The Sun.
London, England, 1851-02-19 00:00:00

btieIIATAIT '—'llllt

LONDON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY ]9, 1851.

In the House of Lords last night,
The Earl of HARDWICKE presented several petitions
from various places in Cambrid4eshire and Lincolnshire,
complaining of agricultural distress. The Noble Earl
attributed its existence 591e1y to the adoption of free-
trade measures, and derided as contemptible the propo-
sition of the Chancellor of the Exchequer to reduce the
duty on seeds as a boon to the agricultural interest.
Earl GRANVILLE, alter recalling the doleful prophe-
cies which had been made by the Protectionists in 1846,
none of which had been funied, called upon Noble
Lords opposite to state distinctly what they intended to
propose, and whether or not they looked 'for a recur-
rence to protection.

The Duke of RICHMOND said that, as Mr. DaSRAELI
had stated in his eloquent speech, that was a, question
to be decidcd at the husting%

Lord WODEHOUSE considered that the distress com-
plained of was local, and entirely dependent on local
causes. Generally speaking it did not exist. Iris
own couniiiy, Norfolk, was also now in a better state
than it had been for years. The returns which had been
made showed that the same was the case generally
throughout the country, but Noble Lords opposite had
made up their minds to deny the accuracy of every
document which did not sanction their particular views.
Tae earl of WINCHILSEA warned them against
increasing the discontent of the agricultural classes; it
would mon rise to such a height as would make the
Government tremble.
The Earl of MALNESBURY said that the existence of
agricultural distress had been admitted in the Speech
from the Throne, and that therefore the Government
were precluded from denying its existence, and wore
called on to adopt immediate measures for its relief.
Barl FITCWILLIAM was convinced that the country
would never tolerate a return to the system of protec-
tion and dear bread. The teuaut-farmors must look not
to the Government, but to their landlords for relief. It
was, in fact, a question of rent.

The petitions wero then laid on the table, and the
house adjourned.

The Commons met yesterday, but the Rouse was
counted cut on Mr. POULETT ECROPE's motion on the
poor-laws.

Unfortunately, it so happens that the Chancellor
of the Exchequer, while estranging himself more and
more from the good opinions of the multitude, is, of
all 'men in her MAJESTY'S dominions, the least actu•
ated by a generous yearning for popularity. Other-
wise he would never let slip such golden opportunities.
Politically speaking, the poor man seems to be afflicted
with a sort of impenetrable deafness. He is warned
by a thousand voices of the precipice of a house-tax :
all the land cries to him " beware ;" and yet with a
jaunty air and a smug cotnplaisancy, as though he
were stepping across a bell-room he goes plop into
the chasm ! Never was there before such an
~O.: NTA,•:fir. smal. blunder. He must infallibly have mis-
f 9:0.....L-.1,-?..,-
~. en the 'advocates of public opinion in re-
-1 4-I,A.:l4ard 4 the duty on windows for a group of
4:, ,*,,,,,4,y ''',-irene and have morally stuffed
2.3.,., •. :, 4
~ ~111 ' jou, as Uzieers. r ered
vo r...... 24.
114 ears with cot- ;
To bis disod imagination,

544,4,•-,,,i4
447.«44.
44. o,";-

~~.