The Sun.
London, England, 1820-05-09 00:00:00

and from the country. He was aware that he-
sides the sources of commercial difficulty on which
he had particularly dwelt, there were others which
depended_on far different causes, and which time
alone could remove. He was sensible,---'

" small, of all the ills that men endure,
That part. which Kings or Lords can make of cure.'.'
But though some ot the evils were not to be
remedied, this was no reason against their pro-
ceeding to inquire into the system, in order to
ascertain what might be alleviated. It was their
duty to take a cownrel►psive and liberal view of
-thCrinestinn in its principles, and•perha,ps it would
be expedieot to appoint a Committee to go info
the details, and point rout what could he practi-
cally done for the relief of the people. He
thanked the House for the polite attention with
.which he had been listened to.—(Hear, hear !)
The Petition was then brought up and read:—
(See T4E Su N of the 26th April.)
Mr. GRENPELL said, that having paid the in-
most attention to the able speech ot his Honour-
,able. Friend, he saw no reason to dissent from
him. This subject was one that was not foreign
to his consideration for some years back ; but •at
present he would not trespass on their time fur-
ther than to say, that his Hon. Friend expressed
his sentiments, and that he fully concurred in
every principle laid down by him, and contained
in this petition.—Both in and out of that House,
he would do every thing in his power to give
these principles operation. _ •

Mr. F. ROBINSON said, he would take the
li-
berty of offering a few observations on the dues-
, tion which had been in so able a manner intro-
duced to the House. He was fully sensible of its
extreme importance, and had on many former oc-
casions stated his convictioq that the system of
positive restiiction was founded on error ; and
whatever might be the opinion of persons par-
tially-interested in it, that it defeated the objects
for the accomplishment of which it had been de-
vised. The Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Baring) had
been pleased to pay•hint a compliment which he
was unconscious of having deserved, but at the
same tinge the lion. Gentleman had thrown an
imputation upon his Majesty's Ministers, which
could with no degree of justice be alleged. There
had been no apathetic feelings on their part, nor
were there any grounds for supposing 'hat regard
to circumstances, in their own relations, had the
slightest influence in regulating their conduct.—
lie, for one, might have seen greater difficulties
in• the way of giving effect to the Hon. Gentle-
man's views, than the Hon: Gentleman himself
was willing ro allow ; but this arose from no de-
sire to thwart those views when they could be prac-
tically conducive to the good of the country.'in-
deed, orally and many ot•his attempts to introduce
practical- measures, •had been most strenuously
opposed by the Honourable Gentle Man's friends
on his own side of the House. The transit dillies
on linen was a proof of this, and it was hardly
correct to blame Government for avhat ve,--s done
by parties entirely unconnected with them, and
_hostile to their propositions. He was convinced
that the partiality for the restrictive system was
so deeply rooted, that it would be very difficult to
get it.relaxed ; and",this be said as his excuse for
not having brought forward more frequently than
be had done plans to that effect. Afterall, when
they came to look at the practical means for car•
rying the views of the petitioners into effect, he
thought they must agree with him, that though
right in general principle,_ would he impracti•
cable to make the proposed alterations at once.
The Home ought, nevertheless,. to. consider what
could be done, and every alteration possible for
the ituprovu.tnent of our commerce ought, to be
adopted. Looking at the system of absolute pro-
hibition, he might,-on a-fair review,-be unpre-
pared to say that no- alterations ought to' take ,
place. In tact, those prohibitory laws bad
been repealed, and it was only within the
last two or three years that Acts of Richard 1.,
Edward 11., and Queen Elizabeth, had been
-thus. expunged Irons the Statute Book. It would
-still further appear how much had been done,.
when they recollected, in the Report on the pe-
tition to the Lords on the Bank Restrictions,
there was a list of 300 articles, which had been,l
but were no longer inadmissibleinto this country.
-The next topic on which the Hon. Gentleman
had touched was, that of the duties on timber.
He also thought, that the state of these duties're-
quired amendment, and
,it Was his intention'to
submit an arrangement to that effect to the HoUse,
in the course of the present Session. This Was
the opinion'he- had always expressed to the par-
ties concerned in the trade, front none of whom
had be ever heard a convincing arguinent in fa-
vour of the existing system. He perfectly agreed
With the Hohourahle Gentleman that these du-
ties were the cause of our getting inferior timber
from Canada, instead of that of excellent quality
from the Baltic. It was also proper to remark, -
that the duties were laid for the sake of revenue,
and not as a protection to any class ; and [bete-
fore it was perfectly consistent With good faith
to alter the present practice. With respect to the
Navigation Laws, he also concurred with the
Hon. Gentleman. These laws were unquestiOn-
ably injurious tlo. commerce, but the injury they
did was as nothing when put into comparison with
the security which they gave to the nation. This
was their object, and while he was far from say
ing that minor points which pressed bard on trade
might not be-altered, us in various instances ex-
ceptions had beet' allowed, it must not be for-
gotten that these laws were framed for a purpose
of vital importance, to which all other consider-
ations must be sacrificed. On the subject of the
'Transit Duties, it might be iii the recollection of
'the House, that he had in vain endeatioured to get
that matter altered, but was defeated in the trial.
He still thought that the subject ought to be
taken into consideration, and he' was persuaded
that •the- manutucturers of linen' might be con-
vinced of their error in
,thaintaining- that no
change noi hurtful to them could be devised.
With regard tivoior Commercial Treaties, it was not
possible that while we continued restrictions we
should expect privileges from foreign nations.—
Ile had beard the ilinCGentleman on orte point
connected with this subject with great pirktatire.
It was gratifying to hear front so conipetent
judge that seoriment avowed (which sonic of his
'friends had not beets so ready to acknowledge) ;
he • meant the compliment to a .Z.'Z'oble Loud

' (Castlereagh) for the manner in which La bad
conelode,l the last treaties, and for his not having
imposed commercial conditions upon our allies,
either as the price or punishment, of their con-
duct. This just tribute to the justice and
policy of the Noble Lord, was the more to be
prized as corning trout One st, well able to form
a correct opiniost on the subject. The inter-
course with France, he might notice, it would
probably be no easy matter to arrange. —Many
Coolish prejudices existed on both sides, and
the more difficult to be surmounted becaase they,
were not merely comme'reiall -but national.—
Sincerely did lie wish that the feeling at present
alluded to by the Hon. Gewletnan were spread
' over the country—that the prosperity. of France
was not a thing to be repined at. On the con-
trary, he hailed it as the surest guarantee of
peace and tranquillity, and he could see nothing
more desirable than that it shoal() increase, and
peace. and commerce go hand in hand, instead of
the pernicious military spirit which had been the
•source of so much wretchedness. These were ge-
nerally and shortly his views on the points start-
ed. by the Hon. Gentleman. As to that which in•
volved the agricultural interests, it would in all
probability be distinctly brought under the consi-
deration of the House, in the event of which it
would be the duty of Government to give it their
best attention. A great feeling had been excited,
but he could not persuade himself that there was
any thing radically wrong in the existing law.
But when that question was brought forward,
which he trusted it would be fairly and candidly,
as the Hon. Gentleman had introduced his mer-
cantile subject, it should receive his most anxious
investigation, though he had before been decid-
edly of opinion that to interfere with it again was
impolitic. He hat) omitted to notice the topic of
the India trade. Here, as on other points, he
was not prepared to deny that commercial inte-
rests might be promoted by the extension of the
trade. But it must be remembered that this was
a question of compact, and of the most serious
kind. Therefore the House would be cautions in,
what it did ; for they were not, under the idea of
relieving the'wants of any class, to be driven has-
tily into any unfair transaction.

Mr. GEORGE PHILLIPS approved of the Petition, and of
the way in which it had been introduced. He was also glad
to hear the Right Hon. Gentleman express opinions so favour-
able to commerce. He trusted they would not be rendered
nugatory by that division in the Cabinet which existed on all
great questions, much to the damage of the country. He ac-
cused Members of having
.heystotore acted in opposition to
the doctrines now profesed, 4Nl.instanced the tax on wool as
a proof of their hostility to tree trace.

KeDOUGLAS expressed his concurrence in the opi-
nion of the Hon. Mover, and his pleasure at hearing the sen-
timents avowed by the Right Hon. President of the Boatel of
Trade. He MUST say that he was disappointed in afterwards
hearing from that Right Hon. Gentleman that his expecta-
tions o beneficial alterations did not. extend beyond a few
minor points. Ile was sorry that he was not prepared to
come forward.with some specifia propositions of relief, or at
least with a motion for a Committee to endeavour to sin some-
thing to satisfy the nation. The great principle on which
alone any good could be done was, to devise the best plats for
giving general employment to the industry el the people : and
it was nut by balancing one interest against another that ally
real beneficial consequence to the whole could Le produced.
Mr. BE.-1 UMONT said, that if the system of-commercial
restrictions WM so constructed as to operate partially, and not
in aid of the general welfare of the country, it was an-impera-
tive duty of Ministers. to reconsider it. It was wrong in them
to expect the measures of remedy to come from the Opposi-
tion side of the House. He gave his concurrence most
heartily to any measure for the removal of the restrictive re,
golations.
Lord MILTON expressed himse".f favourably towards the
Petition, and the manner in se-k,- supported. He
was also pleased with the Sped;, Right Hon. Gentle-
man, thought, with some alloy. .. •.is principles and conduct
did not seem to be in misers. his Hon. Friend who ;pre-
ceded him he would reme:e, that this was not a subject on
which to consider the interests of particular Constituents.—
They were to legislate toe all, and not for Northumberland,
Or for Yorkshire. A onion of councils was most imperatively
dein:onkel by the state of the Nation, and they were called
on to inquire if the restrictions which shackled and injured
commerce could be advantageously removed. It was true
that these restrictions were not peculiar to us ; fur almost
every people had adopted them, as if acting on the line of
the poet—Oennis ferat timelier tellies. But the great error
lay in this selfish principle, butts as it regarded our rela-
tions-With other countries, and our situation at home. It
seemed to him, that the scrambling of agriculturists for higher
prices, and the competitions of mercantile interests Cu meet
theta, were equally wrong; since the distress pervaded the
country at large it, which agriculture and comment were,
. and not these classes in an insulated state. It must, its. his
view, be clear to. every one that they could not go on long as
they were: The live millions whicb the Right... Hon. Gentle-
man obtained last year, had failed in its avowed purpose,
and the Right Hun. Gentleman had been proved either to
have been entirely mistaken., or one of the worse prophets
that, ever prophesied in that House. Their true policy now
waspfainly pointed out to them by the failure of the past,
wherein Ministers had begun at the wrong end. It was not
to rush to taxation, but to enable the 'people to pay taxes.
In taking a view of tli•distreSs of the country, many Gentle-
men traced it to _different causes. Among these the Poor's
Laws was one of common occurrence, and, he th-ought,
ought to lie examined must Minutele. One of the effects of the
war had been' to absorb and draw capital into a: smaller
number of hands, and thus the great class of lesser capi-
talists were reduced to that condition which was likely
to lay litany additional burdens upon the Poor's Rates.
In- this light be must say, that the pressure of the late
conflict lied fallen en • the :agricultural labourer and
artisan in manufactures, and not on the wealthy
landed proprietor . or rich merchant. With regard 'to
the restrictive principle,. it appeared to him that at least
all_ the minor branches of trade might he left free. Though
the navigation Laws, as tending to our national security, aml
the Corn Laws for n- extreme importance, might have sa-
crifices made to them, nothing short of our independonce
could sanction the principle. Another matter which must
have had great inflnence on our system was the return to cash,
paymeots.• This most have augmented the pressure of the
times, though perhaps they had not, in their anxiety to attain
so desirable an object, looked the difficulties it was calculated
to create so fully it, the face as they should have done. There
were many other difficulties to be encountered before they
could retrace their steps, but whets the subject was so ably
and fairly presented, there was more than common grounds
for hope that it might be followed up successfully.
Mr. BEAUMONT. explained. •
Mr. RICARDO defended t'ste return to cash payments. The
country reverted to that measure with a degree of ease and
facility, wlfich .could scarcely have been expected. He ob-
jected to the exclusion of agriculture, or any other branch of
produce, being excluded from the principles of free anti un-
restricted competition. If, indeed, the leaded proprietors
could.shew that they suffered peculiar. burdens, they would
be entitled to the advantage of restrictive measures to put
them un- a footing with the other classes. But was this the
case ? To he sure the poor rates might he considered a bur-
den peculiarly pressing on the land, but it was shared by the
other classes in a very heavy degree. The owners of houses
paid large portions of it; .but then a protectionsfor the price
of corn did not affect them. He was far front wishing to re-
vert to a free system suddenly. Those who hail eMbaiked
their capitals in diffeeent branches mf trade under the prohi-
bitory and restrictive regulations, should have. time to with-
draw them again. The example of cash payments lie cousi-
deter! as a perfeet plan for the gradual removal Of partial re•
gulations of any kind. The effect was. spreed over a great
space of time, and the inconvenieuce felt during such period
became in Urnanirer insignificant.
Lord MILTON explained. • • •
Mr. F.I.LICE supported the prayer of the Petition.. He dif-
fered from the Holt. Member (Mr. Ricardo) in his estunation
cu. the return to:cash- payments, as he considered that the loss
was a great deal snore than the difference between the market
price of builion amid the rate of payment assigned to the Bank.
Oue fact :Indic 'vel.nues. 'Eva), artlete; except corn, which
wa.f protected by prehibitory duties, had fallen since that re
tutts front it) to •‘)() per cent, 'The distress and alarm were