The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-04 00:00:00

TALLOW DUTIES.

Mr. POULETT SCROPE, seeing the Right Hon.
Baronet in his place, would put the question of which
he had given notice on Friday, on the subject of the
tallow duties. The present import duty on foreign tallow
was 3s. 4d. the cwt., but there was also an export duty
in Russia on leaviHg that country. There was a rumour
that the Russian Government was willing to take off the
export fluty on tallow if the import duty were taken
off in this country. The duties united amounted to
15 or 20 per cent on the value of the tallow imported.
In looking over the list of the 250 articles from which
it was proposed to remove the import duty, he
found tallow was omitted. There were, however,
a great many articles which were either infe-
..

rior sorts of tallow, or were used as substi-
tutes for that article from which the duty was to be re-
moved, such as, for instance, grease, which was
an inferior sort of tallow ; hogs'-lard, which was
swine tallow ; whale oils, animal oils, various
sorts of vegetable oils—all these were used as
substitutes for tallow in the manfacture of soap, and
some of them in the manufacture of candles ; and if
the duty were not removed from tallow, it would operate
as a serious burden upon the consumers of this article.
It was material, therefore, to ascertain if the Right lion.
Gentleman purposed taking off the duty on tallow when
some arrangement should be come to with the Russian
Government on the subject, or if he had fully re-
nounced the idea of taking off the duty on tallow.
He wished, therefore, to ask if any negotiations were
going on with the Russian Government on the subject
of the removal of the export duty on tallow?
Sir R. PEEL said he hoped the Hon. Gentleman
would excuse him from giving any answer respecting the
intentions of the Government. He always objected to
answer any questions respecting the future exemption
from duty of articles of trade, as those answers tended
to produce great derangements of trade. With respect
to the question with which the Right Hon. Gentleman
concluded, he had to state, that no negotiations were
pending with Russia respecting the removal of the export
duty on tallow in that country, on condition of the re-
moval of the import duty here.

G A ME-LA WS.

Mr. CRAVEN BERKELEY wished to ask the Hon

Member for Salford, who had, he believed, in the absence
of the lion. Member for Durham, the management of
the question of the game-laws, when it was his intention
to nominate the Committee ?
Mr. BROTHERTON said it had been his intention to
move the appointment of the Committee that night, but
understanding that there would be some opposition to
that course, he should postpone it for a few days.
WAYS AND MEANS.
_ _ _

On the order of the day for going into a Committee of
Ways and Means,

Mr. ROEBUCK said he wished to ask the Right Hon.
Gentleman (Sir R. Peel) a question, of which he had
given notice. The subject to which he would call his
attention was the negotiation now going on between this
country and the United States on the subject of the
Oregon territory. He wished to know whether the Right
Hon. Gentleman had any objection, on the part of
her Majesty's Government, to lay the negotiation, as
far as it had proceeded, before the House. The reason
which'induced him to ask that question was to be found
in the present state of circumstances in the United
States with regard to this very question. He did not
desire to cast any slur on the conduct of a great nation
like the United Statos, or to use any language which
might excite angry feelings; but it could not be unknown
to the Right Hon. Gentleman—for it was known to all
the world— that a Bill had already passed the House of
Representatives with regard to the Oregon territory.
He always considered that the Oregon territory which
had been already the subject of so much dispute was yet
to be considered as a matter on which no settlement had
been made, in fact, an open question He understcod
that it was likely a Bill would pass through the House
of Representatives for the purpose of making the Oregon
what was commonly called " territory." The course
pursued by the House of Representatives seemed
a most extraordinary one. The English were
not a people accustomed to bluster or express
themselves in a bullying manner, whilst negotiations
were yet pending ; but it must be apparent to everybo'ly
that this was a most extraordinary proceeding. Foreign
nations should know whether these proceedings arose
from the weakness of the Government, or from other
causes. He thought it became us to watch attentively
the progress of events in America, and whilst we trusted
to their probity, not to divest ourselves of the means of
protecting our own interests. If he were to express an
opinion, it would be that the Unitcd btates had no right
at all to any territory west of the Rocky Mountains.
At present he would not carry the matter further
than to express a strong feeling against the mode of
proceeding, and to ask the Government if they were
determined to leave us in the dark regarding the pro-
ceedings in the United States?
Sir ROBERT PEEL said the Hon. and Learned Gen-

tleman had correctly stated the proceedings which
had taken place in the United States in reference
to the Oregon territory. A convention bad taken
place between this co,intry and America, in 1818, gua-
ranteeing that neither party were to occupy the territory
for ten years. The term expired in 1828, and a fresh
agreement was entered into of the same nature, which
expired in 1838, without any definite arrangement
having been made; With respect to the question as to
the negotiation with the United States, he was sure the
Hon. and Learned Gentleman would agree with him,

that it was not proper to disclose the progress of the nego-
tiation. The Hon. and Learned Gentleman must feel that
our relations were not with the House of Representatives.
While he quite agreed with the Hon. and Learned Gen-
tleman as to the impropriety of using such language, he
trusted the Hon. and Learned Gentleman and the House
would not infer that her Majesty's Government were not
deeply sensible of the importance of the question.
Mr. DIVETT asked the Right Hon. Baronet (Sir R.
Peel) if, in connexion with this subject he had seen a
remarkable expression contained in the work of M. de
Moprat, now publishing in Paris, on California, in which
he states that he had examined the Oregon question,
and states his conviction of the perfect justice of the
English claim. The French writer said: —" Il faut
avouer que cette fois la raison et le droit, soot de leur
cote."

Sir R. PEEL was understood to say that he had not
seen the work alluded to, and that the Hon. Member
should have given him notice of his question.
BLEWITT saiu it was rather singular the in-:
formation should have come from the United States, in-
stead of through their own Government.
Sir R. PEEL thought her Majesty's Government
were quite justified in withholding the correspondence.