The Sun.
London, England, 1841-09-25 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 26, 1841.

to come forward at once and propose a new Corn-law. I
ask him, would he be satisfied if now, when corn can be
admitted at ft du z..), oF i should nropo.i., duty of Bs.?
—(Hear, hear, Crom the Ministerial ..echo s.) 11 uoid
he be satisfied with the adoption of that remedy which
was heretofore proposed ? I make this observation to
shew the impropriety of resorting to any sudden and in-
stantaneous remedy for public distress.—(Hear, hear.)
The Hon. Gentleman asks me if I deny the distress. I
certainly do not deny the distress. I believe that in the
manufacturing districts great distress prevails. But
while I express a feeling of deep regret at the ex-
istence of this distress, I do not wish to take
so desponding a view of the condition of the country
as I think some are disposed to do. I do not
believe, speaking generally, that the condition of
this country is such as to forbid all hope of returning
prosperity. I hold in my hand a document which any
one would wish to possess who was studying the condi-
tion of the country, but which none can use with effect
except those who are entrusted with the administration
of public affairs. I allude to the deposits and the with-
drawals of the Savings' Banks. I know how delicate a
thing is the the task of correcting mis-statements on such
a subject ; but if there are miEapprehensions with respect
to the condition of the country, it is right that they should
be corrected. lam not at all denying the existence of
distress ; but I think I see in the paper which I hold in
my hand indications of an improvement, which at best
forbids the apprehension which has been expressed of a
universal bankruptcy. It is an account of the sums
paid into the National Debt Office and withdrawn
by the trustees of Friendly and Saving Socie-
ties in three successive months in the present
year. The return is for the United Kingdom. In
the month of June, 1841, the sums paid in amounted
to 66,442/.; the sums drawn out in the same month were
86,364/, exhibiting the melancholy fact that the sums
drawn out in that wonth exceeded the sums paid in by
the sum of 20,0001. In July, however, the sums paid
into the Savings' Banks amounted to 124,9001., whilst
the sums drawn out reached only to 87,000/. In the
month of August the sums paid in were 100,000/, and
the sums drawn out only 50,000/. Now, observe, that in
June the sums drawn out exceeded the sums paid in by
20,0001.; in the month of August the sums paid in ex-
ceeded the sums paid out by 50,0001., and amounted to
double the sum withdrawn. Whether this was partly
owing to the confidence engendered throughout the
country in consequence of the change of Administra-
tion I cannst say.—(" Hear. hear," and laughter from
both sides of the House.) The Hon. Gentleman says I
take a partial and interested view of the subject. One
of my reasons for hoping for an improvement is, that I
see an increased confidence throughout the country; and
those impressions which I entertained before are at least
confirmed by the fact—it may be only simultaneous, and
not stand in the relation of cause and effect—that
whereas in the month of "June the sums drawn out ex-
ceeded the sums paid in by 20,000/, when the presage
of a new Administration appeared about to be rea-
lised, the sums paid in exceeded those drawn out by
50,0001.—(Hear, hear.) I state the fact—l draw no
inference from it, except that it constitutes an additional
reason for pausing before we attempt too suddenly to
apply a remedy for distress. Up to the 11th of Septem-
ber the sums paid in had been 32,000/. and the sums
drawn out 20,0001. It is true that a great proportion of these
deposits are made by the retail dealers, but it is gene-
rally admitted that their prosperity is a correct test of
that of the working classes. It may be said that this
return comprises the agricultural as well as the manu-
facturing districts. This table, however, comprises the
amounts paid in and withdrawn in Lancashire, York-
shire, Cheshire, Glasgow, Birmingham, Coventry, and
Norwich. The gross total of the sums paid is 123,329/. and
of those drawn out 114,3781. ; showing, even in the ma-
nufacturing districts alone, an increase in the sums paid
in as compared with those drawn out. lam quite sure
that great distress exists in Lancashire, but our view
must be taken upon general results rather than upon
individual cases. Now I find that in Manchester in the
last three months the sums paid into the savings' banks
amounted to 25,35 CL, and the sums drawn out to 22,740/. ;
so that in Manchester there has been a considerable in-
crease in the sums paid in as compared with those which
have been drawn out.—(Hear.) It really is of great im-
portance to look calmly at this subject. I thin I have
shown that her Majesty's Government are not indifferent.
I refer to this document, not for the purpose of denying
the distress, but because I deprecate that exaggeration of
it which would demand immediate, precipitate, and most
delusive measures of relief.—(Hear, hear.) Sir, the
Hon. Gentleman says, that in the town of Manchester
the Conservative candidates who came forward had in-
scribed upon their banners "Cheap bread, no Corn-laws,
no Poor-laws, and high wages, Murray and Entwistle."
If that was so, it is remarkable that it is the only case
which was referred to, and in that the effect was an en-
tire failure. This unfortunate candidate, in a manufac-
turing district, who inscribes " No Poor-laws and no
Corn-laws" upon his banners is rejected, and the Hon.
Gentleman is returned. lam convinced that the coun-
try approves of the reserve which I have maintained on
the subject of the Corn-laws. Our attention has,
indeed, been called to the subject of finance,
to the Poor-laws, and to the Corn-laws ; but my firm be-
lief is that the intelligent and thinking portion of the
community in the three kingdoms will think that, in the
constitution of a new Corn-law, under the auspices of
one who has been excluded from power for a period of
ten years, it is rational and right that there should be
time for mature deliberation and the adoption of wise
measures ; that we should avail ourselves of those oppor-
tunities of inquiry which access to official information
can alone give ; and that being acquired, we should then
call the attention of Parliament to the measures which
we have to propose, and leave Parliament to determine
whether those measures are fonnded on just and wise
principles or not., and whether they are likely to be con-
ducive to the permanent welfare of the country.
Mr. MARK PHILLIPS said he knew not whether
the country would be satisfied with the jokes, be those
jokes good or bad, to which allusion had been made
by the Right Hon. Baronet ; but he knew that he (Mr.
Mark Philip) could not treat lightly the distress of the
people. He was convinced that unless some timely re-
lief was offered, and the channels of industry re-opened,
they would have to deplore the want of order in the
coming winter—to witness scenes which all whom he
addressed must desire to prevent. In the Address
which he had the honour of moving at the opening
of the Session, in that part of it which was re-
tained by the House, thanks were given to her
Majesty for having called together the new Parliament
at the earliest possible period to take into consideration
matters of deep importance to the country. On the 7th
of June the Right Hon. Bart. (Sir R. Peel) stated that
in his opinion Parliament ought to be dissolved imme-
diately, and that after the dissolution it should be sum-
moned with the least possible delay; and he said this on
the ground of the immense advantage it would be to
commercial men to know what would be done in refer-
ence to the Corn-laws, as well as with reference to a
change in the executive Government. Under these cir-
cumstances he felt greatly disappointed at the course
pursued by the Government in postponing till
February the consideration of measures of relief. He knew
how great were the financial difficulties of the country.
He did not, therefore, wish the Hon Baronet to decide
hastily, but he implored him not to allow Parliament to
be prorogued. Let him take a fortnight or a month to
consider what measures he would propose—but he implored
him not to allow the winter to pass over without proposing
some remedy for the distress of the people. He thought
there was nothing unreasonable in such a suggestion.
He had had to presen t to the Government a memorial, pray
ing them to represent to her Majesty the necessity of
the House not separating before the subject of the Corn-
laws was taken into consideration. If the Government
were not prepared to make any alteration in the Corn-
laws, let them tell the people so at once.—(Cheers,
and cries of " Hear, hear.") If he was to assume
from what hadlfallen from certain Members of the Government
—that it was their opinion that the Corn-laws had nothing to
do with the distresses, let the Government come forward and
declare that such was their opinion.—( Hear, hear.) A simple
declaration of that kind would not require much time for consi-
deration.—(Hear, hear.) He was anxious nut to trespass upon
the House, but he must repeat what he had stated before in that
House, as the solemn conviction of his own mind, that the in-
dustry of the country was paralyzed by the present provision
laws.—( Hear, hear.) What he urged upon the Government
was that they might not be permitted to separate before Christ-
mas, without taking into consideration the great subject of the
Corn-laws.—( Hear, hear.) The people had taken up this ques-
tion themselves ; they saw it was important to their interests,
and he thought it was the duty of their representatives to rise in
their places, and urge upon the Right Hon. Baronet the neces-
sity of affording the House an opportunity of entertaining so
great a question before the winter set in.—( Hear, hear.)
Mr. EW ART said the main paints of the Right Hon. Baro-
net's speech was, that he was not indifferent to the distresses of
the country. He for one believed the Right Hon. Baronet
when he stated that • and his next point was that he should be
given time. Now he (Mr. Ewart) was prepared to give him
time, but the question was, what time was to be given ? He
could understand the delay of a month or two, but he could
not agree to the ',prolonged silence which the Right Hon.
Baronet seemed determined to preserve. He thought the
people would draw from it the most unfavourable conclusions.
—( Hear, hear.) There was a more dangerous result to be
apprehended if the Right Hon. Baronet kept his intentions in
abeyance, and that was, that the contentions between the
manufacturing and agricultural interests would increase, and
would most likely intrude upon the silence of the Right
Honourable Baronet. He could not consider ;the course the
Government were pursuing as consistent with the duty of a
Minister of the Crown, when the country was in so distressed
a state. What had Mr. Huskisson said ? Why, that the evils
of the country, if taken in time, might be remedied, but if
allowed to continue they might never be overcome. He was
not one of those who thought that free-trade measures a pana-
cea for all the existing evils, but he thought, looking to futu-
rity, that those principles were likely to benefit the country.
He thought if ever there was a time when the principles of
free-trade should be carried out, in order to alleviate the dis-
tress of the country, it was the present. He trusted that they
would not wonder long at the silence of the Right Hon.
Baronet.—( Hear. )
M. WALKER bore testimony to the distress of the manu-
facturing districts. He confessed that h had never witnessed
them in such a state. The property of the capitalist was fast
wasting away by the deprociatioa of fixed capital and bad
debts. In the borough he represented more than the
whole rental of the borough had been taken away
from the manufacturing interests. Such was the distress in
that borough, that the only two mills they had there were
stopped, and the operatives turned adrift. The people had
been told that the Corn-laws were the cause of the dis-
tresses, and they were convinced that they were the great cause
of all their suffering. He did not know what measures were
intended to be brought forward by the present Government,
but he trusted that they would think of the suffering of the
manufacturing district.
Sir JOHN EASTHOPE would ask the Right Hon. Bart.
whether he expected with augmented suffering and increased
numbers, that the winter would pass without that wretched-
ness existing which would make it difficult to preserve the
quiet of the country? He thought before Parliament broke
tan something ought to be done that would stay the plague.
There could be no doubt that the present Ministers intended
to do little or nothing
with respect to the Corn-laws, when
the declaration of several of its Members on the hustings and
elsewhere, that they
'altencled to stand by the principles they
had hitherto professed was recollected. Was the country only
to have mere expressions from the Right Hon. Bart. of his
sorrow for the distresses of the country, but no remedy proposed?