The Sun.
London, England, 1848-08-29 00:00:00

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SUN,

L ON DON,

consumer, regardless altogether of the number of work-
men who might be thrown out of employ at home. The
real reason why copper was so dear was the monopoly
which existed in smelting; but no proof had been given
that the Bill would put an end to that monopoly. But
eve n if it could be shown that the great mass of the con-
sinners would obtain copper at a cheaper rate, they were
running the risk of throwing out of work a great portion
of the Cornish miners; and whilst they were doing this
they were encouraging slave labour, because a large por-
tion of the copper ore came from Cuba.—(hear.) .These
were the reasons which induced him to question the po-
licy of the measure, which he was arrant would be at-
tended with great injury, without being productive of any
corresponding benefit.—(Hear, hear.)
Colonel THOMPSON said there were two ways of
obtaining copper for use in this country; one was by
digging it out of the Cornish mines, and the other was
by making cloth at Bradford and other place, and ex-
changing it for the copper of Cuba and Chili. If the
Cornish man had good mines, let him work them by all
means; but if they were inferior, then let the foreign
trade come in and benefit alike the manufacturing and
shipping interests of England. The present seemed to
be a contest for putting down the trade of Lancashire
and Yorkshire for the advantage of Cornwall; and in
the whole course of the debate he had not heard a single
reason why this should be done.
Mr. NEWDEGATE—The President of the Board of
Trade (Mr. Labouchere) had stated that the copper had
not been brought to charge; but if that were so, on
what were the bonds to be taken? If the value of the
copper bad not been ascertained, and supposing this
Bill should nut pass, he should like to know who was
to pay the duty?—(Hear, hear.) The Honourable
and Gallant author of the " Anti-Corn-law Cate-
chism" (Colonel Thompson) had risen to-night to pre-
fer the claims of Bradford, whose produce, however,
ho had omitted to tell the House was protected by a
duty of 10 per cent., whilst the Cornish miner was to be
deprived of his small protection of 5 or 6 per cent.
Such was their happy system of free trade. Bradford
was suffering in common with the rest of the community;
therefore the Hon. Member told his constituents, seek
your remedy against the people of Cornwall; you have
10 per cent. protective duty—they have but s—strip
them of that, and take your chance of getting anything
out of the exchequer. Now this was a system which
he (Mr. Newdegate) had always deprecated. It was the
system of setting one interest against another—of first
precipitating most of the interests of the country into
distress, and then setting the industrious classes to cut
one another's throats.--(Hear, hear, and No.) If the
people of Bradford required protection let them have
it as against the foreigner; but it should not be at the
expense of their fellow-countrymen, the inhabitants of.
Cornwall. He must say, that the mode in which the
value of copper ore had been introduced into the accounts
of the Board of Trade was calculated to mislead the
public. A series of errors had been committed in returns
made by the Government, and it certainly was strange
that, in every instance, the mistake was in favour of free
trade.—(Hear, hear.)
Mr. W. BROWN thought that the Hon. Gentleman
opposite had also committed errors. For instance, the
Hon. Member who hasi last spoken said that the manu-
facturers of Bradford were protected 10 per cent. Now,
neither woollens or cottons were protected.
Mr. N EWDEG ATE—Worsteds.
Mr. W. BROWN—'Ihe Noble Lord opposite also
was mistaken in his statement of the cost at which coals
could be delivered at Baltimore. He had the best an•
thority for denying that the price could not exceed 11s.
or 12s. a ton. With regard to the Bill before them, he
firmly believed, that if the Chancellor of the Exchequer
had not proposed to take off the duty, we should have
lost the smelting trade and the duty also.
Mr. MUNTZ supported the Bill, as he thought it
but fair that the manufacturer should have the raw ma-
terial as cheap as possible.
Captain VYSE observed that there was a protecting
duty of 10 per cent. upon wool mixed with cotton.
Mr. CAREW stated that the miners in Cornwall
were suffering great distress. This Bill would throw a
great number out of employment.
Mr. TURNER supported the Bill. He denied that
there had been a petition from the mining districts in
Cornwall against the Bill. He went further, and main-
tained that the great mining interests were in favour of
the Bil!. Be had as much interest in Cornwall as any
man in that House, and he believed he took a correct
view of the question. In conclusion, he trusted lion.
Members opposite would see that the doctrines which he
advocated were right, and those which they advocated
were erroneous.—(Hear, and cries of "Divide").
After a few words from Mr. Macgregor and Mr.
Vivian, and Mr. Newdegate and Mr. Turner in reply
(amid manifestations of impatience on the part of the
House), strangers were ordered to withdraw.
The House divided, when there appeared—
For the second reading 77
Against it
Majority
The Bill was then road a second time.

The Distilling from Sugar Bill went through Com-
mittee, to be reported this day.
The report on the Slave Trade (Muscat) Bill was
brought up and considered, and the Bill was ordered
to be engrossed, and to be read a third time this day.
The House adjourned at Two o'clock.

PARLIAMENTARY DIVISIONS.

From the Votes and Proceedings of the House of Coounons.)

MONDAY, AUG. 28.
SPIRITS (DEALERS IN) BILL.
(IN TIIE COMMITTEE.)
Clause 25 (Persons removing Spirits in any quantity ex-
ceeding one gallon, in any part of the United Kingdom, and
refusing to produce a proper Permit or Certificate, may be
arrested, convicted, and, on non-payment of the penalty, im-
prisoned for not more than six or less than three calendar
months) :—Amendment proposed, p. 13, 1. 30, after the word
" penalty" to insert the words " not exceeding :"—Question
put, " That those words be there inserted." The Committee
divided :