The Sun.
London, England, 1842-04-16 00:00:00

Gentleman near him, that gilt measure was not a violation of
the Declaratory Act. He admitted the right and the power of
Parliament to make such regulations as those proposed, but he '
thought they ought not to have recourse to change without
there was a probability of benefiting a whole colony. He
thought that our Government should not set up a priroiple one
day and throw it down the next. He could wish them to act
on some system of principle.
Sir ROBERT PEEL said the Noble Lord had spoken
with great fairness. He stated very fairly that the objec-
tion that the Hosiourable and Learned Member for Bath—
thar this measure was an interference with the Declaratory
Act—did not apply. The Noble Lord said, let them act on
a system. Now, if they were to act upon a system, they would
find, on investigation, there was a duty of ‘Js. on flour into
Nova Scotia and into Prince Edward Island. That duty was
imposed not merely by a Colonial A et, but by an Imperial Act.
Now, acting on the recommendation of the Noble Lord, there
would be no difficulty in placing Canada on the same foot-
ing as the other North American colonies. He would
remind them, as they were to act upon principle, that
last year the Noble Lord had recommended the re-
duction on the duties of butter and cheese imported into
Canada from the United States. [low could they retain the
duty on butter and cheese, and not impose it on flour. He (Sir
Robert reel) must say, he was a little surprised at the senti-
ments of the Right Hon. Gentleman, when he said, " Don't
touch this subject, as it has been in existence for eleven years."
When Le (Sir Robert Peel) contended that they should look
with great care at a precedent of 150 years standing, he was
met with loud cheers, combined with a sort of derision, welch
implied that nothing could be more foolish than the arguments
used ; therefore, as far as the eleven }ears were concerned, he
thought even that argument failed; whether right or wrong, was
another question. He thought the whole argument on the other
side preponderated in favour of a change. He hoped
they had shown that what had been said by the Chan-
cellor of the Exchequer was unfounded, and that they did
not meet in a violent passion to discuss the subject.
Several Hort. GENTLEMEN here exclaimed, the Chancellor
of the Exchequer.
Sir R. PEEL meant the late Chancellor of the Exchequer.
The Noble Lord (Lord J. Russel:) bad forgotten the adviee of
the Right lion. Gentleman; but he (Sir R. Peel) hoped that
throughout the remainder of the session, nothing but good
temper would prevail in the discussion of matters which would
come before them.—( Hear.)
Mr. LABOUCHERE was not aware that there had been
any ill temper evinced on that side the House, for, certainly, it
was riot a very exciting topic, and, if there had been any ill
temper displayed that evening, he should certainly despair of
hearing any discussion conducted calmly in that House.
After a few words from Mr. C. B u LLE a and Mr. S. O'Barera,
on the proposal for fixing the duty on unrefined sugar at 55.,
Mr. GLADSTONE wished to correct a mistake that had
gone abroad upon this point. There was no intention to allow
tinkintroduction of unrefined sugar into all West India Colonies
at a rate of ss. The old prohibitions will remain just as they
were.

On the proposal for making the duty on tea imported from
China into the United Kingdom, or British possessions,
Nr. LABOUCHERE said that he preferred the plan he had
proposed last year, on the suggestion of Lord Sydenham.
After a few words from Mr. GLADSTONE in explanation,

Mr. COl/DEN mentioned, as an instance of the present
state of our law on the sulject of sugar, that 14,097 cwt. of
slave-grown sugar had been sent out of this country to the
West Indies in the space of six months after it had been refined
in bond here.

Air. AI. MILNER GIBSON complained of a 10 per cent.
duty upon slave-grown sugar, refined in this country, and ex-
ported to the Colonies. He thought that such sugar should be
considered as it it were an at tide of British produce.
Mr. GLADSTONE stated that the provision he intro-
duced would leave the question much in the same state in which
it stood at present. Slave grown sugar mill not be looked on
as an article of British produce, inasmuch as no such sugar was
grown in our possessions.
'fhe resolutions were then agreed. to, and the House re-
sumed. The Report was ordered to be brought. up on Monday.
Air. GLADSIONE, in reference to sugar cording into the
Colonies,• said he copied the words of the existing Possessions
Act., so that the prohibition would remain precisely as it was
at present against importing foreign sugar into the Colonies.
He would allow the Colonies to import tea from the United
States or any other place on payment of a duty of 7 per cent.
ad v .1 lorent.

_
On ihe suguar item being proposed.
Air. COBDEN objected to the clause that would allow the
importation of slave-grown sugar refined into Canada, while
the poor people of this country could not u:e it. This was in-
consistent

Mr. GLADSTONE said our possessions had not sugar
to send these colonies, and he merely proposed to leave them
the privilege they had had for years.
'the Turnpike Roads', Bill, and the Railways' Bill (second
reading) were postponed to Monday.
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the
House adjourned at Half-past en.

ELECTION COMMITTEES.
LONGFORD.

The Committee were occupied during the forenoon in hear-
ing the continuation of the arguments on the question whether
the additional rent that. could be got for a farm should be the
test of the value to constitute the tranchite, or the produce of
the farm, accord►ng to the usual practice of agriculture.
The examination of the w itneses to the qualification having
concluded, the vote of J. Dogherty was decided to be a bad
one, and struck off the poll, and the Committee also came to
the itecition of applying to all the cases the solvent tenant test.
Mr. A USTEN then, on the part of the sitting Member (Mr.
White), stated that the seat would not farther bedefended, and
that Mr. White withdrew from the contest.

The inquiry is thus virtually terminated; it only remaining for
the Committee to strike off a sufficient number of votes to give
the petitioner the majority. This the Committee proceeded
to du, and had struck off seven votes at four o'clock, when
it adjourned.