The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-17 00:00:00

a repetition of the engagement, though it be attended with
their temporary success_, may end in their permanent
defeat. (Laughter and cheers. ) I mean defeat oh this vies-
t ion. Ido not look for a defeat oh shy other.—(Cheers.) We
know too well what is their strength and their majority-..
( Loud cheers frum the Tory benches)—but Ido hope and
trust, nay, I confidently expect, than at no distant period the
minds of the men of this country will be thoroughly enlight-
ened on this subject, and that the same deference to
to public opinion, which has wrung this small and reluctant
concession from the Government, may one day extort from
them a much nearer approximation to, if not a full arrival at,
sound principles of legislation on this all-important subject.—
( Enthusiastic cheering, which continued for some time after
the Noble Lord had resumed his seat. )
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and the House
divided, when there appeared—
For Lord J. Russell's Amendment
226
Against it
349

Majority for Ministers -123
On our re-admission to the Gallery we found the House in
Committee, and

Sir ROBERT PEEL upon his legs, moving, as we nnder-
stood, that the Chairman do report progress, and ask leave to
sit again to-morrow, but the confusion in the body of the House
was so great, that we could not distinctly collect the purport
of the Right Hon. Baronet's observations.
Mr. VILLIERS thought that at that late hour, and in the
exhausted state of the House—(" No, no," from the Minis-
terial Benches)—he could not bring forward the motion of
which he had given notice, except under such disadvantageous
circumstances that he trusted the Right Hon. Baronet would
not press his motion, but postpone the further discussion to
Friday.
Sir R. PEEL did not think he could accede to the Hon.
Gentleman's request. It should be recollected that the house
had as yet really made no progress in the measure. The re-
solution was merely the foundation for bringing in a Bill.
There would be many opportunities for discussing the ques-
tion, and he hoped that the Hon. Gentleman would be actu-
ated by the feeling that it would be desirable to conduct the
discussion in such a manner as to lead to some practical result.
His Right Hon. Friend had a motion for to-morrow on the
subject of Exchequer Bills, which had been postponed in
order to make way for the discussion. He hoped that the
Hon. Member would not object to his resolution for the post-
ponement of the discussion to Friday, as that would throw
them over into the next week. There would be an opportu-
nity of opening tke whole question upon the second reading
of the Bill.—(Hear.)
Mr. WAKLEY now rose amidst great confusion, and said
he hoped that the Right Hon. Baronet would accede to the
very humble request of the Hon. Member for Wolverhampton.
Vast numbers of petitions had been presented from the people
for the total repeal of the Corn-laws, and, after the fatigue of a
three nights' debate, he hoped the House would not
hurry on the discussion until Friday. The present
discussion related to the taxing the people's bread, and
before the House came to a division upon that tax, they ought
to know what were the other taxes which the Right Hon.
Baronet intended to propose, and how far they would affect
the people. He hoped, therefore, that the Right Hon. Bart.
would consider the proposition of the Non. Gentleman (Mr.
Villiers).
Lord JOHN RUSSELL thought the request made by his
Hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton was very reason-
able.

Sir ROBERT PEEL said he did not wish to throw any
obstacle in the way of the Hon. Gentleman opposite ; be was
only acting on what he considered to be public duty, and for the
public interests.—( Hear, hear.) He had now, however, no
objection to accede to the Hon. Gentleman's request—( Hear)
—and as the Exchequer Bills matter was deferred, perhaps
they need not meet at all to-morrow.
Mr. VILLIERS begged leave to state that he did not apply
for the postponement of the question merely for his own
personal convenience ; but he thought that it would
be the most respeetful course towards those persons upon
whose behalf petitions had been presented to the House to make
the application then.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER felt he
was placed in great difficulty. He said he was
willing to postpone the measure with reference
to the Exchequer Bills, thinking that the Corn-law
debate would have been continued, and the question of the
Corn-laws being of great importanee, he did not wish to in-
terfere with them, by bringing on his motion on Friday.
Mr. VILLIERS having explained, the House resumed ; and
on the motion of Sir R. PEEL, it was adjourned at a Quarter
to Three o'Clock to Friday.