The Sun.
London, England, 1848-05-24 00:00:00

COURT CIRCULAR.

The Queen and Prince Albert, accompanied by the
Prince of \Vales, Prince Alfred, the Princess Royal,
the Princess Alice, the Princess Helena, the Princess
Louisa, and attended by Lady Portman, the Dowager
Lady Lyttelton, Colonel the Hon. C. B. Phipps, Ma-
jor-General Bowles, Colonel the Hon. Charles Grey,
and Captain the Hon. Alexander Gordon, arrived at
Osborne, Isle of Wight, at two o'clock on Monday
afternoon, from town.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent arrived
at Osborne at two o'clock yesterday afternoon, on a
visit to her Majesty. Her Royal Highness was at-
tended by her Lady in waiting, Lady Augusta Bruce,
and crossed from Gosport in the Fairy steam-packet.
Her Majesty and her Royal Consort walked yes-
terday morning in the pleasure-grounds of Osborne,
and the Royal children took their accustomed airings.
Her Royal Highness the Duchess of Kent, attended
by Lady Augusta Bruce, left her residence, Clarence
House, St. James's, at ten o'clock yesterday morning
for the Nine Elms Terminus, and took her departure,
by the London and South-Western Railway, for
her Majesty's marine residence, Osborne, Isle of
Wight.
Their Royal Highnesses the Duke and Duchess of
Cambridge, and the Princess Mary, attended by Lady
Augusta Cadogan, Baroness Bose, and Mr. Edmund
Mildmay, attended Divine service on Sunday in the
chapel of the Female Orphan Asylum.
A deputation, consisting of Sir Isaac L. Goldsmid,
Mr. J. Bailey, and Mr. Maynard, had an interview
with the Commissioners of her Majesty's Wooda and
Forests, yesterday, in Whitehall-place.
Dispatches were received at the Colonial-office
from the Governor of the North American Provinces.
Dispatches were also received yesterday at the Colo-
nial-office from the Governors of the West India
Colonies.

appear-
ance. Aanigshhte
TIER IVIAJPSTY'S THEATRE.
MadamethtailyfrTeeadfroolimni
was
sas 's second
thetrepi.daatpipoenarof
her first debut, less was accorded from courtesy, and
the genuine applause yielded to hertalentwaa
far
greater. The peculiar, beautiful, pure liquid quality
of certain of her notes and her science and agility of
execution were fully displayed. She was called after
each act, and twice after the last, independently of
the encores. At the conclusion of the overture of
the Opera Mr. Lee came forward, and said that Mr.
Reeves having refused to sing in Linda, the indul-
gence of the public was requested for Mr. Gardoni,
who had kindly undertaken the part at the shortest
notice. It appears that the favourite tenor was called
upon to do this service to the management and plea-
sure to the public at six o'clock, and he had not seen
the part for several years. He was received not only
without a dissentient voice, but with a prolonged
and several times renewed round of applause.
Young as he is, be showed himself not only
an excellent vocalist, but a very experienced
musician--there was no trace of imperfection
or of forgetfulness in his execution of the music, his
voice blending admirably with those of his colleagues.
Ile was loudly encored in the " romans." of the
second act, and recalled once more alone after one of
the acts. Schwartz, Coletti, and Lablache, more fa-
miliar with their parts, were likewise still more effec-
tive than on the first night.
The great attraction of the night was the re-ap•
pearance of Carlotta Grisi, with the two other great
dancers of the establishment, Rosati and Cerrito, in
one of the choice creations of Perrot, Les Elemeru.
Carlotta Grisi was received with the utmost warmth
of welcome when she first appeared on the stage.
After she bad danced the applause was still more en-
thusiastic ; and well it might be, for this great dancer
is infinitely improved. The aplomb and originality
of her steps are extraordinary, their rapidity beyond
precedent, and their daring is softened by inimitable
grace. Rosati and Cerrito well maintained their
great and well-merited reputation, and more en-
cores were demanded of them than they could respond
to. The scene presented great piquancy, and ex-
cited great amusement; and Les Elemens will, no
doubt, for a time, exclude all other devices of cho-
regraphy.
His Royal Highness the Prince of Prussia honoured
the performance with his presence, occupying the box
of the Queen Dowager. His Serene Highness Prince
Frederick William of Hesse was also present, and the
house generally was well attended by a crowded and
fashionable audience.

ROYAL ITALIAN OPERA,
COVENT-GARDEN.
Donizetti's opera, La Favorite, was produced here
last evening, with Grisi as the heroine. Her acting
and singing were magnificent, and she was admi-
rably supported by Mario. The raise en scene of the
opera was superb. The new ballot of Nirense fol-
lowed.
Her Majesty's box was occupied by the Hon.
Mrs. Phipps, Colonel and Mrs. Bathurst. There were
also present their Royal Highnesses Prince and Princess
Metternich, the Duke and Duchess of Beaufort, Lady
Blanche Somerset and the Earl and Countess of Wilton.
' the Duke of Roxburghe, the Marquis and Marchioness
of Ailesbury, Earl Sidney, the Countess of Cardigan,
the Countess Dowager of Essex, Miss Johnstone, and
Sir John and Lady Walsh, the Countess of Jersey
and Lady Clementina Villiers, the Countess of Cherie-
vine, Viscount Dupplin, Viscount Exmouth, Lady
Charlotte Denison, Lord Lascelles, Lord Villiers,
Lord Ingestre, Lady Talbot, Honourable Miss Talbot,
Lord and Lady Carington, Lord and the Honourable
Miss Foley, Sir Compton and Lady Domville and the
Misses Domville, Lady Joddrell, Lord and Lady Wode-
house, Viscountess Dungarvon, Lady Morgan, Lady
Bathurst, Lady Clifford Constable, Lord Aylesbury,
Lady Sarah Ingestre and Viscountess Ebrington, Col.
and the Hon. Mrs. Fitzgibbon, Hon. Captain Begot,
Hon. B. Lyon, Hon. G. Mills' Hon. J. Fortescue, Hon.
F. Scarlet. Hon, Mrs. and Miss Tollemache, Hon. E.
Coke, Hon. Spencer and Mrs. Ponsonby, Hon. Gerald
and Mrs. Dillon, Hon. Miss Dillon, Hon. Captain E.
Lascelles, Hon. Major Needham,: lion. Mr. and Mrs.
Charles Ashburnham, Sir. William Abdy, Sir Henry
Blake, Sir Henry Webb, Sir John Burgoyne and ths
Misses Burgoyne, Sir Jasper and Lady Atkinson, Sir
W. Paulet, Sir George and Lady Whitmore and Miss
Whitmore, Baron Buller, Mrs. Villebois, Mrs. Heyter.
the Misses Richards, Miss Mitchell and party, Mrs.
Henry Bainbridge, Colonel Barnett, Colonel B. Knox,
M.P., Colonel Blanc, Major Gage, Captain Enos.
Captain de Bathe, Captain Dalrymple, Mr. Holford,
Mr. Wentworth Bosvile, Mr. H. Greville, Mr. G.
Sturt, &c., &c.

LAST NIGHT'S OBSTRUCTION TO
REFORM.
The obstruction to the reform movement, offered lad
night is the House of Commons, by one party, and the
extraordinary declaration of another that the middle
and working classes do not desire such reforms as are
advocated by the Reform League, have given rise to the
following letter from Mr. Hume, which he has forwarded
to usT
for publication:—
TO HE REFORMERS .OF THE UNITED
KINGDOM.

House of Commons, Midnight, May 23, 1846.
Gentlemen,—You are aware that this evening was
fixed for bringing forward that important motion re-
specting the reform of the representation which had
been decided on after much consideration and communi-
cation with the reformers of the country, as best adapted
to conciliate and unite the largest amount of publics
opinion. _ . .

A previous motion of Lord George Bentinck's has
occupied the attention of the House until after eleven
o'clock, when it appeared to myself and friends around
me that it was too late to secure for the question that
discussion to which it is entitled; and I have therefor.
been compelled to postpone the motion to the 20th
June, that being the earliest vacant day on the order
book of the House.
The Prime Minister having seised this opportunity
of stating, in his place, that neither the middle nor the
working class of this country are favourable to the
reforms of which I had given notice, the delay will
afford you, the reformers of the United Kingdom, the
means of making known your opinions and wishes is
the usual constitutional manner.—l remain your obedient
humble servant, JOSEPH HUME.

EPSOM RACES.—BeIIs Life in London will give the
most correct particulars of the four days Epsompacea,
with a Portrait of the Winner of the Derby. Belts
Life is regularly published in time to send by all Um
Saturday afternoon railways. A sixpence enclosei to
Mr. Clement, jun., to 170, Strand, will ensure a copy by
return of The average sale of Belts Lffe exceeds
27,000 copies.

IMPERIAL PARLIAMENT.
HOUSE OF LORDS, May 23.
The LORD CHANCELLOR took his seat upon the Wool-
sack at Five o'clock.
The Earl of HARDWICKE presented several peti-
tions against the Jewish Disabilities Removal Bill.
The Bishop of WINCHESTER presented several
petitions with a similar prayer.
Lotd DUNFERMLINE presented several petitions
in favour of the Bill.
Lord BEAUMONT presented several petitions from
various lodges of Odd Fellows, in favour of the Bill for
the legalization of their society.
THE VERNON GALLERY.
Lord MONTEAGLE, after passing a high eulogium
on Mr. Vernon for the magnificent present of pictures
which he had made to the public, moved for a return of
all donations that had been made by private indivi-
duals to the National Gallery.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE bore his testimony to
the generous liberality of Mr. Vernon, Sir George
Beaumont, Mr. Holwell Carr and the other benefactors
to the National Gallery.
Lord COLBORNE reminded their Lordships that
more than one moiety of the pictures in the National
Gallery had been the gift of private individuals. He
would suggest the propriety of enlarging the Gallery,
for it was not fair after they had accepted this muni-
ficent gift from Mr. Vernon, that they should put him
to the inconvenience of opening his private house to
the public twice a week to exhibit these pictures to the
public —The motion was then agreed to.
PETITIONS.
The Mai-gals of LONDONDERRY presented seve-
nal petitions from the North of Ireland in favour of the
Free Church Sites (Scotland) Bill.
SPAIN.
The Nonas MARQUIS asked if the letter which had
recently appeared in the papers, purporting to be a
letter trom the Duke of Sotomayor to Sir H. Bulwer,
was genuine, and whether any farther correspondence
had taken place on the subject. He should, notwith-
standing the opinion of the Noble Duke, persevere in his
motion for a return of the names of the Spanish pen-

Ari-a•
GREAT WESTERN RAILWAY (EXTENSION
OF THE BERKS AND HANTS, &c.) BILL.
On the question that the report upon this Bill be read,
a lengthened discussion arose as to a discrepancy in the
Bill, in not defining the purposes to which the capital
raised under it was to be devoted, and ultimately
Mr. LABOUCHERE moved that it be re-committed,
in order to introduce into it a clause, stating the general
purposes for which the money is to be raised and ex-
pended, which was agreed to.
LONDON, BRIGHTON, AND SOUTH COAST
RAILWAY (LONDON-BRIDGE AND NEW
CROSS STATIONS, &c.) BILL.
Mr. GRENFELL moved the reception of the report.
Capt. PECHELL opposed the reception of the report of
the Committee, on the ground that the line did not afford
the accommodation it should to the poorer classes, as
the company had stopped day-tickets, increased the
fares, stopped many of the trains, closed several of
the stations, and moved their goods station from London-
bridge to New Cross; and within the last few days a
meeting had been held at Brighton to oppose this Bill,
so dissatisfied were the inhabitants with the conduct of
the railway. He thought when parties consented to a
line, perhaps because a particular station should be
erected, that Parliament ought not to allow railway
companies to close it.
Mr. GRENFELL said the public generally formed
unreasonable expectations with respect to the benefits
they ought to receive. With respect to the Parlia-
mentary trains, the directors would be happy to give
full explanation in relation to their conduct in respect
of them to the tribunal appointed by the Legislature.
Sir DE LACY EVANS said he should oppose the
Bill at a future stage.
The report was then received.
REPORTS.
The following reports were then received and agreed
to:—

sioners.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE could not answer the
question, as the Noble Marquis had not given any notice
of his intention to ask it.
The NOBLE MARQUIS then presented several petitions
from the Protestant clergymen of Ireland, in favour of
the national system of education; also upwards of 100
petitions in favour of the Jewish Disabilities Removal
Bill.
PARLIAMENTARY PROCEEDINGS ADJOURN-
MENT BILL.
On the motion of Lord STANLEY, the House went
in:o Committee on this Bill. The Noble Lord explained
some verbal and other amendments which he proposed
to introduce into it, and said he should more that the
Bill be reprinted with such amendments, and subse-
quently recommitted.
Lord CAMPBELL recommended that a Committee
of this and the other House should be appointed to con-
sider the subject. He thought, however, that it had
better stand over altogether until next session. The
only important change which it proposed to effect would
render the Bill quite nugatory. The Noble Lord pro-
posed that Bills which stood over from the Commons,
and were taken up in the following session by their
Lordships before receiving the royal assent, should go
back again to the Commons, who were to pass a resolu-
tion in their favour. That, however, they had the power
of doing at present by an existing standino' order.
Another difficulty would be that the courts in Westmin-
ster Hall would have to see whether, with.reference to the
Bills so passed, the regular forms had been complied
with. And it would be necessary to insert another
clause, that such Bills should be considered binding in
point of law. He was convinced that it would not be
considered creditable to the wisdom of their Lordships'
House to send down the Bill in its present form to the
other House of Parliament.
Lord MONTEAGLE hoped his Noble Friend (Lord
Stanley) would persevere with the Bill.
Lord CAMPBELL explained.
Lord STANLEY said that the amendment having
been in conformity with recommendations which had
been made from both sides of the House in former stages
of the,Bill, he thought it would be unnecessary to re-
commit the Bill. Ile proposed, therefore, that the
Noose should at once go through the Bill.
After a few words from Lord MONTEAGLE on the
same side,
Lord REDESDALE, while disagreeing with the Bill
as it stood, would not divide the House upon it, as by
so doing he would disarrange the entire question.
After a few words from the Earl of DEVON,
The Bill was passed through the Committee, and
ordered to be reported, with amendments.
Their Lordships then adjourned.

L.,(LCI: 7 OF COMMONS, May 23.
The Sp 0. lok the Chair at Four o'clock.
Tt, lIRD READINGS.
The followi..l dills were read a third time and
passed :

Bristol Docks Transfer Bill.
Lanark and Hamilton Court House and County litates
Bill.

Midland Railway (Alteration of the Lino and Branches
near Wellingborough and approach to the Welling-
borough Station) Bill.
CHESTER AND HOLYHEAD RAILWAY BILL

.
On the motaen that the report of this Bill be con-
sidered,
Mr. GROGAN rose to oppose it on the ground that
it was contrary to the standing orders of the House, and
besides, would give a railway company the monopoly of
the steam-boat traffic, which could not fail to be at-
tended with great disadvantages to the public. He
therefore begged leave to move that the report be read
this day six months.
Mr. HUME seconded the motion, and said he con-
sidered if the Bill were passed that it would establish a
system which would be totally ruinous to all fair com-
petition.
Sir ROBERT PEEL said he was Chairman of the
Committee upon the group of lines of which
the Chester and Holyhead formed one, and that
the Committee were of opinion that it would be to the
public advantage and convenience that this company
should have the power of applying a portion of its
°natal to the purchase of steam-vessels to complete the
line of communication between Holyhead and Dublin.
The Government had always looked upon the railway
as a great national undertaking, the terminus of
which was not, in fact, Holyhead, but Dublin, and
the public advantages offered to them so great
that they bad departed from the ordinary
rules and granted a sum of money to assist in carrying
it out. For himself he must say that great advantages
resulted from placing in the hands of railway companies
the power to carry their passengers by steam-packets.
In the first place it prevented any chance of collision
between parties; and, in the next, the officers of the
company might be employed in connexion with the
vessels, to the convenience of persons proceeding by the
railway.

Caledonian Canal Bill.
Furness Railway BilL
London, Brighton, and South Coast Railway (London-
bridge and New Cross Stations, &c.)
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway
(Station Approach in Manchester) Bill. i
Manchester, Sheffield, and ire Railway
(Station at Sheffield and Branch to the Sheffield Canal)
Bill.
and Lincolnshire Railway
Manchester, Sheffield,
(Junction with the Midland Railway, via Barnsley, and
Branches therefrom) Bill.
Manchester, Sheffield, and Lincolnshire Railway
(Crossing of Sheffield-street in Manchester, &c.) Bill.
Manchester South Junction and Altrincham Railway

Bill.
Oxford Paving Bill.
Oxford, Worcester, and Wolverhampton Railway
(No. I—lncrease of Capital) Bill.
Payne's Patents (Improvements in preserving Vege-
table Matters) Bill.
Vale of Neath Railway (Power to the South Wales
Railway Company to subscribe, and Amendment of
Acts) Bill.
COLONIAL EXPENDITURE.
Sir W. MOLES WORTH gave notice of his intention,
on Tuesday, the 20th of June, to call the attention of
the House to the colonial expenditure and government.
SPAIN—DEPARTURE OF SIR H. BULWER.
Lord PALMERSTON, in answer to a question from
Mr. Bankes, stated that her Majesty's Government had
that morning received dispatches from Sir H. Bulwer,
from Madrid, to the 17th instant, in which it was stated
that Sir H. Bulwer was about to leave Madrid, that he
had received his passports from the Spanish Government
fur that purpose, and that it was his (Lord Palmerston's)
intention to lay the correspondence on the subject on
the table of the House on Thursday next.
lONIAN ISLANDS.
Mr. HUME said he understood the liberty of the press
had been suppressed in those islands. He wished to
know what the law now was with regard to the press,
and whether any alteration had been made as to the
mode of election?
Mr. HAWES said there was a law still in force with
regard to the exclu.slUn of books, which gave the Go-
vernment considerable power; but, practically, it had
no operation; for the free importation of books had been
sanctioned iu 1844. The restrictions on the press were
part and parcel of the original constitution under which
we had taken possession of the islands; but the liberty
of the press was no.v fully secured, and the subject of
elections and other points were now under the consi-
deration or the'Noble Lord at the head of the Colonial
department.
PUBLIC WORKS OF ART.—MR. VERNON'S
PICTURES.
Mr. V. SMITH begged to ask the Noble Lord at the
head of the Government when it was intended to sum-
mon a meeting of the Committee, appointed on the 1 Ith
of February last, to consider the best mode of providing
additional room for works of art, given to the public, or
purchased by means of Parliamentary grants. Ile (Mr.
Smith) had been appointed a member ot that Committee,
but they had never been summoned to meet. His reason
for putting the question was this :—A very munificent
gift had been presented to the nation by Mr. Vernon.—
(Hear, hear)—eonsisting of a valuable collection of pic-
tures ; and he understood that the trustees of the Na-
tional Gallery had been obliged to ask Mr. Vernon's
leave to exhibit hia own gift in his own house.—(Hear,
hear.) He, therefore, wished to know whether' it was
still the intention of the Noble Lord to call together the
Committee to which he had alluded, or to take any
other steps for providing the additional accommodation
required.
Sir R. INGLIS said he had a notice on the paper for
that day, to move for copies of nay communications
which had passed between the Government and Robert
Vernon, Esq., relative to that gentleman's offer of a
portion of his collection of pictures ; and probably the
Noble Lord at the head of the Government would now
make some statement which might render that motion
un necessary.
Lord J. RUSSELL said it certainly was his intention
to call together the Committee at at an early period.
When the fact was announced to the Government, of
Mr. Vernon having made this munificent and handsome
gift to the public, he (Lord J. Russell) had requested
his Noble Friend the Chief Commissioner of Woods and
Forests (Lord Morpeth), to try and find a place suit-
able for the accommodation of so valuable a collection;
some correspondence had passed, and his Noble Friend
would state the result.
Viscount MORPETH said he must do full justice to
Mr. Vernon's spirit of accommodation, as well as to his
munificence. When a difficulty was found about pro-
viding a room which should be suitable in every way,
as to light and other requirements, the offer of Mr.
Vernon's own house for the accommodation of the
public had proceeded from that gentleman himself.
Sir 8,. PEEL said that, as one of the trustees of the
National Gallery, he was very glad to bear his testi-
mony, in the strongest manner, not only to the muni-
ficence with which Mr. Vernon had acted, but to the
extreme delicacy of his conduct.—(Hear, hear.) Ap-
prehending that several of his pictures might not be
thought worthy of a place in the National Gallery, he
had allowed the trustees to make their choice from the
whole collection, at the same time submitting his own
opinions as to those which he considered most desirable
to appropriate to the public.—(Cheers.) There being
a difficulty as to finding a suitable building—for not
every building, however large, had such a light as was
adapted for the exhibition of paintings, Mr. Vernon had
said, with the greatest liberality, " You shall have my
house, as well as my pictures; the house as it stands
shall be placed at your service."—(Cheers.) It was
right that this great munificence and handsome conduct
on the part of Mr. Vernon should be publicly knowu.
RELATIONS WITH SPAIN.
Mr. ANSTEY wished to know whether the departure
of Mr. Bulwer from Madrid was to be explained in the
manner it had been explained by some of the foreign
journals—that he had been removed to a higher post,
the ambassadorship to Constantinople ; or whether it
was to be taken as indicative ot an entire rupture of
friendly relations with that Court.
Viscount PALMERSTON—The departure of Mr.
Bulwer from Madrid does not arise from his being ap-
pointed to any other post.—(Sensation.)
Viscount PALMERSTON again rose, and said—of
course it does not proceed fkom any rupture of our rela-
tions with Spain.—(Hear, hear.)
ADJOURNMENT OF THE HOUSE.
Lord G. BENTINCK said he presumed that the mo-
tion which he had to submit would meet with a ready
concurrence from the House—that the House at its ris
ing should adjourn to Thursday.—(Cheers.)
Mr. HUME hoped the House would not agree to this
motion.—(Laughter) A Bill of great importance to
w
Scotland, the Entail Bill—(Much laughter)—was fixed
for
a edneslaY; and it would be highly improper to lose
day.
letlf tahneymll do ons.o Gentlemen
he
hp
oweidshthedeytowoguoldtoen
enjoy
Derby,
themselves.—.(Laughter.) J. u
ukra'
Lsaid,
dhiasdeuhsse fotuhned
Entailthat the
B Bill next
Scotch
Members were anxious to
day, ho should have said the House ght to meet for the
purpose; but he found that several of the Scotch Meal'
beta were of opinioa that there would be a very thin
House, that the clerks at the table would probably have
a House,
to sit same time without makingatnd that there
was chance of this important subjectno
due discussion.—(Hear, hear.) In this casereacinvitnhgerae
being a disposition to make the day a national fete, he
saw no objection to the motion proposed.
Mr. S. CRAWFORD said the House ought not deli-
berately to do anything calculated to lower itself in the
estimation of the country. He should therefore oppose
this motion.
Colonel SIBTLIORP was understood to complain of
Bills being frequently smuggled through on a Wed-
nesday.
Mr. F. MAULE said he had been unfortunate enough
to fix the Scotch Entail Bill for Wednesday.
.It was a
very important measure, and
ode
rs readb loev
ei
rt
should pass this session. If
thite
wasii ghouhealdyju
d t
the Government would give Scotland ha a ay a the next day, he hoped the Noble Lord atl the head of
period, for the purpose of considering this n-
earlymeaure.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. BRIGHT thought it desirable they should have
a holiday sometimes, and had no objection to to morrow;
but ho thought it beneath the dignity of the House to
make the excuse for that holiday the holding of a race
within a few miles of London.—(Hear, hear.) If they
had a holiday fur the Derby, why not for the Oaks?—
(Great laughter, and cries of " Move.") There were
other important races in which some Honourable Mem-
bers might be more interested than in tho business of
this House. But with the pathetic appeals that had been
made by the Noble Lord at the head of the Government
as to the state of the public business, he thought it
would be very unbecoming in the House to adjourn over
to-morrow, simply on account of a great race coming
oft'. He had no doubt there would be a sufficient number
of Members present to make a House.
After a few words from Mr. OSWALD, the House
divided, when there appeared—
For the adjournment
Against

LEICESTER ELECTION.
The Committee appointed to try the merits of this
election appeared at the bar and were sworn.
Mr. BROWN opposed granting the proposed powers
to the railway company.
Mr. LABOUCLIEII,E said the question before the
House was one of unusual interest, both with regard to
the way in which the private business of the House
should be transacted, and in connexion with the interests
of railway companies and the public, and having given
his special attention to the matter, ho wished to say a
few words to the [louse with respect to the principle
laid down by the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel).
whether railway companies should have the power of
becoming steam-boat proprietors. Ho wished to state that
it had received the serious attention of the Committee
to whom such matters were usually referred ; and subse-
quently, at the request of that body, by the Board of
Trade, whose opinions with respect to the Bill were so
fully stated in Mr. Letevre's letter that it was unneces-
sary for him to trouble the House with them. It must
be a matter of sincere gratification to all interested
in the matter that the
question had beenight since
Hon.considered by a Committee of which the Right
Baronet was a Member. Ho (Mr. Labouchere) con-
fessed that he had approached the consideration of the
Bill with a strong impression on his mind against allow-
iag railway companies to become steam-boat proprietors
—(Hear, hear)—and, although his mind wasas concerned,
he in
that respect so fsr as this company w
be nevertheless considered that no such power
under special
ald
should be
could
be to railway companies, except
circumstances. This was the strongest case that
be adduced in support of the principle contended
for in the H; and unless the ouse was pre.
pared to refuse such powers to railways
they must accede to the reception
of in all cases,
the report.
The whole purpose of the Chester and Holyhead
Company was the establishment of good communication
between Holyhead and Dublin; and therefore it had
greater interest than any other body in keepinge Bill that
communication in good condition. Bat the
contained clauses restricting the fares to a certain
amount, and continuing the powers for a limited time
only, and the whole matter could, under the Bill, be
opened after a limited number of years, so that Par-
liament might revise the fares and discuss the whole
question at issue. He thought, therefore, that the com-
pany should be empowered to invest money in steam-
boats to ply between Holyhead and Dublin.
Mr. BERNAL would not enter into the principles
involved, but he wished to point out that no special
report had emanated from that Committee of which
the Right Hon. Baronet was a member, to the effect that
this cam) was an exception to the ordinary rule, and that
it should be acceded to. It was a matter for extreme
regret, and one for which the House should take shame to
itself, that no really definite rule had been laid down, ses-
sion after session, for its guidance in these matters; so that
in this case the Committee did not know whether to look
to the report of the Beard of Trade published in March,
or decide upon the matter on their own responsibility.
He thought it to be his duty, whenever he could, to point
out the evil to the House of the system at present in
existence, and the clause that he had proposed was a
clause simply to enable Parliament to revise the decision
of its Committee.
Sir B. PEEL said that the grounds upon which the
Committee had acted were, that as there was not a rail.
way, they were not called upon to insert the clause. No
one could wish, or was more anxious than he was, that
the standing orders of the House should be strictly com-
plied with. It must, however, be remembered tlxtt the
House had limited its report. H
After a few words from Sir W EA.TITCOTE,
Strangers were ordered to withdraw, and the House
divided, when there appeared—
For the report I6G
Against it ......................... 46
Maj ority —l2o
The report was then agreed to. , _
CHELTENHAM ELEcnoN.
The Members of she Cheltenham Election Committee
vivre summoned to the table and sworn.

Majority —l3

;tga
yrs
ig,'s impulseny,
h her
allk i uncheckedn
d kindly
i nflne
influence,
The announcement of the numbers was received with , The chair and '' ae table parted with from starvation on ,
loud cheers. We understand that after the gallery was 1 the one hand, .5i ei her Majesty-, -
cleared, Sir James Graham and Sir R. H. Inglis spoke, a
Jr.
(t),y"
and
in opposition te the motion, and Sir Robert Peel and and without t hes advice of her responsible Ministers on
the
Uri
the Judge-Advocate in favour.
RETURNS OF TIMBER AND SILK, gladness into twee rts where gloom and sorrow had before
prevailed.—(l.feu , hear.) But in other
Lord GEORGE BENTINCK rose to move for re-
, tress was not NalleViated. n Tee towns dis.
found, from the
turns, showing the quantities and prices, duty paid, of statement 'of Captain Willis, that 14,000 operatives
Canadian timber sold by public sale in London, on Fri- were either out of
,work, or working only short time,
day, the 10th of Mareh, distinguishing red from yellow in Manchester alone,. There were 6,000 operatives in
timber, and giving an abstract, showing the average that town out of employment at the present moment.
price of each description of timber, together with the They were told that Bradford was in a prosperous con-
hiehest and lowest price in each case. Showing any dition, and certain returns were produced, but it ap-
reductions of tittles on thrown silks and on Indian silks, peared that there w ere 15,000 persons receiving relief
which may have been made in 1842, together with a from the parish in that town.—(Hear.) But it was not
return, showing the importations of such silks in the only cottons and w pollens, and boots and shoe fronts of
years 1342, 1845, and 1846, respectively, on which such which he spoke on a former occasion as being imported,
reductions may have been made : likewise showing but he might be permitted to speak also of the lace-
the quantities, in pounds. of raw and waste trade. What was the state of Nottingham ? That
silk imported, exported, and consumed at home might be learned from a letter of the Rev. Mr. Wright,
in the years 1844 and 1845, as compared with of that town. But, to come to the lace trade ; a fourth
the two years 1846 and 1847, giving the average an- of the operatives were bordering on starvation. 'The
nual qaantity consumed at home in each period. Simi- people would not go into the union workhouses, because
lar returns in regard to thrown silk ; and,: showing the they would disfranchise theinselvee. They would rather
quantities and value of all articles of cotton, woollen, entrvee The letters of clergymen, describing the distress
and silk, of needlework, and watches of foreign manu- and destitution, contained very startling statements.
facture, boots and shoes, 'and boot-fronts, and all The Reverend Mr. Davis, of Nottingham, the Reverend
other articles not enumerated in the trade and naviga- Dr. Williams, the Reverend Mr. Howard, the Reverend
tion returns, imported into the port of London, in the Mr. Buckler, and other clergymen, had described,
four months ending the sth day of May, 1848, as corn- in letters, the state of the operatives in their
pared with the corresponding three months of 1845, respective towns. These fearful changes were simulta-
-1846, and 1847. Continuation of so much of return neous with the change of their commercial system. In
No. 175, ordered the 6th day of February, 1846, to the the suburbs of' Nottingham houses were deserted, the
Ist week in January, 1848, as relates to the prices and poor inhabitants having been driven into the union. The
importation of foreign and colonial timber, and the na. Rev. Mr. Milton wrote, that the wonder was that the
tionality of the ships in which the same was imported, people had not become desperate. That was the effect
and the crews by which they were manned. Also, a of allowing the foreign lace to come into competition with
continuation of return No. 109 down to the sth day of the home manufacture. That was the result of those re-
April, 1843, with an additional account, showing any turns for which he moved. In Mr. Porter's trade and
increase or decrease in the numbers and cost of the cus• navigation returns there were items suppressed to the
turns department, and per centage cost of collection con- amount of 1,186,0001., upon the ground that the value
sequent upon reduction of customs duties in 1846. He could not be ascertained. He understood that these re-
trusted that the House would bear with him while he turns were to serve as a guide to the House, but the
moved for those returns. There was no man, he be- effect was, that you came away, after inspecting them,
Tiered, who did not think that the House ought not to more ignorant than you were before. They were doctored,
be deceived by any statistical statements on the and medicated, and made up to suit a particular purpose.
subject of those returns. lie had formerly made If the goods which had been imported in consequence
statements on those questions, and his state- of free trade had not been so imported, employment
ments had been questioned, and he now made would have been
afforded for 100,000 persons. The
a motion for returns which would clear up the state- number of bankrupts had greatly increased lately, and
ments he had then been doubted in as regarded the Yet the Right lion. Gentleman (Mr. Gladstone) would
effects of recent legislation in the commodities of timber have you believe that bankruptcies had gone quite out
and silk ; and at this time, when the question was before of fashion. In Scotland, within the last nineteen weeks
the country what mode of taxation was most likely to there had been 292 Scotch sequestrations. In Paisley,
out of 51 mills 18 had stopped altogether, and seven
accord with its people—when a great experiment was
being tried, it became of the utmost were working short time. It was not merchants, and
importance that
they should be correctly informed with regard to the planters, and brokers alone that were feeling the effect
of this system, but its effect was being felt by persons
measures of alteration which had been carried, and what
in the lowest scale. From a comparison of the adver-
the effects of those alterations were. He was one of those
tisements from servants this year, in the Times news-
who considered that direct taxation was not the mode
by which the revenues of this country were to be in- Paper for situations, as compared with last year, the
number would be found greatly on the increase. That
creased. He was one of those who believed that the
• ; lo adopted by the United States of America of
principle was the case. with all classes of domestic servants, while
imposing a duty on all imported goods, was by far the the advertisements from masters for servants this year,
best mode that could be resorted to—a mode preferable as compared with 1846, had fallen one-half. Ho did
not moan to ascribe it all to free trade, but he had
to direct taxation or taxation on Excise. He had, on a
former occasion, showed that a large proportion of the shown considerable grounds for ascribing much of the
taxes which had distress to the change in our commercial system, and
been remitted went into the
pockets of the foreigner ; and he had shown
when these returns, which he now moved for, were
also that the removal of the prohibitive duties did granted him, they no doubt would show more of the
not compensate the British manufacturer or the details connected with the ruin of the trade of this
people of this country. •On the occasion to which country than the Board of Trade was now willing to
he referred, he had shown that, while the price of disclose.--(Hear.)
Baltic timber had, on the one hand, risen 1 ls. per load The motion having been seconded and put from the
that of Canadian timber had, on the other, become so chair,
reduced, that the greatest distress had resulted to the Mr. GLADSTONE said he fully admitted with the
Canadian interests in this respect. On that occasion it Noble Lord that great distress existed in this country ;
was said by a Right Hon. Gentleman (understood to be he granted fully that he had shown to the House —lst, a
Mr. Gladstone), that he (Lord George Bentinck) was great degree of depression in the commerce of the
utterly misinformed on the subject ; and that so far from country, but he did not believe the Noble Lord had
the alteration of the law having the effect of cruelly raised the most insignificant prescription ; that it was in
grinding down their colonial produce, and producing any degree to be inferred the legislation of former years
short prices, Canadian timber had risen 7s. per load. had produced it. The Noble Lord not only failed to
Those statements had been made by the President and produce proofs, but lie had not even made art attempt to
Vice-President of the Board of Trade, and afterwards prove such is proposition. He referred to the lace trade
repeated by the Secretary of State. When these state • of Nottingham, and quoted the opinion of the Rev. Mr.
inents were made, it was not surprising that the House Brooke, in a description given by him of the distress in
should be carried away by the opinion that he was that neighbourhood, on an opinion given by the Rev.
totally misinformed. But it was not only on public Gentleman, that that distress was owing to the changes
grounds that lie felt it due that he should move for the which tools place in the leer. Now he ( Mr.G ladstone)would
returns in question. He felt it due to the House that the not say that the Rev. Gentleman had not something else
public should be correctly informed on this question. lie to do besides studying political economy, but wether that
proposed to ask her Majesty's Government that returns were so or not, he had no hesitation in stating, that his
be furnished, and he thought that a compliance with his opinion was entirely without foundation. Not another
motion would set the matter at rest. He believed that he word did the Noble Lord's speech contain to show any
was justified in the statements he had made. It was connexion between distress among the lace-makers
said, in contradiction to him, that the price of Canadian at Nottingham and the principles of free trade.
red timber on which the duties had been remitted 10s., lie (Mr. Gladstone) should not follow the Noble Lord
had only fallen from 955. to 92e. On the very day on through the details of the statement he made to the
which that statement was made, a great sale took place House, except two, which impugned the accacf
at the Hall of Commerce, Threadneedle-street, at which what he had said when those measures were under
31,900 feet of white, and 12,000 feet of red timber was consideration. If the Noble Lord be correct in ascribng
sold; and by a return which he held in his hand, and the distress of the country to the legislation then sane-
which he would take the liberty to place in the hands of the tioned by the House, undoubtedly he was rendering a
Member for Oxford (Mr. Gladstone), the price of red thee- great public service in seeking to induce them to retrace
bar had reached 655. sd. that day, and not 925. He had their steps; but if, on the other hand, his opinions were
in his hand a communication from Gilmore and Co., erroneous, then he should tell him that, instead of con-
large timber merchants, expressing surprise that any ferring advantage, he was inflicting serious injuries on
such statement could have been made, and they autho- the public interests, and, most of all, on the labouring
rised him to state to the Right Hon. Gentleman the classes, and those connected with labour. If the Noble
Member for Oxford (who sets a due value on the timber Lord should teach those classes to refer the cause of
of Cornish mines too), that they had made bins an offer that distress to the legislation he had alluded to, and if
of red timber, now lying at Hull, for 755. He believed he induced them to seek a remedy by any changes in
the Right lion. Gentleman would look upon this as a that legislation, it was impossible, in the first instance,
windfall. In 1842 the foreign trade of the Baltic that such changes could be brought about, and even if
was carried ou equally by British ships and British they could, they would only aggravate the evil they
seamen, and foreign ships and foreign seamen. In 1639 were intended to remedy. The Noble Lord laid par-
he found that the foreign trade in the Baltic was carried titular stress on the evil influence ,of free-trade
on by 667 British ships, manned by 6,433 British sea- measures on the silk trade and timber trade. With
men, and by 663 foreign ships, manned by 6,863 foreign regard to the timber trade he (Mr. Gladstone) was
seamen. But since the great alteration had token place obliged to confess that, lengthy as the statement of
in 1845, the number of British ships had fallen from 667 the Noble Lord was, he could not understand it.
to 662, and the number of British seamen fell from He should be glad if the Noble Lord committed himself'
6,438 to 5,937; while the number of foreign ships in- to some definite proposition, instead of making some
creased from 663 to 1,893, and of foreign seamen from vague declarations ; ho should wish he had stated some
6,863 to 17,449.—(Hear.) They might be as good facts, or committed himself, boldly to a proposition on
Englishmen as he was ; but if they did not enter the subjects made in the changes of the law. On that
seriously into the consideration of this question, they subject, as far as he (Mr. Gladstone) could understand,
did not come up to his notions of what Englishmen lie carefully avoided committing himself, but he sup-
ought to be. With respect to the Canadian trade, he posed the Noble Lord meant to say from the manner in
would show the House the greatest distress had befallen which he spoke of their colonies, and of the colonial
it by the measures which had lately been passed in that timber trade, that they were both fallen into something
House; and that they had put into the pockets of fo• like ruin in consequence of the legislation of that House,
reigners the greater part of the duty taken off. He under the influence of his Right Hon. Friend the
left it to the House to say, with such a falling off Member for Tamworth. If that were the case, the
of prices as he had shown, what the Canadian roer• Noble Lord could not blame him, when he said that he
chants must have suffered by the change. He was grossly misinformed on the subject. He believed,
would now come to the other branch of the returns however, he was correct in his quotation of prices, and
for which he was moving—he meant the silk trade, so was he (Mr. Gladstone) also, for the Noble Lord
He had, on a former occasion, drawn attention to this spoke of 1847, while he alluded to those of 1848. A
subject, and to the distress which existed in the districts great difference took place in prices; but he believed
of Spitalfields and Bethnal-green. He had stated that the Noble Lord was accurate in the quotation which
it commenced in its greatest severity in 1845 ; bet he he made for the year 1347. He was sorry to have used
was told that he had made a great chronological mistake the words grossly misinformed. He must not, however,
—that it had commenced as early as 1840, and that the judge of the charges by the state of the markets in pe-
alteration in the law was not until 1845. He attributed clods of depression, nor when the country had undergone
the distress mainly to that alteration. The Noble Lord a severe visitation of Providence, followed by the most
charged the free-trade party in the House with having outrageous and improvident speculations. The Noble
dabbled in the silk trade of this country until they Lord must not be surprised if the country, under these
brought ruin upon those most directly engaged in it— circumstances, should have fallen into a state of collapse,
the manufacturers in Spitalfields and Bethnal-green. It although, certainly, he had the advantage of stating facts
had been said by the Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Glad• which then existed and could not be disputed. But none
stone) that the details of ruin and distress which he had could judge fairly of the success or failure of principles
given on this subject were, as related to Spitalfields and by such a period as that. They should look over a
Bethnal-green, greatly overstated, and that it was not the series of years, and compare the results of each, both in
competition of foreigners, but of the Manchester manufac- times of prosperity and depression. He (Mr. Gladstone)
turers that affected them. But he (Lord G. Bentinck) did was never more astonished than when the Noble Lord
not find that since 1842 there had been any great in- found fault with him because, instead of confining him-
crease in the silk-trade of Manchester. He found that in self to a single year, which might vary, he took the
1842 there were eight or nine silk mills in Manchester, average of ten years from the parliamentary returns then
and he now found that there were seven or eight mills before the House. And because he (Mr. Gladstone) did
in full employment there. When he turned his eyes to that, the Noble Lord had called the result which he
foreign countries, he found a very different state of drew from well ascertained facts that could not bo dis-
things with regard to importation from abroad to this put's(' " his theories. '
country, and it was mainly to show how things had Lord GEORGE BENTINCK —No.
changed that he now moved for the returns. He now Mr. GLADSTONE did certainly understand the
asked that there should be laid before the House a return Noble Lord to have called the conclusions which he thus
of the importation of silks to the port of London alone; drew from Parliamentary returns "theories ;" but bo
and having looked at the official returns of the Custom- that as it may, he would take the timber trade, and test
house papers, he found that in the four months ending it in two ways for the satisfaction of the Noble Lord. He
the sth of May, reckoning 31. sterling as the value by should first give the average price and the quantity im-
which thrown silk 500,5771. sterling, and repeating that ported, and then take the price of the greatest market
he found that it amounted at the end of the year to one tor colonial timber. perhaps, in the world—namely,
million and a half sterling. If they took 9s. a week as Liverpool. In the years 1840, 1841, 1842, the average
the average of the wages of the Bethnal-green weaver, mice of timber per foot was 2s. Old., and deducting 2zled.
they would find that there had been imported into the duty, which was repealed, left the average price really
port of London alone, goods which, after deducting Is. 10d. Now take the six years, including this portion
one-third, would be equal to the wages, at 9s. a of 1848, and the average price was Is. 9d. against Is. 10d.
week, of sixty-four thousand persons. When he in the former year, showing a reduction of ld. per foot,
showed those things, did he not prove, he would ask, which was calculated, according to the Noble Lord, to
that it was from the competition of foreigners, and not drive their colonies into that state of
ed.i—n ru which he had
ad
from the competition of seven or eight silk mills at so earnestly and feelingly describ(Cheers
Manchester, that the silk trade was suffering ?—(Hear, laughter.) Now how could they be ruined. by that de-
Fur his own part
Hear.
hear.) . ,
hear.) The Noble Lord then took the average of the clenaion in prices ?—(
last ten years, from 1833 to 1843, as compared with the he was exceedingly of the reduction because the
glad ~ .
; ved by the colonial timber, and
importation of the last two years, and showed that the monopoly heretofore eine., . •o ed, ressed hard on
distress in Spitalfields within the last two years, arising the enormous protection it esti y. P if .
Baltic ; but it pro-
from the importations of foreign goods, was in excess; the superior article from the
it would follow .
and if the Right Hon. Gentleman, he continued, would diced ruin to their colonies,
would have diminished
take the trouble to look into this, he would find it to be portation of colonial timber
blesay
Lord their colonies
so; he would find that the consumption of the various With what face could the Nofren
trade, when he could
kinds of silk, raw, thrown, and waste, was, in the two were ruined by a system
of
d taken ,place in the
years 1846-7, less than the consumption of 1844-5, he have seen that a vast
iner"'n ha
Hear, hear.) Ile had his
(Lord George Bentinck) thought, by something like importation of that article.—(
d b the eminent firm of
20,0001b5. He moved for returns which would show the authority from a circular issue . y
ortations six years
quantity of silk which had been consumed at home in Warton and Co., giving the
himP ,
s in the coinmer.
the two years 1846-7, as compared with 1844-5, and he before and six years after the c
find angiet-lace. The tonnage
would find that there was a decrease in 1646-7, as corn- cial policy of the country he-- taken -.
tim e b r from British
pared with 1844.5, of 246,0001b5. of thrown silk, of ships employed in bringing
x years before the
99,0001b5. raw silk, and 143,5381b5. of waste silk. The America to Liverpool, for the st
Nobleamounted on an average
the law,
Lord then read a letter from the rector of the • change took place in .
for the six years after,
parish of Bethnal. °Teen (as weunderstood la'
un), setting to 152,001) tons annually;
while
forth the distress now ' • hear.) Now he would ask the
exrting amcng the weaving poor it was 181,000.—(11ear,
of the district, as excould say to that, and whether he
cee
.ing anything of the kind that Noble Lord what he .
had come under his e that colonial interests
notice during the seven preceding would still persevere in asserting
years that he had been 1 of the protective duties? If
a rector of the parish The letter were ruined by the remove;
described the population • * that ondition, the colonial
as becoming more destitute from the timber trade had been in c
year to year, and as badl Ifelt it worth their while to
y odged housed clad and fed merchants would not haves
and their wages continually reduci clad
' ' at diminished prices, and
That was the send
.inereased quantitie
statement of the incumbent, who handg.re •eat reason to complain.
sided there for of which they had no very great by the
seven years, and yet it had been attempted to boshown ore greatly benefited
. The British public w
ad-
by figures that they were in a stateofparticle at a cheaper rate.
great prosperity. vanes of having a better
And he went on to state that theseshow an increase in
poor people would The ]Noble Lordthen proceeded to
e
riot consent to break up their homes while they had athe hich he says was got at
price of foreign timber, w
chair and table left. Yet almost all of them had become merchants. But he ought to have
the expense of British
paupeis during the last winter. But it was with some known the Freight which had taken place within
consolation that he could turn from this miserable pic- the lasts rise of
(1 certainly, having had the evi-
four years, an • .
taro to a better state of things now, lie believed that d before the Committee on
deuce of a witness examined , s
things were looking up, and that the democratic disturb the nay' • unsuspected authority on the
navigation-laws, on
antes abroad were givinc, a check to foreign, manufac as an economist and phi-
'would be ground of personal honour, or
tures, the effect of which
mill of the poor Spitalfields' weaver. That was, how- meant Mr• G. F . Young;—lie was not disposed to believe
ever, only his own opinion, for others ascribed •the the Noble Lord e accurate in his deductions. Now
healthful excitement which had sprung up in Spitalfields what did he
state?wa. The increase in the rate of freight
of late to other causes. In an article in a free-trade f the s
(;d per load, showing only
from Baltic was is. • iener which he
paper, headed " The Queen and her Ministers,"
that 3s. 61. er load given to the fore e ,
healthful excitement was ascribed to the exertions managed to get out of the increased reduction of the
Mr. Gladstone
arising from the direct influence of her Majesty, by duty of 40s; per load. But his ('s)
which the gloom and despondency were passing awaY, object, and that of his Right Honourable Friend
They had the ruin and the remedy in striking contrast, the Member for Tamworth, was, that foreigners should

increase the supply, and they had done so to' an
enormous extent, for in 1841 the import of tinabonfrom
the Baltic was 140,000 loads, while in 1847 it Wil3 from
220,000 to 440,000. Having said he had great difficulty
in detecting some broad and tangible shape in the Noble
Lord's charge, he -would leave that subject, with the con-
viction that he was not entitled to assume the race was
one of ruin to British merchants, but, on the contrary,
of great advantage to the public, and of little loss,
deed to the commercial interests of the country. Then,
with regard to silk, the duty was altered by a reduction
of 2s. in the pound in 1842 on Indian silk. The Noble
Lord was busy on that evening drawing inferences from
matters of fact, and he was bound to say, as he already
sail, that he ought not to take any particular period for
those inferences. lie had been endeavouring to show
there was decay in the trade, and he took the years 1846
and 1847 as compared with 1844 and 1845, when it was
.well known its prosperity was at its climax in the latter
years, notwithstanding that a most important alteration
took place in 1842.
Lord G."-BENTINCK denied that he had done so. He
task two years of one period and compared them with
two of another.
Mr. GLADSTONE observed that no doubt the Noble
Lord was a judge of what he meant to say, but on his
words he (Mr. Gladstone) had a right to put a fair
conclusion. With respect to distress in Spitalfields, it
was to be considered whether that arose from the ma-
chinery in Manchester, or the existence of a rural silk
trade in Essex and Herefordshire. Ile did not believe
however, that it was greater now than before, but at all
events it was not fairly traceable to free-trade measures,
and beside, the Noble Lord ought to recollect that that
House was not legislating for Spitalfields, but for the
entire United Kingdom.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble
Lord was undoubtedly correct when he said that greater
importation of silk took place in 1844, 1845, 1846, and
1847. But did ho not know that the: two former
years were periods of unexampled prosperity, while the
two latter were without a parallel for distress ? In
every point of view his own statement was satisfactory.
He showed that it increased in every particular by an
average of the ten preceding years, and not by compars
in; one period of prosperity with another. The Right
Hon. Gentleman having referred to the increase of the
imports of the raw materials as a proof that in-
creased employment was thus given to the people,
proceeded. Were they to have nothing purchased
Were they to introduce the wine-presses of France into
England, or the houses used in the manufacture of sugar
in the tropics ? The fallacy, in point of fact, was so
gross that no one could go through the streets, and see
the thousand examples placed before his eyes without
laughing at the absurdity of the Noble Lord's com-
mercial policy. He (Mr. Gladstone) did not know
whether, in his peregrinations for commercial informa-
tion, he ever went up from the City to Lambeth in one
of those boats which carry passengers for a penny each
—(Laughter.) The movements of that vessel were
managed by five or six persons, and yet they carried six
or eight hundred persons in the course of an afternoon ;
would the Noble Lord be acting as a man of common
sense, or as a patriot, if he insisted, as in old times, that
they should be carried by the watermen, because forsooth
100 of them would bo engaged, instead of the five or six
who now managed the steamer !—(Laughter.) That
was the way in which the Noble Lord ought to scrutinize
those principles, from which he dated so much of the
distress of the people of England. He (Mr. Gladstone)
apprehended no evil consequences from any proceeding
of the Noble Lord ; he thought, without meaning him
any off.nce, that the bit was in his mouth ; he believed
his opinions on commercial questions were not likely to
make the Parliament of Great Britain placelitself under
his guidance in matters of politicul economy, which he
believed would bring this country to disgrace and
misery.
Mr. NEWDEGATE complained of the stateraents
put forward to the country by the Right Hon. Gentle-
man who had just sat down, and the Hon. Member for
Westbury, and for his own part, believed that the
country was at that moment suffering severely. The
Hon. Gentleman, after referring to the quantity of silk
imported into this country between 1842 and 1847, for
the purpose of showing that the calculations on this
subject by the Right Hon. Member for Oxford Univer-
sity were founded in error, said that after all, the con-
sequence arising from the present state of the silk trade,
was to reduce those engaged in it to the greatest desti
tution and the deepest distress. In his own district, if
it were not for the subscriptions of the gentry, the poor-
rites would have been unequal to the wants of the poor.
One thousand pounds were subscribed in Coventry for
the poor, and in seven weeks forty thousand loaves were
distributed amongst the working classes who were
thrown out of work owing is the present state of the
silk and ribbon trade. One of the consequences of this
state of things was, that the people were turning their
attention to politics. What was this but turning their
attention from trade to other matters, with the view of
discovering means to subvert the institutions of the
country. The free trade system had brought into the
country such a quantity of silk goods as was calculated
to paralyse the silk trade for years. He begged now to
draw the attention of the House to the depreciation of
our exports. The exports, generally, were depre-
ciated, 17 per cent., and, in respect to silk goods, 34
per cent.
Mr. GLADSTONE said he found he had overstated
the case which ho had put to the House. Ile forgot to
deduct the exports from the imports for the years 1846
and 184/, but he found that, taking the whole twelve
years, there was an increase in the quantity of raw and
thrown silk used in the country.
Sir G. CLERK wished to say a few words on this
subject. lie was anxious that every information should
be laid before the House, because he believed that the
inure the principles of free trade were considered, the
more they would be found in accordance with the pros-
perity of the country. But it was said that the people
of Spitalfields and Coventry were in a state of distress.
Now was this the first time that distress was to be found
in these districts? The Noble Lord could find no parallel
for the distress of 1847, except that in 1826 in England,
and 1841 in Scotland. But this was before any altera-
tion had taken place, in the policy of the country as re-
spected protection. The Bight Hon. Gentleman then
adverted to returns made by Captain Willis, from which
it appeared that the silk trade in Manchester was in
great activity, He was prepared to presto to the Noble
Lord (Bentinck) that in 1846 there was 4} millions
of pounds of raw silk imported into this country, and
that in 1847 there was a very great falling off, to the
amount of no less than 60,0001b5. He also found that
there was a very great increase in the year 1844 in ma-
nufactured silk, for in 1844 it amounted to 700,0001bs.;
in 1845, to 714,000165.; in 1846, to 808,000 lbs.; and in
1847, to 907,0001b5.; which is an argument that cannot
be refuted. He would next refer to the losses sustained
by watchmakers, and the Government, by the importa-
tion of foreign watches, and was ready to show that the
watchmakers of this country memorialised the Treasury
in consequence of goods of that description being im-
ported to the amount of 200,000/., which caused a re-
duction of 10 per cent. in the trade of the watchmakers
of this country. He then alladed to the manufacture in
the woollen trade, and argued that the Noble Lord (Lord
G. Bentinck) laboured under a very great hallucination.
Ile should say that foreign disturbances did not in the
least tend to the benefit of this country by cutting off the
trade of foreign countries.

Mr. LABOUCHERE said that he considered that the
measure introduced by the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir R.
Peel) with respect to the corn-laws and other such mea-
sures were worthy of this House and this country, and
he felt assured that this country would be long proud of
such a measure. He then supported it, and as a private
Member was proud to have done so, and was therefore
strongly opposed to the motion of the Noble Lord (Lord
G. Bentinck). For with respect to raw silk imported
into this country he was prepared to prove that that
trade has very much increased; but it should be recol-
lected, on the other hand, that the export trade of
manufactured silk has also increased. The Noble Lord
(Lord G. Bentinck) should also know that there is a
diminution this year of 3,0001b5. of raw silk imported
into this country when compared with last year, which
must tend in some degree to the injury of the manufac•
turing interest of this country. He sheuld say, though he
was opposed to the motion as being unnecessary, that he
should not object to the returns demanded, but would
add, that the Government could not be answerable for
the accuracy of those returns.
Mr. M. GIBSON said that the first part of the even-
ing, was employed in putting off the business of the
country tomorrow, by engaging the House not to meet
then. He considered that the motion of his lion. Friend
(ltr. Hume) was worthy of attention. As a system of
poliey, the Noble Lord should have made a substantive
motion, and have taken the sense of the House upon it,
instead of wasting time in discussing unopposed returns.
The Noble Lord might rely upon it, he
,would not be
considered as the friend of the people by endeavouring
to add to the price of the loaf, or sugar, or tea, and he
might tell him this, that such sympathy for their dis•
tress was sure to be regarded, not as the tears of their
friends, but as those of the crocodile. lie could not bo
called the friend of the people for that, neither could he
claim to be the friend of the farmer, if he endeavoured to
restore a monopoly now that he was exposed to the com-
petition of the foreigner.
Mr. HENRY said that he remembered well how the
lion. Member for Manchester used, night after night,
to turn to the same subject of agitation, until he obtained
what he sought for, and, remembering that, he felt sur•
prised to find that Hon. Member complaining of others
fur doing the same thing. Ho did not, nor, indeed, could
he, deny that the Noble Lord the Member for King's
Lynn had a sympathy for the distress of the poor, yet
he said it was useless. Now, he could tell the Hon.
Member that they had their own conscientious opinions
on political matters, just as he had, and that they were
not to be repressed from uttering them by any such
means as he had chosen that evening to have re-
course to.

Lord G. BENTINCK briefly explained, complaining
that his argument had been much misrepresented, or
much misunderstood, by the Right Honourable Member
for Oxford. With regard to the observations of the
Honourable Gentleman, the Member for Oxford, he
confessed he was much surprised to hear him accuse
him of endeavouring to enhance the price of sugar,
when he had aimed, in particular, to take a halfpenny
olf the duty on colonial sugar. The Right Honourable
Gentleman rose to stop a discussion, when the object
for which it had been commenced had been obtained.
Then it was that the Right Honourable Gentleman
wasted the time of the House. lie was at a loss to ac-
count for his great dislike to Epsom Downs, unless it
arose from the circumstance, that he had been intro-
duced by Sir Thomas Gooch, as a most promising Pre,-
tectionist representative for the county of Surrey; and
perhaps, tuo, he well knew what a choking hill there
Was at Epsom for colts that were disposed to run ititlY•
—(Great laughter.) If it were at all inconvenient to
the Government, however, he could obtain the returns
from his own friends in the City, without troubling
them.
The returns were then ordered.