The Sun.
London, England, 1826-04-19 00:00:00

PETITIONS.

Carl Gear presented rtitions from several Parishes in the
County of burham against the continuation Of.l,legro
Laid on the table.

The Earl of lavntrooL presented a similar Petition from
Paidey.:7-Laid on the table. -

• Petitions to the same effect were presented from the town
.of
Iluiff, by the Earl of Lauderdale; from Ilenly-upon-'Thames, by
the Earl of Macclesfield ; from the Elders and Brethren of the
United Congregations of Dissenters, by Lord Cawdor ; and from
the town of Tewkesbury, by the Earl of ShattesburY,.—.—Laid on
the table.

The Duke of AruoL presented petitions from several Parkin%
in Perthshire. against any alteration in the Banking System in
Scotland.--Laid on the table.

The. Earl of Limitnicic presented a Petition from the Inhabi-
tant.' of Liverpool, in favour of the Manchester Railway.—Laid
on the table.

CORN LAWS.

Lord CALTHORPE, in presenting &petition for the revision
of the Corn Laws from so respectable a body of men as the Menu-
facturers of Birmingham, could not execute his task without ex-
pressing his surprise and concern that his Majesty's Ministers
should still persevere in the intention which they had expressed at the
commencement of the Session, not to take into consideration that
most important subject during the present year. If the Noble Earl
were one of those who looked upon the Coru Laws, as a mosteacred
part of the Constitution, this delay would excite no astonishment ;
but, sensibly as that Noble Earl spoke on all subjects, he had
never displayed more sense and judgment than in the opiuious
which he had expressed respecting those laws, whenever he had
entered upon the subject. It was not, therefore, from want of a
knowledge of what ought to be done, that:the Noble Earl hesi-
tated to proceed ; but from some cause, the mystery of which had
not yet been explained to the House. That the delay was attend-
ed with mischief, however, was evident. It was not even humane
to leave the question unsettled—for, as long as it was not decided,
the two great classes of landholders and consumers remained in
opposition, as if it were left to be fought out between them—im-
puting to each other, not the real opinions which they.entertain-
et!, but the extreme of those opinions. The longer the delay, the
stronger was the delusion. The petitious with which their
Lordships' table was crowded, sufficiently express the keenness
of the public feeling on that subject ; and, indeed, in their desire
to haie the Corn Laws altered or abolished, the public were sane-
tionsd by the example of his Majesty's Ministers themselves,
who, in throwing open all kinds of trade, had, for some reasons
unexplained, made this solitary 'exception to their efforts against
monopolies. Neither was this conduct just or, complithentary
*die landed interest. For it seemed to say, "you are so igno-
rant and so obstinate, that we despair of the possibility of con-
vincing you." He did'not know what stock of corn there might
be in the country, but if it should prove deficient, a crisis would
arrive far liddiie Injurious-to the landed proprietors than a change
In the COM Laws would hatli been—a crisis, for which his Ma-
jesty's Ministers would be probably as unprepared as they were
on a late occasion, when the tempest rose in the mercantile world :
though, considering the number of petitions before them, they
would not be able to shelter themselves as they had done cni that
occasion, under the excuse that the crisis was one which nobody
could anticipate.—(Here the Earl of Liverpool was understood
to say across the table, that he had never represented the late
crisis as unexpected, having, on the contrary, anticipated and
warned the public against it from his place in the House.)—The
declaration made by the Noble Earl during the last Session
(continued Lord Calthorpe), was intended to guard the public
against the idea that, if they embarked in wild speculations, they
should have the aid of Government if they failed; but had
that Noble Earl or any of his colleagues said any thing which
could tend to prepare the minds of men for such a crisis as had
taken place? Should, in the present unsound state of the Corn
Law* something arise productive of calamity, let the Noble
Earl remember that he had had a most distinct and decided warn-
ing. With respect to the Petitioners, he believed them to be,
like himself, actuated by motives for the public good ; for ,there
was no greater fallacy than that which asserted that the interests
of two great parties in the State must of necessity be conflicting.

The petition being read,
The Earl of LIVERPOOL said, that after so unprovoked and
unfounded an attack on his Majesty's Ministers, their Lordships
would forgive him if he said a few words on the subject. As
to his former opinions, he could not say whether the Noble Lord
had stated them correctly or incorrectly, but he had no difficulty
in referring to the most authentic records which existed of them,
that it might be ascertained what they were. In the course of the
last Session he had certainly declared that the subject of the Corn
Laws ought to be reviewed by Parliament. He had also explained
the different alternatives which it would he for Parliament to con-
eider. That was the opinion of the Committee of 1822, who re-
ported in favour of the present system merely as temporary, and
that the subject required further consideration. Every thing
which had occurred since had confirmed him in his opinion, and in
the belief that important alterations ought to be made. But h 9 had
lived long enough in the world to know that those who wished
most sincerely and effectually to attain their object, must look
to time and circumstances.bcfore they set about their enterprise;
and he did not consider the present period one in which, with
such an object in view, the question ought to be brought be-
fore Parliament. He had also seen enough of Parliamentary
life to be aware that no greater injury could possibly be done
to a cause, than to press it at a moment when it was not likely to
prove successful. Whatever the merits of a cause might he,
there were times when it might be agitated, and times when
good sense and discretion prescribed delay. In this instance he
had done what he conceived was the best for the interests of the
cause and of the community, and his opinion WWI confirmed by
most others. If the Noble Lord entertained a'dilierent opinion,
he Might have introduced the subject himself; but, to expect
that from him (the Earl of L.) after the sentiments which he
had expressed, was not reasthsable. The Noble Lord had said,
that because the Government had shown a disposition to adopt
the principle of a free trade with respect to manufacturer, it
ought to do the same with respect to corn; but the argument
cut two ways. Some might be of opinion, that a measure re-
specting corn ought to have been brought forward with the rest,
whilst others might think it wiser to bring other measures first,
as it had been done before touching that great question. He
should bring the subject forward at the moment, when he should
think it might be best discussed for the interest of all branches of
the community. If well discussed, the interest of all branches of
the community might be supposed to be the same ; but the Noble
Lord was much mistaken if he thought that, when the question
came to be taken into consideration, clashing arguments might
not arise from the apparent dashing of interests which existed. The
subject was fit for consideration at its own proper time, end he
should exercise the best discretion he could as to what that time
might be. With respect to the quantity of corn is this country,
those who had the best information on the subject would find some
difficulty to form an opinion, and he thought that the less conjec-
ture was indulged the better. Whatever the state of the question
!night be as to corn, no possible advantage could have been gained
by. a measure brought forward this year in Parliament. lie was
rejoiced to be able to state that he was confirmed in this opinion
by that of the 'individuals who Were best informed on the subject.
Lord CALTHORPE explained,and said, that as to the recom-
mendation of the Noble Earl that he (Lord C.) should take upon
himself to introduce the subject to the House, it was one which
he could not follow, as no measure of that kind proposed by a

Lord KING, after alluding .to tle diattesii which existed in
various quarters, and how little had been done to relieve it, re-
gretted that the Noble Earl oppOcite had not renewed the Ca-
nada Corn Bill of last Session, and laid it fora period of years.
For the importation of Canada corn hiring secured fora curtain
time, the agriculturists of that province; would have been en-
couraged to grow and produce it, so that the supply might 'not
fail when wanted. The Noble Earl ought to have panted that
Bill before the arrival of those who sat beside hls Majesty's Mi.:
nesters, but who, like the infhiencc behind the Throne, were the
misters of the Atinisters. He ought, to have dolt tit before the
arrival of the Noble Ertel in his ayes (sh rArl or Malthtsbury :
"Multa gemens ignominiam pl4asque superhl
the conquering hero of the Canada Cul: Bill. Ile Understood
that it was the intention of that friends to institute
• Slalniesbury Club, in imitation of tlt.frPitt Club, to celebrate
the defeat of that unfortunate nia. •
The Earl of It 41144,4 titttir
'form towards his Majtsty's though Ite di "
tn-
teresE suffered 'much from the'. deNg ; and, from having such a,
question suspended over them, re' mint admit that the presmt
was not the moment for discussing- it. There were circum-
stances which -juati6ed that delay, although the state of public
feelibg was agitated by it, an agitation which the speech
of the Noble Barad wits not calculated to diminisht lle also
admitted that he haft opposed the Canada Corn Bill; but that for
allowing the introduction of Bonded Corn had received his sup-
port.- And ta. siteh a measure, on a more extended scale in case
of necessity, he should have no objection, as it formed already
part of the present system, and was better calculated than any
thing else to keep np an equal balasoe. The petition was then laid
upon the table.

Lord KING puss:A.4l a petitioit from the Corporation of
Tailors at Glasgow, against the Corn Lativ.--:Laid on the tably.
Adjourned.

tIOLISE OF COMMONS.

Mr.. Alderman WOOD presented a Petition from
the Wetermen of the River Tbarnes tgaintt the Bill for the Pre-
vention of their letting out Boats ; ae d also against the Regulations
of the same Bill to prevent their plying on Sundays. He thought
they were a class of met) who deserved the attention of the
House. :

Sir 1.. COFFIN supported the petition, as tinny of the petitioners
bad served-with great credit' in the Nark:'''
Mr. C. CALVERT reminded the House of the numerous ac,
cidentu which had taken place on Sundays, in
_passing to and
from Richmond, and other placea on the banks *of the Thames,
arising from the want of experienced perscrns 'to manage the
boats. •

Sir R. -Witsov and Mr. Alderman INTDOXS spoke in favour
of the petition: '
The ,petition vt•aa laid on the table, and ordered to be printed.

Mr. Alderman Noon pmeuted a petition from several trades-
men whose property would be materially injured by the improve-
ments about Charing-cross,and praying that their witnesses migkt
be examined before the Committee on the Bill to that effect —Re-
ferred to theCouunittee. „ •