The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-07 00:00:00

affect the agricultural interest. He understood the Hon. Baronet to
say that they would take a vote that night on the shilling duty, and
if so, he for one was prepared to vote against it.. If the Government
on their own responsibility hurried forward tho measure without
having any discussion on it, it could nut be supposed that, the ques-
tion would be settled. Notwithstanding that the famine Was made a
sort of stalking-horse for the Goventment, he begged leave to say
that it would not have the desired effect; and that the agricultural
Members had not the slightest confidence in those who would make
use of such argument to carry their propositions. He could not con-
ceive on what principles he brought forward his measure, for it was
clear that maize weal I come into competition with wheat, barley,
and oats ; theretbre, he thou,. ht a discussion should come on at
teene period when 1i a Wm. Friends weal be able to state their
C 01,10715. they lia.l taliieKli'lviv,at, let it be remembered that
America produced 700 million. quarters of maize—(Curies 01 "
oh") —he meant 700 million bushels.--(Cheers and laughter.) Thu
product was so ecormous—so much so that last yell* we consumed, on
an average one quarter, while the consumption in the United Staten
eves estimat, d at three and a half bushels, whi.h he thought

.....
showed pretty clearly that Indian corn did come into competition
with the corn of this country. All he would say was, that if it wens
determined to take those resolutions, ke should vote against them.
Sir ROBERT PEEL begged to call the attention of his Ilon.
Friend to the fact that the Government would proceed on Monday
with the first reading when an opportunity would be given
for discussion; at the same time he hoped it would
be remembered that great distress was prevailing
in Ireland, which they had taken the responsibility on themselves
of ineedng, by ordering in a very large quantity of Indian corn, and
they had reason to believe that many were now depending on it as
their chief means of support, and were anxiously looking out for it.
There were considerable sums expeneecl in the purchase of Indian
core, and he admitted, if it was properly prepared, it would make ex-
cellent; food ; at the same time, considering 'he great advantage it
tin ould be to Ireland to have it, he hoped the Hon. Member would not
oppose its introduction, as the Hon. Member (Mr. Miles) could make
his objection on Monday next.
Mr. BRIGHT thought that the Von. Gentleman would be ad-
vancing the interests of the agr-culturists by acceding to the proposi-
tion of the Right Hon. Baronet. lie had every reason to believe that
the opinion of the agricultural body was in a very doubtful state with
respect to the introduction of Indian corn, and certainly it could cot
be taken as an objection to it, that human beings would get some
portion of it as well as pigs and cattle. Now considering the position
of Ireland, he did ask thellon. Gentleman to withdraw the opposition
which he was giving to the Bill.
Mr. MILES objected to the course which they were pursuing, but
he was perfectly unprepared to enter into the discussion at all, but he
thought it his duty to state what had occurred in the country, and
an Hon. Gentleman, in the discharge of his duty, should not be
taunted, especially as he gave credit to the. Hon. Gentleman opposite—
(Mr. Bright)—for sincerity when he brought forward his measure.
At any rate his motives were supposed to be good, as he was not
stating his owns individual views, and he considered he was not to be
bed up to a public reprobation. He thought the Government had
acted very properly in importing a large quantity of Indian corn
under the present circumstances for the consumption of the Irish
people ; but he thought that before the famine occurred, the Go-
vernment shou'd itself take the Indian corn out of bond, free of all
duty ; but when it came to be in the market in vast quantities, and
publicly sold, it was a very different question. In taking it out
free of all duty for the supply of Ireland, there would be no objec-
tion to, and he considered that whatever opposition he might offer,
his motives and conduct were not to be impugned by the Hon. Gen-
tleman opposite (Mr. Bright).
Lord G. BENTINCK perfectly concurred with the observations of
his Noble Friend, but he could not conceive the difference whether
the Government paid the duty or let it in free. He did not see any
necessity for the discussion which bad taken place respecting the
article called Indian corn. He was strongly of opinion that the
proper way to benefit Ireland was to purchase Irish oats in the
locality in which the potato disease prevailed. He had every reason
to think that purchasing Irish oats on the spot would be very little
more expensive than-feeding them on Indian meal. If the Govern-
ment had purchased their oats, it would have been far better.
He was not an Irishman, but he believed that every
Irishman had a few oats, which they generally sold to procure the
other necessaries of life. He was, therefore, strongly of opinion that
the Government had committed a great mistake in the purchasing of
maize instead of purchasing' Irish oats, which the people would much
prefer. He believed the Irish would prefer to be fed on oatmeal than
upon that for which their tastes were not adapted. By sending money
for Indian maize they would injure the price of oats in Ireland. He
could not see why they should introduce maize when there was the
option of Irisk oats.
Sir ROBERT PEEL said he proposed that that part of the mea-
sure which applied to wheat, barley, and oats, should have its first
reading on Monday, and that it should be reported on Monday week,
at which time the discussion could be taken on it. He proposed
that that part which applied to maize and beck wheat shout I go
through that evening, and that it should have its first reading on
Monday next, when the discussion could be taken upon that. He
had an objection to the view taken by the Noble Lord who had
spoken last with regard to the purchase of oats. He begged to in-
form the House that the manufacturing portion of the inhabitants of
the west of Sco!land and the west of England principally depended
for support upon oatmeal, and that was principally purchased of Ire-
land. If the oats were to be substituted for maize in Ireland, it
would be depriving the whole population of the west of England and
the west of Scotland of the food which they had been used to, and
raise the price of eats in Ireland. This was one of the first points
which caused her Majesty's Ministers to consider the substitution of
maize, which would prevent oats being greatly raised in price. . _

Mr. S. CRAWFOiID felt that theGoveniment had exercised a
very wise discretion in this matter. •
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said that no one would accuse the Hon.
Member for Somersetshire, nor any other Hon. Member in that
Houe, of inhumanity.—(Hear, hear.) He thought the question
would be discussed better on Monday, and that sufficient notice had
been given of the introduction of maize. He also considered that
the Government had used a sound discretion in proposing to bring in
maize, for that would prevent the raising of the price of Irish oats.
_The discussion on the other part of the Bill should be taken at the
time of bringing up the report.—(Hear, hear.)
The Earl of MARC4I said that ho hoped, after what had fallen
from the Noble Lord the Member for London, there would be no
opposition to the discussion being entered upon on Monday next.
Mr. PINCH did not consider it fair that the maize or Indian corn
should be brought into the market without limit.
Mr. JAMES sa'd that the Indian corn was most excellent for
feeding cattle, and he was sure it could not be injurious to the farmers
of England, inasmuch as it could not be grown iu th,s country to any
considerable extent.
Mr. DISRAELI wished to pet a questicn to the Right Hon.
Baronet. He wished to learn what quantity of maize had been pur-
chased by the Government for consumption in Ireland?
Sir It. PEEL—The Government had certainly purchased maize for
consumption in Ireland, but he was unable to inform the Hoe. Mem-
ber as to the quantity introduced into that country. Me could, how-
ever, inform the lion. Member that the sum expended in that purchase
did not exceed 100,' 001.

Colonel SIBTHORY could not understand why the Hou. Member
for Durham should charge any Hon. Member on his side of the House
with inhumanity; he would have had better, grounds for such a
A.
charge had he spent that 50,0001. of the ntl-CoFn-law League in re-
lieving the di-tress of the people of Iceland. This he had not done,
nor had the Anti-Corn-laW League given one pound towards that
object. He (Colonel Sibthorp) would have given them some pecu-
niary assisttree. He would have given his money without any hope
or expectation of seeing it returned, in order that some assistance
might be rendered to a suffering people.
Mr. MILES sail that he was willing to propose a resolution giving
to Government the power, after the expiration of three months, of
taking corn and maize out of bond, and of importing it free of duty.
Mr. MITCHELL said that he did not see why the business of the
evening should not be proceeded with before any other question was
raised.

Mr. COLLETT said that he understood that there Iws a duty on
potatoes. He did not see by the new tariff that the duty was re-
moved, and he wished to know why it had not? Ile was very de-
-61ro•:s of seeing potatoes aLlmitted duty free.
Mr. BRIGHT said that he wished to ask a question of the Right
lion. Baronet at the head of the Government. Last session the
Right Hen. Baronet said that it was desirable that several articles
which he mentioned should be admitted duty free, and anongst these
articles was cotton. The duty on Indian corn was Is. per quarter, or
about 5 per cent. on the cost in America. If the principle of re-
ducing the duties was to be carried out, why was not the duty on
Indian corn reduced to Id. a quarter ? And if no duty was required,
why was it not admitted free? He would ask the Right lion. Baronet
whether such a mama had not been under the consideration of
Goverment?

Sir R. PEEL said that the duty on many articles had been re-
moved, and greatly reduced on others ; and he, therefore, did hope
that no further reduction would be looked for.

Several lion Members asked questions of Sir It. Peel, but neither
the questions nor the replies of the Right lion. Baronet reached the
reporters' gallery.
The resolution, after a short discussion, was agreed to.

The House resumed, and the Chairman obtained leave to sit again
on Monday.
Mr. S. HERBERT obtained leave to bring in two Bills, one a Bill
for regulating the payment of the out-pensioners of Greenwich and
Chelsea Hospitals ; and the other a Bill to amend the Act ibr render-
ing eff.ctive the services of the Chelsea out-pensioners, and extend-
ing it to the out-pensioners of Greenwich Hospital.
The other orders of the day acre then disposed of, and the House
adjourned at a Quarter to Twelve o'clock.

PARLIAMENTARY BUSINESS.
(From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Commons.)
FRIDAY, MARCH 6.

The following Petitions for Railways were reported, and the Bills
ordered to be brought in ky the undernamed Hon. Members :
North tniou (Horwich Brancl►)—Mr. Patten, Mr. Clifton, and
Captain Lindsay.
Lee4B, York, and Midland Junction—Viscount Morpeth, Mr. Las-
celles, arid Mr. Cayley.
Direct Birmingham and Leicester—Mr. Newdegato, Mr. Muntz, and

• hir. Spc,oner.
Taff Vale—Colonel Wood and Mr. Henry Berkeley.
Tring, Reading, and Basingstoke—Mr. 11. Berkeley and Mr. Etwall.
Manchester and Hyde—Mr. Gibson and Mr. Brotherton.
Manchester and Poole (Luggershall, Salisbury and Poole)—Lord E.
Bruce, Mr. G. W. Hope, and Mr. Etwall.
Glasgow and Belfast Union—Mr. Oswald, Sir J M'Taggart, and

Captain Dalrymple.
Lowestoft and licccles Railway ant Drainage—Lord Rendlesham
and Mr. Gooch.
Grand Union—Mr. Ellis and Mr. Hutt.
Runcorn and Preston Brook—Mr. Patten and Mr. T. Egerton.