The Sun.
London, England, 1844-04-30 00:00:00

importance than any other, that he must at once advert
to it, with the view of expressing his great regret at
what he had heard. It was announced by Government
that they were prepared to take steps of a perfectly
novel character in the histGry of the commerce of this
country—namely, to put a commercial ban upon great
nations intimately connected with this country by ties
of commerce, by prescribing articles of their growth.
He thought that the veil that had been thrown over all
this was so transparent that they would lose all credit
with foreign nations, and they would conaider that the
Government and the House were desecrating the claims
to humanity which this country had so long possessed.
He thought they were opening the door to an endless
system of subterfuge and fraudulent trade, and thereby
raising the hostility of many countries to this. He
trusted, as the question of the sugar duties would now
be most important, it would be it troduced at that period
of the session when it could be properly discussed. He
thought the present moment was ill selected for the
purpose of establishing differential duties with respect
to the commodities of certain nations. Added to
this, had they not heard, from the first Minister
of the Crown the other night, that a treaty had been
signed between two of the greatest manufacturing coun-
tries in the world—the United Stst?s and the Zollverein
of Germany—the effect of which would ha to exclude
British ' manufactures from the United States? The
Right lion. Gentleman concluded by asking the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer when he would bring on the
sugar duties ?

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said he
should bring them forward on an early day, but he could
not then state when it would be.
Mr. STUART WORTLEY stated his satisfaction at
the statements made by the Chancellor of the Exchequer
with respect to the repeal of the duties on wool. The
repeal of the duty would inflict no injury on any inte-
rest in the country.
Mr. P. M. STEWART thought although the pro-
position of the Government was most cautious, the peo-
ple would be most disappointed with the statements of
the Right Hon. Gentleman. He had said they had a
surplus .of 2,500,000/. ; and for those who were expect-
ing to be the recipients of his bounty. what bad he done?
Why he had begun with bottles, went to vinegar, and
ended with wool ; but why had cotton been forgotten ?
He thought the manufacturers of the country had a
great right to complain of that. Nothing had been said,
and nothing had been done upon it ; and the result
would be, that the greatest dissatisfaction would be ex-
pressed in the country, in consequence of such a slight,
as it was generally, felt 'that that ought to have been
the first article on which the duty should be reduced.
He thought the, time had now come when the sugar
duties ought to be considered, and when the colonies of
this country should be put upon the same footing as the
colonies of other countries. The colonies of this coun-
try were crippled, and the most ridiculous regulations
were made in the Colonial-office with respect to the
removal of workmen from one colony to another ; but
his Noble Friend, the late Secretary of State for the Co-
lonies, had introduced some regulations which might be
looked upon as a model for the regulation of labour.
There seemed, however, to be a secret influence in the
Colonial-office against thd proper management of the
colonies, for regulations had been made there that were
most uncalled for, regulations which were anti-colonial ;
in short, there seemed to be a feeling in the Colonial Se-
cretary's office that was hardly to be accounted for.
The first regulation was one that no agreement made
out of a colony should be binding. That was obliged to
be relaxed wish regard to European workmen. Another
was, that such agreements should not be binding upon
the blacks, and that, too, was relaxed by the regulation
that in such cases the deed of agreement should be rati-
fied before officers appointed for that purpose. But not
-one of these officers had been appointed, and the conse-
quence was, that no labour could be effectually imported
into the colonies. In some of the islands there were
abundant crops. and not enough labourers to gather
them. The regulation of the sugar duties was a subject
forced on the attention of the House, and ought
to be gone into in a different manner.—
(Hear.) But the Government had propounded
this Budget, which -was of itself a great disturbing in-
fluence in colonial property, and the whole question
must be discussed. His object in rising was what he
saw he should effect—that of calling up his No-
ble Friend—(a laugh)—and putting him on his mettle
w th regard to the proceedings at the Colonial-office. If
that Noble Lord would take the subject in hand, and
put the Colonies in a fair position with regard to la-
bour,- they would not shrink from competition with
any foreign colony whatever. After this was effected,
they might do what they pleased with the sugar duties;
for the colonies would be able to beat the world
in competition, if they only had an open chance
of obtaining labour. He hoped the House would agree
with him in thinking that they were entitled in the pre-
sent state of the colonies to have no unnecessary restric-
tions thrown in the way of a free supply of labourers,
who would themselves be benefitted by settling, while
their presence was most necessary to the colonies them-
selves.

Lord STANLEY said that that every one must feel
the inconvenience of entering into the whole of this ques-
tion in a discussion on the Budget But after the ob-
servations of the Right Hon. Gentleman it was impos-
sible that he could remain wholly silent. He was not
sorry, however, that the Right Hon. Gentleman had given
him the opportunity of entering upon the 'subject.
There was an entire difference of opinion between him-
self and the Right Hon. Gentleman on this question,
though he recollected the time when the Right Hon.
Member entertained a very different opinion himself on
the subject—(Mr. P. M. Stewart—" Never!")—but with
that, of course, he had nothing to do. He was very
happy to be enabled to say that, in his judgment, so far
from the Budget acting as a discouragement to the West
Indian colonies, with regard to tampering with the
sugar duties, he thought the statement of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer was well qualified
and calculated to reassure the colonies with respect
to the steadiness of the intentions of the Govern-
ment in the principle on which they meant to deal
with the question of colonial protection. Throughout
all the discussions that had taken place, the Govern-
ment did not so much contend for colonial protection as
they had contended for the protection of free grown
sugar over that produced by slave labour. It had been
asserted by several Hon. Gentlemen, that they now for
the first time placed upon record a resolution declaratory
of the distinction between slave-raised. and free-grown
sugar; the Government was not prepared to give the
colonies more than the protection of a fair differential
duty in favour of free labour produce, against thatwhicb
might fairly enter into competition with them, as
being also raised by free labour. But the Government
was prepared at all risks to maintain a positive
distinction and difference in favour of the produce of free
labour, against that of slave labour,—against that raised
by a system which was encouragement to the slave
trade and slavery. He trusted that this resolution, for
the first time announced,would show the colonies that they
had to compete at once, though not on unfavourable
terms, with a limited amount of produce which was raised
by free labour, but that at the same time it was the in-
tention of the Government to protect them against those
who had the advantage over them, which was obtained
from the unrighteous source of slavery, and
which it was the intention of the Govern-
ment by every means to discourage and put down.
The Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. P. M. Stewart) told
the Committee that the foolish regulations of the Colonial-
office alone prevented the colonies from competing with
every part of the world. He told them that the Noble
Lord (Lord J. Russell) who preceded him (Lord
Stanley) in the Colonial-office--and of whose labours he
always spoke with the highest respect—that respect due
to his talents and his character—had laid down for the
West Indies a series of regulations which were " model
regulations," as to the importation of labour into the
colonies. The Right Hon. Gentleman certainly
could not have read those regulations, for
every step that had been _ taken by the
Colonial .office since the retirement of that
Noble Lord from it, had been directed to the removal
of restrictions, the reduction of impediments, and giving
facilities to the intercourse between the West Indian
colonies and Africa. He would defy the Right Hon.
Gentleman to point out a single district of Africa, to
theintercourse of which with the West Indies, the dif-
ficulties had been increased, or as-to which the facilities
of that intercourse had not been enlarged, since he (Lord
Stanley) succeeded to the Colonial-office. He took no
credit for this ; but he must say, it was not fair to talk
of the regulations of the Colonial-office having impeded
this importation and intercourse, when their course
had been to reduce the restrictions and increase
the facilities given by the regulations. But these regu-
all ? He must beg the attention of the
lations with respect to the Coast of Africa—where
and he must beg him to listen to
hear.) The Right Hon. Gentle-
man Right they all
Gentlemen ; he had chosen to make a sud-
den7estrictions of the immigration of the
be (Lord Stanley) was somewhat
Hon. Member be!ow the Right
mhaatntatslawkc
talked
answer.—(Hear,
upon him,
ee
ahrri
Hill Coolies from India—restrictions imposed by whom?
Not by him.—(Hear, hear.) Ile thought that last year,
suddenlyandthe
.eaattra
Hon. Gentleman, for having done away with some of
the restrictions to the emigration of these Coolies---not to
bekefedoreh,y
the
a British colony, and which emigration had been absolutely
prohibited by the Government, whose model regulations
the Right Hon. Gentleman was so prepared to vaunt.
The emigration of those Coolies was narrowly watched
and bitterly attacked by the Hon. Gentleman on the
other side; it was himself who worked the first step to•
wards removing the restrictions on the emigration of the
Coolies ; he knew what reasonable apprehensions there
were of the abuses that might arise from this emigra-
tion, and he referred the subject to the Governor-
General of India, . to say whether the same
emigration might be permitted to the West
Indies that was permitted to the Mauritius, and
facilities for which had been afforded by the
present Government for the first time. But he also
talked of the impediments to the emigration of Chinese
labourers; was that owing to the late Government of
model regulations or to that invisible influence at the
Colonial-office which it was stated thwarted and over-
threw these improvements? It was in the present year
that permission was given.to import immigrants from
China, not Chinese themselves, but labourers from
Singapore and the neighbouring districts, under special
regulations, into the West Indies. For the first time
in the present year, thee, the restrictions
to the emigration of Coolies had been .re-
moved and yet the Right Hon. Gentleman
turned round and charged them with preventing the im-
portation of free labour into the West Indian colonies,
and by that means stinting the natural cape etties of these
coluntos, The. Right MM. Member spolte as if restric-
tions on the importation of free labour to the West In-
dies from any part of the world were in existence. There
was no law that he knew of; except in India, which pre-
vented any one going to the West Indian colonies, ex-
cept the restrictions against these people making
agreements at a distance, when they could not
tell the value of their labour, and which
agreements issightl beiti 111§40 for § lgng term;

amount to virtual slavery. Those engagements might
be the source of very great dissatisfaction and discontent
in the minis of the labourers. That such an emigration
might not be made and paid for out of the public funds,
the,e restrictions were imposed, but beyond these he
knew of no others. But these regulations were in course
of relaxation, and had been already much relaxed. He
ould venture to tell the Right Hon. Gentleman that as
far as the present Government was concerned, the
course it had -taken was not one of restriction, but
one of relaxation and remission, of relaxations prudent
indeed, and in conformity with what was known to be
the opinion of the community, and these restrictions
would be limited only by the necessity of such prohibi-
tions as should prevent much unfounded speculation, as
to the advantages to be gained by such immigration.
The whole course of the proceedings of the Government
had been, as it would continue to be, that of removing all
restrictions which were felt to be uncalled for on the
importation of labour into the colonies from all parts of
the world.

Mr. P. M. STEWART explained. He was sorry
that he had so excited the Noble Lord on this question
—(A laugh)—but having made this apology, he must
say this—that the charge of the Noble Lord of his
having changed his opinions on this question was un-
founded. The Noble Lord forgot the battles in which
they both fought, side by side, together on this question;
he forgot that he (Mr. Stewart) had seme hand in
framing the Act on the subject. He must beg the
Noble Lord to refresh his memory on this
point. He had never swerved from his prin-
ciple. he Noble Lord had made this a party
question, when he (Mr. Stewart) wished to make it
only a colonial question. The regulations he had re-
ferred to, were those contained in the letter of the Noble
Lord the Member for London to the Governor of Sierra
Leone, and which was considered by the colonists as a
model of instructions ' • he maintained and repeated his
assertion, that every Minister at the Colonial-office was
subjected to an influence, by which they were mad©
mere tools and puppets—(Hear, hear)—and he wished
that the Noble Lord would apply. his own good sense
to the question, so that these restrictions might be re-
moved, and of which some hope had been this night held
out to them. •

Lord STANLEY denied that he had made .it a
party question, and contended that he had spoken
of the Noble Lord with the greatest respect.
He stated, and he now repeated, that those model regula-
tions for the coast of Africa ought to be in the main
acted upon ; and ever since, whatever was done, was
done in the way of relaxing the restrictions. The Hon.
Gentleman repeated an accusation with regard to some
secret influence in the Colonial-office. Now he did not
believe that the Noble Lord, whom he succeeded in the
Coldnial-office would allow his judgment to be set
aside by any secret influence—(A laugh)—and for him-
self he could only say this, that no paper passed through
the Colonial-office of any kind which did not come under
his own eye and was examined by him ; and with regard
to the particular question of immigration into the West
Indies, since he had the honour of being in the Colonial-
office, he save the most constant and unrestricted atten-
tion to the question and had examined every part of it,
and he ventured to add that the attention which he have
to the subject was not inferior to that which was given
to it by the Noble Lord.
Lord JOHN RUSSELL said, that his Hon. Friend
was quite justified in putting the questions on the sub-
ject, as the reduction of the sugar duties had been
brought before the House by the Right Hon. Gentle-
man, the Chancellor of the Exchequer. He (Lord John
Russell) had, he hoped, exercised his own judgment
during the time he held the office of Colonial Secretary,
and endeavoured to give attention to any subject that
came before him ; and he was not conscious, though he
felt great obligations for the very great informa-
tion which was afforded him, and felt respect for the
abilities which several gentlemen in that office possessed
—(Hear, hear)—yet when he reviewed all the circum-
stances in any case which came before him, he applied
his own judgment, and yielded to it in the decisions
which he made. With regard to the question of emi-
gration from Africa, he wrote a dispatch to the Governor
of Sierra Leone on the subject, containing certain regu-
lations. Those regulations were intended rather as
temporary regulations, and he was glad to hear
from the Noble Lord that he diminished the restrictions
because his view was, considering that emigration
had been totally prohibited before, it was proper to at-
tempt emigration with caution, and to put many restric-
tions on it.which might, from time to time, as experience
dictated, be diminished and relaxed ; and that was the
view which the Noble Lord took of his duty, and the
question as it at present stood. With regard to the sub-
ject of the introduction of Coolies into the Mauritius, he
was surprised at the Noble Lord's statement, because the
Noble Lord said more than once that the pre.
sent Government first introduced Coolies into
the British colonies. Lord Glenelg proposed to the
colonies an order in Council which would admit Coolies
into the colonies of the Crown ' • but that order was
opposed and rendered null by the House of Lords. The
present Government concurred in the view taken by the
House of Lords. He (Lord John Russell) attempted
again the subject of emigration into the Mauritius, and
the Right. Hon. Gentleman the Secretary of State for
the Home Department, when he (Lord John Russell)
stated that such was his intention, said that the best
mode of bringing the question to an issue was to bring
a clause by Bill into the House. He (Lord J. Russell)
introduced it, and then the Noble Lord (Stanley) and the
Right Hon. Gentleman, and others who sat opposite,
came down and defeated him by the help of the Hon.
and Learned Member for Cork, and several other gen-
tlemen in the House who were interested in the subject.
—(Hear, hear.) He was very glad that they afterwards
changed their minds on the subject and came to agree
with him, but he knew they were anxious at the time to
get a majority against the then Government, and were
not very scrupulous what the subject was.—(Cheers.)
The introduction of Coolies into the Mauritius served
them as well as any other.—(Cheers.) He should not
have referred to this, but that the Noble Lord boasted
that he was one of a Government which had for the first
time introduced Coolies into the Manritius, and that
they were able to do so. No doubt they were, because
when he (Lord John Russell) introduced the subject
they were the chief opponents to the measure, and all
the obstructions came from them.—(Cheers.) But they
now received every facility to carry, in fact, the
measure of their predecessors.—(Cheers.) This was a
sort of episode to the main subject in discussion. With
regard to the minor subject, he would At once allude to
that part of it which referred to the introduction of
foreign sugar, and which was so nearly connected with
the subject he had just left. He quite agreed with all
the objections made by his Hon. Friend near him, that
if the Government made up their minds to allow the in •
troduction of foreign sugar, it was far better for them to
say at once they would admit foreign sugar from
whatever colony it might come than attempt
to make any distinction.—(Cheers.) It was vicious
in principle, and would be found impracticable
in its result.—(Cheers.) As to its being vicious in
principle he wanted no other proof than the speech of the
Right Hon. Gentleman, the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
because after he stated his intention to exclude the
sugar of Brazil, he went on to say that it was from no
hostile feeling towards the Brazifs, because he said the
Government had no intention to exclude coffee from
Brazil. Why, he could not understand this strange and
very particular morality. (Cheers, and laughter.)
They looked with horror at slave grown sugar, but they
had no scruples with regard to slave grown
coffee.—(Loud cheers.) What made them im-
moral if they introduced slave grown sugar and
and laudable if they introduced slave grown coffee ?
(Laughter.) They might say that the labour required
for the cultivation of coffee was lighter than that which
-was required for the cultivation of sugar, but certainly
this could not be the reason, because what they wished
to discourage was the slave trade and slavery, and that
existed in the same degree whether the slave was em-
ployed in the cultivation of sugar or coffee.—(Hear.) It
was a principle very objectionable to make distinctions
between States allowing slavery, and those which would
not allow slavery, but far more objectionable to make a
distinction between the different employments in which
slaves were engaged, and to make tariffs of duties accord-
iug to the mode yin which slaves were employed.
This would be most intolerable—(Hear hear)—and
their morality would become the plague and nuisance of
the world—(Cheers)—if they thus interfered with all
kinds of labour in foreign countries.—(As to the practi-
cability of the scheme, they would have sugar from the
Havaunah with forged certificates and papers from New
Orleans and other States of North America.—(Hear,
hear.) All this would happen. It was so with regard
to coffee, as was proved before the Import Duties Com-
mittee, of which his Hon. Friend (Mr. Hume) was
Chairman. If they introduced new regulations with re-
gard to sugar, what was to prevent persons from sending
sugar to the Cape of Good Hope, and introduce it as
coming from the possessions of the Dutch?—(Hear, hear.)
Then, again, with regard to competition with the West
Indies, it could not much matter to them which of the
two principles they should adopt ; because, as the
Right Hon. Gentleman stated, 200,000 tons was about
the, amount introduced from all the British possessions,
and 90,000 tons was about the amount which they would
render liable to introduction by the law they proposed.
He could conceive nothing less but that they introduced
this knowing it could not hold.—(ilear, hear.) By in-
troducing this foreign sugar, they would thereby
to a certain degree benefit the consumer in this
country, but they would find their regulations would not
stand in practice, and having made one step they would
make a last step, and would be obliged to introduce the
Bill which he introduced himself in 1841—(Cheers and
" Oh, oh")—with this difference, that instead of 248. and
365. they would have 245. and 345. He foresaw that
would be the end as clearly as possible.—(Hear, hear.)
The distinction they now proposed might be useful to
them—it might serve to cover their inconsistency for a
year or two—(Loud cheers)—but depend on it in
the end they would find this unnatural and
impracticable plan was only fit to be replaced
by the Clear and simple rule of doing away with the
high differential duty on foreign sugar. There was
great inconvenience in announcing this greatprinciple in
1842, and it was to be brought forward with proper
caution.—(Laughter.) The application of those prin-
ciples was most convenient, as well as great, because
certain of them were applied, in 1842, to a certain num-
ber of articles. To others they were not applied ; they
timber, and would be applied to sugar
and then to corn.—(Loud cheers.) The Right Hon.
Gentleman might say—" Recollect what I told yoll
were applied to
in 1842 ; recollect I said the 4140 prir4ple was
to buy in the cheapest market, and to sell in the
ndhas for au opportunity.—(Laughter.) That
dearest, I stated that principle in perfect consistency,
0I
phpsovret
ui vaitiyte now arrived. I applied it then. I
applied it .n 1842 to onion seed—(Laughter and cheers)
—I applied it to spices—(Laughter)—and to herrings
—(Laughter.) You may remember how strictly I
applied it to herrings."—(Loud laughter.) In a year
or two this principle would be again applied in the twist
strict manners to faciliiate, wording to the maxtm„f,
the fireMe4t Olilosopllet:al to the food gt `he people—
•

(Cheers.) With regard to the propositions made to
the House by the Chancellor of the Exchequer
he must congratulate him on the surplus he was ab e to
announce. It was gratifying to the Chancellor of the
Exchequer and to the country, and it must be owned it
placed the country in a
_proud and high position—
(Cheers)—to have such a considerable surplus of revenue
over expenditure, , and this he thought, without at all
agreeing in the criticisms which were made upon the
military establishments of the country. He did not
think they ought every year to keep up the same
amount of expenditure, but with regard to the present
year he thought the vote of the House was not
beyond what was necessary.—(Cries of " Hear, hear.")
His Right Hon. Friend, the Member for Portsmouth,
stated that he understood from the Right Hon. Gentle-
man's statement that it was his intention to keep up
the income-tax during the five years originally men-
tioned by the Right lion. Gentleman (Sir R. reel), and
if such was the intention of the Government the better
course would be to make larger reductions in the pre-
sent year. He (Lord J. Russell) certainly thought the
Right Hon. Gentleman, the Chancellor of the Exchequer,
had better take one of two courses. If the Right.
Honourable Gentleman thought it probable the
income-tax would be taken off next year,
and that that was the best_ thing for the public
welfare, he was quite right in taking off but a small
amount of taxatioli in the present year. He could not
help thinking that Government must have a strong opi-
nion on the subject, knowing the wants of the country,
and the present state of the finances. Bet if, on the
other hand, they thought it most probable they would
continue the income-tax for two years, it would be better
to propose such reductions as would be of use to the
trade and industry of the country in the present
year rather than postpone them till next year.
He said that even with a view to the income-tax. Be-
cause if that reduction were proposed in the present
year, we might hope in the course of three years from.
this time the revenue would 10..ve so far recovered, that
there w ould be no doubt about the repeal of the income-
tax. Whereas if next year the Right Hon. Gentleman
would say that, upon the whole, it was necessary to con-
tinue the income-tax two other years, and then should
propose other reductions, the public would have lost a year
of increased consumption at a lower price of the articles,
and the revenue would only have two years instead of
three to recover itself. lie thought, for both those rea-
sons, if the Government had at all made up their minds,
they would have taken a better course in deciding in
the present year whether the reduction was to take
place. He was sure the Right Hon. Gentleman had
done nothing that was at all dangerous to the country'
in the reductions he had proposed. With regard to
wool, he had much gratified the manufacturers of York-
shire ; and with regard to coffee, he had at least shown
that the principle of the tariff of 1842 was not aban-
doned. He hoped as soon as the Right Hon. Gentleman
could make up his mind to it, they would have an enlarge-
ment of the principle of the tariff of 1842, and greater
approximation to the principles of free trade.
Col. SIBTHORP congratulated the House and the
country on the statement of the Right Hon. Gentleman
the Chancellor of the Exchequer, though it might not
meet with the entire approbation of the Noble Lord
(J. Russell) opposite, and the Hon. Member for Taunton
(Mr. Labouchere), who worked together in regular
harness—when one pulled the other pulled, and when'
one gibbed the other gibbed.--(Laughter.) The late
Administration were very good at promises ; for ten
years together they invariably promised everything.
Prosperity was coming always, and everything was cut
and dry for bringing about success in their proposed
plans, but still nothing was done ; until the people
would at last no longer bear their promises, and they
turned them out never to come back again. He (Col. S.)
highly approved of the proposed reduction of the
duty on marine insurance. It was one of the most
oppressive taxes, inasmuch as it was a tax uponprudence.
When the present Lord Bexley was Chancellor of the
Exchequer, Mr. Barber Beaumont sought to have the
duty on fire-insurance reduced, as the removal of such a
duty would tend to encourage prudence, and he (Colonel
Sibthorp) was glad to find the principle now brought
into operation. He was sure that the reduction would
rather add to than diminish the revenue derived from
this source, and he was so convinced of that
that on one occasion he had himself offered, if
a reduction were made, to be answerable for
the deficiency.—(A laugh.) With respect to
other reductions which had been made in the
tariff, he thought it but justice to the Right Hon. Ba-
ronet (Sir Robert Peel), to state, that he had ascer-
tained from his own (Col. Sibthorp's) agent, who was
one of the largest farmers in the county of Lincoln, that
at the great annual fair in April held in that county—
which was one of the greatest fairs in the United King-
dom—there had been a general improvement in the sale
of stock. That was a satisfactory announcement, and it
was but common justice to the Right Hon. Baronet to
make it.—(A laugh.) lie congratulated the House and
the country on the satisfactory statement of the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer. It would teach the Hon. Gen-
tleman opposite a long lesson of repentance, awl they
would sit upon the stool of repentance all their lives.
MARK PHILIPS did not feel any jealousy at
the success of the application of the principles of free
trade by the Right Hon. Gentleman. He heartily re-
joiced that a step had been made in the right direction
by Hon. Gentlemen opposite, and that the country
would be relieved from the weight of some burdens that
pressed upon the poor. When they considered the
enormous extent of the duty on raw cotton, and the dis-
advantages which that duty placed upon all engaged in
that important branch of manufacture, he trusted he
would be excused if he pleaded the claim of the manu-
facturers to have the duty reduced. The consumption
at present was 400,000 bales of cotton per
annum, and the duty imposed on that
amount was saved to our foreign rivals.
It must he recollected that we came into competition
with foreigners in the foreign market undeo the disad-
vantages which the payment of that enormous amount
of duty caused, for the proportion of our manufactures
consumed in this country was but comparatively small.
We had nothing to throw away or give to our foreign
rivals, and he knew of no other duty which could be re-
duced with so much advantage to the country than this
duty on the raw material of cotton manufacture.
The duty was imposed when the duty on
printed calicoes was taken off. It was imposed as a sort
of compromise for the removal of the other duty ; but
now that there was a surplus in the revenue they ought
to remove a duty which was so injurious in its operation as
this. We were manufacturing cotton at a greater dis-
advantage than the Americans by 20 per cent. If
we were to have the price of the raw material
raised against us, our foreign trade would mate-
rially lessen, and it therefore became a matter of im-
portance to reduce this duty as much as possible.
There were those who believed, that if this duty were
remitted, the Americans would add to the cost of the
raw material. He was not of that number, and he
strongly recommended the Government to sweep away
the duty at once in order to give this important branch
of industry as full and free a scope as possible. He
congratulated the House on the alteration
which had been proposed in the duty on
marine insurances. He had sometimes observed
with great pain that the merchants of this
country had been obliged to seek insurances in foreign
countries instead of Lloyd's and other places, although
he had yet to learn that the merchants of foreign coun-
tries had in that respect manifested a higher degree of
honour than those of our own. He desired to see a ge-
neral reduction of the duties on insurances. He
thought the present law was such as often to induce
parties to run risks which they were not war-
ranted in doing, and he thought the revenue was
such as fairly to allow of extensive alteration. He
hailed with great delight the proposed reduction of the
duty on glass, a reduction which was rendered neces-
sary by the competition of this country with Bohemia
and other countries on the Continent. With respect to
the article of coffee, though he could not but express his
approbation of a reduction of the duty on
any great article of consumption, he could not
understand why all the morality of the country should
settle in the sugar basin, and be dissipated in the coffee
pot.—(Laughter) He could see no morality and no
consistency in the course pursued with reference to
sugar. The sooner all these props of humanity,
which, in reality, was no humanity at all, were
got rid of, the better would it be for
the country at large. For every step which
they took in the wrong direction, they would find them-
selves retaliated upon by that country with whom it was
their interest to maintain the closest intercourse. It
was not for him to pledge himself as to the course which
he would pursue with respect to the income tax, if such
a remission of duties were to take place as to
render it necessary to continue that tax.
He had expressed his opinion to his constituents
in favour of a property-tax as that which pressed least
on the working classes; but he thought that the surplus
on hand might be applied to the remission of duties with
great advantage to the country at large.
Sir H. DOUGLAS expressed his satisfaction at the
reduction of the duty on currants—a satisfaction which
was increased by his long connexion with those islands.
Mr. C. WOOD said he was convinced that from the I
stimulus which would be given by the remission of the
duty on wool in the manufacturing districts, many would
reap a rich harvest. If they were not able now to
judge of the effect of the reduction which had taken
place in 1842, they could not be able to judge of what
the effect would be in five years.
Lord HOWICK thought there was good reason to
complain of the conduct of the Government in respect
to the export duty upon coals. It had materially
affected a very important branch of trade, and he thought
they were not justified in retaining that duty with such
an excess of revenue above expenditure.
Captain PECHELL was one of those who were dis-
satisfied with the Budget. He thought that with so
large a surplus the Government ought to have taken off
the window-tax.—(Hear, hear.)
An Hoar. MEMBER begged to ask the Right Hon. the
Chancellor of the Exchequer whether the instalments of
the compensation from China had been paid.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
the instalments had been duly paid at the stipulated
times.

Mr. HINDLEY was rejoiced that there was such a
surplus of revenue, and the rporp so, because it came
from those who were best able to bear it.—(Hear, hear.)
After a few words from Lard HARRY VANE,
The resolution was agreed to.
The House then resumed, the resolution was brought
up, and the report was ordered to be received to-morrow.

THE FACTORIES BILL.
Sir J. GRAHAM postponed till Friday the Order of
the Day on the Factories Bill.
Mr. S. CRAWFORD gave notice that he would, on
Friday, upon the mo4in for goring into Committee upon
the Factories Bill, ca,ll the attention of the House to a
pfAition ficen Belfltst against tho Bill.

BAILIFFS OF INFERIOR COURTS BILL.
The Bailiffs of Inferior Courts Bill was read a, third
time and passed.

ECCLESIASTICAL COURTS.
Sir J. GRAHAM (or Sir George Grey) mOvel for
returns relating to the Ecclesiastical Courts.—Agreed to

BANK CHARTER.
Sir G. CLERK moved that the Bank Charter Acts to
laid on the table.—Agreed to.
The RIGHT HON. BARONET then gave notice, that on
Monday next his Right Hon. Friend would move that
the House do resolve itself into a Committee of the
whole House, for the purpose of taking the question of
the Bank Charter into consideration.

The remaining orders of the day having been disposed
of, the House adjourned at a Qnarter before Twelve.

MONEY AND COMMERCIAL NEWS

CITY, MONDAY EVENING,
The English Securities closed well—Consols at 994
to ii-;; india.btock for Account was done at 288, being
lower by about one per cent. than a few days since.
The New Three-and-a-Half per Cents. improved to
103 to k.

The Foreign Market was rather lively this afternoon.
Spanish, however, continued at 04i- to 25 for the Actives,
and at 364 to fur the Three per Cents., being lower.
Mexican were 331 to 11; and Brazilian, 80k. Dutch
Two-and-a- Half per Cents. brought 614 to -a.
The additional transactions in Railway Shares have
been these:—Chester and Holyhead were 11- to 14;
Great Western, 38; ditto Half, 23 to 1; Harwich, 1
to -.lt; Birmingham, 1291; Newcastle and Darlington,
23-f; North British, -.:1; Northern and Eastern, 12i-
Norwich and Brandon, 6; MarseiVes and Avignon, 11;
Paris and Orleans, 174 to 18; and Rouen aad Havre,
94- to premiuM. Eastern Counties have been 10i;
HarrOwgate and Knaresborough, Blackwall, 10+; and
Brighton, 61- discount.
(From The Sun of Last Night.)
The sales of Cotton at Liverpool on Saturday were 3,000
bales at Friday's rates. The trade were the only buyers.
—There was no new feature in Shares. Birmingham and
Gloucester Quarter, 23A ; Edinburgh and Glasgow, 66 ; Great
Western Half, 72?1, ; Midland Counties, 90; Paris and Or-
leans, 371 ; South-Eastern, 35k; Ditto New, 9i.
The second portion of the lean authorised to be raised in
this country, and guaranteed by her Majesty's Government,
has been announced for competition. The money so obtained
is to be applied exclusively to the commencement and com-
pletion of public works in Canada. Thus a fund will become
available for employing a number of settlers who may proceed
as emigrants this year, as well as to aid those already in the
colony. The biddiags for this loan are to be made at the Trea-
sury on Friday next, and the whole amount now required is
300,0001. When it is recollected that a strong competition
was shown to obtain a portion of the first contract for a
similar sum, and that the present Canada Guarantee Deben-
tures, bearing interest at 4 per .cent., are worth 112, little
doubt is entertained that the present loan will be eagerly
sought after, especially as money is worth scarcely above 4
to 2 per cent.

Many speculations have taken place this morning on the
subject of the Budget, and one or two leading men are sup-
posed to have an idea of the intentions of the Government ;
but as the period has now so nearly arrived when the public
will be fully inform( don the subject, it is not worth while to
occupy space in alluding to general statements on the subject.
We have seen accounts from several leading agricultural
districts this morning, which state that the wheat plant is
generally healthy, indicative of abundance; notwithstanding
it is a fact that speculation in foreign grain has commenced
on the Continent ; here, however, the quantity upon which
duty has been paid recently is comparatively small. The
farmers are now beginning to complain of the want of rain,
more especially to bring forward the spring-sown wheats.
The advises received to-day from Lisbon have excited
some attention, as showing that the revolution has become
more serious than was anticipated, and unless some decisive
blow is early struck, it is the opinion of many well-informed
parties that we shall hear of insurrections a P Espagnol,
throughout the kingdom. Of course the bondholders- have
a direct interest at stake, as their dividends are partly de-
pendent for regular payment upon the maintenance of peace.
Much expectation is indulged in, among those interested
in the East India and China trade, as to whom is likely to
fill the important trust of acting as the Governor-General of
India. There are not a few who think Earl de Grey is not an
unlikely party to be delegated to fill that important post.
The nomination of successor at present is the great object of
the Court of Directors of the East India Company, subject of
course to the sanction of the Board of Control and the Go-
vernment.

The quotation of East India Stock has been nominal this
morning, at about 289 to 2894. Not a bargain in it has, in
fact, been done. For Consols, for Account, the Market is a
shade in advance of Saturday's closing values—i. e. 99i ; but
fur Money a purchase has just been made at within *per cent.
of par. The Unfunded Debt is much the same. Bank Stock,
after touching 197, has received per cent. The Commis-
sioners took 40,0001. Consols this morning at 998.
Spanish Bonds are heavy—the Actives at 244 to 25,:and
the Three per Cents, at 364 The Dutch Bonds are steady.
For Portuguese Converted Stock the market is very flat in-
deed, the intelligence of a political character from Lisbon
being bad. The Stock opened at 46, and is now 45, a fall of
1* per cent. since Saturday. Mexican Bonds are at 35};
and Brazil of 1829 and 1839 are at 77i.
A good deal of business has been done this morning in the
Railway Shares, and the prices appear rather more firm than
they were. In the Joint-Stock Banks and the Mining in-
vestments there has not been any business done up to the
present hour.

MANCHESTER STOCK EXCHANGE, APRIL 27.—The prin-
cipal business to-day has been in the Trent Valley shares,
which have advanced to 11 prem. ; in other stocks not much
change. Eastern Counties, perpetual, 1/. 15s. 10d. ; Chester
and Holyhead, 6i ; Manchester, Bury, and Rossendale, 51 ;
Paris and Strasbourg, 2/. 16s. 9d. ; Trent Valley, 101 to 11.
CLOSING PRICES.

BRITISH FUNDS.
Bank Stock
3 per Cent. Red 59 Ditto Bonds — pin
3 per Cent. Cons. ... ...... 99X Ditto Old Annuities
3% per Cent. Red 102% Ditto New Annuities...
New 3% per Cent 102% Ex. Bills, 1,0001. I V... 75 pm.
New 5 per Cent. — Ditto 5001 .......... ..... '75 pm
Long Annuities to expire Ditto Small 75 pm.
Jan. 1860 h% Bank Stock for Acct....
Oct. 1859.
Jan. 1860 lndia Stock for Acct.... 488
FOREIGN FUNDS.
Austrian, 5 per Cent — ,Portuguese, 5 per Cent —
Belgian, 5 per Cent lO5 Ditto, New Ditto —
Brazilian Bonds BO Prussian, 5 per Cent ........
Buenos Ayres, 6 per Cent —`.;Russian, 5 per Cent............ 117%
Chllian, 6 per Cent — ,Ditto, Metallic ....... ...........
Colombian, 6 per Cent
Ditto, 1824 — ,Ditto, 3 per Cent 36%
Cuba Bonds, 6 per Cent 93 Ditto, Deferred —
Danish, 3 per Cent
Greek, 18.5, 5 per Cent — Exchange —{ ......,
Mexican, S per Cent .... ..... 35U French, 3 per Cent --f. .....c.,
Ditto, 6 per Cent., 1837 — IDutch, 23 per Cent, 61%
Peruvian, 1825, 6 per Cent... , Ditto, S per Cent .... lOO%
SHARES.
Chester and Holyhead ( 5 paid) ....... ................ 6%
Eastern Counties (23 paid)
Great Western (75 paid)
Ditto Half Shares (50 paid)
Harrowgate and Knaresboro' ( 3 paid) ........
Harwieh (Braithwaite) (2 paid)
London and Birmingham (Stock)
London and Blackwall (162. 13s. 4dl) 6
Lenion and Brighton (50 paid) . ........ " ...
Newcastle and Darlington Junction (18 paid)
Northern and Eastern '45 paid) ..............
Norwich and Brandon ( 2 paid) 8
Paris and Orleans (20 paid)
Paris and Rouen (20 paid) 97%
Rouen and Havre ( 8 paid) .............

SPORTING INTELLIGENCE.
TATTERSALL'S-YESTERDAY.
CHESTER CUP.

5 to 1 agst Duke of Richmond's Red Deer—taken 6 to I
7 to 1 agst Lord G. Bentinck's Bramble—take 8 to 1
8 to 1 agst Col. Cradock's Pagan
15 to 1 agst Mr. Wrather's Nutwith—taken
20 to 1 agst Sir W. W. Wynn's Rowland—taken
20 to I,agst Mr. Gray don's Roscius-
-20 to I agst Mr. Stephenson's Freedom
20 to 1 agst Mr. Speed's Everton—taken
20 to 1 agst Mr. Bristow's Pharaoh
30 to 1 agst Mr. Tuting's Tacita,
The departure of several of the regular attendants for
Chester had a prejudicial effect on the betting, which, never-
theless, gave rise to some important changes. The most
striking was in Kent's lot, Red Deer, on a small outlay
having risen 5 to 1, but not until 3 to 1 had been laid agst
the lot, and 100 to 80 on Bramble agst him ; 7 to 1 was the
final laying odds agst the latter. Nutwith sprang to 15 to 1,
and Rowland to 20 to 1, both taken. Plenty of layers apt
Pharaoh, and Roscius. Cattonite's prices did not transpire.

DERAY.
5 to 2 agst Mr. Crockford's Ratan taken
4 to 1 agst Mr. John Day's The Ugly Buck—tak. freely
12 to 1 agst Mr. Lichtwald's Leander—t. & aftw. offered
20 to 1 agst Sir G. Heathcote's Cdtnpanero—taken
25 to 1 agst Col. Peel's Orlando—taken
25 to 1 agst Mr. John Scott's Bay Momus —taken
40 to 1 agst Lord Westminster's 'Lancet—taken
40 to 1 agst Mr. Ford's Qui Tam—take 50 to 1
50 to 1 agst Sir G. Heathcote's Akbar—taken.
1500 to 20 agst Imaum and Assay (taken). In returning,
Ratan at 5 to 2, and the Ugly Buck at 4to 1, we name
the outside market prices; they were only to be obtained of
parties who were fortunate enough to get their money ott
some time back. The bets that came under our personal
observation were 250 to 100 agst Ratan, 9 to 2 to 300/., and
4 to 1 to about the same sum agst the Ugly Buck.-1,200 to
100 was betted agst Leander, and several parties willing to
accommodate the takers upon the same terms.—Campanera
was backed for a small sum at 18 and 20 to 1 ' • Orlando at
20 and 25 to 1 ; and Bay Momus forabout 1001. at 25 to 1.
OAKS.

Several inquiries were made about Barricade, Sister to
Martingale, and Crenoline, but no business done ; the last
Newmarket prices would have been taken about the first
two, and 20 to lor less about Crenoline. Mr. Gratwicke's
Margravine filly met with an accident a few days ago, and is
declared not to run.

NEWMARKET SECOND SPRING MEETING, 1844.
TnunsnAv.—Duke of Bedford's Oakley, Bst 121 b, agst Mr.
J. Day's St. Lawrence, Bst 71b. D.M. 200, h ft.
CHESTER RACES.
CHESTER, SUNDAY.—The following horses have arrived
Best Bower, Red Deer, Bramble, Adriana mare, General Pol-
lock,: Master Stepney, Brunel, Lady Alice, Hemp, Coal Black
Rose, Alice Gray, Ithuriel, Freedom, Hampton colt, Psalm-
singer, Greenfinch, Faustus, Missy, Colin Clink, f by Dr.
Faustus, out of Active; Columbia colt, Alice Hawthorn.
Merry Andrew, The Cure, Bashaw, Nutwith, Alarie, Jamie
Forest, Brevity, Celeste, Miss Miggs, Fair Charlotte, Tacita,
and Birdeen.
The following are also en route :—Pagan, Infidel, The Lily,
Alvanley, Tottenham, Witch, Intrepid, Portrait, Cane,
Imaum, Assay, Roscius, Hudibras, Tacita, The Viscount,
Xanthus, Pharaoh, Freystrop, Era, Rowland, Kilgram, Beau-
mont, Emma, &c. Vaudeville and The Prior fell amiss on
the road.

EGLINTON PARK RACES.
BETTING AT GLASGOW.-THE IRVINE C??.
7 to 4 agst Shadow (taken) 3 to 1 agst Whistle Maki*
4 to 1 agst Aristides 6 to 1 agst William leGroe(t)
4 to 1 agst Aristotle 10 to 1 agst Smike (taken)

MTEWARDB' CUP, -
3 to 1 agst Lara (taken) 6 to 1 agst Era (taken)
4 to 1 agst Shadow 10 to 1 agst Qnebec
6 to 1 agstWilliarnleGros(dlo to 1 agst Christopher (b,
LATEST BETTING AT THE WEST END.

cirEsrEn CUP.
7 to 2 agst Kent's lot (t) 15 to 1 agst Roscius(t)
6 to 1 agst Bramble 20 to 1 agst Alice Rawthetigt,
7 to 1 agst Pagan 22 to 1 agst Freedom (take{!)
10 to 1 agst Cattonite 25 to 1 agst Rowland
10 to 1 agst Red Deer
_2O to 1 agst Nutwith

DERBY. _ ___
2 to 1 agst Ratan (t 5 to 2)(120 to 1 agst Orland*
4 to 1 agst Uglyßuok (tak 10 to 1 apt Ottumwa
9 tot)
IsTo change in the other favourites. - '

Contents of Bell's Li.Tei,l-1 London, of Saturday and •
Sunday last, April 28 :--Five long and wide folio colturma of
Newmarket and Chester, the Curragh Meeting, China Racing
at Chusan, Ostend Rowing Match, continuation of Winning
Greyhounds, Cricketing at Allahabad (65th Regiment and
Station), Calcutta Cricketing, List of Royal Yacht 'Squadron,
100 advertisements connected with sporting matters,
Bell's Life of Sunday next, May 5, will give aie most cor•
net and full report ofthe Chester Races.