The Sun.
London, England, 1850-04-24 00:00:00

the reduction of price, looking at the notnerotis
countries all of which woui.i send their grain to this
market, it was certain that under the new policy prices
must be permanently low, and unprofitable.—(lieur,
hear.) Under these circumstances it was morally ins-
possinle that cultivation could be carried on in this
country—(Hear, hear)—or that additional capital and
industry could be invested in an unremunerative occupa-
tion. What was to be done with the Lothians, the gar-
den of Scotland, where skill and capital bal already done
their utmost, and it was imposAble to add materially to
the productiveness of the s ? He believed the time
had coisc,e when they must abandon this policy, give up
this id-fated experiment, and retrace their steps.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said the Noble Lord
had drawn inferences and made statements which would
have been better made after the returns had been laid
upon the table. But he altogether denied the words
which the Noble Lord had put into his mouth, as to the
failure of the experiment, or the necessity of revising
their past policy. He denied that he said one word in-
dicative of a feeling that it was necessary to repeal the
laiv.—(llear, hear.)
Lord STANLEY explained. The Noble Marquis
said that the case in question was an exception, as the
prices could not last ; and the inference he (Lord
Stanley) drew from this statement of the Noble Mar-
quis was, that the prices were neither such as the Noble
Marquis hal anticipated or considered desirable, and,
therefore, that the experiment had failed.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE thought their Lord-
ships were not justified in coming to the conclusion that
the experiment had failed. If the Noble Lord was de-
sirous of fairly testing this matter, his course was clear.
He ought at once make a substantive motion on the sub-
ject, when the question could be fairly gone into. He
could not, however, allow that opportunity to pass with-
out denying that the measure for the repeal of the duty
on corn had been so tried, as to justify the conclusion
that the measure had failed.

Lord STANLEY said he did not consider the present
price of corn an exception, nor did he think he was
bound to bring a substantive motion forward to test
the efficacy of the alteration of the law in relation to
corn.

Earl GREY contended that if Noble Lords felt that
the measure in question had failed, they ought to test
the matter by bringing forward a substantive motion on
the subject-. lie objected to a discussion being raised
on the merits of a measure upon a mere motion for pa-
pers, when that discussion could lead to no practical re-
sult. He contended that it was no more in the power of
Parliament to fix the price of corn, than it was to fix
the rate of wages, and the Noble Lord (Lord Stanley),
when in power, objected to any attempt being made to
effect this latter result.

Lord BEAUMONT thought the House was much in-
debted to the Noble Earl (Malmesbury) for bringing for-
ward this motion, because their Lordships were not at
the present moment in a position to say under what cir-
cumstances foreigners were importing their corn;
whether with the prospect of certain loss, or with the
expectation that the present low prices would not con-
tinue, but would suddenly advance. The free-traders
did not meet these questions with anything like courage
hear)—and when Noble Lords complained of
the present low prices, the tree-traders, instead of apo-
logising for such a state of things, and urging that it was
the consequence of accident, and wholly exceptional,
they ought boldly to say, prices are low, and so much
the better; and if the price of wheat was now only 355.,.
if it were even 236., they would bs more pleased, because
of the gain of 10s. for the purchase of machinery and
other articles. What alarmed him most in connexion
with the repeal of the corn•laws was the u tter absence
of corn in any of the great bonding storehouses of Eng-
land, and particularly in the north, at Hull, Goole, &c.,
and those plaets were now devoted to other purposes
than granaries, which showed that the race of corn spe-
culators had vanished. In the event of a sudden blight
they would not have corn to meet the requirements of
the public.—(llcar, hear.) He thought, however, that
the A 4 in relation to the duty on corn had not yet had
a sufficient trial; at the same time they ought to have all
the necessary information on the subject.
The Earl of gALiMaLSBURY replied, and hoped his
motion would not be delayed by the addition suggested
by the Noble President, of the Council.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE said they would not,
and they would Ls laid Lefore the [louse with all possible
celerity.

The- returns, with the addition proposed by the Noble
Marquis, were then ordered.
The Duke of 11,ICIIM 3ND gave notice that on Fri-
day he would present forty petitions complaining of the
operation of the present law in relation to corn, and
asking for a return to prbteetion tr native industry in all
its branches.

The Marquis of LL\NSDOWNE, in reply to the Earl
of Powie, said it would be inconvenient to discuss the
quesion of the residence of Dr. Lamb as dean at his
deanery and of his being at the same time head of a
collage, as the matter was to be settled by a clause in a
Bill now before the other House.
The School Districts Contribution Bill was read a
third time and passed.
The Earl of POWIS presented a petition praying for
an explanation of the differences which had taken place
between the National Society and the Committee of the
Privy Council; also a petition against Sunday labour in
the Post-office.
Their Lerdahips then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COiiMONS, April 23.
The SPEAKER toult the Chair a few minutes before
Four o'clock.

EAST OF FIFE RAILWAY BILL.

O❑ the motion that this Bill be read a second time,
Mr. LABOUCHEP►B expressed a wish that the
second reading cf this Bill should be postponed for a
fortnight until the House came to a decision on the
Railway Abandonment Bill, which affected Bills of this
kind.

Mr. FERGUS thought it right to deny that this Bill
was promoted by 900 out of 1,000 shareholders; and he
had no objection to it 3 second reading being postponed
for a fortnight, though he hoped the House would even-
tually sanction its second reading.
Mr. E. ELLICE, junior, objected to the postpone-
ment of the Bill, on the ground of the expense it would
entail upon the promoters.
It we? ultimately agreed to postpone the second read-
ing for a fortnight.
SECOND READINGS.
The following Btlls were read a second time and or-
dered to be committed :

Garsta❑g and Heiriug Syko Turnpike Road.
Heronsy ke and Eamont Bridge Turnpike Road.
Ulverstone, Millthorpe, and Lancaster Turnpike Road.
PETITIONS.
Sir DE LACY EVANS presented a petition in favour
of the Ten Hours Bill from a place, the name of which
was inaudible in the gallery.
Mr. WILLCOX presented a petition from Southamp-
ton praying for the abolition of capital punishments.
Mr. H. BERKELEY presented four petitions from
Bristol to the same effect.
Mr. P. PRYSE presented petitions from Dissenting
congregations in Wales praying for the suppression of
the slave trade and the abolition of church-rates.
Mr. KEOGH presented a petition from Athlone in
favour of a reduction of the duty on spirits in bond in
Irelard.

Lord C. MANNERS presented a petition from Wal-
tha.mAow complaining (.f agricultural distress.
Sir J. TItOLLOPE presented a petition from'Lincoln
complaining of tho spread of beer-houses in that part of
the country.

Mr. W. PATTEN presented a petition from a con-
gregation of Dissenters in Lancaster praying for the
abolition of church-ratew.

Mr. COBDEN presented peitions from Lancashire
and Yorkshire (as we understood) against capital punish-
merit.

Mr. CURIE'S presented a petition from Hyde
a'.gainst the Merchant Seamen's Bill.

-Mr. EDWARDS presented a petition from Lanca-
shire and Yorkshire in favour of the Ten How s Bill.

CAptain JONES presented a petition from London-
derry against the Landlord and Tenant Bill.

Sir W. CLAY presentld a petition from a person
named George Shaw, a Chartist convict, praying that the
House would tike his ca;e into consideration.

Mr. GIBSON presented petitions in favour of a repeal
of the newspaper stump duty, and in favour of the
County Courts Extension Bill and international arbi-
tration.

DISTRE:;SED UNIONS (IRELAND.)
Mr. P. SCROPE gave notice that on an early day he
should move for the appointment of a Select Committee
to inquire into the stat) of the union of Kilrush in Ireland.
ADULTERATION OF COFFEE.

Mr. ANSTEY moved for copies of memorials and
papers on the subject of the adulteration of coffee, or the
use of roasted vegetable substitutes for coffee (in con-
tinuation of those presented in the last session of Par-
liament).