The Sun.
London, England, 1840-05-27 00:00:00

—such as would establish a trade in corn, which was what
he wished to see : and be remembered hearing two gentle-
men, during the first agitation of the question, discussing
what should be the duty ; and one of them asked the
other—" With a-bat view do you propose it?" and the
candid reply was, " Certainly with a view to the exclusion
of corn." Hear.) Now, if your object is to keep
out corn, place a high duty upon it; but my object
is not to keep it out, but to place a moderate, fixed
duty on it, so that this country might benefit by the
change of seasons and climates which Providence has dis-
posed over the face of the globe, and thereby secure a
steady, fair, and moderate prime for food to the people of
this country.—( Hear.) I will not say that that might not
be, to a certain extent, effected by an alteration of the pre-
sent scale, by such a change as would not make the fluctu-
ations ib extremely rapid and with such sudden leaps from
one rate of duty to another—by a rate of duty which would
give the merchant some security that when he imported
foreign corn the duty would not be materially altered. But
my opinion is, that aiLiough some benefit might be derived
trot such a step, by far the wisest course will be to have
a fixed duty on foreign corn in the same manner as was
proposed by Mr. Haski .eoo will regard to articles of
merchandize. Sir, I don't think there is that very great
difference between corn and ether articles. No doubt,
when there is a defleient harvest, or an extraordinary
abundance, there is a difference between corn and other
articles of merchandise; but as regards average years, I
skink it should be subjected to the same laws as other
articles, 1 d I should propose that a certain fixed duty be
imposed, payable by the merchant, so that he may know
what he has to deal with, and in what way that com-
modity might be imported. Sir, in what I have stated, I
have not placed any stress upon the arguments which have
been introduced from time to time, to show that our manu-
factures are in a failing condition, and, in fact, that we
are about to see the end of that great manufacturing
prosperity which has endured for so many years. I don't
think a case has been at all made out to the extent which
those would assert who advocate a total repeal of, those laws.
At the same time, I cannot say that that is tin argu-
ment against no alteration being made. If these
laws have produced inconvenience to our manufac-
turers and artizans, as compared with other nations,
I do not sec why that should be an argument in favour of re-
moving these disadvontages—altheugh some pereons would
go the length of saying that they have that confidence in
the capital, and skill, and industry cf our manufacturers,
as to suppose that they would still be able to compete with
foreign nations. On the contrary, I think we are bound
to take advantage of every circumstance to place our ma-
nufacturers and artizans on the best footing we possibly
can ; and I do not think the present system calculated to
ffeet that object. Linder these circumstances, I shall
willingly vote for going into Committee on this subject,
with a view, if the House does consent to go into Com-
mittee, of making some alteration in these laws.—( Cheers,
and loud miss r,f "
Me- PRIME said, on proposing the same amendment
he had moved last year, he did not think it necessary to
repeat the seine speech, or indeed any speech in support
of it.—(Flea,., hear, and a laugh.) He would merely
do-able the House with bn explanation of an argument
of his, which heel been misunderstood on the former occa-
sion. He Lad ant based his argument of a protecting duty
on the '()Telma of the taxes that pressed upon the land,
tit on the ground of the taxes that pressed upon the pro-
duct'oe of corn. He had confined his view so tithes and
parochial taxes, but he had not enumerated the land-tax,
because it did not bear upon his argument:, which was,
that the taxes en the production of corn increased with
increased productiveness, and diminished with diminished
productiveness—( Hear, hear, hear.) The Honourable
Member concluded by moving, as an amendment,
to add to the end of Mr. Villiers' motion—
` well a view to the reduction of the average prices speci-
fied in the table to that Act annexed, according to which
the respective duties are imposed."
Mr. MI3NT Z said it was his misfortune to rise save-
hal times in the course of that long night, without catching
tie eye of the Speaker--( flear, and a laugh)—but he
was still unwilling to give a silent vote on a subject
which involved the interest of thousands of the richer
Poriaor, of his countrymen, and millions of the poorer. He
had arrived in the course of the debate at different conclu-
sions from many of those gentlemen, with whom he gene-
rally agreed. He did not think that the repeal of the
Corn-laws would benefit the working classes st.s. much as
I e hal heard stated.—(Cheers from the Opposition.)
His opinion wss, that if the Corn-laws were repealed,
the re.. e of wages, and the profits of capital, must conic to
the Coetincatal level._( Cheers from the Opposition.)
A great reduction of wages must, in his opinion, be the
consequence of the free importation of foreign corn._
( Cheers.) He thought that the home consumers were
the support of two-thirds of the trade of the country.—
(Loud cheers from the Tories.) If the Corn-laws were
repealed, a great portion of the land would be thrown cut
of cultivation, and it struck him as rather extraordinary
that the landed interest should not be as well entitled to
protection is any other interest —( Hear, hear, hear, from
the Opposition.) He asked, why had not the owners of
land as much right to protection as the fundholders ?
(Heree) If we were to have free ttadc in corn, why not
have free trade in all other productions ?—(Cheers. )
Above all, why nit have free trade in gold and silver ? He
was quite willing to agree with the Hon. Member for
Wolverhampton, that trade and manufactures were never in I
a worse condition than at present. The repeal of the Corn-
laws might relieve them in the course of time, but it
could only be by causing a vast deal of suff ring to others
in the nacanwhile.—( Hear, Igkr.) He believed that all
the evils complejLed of origin ied in misgovernment. But
he did not attrib7de any wickedness to that Howse_—( Hear,
and laughter)—on the contrary, he believed that the majo-
rity of that House was composed of men as well inten-
tioned as any others in the world. At the same time, he
thought they were lamentably ignorant.—( Laughter.)
Hr had intended to go at greater length into that portion
of the subject which was connected with the price of bullion,
. and with the currency, but he would not detain the Houseat
that hour.—(Cries of " Divide, divide.") Although he
took a different view of the question from that taken by
the Hon. Member for Wolverhampton, he would vote for
the House going into Committee.—(Great laughter )
He would tell them why.—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.")
The landed interest had the power within their own hands
to do justice to others, and they did injustice to themselves
if they refused to make use of that power. He had only
cae choice—to vote for the indirect good, because the
people could not get the direct good.—( Laughter. )
Mr. VI L LIE RS replied. He had been about to con-
gratulate the opposite party on the accession of one friend
during the debate, and the only person who had spoken against
the motion.—( Hear, hear, and laughter.) He had been
utterly unable to understand what the Hon. Gentleman
meant. Pie remembered his predecessor in that House,
and he did not think the Hon. Gentleman was an un-
woriby siermiseor—( Hear, hear, and laughter)—but he
hoped Hon. Gentlemen opposite who had cheered 11:m
were also prepared to cheer all the sentiments he had
uttered, for he had other remedies in store—which, per-
haps, would net be very palatable to them. It was not
the repeal of the Corn-laws, but the alteration of the
standard, and robbing the eouatry of its creditor, that
seemed be floating in the Hon. Gentleman's mind._
(Laughter, aid cries of " Divide, divide.") He (Mr.
Villiers) would not prevent the decision which the House
stained anxious to come to. He had nothing to reply to—
(Lauithter)—but he had an observation to make, which
was that Honourable Members in that House had
refused to allow the question to be discussed.
_(oh, oh, and a cry of " You have had it all your own
way.") He knew not what Hon. Gentlemen meant by
sensing it hail been discussed, unless it had been making
such a noise that no one could be heard.—( Laughter. )
Three Members had attempted to address the HOEse and
had been obliged to sit down irithout expressing their send-
ments.—( Ccntinued laughter.) No less than six Members
on his side of the House had meditated speaking het had
abandoned the idea.—( Renewed laughter.) The point the
House had arrived at seas to refuse to discuss the—i Oh,
oh.) No reply frid been offered to any argument ativasced
n support of his motion. It was attemptsd to get
rid of a division upon it on a former occasion
(Lauehter)— and Hon. Members seemed determined
there should be no discussion of it upon that. —( Laughter. )
The cocduct of Members in the House only corresponded
with proceedings that had taken place out of it. Lately,
when a person ventured into an agricultural district to ex-
press his opinion on this subject, he was assailed by the
dependents of the neighbouring landlords.—( Question,
eiuestion.) A resort to physical force was made in order
to prevent Ha expressing his opinions, and the same course
was pursued in that House. No one was allowed to ex-
press his opinion.—(Oh, ell ) He knew that it might be
said there had been three days' debate—suppose there were
to be three or fcur days' more. What were the subjects
that ought to engage their attention, if that was not
to be discussed ?—( Hear.) How was the time of the
House occupied ? They had been sitting five months,
and what had been done ?—( Laud opposition cheers.)
Nothing. Party contention had wasted their time.
(Hear, hear.) Everything proposed was obstructed, and
then because a subject was proposed that really
tercetine to the people, aid which did affect their
wa
wascondi-
tionle-
generally, the most extraordinary impatience yeas to ;:recent Hon. Members statir, d opinions
They would
on the subject.—(Divide, Divide.) e''
change the opinion of the people by dealing with the
not
question in that way. The Hon. Member for Lincoln
shire had complained of an altered tone in his address.
Who had provoked that ? He had been willing to dis-
cuss the question calmly, but one Honourable Member
had treated with ridicule any such attempt, and had meted
his address a dull treatise.—( Laughter.) They had set
the example of discussing the question out of temper, and
that was the way in which, according to their decision, it
must be discussed in future. They had had no arguments
to advance—(Laughter)—they stood upon their right_
they had a large mejority against the people—( Hear, hear)
—but they were wolullv mistaken if they supposed the
people were not watching their proceedings. They had
refused the Ballot, because thee said the electors were
trustees for the community. He hoped the community
would now consider what sort of trustees they had.
He 10.rnitted there was an end to the discussion that night.
_r,he peo,de had now to consider, coolly, calmly, and de-
lenrately, what power was to them—what power they
potsessed, and how they could exercise it. The House
refused to discuss any question 'n
consider whom their trust .
had been a •
use.
ethe people had now to
No argument had sent to that Ho
d'vtanbeed but the one which had
been formerly urged, viz.—he hist.e
being an edvecate for
the total repeal of the taxes e
with him h* did not advecateater shat f
the same one could vote
with opinions,
op o s H
%e e,
begged again to refer distinctly t
Hon. Member for Lincoln—he stated thata
allell wfrhoomvottehde
against his motion expressed his unqualified approbation of
the present laws. That was the real vote of the night, and
so it would be looked 'upon in the country. His principle
was that there ought to be no tax upon the food of the
people, and he invited the House to go into Committee, to
see what alteration in the present laws could he
made. All he wanted was, that they should
go into Committee, and admit that the present law
did not work well—that it ought in some way to he
amended—and show the people that they were not prepared
to refuse inquiry in the face of a million and a half et sup_
plicants into the grievances they allege they are suffering
wader.