The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-24 00:00:00

TH E SUN, LON DON SATURDAY MORNING; JANUARY 24

would have no objection to delay its further considera- hod to endure.—(Hear, hear.) And being on this side
tion till it hae been printed, of forty, he must say that he heartily rejoiced in and
Sir 11. H. INGLIS objected to the proposed arrange- `admired the conduct of those who, on that (the Oppo
ment on many grounds. He understood that from 12 to sition side if rolitics), acknowledged the industry
6on Wednesdays was to be devoted to private basin ss, and the ability whieli had characterised the Right Hon.
or rather business that was not connected with the Go- Gentleman. On that toint they were entirely agreed.
vernment. Now his Noble Friend had, within the last ' But he remembered whet he (Mr. Colquhoun) sat , n
ha:fehour, given notice of one of the most important mo- the other sate of the House. they followed the Right
Lions which could be brought under the consideration of Hon. Baronet because be professed certain and intelligiele
the House.; and if it was the intention of Ministers to absent principles. And what were those principles? The
themselves from the ilouseona Wednesday this important Right Hon. Baronet professed a strong attachment to
motion with respect to charitable endowments might be the Church—(Loud cries of " Hear, hear ")—a strong
brought on and disposed of in their absence, and the regard for education in connexion with the Church.—
question decided when perhaps there would not be more ' (Hear, hear.) Ile professed a strongattachment for
than forty members present. For this and for other that aristocracy on which he now seemed to place such
reasons, he certainly obj. mid to any alterations being little value.—(llear, hear.) He professed a very strong
made in the existing sessional order.
attachment to the Crown, and he did not then say that
Sir ROBERT PEEL said, if the Ministry fonnd iit was a very dellcult matter to satisfy an ancient m, -
that the motion, to which the Honourahle Baronet ' narchy, a proud aristocracy and
a reforming
ii public
alluded, was to he brought forward on a Wed- (Hear, hear.) It appeared that the Right en. Baron It
abandoned almost every principle
n.sday, they would crt Only la. •weto be prest nt. had now, however,
An EIONOURABLE MEMBER wished to know from which he hefldirt_,c)oosnenwtointhNhviitmh. tlhroese who
let onh uthne
(Mr. Cos
her Majesty's Ministers whether, in consequence of the same side o the H
was himselfle most anxious for
..a settlement of' the" :ups?.
large number of Railway Bills before the House
to the decision of- the
teas session, making so many more Committees tion of tl corn-laws on moterate terms.. It would be
than had been sitting last session of Parliament, the well had theythe e question
tribunal.—(dear, hear.) Now it
public business would not be postponed till the rising of countiae
forproper I
the Committees, so as to enable Hon. Members to attend was not . him (,e. r. Colquhoun) to say what pledges
the Right lion. Gentleman had made on this question.
the House.
Sir ROBERT PEEL said it would be matter of con- for he, of course, must judge for himself; but those of
aid. ration. the agricultural interest had also a right of judging for
The sessional order was then read and agreed to. themselves.—(Hear, hear.) And he would say that they
RAILWAY were not inclined to abandon those principles which they
Lord JOHN RUSSELL DEPOSITS.
wished to know from the
possessed long ago.—(Hear' hear.) Had the Right-
Hon. Baronet gone to the country on this question,
Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the. Exche- his course would have been- per&ctly intelligible.—
quer, whether the amount of the deposits on Railway (Hear.) Was it to be tolerated that because th Right
Bills had yet been taken into consideration? Last year Hon. Baronet had served under four Sovereigns—
the amount paid in was 3,000,0001., but this year it was (Laughter)—bc cause he was, in his opinion, a most ex-
calculated that 9,000,0001. would be the sum ;and that P. rienced statesman and debater, he should be allowed ' •
guide the helm of public affairs " unshackled and uncon-
amount might cause a very great depression in the trolled ?"—(Hear.) They might be thought bigottn d
money market. —they might be thought fanatic. lion. Gentlemen hid
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he a perfect right, if they pleased, to think so. He thought
it toe bad, te Rht Hon. should
felt exceedingly obliged to the Noble Lord for having
obtain thehowever, that
support of the count igry on one set of princie
given him an opportunity of removing from the public pies and then reject all those principles which charac-
mini any doubt that might have existed as to the course terised the m, as a body appealine to the country. The
the Government intended to pursue on this suhj et. .last m ,nth had -been particularly fertile in episties, and,
The House was aware that by a resolution of the stand- among the rest, was one from the Hon. Member for
ing orders of this House all parties engaged in railway
Montrose,which was characterised by the usual goal
speculations were bound to pay a deposit equal to sense and straightforwardness of that Gentleman.—
(Hear.) That lion. Gentlemen, who never disguised his
Viree• fourths of the whole expense of the under opinions, Fail t hat if it was a personal question they would
taking. And by an Act of Parliament passed in get a great deal more from Peel than Russell.—(Hear,
a recent session, the parties making the deposit had a hear.) Now it ryas just possible that the Conservative
light to have the money invested by the Accountant-
party might think that they would be fully more safe in
the hands of the Noble L ird than under the former Gen-
General in any way they should think fit. About the
tleman. He was pretty sure that if the Noble Lard to k
middle of November last, an application had been made any course against them, he would be straightforward in
to him by very respectable parties in London, that a his proceedings, and would not solicit the support of the
definite answer should be given as to the course the country on ane set of principles, and as soon as he ob-
Government intended to pursue in reference to that tain 41, it turn his back upon them.—(Cheers.) lie
order; and it was then suggested that the resolution
would not appeal to the constituencies of England for -re-
ligious principles and agricultural protection, and then
should be so altered, that parties, instead of being cone- take all those principles ohe by one, and then, neck and
polled to invest their deposits in Exchequer-bills or heels, throw them overboard. He could not but
Government Stock or India Bonds, should be allowed to think that the memory of immortal ser•
invest in bills of exchange. To the application so made vices would keie him true to the performances
he gave an answer, which he had resolved upon after of sacred principles. Now, supposing they were to
have the Noble Lord the Member for London at the
due consideration, to the aft ct that he could not give an head of the Government, did they think that the mea-
assurance of any alteration in the standing order in sures of that Noble Lord would vary much from the
question. Under these circumstances, he did not feel budget that would be opened on Monday night.—(Herr,
justified in holding out any hope that any proposal for hear.) He would not say more on that subject; let
an alteration of the standing order in question would be them wait till then; but he would venture a strong
surmise, that on that occasion the Right Hon. Baronet
held out, or that he would not resist any such proposal would only play one card, although there would be a
if it should be made. Ile had every reason to believe world of mystification.—(Hear, hear.) Although there
that the difficulties apprehended from the order as it Mere many persons ticklish on this question, he was
DOW stood were not founded in fact, and that, therefore, happy to see the way in which the English yeomen
stuck to their text.—(Hear, hear.) Much had been
he would not be justified in acceding to an alteration
said about the farmers sticking to their text, and he was
of the order.
happy to say that they had done so. Now, what he
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he had not put the said was, let the Right Hon. Baronet play his own
question with a view to consider what might or might game, and take the - consequenees.—(Hear, hear.)
not be the benefits to individuals, but with a view to The farmer on the one side, and the manufacturer on the
avoid inconvenience to :hose who might have misappre- other, looked with anxiety as to how the question to be
hended the order. discussed next week would affect them. He would say,
Mr. MANGLES conceived that the Right Hon. Gen- before he had heard the Right Hon. Baronet's speech, or
tletnan had taken a very one-sided view of the the speech of the Noble Lord, that he had been convinced
question put by the Noble Lord. The Right that the corn-laws must give way.—(Opposition cheers.)
Honourable Gentleman the Chancellor of the Ex- Why, it was the only card the Right Hon. Baronet had
chequer seemed to think that this question had nothing left. He had been shuffling and playing spades for the
to do with any portion of the community, except those last four years, and now he had but one card left to play,
who have been engaged in railroad speculations. and that was the Knave of Clubs.—(Cheers and laughter.)
And I must beg to inform him that the evil has As far as the corn-laws were concerned, he could not see
fallen much more heavily upon the general dealers than , that the country was in greater danger in the hands of
upon those who were mast intimately connected with the Noble Lord than in those of the Right Hon. Gentle-
railways. , It has happened within these few days that man.—(Opposition cheers.) But then -he heard it said
circumstances have come to my knowledge which evince that the Right Hon. Baronet was a safe man, while the
that great hardship has been endured by individuals Noble Lord was a rash politician. If he were asked
engaged in business. who have, through the want occa- his opinion with regard to the Right Honourable
sinned by this unsettled question of the railway deposits, Baronet, judging from his speech of last night,
been deprived of the accommodation which they have ho should certainly say that with regard to his financial
usually received from their bankers. Those who have policy and to the manner in which he had conducted
been accustomed to grant that accommodation well know foreign affairs, the Right Hon. Baronet was evidently
how heavily the pressure has weighed upon those with deserving of public confidence. In these he had shown
whom they have to deal. Nor does the evil rest here, prudence and wisdom, and had succeeded ; but there
for not only is there the deprivation of the means, were other points of policy which touched the heart of
but the money deposited in the hands of bankers has the people, on which the Right Hon. Baronet was by no
not only been locked up, but has commanded means so safe. They were told that the Right lion.
such prices that those most in need of accommodation Baronet was the only pilot who could weather the storm.
are quite unable to obtain it ; and hence business has He would ask them to look back to the past, and by it
grievously suffered. lie spoke in the presence of many to judge of the future. The services of the Right Hon.
gentlemen who were much better acquinted with matters Baronet under four sovereigns, to which he alluded last
in the City than himself, but he believed .hat he was night, were matters of history, and he would challenge
perfectly right in saying that the mischief was far the Members on the Treasury Bench t to tell
greater to the general commercial community than to him one single complex interest of the country,
the proprietors of railroad property. including its moral and social condition, of
Mr. MASTERMAN said, that as he had enjoyed which the Right Hon. Baronet had not been at one time
the. honour of being the medium of commu- the eminent champion, and had not then abandoned it,_
mcation between the parties referred to and (t. Hear hear," from Colonel Sibthorpe.) He had been
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, he felt the eminent champions of the Protestant interest.—
it necessary to state that when he went to the Govern- ("Hear, hear," from Colonel Sibthorpe, followed by loud
ment to obtain some definite understanding respecting the laughter from the Opposition, occasioned by the very
railway deposits, he did so from an impression that the energetic cheer from the Gallant Officer.) What had
question of the mode in which they were to be received become of that interest in the hands of the Right lion.
most deeply affected the commercial interests. He must Baronet.—(Cheers.) In 1835, the Right Hon. Baronet
acknowledge that his interview with the Chancellor of was the champion of the Church of Scotland. He should
the Exchequer was anything but satisfactory. The like to know to chat condition that Church had now
answer he had received left the matter quite in as much been reduced, and how by the delays and the deferrings
doubt as it was before, and it was of more importance, as of measures that Church had been strangled by
he knew that within the last 14 days this matter had cc- the hands of the Right Honourable Baronet.
casioned serious inconvenience to several gentlemen of The Right Hon. Baronet had been considered the fur
high repute in commercial circles. weld and uncompromising champion of agriculture, lie
Mr. S. CRAWFORD said that it was necessary that was not going then to ask why the Right Hon. Gentle-
the matter should be settled, as it materially affected the man upheld that interest, but this he would say, that the
interests of the Irish tenantry. Right Hon. Baronet had never, since his return to power
Sir R PEEL—As there are measures of equal impor- in 1842, given that question the slightest chance.—
tance with the railway deposits shortly to be brought (Hear, hear.) They had been told by the Honourable
under the consideration of the House, I must beg leave Member for Stockport that the Right Hon. Baronet was
to say that I must defer giving an answer to the Noble skillul in evasion, and they knew that he had passed a
Lord's question till some (Lys hence. Bill the year before which he had changed the year
CORN-LAWS. after.—(Hear, hear.) But the Hun. Member for Stock-
On the motion for bringing up the report on the port said that the Right Ilon. Baronet had never met
Address, the question; that he had never discussed the question
Mr. COLQUHOUN said that he should crave the of protection on the ground of political economy, on
indulgence of the House for a few moments, not upon his which alone he could explain it.—(Cheering from the
account, for he felt he had no claim upon them, but he Opposition and the Ministerial benches.) The Right
felt that he should express the sentiments of many lion. Baronet cheered. His' opinion then was that the
lion. Members of that House. lie begged to express his question could not be explained on the ground of
opinion upon one of the questions raised last night, and political economy. He (Mr. Colquhoun) then would
he referred to the question of agricultural protection. beg to ask that Right Hon. Gentleman, as a man of
He voted last year with the Honourable Member for mature experience and of great ability, if he meant to
Wolverhampton, with the opinion that the preserve- say, that e hen he stood on this grOund in the years 1839
tion of a mod( rate protective duty would be desirable and 1840 that all his declarations that the inferior lands
for the country. He was most anxious that the adjust- won d be thrown out of cultivation, that the farmers
ment of the question should be effected with a would be ruined and the labourers turned adrift, were
view to the benefit of all classes of the country, unfounded? when he terrified the' minds of country
It was not his intention to enter at length into the gentlemen by his assertions that this question
questions which had been intreduced- last night, either (settle it as they might) would tend to disastrous results.
by the Honourable Member for South Lancashire, or did he mean to say, that in his heart he felt all these
the Right Honourable Baronet; his fingers certainly
it cLlas en c.,lth
tl
earl
—nuirent
stoom
eb ee
fa it!
hoewesdnh
jtoee4,sayadvaaneeeodgd Was that the defence which the Right Hon. Baronet in-
h— elaborate arguments were utterly unsound ?—( Hear,hear.)
by tended to make for his conduct? If he told him (Mr.
the Noble Lord. He heard also with surprise one
Colquho
statement of the Right Hon. Gentleman at the head of ttn) that he was really convinced, then he must
say th it, able Minister as he might be, and a gentleman
her Majesty's Government, which he considered to be of
it' the highest ability, as he undoubtedly was, he would
paramount importance—the subject of wages, and he had
this because bewca
tuoseeciht echo the same conviction.: Ifk he abandoned
ported by the m t
at-'
qmueens
tt
s,.o_n ,
(t,
,e
oe then
, ito wash,”
fsruopm-
often heard much better and more able argumei is upon
7esatsroatternota
ht
with some the Oppositior.) Ile repeated that the arguments he
the question. He only hoped that these distinguised
cal had heard last •
leaders would indoctrinaterntahyeirhediscriipglhe
better arguments. It night were altogether of this character.
the corn-laws, but do not repeal them upon the result had in his (Mr. Colquhoun) opinion_ been.
false grounds. Do not repeal them on the maxim most unsatisfactory, but be
that wages have no connexion with the price of provi- causes had prompted him to this conclusion, the fact was
sions. It was a doctrine which he did not find in any of evict- nt that the agricultural interests in his hands were
those standard political works which were so often wrecked.—(Hear, hear.) Every complex interest in the
quote hat by Honourable Members in that House. country, that he had interference with, had been stranded.
lie could not, he said, find them in any of He could not help suggesting thatage in which
in an
those works, down from Adam Smith to Senior. And public opinion is so strong, and sitting as they did in a
when the lion. Member for South Larcashire stated reformed Parliament, he did wonder at the course of
knowing that he could not
that the produce of the soil should be placed upon an the'Jtight Hon. Gentleman,. .
bringing forward the real
equal footing with other manufactures, and that it maintain any course without o
was entitled to the same protection, he would principles on which it was founded. When he (Mr.
be able to show the. Noble Lord that there was some diffe- Colquhoun) heard the Right Hon. Gentleman in 1843,
rence—a great difference, one of which any mind as and listened to his speech on the corn-laws, he felt that
candid as his would not fail to admit the force and truth. as far as the Right, Hon. Gentleman was concerned, the
He had read that morning a speech of the Hon. Gentle- corn laws were doomed ; for, if he could not bring fur-
man the Member for Stockport, who stated at Man- ward arguments in support of them, he was satisfied that
chaster, that if the ports were to be opened now they could not staud. He could see, by looking to the
it would be the best possible time, inasmuch as past history, that he could place no confidence in the
this country could get scarcely any provisions from tact and skill of the Right Hon. Gentleman to maintain
abroad, because the whole world was contending for the the institutions of this country; and he for one was pre-
stock of corn at present for sale in America.— pared for the contest for those institutions which was,
(Hear, hear.) If, therefore, the Right Hon. Baronet's as they knew, pending, and which was open then. He
anxiety for the welfare of the population was to be re- was prepared to fight the battle with his Honourable
lieved by the opening of the ports, he (Mr. Colquhoun) Friend by his side, and with an able and gallant oppo-
would say, that he hoped his anxiety would be relieved vent, !taller than submit to be led by one, who might be
by some other mode, as he did not anticipate the of the greatest skill, talent, and experience, but was not
discussion they were to have next week on the subject consistent to his own principles. He could not consent to
of the Corn-laws would have that effect. He rose on the be led by the Right Hon. Baronet, as the course of
previous evening to advert to some remarks which fell his policy would be certainly dangerous to all our insti-
from the Right Honourable Baronet the First Minister, tutions.—(Hears hear.)
but had been anticipated by the Honourable Member Mr. HUME said that he was sure that any one who
for ShrewshurY•—(Year.) He did not wish, ape's so heard the speech of the Hon. Member and his reflections
able and so eloquent a speech, to occupy the attention of on the Right Hon. Baronet, would ask what all that had
the House, but he felt it necessary to say something on to do with the question then before the House. He for
the subject of the appeal made by the Right Hon. Bart. one approved of the conduct of the Right Hon. Gentle-
and to acquaint him with the views he entertained con- man alluded to. He had heard the speech of the Hon.
cerning the relition existing between a party and the Gentleman, a part of which was delivered last night,
Minister. Sir R. Peel had evidentlyreconeidered his views where he ached the House to reflect on the situation in
with respect to political economy during the last three which he stood, and said that with regard to the face of
years.—(Hear.) He (Mr. Goleahoun)woul d, however,go the country as it then was, it was his duty as a public
further in the re considerat:ons of the Right Ilan. man to alter his Opinion when he was in error. The
Baronet, but not very far. 'The Right Hon. Baronet argument of his
friend
opposite, however, was that let
had remarked that he did not wish to be boundhe by the him be conscious that he was in error and that his act
views he entertained in the year 1842, but could,,l not would destroy the country, yet he should persevere in it.
forget, and lie (Mr. Colquhoun) .remembered,with the when
le
He would much lather have the simple declaration of the
sat on the opposite benches, and acted Right Right Hon. Baronet, who owned that he had been under
Hon. Baronet, that he then regarded him as a very em'. a mistake for years, and that he was convinced that the
nent leader of a politic a party.—( dear.)
,ek d here principles on which protection was based were untenable.
he might be allowed to say, that when Sir R. I eel talked Why, was it possible that men of common sense could
of the burdens and anxieties that attached to office, no follow such men as they had heard that night? Mr.
man could appreciate those services more than he did. Canning changed his opinions respecting the Reform
When he witnessed a Minister assuming the seals of Act, and he (Mr. Hume) recollected when that Right
office, so far from grudging the Noble Lord opposite. Hon. Gentleman stated that he would take his stand on
when in office, all the power and honour appertaining to Old Sarum (one of the rotten boroughs) against any
the high position he occupied, he considered the honour reform. Why, he would tell them that the qualifica-
was by no means an adequate equivalent for the crushing tions of that House of Commons, abuse it as they
. amaietyathe toil, and the actual labour that official men might, _waist that it always folloWed,the spirit of the

times, and thus it was that England, far before
, any of the other nations of the world, had benefited
by the advanced spirit of the age. And if the cane
' were otherwise if they were never to profit
by the lessons of experience, of what use
would it be to call themselves a deliberative assembly?
Now, he would tell the Right Hon. Gentleman, that no
man had been more anxious than he had been to pro-
mote free trade, and put the Church in a proper state,
and he challenged the Hon. Gentleman to produce one
single motion of his (Mr. Hume's) which was otherwise
than to reform the abuses which existed in the Church.
He had proposed upwards of twenty years ago the abo-
lition of the Church of Ireland. If they were to have a
Church there, let it be the Church of the majority.
From that time, down to the present, they had been
trying expedients with regard to Ireland ; and he had
stated, upwards of twenty years ego, that they never
could have peace in that country until the Church was
put down. That was their remedy now. It was that
dominant Church that had ruined Ireland, and until it
was put down there would be no peace. The Hon.
Gentleman might say what he liked, but it was his (Mr.
Hume's) belief, that nine-tenths of the people were in
favour of the Right Hon. Baronet. And he believed that
the course the Right Hon. Baronet was about to pursue
would be productive of the greatest benefit to the coun try.
It was absurd to say that, because the Right lion,
Baronet sat on the other side of the House, he must be
compelled to chime in with all their opinions, and adopt
every measure (and no others) of which they might
approve. He (Mr. Hume) was of opinion that if he
had done. so, he would have brought most incalculable
injury upon the country. It appeared to him that one
of the most happy occurrences that could possibly take
place (and he hoped that it might take place) would be
the carrying out of the intentions of the Right Hon.
Baronet with respect to the admission of foreign corn.—
(t-tear, hear.) He could not conceive that any man of
any sense, or any one who paid any attention to the duty
which he owed to his country, could say that because
a man was a party man he was bound to con-
tinue so. The question of the propriety of
the Right Honourable Baronet should be left
to the decision of the country. He (Mr. Hume) was not
afraid as to its judgment on that head. He felt perfectly
satisfied that although the Right Hon. Baronet might in
the House meet with the scorn and ridicule of a few of the
Hon. 'Members, yet his conduct would meet with the en-
tire concurrence of the country. He (Mr. Hume) was
anxious for a few moments to advert to one of the para-
graphs in the Speech from the Throne. He might truly
say that with the Speech generally he was satisfied ; his
only objection was against one paragraph. and the
grounds of his objection were the ruinous effect which
would be produced to this country by the present system
of abolishing slavery.—(Hear.) He felt satisfied that if
the Right Honourable Baronet would seek for informa-
tien from any of the officers which were employed
on the coast of Africa, he would find that nineteen
out of twenty would at once state that the present
system of abolishing slavery there entailed immense ex-
pense of English money, and an extraordinary loss of
English life without any really beneficial effects.—
(Hear, hear.) He did, therefore, think that a con-
siderable change should be made with regard to the sup-
pression of slavery in Africa. He was happy to say
that France le artily co-operated with the country in its
attempt to abolish the system of slavery. It would be
their duty to see that necessary measures were taken to
insure the enforcement of the arrangement come to be-
tween the two countries; and that the fleets were pro-
perly mounted and placed along the coast of Africa.
Every exertion ought to be employed and provision
made, so that the object sought by the two countries
might be realised. There was another point in the Ad-
dress—the latter part of it—which he highly approved ;
the principle of which had been shadowed forth for
some time past, and a great step towards a complete
reformation in their commercial. system. From this
time they might date a new era in the commercial his-
tory of the country; and, judging from the experience
of the last few years, he had no doubt that the next
three or four years, or any other. number of years that
might be named, would show in no ordinary degree the
benefits of the change. So far he supported the mea-
sures of the Government, and he hoped that other coun-
tries would follow their example.—(Hear, hear.) There
was another point to which he would refer—that relat-
ing to the importance of maintaining a good understand.
ing between France and England. The value of such a
union could not be over estimated, and thus united
they were able to maintain the peace of the world.
He would beg leave to refer to another paragraph
before sitting down—that relating to the state of
affairs between the United States and this coun-
try. Under such circumstancea, it was necessary
that the Government showed a firm position. When
he saw the people of a country setting at nought
all the rules of civilization in enforcing their alledged
claims, he would be contradicting the whole tenour of
his life if he did not support such measures as would
enable the Government to maintain the honour and cha-
racter of the nation. It was necessary, therefore, that
measures should be passed to effect this purpose, and
therefore he hoped the propositions of her Majesty's
Ministry for strengthening their hands at the present
crisis would receive the unanimous vote of the House:—
(Hear, hear.) He had been accused on former occasions
of endeavouring to cripple the finances of the country,
and he admitted that he had, and would still use every
exertion to put an end to extravagance and waste; still
under existing circumstances he held it to be his duty to
give the Government his cordial support in these proposi-
tions for strenthening the defences of the country.—
(Loud cheers.) He had thought it necessary that he
should make this explanation on the present occasion.
Sir ROBERT PEEL said he never entertained any
apprehension that the language which had been
used by her Majesty's Government, with reference to
the settlement of those unfortunate disputes which
still prevailed between this country and the United
States, could be mistaken. He never thought that
the language used by the Minister of America could
be mistaken for that used by him. The Government
had no hesitation in avowing their sincere interest in
maintaining amicable relations between the United
States and this country, and, in fact, with the whole
civilised world, and of their desire to make any effort,
consistent with the national honour, for the purpose of
settling these disputes—(geer, hear.) They had
every desire, by temperate language, and by moral in-
stead of coercive measures, to peacefully and morally
terminate all misunderstandings. He (Sir R. Peel)
never believed that either the language or the intentions
of the Government would be misapprehended. The
speech which the Hon. Gentleman—the uniform and
consistent advocate of the strictest economy—had just
made, had convinced him that his (Sir R. Peel's) anti-
cipations would be realised.---(Hear, hear.) He hoped,
however, that the measures which the Government
would feel it their duty to make would have the effect
of promoting a better understanding between the United
States and this country. It would be the greatest mis-
fortune if a contest should ensue between such coun-
tries. With respect to the speech of the Hon. Gentle-
man, he wished to tell him and others that he (Sir B.
Peel) did not intend to be betrayed into any loss of tem-
per on that occasion.—(Cheers.) Let him also tell him
that the question had become far too important to he
disposed of by mere personal recrimination.—(Hear.)
He (Sir R. Peel) bad thought, after the deliberation
which the Hon. Gentleman might have been enabled to
give to the speech which he (Sir R. Peel) delivered last
night, that he would have offered some reply to the
arguments which he had used—(Hear)—that after the
lapse of twenty-four hours he would not have contented
himself with passing by those arguments without a
single reference to them, instead of a disquisition as to
what had been the policy of the Government with re-
spect to the Church of Scotland. The Church of Scot-
land could have no bearing on the question with respect
to the United States, which must be discussed at a very
early period. The lion. Gentleman charged him with
having deserted his principles, and with having used
arguments to maintain his present opinions which were
totally unsound and inappropriate. If the Hon. Gentle-
man knew so well what arguments to employ, why had
he not supplied him out of the plenitude of his resources
with proper and sound reasons. He (Sir R. Peel) said
last night that if the Lion. Gentleman the Member for
Wolverhampton were again to bring forward his
question of the repeal of the corn laws he for
one could not conscientiously oppose it on the grounds
of protection. Under ordinary circumstances, he did
did not wish to press any particular course, but the Go-
vernment felt that the country was threatened with a
great calamity, and that delay was no longer possible.
A great responsibility was attached to those Who were
in the administratilta of affairs, and it was a question
of policy whether it were prudent to commit the agri-
cultural interests to an interminable contest on the sub-
ject of all protection being abolished. The moment
that he had despaired of bringing the question of pro-
tection to a satisfactory issue, on the same instant he
had tendered his resignation. What more, under the
circumstances could he have done ? He had no desire
to retain office on the ground of the necessity of this
question being settled. When he gave up any hopes
of being able to meet it with effect by a voluntary re-
solution, he advised her Majesty to call to her counsels
those who might possess the ability and power to bring
it to a satisfactory termination. He was willing
to have done all in his power to have ad-
justed an equitable settlement of the question.
The Hon. Gentleman said that he had deserted his prin-
ciples ; and, by a rather unhappy image, stated that his
fingers were itching to destroy protection. Other lion.
Gentlemen had charged him with having departed from
the course which, under the circumstances, they would,
and he ought to have pursued. He had expected to have
heard an answer from the Hon. Gentleman to the argu-
ments which he had brought forward on the previous
night. This question ought not to be treated in the
strain of levity which the lion. Gentleman had indulged
in.—(Hear.) He could assure the Hon. Gentleman that
two months would not el apse ere he would regret the
levity he had shown. When the cold weather had set
and
in he would see the poor man shivering*, starved
naked, in the midst of the cold and privations of winter.
On a former occasion, the Hon. Gentleman, by a distinct
declaration, had seen occasion to compliment him (Sir
R. Peel) in a very high degree. Firstly, her Majesty's
Government deserved great credit for the course they
had pursued with respect to weretie foreigntheyentitled policy of the
to every country; and secondly,
re-
spect for their conduct in regard to the finances ; and
that his (Sir Robert Peel's) management of the
financial department, was marillil. ed with great pru-
dence, great wisdom, and great • shHe would remind
the Honourable Gentleman that the whole merit
of that financial policy consisted in the reduction
of duties to allow of an import of commodities which had
formerly been forbidden by the strict maintenance of
protection. It could not be the income-tax, which had
caused the Hon. Gentleman to consider his Government
marked with great skill, great wisdom, and great pru •
dente, for that tax had brought in only a few millions of
revenue. Nu! the Hon. Gentleman, remembering his
former commercial liberality, not fo'rgetful of his earlier
years, intended to compliment him (Sir R. Peel) because
he had supplied the deficiency in the revenue by the

abolition of restrictions which fettered traile.—L(Hear.)
In speaking of the aristocracy of the land, the Hon. Gen-
tleman had accused him of having made use of an offen-
sive expression in conjunction with their name. Pe (Sir
R. Peel) wished that he had p ,wer to weigh every ex-
pression to which he might give utterance in the hurry
of debate. It was true he had made use of the words
" proud aristocracy," but he could assure the Hon. Gen-
tleman, on his honour, he intended that epithet
as applicable to them on account of their
exalted rank, education, and high and noble
principles, and had not the slightest reference
to insolence of manner or haughty bearing. From his
interpetration of the Hon. Gentleman's speech, he felt
satisfied that all his objections had been intended as so
many compliments to him (Sir R. feel) He should
make no further observations before setting down than
to repeat what he had already stated, that in pursuing
the settlement of the great question which now agitates
the public mind, on just and equitable terms with t at
people with whose wellate his own was altogether bound
up, he should not allow any personal c,nsiderations or
private monves to make him swerve from the principles
which he had laid down.

OREGON QUESTION.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said he wished to rel a
question touching the foreign relations of the country
with respect to the settlement of the Oregon tertitor
with the United States. From the message of the Pre-'
sident of the United States, it appeared that they had
come to a definite• rrsolution on the subject, but that
there was still room fora compromise. The proposition
might or might not be satisfactory, but it did seem to
him (Lord John Russell) to require a statement of the
terms on which this country would agree to settle
the question of the Oregon. He would wish to ask ,
whether any negotiation was r•iding between
the two countries 1 If so, he felt sa isfied that as the
affair was in the hands of her Majesty's Government,
the issue, however it might result, would not be other
wise than satisfactory. He would say one word with
respect to what had fallen from the Hon. Member for
Montrose with respect to an increased amount for more
efficiently maintaining the naval and military forces.—
He trusted that this grant was required only for an in-
creased regiment or so to be stationed at some of the co-
lonies, or places where troops were already stationed in
different parts of the world. Ho hoped that it was upon
these grounds, and not from any expectation of a colli-
sion with the United States, that her Majesty's Minis-
ters requested this increase in the supplies for naval and
military service. Another question occurred to him
with respect to the sanguinary warfare in the South
Amrican States, "by which," to quote her Majesty's
speech, "the commerce of all nations had been in
terrupted, and acts of barbarity had been com-
mitted unknown to any civilised nation." From
what he had heard had taken place in those
encounters, there could not he the least doubt that
acts of great barbarity had been committed in the
place he had mentioned. Now the question he had
to put was this, did the Right Hon. Baronet pro-
pose to Jay upon the table all the papers he had re-
ceived relative to the grounds upon which the Govern-
ment of this country had interfered with the affairs of
the River Plata.

Sir R. PEEL would beg leave to say, in answer to
the question of the Noble Lord, that he did not think it
probable he would, at this early period of the session,
have been called on to give answers to those questi.,ns.
However, he would say, with respect to the Oregon ques-
tion, that a proposal had been made to the President of
the United. States, in which it was suggested that a divi-
sion of that territory should be made ; but the terms that
had been proposed for this division were so little likely
to be accepted, that Mr. Pakenham had intimated as
:much as that the proposal might as well be withdrawn.
Now, with respect to that gentleman, he would
only say, that though he entertained for him
the highest respect, it would have been much
better had he transmitted to the home Govern-
ment here the usual accounts of what had come to his
knowledge on this question. Since, then, the offer of this
country had been refused on the terms he had stated, a
new course had been adopted, and it had been agreed
upon to refer the question to arbitration, but no answer
to that offer had yet been received. With respect to the
navy estimates, he felt assured that it was impossible
for the Noble Lord and the House not to see the neces-
sity for the proposed increase, particularly when they
recollected the heavy demands that were being made
upon the country from New Zealand and Hong-Kong.
He should say that this country was now in such a
position as rendered it not only wise but requisite, that
those estimates should be granted, and that no unneces-
sary anxiety had existed upon the subject.—(Hear.)
Sir H. INGLIS—No person respected more than he
did the observations of Hon. Members upon this subject
that he had heard, but he could not help saying that
when the proposal for an increase of those estimates was
made last night, it was received with unanimous ap-
plause from both sides of the House. He would content
himself with those observations for the present, reserv-
ing to himself the right to enter more at length into the
subject upon a future occasion.
The O'CONNOR DON said, with respect to the coun-
try with which he was connected, he had seen reference
made, in her:Majesty's Speech, to the distress which pre-
vailed in Ireland ; and he, unfortunately, had had sad
experience of the correctness of the accounts which the
Right lion. Baronet had received on that subject,
and he was glad to perceive that her Majesty had ex-
pressed her sympathy with her Irish subjects. But he
also perceived reference made to the extent of crime in
Ireland. He felt grieved to be compelled to admit that
there were some parts of Ireland in which crime was
prevalent, and he had no words in which to express his
horror of the barbarous assassinations that had of late
been committed in that country. But he would wish to
know whether the Right Hon. Baronet, in proposing a
remedy for this state of things, had taken into consider-
ation the proposal of any measure for the adjustment of
the landlord and tenant question. He regretted to hear
'that' the Right Hon. Baronet had stated that no such
measure would be introduced this session.—(Here the
Right Hor. Baronet was understood to intimate to the
Hon. Member across the table that he had made no such
statement.) He (the O'Connor Don) had been led to
understand that the Right Hon. Baronet had male that
statement, but he was gratified he had been mistaken.
However, he begged to say that no measure affecting
Ireland could be introduced which was deemed of greater
importance in that country than the measure for the
adjustment of the landlord and tenant question.
Sir R. PEEL begged to assure the Hon. Member that
that question had been occupying the serious attention
of her Majesty's Government, and he hoped the Hon.
Member would do him the favour to repeat the question
a few days hence.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. IfANKES said it now appeared that the Right
Hon. Baronet had changed his opinions upon a subject
of great moment to this country, but he (Mr. Bankes)
was yet at a loss to understand the real cause of that
change. He (certainly had not informed them of the
precise period when that change came over his mind.
He had not stated that this change had taken
place in consequence of the apprehended famine.
Another point which appeared to him to be unexplained
and inexplicable, was what was the real necessity for this
change, if it was not to prevent the mischief to be ap-
prehended from a scarcity of food? The Noble Lord
opposite had published a letter, and it appeared to him
(Mr. Bankes) that this document was really the cause
of this change; but why it should be he was really at a
loss to understand. He had listened to the Right Hon.
Baronet's arguments, and though he did not possess the
talent and ability of that Right Hon. Gentleman, yet he
did not admit that he would not be able to answer him
at the proper time; on the contrary, he felt convinced
that be would be able to give many of his facts and
statements a positive denial. lie (Mr. Bankes) was one
of a deputation from twenty-two counties of England
who waited upon the Right Hon. Baronet at a period of
great distress in this country, when the question of the
duty upon wool was introduced. [Here Sir R. Peel made
an observation, which was inaudible in the gallery.]
There is however one oversight in her Majesty's speech.
It was stated that they will endeavour to make these
great changes with as little injury as possible to the
great interests of the country—but why great interests?
What is to become Of the little interests—the farmer—of
whom the Hon. Member for Finsbury spoke, wishing
thereby to insinuate that they were not the parties in
question; they have, however, a very different opinion ;
they consider that it is one in which they are most in-
terested. There are, however, little interests among the
manufacturers of land, as we are now to call them—and
I have no objection that it should be so; call if you
please the earth 'one great manufactory on which the
farmer toils; but let us have the same benefits which
you have; these are terms which you cannot refuse. And
there are little interests in your manufactures—the
hand-loom weavers, the glove makers and others, among
whom there is great distress, struggling against great
opposition, and reduced to the lowest possible amount
of wages. The Hon. Member then urged upon those in
power not to take a step further till they could satisfy
him, that not only to those whom they called the great
interests of the nation, the " proud aeristocracy," or
what you will, but also that the lesser interests of the
state shall be provided for; that they shall not be left
to starve as they certainly will if they carry their pro-
jects further. He gave the Noble Lord the Member for
London joy of his Reform Bill—that here are certain
Members of her Majesty's Government frightened into
conflictchan gesooff
the c opinion,classes in
because ucsoen
stehtleuyend
creeaodf the
th eei effects ects
conflicto o
fthe
f
opinion. He viewed with regret the existence of clubs
and associations, whose language was equal to
he viewed
oanyitiline
with g
that proceeded from the old Jacobin clubs ,bu
he
offence
head
the Right lion. Baronet; he begged of the Government,
to appeal to the country, and said, that he was ready
Government. He
rnegortet a
intend Ne ck
anyar at t
of to
the still
G ovg
most cheerfully to abide by the decision of the country,
if they would give it the opportunity of expressing its
legitimate opinion. -
Mr. SHARMAN CRAWFORD stated, in corrobora-
tion of the statement of her Majesty's Ministers, that at
least half the potato crop of Ireland was destroyed, the
price of potatoes was at least double, and the working
man who had lost his crop of potatoes had not the means
of buying them at the present high prices. The only
substitute for potatoes in Ireland was oatmeal, and
that was at least one-half higher in price than
formerly, and if means should not he taken to provide
for the necessities of the people, there will be a lars,e
amount of distre s and discontent. He thanked her
Majesty for the very kind manner in which she had ex-
pressed her sympathy for the suffering people of Ireland.
The report was then brought up, and the address was
agreed to.
Sir ROBERT PEEL stated that a communication had
been made to him from her Majesty, stating that she
would receive the Address at half-rest two o'clock to-
morrow.

Mr. BROTHERTON said that he hoped Hon. Mem-
bers would attend in proper time, and not keep her
Majesty waiting, as on former occasions they had done.
EXTENSION AND PROMO HON OF PUBLIC
WORKS IN IRELAND.

Sir T. FREMANTLE moved for leave to bring in a