The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-30 00:00:00

trried .
ejeet, 0-.9 measure into operation. The Government
7 a compromise of this sort, because it was con-
th;0•!. ,to the principle upon which tey had acted
1 hrh!sout, e d because it would not havhe answered the
tekr of the Noble Lord, viz. afford time for the
dosi•seta. in the factory for the exercise of those
t 44
fte duties to which the Noble Lord had alluded,
Goyer.. Purposes of recreation. Ho was sure that the
Nei nent would not suffer in the estimation of their
Psi supporters because they refused to sacrifice their
oft, he
of right on this matter, nor consented to re-
qt, et'lemselves from present difficulty at the expense
1,34,,_ permanent interest of the country.—(Hear, hear.)
fiends could more deeply regret separation from those
ei,,," of his who had been the consistent and regular
tlrrat'erters of the present Government. No ; Hon. Gen-
en, who supported him well knew that the way to
Itts ,e„ 'aging confidence and respect was to act accord-
te'.," their conscientious convictions. And he was
s,t;,Tll that three months hence his Hon. Friends
i/t'al hold the Government in higher estimation.
pit never felt more convinced of anything than that the
nirsed restraint would be most injurious to commerce
soriltlaanufacture, but to no class so injurious as to the
144ing people themselves. He thought that, at least
thotbas adults were concerned, the principles of labour
tok ," be left entirely unshackled—should be left to
$0,11417 agreement. It was urged, in favour of the
Lord's proposition, that, in many towns, the fac-
Itabourers did not work more than ten hours. Now
tim (Sir R. Peel) thought this argument told rather in
seir ee • •
kis„. the principle of voluntary labour ; for if ope-
tse.,..., might so arrange, as it was stated they had ar-
tkebt'Ut not to work for more than ten hours, where was
need of legislative restraint ? Where was the
oke
Itite:343' of such dangerous interference ? He
110b1 say that the Government would yield to the
thit,6 Lord in preference to any other Member of
se the
His Noble Friend had been for many
s;tne noble and consistent advocate of the principles
Nide he now sought to carry into operation. He had
th e great sacrifices and would have been a member of
epee to
Government but for his conscientious adhe-
etre to those principles. He considered that the re-
Net upon labour would not be attended with counter-
-4,11; advantages, and that if the Government had.ac-
*4l7 to the eleven:hour compromise they would have
tor Ped their own position and given up those principles
Whicha they had been contending. It was, he must re-
at. ''. with the greatest pain he differed from so many of
ttt supporters on this question, but he felt satisfied that
er further deliberation the majority of that House
old take a very different view from that which they
ill‘fready taken. The Government would persevere
thei. temperate, firm, and uncompromising advocacy of
teit' °wit opinions, and he strongly hoped that the re-
tBl prove, that the opinions of the majority of
her ,ouse would be in favour of the course pursued by
gee t ' Ministers.
tt,. J sys
the •,:c CHARLES WOOD thought the proposition of
ttet.'6hle Lord was not at all calculated to give satis-
thlift to the great body of the working classes, and
at it would tend materially to injure the manufacturing
'rests
Lord *
40, PALMERSTON said it was time that, if the
s,4l'vrnment thought the maintenance of their proposal
h,,essential to the interests of the country, they were
thegeetly justified in carrying it out ; but, still, he
of 116 t it rather an unusual course, after the sense
is the House being manifested as it had been
Ilk tins instance, to withdraw the original
thhi, and then to replace it by another idea-
b{,Y the same. He could not at all attribute any
Ag ,to his Noble Friend opposite, for consenting to
la course, because he thought it was the only manner
kwhich he could act. At the same time it was his
(1 Palmerston's) intention, if his Hon. Friend the
t,,,, ber for Finsbu pressed his motion to a division,
te;°te in favour oft Notwithstanding the particular
to7aons which the Government might entertain of the
fn te beneficial results of a Twelve Hours' Labour Bill,
theor that of one which sanctioned a smaller number, he
ttolight, after the strong expression of opinion by the
jr, :Ile, , that the Government did not act very judiciously
o„ge course they were pursuing. He did not think the
isCernment were justified in charging Hon. Gentlemen
42 oPposed'them with introducing a new principle in
orlation, for they themselves proposed to regulate the
ieUr of adult females. It was the Government, there-
i; that first introduced this innovation.—(Hear.)
t '"'r. WILLIAMS hoped his Hon. Friend the Member
tour.
the Finsbury would not press his amendment, as he
Lught it would not be attended with any practically
sigficial result.
ki.lneendment was then neatived without a division,
4 th order of the day was dgischarged.
REDUCTION OF DUTIES.
(IL% the Order of the Day being read for going into a
-Zunittee of Supply,
thr• E WART moved " That it is indispensable to
e4g
s maintenanceaintenance and extension of the trade of this coun-
try,
.: that those duties be repealed which press on the
le materials of the woollen and cotton trade : that it
siii`.pedient also that those duties be greatly reduced
5ai1..64 press on articles of interchange in return for our
6t the ; especially such articles of interchange as,
be; ue same time, concern the subsistence of the people ;
Partite
(besides corn, which is the subject of superior and
h Partite consideration) such articles as tea, sugar, coffee,
thlten6o, butter, and cheese : That it is expedient that
sth`'M duties also be greatly reduced which, by. their
te-°,u,at, encourage smuggling ; being at once injurious
to "10 revenue and dangerous to the morality of the
toral!try ; such as the duties on tobacco, silk goods, and
te,,92g11 spirits•. That whatever temporary deficiency of
kne'llue be caused by such reduction ought, until the reve-
regain its former amount, to be sustained by the pro-
t and not by the trade and labour of the country."
hto regretted that the other evening, when he
se; light this matter before the House, it had not re-
,46(1 that attention which its importance demanded.
that urlst the many points to which he would refer was
eOr raw cotton, the duty upon which operated most
arshly upon the manufacturer. On the articles of tea,
etlfg,,r, and coffee, the people had a right to an alteration
spirits,
duties, and on such commodities as tobacco,
lrtts, &c., the high duties on which led to smuggling,
morality
it to the House whether it was not better for the
tiburality of the country that those duties should be re-
Om„e,sed• The duty on foreign spirits, such as brandy,
thleya, &e., were unreasonably high, and he thought
at the present Government would do well to follow the
Zateple of Mr. Pitt, who increased the revenue of the
entry by lowering the duty on those latter articles.
Itli..,ens Lo rd G. Bentinck, who was conversing on the
.1 Ulaterial benches with another Hon. Member, said
atnua
I.,•_' “ Question, question"— and
Noble
EWART said—He was sorry to interrupt the
oble Lord.
1 4rd G. BENTINCK—No interruption—not in the
_east.
mean
-to
EWART was sure that the Noble Lord did not
Itearl.to insult an Hon. Member of that House. The
),,),(la. Gentleman was proceeding to continue his address
'LT; there being but a few Members present,
""•I'. HUME moved that the House be counted.
14,"tralagers were ordered to withdraw, and after the
thr3e of a few minutes, on our re-admission we found,
LI% being more than forty Members present,
theEWART on his legs, stating his conviction that
sh` night Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Ex-
„sequer could not but see the impolicy ofmaintaining the
they
system. If the Government adopted his views,
1,,,eY, would find that the loss sustained in one article
ser,-4,4 be compensated in another, and the ultimate effect
°Old be the advantage of the poor by the cheapening
I.erticles of subsistence, and the removal of smuggling.
s 41r. HUME rose to second the motion, in order to
cress his surprise at the conduct of those who ought
(tt now better.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman
is r• Ewart) had brought forward this subject on a
sorter occasion,_ and the House was then counted out,
e„111,(1, When the Hon. Gentleman now brought the same
gar,
forward he was met by cries of " Question."
nter Majesty's Government would not look at the
ghat
and source of the evil. The reeking ricks showed
as/It was the state of feeling amongst the labouring
d %es. The Hon. Member then read an extract from a
alttl7, Paper in reference to the recent incendiary fires _
thsnnuting the fires to low wages, and the severity of
th, poor-law. The present legislation prevented
front
labourers from getting work, and therefore
ell obtaining food. It was discreditable to a reformed
tinclee of Commons to pay little attention to the prac-
ICI4 grievances of the country. They would shortly
..1":?e to go into a Committee of Supply. It was a dis-
graceful fact that not more than forty or fifty persons
tht?Uld attend the House on such occasions. He did
foluk her Majesty's Government had much to answer
P.,„On account of the present condition of this country.
The SPEAKER having put the question,
Oclile CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
a - Gentleman had attacked the House of Commons
~,.‘,a abody. For that attack he did not feel ; but he was
called upon to reply ; and if the Hon. Gentleman had
tu interrupted, the interruption arose from the feeling
eat the amendment was not likely to be of any practical
• and it was opposed chiefly by those on his own side
Bthe House.—(Hear, hear.) He apprehended the
4.1. mover of the amendment had brought forward this
of the
rather with a view of stating his opinion than
a° the hope of meeting with concurrence. All per-
:iia agreed in the abstract principle that it was a great
tn to have taxes on raw materials. The Hon. Gentle-
tha_a said it was indispensable to the trade of this country
perr.,tilietax on wool should be repealed. Why, it ap-
into vu that the quantity of cotton42oo
oimdocrntetd
ill 1,,
.this country in 1842 a
e1,,C43 it was 5,200,000, being awn. isncre'ase Of 100,00. 0
* "(Hear, hear.) The value of the exports in 1842
Increase
21,690000/. : in 1843, it was 23,440,0001., being an
*crease in' one year of 1,700,0001. Take the article of
4,Z1,' ~,,,,11l 1842, the value of wool imported was
le ",`"o1. ; in 1843, it was 4,860,0001. The exports in
42
lio , amounted to 5,800,0001: ; in 1843, to 7,480,0001.
i. could the House, with these facts before them, ex-
te4sa an opinion that it was indispensable to the main-
tenance of our trade in these two articles that the tax
the .„.d be removed ? The proposition would involve
t4o.du.ouse in an absurdity, which it could hardly in-
the Mean) His general objection to the otherparts of
the rtion was, that it would not be wise to commit
branches
to the expression of an opinion on very large
. of taxation. He thought the Hon. Gentleman
iZittardly aware, indeed, of the extent of his own pro-
tic,n r,16.• He proposed to deal with an amount of taxa-
reyen. which would fall little short of thirty millions of
•tvonicill;: If the House adopted these propositions, what
.46,_ be the effect ? Why, that they would throw the
ntra7. of the- great interests of this country into the
the
cursed; confusion, and create an alarm with respect to
the, t, of this country by which they would forfeit all
01. e advantages which they now derived from that
ilireL—(Rear, hear.) He did not mean to express any
te,o.uu as to the propriety or impropriety of these
dui i the
o time would come when it would be their
subject. state what were their views on that
In,,a In one part of the Hon. Gentleman's
,v • on, ,
be road ne proposed that the deficiency should
toa euPby a property-tax. On that subject the
If lle— -11?_eutiman seemed to have changed his opinion.
Lst"k Dot, be opposed the proposal of his Right