The Sun.
London, England, 1841-06-08 00:00:00

nce, therefore, that if the IN'oble Lord was prepared to
state that her Majesty's Government proposed to pursue
the precedents to which he had adverted, and that they
resolved at as early a period as could be consistent with
the necessity for the public service to dissolve the pre-
sent Parliament and call a new one, whatever might be
the apparent departure on the part of the Chancellor of
the Exchequer from the course notified by the Noble
Lord, he should not have one word further to say, as
the declaration of the Noble Lord would be amply suffi-
cient. The Noble Lord would find that there could be
no constitutional objection to his making such a declara-
tion, because the Noble. Lord might call to his recollec-
lection, that in the year 1807, on the dissolution of the
then existing Parliament, it was distinctly notified by the
Crown to the Parliament about to be dissolved, that another
would immediately be assembled. His Majesty upon
that occasion make use of these expressions :—" His
Majesty trust that the early attention of the new Parlia-
ment, which he will forthwith direct to be convened,
will be applied to the prosecution of those imporpant ob-
jects." In the year 1820, on the demise of the King, a
similar course was pursued. His Majesty then informed
the Houses of Parliament that " he had determined to
call, without delay, a new Parliament ;" and in the year
1831. when Earl Grey presided over the Councils of his
late Majesty, the following announcement was made in
the speech from-the,Virone :—" I have observed with
satisfaction your endeavours to introduce a strict eco-
nomy into every branch of the public service, and I
trust that the early attention of the new Parliament,
which I shall forthwith direct to be called, will be ap-
plied to that important object." He trusted, therefore,
that he had proved that in the occasions of 1784, 1807,
1820, and 1831, in the dissolutions of the Parliaments
then sitting, the succeeding_ Parliaments were at once
convened ; and he had also shown that in the three last
cases the Crown did not object formally to notify to the
Parliaments then sitting that the Parliaments which
were to succeed them would be assembled without delay.
He hoped, consequently, that in conformity with these
precedents the Noble Lord would be enabled to
give them that assurance to which they were en-
titled. He knew of nothing additional which he
was called upon to say. With respect to the
peculiar position in which the Executive Government
was now placed, he would only add that he thought it
would occur to the mind of every one, that that position
constituted an additional reason for their pursuing .the
course to which he, had referred. Suppose the Noble.
Lord were not prepared to give such an assurance then,
he (Sir IL Peel) would give the Noble Lord whatever
estimates he might require for the immediate term of his
service, but he could not be a party to any vote which
would, imply an opinion, upon his part, that the Parlia-
ment might be dissolved, and the Parliament to succeed
it might- not be immediately convened. It was quite
clean-lid apprehended, that if the Noble Lord took the
vote:: for:-the remaining estimates for a period of six
montlis,..it- would enable him to postpone the calling of
Parliament-together till November, or even later. Ndw,
he must say he thought that would be unconstitutional.
He repeated, therefore, that if the Noble Lord wodid
give an assurance, in his place as a Minister, that It was
his intention to -pursue the course followed on former oc-
casions, on that declaration he would place entire confi-
dence, and mould not quarrel with the grant of the esti-
mates for the time, proposed. If the Noble Lord
was unable or unwilling to do that, then he submitted
that three months would be amply anfticieut Syr the
exigencies of the public serviee,--,(jear) Rat so de-
termined was he not to talco advantage of his pont4
position for the purpose of inflicting on any, hiiitiA Al'
the public service inconvenience, that if the Chancellor
of the Exchequer said there were certain votes which
for instance had been anticipated or were absolutely
necessary for a longer period, he should not omeise
them.—(Hear, hear.) He trusted the IsT(lb,,l-e Jey.o wAuld
relieve him from any furthq 4,11;lle duiciission on the
subject. He did not pecittige gtia,4lltdc4 41:9,113.
w cleclavatiq.ll as .to.' Ole cgilrAG Nthich he alptild
in his capacity of a Nißikitep of the qr.covrt advise hgr
Majesty to pursue.—(Dear,
Lord JOHN 1113554 LL would illAqtYP 'that he could
give no express guarantee as to the °ours() he meant to
pursue, nor did he 414111)4s0 the Right Hon. Ge-
expected hint to do so. He thought the,-
why they should deviate from
the present occasion -
stances in

._.w@tan

was no reason

_ ordinary course on
_,--anct under the peculiar circum-
_ .—ineliTho was placed, feeling also that he
.riety. the mina of his Noble Friend at the head of
toe Government, he had no hesitation in stating' that
the advice they should give to the Crown would be
that no time should be lost for the dissolution of the
present Parliament, and in summoning another —(Hear.)
That statement he was the more ready to make, because
in the position which he held as Minister of the Crown,
holding the seals of office, he felt all the objection to
acting in that office after the vote of the other night
until he had received the sanction of a new Parliament.—
(Hear, hear.)
Sir 'ROBERT PEEL said the answer the Noble Lord
had given was the answer he himself had anticipated ;
therefore, in fulfilment of the assurance he had given,
and in which he placed implicit confidence, he had no
objection to the supplies being granted for six months.—
(Hear, hear.)

The great bulk of the Members present here left the
House, and for some time it was in a state of much ex-
citement and confusion.

Mr. VILLIERS; who for some time essayed to
address the House, said he did not complain of the man-
ner in which it now treated independent Members who
rclo to address them. He was aware that everything in -
teresting to the House had been carried and arranged
h is Noble Friend the Secretary for the Colonies, and
the Right lion. Baronet, had stated what they called '
°their views, and indicated the course they meant to pur-
sue,. and therefore the business of the House might
be considered over. He hoped, however, it was not too
prasintiptuous in him to make one or two observations
rut the position of that question which had led to the
present position of parties, and which was now about to
disturb the peace of the country. It had been a con-
stant themeof reproach to himself and others, that they
had taken a course with regard to the Corn-laws which
was calculated to do injury to the question by advocating
too large a measure of reform—that they had been too
extravagant in their claims—and that if they were more
moderate in their demands, they should claim more at-
Wien, and perhaps succeed better. But let the House
look at the present position of elle question. It had been
taken out of his hands by the Government, and they had
proposed a measure which was evidently one of compro-
mise, and extravagantly in favour of the other side of
the House. Formerly 'they had been allowed to discuss
the question, but if he understood the present arrange-
Metlt, it was, that they were not to discuss the question
in that House. The other side, who had the power in
their hands, might •make long speeches, and occupy the
time of the House, but if the Government brought for-
ward any specific plan, then discussion was to be
• entirely precluded. He hardly knew any part of
the world in which the question did not excite in.
tense interest ; but it appeared to him that
so far as they were• concerned, there was some analogy
between the slave question in America and the Corn-
laws with them. In Congress they did not allow the
question of slavery to be discussed, and two years ago,
when it was brought forward, the whole House rushed
wt. The country was about to become the scene of a
great battle between those who advocated monopoly of
all kinds, and those who were anxious to promote the in-
terests of the people. The present was their first step,
and then they said, " you may dissolve the House, but
we shall halm a majority in the next, and we shall not al-
low you to discuss it in the new Parliament." The
question was how the struggle was to end. He was not
discouraged, and he would encourage the country not to
be disheartened. He knew of no cause in the name and

for the object of promoting freedom that had been so
successful in the first instance.—(Hear, hear.) He was
glad of the course the House had taken, for it was bold
and straightforward. He believed it would do more
good to the country than any other, because it would
show. the people their weakness, and would point out to
them where their strength lay. They would now see
the necessity of putting forward their energies ; and he
was glad in that event to find that the House was to be
dissolved, and the sense of the country taken on the
subject. It was clear that no other subject could engage
the attention of Parliament till it was settled in one way
or another, and he believed the public business would be
obstructed, and that there would be a series of dissolu-
tions until the struggle was at an end, and the people had
obtained complete justice.—(Cheers.) He did not think
there was anything erroneous in the views of those who
had agitated the question. He would be ready whenever
a discussion was allowed in that House, to state the
grounds on which he claimed for the people a total aboli-
tion of those laws.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. WAKLEY said it had been objected that so im-
portant a question should be brought forward on the eve
of a general election ; but he would remind the House
that the new Parliament was to be called together imme-
diately after the dissolution, and they would take the
question into their consideration forthwith. So that the
public was to be subjected to all the excitement, pressure,
agitation; and pledges, which candidates would be called
upon to give at the hustings. Now, he must complain
that the Right Hon. Baronet and his friends who depre-
cated the repeal of the Septennial Act, and frequent Par-
liaments, should wish to have the present, and probably
the next, Parliament dissolved within a very short period.
It appeared to him that the great interests of the country
were to be regarded as nothing, when the interests of
party were concerned. It was only three weeks ago
that his Hon. Colleague had brought forward a motion
for the liberation of political offenders, and the Right Hon.
Baronet had then deprecated any interference with the
prerogative of the Crown, and had advised that the motion
should be left to the discretion of a Government which
he now said did not possess the confidence of that House
or the country. Now, there appeared to him something
extremely inconsistent in such a proceeding.—(Hear,
hear.) He hoped the Noble Lord would not have what
he anticipated—natnely, a majority in the new Parlia-
ment. Indeed, he sincerely hoped that neither of the
great parties in that House would obtain a majority,—
(Laughter)--but that the people would exercise a little
common sense, and that their influence would be
extended at the coming elections to increase the
number of that party which, he regretted to
say, was at present very small—to which he
had attached himself—he meant the party maw,
was influenced by a sincere desire to promote the
welfare of the people:—(" Hear, hear," and laughter.)
lie knew nothing as to the issue of the coming strug-
gle, but it was clear that at present the interests of the
people were utterly neglected in that House. On the
present occasion the public money was to be WO to,
an enormous extent ; and as soon as the leklerss had
settled their plans out went HQ% Members to (Huber,
and they spent the remainder of the evening d;O,-,,-u-sstng
When t:lf:ai their :
the state of parties with their
fries?
the people saw s.—(A laugh.)
r OW; sufferings Were
1.--
disregarded;-Viien the evils of the present system were
fully Uisclosed to their view, it was impossible that they
could.contiolte, No rational people would suffer .them
to 1-4‘e a long duration. He would remind the Right
Hon. Baronet, the Member for Tamworth, of the lan-
gaa,ge he adopted when he met that House. after it had