( Hear.)
He was sure the worth had fail n from gentlemen
on cacti side from ntisconce;:tien and irritation, natural at
the moment. He therefore hoeci the Commtttee would
confirm and second his efforts ie calling upon each Hon.
Member to consider the words that had f,tl n from him
with a view to al explanation.—(Cheere, and cries of
" Question," " Chair," " Baring.")
Ms. Villiers, who had left his se it, haring resume'
it, the Chairman repeated his observations, and called
upon both Hon. Gentlemen to explain their words and
retract the m. Afier some delay and confusion,
Lord MOR PETH rose and expressed a hope th,t
the Hon. Gentleman would run a race with each other in
reply to the very propr appeal that had been made to
them in ceneequance of expressions which must haee arisen
from the warmth of diecussi en and the irregularity of their
proceedings. Perhaps, under the circumstances, it
was rather natural for the feelings of the Hon. Member
for Wolverhampton to be somewhat hurt at being referred
to in a way which he did net think his conduct ent:Ved
him; and he was sure that his Hon. Friend (Mr. B.
Baring) must have thought that his relation had been ilr-
prcperly reflected upon. Under these circumstances, he
hope I 'hat the ill feelings that had arisen from mistaken
views, would subside upon mutual explanation.—(fleas. )
Mr. 13. BARING said he was always ready to apologise
to anybody whom it was countered tl at he had insulted.
On this occasion he Lai felt much hurt and irritated at
the expressions of the lion. Gentleman, and had there-
upon expressed his natural feelings. If he retracted any-
Gene that he had said the Hon. Member must also retrixt
his offensive expressions.—(Hear, hear.) He had no in-
tention of falling out with anybody.—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. VILLIERS said he was pe.feetly willing to re-
tract any express on he had used at all offensive to the
Hon. Member. He believed what the Hon. Nrember con-
sidered offensive was the expression he ( Mr. Viiliers) had
used with iefe-ence to what had fallen from a relativo of
tl.e Hon. Gentleman. That relat:ve had admitted that
the expressions he complained cf were used, and he thought
the House would be satisfied that ho (Mr. Villiers) was
justified in feeling offended at them, and he certainly was
astonished at the words used by the Hon. Member towards
'aimself personally.—( Hee-, hear.)
Mr. BARING said that offensive expressions were
totally abhorrent to his character and f clings. He would
say no more after what be had already said.—( Hear. )
The subject then dropped, and the Committee resumed
the business before it.
In reply to some observations of Mr. GO ULBURN that
did not reach us,
Mr. LABOUCHERE said he had thought it to be his
duty to move for a Committee of the House of Commons,
because such a Committee would give an intimation to the
country that the Government thought inquiry should
be made whether or not these duties should to sl-
tered. It was his intention to adhere entirely to
the principles laid down by Mr. Huskisson, who
that great statesman brought ferward his corn., e,cial
resolutions in 1825. But though he thought these reso
lutiorq were the best that could have been then proposed,
with any chance of carrying them into effect, he did not
think they were in accordance with the principles he tad
himself laid down.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir C. DOUGLAS said, that having been a Member
of the Committee that had been alluded to, he could net
allow the subject to pass without a few observations. He
must say he did not think this Report of the Committee
was calculated to give the public a fair impression of the
state of the case. They had not time for a full investig
tion, and on this account, towards the close of the Com-
mittee, he had proposed that they should move for
the reappointment el a Committee to continue the investi-
gation. He was the only Member on his side of the
House who attended it. lie must say he thought the di-
gest that had appeared was not b fair digest. It gave a
ore-sided idea of a most one-sided Report.—( Hear.)
Mr. HUME said with regard to the Report being one-
sided, it should be remembered that it was only so as being
the Report of the majority of the Committee. The Hon.
Member was in the minority, and complained, as all minori-
ties did, of the unfairness of the tyrannical majority.—
( lhar.) He would ask the Hon. Member to instance any act
of unfairness in the Committee, or whether they refused to
put any question or to hear any observation that was offered ?
In that Committee the question of Corn-laws was found
to- be so connected with the subject that they could not
put a question which did not in some way or other involve
that question. He contended that their digest was a
fair one.
Mr. VILLIERS said one result of the Committee was
that the Hon. Member for Wbitny, had declared to him
that if the Committee were to sit another week, he believed
be would become as good a free trader as himself.
Lord SAND ON said that all the evidence taken before
that Committee was on one side. There was not sufficient
time allowed to go into the whole subject. His Hon.
Friend the President of the Board of Trade must
have seen the evils which bad arisen from it. In many
branches of trade great suspension of business had arisen
from the excitement which had followed. It was a purely
ex parte statement. He did not impute blame to any
one, hut he deprecated the system.
Mr. WARD said if the evidence were only ex parte it
would have had very little effect upon the country. Im-
putations had been made against the Committee on ac-
count of its Report. That Report would be received
quantum valeat. The real objection to it was, that it had
brought out most important facts—( Hear, hear)—facts
which had been appreciated in the great manufacturing
and mercantile community, and which had taken a
firmer held of the public mind than any evi-
dence which had ever been given in a Com-
mittee of that House, and such a strong feeling had
been created that no evidence which could be brought for-
ward would be able to shake the public conviction as to
what was the only safe basis of legislation.—( Hear.)
Lord SANDON said that that was what he complained
of.—(A laugh.) His objection was, that the evidence had
been all one side.
Mr. SCI-lOLEFIELD said that the ICommittee had
had one good effect, namely, that of opening the eyes of
the people to the injustice of the Corn laws. Knowing,
as he (lid, the distresses of the people, he thought they
should have been treated with more tenderness than they
had been by the Right Hon. Gentleman the Member for
Cambridge.
Mr. GOULBURN explsised.
Mr. HUME was proceeding to addiess the House,
when he was interrupted by cries of " Chair, chair."
We understood the Hon. Gentleman to defend the Com
rnittee from the charge of entering into the question of the
Corn-laws, on the ground that where the food of the people
was concerned great allowance ought to be made.
All the resolutions were , then put and agreed to, and
were to be reported te-morrow.
Mr. LA BO UCH ERE stated Hut he intended to pro-
po.se that the resolutions should conic into operation on tire
Ist of January; 1842.
METROPOLIS IMPROVEMENTS BILL.

On tie motioi of Mr. E J. STANLEY, this Bid was
read a third time and passed.
CRIMINAL JUSTICE.

On the Order of the Day being read for the. Howe
going into'Committee on tee Crimiral Justice
Mr. BOLLING objected t) its being tbeo proceeded
wi h, and moved that the House do now adjourn.
Mr. F. MAULE said he hoped the House would not
adopt the motion of the Hon. Gentleman. The inhabitants
of Birmingham, Manchester, and of every other large
tcwn, were most anxious that the Bill should be passed
rhout drl,y. He trusted the Hon. Gentleman. would
Elk e the propriety of withdrawing his motice..
After a few words from Sir C. DOUGLAS, against
proceeding with the Bill.
TEe ATTORNEY GENERAL said, that if he bad
reason to bireve that Hon. Members were absent on the
supposition that the Bill would not come before the House,
he would most willingly consent to the adjournment; but
as be believed the contrary to be the fact, he must ask the

House to proceed. The subject was 6f the last import-
ance. The administration of justice in towns would be
paralysed by delay.

MI. AINSWCIRTH said be bereved the petition al-
luded to by Hon. Colleague had been got up under tLe
idea that the Town Council mere going to raiFe rates to
build gaols; they v ere going to do no such thing, and he
hoped that the Attorney-Ger.eral would proceed with the
Bill.

Mr. L. BRUG ES had understood that the Bill was to
be brought on to.night, and had attended, under that idea.

It was -of great importance to the town be Jcpresentcd
and ho hoped it would go into Committee to.n;ght.
Sir. C. DOUGLAS explained.
After a few words from Mr. BOLLING,
Strangers were ordered to withdraw, and the House di.
vidcd. •

For Mr. Bolling'a motion of adjournment
Agsiust it
Majority against the amendment
On our re-admission we Lund
Mr. BOLLING objecting to proceeding with the B.P.
Mr. LABOUCHE RE aped, seeing the general feel-
ing of the House, that the Hon. Member would sufEr the
Bill_ to proceed.

Mr. -BOLLING only aided for delay until after
Easter. Arrangements had been made with Manchester
and Birmingham, and perhaps they might be made with
Bolton if time were granted.
' The ATTORNE Y-GE NERAL said ample time would
be allowed, as it would be impossible the Bill could be
read a third time before the holidays.
Mr. BOLLING would not persist pertinaciouily in op-
position to the wishes of the House, but he thought the
House was hardly now in sufficient numbers to discuss such
a Bill as the present.
TLe House then went into Committee on the Bill.
On the reading of the first clause,
Mr. LUDLOW BRUGES moved an amendment to
insert after line 23 the folloniqg words :—" And also any
sum of money not exceeding. the amount of any principal
sum which previously to the passing of this Act shall have
I been raised for any of the purposes afensaid, and which
shall be outstanding on security at the time of thr passing
of this Act, and therewith to pay off and discharge the
whole or any part of the money for which such security
shall have been given provided, that every sum
of money to Le raised fer the discharge of such outstand-
ing loans and securities, shall be raised and borrowed on
such terms and conditions as shall in no respect prevent
or delay the IT-payment thereof within the time prescribed
_by this Act, such time to be computed from the date of
such outstanding seeurities respectively."
The amendment was adopted, and the clause as
amended agreed to.
Oa the reading of the second clause.
Mr. L. BRUGES moved an amendment that rftn the
word " rates" in line 13, th.: following should. be in-
serted t—" And every such scent. ty shall be regsstered by
the Clerk of the Peace, or some other officer of such bc-

rough, appointed fur such purpose, in a book to Le kept
by him for registering such securities; and it shall and
may be lawful for every person who -shall be entitled
to the money so to be scoured, and such
i_erson, his executors and adininiitr4tors, is and are hereby
empowered (by endorsing his, her, or their name or

names oil the b of ,ueh qecur:ty), to trans:c- fre
4: d or their ring% t, to the p inc p l rnon:-s
to est tlie,eby seeur4,d, w,to Itiv other s
such as -igne may in to nnflr transfer the tam,: [Tam,
a~cl so from time to titre, as clrcurnstances may requ'rr, and
the per ,n to a hem such. ,ecuri!‘. nr any as :g her-or
i.i ex, eutars, letadruA e r,:to, an; ar,51,01,4
shall hit creditors upon the slid borough find or rate, er
gaol rat-s, in an equal degree one with another ; and the
said Mayor, Mderm: n, and Burgesses: by their Council,
shall direct in whet order such securities shall be die-
charged, by dr,ming lots, or otherwise, us the.y eec
fit, staoject ucv,:rtliel,::ss to the discharge in the first place
of a'l such securities as shall bear the highest rate of in-
terest."

anSCV Vr

After a short discusEi ,n the clause, with t'lis amend-
ment, was zgre,d
Cl uses 4 and 5 vere agreed to.
Clause 6 was also agreed to, after a few observations
from Mr. MnsTz and the ATTORNEY GENERAL.

• Mr. W. PATTEN proposed to insert a cl,n,e,
jet of which f r the comp,nsßtion of offic,ts, and the
confirmation of tl.e Charter of the tour of Manche ter.
Mr. M PHILLIPS opposed the el:,use.
Mr. CO URTENAY complained of tiv, unfai,.ness of
di cussing the clauses of so important a n.cas.ure at so late
a period of the tog t, and vtith so thin an :attendance of
Members. It would almost tempt one to off, r cv,:ry op_
position to the.forther progress of the measure.
Mr. AIUNTZ moved that the town of Birmingham be
addel to the clause.

The ATTORNEY- OENERAL thought thzt the
clause:, ought to b? wir,te:', and taken i-.to condleratiAi
at a ftrure s!ogo of the Bill they were too important to
discuss without precious notice.
Air. WILSON PATTEN said if it were the wish of
the House he would V 6 ithdraw the clause for the present,
but he suogested that the Chairman should report progress
and ask leave to sit again. They could thr.'n discuss the
clause in Committee, which was a much more convenient
way of doilg it than upon the bringing up of the Report.
Mr. AG LIO NB Y objected to. the Chairman reporting
progress.

Mr. B ROT II E RTON thought it would be a very gre
hardship t , force these clauses upon the Committee w:tb•
out previous notic-.

After a few words from Lord SA NDON,
The.tiouse resumed, and the Chairman reported pro.
gresP, and obtained leave to sit again.

The Royal Burghs (Scotland) and the Parliamentary
Burghs (Scotland) Bills were read a second time, and
ordered to be committed.

The .ATTORNEY-GENERAL la Ireland brou2ll
in a Bill t.) amend the laws for the relief of irsolven
debtors in Inland, which was read a first time.

The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of
end the House rdjourned at One o'Clock.

WEST LONDON RAILWAY COl'l

PAN Y.

A Spc ci al G, neral Meeting _of the Shareholders

the above Company, was yesterday held at the Company's
Offices, . Abehurch lune, pursuant to adjeur.imeet from
Monday laet. Toe Chair was taken ehortly after our
o'clock by W. Morgan, Esq., the Deputy Chairman of
the Company.
The CHAIRMAN said that at the last meeting, various
plans had been proposed of which he thought it necessary
to say a few words. It had been proposed to abandoe
the matter altogether; now that plan could not be adopted
without the consort &very individuel Shareholder having
been obtained. Another question that had been asked
was, would not any other Company take them up. The
answer to that was, that none could, until they had ex-
erted themselves to put their litre into a proper state.
For two years they had been delibe;ating, and now the
time for action had arrived. ' Something must be done.
Creditors were pressing them, and the landowners
along the line would resume the land if they did not pro-
ceed. They had lost law suits merely because tl;ey had
not money, and their works were going to ruin from the
same cause. Al er their Act had been obtained, two ex-
tensions of the li• e to Knightsbridge and to the Thames
had been proposed ; that that plan would have been suc-
cessful he did not doubt, but it did not meet with the ap-
probation of the Shareholders, and at the last meeting it had
been determined to abandon it. There was then what he
would call the medium plan fur carrying the line from one
canal to the other; by that plan he proposed to abide. There
were two wirer plans—one for carrying the line to the
Hammersmith-road only, and another for stopping short
at the Uxbridge-road, he considered both ohjecaionable;
the traffic on a fraction of a line was always small com-
pared to that on a continuous line. It would be like
building a bridge half-way over a river. The plan con-
tinuing the line from canal to canal, would save their
powers under the Act. The Water Works Company and
the Metropolitan Roads Company had behaved exceed-
ingly liberally to them in granting all they asked, but those
Companies took it for granted they would proceed at once
with the work, and basing obtained their Act, they were
bound to the public to complete the line, and not to
leave it a pool of stagnant water injurious to the
health of the neighbourhood. If they carried the lines to
the points proposed there were ether Companies who
would take it up and extend it to the Thames and to
Knightsbridge,, and when they considered how high up the
Iron Steam-boats extended, if they had a pier cut at Bat-
tersea they might fairly calculate upon a great increase in
passengers' traffic. The plan proposed for raising the
money had been stigmatised as swamping the Share-
holders ; he should be exceedingly sorry that any should
be injured, but now they were all swamped, and the only
question was should they spend a little more money to re-
trieve what they had sunk. Something had been said of
the Great Western Railway Company. He did not think
the Chairman or Directors of that Company would sanc-
tion anything improper, and he had been given to under-
stand that the alteration made by that Company in the
rails would net be at all injurious. They had an able
engineer, respectable caetractors acre willing to under-
take the work, and ho hoped they might look forward to
the day when the railroad would be a source of honour and
emolument to the Shareholders.—( Cheers. )
Dr. CARPUS said the line was not in so deplorable a
state as it had been represented to be. He had gone over
it, and with the exception of the wall, every part of it was
in the highest order. The land in the neighbourhood of
the line b:longing to the Company was of the greatest
value.
Mr. WHITE (having first protested against being sup-
posed to compromise his claims on the Company
by taking part in the proceedinga of the day)
said that at the last meeting he had moved the
adjournment because the Directors were not prepared
to state what might be the results of their plans as
to the working the line, and the real cause of all their mis-
fortunes had been that no definite scheme had ever been
laid before the Proprietors. A certain gradient had been
adopted, and a stationary engine was to be employed to over-
come the declivity of the hill, and the loecmotive traction
was to be employed to do the level wink ; and if that
scheme had been been cariied forward there would have
been little to complain of, except so far as they had been
interrupted by the Great Western line. Then again it had
been proposed to adopt a gradient capable of being worked
by horse power. They ought certainly to consider the mode of
traction to be adopted, and if they could show that by any
plan a fair end reasonable profit would be ensured, no doubt
their shares would rise in the market. It was r ecessary
that the traction to be adopted should be not only rapid
but economical, and if they could show that their proposed
scheme was economics and prtfi%ble, no doubt they
Vould soon be able to raise the money. He believed that
they might real ze more profit by their land than they had
lost by their blunders. Their great object in all they did
ought to be to show the public that there was some reason-
able expectation of a profitable result. Is bad been said
the other day the coal traffic was of little consequence ;
now, since that, he bad ascertained that one concern alone
at Nottingham sent up by the canal 500 tons of coal a
week, and employed nine sets of barges on the canal in
that traffic. With regard to the value of the land, he had
positive information that one plot of less than three
quarters of an acre, bounding their own land, fetched
1001.. per annum, and that a neighbouring piece of less than
half an acre was let for 801. a year, and yet they had
sold land for 150/. an acre, when 100/. a year had been ob-
tained for three-quarters of acre in the immediate neigh-
bourhood. The value of the land they had purchased of
Scott was equal to at least 3,0001., and the seventy-five
acres they possessed at that farm were worth from 300/. to
500/. an acre. Now, that would be more than sufficient
to cover all their debt. He had no doubt cf this, and he
did not speak unadvisedly, because he had had great expe-
rience in the increased value given to land by improve-
ments. The Grand Junction Canal Company were now
getting 2601. an acre for land which they had purchased at'
20/. an acre. He had been asked the other day by the
worthy Knight what was his project. He had put on
paper his ideas on the subject, which he would now submit
to the irneetir g. (The worthy Proprietor then laid on the
table, first, a plan which he had submitted to the Company
on the 24. h of September, 1839; secondly, a modification
of that plan, by which it was proper el to keep the canal
Constantly full of water, so as to secure the benefit of
wharfage on its banks; thirdly, a project submitted to the
Comp :ny in November, 1840, but to which he would net
now further refer, as the present proposition of the Direc-
tors contained no provision for croKieg the Than'. es. The

fourth alas a proptisition submitted in Jute, 1840, for step-
ping at the Uxbridge-road, and suggeitirg that a station
should be erect•A there immediately. The line might be
completrd to that point for horse traction on a single line
of rails for 10,000. They had heard nothing from the en-
gineer of the mode of traction which he proposed to em-
ploy, and until they knew that they could not say that they
had the full and perfect scheme before them. No. b was
a. plan he had drawn up in consequence of what had
passel the other day, relative to continuing the line to the
north side of the Hammersmith road ; that would entiil a

large expeaditnrc—they would have ORC bridge to build,
and including drainage he thought it could not be accom-
.

plisbed for lc"ss than 20,0001. Paper Ne. 6 was a plan for
raising 20,0001, by loan, to be secured on all the available
securities of the Company ; the money to be a 'vat-iced for
fi,e year?, at five per cent. interest, payable half yearly,
the persons advancing it to have the option of conver log
their advances into shares, or giving six months'
notice, and the Company to hate the. tight f re-
paying the money, also giving notice ; that would
give them some hope of paying off money, becatEe, if
they set about completing the railroad in earnest, he had
no doubt but that their shares ‘Vouli soon be at par. This

plan would swamp nobody. If they avrUed themselves
of their own resources, they would soon be independent
of the Great Western Company, who had not behaveJ
properly to them. The work alluded to by the Chairman
had been done by that Company without consulting them.
He contended that Company ought to have given them
notice of their iLtentiow: They ought to he independent
of that Comp4nr. He should like to see thz. line carried
to the London and Birmingham line; fix he, tsar sure that,
enntidering the two turoel; ticit C
lire ;lotted
hrough, two sets :of rails would nit h suffi ri,:„; IT the
work, and the) shoult g,'t a share of the trAffie—rnore
especiilly if they could carry their line to the 'Tharree.
He considered the plan of the Directors its one calculated
to.sacrifice the poorer Sielrebolders to ti.e wealthier ones,
A proposition had been made fur pneumatic traction at
the rate of rather more than one farthing per ton per mile.