The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-25 00:00:00

sion of Captain Elliot to the Texas. If the Hon. G en*
tleman had not put the question in the form' he did, he
(Sir R. Peel) should have taken an opportunity of say-
in, that whatever difference of opinion might exist as to
the conduct of Captain Elliot in the difficult situation in
which he was placed at Canton, yet the intercourse
he had had with the Gallant Officer since his
arrival in this country led him to place the greatest con-
fidence in his integrity and ability to discharge • the
duties entrusted to him.—(Hear, hear, from the Opposi-
tion.) He had no previous knowledge of Captain Elliot,
or connexion with him, but he must say that there was
nothing in his official correspondence that convinced him
that full confidence could not be placed in him.
PUBLIC HOUSES.
Mr. PAKINGTON gave notice that, at the proper
stage of the Public Houses Bill, he should move a Clause
to prevent all public houses from opening on SunOoys, till
tiller one o'clock.

GILBERT UNIONS. •
'Air. COLVILLE gave notice that in Committee on
the or-law Act he should move the addition of a ekose
to the.effect that the Gilbert 'Unions should continue ,`'or
two yearS after the passing of that Act.
Mr. MAURICE J. O'CONNELL wished to know
from the Neble Lord the Secretary fly Ireland, whether
it was the intention of her Majesty's Govertunent to
bring in a Bill in the course of the present Session with
reprd to the medical charities of that country.
Lord ELIOT was sorry that he was not able to give
a positive answer to the question of the Hon. Gentle-
man. His (Lord Eliot's) opinion was that a Bill
on that subject was very much wrinted.—(le:z,
hear.) Acting on that opinion, he had re
quested the Poor-law Commissioners to frame a
Bill in accordance with the suggestions contained in
their Report of last year. When that Report was
framed, he found that there were considerable objections
urged against it by members of the medical profession.
He was most anxious that that Bill should be.
passed without impairing its efficiency, and
he had accordingly been in communication with
those gentlemen on the subject. Without ex-
pressinc, any decided opinion, he might venture to ex-
press a6hope that all those difficulties would be removed,-
and that he would be enabled to lay on the table of the
House, in the course of the present session, a measure
which would be satisfactory to all parties. At the
same time, in the present state of public business,
it was impossible for him to say when they could proceed
with a discussion on the subject.
SUGAR DUTIES.

Sir R. PEEL having moved the Order of the Day for
going into Committee on the Customs Act,
Mr. LABOUCHERE said that the Right Honourable
aentleman had stated that it was his intention to bring
on the Sugar Duties Bill at as early a period as possible.
As the subject was one of much importance, it was but
reasonable that the House should have an opportunity of
fully and fairly discussing it. lie wished, then, to ask
the Right Hon. Gentleman if it was his intention to
bring on the Sugar Duties Bill in such a manner as to.
afford opportunity of discussing it separately from the
rest of the tariff ?
Sir B. PEEL said the Government had thought it right
to place the sugar duties on the tariff in order that the
House might have before it a full view of the proposition
which he meant to make with respect to the import
duties. He thought it would be advantageous, however,
to have a separate discussion on the sugar
duties, and as it was necessary that he should
fix some particular day on which the sugar duties.
should be discussed without reference to the tariff, per-
haps the most convenient course would be to give notice
that, on Friday week, he would take a separate vote on
the sugar duties, without reference to the progress which
had been made in the tariff.
CUSTOMS ACTS-TARIFF.

The Order of the Day was read for the House to
go into Committee on the Customs Acts,
House in Committee.
Mr. MILES said it was now necessary that, he should
enunciate what he had stated last night, namely, that
in any proposition which he might bring forward,
he was desirous to study the interest of the consumer.
He wished to have proposed something like Id. per
pound, which would amount to 9s. 4d. per cwt, for dead
meat. His proposition was to embrace all cattle
of every description, which would embrace oxen, sheep,
and hogs. As he said before, he, would take the,
highest deduction that could be made from the gross
weight of the 'animal, viz, two. fifths of 9s. 4d. Which
would letiYe vs. 50.—he would. say ss. ed. His propo-
sition was, therefore, that -the beasts imported for
every • (eve of live meat should be charged ss. Gd.
If the Right Honourable Baronet would agree to this
proposition of 9s. 4d., he was perfectly convinced
that•the Right Hon. Baronet would find that it would
not'only remove the feeling prevalent amongst the agri-
cultural classes, but that it would only be doing justice
between them and the consumer. After the kindness
andpatience with which he had been heard last night, he
would merely state his proposition, and he hoped the
Committee would adopt it.
Sir R. PEEL said he derived this consolation from
the speech of his lion. Friend, that if he was prepared to
adopt his suggestions all alarm which had beep felt by
the agriculturists would be done away with—that was tO
say, it' he (Sir H. Peel) raised the duty on French meat
from Ss. to 9s. 4d. would entirely remove the fear of the
agriculturalists so far as meat was concerned. He did
not think that under the arrangements proposed by her
Majesty's Government there was any chance of web a re-
duction in the price of meat as would be injuriotis to agri-
culture. That was the extreme point to which ',le could go,
and, therefore, he could nut consent to the proposition
brought forward by the Hon. Gentleman. ith re-
spect to the lean cattle, he thought the admission of lean
cattle was a positive advantage. As far as lean cattle
went, he thought It was amply sutlicient,•and he thought
the agricultural interest would have a right to complain
if he threw any thing further in the way of the imporia-
tion of lean cattle. With respect to the fat beasts, it was
not the duty, but the difficulty of bringing tlieni to this
country, that was the real objection. lie thought
time proposition he had made was a very fair
and proper one ; and he trusted, therefore, that the
House would think he would adopt a wise course, if heper-
sisted in his proposition with respect to fat and lean cattle.
Mr. PUSEY thought the present subject was one that
would be fair matter of investigation before a Select
Committee. Before five days had elapsed he would ven-
ture to say he would be ready to name such a Com-
mittee ; and he trusted that he would be enabled to make
out before them a strong ease for a further protection
than was proposed by the Government in favour Of the
English grazier. He hoped that the Right lionouralk
Baronet, when he considered the magnitude of ttei.,
interests which he (Mr. Piney) and his lion. Friseads
around him represented, would be ready to accede to so
fair a proposal as the appointment of a Select Committee
of Inquiry.
Sir R. PEEL said that it was admitted by hiS Hon.
Friend the Member for Shropshire himself, that.
it was very difficult to determine the exact amount
of protection which should be given upon the diffe-
rent articles of provision, and upon the dim.
rent kinds of cattle. He did not believe that u
Committee of the most consummate graziers could,
come to any definite conclusion upon that subject. ft
appeared to him that it was fur the House to decide, for
itself' upon the matter on general principles. 'le he
yielded to the suggestioa of his Hon. Friend, he should
be equally obliged to give way to partiet;
in-
terested in other articles. Why not, tqr instfuice,
have a Select Committee upon the subject of
the proposed reduction of duty on spermaceti oil 2
or upon the subject of the proposed reducCion of duty on
seed ? By yielding in the present instance, he should
be involved in endless difficulty and delay ; and he could
not, therefore, accede to the suggestion of his Wm,
Friend.

Mr. PUSEY could not admit the justice of the Right
Hon. Baronet's arguments, because he assumed that hk
Honourable Friend and himself were not disposed
to relax the existing tariff ; but he was as.
ready to become a reformer in agricultural matters
as the Right Honourable Baronet himself.—(Hear,
hear.) lle wished to make the new tariff as consistent
as possible, and only desired that it might be ren-
dered such as would enable the friends of the
agricultural interest to give their assent to it without
abandoning their duty towards those who sent them to
that House. It did not rest with them to support the
measure, but ho did not know how he Could look in
the face of the farmers, after supporting a measure which,
they believed to be opposed to their interests.
Colonel WOOD said that he represented an ag`,:fetti,
tural county, and he believed that the alarm whiA was
raised in the minds of the farmers was unneces.car and
dying away.--(Cheers.) The last communication he
had from the county he represented was that the last
fair was much improved.—(Hear.) It was delay which
was to be feared ; and he therefore would entreat the
House to come to a determination on the subject as soon
as possible.—(Hear, hear.) His lion. Fritnd talked of
looking the farmers inithe face ; but he (Colonel Wood)
did not know what that expression meant when
he was conscious of doing his duty.--(Cheers.;
The farmers were not the only persons interested. It
should be recollected that there was a large mantifue'amr-
ing population, and what were they to think if they were
disputing between Bs. and 9s. 4d. on the hundred w eight ?
They might depend on it they were lending the,mselves
to unnecessary alarm.—(Cheers.) They sheall,l not for-
get the good old English agricultural maxirn, "Live and
let live.' —(Cheers.) As fur as the agTicilturarnterest
was concerned, he did not think the &Aeration would
make the slightest difference to the honest English farmer.
Mr. M. GIBSON said he hoped that Honourable
Gentlemen would not pursue this system of continually'
deluding the farmers, allowing these laws to hang
over their heads, allowing them to be in const:4nt
jeopardy of having this protection taken from tl
when they must know that the current of
opinion
was setting against protection, and,
that
there was a large and powerful party this
country, daily increasing in numbers and
iu power,
manidnedanses
t t ona,e dobtaining
(Ministerial
o
visetedr to rebyst largealga
i th funds,
a stctif u
rie
no cc
i el wise deter-
ed
cthheeerasboalint(iionco ou fn
counter
cheers.)unjusy He sp,.)ke the plain
truth, and he told Hon. Members °Pwasite that it was a.
W
duty which they owed to their fells
-
, ountrymen not.
'w-country to gull them any longer. D 'y, the R ight o-
nourable Gentleman himself "fraid that the small
area from which cattle could edrawn, the difficulties.
of importation, and the expense of transport formed the
true protection. Of what, us,..
u, then, was any duty at all?
He must say that he was .surprised that the duties
upon the importation of foreign cattle had not been
made lower than they wire. Superfluous protec-
b
had been l
tion had e
eft done away, but a sufficient duty
en
both u
m pon salt Meat and
cattle to prevent any isiderable importation u
inponto this country. When he 'neard of the smallness of the
area from which suppfles could be drawn, of the
expense of transport, of the increased population—
an increase greater than the increase in the supply,
lie could not understand upon what principle the
Right Honourable Baronet defended even a 20s. duty
upon oxen, and an Ss. duty upon salt meat.