The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-18 00:00:00

for British agriculture, not less than that which
existed at its formation.' This Committee, therefore, rectern-
mends that provincial Protection Societies urge, by deputation
or otherwise, their local representatives in Parliament to sup-
port Mr. Mi!es's motion, and use their best endeaveurs to re-
sist these free-trade measures." That appeal, therefore, was
clearly made, not for the purpose of gaining a small remission
of local taxation to the amount of 250,00(4. to the agricultural
interest, but it was made expressly for the purpose of resisting
the further progress of those measures whisk it was theinten-
tion of her Majesty's Government to introduce, and to
imply censure and condemnation on their financial policy.
Whatever, therefore, was the ground for supporting this motion,
it was clearly out of his power to acquiesce in it.---( Hear, hear.)
The House consented, by a large majority, to the continuance
of a tax of 5,200,000/. on the income and property of the coun-
try. The continuance of that tax would not have been con-
sented to by the House and the public, if it had not been accom-
poled by a declaration of Government in respect to its finan-
cial policy.—( Hear, hear.) He conceived, therefore, that if
he were to acquiesce in this proposal—foreseeing that it would
lead to an abandonment of the policy previously declared—he
should be guilty of gross bad faith. —( Hear.) It was quite clear
that if he abandoned 400,000/. of revenue, he could not follow
out the principles which he laid down in proposing the income-tax
without a deficit to that amount.—( Hear, hear.) 'the motion
was, therefore, to be regarded as a vote of censure upon the
financial policy of the Government.—( Hear, hear.) He would
not say that he at all regretted the course of policy which the
present Government had adopted. Let the House look to the
condition of the country when he came into office.—( Hear. )
He well recollected the statements which were made as to the
distressed condition of the manufacturers.—( Hear, hear.) lie
well remembered the complaints as to the state of commerce ;
and, above all, as to the condition of the labourers in the manu-
facturing districts.—( Hear.) He remembered hearine from
the lion. Member for Sheffield, that, in that town,' there
were 3,000 houses uninhabited. Ile well remembered the
touching accounts which were given of the condition of the
labouring classes, who were represented as struggling to main-
tain an unwholesome subsistence upon the flesh of animals dead
from disease.—( Hear. Lear.) He remembered the statement
from Paisley, that in that town, in 1841, twelve thousand per-
sons—and at one ti re seventeen thousand persons who rose
in the morning without knowing how to obtain subsistence
for the day, except from voluntary and casual charity.—.(Hear,
hear.) In assuming office he did not think that he was put in
to support the partial interest of any class--(Cheers)--but he
considered that it was the duty of the Government to take a
comprehensive view of the interest of all classes—(Cheers)—
and he had now proved that it was the interest of all—
and especially of the agricultural class—that manufactures
and commerce should be re-animated and revived.—(Cheers. )
It was easy to talk of the effect which the importation of 300
r 400 swine might have upon the agriculturist. But let the
House look to what had been the effect of the measures of the
Government upon the condition of the manufacturers.—( Hear,
hear.) They were how told that the improvement was only the
effect of the season, or that the remission of five millions of
taxes had had nothing to do with the revival of industry. But
they would recollect when they were told that confidence in
better seasons would be wholly useless—that there was no hope
for the revival of manufactures and commerce—that all was
delusion—if they did not take the food of other countries in
exchange for the manufactures of this.—( Hear.) The improve-
ment, however, had taken place. He would now read some of the
circulars which had been given out from the manufacturing dis-
tricts in the present year. ( The Right Hon. Baronet then read a
circular dated January 1, 1845, from a manufacturing house
in the north, setting forth the great improvement which had
taken place in manufactures and commerce in consequence of
the relief of the burthens of industry and the opening of new
markets.) Such was the account at the commencement of
the present year.—( Hear, hear.) Let them contrast that
with the statements made as to the condition of commerce and
agriculture in the year 1842.—( Hear, hear.) Now let them
observe the bearing this had upon agriculture; and it was a
remarkable circumstance as showing the increased prosperity
of the country. In 1844 the quantity of wheat used in this
country was 2,128,000 quarters, being no less than 247,000 quar-
ters more than in the preceding year, 1843, and the whole of that
consumption was of wheat the produce of this country.
The importation of Foreign wheat in the latter year was
precisely the same as that of the preceding year ; in speaking,
therefore, of the improved condition of the labourer, it must
be remembered, that there was an increase in the consumption
of wheat in one year, to the amount of 247,0 CD quarters so
that it might be fairly said, that the measures of the present Go-
vernment had tended to increase manufactures and he had already
given them conclusive proof that there had been a correspond.
ing benefit to agriculture.—( Hear, hear.) He opposed this
motion in 1845 upon precisely the same grounds as he did in
1836, he then thought it held out hopes of relief which could
not be carried into effect. He, at that time, differed from
those with whom he was acting, but he said then, as he said
now, there was no tax mainly bearing on agriculture except the
malt tax, that it was in their power to relieve, and he thought
that all would agree with him that the taxes they proposed to
remove were far the best. The question of agricultural pro-
tection would shortly be raised, and upon that occasion he
should be prepared to say why the corn-laws should net be abo-
lished ; at the same time, he must say that he thought it was
for the interests of the country that they should relax their re-
strictive laws with great caution. Ile said this for the advan-
tage of all classes of the community, he believed the system of
prohibition and extreme protection 'to be wrong ; he did not
support the protection of the West India interests in a commer-
cial point of view, but he lo:ked at the length it had existed,
and the obligation they were under to maintain their colo-
nial empire, added to which he believed the
sudden removal of protection was an injury—( Hear )
not only to the West Indies, but to trade in general. They
had been taunted on one aide of the House with acting inju-
riously to the agricultural, and on the other side with being
mere instruments of the agricultural party. In spite of all
this he would say, that it was their intention to continue in
the course they were pursuing, not yielding to one party or the
other. They had attempted gradually to abolish prohibitory
duties, and to relax extreme protection. The Hon. Gentle.
man the Member for Shrewsbury had repeated an accusation
that he had made on a former occasion. He should not enter
into any personal controversy.—( Hear, hear.) But when he
proposed the tariff in 1842, and when he was charged by Hon-
ourable Members for doing so, he found that an Hon-
ourable Member got up in his place, and asserted
that the change had been made without due examination.
He found the same Hon. Gentleman also stating, that the con-
duct pursued by the Right Hon Baronet was in exact har-
mony, in perfect consistency, with the principlesin reference
to free trade laid down by Mr. Pitt ; and his reason for laying
down thus much, was to refute the accusations which had been
brought against the present Government, that in order to get
into, and being in, to keep in office, they had changed their
policy on this question. Those sentiments wore attributed to
Mr. D'lsraeli.—(Cheers and laughter.) lie held in the
same estimation the panegyric and the attack ; but he certainly
had been surprised, remembering the defence of the Hon.
Gentleman, that the accusation which he had made :that night
should proceed from him.—( Cheers. )
Mr. BANKES said, as he understood that his Right Hon.
Friend proposed to postpone the consideration of one remission
of taxation until after Easter, he should delay until that
period what he had to say in reference to the „agricultural
interest.

Captain HARRIS expressed his regret at the recriminatory
character which the debate had assumed. The Right Hon.
Baronet had, however, admitted that there were special burdens
pressing upon agriculture, and he was now called upon to
make a relaxation in its favour. He hoped that those who
were connected in that interest would combine to secure the
object.
Mr. PLUMPTRE wished very briefly to state his reason
for objecting to the motion of the Hon. Member for Somer..
setshire. He thought that neither the time nor manner were
such as to call upon him for support ; and for that reason he
must withheld his assent.

The House then divided, when the numbers were—
For the resolution . .. .. 75
Against
Majority against the resolution —l36
CUSTOMS' DUTIES ACT.

The House then went into Committee on the Customs'
Duties Act. When the item of " Basket rods" had been read
out as one of three on which the duties was prepared to be re-
mitted,

Mr. M. MILNES said if the duty should be remitted on
this article, great injury would be done to the growers of them
in this country.
Mr. FERRAND agreed with the Hon. Member.
Sir R. PEEL could not see why exception should be taken
to this more than to other articles of the same class which had
just been read.—The subject then dropped.
Upon the item of " Bones" being read,
Capt. PECHELL expressed a hope that these foreign bones
would not be allowed to be ground or crushed in workhouses,
On the item of" furniture wood" being read,
Mr. C. BULLER said there had been lately several new
kinds of wood, for the manufacture of furniture, introduced into
this country. These were not enumerated in the new tariff,
and he wished to know whether they would be admitted under
the general description. He referred in particular to Ceylon
woods, and several which came from New Zealand.
Sir GEO. CLERK was understood to say that these woods
would not be excluded.
Mr. LABOUCHERE said there were many woods grown
in the colonies which might be used for furniture woods, which
were now excluded by the duties imposed on them.
Mr. HUME suggested that all woods used for furniture
should be admitted.
Sir GEO. CLERK said this would admit all kinds of wood
without duty.
Mr. HUTT said he would to-morrow deliver a list of New
Zealand woes to the Chancellor of the Exchequer.
Mr. C. BULLER said this would be unjust to Ceylon.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said it was
absolutely necessary to enumerate the furniture woods.
Mr. HUME said they might enumerate the woods on which
duty was to be paid, and admit all others free.
Mr. HAWES wade a similar suggestion.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, that
if any new wood should be imported, it would be in the dis-
cretion of the Treasury to admit it free of duty.
Mr. C. BULLER said it was proposed to admit olive woods
free, but not big wood.
After a few words, the items were agreed to.
Upon certain articles relating to food being proposed,
Mr. EWART said that he would postpone his motion rela-
tive to butter and cheese, to the duty on which he was de-
cidedly opposed, till the third resolution.
Mr. MILES wished the House to defer the consideration of
those articles which were calculated to trench on the protective
interests of the British agriculturist. They might take the
articles which were not so opposed on that night, and defer the
others for discussion. One article he should object to would
be grease and another oil when they came to them.
Sir G. CLERK said that the grease and lard which would be
so imported would be unfit for food and could not compete with
the agricultural produce.
Mr. BRIGHT said the lion. Member for Somersetshire
had forgotten chalk.—( Great laughter.) Grease and butter
were admitted, because they were unfit for food. It was
rather a singular:circumstance that the articles to be imported
free, should have the extraordinary quality of being unfit for
food. He did not think that the House was called on to legis-
late for food to dogs, when human beings were held in such
slight regard.
Mr. MILES--If this proposition is agreed to, I shall move
the adjournment of the House.

Mr. B. ESCOT T.—lf the Hon. Member far Somerset-
shire wishes to bring agriculture into utter contempt,. this is
the way to do it.

Mr. MILES.---1 am not to be told how to do my duty. I
am not to be deterred by the taunts and sneers of the Hon.
Member. He might know my character well enough to know,
that if lam determined on a thing I will do it. I have thrown
out a proposition which shows my wish not to put
any impediment in the way of the tariff.
Sir R. PEEL was not prepared to press particular articles
against the wishes of any Gentleman in that House.
Mr. B. ESCOTT explained.
Several items having been gone through,
The House resumed, the Chairman reported progress, and
obtained leave to sit again on Wednesday.
The House then went into Committee of Supply, when save•
ral estimates were agreed to.
The CriAramax reported progress, and obtained leave to
sit again on Wednesday.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of, and the
House adjourned at a Quarter past Two o'clock.

FAlR.—Great preparations are being
made at Greenwich for the holiday folks daring the Easter
notwithstanding the continual severity of the woather