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

fallacy, and to detect the sophistry of his argument.
But where could they find sufficient talent equal
to the task? Where the penetration, the clearness,
of perception, the coolness, the intellect, and the comprehen-
siveness of mind equal to the task. He (Mr. Finch) would
undertake the task. Tim arguments which the Right Hon.
Baronet adopted were such as these :—" There is a failure of
the potato crop, we must throw open the ports." That they
denied. " The ports being once opened, you cannot shut them
again." That they denied. He (Mr. Finch) would ask of
what use it could be to the Irish peasantry to open the ports ?
It was no remedy at all. The Irish peasant, who could not
give 15s. for oats at his own door, how could he be able to give
50s. or 60s. a qr. for foreign corn?—( Hear, hear.) Besides, the
very arguments which the Right Hon. Baronet produced went
against him; for he had told them that the ports had been opened,
but he had never told them that the ports were kept open. Ha
thought that the statesmen of this country were too much in-
fluenced by popular clamour and agitation. He thought that
that man was not fit for a statesman who was riot clamour
proof. lie had heard of a French canary bird who, by con-
Cant training, became accustomed to fire off a cannon, and he
ssbleyiya:rdetcelritai;naodotfouhftr:e..be
would
thatoturf
altddheil:loali
not have
ahgs thagevtreesn
Hemnr:aienlgt.
election,
with
.sciaott
Baronet
oonnn
;eibithee
hmso (aulpit
per
proposed
rruFotnpi a‘no,scsisiehai
dei)
hest:
the
had received. He believed that if the people of this
country were left to themselves, they would soon throw
the system of free trade into the British Channel.
The Right Hon. Baronet, in his statement respecting foreign
silks, said that since the reduction on the importation of that
article the silk manufacturers had carried ell before them ;
but he (Mr. Finch) thought there was no doubt but that the
result would be the total destruction of the silk trade of this
country.—(Cheers.) He had also boasted of the advance of
ship-building in consequence of the reduction which had taken
place on the importation of timber, arid of the number of peti-
tions which were presented in favour of the measure from
ship-owners, but he (Mr. Finch) thought that some petitioned
one way, and some another, and it appeared to him that
a great mass of evidence was, on the whole, against the
Right Honourable Baronet. With respect to feather-beds,
the Right Hon. Baronet seemed intimately acquainted,
although he (Mr. Finch) could hardly conceive how that
could be. He could hardly understand how he had so much
intercourse with feathers, because he thought, he and his
colleagues were reposing for a long time on beds of roses.—
( Great laughter.) With respect to the article of flax, the ar-
guments used seemed to make as much against as for the Right
Hon. Baronet. With respect to the linen trade, notwithstand-
ing the improvement which had taken place in the manufac-
ture of that article in Ireland, he never saw any Irish linen
that could at all be compared with the linen of Alsatia. The
Right Ilon. Baronet it seemed to him made an unfortunate
allusion to Anacharsis Clooty. He was anxious, he said to amale
gamete all classes, and to act with them on the principles of being
citizens of the world. When the Right Hon. Baronet could
gather round them Belgium, Holland, Germany, Prussia,
Denmark, and every other state to deal with him on such
principles, then he might fairly state that the country which
would produce the best articles should have his custom. The
Hon. Baronet would, ho hoped, permit him to refer to the
splendid peroration of the Right Honourable Baronet in his
speech delivered at Tarnworth in the year 1810.—(Hear, hear.)
The Hon. Gentleman then read that portiere of Sir Robert
Peel's speech, in which he stated, in reference to the corn-
laws, " That he could not think of obstructing that magnifi-
cent plan, for he found that there were great interests which
could not be disturbed witheut creating many perils—(Great
cheering from the protectionists)---and he would not
consent to put his hand on those interests for the purpose of
trying new and dangerous principles.--( Renewed cheering
from the same quarter.) It seemed to him (Mr. Finch) that
that speech looked like wisdom, compared to that which they
had recently heard. He did not like to detain the House—
( Hear, hear)--but he was anxious, before he concluded, to
refer to the speech of the Right Hon. Baronet, the Secretary
for the Home Department, who had a very happy knack of
expressing his opinions. (Loud laughter.) He gravely
informed them that while the price of food was low in Poland,
wages were high in America—(Laughter)--which might take
place in any case. In a country like Poland, where the
people possess no constitutional advantages, they could not, of
course, be in as good a position as the lower classes of other
countries. He thought they would admit that even in England
there were various rates", of wages ; in some places eight
shillings, in other places nine shillings, and ranging to
twelve shillings. In some parishes that were over-populated, it
was true that the farmers called the labourers together and
made this proposal. They said they could not employ them
all at full wages, and offered to employ them all at a lower rate
of wages, or a portion of them at the usual rate, and the
labourers generally accepted the farmers' proposals. The
farmers were obliged to adopt that course in consequence of
the home competition, and the soil being poor they were not
enabled to give the same rate of wages. In some counties the
price for labour was not always to be depended on as an index
of prosperity, as in Buckinghamshire formerly, where silk
was manufactured, and where the price of wages fell
on its being discontinued. It was always known, as
far as his experience went, that whenever the farmers
were prosperous, the labourers were benefited in a like ratio.
He found that that was the opinion of the Right Hon. Baronet,
for he at one time stated, "that when there was a low price
for corn, the manufacturing interest would be depreciated, and
that low wages would always be the consequence of low prices."
The Hon. Baronet went on to prove that when bread was
cheap the ratio of crime diminished. He took a period of
six years to prove his position, commencing with the year
1840, and terminating with 1845, This he divided
into two portions, the one when the price
of bread was high, terminating in 1842, and
the ether when bread was cheap, ending in 1845, he then
showed what was the amount of crime in the two portions, and
he showed a falling off of eighteen per cent. in the latter half.
He also pointed out to the House, that in the first period, the
price of corn averaged from GO to 70 shillings, and in the
second, from 50 to 60 shillings. Now, he (Mr. Finch)' ad-
mitted the decrease of crime, but he attributed it to a far dif-
ferent cause ; it occurred in a period of great manufacturing
prosperity, while the first period was the season of great
manufacturing distress. The increase and decrease of crime
were, therefore, dependent upon their manufacture' prosperity,
arid the price of bread had nothing to do with it. It was,
urged, however, by the Government that the sliding scale be-
came locked, and that it became necessary to make a change
in the system. Why, it was the Government themselves that
locked the scale. It locked fast enough until they commenced to
talk of opening the ports.—( Hear, hear.) The report
of their intentions having been whispered, it raised
the price of corn abroed, lowered it at home,
and raised the duty from fourteen to fifteen shillings a quarter.
He again asserted that the Government had to blame them-
selves. It was also urged that this was a final settlement of the
question. He could nut agree to such an assertion—an appeal
must be made to the country either in that year or the next,
and the question, no matter how carried, would he just as open
as before. Supposing them easure were carried early in the
next year or the present, there would be petitions for the repeal
of the malt-tax—(Hear, hear)—and petition on petition would
be presented for the repeal of the land-tax and property-tax—
( Hear, hear) and probably for some organic change
in the Constitution ; *here would then be such a
fear and panic among the fundholders, that the free
traders would be burnt in effigy, and the whole question be
settled by retiring to old British principles.—(Laughter.)
The Right Hon. Baronet said that the principles of free trade
were the principles of common sense.—( Hear.) That might
he true in the abstract, and perfectly true in some planet which
he is as not aware had been as, yet discovered, and which was never
disturbed by war. But upon the earth they dwelt the principles
of free trade would be discovered to be of uncommon nonse-
sense. Prussia could not be depended on, neither could France.
Every one knew that the latter ccuntry was in every way op-
posed to the commercial policy of this country. The great
passioc of the French people was glory, and the smallest possible
circumstance was sufficient to induce them to gratify this
passion by a sanguinary war of conquest or invasion. With
regard to America, it could not be denied that she was desir-
ous to embrace the first opportunity to extend her posses-
sions—have uncontrolled empire wherever she had a chance of
being successful. There was no country with which he depri-
eated wnr more than with America, as he firmly believed that
they would ont be two years at war with her before they should
be involved in a war with France, nor wonld they be two years
at war with France before they were engaged in a war with
America. In such an event look then at the consequence; de-
pending as they were on America for tobacco,
cotton, and a considerable portion of their employment
for the manufacturers.—(Hear, hear.) Now, he did maintain
that the system proposed to be adopted with regard to the
agriculture of the country was essentially unjust. During the
last fifty years more than 400,000,0001. or 500,000,000/. of
money had been invested in land under the impression that
protection would not be withdrawn from it. He could not,
therefore, but think that it was essentially unjust that the
agriculturists of this country should be now brought into com-
petition with the labourers of other countries, who were only
paid at the rate of 6d. per day. Every country should, in his
opinion, have a system of poor-laws (and Heaven forbid that
this country should ever be without a system of poor-laws) ;
but with those heavy burdens which were pressing upon the
English agriculturists, he considered it impossible for them
to be able to compete successfully with those countries
which were not so burdeneal. They might be called
upon to use machinery to a greater extent in
agricultural operations anclisteam-ploughs, had been recom-
mended, but if this were the case, the first result would be the
setting on fire of their corn-stacks. He contended that it was
utterly impossible for them, under any circumstances, to com-
pete in corn with other countri,s, in ecnsequence of the low
price of foreign labour. In a speech made by the Hight Hon.
Baronet a few years ago, it was stated by him that the price
of corn in Denmark for the twenty-five years preceding was
only 'Bs. 10d., and that there was a surplus of 700,003 quar-
ters ready to be exported after the demands of that country
were fully supplied. Now, if so much might be expected
from Denmark, what, he asked, might not be expected from
Russia and other countries ? The Right lion. Baronet stated
that, in the course of three or four years, there would be a
glut in the market, and in that case there would neither be rent
for the landlord, profit for the tenant, nor wages for the la-
bourer. He made those remarks when it had been proposed
that there shonld be a fixed duty of Bs., and he (Mr. Finch)
would ask, if the Right Honourable Baronet expected
such a complete glut in the market then, what
geauslittlytty'salar hear.) 'f here could be little doubt that
might not be expected when the duty was abolished altogether?
Rightha(iitllionn.hißsaproonweetr a
tot tdhoe
awayhead
he contented himself with taking the duty off
and relieve the agriculturists from it, but he
had he reduced. his
lelaor.id_t(ax
e•ara,rideahne waes
Tdihdenreotwdaso
Neither
of anboethaerboa
ac
at
loifdien
o,g,flialtishesr.thltelNamje
then conclude by offering his opinions as to the result of
would
injustice.
Hid ehe•lien)lilion.
the division.—(
the Right Hon. Baronet would have •
asope;rioGdowvehrelnimthenet
fide minority.
a nominal majority, but
wlich, in fact, would
therefore
who had misrepresented. their constituencies had been
Members
majority, there
from that could be no doubt that, in
deducted
the estimation of the country, it would be regarded as a
minority.—
(Proteetionist cries of " Hear, hear.") As far as
he (the Hon. Member) was concerned, he would ever be found
battling on the present side of the question; and, he doubted
not that, on their first appeal to the country, which they would
make on the first occasion fearlessly and baldly, they would
have the majority
LI the population with thein.—(f Hear,
hear," tt Oh, oh," and laughter. ) The appeal would shortly
be made to the nation ; and he feared not they would have the
constituencies with them, when 300 protectionists would /he
returned,—(Laughter.) The cause of protection was not lost.
No, it was still dear to the hearts of the nation, because it
was in consonance
with their feelings and habits.—( Hear,
hear.) They were strong in principle and consistency, anti
they were prepared to defend and support that principle as
'
long as they had voices to utter, arms to raise, or shots to dis-
charge.—(.Cheers and laughter. )
Mr. SEYMOUR said that on rising for the first time to
address the House, he hoped to be able to enlist their sympa-
thies in his favour, and he was certain of being suc-
cessful, when he assured them that his speech would
not cccupy more than a few minutes. —( Hear, hear, hear.)
He was not going to discuss the principle of protection,
which had been canvassed mush at that (the Ministerial) side
of the House; and had not allusion been made to the opinions
of the tenant farmers, he would not have risen then. It struck
him, indeed, that some Hon. Gentlemen, who had been elected
six years ago, appeared at that moment to be quite tergetful of
their own opioions, as well as the feelings of their constituents.
—(11e:1r, hear.) But he doubted not, the time was not far off
when their memories would be thoroughly refreshed.—
(" Hear, hear," from the protectionists. ) lie ( the
Honourable Gentleman) had the honour of being
elected on la t Thursday for Dorsetshire, and lie
should the a ;taw the opinions of the farmers of that district,