The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-23 00:00:00

~~

the man who had killed his goose with the golden eggs. The
Hon. Member for Wolverhampton had told them that the mea-
sure of the Right Hon. Baronet was an insult to a starving
people—that when people were starving it was insulting to
them to talk of a regard to vested rights. The words
.of the Hon. ' Gentleman were " The people are starving,
and cannot wait until you have made your arrangements.'
And yet the Hon. Gentleman concluded his speech in a very
different tone, saying all at once, to his (Sir F. Burdett's)
great astonishment, that the people of this country were not so
foolish and bigotted (he did not see why the word " bigotted"
was brought in on that occasion, nor what it had to do with
the question—as to demand an immediate free trade in corn in-
stead of waiting three or four years. That seemed to him
entirely to destroy the argument, or rather the exaggerated
statement of the Hon. Member for Wolverhampton. The
Hon. Member for Finsbury, in the speech in which he had
poured, so much abuse upon the landed interest, asked wha
the people had gained by a change of administration. To be
sure they had gained a very able Minister, said the Hon. Gen-
tleman, and they were about to obtain a very great improve
ment in the Corn-laws; hut still he asked why the party of
that side of the House had not proposed any measure to relieve
the sufferings and distresses of the community. Now it ap.
peered to him an extraordinary thing that persons
in that House who were of no party, as the Hon
ourable Gentleman declared himself to be, shot&
abuse other people because they proposed no remedy
particularly the Right Hon. Baronet, who had explained him-
self so explicitly on that point, holding out no delusive hope,
exciting no expectation which he did not expect to satisfy
and, in short, showing as much integrity as ability in the plan
he finally proposed—(lronical cheers from the Opposition)—
and which removed all the objections, whether fair or not,
made against the old Corn-law.—(Hear, hear.) He thought,
however, that all the charges which had been made against
that law were not established. It had been stated that the
combinations to affect the averages had enabled great capitalists
to accumulate immense gains. Now he had looked at the prices
for the last ten years, and he did not find any result which
countenanced that statement. He did not see any of that up
and down, sliding backward and forward, which had been attri-
buted to the Corn-laws. It would be found that there had been
more ups and downs in America during that period than there
had been in this country. Therefore he did not admit to the
extent for which it was contended, the necessity for a change.
The scheme of the Right Hon. Baronet did one great thing.
"It takes away," (said the Hon. Baronet) "an inflammatory
subject from people who make the high scale of duty a means
of exaggeration to produce popular discontent and delusion."
Besides that it did not afford the means of playing tricks with
the averages, and it satisfied the people who thought that some
protection ought to be. It did not fix a duty at Bs., whether a
duty was wanted or not, and even when it was not
necessary, or even when it was unwise to enforce
any duty at all. But it did away by degrees
with all bounty to the home grower, and et the
same time it would not practically reduce the price of cern in
this country. He was astonished to hear it said that the Corn-
laws affected the currency. That was putting the cart before
the horse. Every one knew that the case was quite the re-
verse.—( Cheers and laughter on the Opposition.) Every one
knew that the surplus produce' of the country went to a fund
to feed and clothe the labourers, and that the money
price of corn did not affect the food of the la

,ourer. (Cries of Oh, oh, oh; and much laughter. )
tabour, like everything that met with competition, was re-
duced in value by the number of competitors. It was certain,
that from the increased wealth of this country, from the habits
and wishes of the people, the distress complained of would
not exist if it were not for the inundation of povery from Ire-
land. There was no doubt a good deal of distress in the
country, but much of that distress, he believed, was owing to
causes against which no prudence could guard. He thought
that the present state of our currency was, in a great degree,
the source of the evil. While the currency was in its pre-
sent state all would remain variable, and there could not be
a constant price for any article. The Corn-laws were not the
source of our embarrassments ; and those laws had not prevented
the importation of large quantities of foreign corn. Nothing
was more common in this country than to hear of individuals who
had begun life in the lowest situations raising themselves to wealth
and independence. He was persuaded that in no other part of
the world was there so great a mass of persons enjoying all the
advantages and comforts of life as in England. He contended
that there was not any set of people in the world more just,
more upright, or more honourable than the landed proprietors
of this country. He had heard this sentiment expressed
abroad, even in France, where the mismanagement of the late
Government, which, by an untoward act, was considered
to have offered an insult to the French Ambassador,
had produced throughout the country a feeling
which it would require all the caution, and all the prudence,
of the Right Hon. Baronet, to avoid the consequences; and
he believed that if there had not been a change of Ministry
those consequences would have taken place. He proceeded to
condemn the late Ministry as t daily incompetent, as able to
do nothing but to produce a parcel of abortions, one after
another, but none of which ever came to life and motion. He
then reverted to the landed interest, stating that in his
opinion none were entitled to more consideration than
they were. He was certain that there was no inte-
rest so easy to govern, or so bound to principles of
public utility or measures for the public good; so much so,
that he was happy to say he believed the Right Hon. Baronet
was firmly fixed in the esteem of that interest.
Lord DUNCAN rose to address the House on the pre-
sent occasion with some hesitation—a hesitation arising from
no doubt as to the cause he advocated, but of his own ability.
He was not going to follow the speech of the Member for North
Wiltshire • he was not going to dispute with him his affection
for the landed interest ; he only trusted it was more sincere
than the affection he once bore to the aristocracy of this country.
How was old Cato changed—
Oh ! quantum miftatus ab illo,
Hectore, qui rediit spoliis indutus Achilles !
—( Cheers.) How changed was that Hon. Baronet, who once
appeared on his knees at the bar of this House, the advocate of
popular opinion !—(Hear, hear.) But he said it was not his
intention to follow him in the course of the speech he had made.
He would give his most cordial support to the motion of his Hon.
Friend, the Member for Wolverhampton, because, in se doing,
he opposed the measure of the Right Hon. Baronet at the head
of her Majesty's Government.—( Hear, hear.) He did not so
much object to that measure in its details as in its principles.
He thought the Government had a right to levy taxes, but he
thought it should be done equally.—( Hear.) It was
with surprise he heard the Right Hon. Baronet state that they
ought to deal lightly with interests supported by a prescription
of 150 years ; but every hour that the protection was kept up
added to the difficulty of solving the queation —(Cheers. )
Let them not look back to 150 years, but let them cast their
eves six centuries back, when, to relieve the people from taxation,
the mailed Barons of Runnymede made their swords fly from
their scabbards.—(Cheers.) Let them also look to 1642,
when Pym, and Selden, and Hampden, stood upon the
floorr of that House, and argued against monopoly ;
and he need not say how the monopolists of that
day fared.—( Hear, hear.) Let them look to modern
times. The principle of unjust taxation lost them America.—
(Hear, bear.) They founded an empire in India by promis-
ing protection against unjust taxntion ; and while that lost
them an empire in the West, protection against it gained them
an empire in the East.—( Cheers.) Let the House look to the
speech of the Right Hon. Baronet at the need of her Majesty's
Government. Did they find any finality in it?—( Hear, hear.)
During the last century and a half intelligence had made rapid
strides throughout this country. Let Hon. Gentlemen oppo-
site follow him into the cottage of the villager, and they would
find that there tea and tobacco, which were once the luxuries of
the few, were now become the comforts of the many.
Let them come with him into the workshop of the mechanic,
and they would find him perusing books which were formerly
only in richer hands. Let them accompany him to the Crown
and Anchor, and they would hear the artisan discussing ques-
tions, which formerly were entertained alone by the scholar and
the statesman.—( Hear, hear.) They would find the working
man deep read in political economy, and able to demonstrate
that wages depend upon the demand for labour, and not
upon the supply of food.—(Cheers from the Opposition.) Let
them compare the speeches which they would hear there, with
those which were delivered in this House.—(Hear, hear.)
He would then ask the aristocracy, whether they were willing
to rest their claim to station upon a protection against the
people's food?—( Hear, hear, and cheers.) What ? Should
they the aristocracy of Englandv,i,f which, he was one,
stoup to scramble with the people fbi' their food ?—( Cheers )
He would not appeal to the Hon. Member for East Kent—he
would not appeal to the Cabinet Miei tar who, in the nine-
teenth century, came down, and, while the interests of the
manufacturers of this great manufacturing country were trem-
bling in the balance, enlightened the Hou c with his views of
the home-grown tobacco.—(Cheers and laughter.) He would
appeal to that Right Hon. Baronet, whose name was identified
with our greatness, industry, and commerce—a name of which
he might say—
" Labitur, et labetur, in omne volubilis sevum"—
he appealed to the Hight Hon Baronet by the name he bore—
a name which should.be written in letters of gold in the history
of the English nation—

clarum et venerabile nornen

Gentibus."
Well might the people of Manchester conclude the sentence of
the poet, and add—.
—(Cheers.) He appealed to the Right Hon. Baronet
et quod nostrre multum proderat urbi."
whether
ambition
bwi
touinind
of
fu rhni hiss
n be
easck to r
s uponatt
itnheadt I
iatdsd egroal y.? which_ Hear,( tbw the ne
noe
rb.l
He appealed to him as the first Minister of the first country in
the world—having a large majority in both Houses of the Par-
liament, and trusted with the confidence of his Queen, and
looked up ts- by the people with anxious expectations.
When he saw men bending the knee to him for bread would he
give them a stone ? He stated that he was in circumstances
of difficulty ; he stated that he heard whispers on his own as
well as on that side of the House. He asked for their ad-
vice. He would give him his advice. He knew that it was
worth nothing, but he would give it to him without being
asked.—( Laughter.) He advised him to trust to the gene-
rosity of the people of England ; he advised him not to trust
to the tender mercies of the. veterans of his Praetorian Guards.
Mr. W. H. STANTON said he should feel himself com-
pelled to vote against the motion of the Right Hon. Member
for Wolverhampton. He thought, however, that the sliding
stale prepared by the Right Hon. Baronet was also very ob-
jectionable, and he trusted that the . Right Honourable
Baronet would apply the great energies of his mind
to a more satisfactory settlement of the question.—( Hear. )
He could only say, that he was sure the worsirbor class was the
Corinthian capital of the pillar of Society. He would riot
trouble the House with any further observations; but he con
ceived that his duty compelled him to vote against the motion
of the Hon. Member for Wolverhampton.
Mr, P. M. STEWART should be unwilling to deviate from
the plan ho had hitherto pursued in giving a silent vote, if he
were not placed in a particular position in that House as the
representative of an important county ( Renfrewshire),containing
a combination of the agricultural and manufacturing interests.
They had had pathetic appeals made in that House in behalf of
the agricultural interest of England. They must all have felt
the force of those appeals, but he thought the effort was unne-
cessary, for no man of sense would seek to injure a part of the
community so important, and of such vital consequence, as the
agricultural interest. He (Mr. S.) held that the manufac-
turing and agricultural interests were bound up with and de-
pendent on each other. If by any chance they were compelled
to make a choice among the various interests, the
House would no doubt select the agricultural.
'They could pass no law which could affect one without affect-
ing the other, and in the wise words of the Right Hon.
Baronet the Member for Tamworth, the best protection the
agricultural interest could receive, was the continued prosperity
mttdel heoseoetnt a:lh
of commerce and manufactures.—(Cheers.) He had not had
the advantage of hearing the speech of die Right Hon. Bat onet
when he brought forward his measure. He (Mr. P. Al•
Stewart) was at that time in the county he represented, and
.ancal itoctßaeudttsar: ootenercfnimc,
eatNtelyslai
easoshsnunaernedi
tl
drtih,
attributable
t ane
he could not describe to the House the surprise and conster-
nationpprr
iessent
htad:i which
tshtree that
iagtohsftp
theur nr
iti ano wotshd,
ne
presentrii dilycolnasmtneei
circumstances
that
a tot Hear.
t ICo Sur-
prise
country.hi
of the
h hl et had
couldiproposed
rt
notof ino
os de.
Baronet, on this question should judgment •
have so differed from that
of all those who were residing at the scene of their suffering ;
and that he should have • failed to see the connection that sub-
sisted between the principle of the Corn-laws and the distress
of the country. The Right Hon. Baronet had said, and said
rightly, that there were many concurrent causes tending to
produce that distress. He said rightly that it was part), at-
tributable to the derangements, financial and om mercial, under
which our best customer the United States hadu been suffering ;
that it was partly attributable to the war in the Mediterranean
and to the war in China. Doubtless these causes had tended