The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-09 00:00:00

PAPER HANGINGS.

Mr. T. DUNCOMBE presented a petition from
paper-hangers of Finsbury and its vicinity against that
portion of the Government measure which had refer-
ence to a reduction in the duties on paper-hangings.

CORN-LAWS.
Mr. BRIGHT presented petitions from Exeter, signed
by 1,864 persous ; from Stockport, signed by 9,000
persons ; and from 25 other parishes, praying for a
total and immediate repeal of the corn-laws.
Dr. BOWRING presented petitions from operatives
in Warwick, and also from a parish in Wales, of a
similar nature.
Sir B. HALL presented a petition from Marylebone
and Paddington, signed by 27,000 persons, praying for a
repeal of the corn-laws.
Mr. STRUTT presented a number of petitions from
the county of Lancashire, also praying for a repeal of
the corn-laws.

Mr. ROSS presented a similar petition from the opera.
tives of Belfast.

Lord JOHN RUSSELL rose to present petitions
from several parts of Devonshire, in favour of a total
and immediate repeal of the corn-laws.
Mr. SCOTT presented a similar petition.
A petition from an HON. MEMBER, signed by 600,600
inhabitants of a town, the name of which we did not
catch, praying for a repeal of the cern laws.
Mr. BENNETT presented a petition praying that
nothing would be done respecting the corn laws until an
appeal was made to the constituencies of the country.
Mr. HAWES rose to present petitiohs from a great
number of towns and villages, one of which petitions
was signed by 26,000 inhabitants, praying for an imme-
diate settlement of the corn-laws by repealing the same.
Mr. MARK PHILIPS presented a petition from
South Lancashire, signed by 14,500 inhabitants, pray-
ing for the immediate repeal of the corn-laA a. Also an-
other petition from the Chamber of Commerce, Man-
chester, for a similar object. The petition generally
approval of the commercial policy adopted by the Mi-
nistry with all becoming respect, they prayed that with
the present session protective duties of every kind would
terminate. He had also to present another petition from
the Manchester Commercial Association; it coincided
with the expressions of the other petitions, approved
of the commercial policy of the Government, but prayed
for an immediate repeal.
The petitions were ordered to lie on the table.
The ATTORNEY-GENERAL presented a petition
from Abingdon, in favour of the propositions of the
Government with respect to corn and other arti-
cles.—(Great laughther.)
Mr. MILES presented several petitions in favour of the
existing protractive duties imposed on corn, one was
from Somerset, another from a parish in London,
another from the county of Glamorgan, and another from
a parish in the county of Gloucester. The petitions
prayed, that if there should be a reduction made in the
present duties, an appeal would be first made to the
country.
Sir W. CLAY presented a petition from tin Tower

Hamlets, in favour of the Ministerial measures relating
to corn ; it was signed by 80,000 individuals.
Lord DUNCAN presented a petition from Bath,
signed by the Mayor and 67,000 inhsbitants, praying
for the immediate and total repeal of the corn-laws.
Sir W. MOLESWORTH presented a petition to the
same effect from the borough of Southwark, and another
from St. Luke's, Chelsea.
Mr. WAKLEY presented a petition from the borough
of Finsbury signed by 53,700 persons, and expressing.;
strong approval of the measure proposed by the Goverr•
[Dent, but praying that the abolition of the corn-laws
should take place immediately. Also a petit:* to the
same effect from a town in Montgomeryshire. Also&
ptitidon signed by fourteen agricultural labourers
in
Pusey, Wiltshire, in which they sti.t3 that the system
of protection had reduced them to the lowest state of
degradation and misery. The petition states, that not-
withstanding the system of protection they have been
obliged to submit to labour only suited to beasts of
burden. They have bean harnessed to carts. The
e
aggregate number of their families, some of whic
comprised eight individuals, amounted to eighty-six
the aggregate amount of their wages was only 82s. ne
(Mr. Wakley) had reason to believe that the statements
were correct.
An HON. MEMBER presented a petition from Stam-
ford, Crowland, and twenty-seven other parishes in L
tee
coin, against any alteration in the laws relating to th
protection of agriculture.
Mr. ELLIS presented a petition from the city of Co-
ventry in favour of the abolition of the corn-laws. e
Sir R. PEEL presented a petition from the city leit;
Glasgow, very numerously signed, approving of the
proposed policy of the Government with respect to
corn-laws and the system of protection ; also, a petiti°-11 .
to the same effect from Ilawick and the burgh of Fel
Lockshaw.
Mr. MILNER GIBSON presented a petition fret.:
Huddersfield, signed by 3,000 hand-loom weavers,
favour of a total and an immediate repeal of the oerrt°

laws.
Mr. F. T. BARING presented a petition NO
Deptford in favour of the measure proposed by her 111-
jesty's Ministers for a change in the corn-laws.
Mr. ESCOTT presented a petition from James .06.1
Gordon, Eq., of Frome, near Bristol, praying that to
House to pass the measure of her Majesty's, GoOrr
ment for a repeal of the corn-laws iuto a law.
THE COMMERCIAL POLICY OF TO

COUNTRY.
The SPEAKER Ch hving le te
Mr. P. MILES a
said, heft rose to move that the o°l
should resolve itself into Committee that night se;
Leona's. 111 ceaetad that be should approach the cludon
tion in a mild and dispassionate manner. The eltiess-h.
was one of the most important that had ever been 13-0
milted to that House.—(Hear, hear.) He would rePst
that it was a question so important to the country "er.
he trusted it would not be treated in a light ma wed
It was a question of the greatest vitality. The profess of
change in the commercial policy of the country weled
far greater interest than the Reform Bill, and creak,
far more dismay amongst all classes of the people tiH-00
did that great measure.—(Hear, hear.) This grill/
country had gained for itself a character for commercial
policy, and he hoped she would uphold it iittel
its glory. The measure proposed by her Maiesim
Government was one that affccted the merchant,
er.)
farm:_r, the mechanic, and the labourer.—(Hear,
Nothwithstanding the explanation given session, the inie
bt
Hon. Baronet at the commencement of the 4
could not but agree in the expression of the Noble
the late Secretary for the Colonies, and lief the
lieved the expression of a large majoritY ° no
Right Hon. Baronet's colleagues, that there Wes no
peculiar necessity for the measure. There wiesd,
undoubted failure in thel potato crop in Ire'lltjteeri
calamity which no one more sincerely deplored a
himself, yet there was no real ground to apere,betn the
famine in that country, for every report stated tua ears
barley crop was a large one. Looking at the 70'001
which had lately been presented to that House, he lest,
that between the sth July, 1.845, and the sth Jan' a 0 0
above a million quarters of grain, and more 11.`
this
hundred weight of beans, had been imported int°,osi
country. This did not look much like a famine. 0 lie
there was so ground for an apprehension of A ft/Tin tbss,
thought they had ample proof in the f4°".isle
at the time when the Right lion. Baronet " thtf
to open the ports, the price of wheat ilisee
country was 565. 2d., a price which the Right 1.04
Baronet himself considered in 1842 to be a fair Pt
Now, he trusted, the House would not consider tha fg
undervalued the responsibility of a Prime Minister;lo
from it, he was fully alive to the anxiety which 000;
sister mutt feel at a time when a scarcity wasit sod
pated, and he was fully aware that at such a Old r:
under such circumstances, a Lord Lieutenant cr° entw
more than usually anxious to supply the Ministenatt,
information upon a subject of a deficient r
crop as often and as frequently as possible.,seiell
had no doubt that the alarming paragraPhs,eocir
the Right Hon. Baronet read to them on a for
sion made a great impression on his mind ; °testi°.
the Right Hon. Baronet was considering the '4° sr,
he ought to have taken into his consideration the eier
of the markets in this country. He believed there ell
no parties .vho watched the progress of the nati°_„l/04,
closely, and who knew as well the probable Ohn; seer.,
an abundance or scarcity in the country, as the 0,0,r.ert1"
chants. Had it been the unanimous opinion of ail r 14
on the subject that a famine might be anticipated, be
o)tif,
sure the tenant farmers and landlords of the °- seto:
would have joined with him in asking the GoYerndi poi
to admit all the produte or grain which they c°l3,,'„soceli
sibly get to drive away the famine, be the consey",
of the act what they might; but he thought Wen' sir
ample proof in the price of wheat that there was tt-ptile'
famine to be anticipated, and without wishing to ieei eee',
he could not help thinking, that the cause chite
tection had long been doomed in his mind.--(C es,
They haeen caled upon t look uon this tlelip
as a wholed ,band helves quite prepared to take .00 ofi
matter, cot as a thing of detail but as a part, fie,
compreh, nsive policy. He was quite prepareo .
• doine
the subject in this light, and in t- tio'
he would ask whether the gentlemen s' AO
that side of the House were ready i°
don everything like protection, and looking be
the matter in the way in which it had been Ptioet7a
them, he would ask the Members of that House 0000':,
they were ready to assert that in operation this Coniels
would prove fair and just to every class in tlreief.reace,
nity ? In putting this inquiry he had no 'O%OO
any particular interest, for he was equallk' r gtl
in all. Ile knew with what ability t",,e0.010 of
Honourable Baronet at the head of the G°',00,41
had frequently urged the existence andoxppreerSieres;
protective duties. lie knew what an iminens, e, la)
of information, after thirty years'
Right lion. Gentleman must have attained. a`oess
He knew at the same time with was reau'i
Right Hon. Baronet could change his views '.011;011
jest, and with what talent he was ready
in that House the opinions he now entertainelhee ,10
cheering.) He should wish to know Iwbe red),
Hon. Me) be of that House, who were hole sad of (e)
back the Right Hon. Baronet at the he„e 0009
Government is his present proceedings, had be ;001 etti
by their interest or th. it convictions to the 1% 04'1;6
of conduct? He would wish to know how ionaoo
three minths ago were prept,nd to Oa° h friice
tective duties, and to voue4 with so inuepia:oolll
n, ss to vote the doctrines and ter di
of free trade. He really thought the ans „yard/
exhibit a curious contrast between professicnuof ere
tice.—(Loud cheers.> He wished to knoar
of them at that time were prepared to vote r, 00
Hon. Member for Wolverhampton—(Mr.
-
many of them had at that time opposed the
1° r
that Gentleman and of the Honourable
ers,)l
for Stockport (Mr. Cobden).—(Loud clicethoy
strange change had come over the views °Lptio tag,
tlemen within the last three years, for there arerroojee
opponents of the views of these Hon. Gent'-fteroFp
those who were now their most efficient supP° its cP;00
thought, for his own part, that if any such greenteuell;
had come over their minds, as they now rert„e'slieirpert
it would have been their duty to appeal '74" °Waifs
stituents, and imitate the example of the
the late Member for Dorsetshire. They sglioo<oo°J
least have plsced themselves in a right P°03i09,,-f
would have given an opportunity for the tier sev"00";/
their engagements, and in the succeeding,* e°
Parliament they would have stood before tPripillist,
as men of honour, principle, and truth. 1311 at? OPd
he would ask, was the position of Parliaine-efeVoic
confidence could be placed in the proceeding! slo‘,,seas
assembly? For his own part he thougiahuere
such tergiversation as this was practised, tß,„„eti. • 1j
end of public confidence in public, Lee
more he considered this question the eft") Fare
convinced that the propositions which ilnfieo of •)
from the Government ought not to be iio".eioe‘est+,
through Parliament before the deliberate of.,(cmi, el)
country was taken with respect to then'' be:fe,ed
He could not agree in the opinion which Psoberoal
pressed by the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir enrifoff',of
that the prosperity they had recently tight ottwd,
mainly owing to the measures he had br°„ theta 019
from time to time.—(Hear, hear.) 1.005.40
the affairs of this country when the ICe'",,od "ell
site (Lord J. Russell) retired from 0115°,e,'d t°.,„ea ee.,"„ei
Right Honourable Baronet was ca"e„„o6' erae
office he held. At his accession great c 3 talitA ove#
reposed in him ; he had a large majoritY orit/coe'he
the trade of the country was in tithe re,„ 0, i°olo
—in a state of the greatest depression, oiewse
quence of which was, in his (Mr. Miless),o[o3en
attribu ed to bad harvests, and to the 'it alisiortiot
which had taken place for years befortoyeste‘a pe,
period that the large amount of capital 100 st.'„a ieb
ways was found to answer. They. heualoye
ore'O
period to what extent speculation in rae• je--creitst-e Iso
No one could have foreseen the greet Lila he jot'
il
had taken place in railways—no nee c° have groaili:„
tbseYs'eas the Art
the the great employment which
the labouring classes.—(ilear.) So gre grePooa
for labourers in connection with the
none °-
d oo it
that in many counties in Englan of aaeoC
obtained for the ordinary purposesthe gref) ye
Then they must look to The !'ieat her
crease in the iron trade. itbin th _ o,l3i'he
iron had been more than doubled vir froui shoot of
or three years, and if he might judge
the 1°5%
of railways which would receive lapse 1 lost ea
House during the present session, a hree,aed °Ai/Are:so:e
pertinent of trade could not be aPPreoi at tbesoald"roo°
some time to come. Let them I.° „ trade bin t,,ie,l
oimuptehtues
wholeahich tthriusdiencorefasteh ie.nctohueni;tri,%lol°,l:oostrr_oesbui
joceo:
the wages of those engaged in into CU.,riCeS 'OO
Nowwhen
twhenhe). theyt h took op ke r thesendie a tflhts,e anon
saw
e° treree,reos,raetii
saUite
had always taken place—whe,t free° sl'hl3
consumption which must resale s
and l_essores, beset
et'a Direi hit.l of
independent of the Right 11011.
__that tr pine
the this as well as in other tradjueareo e
op
the war in India had terminated , 0
had htta
augmented—that they

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