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

carried
ssee the measure into operation. The Government
s.'s Leo a compromise of this sort, because it was con-
tr to the principle upon which they had acted
porLuggehout, and because it would not have answered the
ss,stTes of the Noble Lord, viz. afford time for the
'4"4 in the factory for the exercise of those
t .domestic duties to which the Noble Lord had alluded,
for purposes of recreation. He was sure that the
ment would not suffer in the estimation of their
--;.`l upporters because they refused to sacrifice their
lel_ons of right on this matter, nor consented to re-
-0,7 themselves from present difficulty at the expense
zinme ermanent interest of the country.—(Hear, hear.)
man could more deeply regret separation from those
suse_nds of his who had been the consistent and regular
delyerters of the present Government. No ; Hon. Gen-
,s_`_nen who supported him well knew that the way to
zs__;ere lasting confidence and respect was to act accord-
mg to their conscientious convictions. And he was
that three months hence his Hon. Friends
sfeill'd hold the Government in higher estimation.
never felt more convinced of anything than that the
proposed restraint would be most injurious to commerce
I,,Zonsanufacture, but to no class so injurious as to the
far people themselves. He thou& that, at least
as
shes,ar as adults were concerned, the principles of labour
't4l be left entirely unshackled—should be left to
Noble
agreement. It was urged, in favour of the
_° e Lord's proposition, that, in many towns, the fac-
h7 labourers did not work more than ten hours. Now
sai,(Sir E. Peel) thought this argument told rather in
sot?ttr of the principle of voluntary labour ; for if ope-
ras ves might so arrange, as it was stated they had ar-
tCged, not to work for more than ten hours, where was
ts 7 need of legislative restraint ? Where was the
'nit
of such dangerous interference ? He
I,4)4say that the Government would yield to the
" e Lord in preference to any other Member of
thats. House. His Noble Friend had been for many
tsrs the noble and consistent advocate of the principles
Which he now sought to carry into operation. He had
the
great sacrifices, and would have been a member of
,min
eepresent Government but for his conscientious adhe-
los] to those principles. He considered that the re-
t•l'eiMt upon labour would not be attended with counter-
jng advantages, and that if the Government had ac-
;`_e.d to the elevenpour compromise they would have
Cskened their own position and given up those principles
t: Which they had been contending. It was, he must re-
.ats with the greatest pain he differed from so many of
supporters on this question, but he felt satisfied that
1174'r further deliberation the majority of that House
Would sake a very different view from that which they
ft‘iu already taken. The Government would persevere
etemperate, firm, and uncompromising advocacy of
sip' own opinions, and he strongly hoped that the re-
sult Would prove, that the opinions of the majority of
414 Rouse would be in favour of the course pursued by
ssr. Majesty's Ministers.
%mt. CHARLES WOOD thought the proposition of
s4),Yoble Lord was not at all calculated to give satis-
th 'ton to the, great body of the working classes, and
;.lit it would tend materially to injure the manufacturing
interests.
4440 rd pALMERSTON said it was time that, if the
wis.°-ernrnent thought the maintenance of their proposal
ss' essential to the 'interests of the country, they were
rfeetly justified in carrying it out ; but, still, he
ss°tlght it rather an unusual course, after the sense
ht the House being manifested as it had been
tni this instance, to withdraw the original
ply.and then to replace it by another iden-
-1 s,,,the same. He could not at all attribute any
tCe to his Noble Friend opposite, for consenting to
course, because he thought it was the only manner
fiord
he could act. At the same time it was his
It'rti Palmerston's) intention, if Ms Hon. Friend the
ember for Finsbury pressed his motion to a division,
o„,Ycte in favour of it. Notwithstanding the particular
sorss'll'" ions which the Government might entertain of the
beneficial results of a Twelve Hours' Labour Bill,
Oyer that of one which sanctioned a smaller number, he
gutight, after the strong expression of opinion by the
is t°ls e, that the Government did not act very judiciously
1 oe the course they were pursuing. He did net think the
ssternraent were justified in charging Hon. Gentlemen
I ,oPposed them with introducing a new principle in
tstation, for they themselves proposed to regulate the
nr of adult females. It was the Government, there-
-1Z! that first introduced this innovation.—(Hear.)
ts'4,r. WILLIAMS hoped his Hon. Friend the Member
ths Finsbury would not press his amendment, as he
Oght it would not be attended with any practically
The
result.
ba Ike amendment was then negatived without a division,
--s` the order of the day was discharged.l
REDUCTION OF DUTIES.
°n the Order of the Day being read for going into a
011Mittee of Supply,
E WART moved " That it is indispensable to
h.! Maintenance and extension of the trade of this coun-
W, that those duties be repealed which press on the
is* materials of the woollen and cotton trade : that it
pedient also that those duties be greatly reduced 414
bui"' press on articles of interchange in return for our
silufaetures ; especially such articles of interchange as,
ht,re same time, concern the subsistence of the people ;
(besides corn, which is the subject of superior and
hs!arate consideration) such articles as tea, sugar, coffee,
th°ll, butter, and cheese : That it is expedient that
I,l°le duties also be greatly reduced which, by their
trunt, encourage smuggling ; being at once injurious
~..the revenue and dangerous to the morality of the
fZtrY ; such as the duties on tobacco, silk goods, and
es, In spirits: That whatever temporary deficiency of
isue be cauecci by zueh reduction ought, until the tinereve-
bi„ regain its former amount, to be sustained by the pro-
-4,11Y, and not by the trade and labour of the country."
ttn regretted that the other evening, when he
ss7tight this matter before the House, it had not re-
tied that attention which its importance demanded.
sCpcmgst the many points to which he would refer was
of raw cotton, the duty upon which operated most
rshly upon She manufacturer. On the articles of tea,
stolfgttr and coffee, the people had a right to an alteration
,tne duties, and on such commodities as tobacco,
s,„r ts, Sic , the high duties on which led to smuggling,
t
it to. the House whether it was not better for the
"Ilty of the country that those duties should be re-
, -ed. The duty on foreign spirits, such as brandy,
tieft, Sze , were unreasonably high, and he thought
.t the present Gvernmet would do well to follow the
.i,tuple of Mr. Pitt, who increased the revenue of the
tillrY by lowering the duty on those latter articles.
sere Lord G. Bentinck, who was conversing on the
motuilterial benches with another Hon. Member, said
iloud
" Question, question"— and
EWART said—He was sorry to interrupt the
Noble Lord.
istord G. BENTINCK—No interruption—not in the
"ett.
rss'ir• EWART was sure that the Noble Lord did not
len to insult an Hon. Member of that House. The
4111. Gentleman was proceeding to continue his address
• 17, there being but a few Members present,
;1,143'. HUME moved that the House be counted.
strangers were ordered to withdraw, and after the
ee of a few minutes, on our re-admission we found,
there being more than forty Members present;
EWART on his legs, stating his conviction that
t. Right Hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Ex-
s,"equer could not but see the impolicy ofmaintaining the
qestent system. If the Government adopted his views,
eY Would find that the loss sustained in one article
Would be compensated in another, and the ultimate effect
w
0f:341d be the advantage of the poor, by the cheapening
articles of
_subsistence, and the removal of smuggling.
s M. HUME rose to second the Motion, in order to
kltress his surprise at the conduct of.those who ought
ssl new better.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon. Gentleman
--mart) had brought forward this subject on a
„,-tner occasion, and the House was then counted out,
Cissci when the Hon. Gentleman now brought the same
itlect forward he was met by cries of " Question."
Bft Majesty's Government would not look at the
ilgin and source of the evil. The reeking ricks showed
itt• was the state of feeling amongst the labouring
tiZres. The Hon. Member then read an extract from a
Ittt paper in reference to the recent incendiary fires ;
•
sh tib uting the fires to low wages, and the severity of
the Poor-law. The present legislation prevented
tr labourers from getting work, and therefore
el obtaining food. It was discreditable to a reformed
tinfise of Commons to pay httle attention to the prac-
-147 grievances of the country. They would shortly
issi.s„-e to go into a Committee of Supply. It was a dis-
i„ —era' fact that not more than forty or fifty persons
tt.,°llld attend the House on such occasions. He did
forher Majesty's Government had much to answer
-1* °II account of the present condition of this country.
The SPEAKER having put the question,
b. The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said the
Zoti. Gentleman had attacked the House of Commons
%body, For that attack he did not feel ; but he was
Zed upon to reply ; and if 'the Hon. Gentleman had
ton interrupted, the interruption arose from the feeling
• the amendment was not likely to be of any practical
Ts and it was opposed chiefly by those on his own side
the House.—(Hear, hear.) He apprehended the
°lt mover of the amendment had brought forward this
ttilect rather with a view of stating- his opinion than
t the hope of meeting with concurrence. All per-
°s agreed in the abstract principle that it was a great
evil 4; to have taxes on raw materials. The Hon. Gentle-
all Said it was indispensable t the trade of this country
that the tax on wool shoe' repealed. Why, it ap-
re-
Pea a
se that the qw of cotton imported
s_
this country in 1-842 was 4,200,000 cwt.
e'44 0343 it was 5,200,000, being an increase of 100,000
:„st*--alear, hear.) The value of the exports in 1842
21,690,0001.: in 1843, it was 23,440,0001., being an
Uwerease in one year of 1,700,0001. Take the article of
4°l. In 1842, the value of wool imported was
; in 1843, it was 4,860,000/. The exports in
1541 r., amounted to 5,800,0001. ; in 1843, to 7,480,0001.
°W could the House, with these facts before them, ex-
press
is an opinion that it was indispensable to the main-
, atre of our trade in these two articles that the tax
tbte3uLd be removed ? The proposition would involve
ten, Rouse in an absurdity, which it could hardly in-
th—*--(Rear.) His general objection to the other parts of
motion was, that it would not be wise to commit
the Rouse to the expression of an opinion on very large
ras of taxation. He thought the Hon. Gentleman
.4
as hardly aware, indeed, of the extent of his own pro-
tons. along. He proposed to deal with an amount of taxa-
teu which would fall little short of thirty millions of
v • enme• If the House adopted these propositions, what
Whole
e the effect ? Why, that they would throw the
utmost
of the great interests of this country into the
the
confusion, and create an alarm with respect to
the credit or this country by which they would forfeit all
auu°s_e advantages which they now derived from that
otije•—(Hear, hear.) He did not mean to express any
tixe's" as to the propriety or impropriety of these
du•
ty 3 ; the time would come when it would be their
to state what were their views on that
140.2 c- In one part of the Hon. Gentleman's
‘l°n he proposed that the deficiency should
saesruade up by a property-tax. On that subject the
ss Jl. Gentlman seemed to have changed his opinion.
-4 lie mistook not, he opposed the proposal of his Right