The Sun.
London, England, 1844-02-02 00:00:00

not bat feel ashamed of themselves for having ail awed. the.
Chinese so far to have out-stepped them in ert mire
eiples of commerce. By the Chinese tariff, every artici. of
food was admitted free of duty. Let the Right Hon. Baronet
tad his colleague. follow that example. We had been called
barbarians by the Chinese, and he thought the
Win was not misapplied when the principles of
eur tariff were considered. He would take that opportunity of
referring to one subject, which he thought was highly credita-
ble to the character of this country and honour-I.le to the iii-
dividual in whom it had originated. He alluded to the
supplemental treaty which had been concluded by her
Majesty's Plenipotentiary. By this treaty every nation wa
admitted to trade with our recent possessions in China. He
thought this most praiseworthy, and an honour to the c iunti
He (Mr. Hume) had propo ed an amendment to ens of the
Paragraphs of the address, which was to this effect—
" That whilst we acquiesce with your ithijesty in
the commendations bestowed on the officers and men employee
in our late military operation in Sinde, we with•
hold any expression of opinion respecting the
Political negotiations pending with, and the dethrone-
Lent and im.eisonment of, the A meers of Snide."
He found that before he came into the House, a notice had
been given, by which the subject would be brought before the
Beare on an early day. For his own part he protested
aßainst
the
whole proceedings that
had been taken again.t
that
unfortnnate ceuntry.—( Hear, hear. ) He thought Eng-
laud had disgraced itself in the e)es of the world by the pro-
ceedings they had adopted in Sinde. The Hen. Gentle-
man who hid seceeded the address hail teiked ot the
peaceful progress of cemmerce; he hoped in dieing • o hr did net
Include Ind a. where by armies conquests had been effected in
total violation of every erigegement this reentry end mace.
The Right Honourable Baronet ought to have some forward
with further information on this subject at the close o, the last
'Onion ; and if he had done so, he would have removed a great
deal of the strife and bloodshed that had taken place in that
uountry.--( Hear, hear. ) Now it might be curious for the
House t• know the statements that hid been made iu King's,
and Queen's speeches for .he last twenty-five yeers ; for ttiat
time, both in war and peace, the same stetemeet was mad•
with respect to the estimates. They were always told
that they had been framed with strict economy. regard
being hail to the public service. Now he thought
the House ought not to take such a statement from
a Minister of the Crown, unless they had a control over
the estimates, which they had not. It was impossible for the
House, or any other person, to believe that they world have
suitable estimates laid before them while these things cen-
tinued, and, for the purpose of obviating such a state of things,
he should move an amendment.—(Laughter.) lie had no
doubt the adoption of such a course would not be very
Pleasarable to many, for they thought. as long as they
lot money, or money's worth, it was all right.
If once the money left the Exchequer it flowed through so
teeny rivulets that there was no knowing how many persons
enjoyed a share of the public money. It was the moot Im-
portant duty of Parliament— it was the only duty that Puttee
scent was capable of executing efficiently—(A taugh)—to
Beep a guard upon the public expenditure. With regard tothe
estimates they ought of adept the plan which was adopted
in France and Belgium. There every estimate was sue-
mitted to a Committee. The Committee hail the head
of the department before them, and called upon him for
any explanations they might require These explanations
Were laid before the Chambers before the estimates were ap-
Proved of or rejected In this country we had erred in no,
adopting a similar course. He was pleased to observe from the
'lent paragraph that there was an improvement in several of
the branches of the revenue. Ile admitted that there hail been
" imProvernent in some articles iit commeree. hut he feared
that that improvement was only partial. He believed it de-
gr`g▪ itgried upon the opening of the ports of China,
tint the improvement in the trade of America,
hencould net see any prospect of its continuance. But,
Illettever might be the improvement, it was impossible to dens
the
existence of great distress and destitution. (inc of the
eldses to which he attributed the evils of the country, was the
Wart ef the means for the people to exchange the products o'
their industry for the means of support. In short, he attri-
buted thole evils to our restrictive commercial policy. The
Right Hon. Baronet had very acutely left out of the speech
all allusien to the corn-laws. Now when the Right Hon
Baronet, • in bringing forward the tariff, had so ably and clearly
expounded the doctrines on which the commercial policy of this
country ought to be conducted, he was either right er wring.
He (Mr. name) believed that he was right, but he asked the
Right Hon. Baronet why had he stopped short ? The con-
duct which the Right Hon. Baronet was pursuing in doing
so was sure to give general dissatisfaction. He was to glad to
*el opposite several gentlemen who hsd taken part in a meet-
ing got up to oppose the Ater-Corn-law League. 'lb could
not be ileum-ant ef the operations and influence in the League.
They now admitted that the League was a great fact, tree they
got up meetings to oppose it. The Right Hon. Baronet has
admitted that the time might conic when the principle., of the
League might be carried out ; he had never said that free trade
in core should never be granted. He had acted unwisely in
thus leaving the subject in doubt and difficulty. Those inte-
rested in support of the law got up meetings to oppose the
League. One of them had been held at Steyeing ; it had been
tailed a meeting of tenant-farmers. Among the inures of
those present he read those of the Earl of Egmont. the Eerl o
Winchilsea, the Duke of Norfolk, Lord Gage, Sir C.
Clifford, Sir C. Burrell, Colonel Wyndham ; there was
a whole page filled with the names of Noble Lords and Hole
Members,and these were all tenant-farmers. —( A laugh. ) Why,
had there ever before been exhibited such a farce 9—t A laugh.)
He accused them, at these tenant-farmer meetings, of abuse the
most foul, and of language the most discreditable Now. he
would venture to •a y, that in all the Anti-Corn-law meetings
that had been held in England and Scotland—and hoe
numerous they had been was known to all—( Hear, hear)
—no language to be compared for its vulgarity and
discreditableness to that employed at the tenant-farmers' assem-
blages had ever been uttered. But what he had t• maintain
was that the Right Hon. Bart. at the head of the Government
Was doing great injustice to these ti nate-farmers in leaving
them in the state of uricetuunts which he did, at 0
net telling them of his stetermination to propose
a total repeal.—( Laughter.) Why he hopee he would do that.
for, from a proposal or an advocacy of a fixed duty be had
entirely precluded himself, as well by his votes as his speeches
He thought all classes, but. more especially the tenant-farmers.
had a right to complain of the Right Honourable Baronet
for not mentioning the subject of the corn-laws in the
speech from the Throne. The question was, did the Right
Hon. Gentleman mean to do something this session in refer-
ence to the corn-law, or did he not?—(Hear, and a laugh.)
He (Mr. Hume) believed that he did not intend
to do anything this session, for in the ye:, 1841 he
had brought to book the Noble Lord near him (Lord
John Russell) because he had not introduced into the
speech from the throne the subject of the corn-laws, and
yet, at a subsequent period of that session, he hail brought it
under their consideration. He said, why not put that into the
speech from the throne as the advice tendered by Ministers,
and then broach the subject afterwards ? and from this he (Sir
Robert Peel) had volunteered the expression of his convic-
tion that the subject of the corn-laws was an after- thought
of the then Ministers, and resolved suddenly upon by them.
Though, then, the Right Hon. Baronet might have no intention
of interfering with the corn-law, still the country had a right
to expect him to say something in reference to them and to the
Ministerial intentions. What said the Duke of Richmond?
He said that the were entitled to know distinctly the inteti-
tions of the Government—that it was their duty to ask,
cot in the language of threat, or even of reproach, what was
meant by them, and that they were entitled to tell the Minis-
ters of the Crown that suspense was the worst of all evils, the
cruellest of all punishments, and that they required to know
whether the protection they row enjoyed was to be continued
Or. tint.—(Hear, hear.) Now his (11r. Hume's) complaint
anzs,ttat the speech from the throne was, that in it no
I,eel" whatever was taken of that important lute-
c!" This course of conduct on the part of the
Bern This
was mere to the detriment of the landed interest
than of any other. If the landed interest thought itself the
greats interest which it did--and that it was a great interest he
was ready enough to concede—then it had a very just
ground ef complaint indeed. He would refer to other
meetings of tenant-farmers—the one at Northampton.
" The Anti-Corn-law League," said Sir C. Knightley, " rank
Sitting them the whole refuse of mankind."—( Laughter. )
The
House might suppose that that included everything, but
such
was riot the case. " This League, called the Anti-Core-
law League, is, I think, the most pestiferous society
since the Jacobin Club, in the date: of the French
ettiltitien•" (Great laughter. ) " the object of one
section of those gentlemen is to overthrow the present Go-
',eminent." He denied it.—(Laughter.) He did not be'oag
to the Anti-Corn-law League, but he repelled that charge
With indignation. 't Of another section, the Radicals, the
object is to overthrow the Constitution." He gave the lie
unreet to that.—(Laughter. ) Ile was a Radical, he had been
11 Radical, and he still avowed himself one ; and he
id:elated that any man who stated what he had just read
as a calumniatiation of himself, and of all with whom he
taielt_c_de—(Hear, hear. ) He went on to say, •‘ I conceive
the
is about as much affection between the one party and
e other, as there was between Jonathan Wild and Jack Shep-
eu
rrd."—(Great laughter.) What was the affectioe that existed
between the Right Hon. Baronet and many of those from
inn he received support he could not then inquire.
sir Charles then went on to excuse the League of
isquina blasphemous publications, and ii.devent publications,
soil scattering them all mound the country. Now the Anti-
rn-law League contained, he believed, man) of that class
who were more careful of pubic morals than almost any other
clam in the country.--( Cries of " Oh, oh.") lie thought this
attempt
was highly discreditable to sir Charles Knightley,
and those with whom he was connected. There were other
meetings at which the language used, and the mode of speaking
oifi Particular individuals, were equally unjustifiable lie
t
:might such things were in a great measure attributable to the
arson :n which the Right Honourable Baronet had
Placed himself, by not eerryii se out his o'n inten-
t)
'cm'. He was 'riot igeorant, indeed. of the infli-
ealties of the Right Honour able Martinet's posit in.
.e recollected a speech made in that House by the Right
05. Baronet opposite, in which he told hen 'j
Lnrd be-
zutv that if he knt.w ariy measures which he believed to be
sesitial to the prosperity and welfare of the country, lie was
bound, as a Minister of the Crown, having taken an oath to
promote the interests of the country , to bring forward
crotr, measures; arid if he abstained from doing se
esr,, fear of not carrying them, he ought not to
..11 his situation a moment. Let the Right Hon. Baronet
t): do what he asked the Noble Lord to do. If the Right
17r n• Baronet believes that the principles ot free trade are the
,o.icl'er principles fur a free country—aud who can doubt ie—
the! not propose them ?--e Hear, hear ) But he left
coentry in a state of excitement—league against
',ague—while the country was torn in pieces. He said
was the duty of the Right Hon. Baronet to speak out
.!h5 tnd let the Duke of Richmond and Sir H. Verne know what
licintended to do. Commercial restrictions were the cause of
e distress of the country, and every person was bound to re-
d.," that distress by contributing toremove them. Nothing was
rereueinia,esedlast session, it was a mere blank. Pauperism in-
throughout the county, which was left without
A. recoil took place. because it was impossible things
Ceoe°,ldf.ge on as they had been going. 'I hings were now getting
,orn'ter• The Hosi Seconder of the address alluded to
wee% instances of this improvement. One was a case in
a reduction had been made in the number of
Pe.rs
4,O(Zs receiving relief in one union, from 12,000 to
to t But was it not the duty of a Government
Bean care and provide the means of working for 4,000?
tVinieri that the corn-laws, and all other prohibitory
three:o4ot- hj, to be considered and amended, he regretted that
contained no notice on the subject ; but
he
doubt. trutteel t would have a declaration from the
all night
doubt. aronet, which would do away with
H
aljurinus to all cla
e
proprietors themsellit,es.;
Was confident that the corn-laws were
•es to the community, even t• the lustiest
• Was the Common and
and that they would become more and
more
injurious, it was upon that account he said that it
tizdeetdwobyririvailsho
institutions forject of all to remove them. There were
relieving the distress of the metropolis,
ps. and Ministers of the Crown ; there were
tnaion,
in
eve institutions for this purpose; there were besides
the eotton, rileparish ; notwithstanding which the distress
• oontinued. increase of treble had taken place in
this. and all theirwoollen, and hardware trades, but notwithstandieg
n2ed, and the 1 charitable institutions, the distress conti-
'Lie!' might, y ad daily reports of persons dying of hunger ;
co. Aerate
"chit them therefore,
to call on her Majesty's Ministers to
portationa of f is removing all restrictions on the im-
am every article of industry. Nothing but
ehrr4l)l,?ylearsiet:
twoZld afford substantial relief to the eNotiontit
Ile
toe_ lt that the repeal of the corn-laws would lower wa es.
urislciered that •
impomble, be-citra4 wages wtra lowegr io

En laud than
.. in ARV _coentry in the . world.—(Cries of
•Oh ! oh !" ) Yes, he repute.. it —where could they get
K shirt made for I Ld. and a knife and lock for the same price?
So great had been the distress, that many had been anxious to
get a paltry sum of three halfpence for twelve hours' labour.
Was it possible, he would ask, to conceive such a state of things?
The truth was, in the country pauperism was increasing ;
the poor-rates, which had been reduced, were now rising
rapidly, and paupers were increasing ; added to this, prices
ere -failing, and how was this? why, because men had no
work by which they could get money. In his
opinion the House of Commons was doing great injury to
the country, and he called upon them to reconsider their
course. If the Right Hon. Baronet would only
postpone the address till Monday, in order to afford
an opportunity to the peoitle of knowing what
it was that the address contained, he was sure if the Right
Hon. Baronet. would adopt that course, as quick as the post
could bring them, the grievances of the people would be
poured into that. House. Now i' was his intention to move
two amendments, hr considered the distress that existed in the
country was owing to two caustic, one the existence of the
corn-laws and other prohibitory enactments, which if put
an end to would remove that distress and suffering, and the
other was the great increase of taxation. Her Majesty, in her
speech—or rather her Ministers, in their speech—had been
cautious upon that subject ; but these taxes caused misery to the
people.—( Hear.) He regretted to see taxation increased to the
extent it had teen when it ought to he reduced. Then, again,
with respect, to the income-tax, that impost instead
of falling on the wealthy had fallen very heavily on the
poorer classes. He believed the larger portion of the
people had been iiblieed to pay that tax,
:lel the trouble of get ir.g i• bark was such that the money
t:O, VIOL considered worth it. 'the Right Hon Baronet did not
tell them, as lie did in 1828, that a Finance Committee should
be appointed to see where the excesses of the expenditure had
taken place. He thought her Majesty ought to have called
upon her Ministees to look to the distresses of the people.
What was the of having eeace, when they were obliged to
seep se. a war esteblishment ? He was anxious that.
the House s ieuld not hr led ass ay by a species of trickery.
If they wished for an example of the evil effects which must
follow from aiiy breach of faith with the public creditor, let
them look across the Atlantic.—( Cheers.) He had always
opposed everything like a breach of faith with the public
creditor, although he saw these on the benches opposite
who had, in their speeches and their writings, recommended a
breach of the public faith.—( Cheers and laughter.) Fer every
pound that was withheld from the public creditor, the country
lost milli.ins.—( Hear, hear.) Teey had recently had
an example of the effect of upholding public credit.
What occurred in Virginia? There had been considerable
difficulty in raising funds to meet the interest of the debt.
The Governor had recommended the House to raise a tax to
pay the interest due to the public creditor. A small sum,
amounting t about 800,000 dollars, had been raised for that
purpose, and the effect had been that the stocks which
had been at 45 or 50, rose immediately to 70 and
to 8•2. Three-fourths of those funds were held
by inhabitants of the State, who thus found that their capital
was doubled, and that they were able to exchange it, and to
use it for any purposes which they might require. Every
State in America which had broken faith with the public cre-
ditor had suffered, would suffer, and ought not to recover
until they had regained public credit, by paying their creditors.
He agreed with the Right Hon. Baronet as to the necessity of
maintaining public credit. That person was the greatest
enemy to the working classes who should recommend a breach
of the public faith with the national creditor, for the working
classes would suffer more severely in consequence, than any
other. The most effectual way, however, to maintain the pub-
lie credit, was by a reduction in taxation, to lessen the burden
of the people. If less were taken from them by the income-
tax, they would be more effectually enabled to contribute to the
other taxes of the country. the public credit would have been
more effectually preserved if, instead of raising five millions by
an income-tax, a reduction had been made in our establish-
ments. Alt that was wanted was that they
should set free labour, the industry and the commerce
of the country.—( Loud cheers.) They had ships rutting
in their harbours for want of employment, with which they
would have been furnished if we had had free trade. He
scarcely pitied the ship-owners, for they had been the
greatest monopolists, and they were now paying the penalty of
their folly. Much had been saidabout commercial improvement.
Let the Right Hon. Baronet lock to every trade except those
connected with the woollen and cotton manufacture, and he
would see nothing but distress. Our condition could not be a
wealthy one as long as there were millions of
money unemployed and capital lying dead. Nothing
but ex'ending the outlets for our exports, could furnish the
means of emplosment. "they were told that if *hey did this it
weal e: t give iricrea:•e of employment ; hut he %tented
that position. Essen these States in which the miss,
stringent reguletiens existed against our commerce, had been
compelled to take more arttcies from us whenever we relaxed
our commercial code. Our commerce with France had been tre-
bled. There was not a bushel of wheat imported which did not
give additional employment to the people. It did riot lower the
price of British produced wheat, but it afforded a full meal to
those who had only before had half a one.—( Hear, hear).
The articles of butter and ileese hail not been affected by the
tariff, although a Noble Lord, speaking in the enlightened
county of Buckingham, had complained that the farmers had
been al ruined by the duty having been taken off cheese—( A
laugh )—and when they looked at the article of live cattle—
why the whole of the cattle imported in the course of last year
wou d not have matte a single breakfast for the working people
•of this country. They had every right to complain of the
Right Hon. Baronet, because he would not carry out the
ante principles of commercial policy which he had enunciated.
—( Cheers.) He believed that over-taxation was one of the
evils under which this country was labouring, and he
thought that many of those evils had been produced
by the con Ala of the Right Honourable Baronet.
With regard to the subject of the revenue, if it were properly
looked into and fain, stated. it would present a very different
appearance to that which it was assumed to have by the
Ministerial pasty. If they would deduct the amount
received for the ineorne-tax, the revenue derived front
corn. and ti.e amount received from China,
instead of speaking in the glowing terms which they did of our
financial situation and our returning prosperity, they would
find their as.erted increase soak down into a revenue less
by a million and a half than that of last year. Re-
verting to the condition of the working classes,
let them look at the reduced rate of wages,
an . they would be compelled to say that they were in any
thing but a state of comfort. When the time rrived at
which the [tight Hon. Baronet at the head of the
Government would propose a c ,ntinu.Ltion of the income-
tax, he would beg them to bear mind that there would
be y n
it- furtoherocicnafisii(ottnron,foifr theit,
y would Drily sirs awwhayater wither the
r
tram.nele of industry, and give to capital its fair and legiti-
mate expansion. The Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Cardwell) in
seconding the address to the Crown, had said much in
praise of the home market, holding it up as the best,
if not the only one for this country. Why, for his
(Mr. Hume's) part he could see no difference between the
home and the foreign. When a man could sell his articles
better at home he would sell them at home, and if he could
find a readier malket or a better price abroad he would sell
abroad.—( Hear.) Here people were constantly protesting
against foreign markets, and holding up home mar-
kets as the only good for the country, and what was
our actual condition? Take the agricultural parishes, Were
they not now burtheced by persons thrown upon theta for relief,
thrown back from manufactures, which were rendered
idle and unproductive by the very system which
he (Mr. Hume) complained cf, but of which Hon. Gentle-
men opposite desired the continuance. These poor people,
thus thrown back upon the agricultural parishes, were so
thrown, by their own narrow policy and unjust laws. Let
them give employment to the people, and they would very soon
find all their difficulties at an end. Their disasters were not
limited to one class of the people—the agriculturists were suf-
fering the same as the manufacturers—they were both to be
pitied, and ought to be relieved. In order that these matters
mil-ht in a proper way be brought under the attention of the
Crown, he should move certain paragraphs to be added, by
way of amendment, to the eleventh paragraph in the proposed
address. (The Hon. Gentleman then read his amendment,
which was to the effect that the industry of the country was
shackled by laws of repression which ought at once to be re-
pealed, and the principle of free trade fully acted upon—that
monopolies should no longer be permitted—and that her Ma-
jesty having announced the prospect of continued peace, very
consieerable reductions might and ought to be made in the
naval and military services, and the various overgrown esta-
blishments of the country.) The force now in Ireland was

larger than that of 179'2. it was a question at importance both
to Ireland and England whether such a force shonld be con-
tinued. Why was it maintained? Because they would not
do justice. When the ;:ion. Member for Cork introduced the
question of repeal in that House, he opposed him, believing
that repeal would be injurious to the best interests of both
countries. But they raust now make their selection between
two courses ; they must either remove the ss ell-founded com-
plaints of the Irish people, or they must let them have repeal.
—( Hear, hear.) If he believed that justice would not be done
to Ireland by the British Parliament he would himself become
a ri pealer.—(llear, hear.) What was the feeling of
Irishmen themselves in reference to their present
position? He bad in his hand a copy of a petition
agreed to be presented to that House, not bs the riff-raff, who
they were told were the only supporters of Mr. O'Connell and
repeal, but at a meeting at which the Duke of Leinster pre-
sided. (The Hon. ',Member then read the petition, which de-
scribed the state of Ireland as one of deep-seated and wide-
spread discontent, and stated that the petitioners considered
that until the c.tuaes of complaint were removed, peace could
not be secured on a tasting tooting ). He thought the Ritht
Hon. Baronet (sir Jame■ Graham) and the Noble Lord his
colleagtv, might have learned something from their experience
in 18.34. when, as Aleinlit,rs of the Gose,rnment. of that day,
they brought i.. a Cuero it Bill for Ireland. What was the
iesulr of that measure? Why, it was a perfect failure.
When, subsequently, injustice cease t, when a desire was mani-
fested to remove all causes of complaint, Ireland immediately
responded to the new feeling ; and at one time the army was
reduced from :2.0,000 to 8500, and troaps were sent over to
assist in maintaining the peace in Yorkshire. What had oc-
curred sine.e ? They had refused justice to the nation,
after pled Zing themselves to remove all grievances,
and the• contitry was tieluged with a naval and
military force which wss a disgrace to any Ministry in a time
,tf peace. Ihe Noble Lord, who had proposed the address,
said that he (lid not wish to raise any topics of dispute. Why,
unless they stated what they were preitar, d to eo, the Mi-
nistry were shirking their duty.—( Hear, hear.) They wanted
the moral courage to bring the subject fairly before the House,
and they did not redeem the pledge which they had given, to
propose all measures which might be necessary for the welfare
of the country.
Mr. S. CRAWFORD said he wished to move an amend-

ment to that part of the address which referred to the esti-
mates. He wished to and to the paragraph the following
worth :—.‘ To assure her Majesty that her faithful Commons
will be always desirous to vote such supplies as may be found
just and necessary for the public service, but that under the
existing circumstances of the country we shall deem it our first
and most important duty to inquire Into the various grievances
complained of by her people and to devise such measures as shall
be most effectual for the removal of alljust causes ot complaint."
It was their duty to inform her Majesty of the causes of the
complaints of the people. That House was the proper organ
of communication between the people and the Crown. They
possessed no other, and it was therefore their duty to represent
to her Majesty what the wants and wishes of the people were.
The people had at various times represented those grievances
to that House, but their complaints were not listened to, and
they therefore believed that they were not fully or fairly repre-
sented in that House. By representing their grievances to the
Crown, her Majesty night, if she so thought fit, desire her
Ministers to inquire into their grievances. They complained
of the accumulation of property white the destitution of the
great body of the people was every day increasing. They com-
plained that the means of living of the working classes were
lessened, and that while the taxes on food were continued they
sought to give relief through the administration of the poor-
law. He would not at that time cuter into the subject of the
poor-law, though he had strong opinions upon the subject.
taken the grievances of the people were not inquired into, it
became their duty as Members of that House to take all fair and
reasonable means to Jame their consideration npon the House,
and if possible to obtain redress for them. It was to be
regretted that references were not made in the speech from
the Throne, but that not being done, it was their duty
to make those references in the address. He maintained that
it was only their duty to inforts the Crown of all the core-
: plaints of the people, and it was the best means of securing
o stability of the Cro'n. It w& with that view he brought