The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-23 00:00:00

Northampton and by the late Lord Egremont in pro-
viding the means of emigration for their tenants, and the
prospetotis donation in *hid) they tiow lived, sending
home money to their friends, and Advising them tO
emigrate and partake of their ewn blessings: The
Noble Lord at the head of the Colonial Department
fttd not;, he slipposek overlooked this subject; but he
(Si J. tasthOpe) did hot think it hid been sidlidientlt
attended to ; at least it was 'not tried as a means of
relieving the distress of the Country, and therefore it
could not be said that all had been done for that; pur-
pose which could be done. He did not think that a long
period could elapse under the present pressure without
bringing danger to the country, and therefore he thought
that something ought to be done to relieve the distress

of the people. •
Mr. HUME said that the argument urge 3 on the
other side was the necessity of giving atrial to the pre-
sent Corn-laws. The Right Hon. Baronet at the head
of the Government looked forward to the admission of
corn under his Bill, but though a million and a half
quarters of corn were in the home market, the working
classes were unable to avail themselves of the supply in
consequence of the want of means to purchase, which
resulted from the low wages that were received in
the present depressed state of commerce. He
admitted that the tariff would be ultimately
productive of beneficial results to the trade of the
country, but in its immediate effects it could furnish
very little advantage to the working classes. The dis-
tress in the country was appalling, and could they sup-
pose that such state of distress as had been laid before
the House, so freqnently during the present session,
could Possibly continue. Certainly not. The time was
not-far diSiant when the landed interest would be swept
away by the evils which their own selfishness had
generated. The monopoly sustained, for the ad-
vantage of the landlords, would be found even-
tually io be, the most ruinous policy that could be
brought to bear upon their interest. the remedies for
the evils under whieh the country was suffering: had been
pointed out by gentlemen on that (the Opposition) side
of. the House, and the responsibility of the con-
sequence of those evils must be borne by the
GoVerturieht that had rejected the remedies proposed.
Heviould only request of the Right Hon. Baronet fairly
to carry out his own principles. He was sure that lie
might 'thus provide food and employment for the people.
Three4ourths of our population were now restricted in
their consuption, and nothing could_ remedy the evil but
an extensive change in our commercial policy. By un-
fettering the trade of the co ntry, the Right —Hon:
Baronet might dispense with the Income-tax, which was a
measure that could only tend further to aggravate the
national embarrassments. From the hour that our ports
would be permanently opened to foreign corn, destitu-
tion would cease, mills would be set to work, employ-
ment would be found for our distressed operatives, and
every class of the community would be extensively bene-
fited. If no such measure were adopted, with the Govern-
ment would rest the responsibility of the consequences.
. Mr. FIELDEN, who was very indistinctly heard,
could bear his testimony to the deep distress which per-
vaded that portion of the manufacturing community with
which he was acquainted. It was - his firm impression
that unless some alleviation of,that distress were soon to
take place, it would be impossible to maintain the peace
of the country (luring the approaching winter. He im-
plored the Right Hon. Baronet to take some steps whirl
would give hope to our distressed operatives. it was his
wish to find employment for the artisans in his service;
but how, he would put it to the Government, could he ric-
complish that wish, if no step were taken to relieve the
depressed state of the trade of the country?
Sir CHARLES BURRELL, who rose amidst cries of
" Divide " from the Ministerial benches, wished to re-
mind Hon. Gentlemen on the opposite side, that if the
agricultural interest were depressed, that could only tend
further to diminish the home market for manufactured

goods.
Mr. VILLIERS rose amid loud cries of "Divide."
He said the Hon. Gentleman who had just sat down,
had stated that if all the Liberal Members were like the
Member for Oldham, the question would stand in a
better position. He could retort the compliment, by say-
ing that if all the Members of the agricultural interest.,
were as bold and manly as the Honourable Gentleman,
Members, of the opinions he WaS expressing, would be
better acquainted with their arguments. But he believed
he was the seventh Member on this side the House who
had spoken cn the question, while
.gentlemen opposite
had preserved a portentous silence. He should not make
any apology for such motions as the'present. The apology
ought to come from those who compelled this course.
If They had "Instituted
anyinquiry, or suggested any
remedy, they should not have impeded the progress of
public business, but receive their remedy, if they had any,
with gratitude. But no such thing had been done. It was
absurd to ascribe distress to the capriCes of fashion; they
really had a right to expect something more comprehensive
than that from the Ministers of the. Crown. They were
reluctant to trace it up to the Corn-laws, which they
were so unwilling to repeal. if they had any inquiry
the unsound nature of the laws would be detected, and
the fallacies by which they were defended exposed.
Their arguments might do for quiet and prosperous
times, but would not apply now. They had promised
much to the -people, but where was the fulfilment ?
How could they tell the labourers now that high bread
caused high wages. when the workmen were living on
a halfpenny a day ? Did they dare deny that the ma-
nufacturing towns were in the deepest state of
misery ?—(Hear, hear.) What had become of their
excuses that these laws were for the public advantage
now ? They denied their past arguments by their pre-
sent -silence. He defended .these discussions. The
Right Hon. M,mber for Dot tester (Sir. J Graham),
had stated that the landed proprietors were a small body,
all-powerful when backed by public opinion, but if .not
supported by that would, if they insisted on monopoly,
bring on national convulsion. He believed that this was
their present condition. They were accused of stopping
the course of public business ; what encourage-•
ment had they to go on with the public busi-
ness ? They said they were an impotent minority.
What were the grounds of this conclusion ? All that the
Government claimed credit for, was owing to the impo-
tent minority. Every body now was anxious to prove
that he' had always been 'a free trader. Had the Import
Duties Committee done nothing ? There was nothing
abusive, in either H.ouke of
_Parliament, that was not
heaped on that Committee, yet it was the basis of the
new tariff. Every debate produced some advantage,
some admission from the opposite side, or some exposure
of the evils of the law on this. He could justify the
motion on another ground. Nothing had been proposed
by the Government that could benefit the people. That
was a sufficient justification of such motions as the pre-
sent. They were required in the present state of things,
for that the people were starving was something
tangible: Nothing of , that sort had been offered. The
tariff had been conceived in the spirit of that French.
Prince whc., when informed that, the people were, starv-
ing fOr want of bread, expressed his surprise that they
dia not .purchase cakes. The people were starving for
the want of . that bread which they had not the means
of purchasing, and the,Government told them they should
have meat and perfumescheaper. The Government had
done nothing to relieve the distress. The people wanted
a,, free trade in food, that the masses might have the
means of obtaining 'the necessaries of life. His object in
agitating this question had always. been that the people
should have the means of living by their labour, and
should be placed. as much above 411 anxiety on the score
of obtaining the means of subsistence as possible. All
that could •be done for the moral improvement of the
people—all that could be done for the improvement of
their education, must fail, unless they were well fed.
—(Cheers.) The first. care of a Government ought to
be to see the people fed. If they were well fed, well
clothed,- and well educated, they might safely be en-
trusted \Vial the exercise of political privileges. His
object had always been to -feed, to clothe, to educate,
and to enfranchise the " people.—(Hear.) They were
at present pursuing a sinister and unwise course of
legisletien. if the people were poor and dependent, what-
ever might be the form of government under which they
lived, they must be slaves.—(Cheers.) It was a great
mistake to seek to invest the people with political rights,
and at the same time to neglect to better their physical
condition. It was impossible to maintain the present
law; the people were increasing at the rate of 1,000
a day, and the object of this law was to place thod out of
their reach. An ignorant people might submit to
this, but an educated people ' never would; and
in a country where the people were educated, and
every one had a right to express his opinion, it would
be impossible to 'Maintain a law passed for the purpose
of keeping them wretched. In the present state of the
country there would be great danger in proroguing Par-
liament without passing some measure for the relief of
the distress, and the Government was taking upon itself
a great responsibility in 'refusing all inquiry into its

.
causes. . • i
Mr. MUNTZ did not altogether approve of the prac- 1
tice of bringing forward one question, and debating
another. '1 his bad been a Corn-law debate to all
intents and purposes, and it would have been better if
the Hon. Gentleman had brought it forward as a Corn-
law debate at first. But although be did nut altogether
appreve of the motion, he did not wish it to be understood
that his constituents were in an easy and comfortable
state. He had been' down there two or three times
ky imnp trade so:
persobad, or so slightrovementa week fOr the last month ; he had inquired of every
n he met, and all, old and young men and
women,
stated Vhigtb Tory. and Radical, without excep-
tion,at they had
a hope neverof
f an known
He had himself a notice of motion for an inquiry into
the distress next session ; he thought - the present was
not the time for that inquiry. The country was never
so disturbed as at the present moment ; but neither the
country, nor the house, nor the Ministry, were in a
.condition to inquire—they had not been half punished
enough yet to make them seek for the truth. He was
'in the point of establishing a new business in the neigh-
ly:urliood of Birmingham, and the applications that were
made to him for employment were mortifying in the ex
treme. Persons did not come to him boldly as English-
men ought to do, and say I will give you a fair day's
labour for your money ; but they came trembling lest they
should be refused—asking for work k,
as for cuartty. He
would not make one remark as to the cause or the remedy.
lle believed a full remedy might be found. With regard
to the remedy, he would only observe on one passage in
the speech of the Right Hon. Baronet, when he brought
forward the Budget. The Right Hon. Baronet had said,
" When we restored the circulation in 1819, we took time
to do so." There was a vast deal in this. They did
take time, for they had not restored the circulation yet.
They had restored the coin only, and he begged the
Right Hon. Baronet to consider that point when seeking
for the cause of the distressed condition of the country.
Mr. MARK PHILIPS was for an immediate inves-
tigation into the causes of the distress, and on that point
he differed from the Hon. Member who had just sat down.
No less than 62.900 of his constituents had requested
'lira to state to the House the distress into which they
were plunged, and the destitution by which they were.
cirrr,:anided. It 'bad been said that the increase in the
._ .•
"i'.‘,414 w, ,rye'' Of r3Perq. Whey 444, caly to