The Sun.
London, England, 1846-06-23 00:00:00

,e shoulders of the Government on to Other and inferior

persons.
Earl STANHOPE replied, that his object on putting the
question was, to be informed whether the Government,
before they proposed this measure, had taken the opinion of
intelligent, impartial, and well-informed persons on the effects
likely to follow the carrying out of the measure, and he really
believed that the Noble Earl had it in his power, there and
then, to give a distinct answer to the question. He knew that
it was utterly in vain to argue this question further, for there
seemed to be a strange and unaccountable
_conversion of
opinion on 'this subject. Their LoidshipS, hOwever, would
find probably. at the end of the year, that thp principles of
free trade would become odious even amongst the mannfac-
rurers themselves, and they would find that those very men
would come before their Lordships praying them to re-enact
those laws under which their commerce and the country at
large had flourished —(Hear, hear.)
The Earl of RIPON said, that if lie had consulted the
opinions of merchants and traders as to the effect of this
measure in the same manner as the Noble Earl h
represented had been done by Lord Liverpool, he should
have received the most contradictory answers. N.rw
he (the Earl of Ripon) conceived that that could not be the
best mode of proceeding in this matter. The glovers of Wor-
cester and Dover, when a previous measure similar to this was
submitted to Parliament, came to Parliament anu represented
that they should be ruined if it passed; but it was shown to
them that under the old system they could not proper, in con-
sequence of the high duties, which kept alive the system of
smuggling; whereas the measure proposed would make the
trade of smuggling a most unprofitable, instead of, as under
the old system, a most profitable system.—( Hear, hear )
The deputation eventually, after the matter was fully explained,
admitted that they were totally in the wrong. Another depu-
tation waited upon them from the dealers of prevision in Ire-
land, but the result was the same. A deputation from the
boot and shoemakers also waited upon him in his official capa-
city of President of the Board of Trade ; but their
Lordships themselves must know that not a whit
less leather had been used in the manufacture of
boots and shoes in this country since the passing of the tariff
of 1842. Another most important deputation, consisting of
thirty-two Members of Parliament, as well as several other
gentlemen representing the milling interest of this country,
waited upon the Members of the Government to state that
unless the ancient system of protection were not only allowed to
continue, but even to be inc eased, they would be totally ruined.
But every one knew that all these prophecies had been any-
thing hut fulfilled.—( Hear, hear.)
Lord MONTE A GLE ,aid the House had a right to ask the
Members of the Government what they expected the conse-
quence of this measnre would be.—( Hear, hear.) They had
so often asked, but he appealed to their Lordships whether the
Government had given a decided answer to sin of the questions
that had been proposed to them. Their Lordships had a right
to know a little from their Lordships what effect these measures
would have on the revenue—the finances of the country.—
( Hear, hear.) Of course he gave the Government his hearty
support in their attempts to carry out the principles of free
trade, but the passing of measures like th se must
inevitably lead to the perpetual continuance of that
heavy burden the income-tax. ( Hear, hear.) If
the country were condemned to a tax of 5,500,0001., it might
be quite just that the country should be so burdened, but lie
wished to know in what position this measure would place the
finance of the country ? He did not feet any apprehension as
to the security of the country, with respect to its finance.
He should regard that man as a mere quack in the free trade
cause, who should hold that the recent diminution of burdens
upon the commerce of the country had led to its prosperity.
( Hear, hear.) The recent prosperity was not any more attri-
butable to the policy of the Government than a good harvest
should
eas the
thise effect
metoefastuhreeir
would necessarily
h,ar) consideredewould
repatthat
cause the continuance of the income-tax, and that the House
had a right to demand an answer to the question, " what effect
will the measures have on the finances of the country?—
(Hear, hear.) Free trade was the question which interested
all classes, and he grieved to think that his Noble Friend op-
posite should have lent his talents, his influence, and his
youth to the advocacy of protective duties.--( Hear.) His
Noble Friend did not always hold those opinions, for in 1842
he reduced the timber duty, when it was an increasing duty,
The duty amounted to 600,000/. a-year. lie also consented
to a repeal of the auction duties, which amounted to 300,000/. a-
year Here, therefore, was a million gone. The manufactures
of this country required no protection. The Noble Lord here
quoted the evidence of Mr. A'hworth and Mr. Gre 'g, to show
that the British merchant did not fear the competition of
America, or any other place in the world. The evidence of
these gentlemen being relied upon as proofs against free trade,
was the most extraordinary misapplication of evidence he had
ever heard of. There had been objections taken to many parts
of this tariff, which were disposed of by the Noble
Lord the President of the Board of Trade. It was well known
that foreign articles were introduced into this country by
smugglers, who injured the revenue to a very large amount.
I dics
intoone, th y y
Pis country between slates, which
The article of mosa al upon which a heav dut was im-
posed, was amugs e „
trade they would increase the amount of
this
venue. venue. (Hear, hear.)
this contraband
The cry got up against t
were used as ballast. By doing away with the incentive to
well known that the
to plain fact, it was
but to come the great benefit of the country.
Lord COLCHE
measure might do very well in poetry, and excite a cheer,
result of the Bill would he to
S,TER believed
d be yet taken up by the
which was now so much despiad, would
more directly affected
' the protective principle
manufacturers themselves when they were
by competition with America, and other countries, and they
Housethe
wagril'edulmtuorriestsfaovf.our
would be praying the House for that protection which they were
now deprivingcame that
farmers of the country, The
to consider those
consider their clairn3
than they were now disposed preferred by the
the imports had inerneta'swedth' Pabelryhaps when that period
3% The Noble Lord concluded by re-
ferring to some returntr
Marquis of SALISBURIL samee
diC
1843, the amount of
shipping had not increasedsiinne;.ll
the object of showing that though
nroattiothink the measureßritish
ash was expected by
proposedg
who w
supportedoul d work tso
TarihveaiNn toabgieeo 11,1,2 !rd
The
President of the
;iietries of
tho
Board of Trade, had supported the measuret
re-
turns which he ( the Marquis of Salisbury) thoyua
at-
tended with a great deal of mystification. He did not weretk results deduced from them so satisfactory as they had been the
con-
sidered by the Noble Lord ; for while the reduction of theduties might lead to an increase in the consumption of foreign
silks and hoots and shoes, it would be at the expense of British
industry. He recollected that a similar change in the tariff some
years ago, raised the linen trade in and ar,rund London. The
measures now proposed would tend to reduce the revenue very
much, andforce them to depend on direct taxation, when they
would find a general outcry raised by the country against the
course they were pursuing. —(Hear, hear.) As the present