The Sun.
London, England, 1827-05-19 00:00:00

PORTUGAL.

Lord ELLENBOROUGH begged to call the attention
of the House to a subject not at all connected with
the Corn Laws, or any thing they had been occupied
with in the course of the evening—it was the answer
that had been. given to him by his Noble Friend on the
other side (Lord Dudley) to the questions he had put
to him. That answer had put him and the whole House
under great difficulty. He now felt extreme difficulty in
calling upon his Majesty to order the production
of the papers respecting Foreign Affairs, he had not
called for them, at this time, though he felt satisfied he had
a Parliamentary ground for doing so ; but in not pressing
fur that production now, he desired -to be most dis-
tinctly understood as not relinquishing his claim of
right to have it one iota. From the total ignorance
in which the House was kept regarding any negotiation
with respect to Spain and Portugal, it was perfectly im-
possible for the House to say whether that negotia-
tion was right or wrong. At the same time, if he at
all understood the negotiation, he certainly considered
it a most important one, and he was not prepared to say
that the most important step was not to withdraw
the troops at once. He understood the purpose for
which our troops had been sent to Portugal had
now ceased, and that the troops were retained there for
some other purpose. If that were the case, his Majesty's
Ministers were placing themselves in a most awful
situation. It was, however, impossible for the British
toops to be there without taking a part in the civil con-
duct of the nation, and if they did, the very first shot
they fired would commence the war of opinions. The
troops bad been sent there for the purpose of main-
taining and supporting a Government, and that Govern-
ment had now ceased. If the troops were to re-
main there, Spain and France both might have good
grounds for going to war, and there was not a step to be
taken that might not plunge this country, as well as all
Europe, into war. It was impossible, therefore, to view
this subject except under great apprehensions. The
Noble Lord concluded by hoping, though he did not
now press his Noble Friend for the production of the
papers he had called for, that the House might he
in possession of the information to which they were en-
titled, and that before the House broke up his Noble
Friend would produce those papers ; but if he saw no
prospect of that, he should feel it his bounden duty again
to press for them.
Lord DUDLEY begged leave still to abstain from
giving his reasons for not complying with the request of
the Noble Lord. With respect to Portugal, undoubtedly
his Majesty's Ministers were acting upon their own re-
sponsibility—they were acting according to the best of
their judgment ; and when the proper time came the
House would see whether that judgment was well or ill-
founded. He would not contradict nor acquiesce in any
statements that had been made by the Noble Lord,—all he
begged was that the Noble Lord would not indulge in ob-
servations upon the subject until the question came fairly
and truly before the Meuse.
SPRING GUNS.

The Marquis of LANSDOWN moved that Amendments
to the Spring Gun Bill made by the House of Commons
might be agreed to.—Motion agreed to.
The Marquis of LANSDOWN presented a petition from
the inhabitants of Dundee against any alteration in the
Corn Laws.

The Duke of LEINSTER presented a petition from a
Catholic Clergyman of Killala, praying to be relieved from
the disabilities under which the Roman Catholics laboured.
TURNER'S DIVORCE.

T It e Report of the Committee appointed to consider Mr.
Turner's petition was read and received, and a Bill for an-
nulling the Marriage of Miss Turner with E. Gibbon Wake-
field brought in, and read a first time.

On the motion of Lord REDESDALE, the Bill was
ordered to be read a second time on Tuesday next. —Ad-
journed till Monday.

HOUSE OF COMMONS, FRIDAY, MAY 15.

The SPEAKER took the Chair this evening, precisely
at Four o'clock.

Mr. PORTMAN presented a petition from Blandford,
for the repeal of the Test and Corporation Acts.
Mr. SYKES presented a petition from the Seamen of
Hull, against the system of impressing men to serve in his
Majesty's Navy. The Honourable Gentleman said that
he had resided for many years in the neighbourhood of a
sea-port town, which was a constant scene of riot, in con-
sequence of affrays between the press gangs and the seamen
in the merchant service. When persons were attacked
as the petitioners constantly were, they were likely, of
course, to resist, and the consequence was constant riots
and even murders. The petitioners took occasion to ex-
press their gratification on the appointment of a Prince of
the Blood to the command of the Navy, and as he was

Di
that the
persons, . _mg to extend
the relief for which they prayed to all classes of Dissenting
Christians. Having said so much, he thought it his duty
to add, that he did not conceive that the claims of the peti-
tioners were so urgent as those of other classes who felt their
disqualification more deeply.—(Hear, hear.)
Sir E. KNATCHBULL presented a petition from two
places in Kent, against the Alehouse Licensing Bill. He
also presented a petition from the wool-growers of Kent,
complaining of the depression in the wool trade. The
Hon. Baronet said, that as notice bad been given of a dis-
cussion on this subject, he would reserve any observations
he intended to make, but he hoped the President of the
Board of Trade had determined on proposing some altera-
tion in the duty on foreign wool.
Mr. HUSICISSON said that he knew the situation of
the wool-growers was very distressing, in consequence of
the low price of wool, but he could not pledge hiinself to
propose any alteration in the duty on foreign wool.
Sir C. BURRELL did not ]mow that the low price of
wool had done good to any class of the community. Wool
was now selling for 9d., which had sold for avarying price
of from Is. 9d. to 2s. per lb. With such a depression,
how could the wool-growers pay- their rents ? In his
opinion there should be some additional tax on foreign
wool.

Mr. HUME wished to know whether the Hon. Bart.
Sir C. Bu►rell, could ensure the manufacturer that he
could sell his cloth if the duty on wool was increased
(Hear, hear. )

Sir T. LETHBRIDGE did not see the policy of the
manufacturer being employed in working up foreign wool,
when the wool grown at home was lying in granaries un-
sold and unsaleable at any thing like a remunerating price.
After a few words from Mr. WARBURTON, Sir E.
KNArcusuLL, and Mr. MABERLY, the petition was re-
ceived and ordered to be printed.

Lord STANLEY presented aßetition from certain la-
bourers, complaining of tie practice of paying in goods
instead of money.
Mr. Alderman THOAIPSON moved for a return of 'the
number of chaldrons of coal imported into the Port of
London since the year 1800, specifying the quantity in
each year.—Ordered.

THE ADMINISTRATION.
Mr. I3EAUMONT (who took his seat at the opposition
side of the House for the first time this evening) rose to
state, that in consequence of circumstances which had
recently taken place, and which were known to the
public, he begged leave to withdraw the motion on the
state of the Administration, of which he had given notice
for Tuesday next.—Leave was given to withdraw the
motion.