The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-09 00:00:00

sie
mould be an importation of salt meat and bacon which
*would be a Feat relief to the working classes and the
plmr, and this was the reason he supported the Right i
11,On. Baronet. In this measure the poor agricultural
labourer would have a piece of bacon hanging up in his
cottage to cheer him when he got home, while he now
lived on potatoes and bread. He had no hesitation in
saying that there was nothing which the country so
is oh dreaded as the return to office of the Noble Lord
we- had brought us to our present condition.
With respect to the statement of the No bl e Lord (Lord
Palmerston) whom he did not now see in his place, that
the present Government desired Lord Auckland to con-
tinue Governor of India, he (Mr. Escott) believed there
was not the slightest ground for the statement. He
Made that statement not from authority exactly, but
from all but authority, and he had every reason to rely
On the statement which had been made to him. Other
Members had cautioned and had advised the Right Hon.
Gentleman at the head of the Government ; he would
not presume either to caution or advise him, but having
tne honour to sit in the same Parliament with the Right
Hon. Gentleman, he would implore him, having settled
the deranged finances of the country, to devise some
Measure for comforting the sons and daughters of indus-
try, and for securing to them that reward to which they
were entitled.
Lord PALMERSTON said that he had been given to
understand that, during his absence, the Hon. and
-Learned Gentleman who had just sat down had stated
that he contradicted from authority the statement which
he (Lord Palmerston) had made the other evenins", that
the late President of the Board of Control (Lord'Ellen-
borough) had, soon after his accession to office, written
to Lord Auckland expressing a wish that he (Lord
Auckland) should continue Governor-General of India.
Had he been rightly informed ?
Mr. ESCOTT--Not exactly. I did not say that I
Made that statement from authority.
Lord PALMERSTON—From all but authority.
Mr. ESCOTT—I meant to say that I had reason to
believe that such was the fact.; but what I stated was
entirely on my own responsibility.
Lord PALMERSTON said that there was then an
equal necessity for him to explain to the House the
grounds on which he had made that statement. That
pound was an extract from a private letter, addressed
BY a member of Lord Auckland's family in India to
another member of his Lordship's family residing in
England, which letter was in his possession, and an ex-
extract from which he would read to the House.—
(Hear, hear.) The letter was dated Calcutta, Novem-
ber 20, 1841, and after expressing regret that the last
mail had not brought out the appointment of Lord
A.tickland's successor, the writer proceeded to say, "In
fact, it is lucky that Lord Auckland has sent home his
positive resignation, for Lord Ellenborough writes a
Most friendly letter, wishing him very much to remain,
and stating that he has no doubt but that they shall get
on very well together."—(Cheers.)
Mr. ESCOTT apprehended that that was no contra-
diction to his statement. (Cries of " Oh, oh," and
laughter.) Lord Ellenborough was not the Govern-
.blent.—(oll, oh, -and laughter.)
Lord PALMERSTON—My statement was, that soon
after the accession of the present Government to office
the then President of the Board of Control had written
to Lord Auckland, expressing a wish that he should con-
tinue in the Government of India, and those were the
grounds on which he had made that statement.
lit P. M. STEWART thanked his Hon. Friend (the
Member for Greenock) for having brought forward his
motion. The first five propositions of the Government
Were undenied and undeniable.—(Hear, hear.) The in-
terests of the country had never been in such a distressed
le as at this moment. From Scotland, England,
Wales, and Ireland, one note of destitution had been
btent up to the House, and not a single statement had
een made to meet it. He had that night presented a
sinificant petition to the House. It was from 1,600
iPwrights a new class of complainants, showing how
~the ship-building trade might be improved by opening
'4B timber-trade with all parts of the world. He depre-
-44 any disposition to discourage the practice of pri-
ate benevolence, for if it had not been fur that the
state
of Refrewshire and Paisley would have
-en still worse than it was at present. For
-aeteral weeks the people there had been entirely
dependent on privets benevolence for support.
BY, the motion of last night it was proposed to entrust
‘ll,_e keeping of the corn chest to the Right Honour-
-1144 Baronet, but Honourable Members would not
rt'ust him with that power, lest it should be abused.
certainly should divide with the Hon. Member for
Greenock on his motion, though he feared no practical
good 'would result from it. The
,question now was,
Wther they should remain there uselessly discussing
s 'te
they should return to their respective homes, end take
''y_ their stations as members of the suffering communi-
ties of which they were the representatives, a& leave to
he Government the awful responsibility of their own
Measures.
tt.:Lord CLEMENTS bad not intended to take part in
~.(ts discussion ; but he wished the House not to be led
nto error respecting the distress existing in Ireland,
which he could assure Hon. Members was such at it
4 ialpossible for one who had not witnessed it to con-
at i e t,
.14r. BORTHWICK admitted the existence and extent
,°f. the distress ; and as he intended to vote against the
,e4elutions of the Hon. Member for Greenock, be thought
,Z,right to state the grounds on which he would do so.
Zttempts were made to excite popular indignation against
try Pesent Administration for the distress of the count
.'but it ought to be recollected that there was great
;setil..eas when the Whigs were about to leave office, and
e were no attempts used to raise up against
It.em, the fury and indignation of the people.
to distress was so great as he was sorry to admit it
utt.s, it was the duty of the Members of that House to
Ipte for the purpose of ascertaining what remedy her
coesty's Government ought to apply. He contended
at the decay in the manufacturing prosperity of the
funtry had been gradual an constant
sufficient remedy
that the real
;„ the Corn-laws would not d afford a e
CP the evil, while it would introduce the same distress
4to the agricultural districts. If any Hon. Gentlemen
eould prove to him that the distress would be removed
by) the repeal of the Corn-laws, he should have his sup-
port in any effort which he might make to obtain their
-ePee%
ARSLAND thought they had feliedTail-
el,lough upon the British farmer, who had failed to sup-
ple'them with sufficient food. The disease had gone on
Mild long for half measures to be effectual, and they
s'uuld not afford to wait longer for a full and complete
I:emedy. The distress which existed throughout the
wuntry could not be exaggerated, and the measures
.;hich had been taken to relieve that distress had been
alt
aelly unsuccessful. The Corn-laws had indeed been
th'rsa• but the price of food had actually increased in
in:markets. The distress was not confined to the work-
sissses : those in the middle walk of life were equally
- down by the pressure of the times, and yet fresh
h as were being imposed, when a general alms-giving
• been solicited for the relief of the suffering people.—
ear, hear.) There was a crisis beyond which misery
fee not be endured—(Hear,. hear)--to that crisis, he
eared they were fast approaching.—(Hear, hear.) When
tr: seventies of winter should add to their dis-
k) s,4es. they would find the people, who had drunk
✓ i3ef the cup which still overflowed with misery,
Pondered more terrible by the knowledge of their
tilr:'„r patience and endurance. lie would not deny
tl.lley could put down any insurrection by means of
elr well trained soldiery ; but such acts might be at-
aded with risk, and much blood would flow, which, he
ntild think, would form no subject for pleasure to ro-
set u
tont. Ann, and vet the Right Hon. Baronet seemed to
13„, etnplatate such them not severities
r
fere her mercies,sever for it was aities--call mercy to put such suf-
,
borrs out of their misery.—(Hear, hear.) In the
Pr sent, of Stockport, which he had the honour to re-
ts:;ent, there were not half the rate payers that there
nut: a few years ago • their cottages and houses were
itnd named ; half of their manufacturers were ruined,
end.he feared that others were hastening to the same
itist; They ask?. I not for charity, but they did ask for
of ; and he trusted they would get it at the hands
Governmen-.
tit?, I.* OULU) ERS confirmed the existing distress
piC,Pgbout the country, which was not confined to any
thA"nnlai• localities, but was spread far and wide over
etj,*hole country. He had endeavoured to trace the
14" of this distress to its source, and he could find
Ikea" other source but the high price of corn.—(Hear,
tt,P) The Right Hon. Baronet at the head of her
• "est Y's Government stated the other night, that he
hZeted
1, a plentiful harvest this year, because the two last
thr"en scarce ones, and it was seldom that they had
Chi la consecutive bad harvests. This statement he (Mr.
be Fers) did not think was a correct one, for it would
lest °fand, upon investigating the prices of corn for the
derwew Years, that they had already had four years 'of.
It 'tent harvests. He must repeat his opinion that the:
'stre
eornss of the country was owing to the high price of
and from a calculation which he had made he
itist-„:: ;flat if the price of wheat in 1841 had been 565.
letve4,!' of 655. 4d., a sum of 14,000,000/. of money would
spentueen saved to the country, which would have been
native and circulated amongst the tradesmen and ope-
thn of the kingdom. They had now an alteration in
saft,,.°rn-law, and -to that alteration he objected as in-
that-Int during the long period that it was discussed in
liar -douse. Under the Corn Bill of the Right Hon.
ssu°net, corn would be poured into the country when it
eoe,ta°t wanted, and when there was no corn in the
This rY foreign corn remained in bond.—(Hear, hear.)
to %wax the inevitable consequence of a sliding scale,
(Ile„ great detriment of the agricultural interest.—
°f hear.) He quite agreed with the observations
the.,""e Honourable Member for Evesham that
tress
sin
to took to a remedy for this dis-
Was the country. 5e was happy to say that there
great ,_Probabilit of a gockl harvest. This would be a
ste Qcnefit to
„a of the country. L..l•.‘)oed that the price, in-
.l been the case for
re last ranging from 60s. to 645., as hae
m,°Ped tifi°llr years, would be low-during the N'",'nter. He
was Right Hon. Baronet would see that thd time
The tir for great changes in our commercial system.
i"-(ltea,a,was come wheu monopolies must be abolished,
n. 41 to ti,„'"',?"%) With regard to the tariff, he felt grate,
made, il'ught Hon. Baronet for the concessions therein
• ~,, w
`" Was as a great step towards Liberal principles.
llousg ad the motion had been brought before the
Was ri'o, as it would show the country that Parliament
not Ithilen,min.aul of the existing distress; but he was_
there couicitabit of voting for propositions from which
'sl4t2se the 1110_ practical result, and he must, therefore,
ja r. m A
his 11;41 PHILIPS said that the statement made
tem, /I. Friend the Member for Stockport was de-
g of the d
e•-t_ses.oll4ll4l4e(P:tekr.ll°WenePest consideration of the House. Dis-
to prevail throughout the borough of
It might be greater in the districts sur-
tirely 11g. even than in Manchester,_ as they were en-
d- Pendent on the cotton trade. Not only was
di
great
with rap in the districts, but it was spreading
tildes throughout the land. He was one of
-.eat-shad for Yearia thought that the Corn-laws