The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1839-03-19 00:00:00

THE CORN LAWS.

The adjourned debate on Mr. Villiers' motion respecting
the corn law was again resumed, when Mr. HUME addressed
the house in favour of the proposition.
After extended debate, in the course of which Sir R. PEEL
addressed the house with much force, ingenuity, and effect,
very happily sketching Lord J. Russell's gallery of political
portraits, at one o'clock there were loud calls of " divide,
divide." Such was the interest in the house, that not only
were the members' galleries and all the usual seats occupied,
but there were members on the floor half-way towards the
table. The scene was very unusual and very impressive, in-
asmuch as there was marked attention and order—total ab-
sence of the disorderly noises that usually accompany the
anxieties and calls for division.

Mr. FIELDEN then moved the adjornment of the debate.
Lord J. RUSSELL thought that adjournment was hardly
requisite; but, at all events, if the debate were adjourned,
the resumption of it on Monday would be most inconvenient
to other public business.
The house, however, divided on it, and such motion for
adjournment was negatived by ayes, 61, noes, 475—majority
against it, 414.
Mr. ATTWOOD then complained 'that he wanted to answer
the personal attacks of Mr. Hume, especially as he could
show that hon. member " to be the advocate of public plun-
der."

Mr. HARVEY was also anxious for adjournment, especially
as only fifteen members had spoken during the four nights'
debate, occupying, on the average, an hour and a half each,
most of them contending'for free trade, yet monopolising all
the speaking.
_ _ _

Mr. EWART said, that as he could not then expect a pro-
per hearing, he should move that the debate be adjourned—
till Tuesday he was understood to propose.
The house again divided, and the numbers were—ayes, 53 ;
noes, 373—majority, 320.
Mr. FIELDEN having proposed adjournment till Wednes-
day,
Lord J. RUSSELL repeated that, if there were to be ad-
journment, he trusted it would be to any day rather than
Monday, as that decision would be very inconvenient to
business.pub-
liC

Mr. KNox suggested that the better course would be to
adjourn the debate " till that day six months."
After some conversation as to the business on Monday,
the proceedings regarding the mutiny bill, the army estimates,
and an order that the house be called over on Monday,
Mr. Ktiox withdrew his proposition, and the corn-law
debate was once more adjourned.

POSTPONEMENT OF THE TRIAL OF THE
REV. J. R. STEPHENS.

(From the Manchester Courier.)
The trial of the Rev. J. R. Stephens has been postponed.
The power and dignity of government have been exchanged
for trembling cowardice and shuffling meanness. To preserve
an indiscreet minister, the administration of the law has been
delayed and fashioned to suit the exigencies' of his situation,
The case stands thus. A minister of state took a pro-
vincial tour, and in a large and wealthy town was entertained
at dinner by its municipal functionaries. After dinner, the
said minister's health was proposed and duly honoured;
whereupon he rose and delivered a speech, in the course of
which he let slip certain ill-defined opinions as to the liberty
of the subject, and as to the right of her Majesty's leiges to
assemble together, and give free expression to their sentiments.
Through the agency of the press these opinions of the minis-
ter were circulated from one end of the nation to the other.
The minister returned to the scene of his official functions,
and the assemblies of the people, which had been compara-
tively small and well ordered before the publication of his
speech, all at once assumed great importance, both as regards
numbers and the tone of the speeches delivered at them ;
until at length, mistaking the limits prescribed by the minis-
ter of state, certain demagogues began to talk sedition, and
encourage insubordination. These proceedings at length
roused apprehensions for the safety of the commonwealth in
the breasts of the minister and his colleagues, and a warrant
was issued for the apprehension of a principal ringleader.
The said ringleader was taken before two of her Majesty's
justices of the peace ; and witnesses to his guilt were duly
sworn, and gave evidence against him, which evidence was
made the frame-work of an indictment. He was take his
trial at the next court of assize ; but immediately before the
circuit of the judges, the said minister's fears step in, and the
administration of the law is suspended.

We have stated the case of Mr. Stephens. If the govern-
ment felt assured that the charges preferred against him are
just, and strictly within the spirit of the law, how happens it
that they will not allow the law to take its course ? It has
been stated to us that Mr. Stephens supcenaed Lord John
Russell and several of his colleagues on his trial,—which he
had a perfect right io do, in common with every subject of
the realm. Is it the dread of being dragged into the light to
face their victim, that has prompted ministers to postpone
the trial ; or is it their intention to abandon the prosecution
altogether, and so depend upon their cowardice for a protec-
tion that their firmness would seem to deny them ? We give
them the benefit of the alternatives.

There is no doubt in our minds that Mr. Stephens is guilty
of the charges imputed to him; and we shall not so far forget
our respect, as well for the laws as for the maintenance of
peace and good order, as to undertake his defence. But if
condemnation is to take place, let it be equally shared be-
tween the guilty parties. Perhaps we cannot directly charge
Lord John Russell with subornation of sedition ; but it is
clear, by his speech at Liverpool, he encouraged the com-
mission of excesses—whether wilfully or not, it is not for us
to say—which, in his official capacity, he has since been
called upon to put down by the strong arm of the law. If he
had been an honest man and an upright minister, he would
have fotegone all personal considerations in the determination
to uphold the dignity of the laws. He has not done so ; Mr.
Stephens will never be brought to trial ; and Lord John
Russell has added cowardice to meanness, duplicity and want
of principle.

The magistrates of Hampshire have entered into a sub-
scription for placing a portrait of their lord lieutenant, his
Grace the Duke of Wellington, in the grand jury-room of
that county.

BANKING PROJECT.—A project has been started in the
city for a " Country Bankers' Agency," which, on account
of its novelty of plan, in proposing to dispense with the aid
of the bankers altogether, is occupying a considerable share
of attention. The leading features are—that an establishment
is to be formed in London solely for transacting the business
of country bankers ; that each bank shall deposit a certain
sum, moderate in amount, as its own separate productive
capital ; that in order to insure the perfect safety of the fund
thus created, the directors will be restricted from employing
any part of it except in government securities, or those of
the first class, contenting themselves with the most moderate
return, and that they will account to each country bank for
the profit of the investment: The advantages proposed are,
that the business of country banks in London will be con-
ducted with much less expense, and attended with no risk ;
that, being relieved from keeping so large a capital as here-
tofore in the metropolis, they will be protected against runs,
and employ their capital more profitably, the rate of interest
being generally higher in the country than in London, and
that they will share with the general agency the profit of all
transactions undertaken for them. These are the particular
advantages aimed at, but the parties anticipate some public
benefit from their plan of operation, in preventing the accu-
mulation of so much spare capital in London, as is done by
the deposit funds of the country bankers, and in thus pre-
venting speculation as well as those abrupt changes in the
circulation, which are the consequences of it. On the merit
of such a project it would be difficult, and in this stage of it
useless, to offer any opinion. There are said to be some very
respectable names connected with it, and like all projectors,
of course, sanguine as to the result. The rest is to be de-
cided as the experiment proceeds.—Times.