The Sun.
London, England, 1846-05-27 00:00:00

IMPERIAL PARLI E'N'f.
HOUSE OF LORDS, Map 26.
Their Lordships met at ten minutes to Five o'cliock.
CORN-LA WS.
Several Peers presented a great number of petitions for and
against the repeal of the corn-laws.
The Duke of RICHMOND said he had a petitior to present
to their Lordships on this subject, on which he wish ed to make
few observations, although he did not intend to in ake another
speech upon the corn-laws. he petition was sign ed by 1,390
of the tenant-farmers, who had assembled Rooms, a few
days ago, and who had come to London, from the different
counties of England, for the purpose of showing that those who
had reported them to have changed their opinions with respect
to the corn-laws had stated what was untrue. It appeared to
iltm that the tenantry of this country had not been fairly dealt
with by the advocates of free trade. Their Lordships' tab:e
had been crowded, night after night, by petitions from the
tenant-farmers of England, all of which were in favour of the
Present system of protection, and yet they had been repre-
sented to have changed their opinions on the corn-law quoston.
Ilia Grace then read the petition.
The Duke of RUTLAND presented a petition from the
occupiers of land in the county of Kent in favour of the
repeal of the corn-laws.
Earl FITZWILLIAM presented a petitition to a. similar
effect.

NORTH BRITISH RAILWAY.
A NonLE Loan presented a petition in favour of this
undertaking.
Lord BEAUMONT presented two petitions, signed by 460
and 354 of the tenant farmers in Essex, against the. Corn Bill
now pending before their Lordships.
Lord ASHBURTON presented a petiticn, with 900 signa-
tures attachvd, the prayer of which was to a similar effect.
CORN LAWS—ADJOURNED DEBATE.
The order of the day for the adjotraed debate having been
read,

The Earl of WILTON rose and said that he would occupy
their Lordships' attention only for a short period, and as the
observations which he thought it his duty to make were of a
general nature, he felt that he should have little difficulty in
keeping his promise. But -upon an occasion like the
present, when interests of such magnitude were in-
volved interests involving, in the opinion of many,
wise, cool, judging, and dispassionate minds, no less considera-
tions than those of a social revolution—he thought it would
best become a humble indiviilual like himself to come forward
honestly and frankly to state the course he was about to pursue
—(Hear, hear)—and the reasons upon which he grounded
the vote he intended to give on the present occasion. He had
/many years supported those principles which had influenced
the counsels of her Majesty's present advisers, and
their Lordships would believe that it was with feelings
of no common regret that he found himself in the
honest discharge of his public duties compelled to oppose
the present measure, and it was with feelings of regret that he
found himself opposed to the present Government. How
!zilch more painful, how much more poignant mu t be his feel-
ings when he found himself opposer, for the first time, and he
sincerely hoped the last time in his life, to vote against the
Noble and Illustrious Duke. By his counsels and opi-
nions he was not a.hamed to say that he
'lad been actuated during the whole of lit life.
Their Lordships would give him full credit for the assurance
that it was with the deepest anxiety he came to such a considera-
sA°ll. He did not intend to go into a detail of the measure ; he
Would
, not trouble their Lordships with a lotte detail of
friend in his eloquent and statesman- like speech that any.
thing he could say would but weaken the effect which it had
ireduced on their Lordships' House, and he would confine
tuself to the two grounds which had been urged in favour of
the measure. One of them was the operation of the tariff
211842, and even if beneficial effects attended that measure
he contended that there should be a limit put to
relaxation when it was in favour of free trade.
Under the operation of the law of 1842 they had seen com-
merce, trade, manufactures, and agriculture flourish in the
country, There had been a vast application of capital to
agricultural purposes ; but, more than all this, they had seen a
snore kindly feeling spring up between the hitherto
antagonistic classes of society. —( Hear, hear.) Under
operation of that Bill the country had arrived
:a
e degree of prosperity unexampled. Why, then,
quarrel with this state of things, laying aside the great ex-
perience they had had, and breaking up a great and powerful
Party No satisfactory reason had been given for this pro_
posed departure from the principle of the Bill of 1842.
at _ the only reason he could conceive for proposing it was
.ere thedestitution esttution and scarcity that prevailed in Ireland. They
twetoldi by her Majesty's Government that there was a great
deto and that the month of May would show the real
~tete of things; but May had arrived, and where was the evi-
nceno u promised ? Echo answered where? Certain he was that
sufficient reason had been given why they should
seek to ,change the commercial system of the country.
He could not bring himself to believe that under the operation
of this Bill the price of wheat would be lowered in the same
12,roepertion as the wages of the labourers. Now if that were
thecase—if the means of purchasing erovisions on the part of
" e who would be principally affected by the measure
Were decreased, he would implore their Lordships to
pttuse before they proceeded further with it.
lie was unwilling to trespass upon their Lordships' time on so
trite a subject, but he must be allowed to refer to the manner
in which the measure was carried through the other House.
It was carried through the House of Commons by a compact
entered into between those parties who entertained the most
extreme and dangerous opinions; by the Whip, who had changed
from a fixed duty to no duty at all; and that third party,
who had made a change even more startling.—( Hear, hear.)
He wished to address a few words to those Noble Lords who
had, like him-elf, supported the present Government for many
years, but who now, not like himself, proposed to continue that
,upport. If they were satisfied this measure was right and just—
if they considered favourable results would follow the passing of
this measure—if they considered by passing this measure they
were not giving a stimulus to an agitation for lowering the
Position of the aristocracy, then by all means let them vote
for
it. But if they considered' with him, that he was
rightfea in the view he had taken, then let them, without
irarutof clamour from without, arid without fear of the
thel) Minn of being actuated by selfish motives, vote against
s ecend reading of this Bill, and make use of that legitimate
Powerest which the Constitution had invested in them for the
ion of the monarchy. He had now made the few
Observations he felt it to be his duty to address to their Lerd-
nips on this important occasion, and it only remained for
to thankshown the House for the indulgence they had
him._( u N, Hear,hear. )
The Duke
of CANIB RIDG E felt it to be a duty to himself
and
to his owls character to state in a few words the views he
entertained, and the line of conduct he felt it to he his duty to
ke upon this very important occasion. —( Hear, hear.)
r'e believed he was the oldest Member in that
"uu‘e, having occupied his se it for forty-five years ; but he had
never voted in opposition to the present Government, for where
,A 7 could not conscientiously vote for them, he had
3,e'waya abstained from voting at all. Centsr, hear.)
,se; e was too old to change his senti—(Protec-
`'"ists' cheers)—and now having stated what were his
convictions, they would easily see that he did not intend
l° vote upon this question.—( Hear, hear.) He had stated
frankly and painfully what were his opinions. He could not
Vote upon this question, because he felt that his charaeter was
at sake.—(Loud cheers and laughter.) If he did not state
frankly what he felt, he should be supposed to be lukewarm
as to this question, which he considered to be the most impor-
tant that had ever been brought before the country since he had
the honour of a seat in that House. —( Hear, hear.) He
.!ant to the House of Commons to ascertain the opinions of the
P-ight Hon. Baronet at the head of her Majesty's Government,
Ile went there unbiassed—he had no conversation with any-
body but himself.—( Laughter.) He listened to the reasons
"which that Right Hon. Gentleman brought forward, and he
must acknowledge fairly that he could not approve of the
reasons which he gave. He would not pretend to add any-
'wog to the speech of his Noble Friend (Lord Stanley).
Lord GRANVILLE said a Noble Lord on the other
aide complained of the great number of conversions which
tad lately been made in his party. He thought he would not
complain of that. He considered that, with reference to the
speech of the Noble Lord last night, that in matters of com-
mercial legislation, the last authority they should go to was the
Wisdom of their ancestors.—( Cheers.) When their Lordships
Considered the g.eat changes which had taken place in this
kingdom, the increase in commerce and manufactures, the
gleans of communication so largely increased, the increase in
the population itself, he really thought it was idle to go back to
the times of Edward IV.—( Cheers.) Much had been said of
the unanimity of the farmers upon this question. It was by
some admitted that the great excitement and unanimity upon
the subject prevailed more in the western parts of the metro-
poll, than in the more rural districts. Others again
trade contended that this progress in free among
He did
farmers was of great public importance. not attach
circumstance.a much importance to that circumstance. He did notthink
that the opinion of the farmers should have that undivided
weight
with such an assembly of their Lordships' House. He
believed that they were a respectable body, but he did not
think, from their eneral habits and education, that they were
fully competent to give an opinion as to the lawTsh
"e'rheicwherreegthue-
late the commercial policy of a great country.
Country gentlemen—a class mote highly
and more deservedly
looked up to than any other class in the country. The gene-
rality of them were well-educated men, they were generally
Well vet sed in history and polite literature, and it so happened
that that body not only hated political economists but political
economy. Now, without the study of political economy how
could such a question as this be decided upon. (here
was another class, and that was the clergy of the
Established Church.—( Cheers.) If the effect of this
Bill should be to reduce the price of corn, the clergy would be
the first to suffer. He thought, too, that the compensation
to pens,adthioenr
that was proposed would not happen so soon a
classes. Feeling that, he thought it was very creditable
to the
clergy that they had abstained from all political agitation on the
subject. There were then the commercial and manufacquing
elas,es. He could not allow that class to be called turbid
for amongst that class were some of the most eminent men in
the country. Mention had already been made as to the rate at
which farms had been let and land sold. Now he found that,
notwithstanding this measure, peor land in the south counties
had readily been let, and placed under the plough. He trusted
that their Lordships wouldpass this measure, feeling,
words of Mr. 1-111,kis in the
liance on the B,,urce...son, that the country should place her re-
manufacture, and s of her wealth, on her agriculture, on her
she need not fearevery branch of her vast trade ;
(Hear, hear.) the eomaetition of other countries.
" and that
The Marquis of NORMAN
81,
trouble their Lordship,. Hi. BY said that he was sorry to
would not occupy their time at
any length ; for the turrugtehd
was,to taws
he felt himself very un-
veil, and he was
opportunity of addressing advantage of the
than wait to a later
period of the evening. Antidhoeqhmue:
is
h•protest against the e
denominated thhies
s in the first place, enter
Prime
of
Friend's speech last night, in which he deztrinoi
Alinister of the Crown as the greatest
a solitary cheer
supporrotmg
erthe Noble
Lord upon the Woolsack, himself
g adeNsreirheleto aevredi who
the Right Hon. Gentleman, ands
leaue of
sat ne ir him.
My Noble Friend stated his
d all
personal discussion; he fully joined in that desire
• It could
be no pleasure to enter upon it. But he did wholly differ with
the Noble Lord, that the conduct of public men had no refer.
once to such a subject as the present, and he did feel inclined to
rise last night, even at the
His
hour, to enter his protest
against such a ownstatement. opinions on this subject
He H
were rather peculiar.for one did notbelieve that the in-
trinsic effect of the measure, whether fir good or for evil,
would be quite what the conflicting parties expected. Such
was his opinion ; and while he listened with the respect and
attention which he was bound to show to the concluding decla-
ration of the Illustrious Prince who had addressed the House
that night, he must express his total dissent from the statement
that the institutions of the country and the cause of religion
would be influenced by this question. He had nothing in his
opinion on this subject to regret or renal. He He had always
voted for the gradual application ofthe principle
of free trade in this country, and had rejoiced at everyi relaxa-
tion of the tariff. as he felt it would cause more amicable rela-
tion between this country and foreign powers. He avowed
that he felt it his duty, in the few words which he had to
address, to speak against one of the greatest evils which was
likely to be attendant upon this question. He regarded it as
the duty of every man who felt what was likely to he the bene-
Acial consequences of this measure, to assist in removing that
evil. There had been the most exaggerated references made
to the influence of this measure on the working classes, and he
should so express himself as to mitigate the disappointment,
should this Bill not pass into a law, and also to state his con-