The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-24 00:00:00

CORNILAWS.

On the motion for bringing up the report on the
Address,

Mr. COLQUHOUN said that he should crave the
indulgence of the House for a few moments, not upon his
account, for he felt he had no claim upon them, but he
felt that he should express the sentiments of many
Hon. Members of that House. He begged to express his
opinion upon one of the questions raised last night, and
he referred to the question of agricultural protection.
He voted last year with the Honourable Member for
Wolverhampton, with the opinion that the preserva-
tion of a moderate protective duty would be desirable
for the country. He was most anxious that the adjust-
ment of the question should be effected with a
view to the benefit of all classes of -the country,
It was not his intention to enter at length into the
questions which had been introduced last night, either
by the Honourable Member for South Lancashire, or
the Right Honourable Baronet ; his fingers certainly
itched last night to be allowed to say a word—
(Laughter)—upon some of the subjects advanced by
the Noble Lord. He heard also with surprise one
statement of the Right Hon. Gentleman at the head of
her Majesty's Government, which he considered to be of
paramount importance—the subject of wages, and he had
often heard much better and more able argumet is upon
the question. He only hoped that these distinguised
leaders would indoctrinate their disciples with some
better arguments. It may be right to repeal
the corn-laws, but do not repeal them upon
false grounds. Do not repeal them on the maxim
that wages have no connexion with the price of provi-
sions. It was a doctrine which he did nut find in any of
those standard political works which were so often
quoted by Honourable Members in that House.
He could not, he said, find them in any of
those works, down from Adam Smith to Senior. And
when the Hon. Member for South Lancashire stated
that the produce of the soil should be placed upon an
equal footing with other manufactures, and that it
was entitled to the same protection, he would
be able to show the Noble Lord that there was some diffe-
rence—a great difference, one of which any mind as
candid as his would not fail to admit the force and truth.
He had read that morning a speech of the Hon. Gentle-
man the Member for Stockport, who stated at Man-
chester, that if the ports were to be opened now
it would be the best possible time, inasmuch as
this country could get scarcely any provisions from
abroad, because the whole world was contending for the
stock of corn at present for sale in America.—
(Hear, hear.) If, therefore, the Right Hon. Baronet's
anxiety for the welfare of the population was to be re-
lieved by the opening of the ports, be (Mr. Colquhoun)
would say, that he hoped his anxiety would be relieved
by some other mode, as ho did not anticipate the
discussion they were to have next week on the subject
of the Corn-laws would have that effect. He rose on the
previous evening to advert to some remarks which fell
from the Right Honourable Baronet the First Minister,
but had been anticipated by the Honourable Member
for Shrewsbury.—Gear.) He did not wish, af.er; so
able and so eloquent a speech, to occupy the attention of
the House, but he felt it necessary to say something on
the subject of the appeal made by the Rig ht Hon. Bart.
and to acquaint him with the views he
rtained. con-.
nte
cerning the relation existing between ea partyand the
Minister. Sir R. Peel had evidently reconsidered his vie
with respect to political economy during the last three
years. —( Hear.) He (Mr. Colquhoun) would, however, go
further in the re-considerations of the Right Hon.
Baronet, but not very far. The Right Hon. Baronet
had remarked that he did not wish to be bound by the
views he entertained in the year 1842, but he could not
sfoartg on t,
thean opposite benches, and he (Mr. Colquhoun) remembered, when he
and acted with the Right
Hon. Baronet, that he then regarded him as a very emi-
nente leader of a political panty.—(Hear.) And here
attached
he might be allowed to say, that when Sir R. Peel talked
to office, no
of the burdens and anxieties that
man could appreciate those services more than he did.
assuming the seals of
When he witnessed a Minister
&Eon. from cr,-11,1:;Lig the Nitric Lord opposite,
when in office, all the p,:y.r,:r and honour appertaining to
the high position he occupied, he considered the honour.
was by no means an adequate equivalent for the crushing
anxiety, the toil, and the actual labour that official men