The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-21 00:00:00

non. Baronet the reasons of his change. But could there be
any doubt that the fear of a bad crop, and an alarm of a de-
ficiency in the wheat harvest, had produced the change? That
caulapprehension might be well founded or ill founded—time alone
d show. 13ut it served as an awful warning to the people
of this country not to place too much reliance on the political
conduct of Cabinet Ministers. The Hon. Member went on to
„saY that it ems absurd for the Anti-Corn-law League to pro-
'ells superior enlightenment and intelligence on this subject than
toe agriculturists. The real fact was, that it was self-
Interest tkat influenced the members of that body in all
their deliberations.—.(protectionist cheers.) At the same
tithe, lie would maintain that the manufacturers of this coun-
try were entit.ed to a lair share of consideration from the
tWMembers of that House. If it were simply a question be-
eeen the manutaeturers and the agriculturists of this country,
" question would not possess half the importance which
Was attached to it ; but the fact was, that on she issue of the
quests'n depended the national honour and prosperity of the
teentY All the tram ein this country were directly
ar indirectly concerned in the resolution to which the House
'iet'ght cant'. —( Hear, hear. t The Hon. Member then pro-
iteled to make a few remarks upon what had fallen from the
,f.• Meniber for Sunderland (Mr. Hudson) on Tuesday night.
t. Hun. Member then drew a comparison between the con-
aion of this country and the people of Holand, who paid
i`ees to the amount of 1:64. per head; but in consequence of the
i'w tone of voice in which the Hon. Member delivered this
Part of Lis
speech, his remarks were quite inaudible in the
tgh'alitetrY• Hon. Member, as we un-derstood, contended be glumarents which had been brought ferward against the
aarepeal of the corn-laws on the ground that it would make this
tantry
untenabledependet fo its supply of food upon fore gn countries
w 1 wholly . lie stated that we had imported
alinreater quantities of wheat in seasons if comparative plenty,
and to
that we were, in consequence, dependent in some
a
sea um for our supply of food. And as to the question of in-
aaendence, in the time of a general war it was only a question
°laFgree, because this country had already imported 600,000 qrs.
;It4f corn. A general war (continued the Hon. Member)
not likely to burst upon us in a moment. Ihe farmer would
have time afforded him for turning his grass-land into arable.
cult
not attribute the present miserable condition of agri-
n al labourers to the operation of the corn-laws. He
oabPrirehdended that the small farmers of this country, who were
cuts: if ellba4
be tgbee to cultivate their land with limited sesources, would
that would wtohueld most suffer by the change. He was
benefit of the tenant-class of farmers
Into
preconsideration, they would not pass the. measure in
its sent shape,
landed
dd
irnzredst,
~t. In conclusion, he would say a few words on
the effect which a repeal of the corn-laws would have on the
this country. [Here the Hon. Member
at
the
lower
an ofddressed himself to the protectionists sitting
catch his observations tnhe I-louse, and we could not in consequence
a miatake to ervali°-3.-1 We understood him to say that it was
suppose that the people did not take a great interest
i.te'et,l),,e
imrasure now before the House, and that if they (the pro-
a.
el n s sathought other wise, they were egregiously mistaken.
byruleY,_inegur,enantshCaz...rvart,i,ve
confidence that was placed in the Right Hon. Baronet
anion
illenches. party when he came into power re-
) 14No no," st hear, hear," from the Oats-
lat confidence' was placed in the Right
f arotiet, because it was felt that he would never bring
if Zard any measure which would create such financial changes
Bark'
e h\ad not the support of his own party, and he (Mr.
t
Ye would venture to predict that that support would re-
traitn uridirninished. The Hon. Member concluded, by saying,
alrh°etw6hid
e give his support to the measure.
dab —t-NNETT (Member for Suffolk ), who was very in-
aCtatizv_.h. eerd in the gallery, was 'understood to say, that note
the eaaaing.the able statement made by the First Minister oif
ieg the n, in his speech the other night,—and notwithstant -f
4,, ae ebilay with which he conducted the financial affairs o
Lae sce'entrY, he could not place his confidence in him, as he
desart Chin changed his opinions, and because he had seen
.him
Ilse Protestant religion in this kingdom, and repudiate
ihitseeetiments he once expressed so eloquently' in defence of
lioi stablishment. And when he beheld him unsaying all that he
sit ever expressed before, he looked with the utmost alarm
hear. avhat would be his next desertion of principle.—( Hear,
lived ) He represented an agricultural county, and he had
s.d eonstantly in an agricultural district, consequent), he
etistea2• oPportunity of witnessing the kind feelings which
taatielahetween the yeoman, the labourer, and the counhtrt
aide of ariet-f Hear, hear)—whilst Hon. Members on th.e.ot
fer
toeut tile House were not acquainted with the habits o
na
The TY life.—(Loud laughter, and cries of ,I.oh, oh. )
looereed,waa not a country gentleman of his acquaintance whlo
.
sireetin'o the measure which they were then discussing as merely
11elin g their rents. They looked to it with the most kindly
teeteg' in order filet they might be able to make the labourer
lair "rnfortable.—( Hear, near.) He wished to see
.the
ele he'd olicor-General n his place, in order that he might
Vain, had he changed his opinions on the subject of protec-
teefier he held in his hand a speech made by the Learned.
*hen etitta* when returning thanks at a dinner given to him
'ettis eeted
full
the borough of Cambridge, in which. he
sealfe el the fully of those who advocated a free-trade policy.
Heus,aa, Lear.) He would not trespass further on the 1
tti voteiehut would conclude by expressing his intention
title lafia,inet the proposed measures of commercial policy.
eateg4 a'NTZ said, that during the last thirty years no
ale, ad come over his opinions with respect to the present
erenet• He often differed in opinion with the Right Hon.
there,a . and with those Gentlemen beside him, who ealled
tiifferea%. philosophers (Laughter) ) but with all those
thae i-aeteo °I epinion no man in that. House was more desirous
*es Riaata, as that the present Bill should pass into law. It
tat leeag•t4Ying to him to see, however, that this question was
hta Itt—areehaing to an end. He had often told the Right
'he haaenet that there were two courses open for him, and
tlorte-a' taken the wrong course now, he would take
hevery
ere eartitY to support him in carrying it out. --(Laugwase
no
Isesou entlemen might laugh, but he thought there r t
an
tiltt tharhatever for laughter, for anything was. e
.e h
1111 Y sting' 'hould remain in the state of uncertainty in wwhhiicehh
*ls ritPresent existed.—( Hear, hear.) The past etrayclion to
4gricief4ed by the Gentlemen opposite, was
.prO .
Pea , etre.
th b's ow '
hat they e
Now it was protection to native industry.
a ' full , h Part, he wished t .
14-et fit Length and protected all native ;industry
eted eY
did not, however, do so. They only pro-
t
I'qualtia portion of it, and that was one reason why he was
4 ,portion
sheriort the present measure. The Hon. Member
tee,sizteattle had stated that he (Mr. Muntz)
.had only paid
ear late.it of the amount which he had paid thirty years ago
"rted by
He defied any man to say that he had ever pro-
-talu •' elletiag. labour from the poor man at an inadequate
thineratien• -He might variationanow one-sixth of what he paid
labour Years
The e ago, but the in the remuneration for
at etereen this and that period, was in the same ratio.,
ttkaiee puratoincaatstiestfor protectiond thad he admitted, protected eel-
eaulraenters native in_ utshreyr.,traTdehsey had given protection
that were immediately
beat,,.ted
Wi,t.tirneitiah d
laerrithdastry estainc industry,° but they had not protected
wnhdich came into the foreign market. They had
lead
u'rPeeches from the Right Honourable Baronet at the
the g ' thQ Government from the Right Hon. Gentleman
toy itetettratary for the Home Department, and from the Secre-
teas . ear—all to the same effect. The latter Hon. Gentle-
aluattzhtde_ed went a step further than the others, but he (Mr.
eat a..e would go a step further still. He would ask, of what
of con ?he repeal of the corn laws unless it reduced the price
Isolate not If he did not think that this effect would follow, he
reason
eeit) vette for the present measure, and that was the very
Ithy vs.' yit should receive his support. The real reason.
cipie'apresent measure was proposed was, because the. prin-
lit),
u'ft'a.ee-trade must shortly regulate the commercial po-
*hieh atstaB country. It was not the famine in Ireland to
*ell ! eis. great change must be attributed, It was all very
Of faeereteentlemen to make an outcry about the misery
14g fr, uentaY, but that was not the reason for bring-
the w-Ll'ward the present measure. He would ask, did
bite „aies, when in office, do anything to alleviate this misery ?
-- tne
eere a t 0 anythlng to sympathise with the afflictions which
pontes nowiedged to prevail when the Government of h
.flue was in their hands? They did net. When he (Mr.
fused
alluded to it they sneered at his statement, and re-
quite all relief. The retribution was now come, and it was
that possible that any other course could be adopted than
d
pru,__aes. proposed.—( Hear, hear.) For thirty years they had
ue,"alteend themselves, and now when they saw the game was
fearvywaird
weiitrtti,taenetioftat could be maintained no longer, they came
4 honesty was the 1:,,!',1tc1" of great generosity, and said that.
sip those laws from whil'ellleY'"
-- th and that they would give
much advantage.—
it must be admitted was a sudderil'Y
(Hear arid had hitherto derived
sign
not, however, be captious, but he oartughter.) Their conveld
Right Hon. Baronet a straightforwaX
aati—(Laughter.) He: wet
decided, unmistakeable opposition. up on them to giye the
tionet was right or he toas wrong. and manly support, or a
Baronet ',her the Right Hon.
the otwhter.i—n
should not be propping him en
(any case, they
une side while
la_Y were undermining him on
e(.,neayistsehnotulwd
ietihthtehreasepperoivaeie,orsc.ondemn, and exhilibietaar,efttedara.e)t
The Right Hon. Gentleman
it: IL Peel ) had stated that the rate of wages fur the last Years had nothing whatever to do with the price of corn.
ae reference to this
point he would take the liberty, with the
Zirtnission of the House, to read them a few extracts from
tie lel Smith._ The Hon. Gentleman here read severalwhic_
ex!tAstlons from Adam Smith on the relation which
h)
latt:ecr! between the price of corn and the wages of labour.very
mate-
ad
via ',Wiese would remember that there had been a v." "'
144,nknge wince I Sli to 1:45 ; between those periods there
dad heee
,_ a very great depression. During those periods, we
her? undeniable depression in the revenue. Since then how-
-1144 he revenue hat materially increased. The Chinese war
deal atareat increase in the revenue. There was then a great
t,he Inc'eh added to the prosperity of the country.
.There wasd
ae %a:eased demand for labour by the spread of railways, an
Ye oel4- set° that if they were to do away with railways they
athe aanse iron to fall fifty per cent.—( Hear, hear )
'4 th:ll'"Ys in this country made a very great increaset
aedeefiu *ages paid by himself. There was onae . grtehae
*444 la eaused by the general depression, and that w s in
dettetionetere of zinc. There was now so considerable a . re-
"orne att.' that article that it was scarcely worth working.
4 tedi:4?o ago th pei„ was much greater, but so considerable
140 u neh had etak n place in that brought from abrolni,
rat, gna the reductione• the tariff that it was manufactured to
are:eter,
, mean wh a teverin la
this country.—(Haar.) He did not, how-
agaitiat by this argument to have it inferred that he was
t4tit 1 a.' tyP,AI of the corn laws ; on the contrary, heeawra.s) a e In
j Mee , favour of the repeal of those laws.—(Hear, h
"%hp ..j."ng to this depression he was only showing that the
Ma ee 'n the • ,
hY trade Polley of tne country had b.een detrimental to
Nile a• Indeed, it was not to be denied that foreigneras
"this !et their work done at prices so much lower than i
e'queeentrY that an injurious result must naturally be the co4n_-
1'" tone' .why, on the continent iron could be had at
than
ataeur 1, while in this country it could not be had for less
th'ery nn4ettaNo", with respect. to the
.Right Hon. Baronet,.
et his ',ought ism right in his policy till very lately—in
ta,hese itaeatvia!upporters thought him infallible—but. many of
eioe Baru min tu him (Mr. Aluntz), how is it that the Right
he has et has all at once changed a line of policy
as auwnellovoed for forty years ? And they added that. if he
tHea,a ) if,b,, he must have been wrong all that time.—
fu eihe
which.
''', ia.ht le "aving failed, then, for such a time, con;
ter most n• Bzronet now deny that he had deceived
.himself,
attest leave nbtedly, if he was at that moment right, he
\\' , t,
ell, tyi,men Wrong for forty years.—( Hear,
and the en, his oh,
jeet was to get all that lie could into his ht
Wen knew'reason he asked them to join him was because they
h e. aera..),
--(le his plans for he had never made a secret of them.
ei ear, hear 1 I.
, him t „ •., then, the Right Han. Baronet woul
-44ge in ‘ "ar- Muntz)—would enter his boat— be would
Air et he would I d him in a place of safety.—(Cheers.)
Barone!; ll' 131 S R ELan -
ah
currentOtip , I—Sir, 1 believe that the Right Hon.
' the first year of his present al• istr settled
In
Y' ure --
them., het?, and he is now supported in that meas
w.e..
r 5 Must ra ) But in order to understand that measure
Member
i
4r tee, e'er to the speech of the Noble Lord the
5 jet. rPool. ( Hear, hear.) There is one point, h.ow-
whs:,,a upon
which 'no doubt any longer exists.
ertestetr may be the opinion of the two great parties which
whasaaeetrhis Honse upon the general merits ot the measure
at In--faea.. may be our conviction upon the subject of rotec-
° he ea e'ver sanguine our expectations may be of the benefits.
ooe point ulerred on the Coestitution by this measure, there is
, , . at le
Zino, nu . aq. upon which we are all agreed—a
Tall at they ex
41aje,i,,, misunderstandieg can exist, and that is, that her
point urn
((eae,rY,3 present Ministers have changed their opinions.—
that
before
al. ) Prompted tl'
i)eet le measures they proposed, it is quite certain
benefit this country more by the question._
a sa)
in hat
the House than any which preceded ( near
nectar, i,a . is the question which we are now called upon to'
consider, 'avohr of—that is the question which 1 shall now
44, ~ and
Chia'' whichupon which I propose to offer some sugges-
ts 11 use a 1 hope will have the effect of induct g
l'htab the to hesitate before they accede to the great change
Proposed roes.zure will bring about.—(Hear, hear.)
,