The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-25 00:00:00

Thit e§ult,

LONDON
FRIDAY MORNING, FEBRUARY 25, 1842.

The debate was brought to a close at half past one
this morning, when the numbers were—fur Mr. Vile
LIER'S motion 90, against it 393 ; majority 303. So
end the hopes of the Repealers from the Parliament.
The debate was interesting. Mr. HORSMAN made a
good speech at the early part of the evening, and Mr.
COBDEN made an excellent speech, which terminated
towards eleven o'clock. We shall probably hereafter call
attention to several passages of it. We must now content
ourselves with saying that it was peculiarly happy in
extorting from Sit' ROBERT PEEL an admission that by
law prices could not be regulated, and in compelling him
to admit that he was about to try to do what he said was
impossible.
We should be well contented to pass over what fol-
lowed, from some lingering deference to the House of
Commons, in respectful silence, but our duty to the public
forbids it. The landed gentlemen, we are sure, felt
shame and vexation at hearing several of the bold truths
which Mr. COBDEN stated. We are not sure that the
Ministers did not. share in these sentiments, and not sure
that even Lord STANLEY, had he risen to reply on the
moment, would not have faltered and stammered. In
proportion, therefore, as the landed gentlemen felt the
force of Mr. COBDEN'S speech, they felt relief by Mr.FEa-
RAND following him, and entering into a long tissue.of per-
sonal remarks, referring, out of all order, to former de--
bates—of personal and calumnious attacks on absent and
present mannfacturers,—of descriptions of the truck
system,—of exposures of frauds in trade, and other
matters, all well delivered, as if the Hon. Member had
rehearsed the scene, but nearly all having as little rela-
tion to the matter before the House as to the question of
the war with China. In one part of his speech the Hon.
Membergave a graphic description of a mode of making
cloth in Yorkshire out of pestilential "Devil's dust," and
from the House of Commons—with what he and the
landed gentlemen, apparently, by their cheers regarded
as most English and most patriotic feelings—he sent
forth to all the world a grand and sweeping accusation
against the British manufacturers, who were de •
scribed as cheats and plunderers. How that may
tell in the foreign markets and on the future
revenue of the country, we cannot say; but it
was so much to the taste of the landlords that they
yelled with delight ; so much to the taste of Sir ROBERT
PEEL, that he sat listening with approbation ; so pleasing
to Sir ROBERT INGLIS, that pattern of religion and pa-
triotism, that he too sat and allowed in silence the repu-
tion of the British manufttettum,, for fair dealing and
iiiterity, to be taen away by a Member of the House
of Commons. We thought the Guardian of t'te public
interests, ;was allowed the privilege of speech to defend
not vilitj }old d.-grade the nation.
From the time that Mr. FERRAND rose till the close of
. _

tele debate, the House, with slight pauses, was one scene
of tumultuous hubbub. We suppose that such scenes
are incidental to an assembly
of 658 gentlemen, most of
whom are in the vigour of life, and in the enjoyment of
those animal spirits which full feeding gives ; but a.
scene more unworthy of a Legislature engaged in
making a most important law—a law which con-
c:iri,s the people's food—we never beheld. The poor
young man who originated it was only to be pitied for
the errors of a hot and perhaps well-meaning tempera
ment but the old and sage counsellors who found relief
in his abuse, from the piercing observations of Mr. Con-