The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-27 00:00:00

stances, he voted for the measure of the Right Hon. Baronet—
he would be ashamed of himself ; and had his opinions
Changed, which they had not, he would at once have said so,
and resigned his veat.—`,lsoud protection cheers.) Had he
changed, he would have done so, :and so have disposed of all
.'
h
speeches.—( Laughter and cheers.) But it was his inten-
tion, to stand by the speeches he had made, and therefore he
must vote against the Government. The Noble Lord seemed
to think that his not being opposed for the West Riding of
Yorkshire was indicative of a change in the opinions of the
protectionists, but he (Mr. Denison) hoped his Noble Friend
would not deceive himself on that point. There were
many reasons which induced them (the protec-
tionists) to abstain from opposing the Noble Lord,
but that was not one of them. If it had been a general elee-
tm, and if the people knew what they know now, the Noble
'ld may depend upon it that he would be opposed. When
the subject was discussed, in 1841, a gentleman of considerable
Intelligence told him that he would have then voted for the
N ble Lord (Morpeth), but now he said the case was very
4iff'rent, he would not do so. This conversation took place
!lie ether day, He (Mr. Denison) thought it only fair to tell
tti'e Noble Lord that he must not depend toe much on certain
waL'aes- Now he would say, when he was returned to Parlia-
Cent, he promised his constituency that he would stand true
alcr°teetien ,and, in conclusion, he had only to say that he
porttZt;F o jar s ngaeydinhgis mind, and he would not give them an op-
that be had forfeited his word of honour,
and betrayed them.—( Loud cheers from the Protectionists.)
Mr. BROTHEBTON rase and said that the Hon. Member
for Yorkshire (Mr. Denison) seemed to think it was deroga-
tory •
man changing his mind, but he (Mr. Brotherton)
weructribered reading in a book, remarkable for its wisdom, that
81st maa often changed his mind, and a fool, or foolish man,
„ran,
did. The Hon. Member had said that if the corn-
vsere not beneficial to the working classes they were un-
tensabtle, and that his only motive for supporting these laws
het they were beneficial to the working classes, and that
"did
th net support there on the ground of being beneficial to
the:aw.ndlords. He had also shown certain figures, to prove
the" tit be beneficial to the community at large, because
the were fewer persons selling foreign corn at the present
dthan whe the corn-laws were enacted. He was at
ue vrith the Hno Member on that point, and if he referred
leirthe:eturas made to that House, he would find that, in the
5, one only in thirty of the population were fed on
f4l
:1? corn. That on an average of one in ten years,
• twenty-two were fed on foreign corn ; and on an
aweartge of ten years, up to 1841, that one in 1614
the fed en foreign corn - and if the Noble Member would take
casei of wheat" and lour imported into this country for the
eet,nt years he would find that one in ten of the population
th; '`‘isea foreign corn. But the corn-laws had not answered
Purpose for which they were enacted. They were enacted
the" many honest persons voted for them because they
suit?ght they would beneit those engaged in agricultural pur-
teasl,---,M order to make " corn scarce and dear," but the es-
eeeau'r'e object of their establishment was, as he had said, to
et tai rage agriculture, and on the assumption that the produce
---(//'• country was sufficient for all the wants of the population.
ves;ettrt) Now the question was whether or not they had
thsa'red the end for which they were passed. Ile held that
thiras had not. He bad shown that during the last
ate veara the people of this country had been fed
- ekateaen foreign corn than before the corn-laws
consider
ahetha•s---( Hear.) Then let Hon. Members
hd
trete, er the Government had no reason for the change that a
- place in their opinions. Four millions of the people of
bed" subsisted principally on potatoes. The Prime Minister
this Stated in that House that the potato crop of that country
al Year would be much below the average, and they all knew
thett the Price of provisions had increased 50 per cent. during
pre
year—that trade was in a state of stagnation.
this ed lately received several letters, which bore him out in
year (•l'inien• He had erienessed the effects of the distress and
out city
which existed in. 1839, and he considered it was the
per Parliament to pr ovido food for the people dui ing.such
to find' °I want and suffer ing. He was,. therefore, astonished
des., country gentlemen standing up in that House and en-
leeldering to prevent the 'Government from opening the ports
a. 19 give food to a suffering people.—(llear, hear.)
%);,,`"eY might smile, but; what he had stated was true. The
Sesn-a?ment was aware of the dangers of famine ; they had
that teat those dangers had not been over-rated ; and with
foledeonviction on their ti ands, he considered that they had
tied wisely in r
p opoa ing a gradual repeal of the corn-laws,
If, ha relaxation on other articles of foreign produce.
wera4 heard a great deal of cant about having regard for the
of thing classes of foreign c ountries. He had listened to many
iq eew•osFeeches which had been delivered by Hon. Members
tlivestm our of continuing p rcetection. If those speeches were
°'• all their mystifi cation and verbiage, the arguments
aqd w be
"tamest up in th ewe
words :—The land is our own,
tight t- have a right to do what we like with it ; we have a
alas ° or, what we like wit 1t our territories ; you have food,
8
14°11 are much better off than the serfs of Poland";
th'
hear)--what have you to complain of
Ikase what people had not the food they required.
'thous. at a terrible thin/ r it would be if the agricultural
aPpes r were thrown out of employment. This might all
tiara' very humane ; but v. 'ho employed the labourer ? Let.
tinged look to the returr in which have been made.. He men-
le 1821, at there were fewe r labourers employed 1831 than
Ilitisaras‘ssetr,ti%id fewer in 184 I than in 1831. Noss, that was
; let them disp, 'o ye it if they could. . Since the
reel/t 21 there had been an increase in the population of four
to fe' r►tu Who employed th In?—who paid for forcing corn
burr for em ? The people had a right to ask for compensa-
their
rer being deprived of wh sit he (Mr. Brotherton) considered
taiisedlghts The law is mai t aained to be just ; but he main-
to be that it was unjust and inhuman, and he would prove it
,ItiteelPolitic. Let them t of wages; if cheap food pro-
food , wages, then dear food tut increase wages ;so that dear
for 1,i3" high wages must cot n e together. The lion. Member
Pre e:,,trriorland had said ti .t he was against the removal of
rae tt-"tni on corn, but he wished that the Govern-
!Sails would reduce the duty on tea, sugar, and
I'l tsl;e°' and the workin, classes would be benefited
th:reuuction. if they we re! to benefit from the reduction
by it -my on tea, sugar, and tobacco, would they not benefit
eiacead heral reduction of the price of food ?. H. e was con-
:ats the present law Cl hold not be maintained on any
theP ? Justice, humanity, and sound policy, as it kept
went for improvement of agrici lture. The . best encoarage-
a„ed if te the agricultural inte rest was foreign competition ;
Lea 'tee could get up a good t b reign trade the agriculture of
pure Entry would prosper. 1 a lels a piece of calico would
The s I‘c three bushels of corn ; lbut now a piece of cotton of
, Imo three
and quality woe I d not purchase three-fourths
jahis, ; showing that ma n ufaetures had decreased in
'lnded•i'uile food was at its origins it price. So far from the
rielleisetrerest requiring compens,e ion, the commercial interest
itY f "Pensation from the has downers. He would now
fry
tiet" words with regard to, ginbn that fell
7,111 nett': ilen- Member for Fin eb ma' speaking of the law
7,111 far-rjerit. When the Righ t lien. Baronet introduced a
for
removal of Irish are 1 Scotch paupers, he (M. r.
tad jitlt°o) conceived that the r measure was one of humanity
:Nate to,lc'tt and accordingly gas, it his cordial support. With
- tile present measure pr posed by Government, it was
of humanity and je so rice. The manufacturers do
l'unt;°ge the Bill, but rather support it. He was in the
t'llise Y. a short time since and the chairman of a
lasidarlen,ifarineel him that the measure was
.generally
•11 to be a very • humane and politic one.
14
o._ arid, where there were to ur millions of people subsist-
etanegelt?tatoes, it might be as gned that, after a five years' re-
eld I.'ll this country, being entitled to a settlement, many
tbe attic strongly induced to cane from that country, and that
he h`44voarer of England would consequently be effected. Now
!rror tan° inch prejudices, bet au se he believed it was a great
1144 „aPprehend mischievom tre cults to this country from an
Price auta Irish labourers •as as ell might it be said that the
''st it Corn was affected by the in iportation of that grain when
c. 4 op; ,as admitted into Engl sr d.—( Hear, hear.) He was
Portititt!ri that the measures prep used were worthy of the sup-
Dkr;PC,ookstettr aleleeentry, and he should like the measures be: ter if they
immediate reneal el the corn-laws, because then
th °.Ject would be aiccorni 'ished.—(Hear, hear. But
1440 ;kat: i.t might, he was cony iced that the measure, so. far.
zlhtien 'g injurious, would cause increased employment, dimi-
tted h_ of. the poverty, sad be cur ducive to the general interest
higr!Pliness of the communin --(Hear, hear.)
°II% au iIInsTOPHER was very desirous to offer a few
Ltd
tvakoons bef,ore the close of the debate, partly because he
Isws°thmednnernilen interest in the 'question when it had been in-
-"ould a former occasion in a more modified form. He
igdN
rictorirrfoesws that his views of the whole question would be
posad were he to offer , ea)position to the measure pro-
the jetle Crh Majesty's Governrr nt, because that they affected
repress rest of the constituency whom he had the hornier to
at t eittliti• But it. was because 'that he looked on the measure
'ealtere° 'a and belie.ved. it to be , whether as regarded the agri-
or commercial interests injurious to the country, that
it, °PPosed the measure, that he was prepared to resist
ttsttlet:"l" to give his mos t cordial support to the
itirit-tr,",tnent proposed by his I. I•on. Friend the Member for
uteri -Z--(Hear, hear.) 'lle could say, that though it had
that tch"arged against the agricul: earal gentlemen in that House
his .e 1 had mystified the questi ion, yet he should say that, in
who Pt?'en, all the mystification proceeded from the gentlemen
thvashed to look at the counts en not as it existed at present,
itlarejeateeull enjoyment of protect ion, but as it would be when
hot he al with foreign produce. .
-( Hear, hear.) He would
Bury haltithha casting imputations upon his friends on the Tree-
Dowerf"ev, even though, whet a they were at the head of a
'Meetul Opposition, they used t, h sir best exertions and ink-
lees y (reject the Noble Lord the I dember for London and his
"44 Co Power, and they soccer a led in doing so. Now, would
Miele lin reference to the year 1842, when the change was
eateett?' the protecting duties the i then existed to so great an
!tons
~He would also pass er to more qualified expres-
a bf"' .3/4 in the speeches of on. Members upon the sub-
when Hoe subject
last session. On the 10th of June last,
that e mllject of the corn-I• ess was introduced again into
*CV(' Zl4", he ferebere to it act-fere, because he thought it
't(iered ,e, imPrudent and ince aeenient to do so, when he con-
tattiee the large amount of ca ,pital which was then invested by
td *peculating in ;ern. Bat the reason he
gas, 11,?t changed his opinions upon this question
lon "lcaesa he had not heard a single solid
littrigagiven by the Right lion. Baronet for the proposed
Ito.„ I,„t wits ef the utino, ,t importance that Noble Lords
scoshss.' Members who had an interest in the welfare of the
faete.i? and a large majority of whom had been returned upon
skould I save bad more time to consider
4,1%1
it -ere. But, whateve r this House might think of it,
d,oors ~„,laht rest assured that t be great bulk of the people out of
`Vith .'4Uid Tint put the sa age construction upon their acts,
Nan teeard to ths mode of carrying' on the affairs of the
l'as.ss'e.Yrei4aan, advantageous nanner, he cons_iderer,(l._iitr highlyn
aaieed the to have a strong Government. His nign
4soe .e First Lord of the Treasury, was so trusted by the
aa." tlat be
Iwas enabl' Id to bring the country to a
a?.oki4Prosperousa state. But he must say that,
es‘thte the the present 'measure, he certainly would
had Dr country was at Che mercy of such a Government
I she seeded the Right al on. Baronet, than see such laws
the Ina Present introduced. Considering the time at which
Iti'lereetiwtur..` of his Right Ho; a. Friend was introduced, he cond-
js. wes fos's most hazardous txperiment—(Hear, hear)—an.
,18ht tl.-at reason that he would vote against it. His
L'odueti,as Friend had laid iit down that, with regard to the
any Z...interests of this coo retry, no protective duties would
Ii Posed a ertefit ; and that, cc nsequently, no duties should be
0,100. Iles:"Pt for the expels'', es of the revenue. The Right
oq certain net Proposed to cont inue the duty of 107. per cent.
WOoll. Manufactured artiel es, and a duty of 101. per cent.
h Israel
trease Prone. s es—t duty of 101. per cent. on metal articles,
the-'es tO continue duty of 111. per cent. on silk
sL; duty no
s,w, on the other hand, he proposed to discontinue
seas of !ie articles of agri cultural manufactures, and after
eltveresnaerree years '.to bolish them altogether. If the.
then
on, therefore, ve ishedl to carry out their own priori-
esTaatlttaeun those very p rinci pies, he would like to know why
theaal hay not proter sett equally with manufactures. It
ha
mid ore the "' much better that they had adopted
/41414th Lord the Member for Tiverton,
Alty. 7,!. year 1840 or 1841, he proposed the
stir ri
Stilted " Noble Lord the Member for South Lan-
ro4 the Out he we old lens agriculturist and manufae-
lle tkliarne footing, . Iphe only difference, in his opinion,
tial COrt, Pmdsee d cone. and the other produced cotton.
thine *rent, l'°Phor) :Orkildered that there was a very mate-
in, nze, . between helm With regard to corn, the ma-
44ie•te aCtll;e was of an expensive nature, and
Zhiteh was
rithe manufacture of cotton was net
, th4,'rq -ewes,
ofgas led by the aid of steam-engines.
reeltrat4et, the c,(arn.
,/ la greater difficulties toomei-ognedtenttQl
nato lead a
tu th'e Taos'. so
fof h
icsouttneeny,..l
tail; was_
Gould not
Ttis`',e supply
ta- IC cOW trol the cireumatauees which affect
-4 Masada • I,a rC ,net, however, does not deal equally
ettuer of S' corn anti cotton arid other good;.