Star.
London, England, 1827-06-13 00:00:00

The Marquis of LANSDOWN resumed. He was
- -

not prepared to go into these Acts clause by clause, but
he must re-assert his opinion that the object of the whole
course of legislation had been to extend the warehous-
ing system, and that the present amendment went to
limit, if not to destroy it. This amendment must have
the effect of bestowing upon foreigners advantages
which were taken away from the subjects of this
country. The latter would be compelled to with-
draw the capital they had embarked in warehouses.
—The whole term of legislation during the Admi-
niatration of the Noble Earl and his colleagues, and
honoured them for it, had been in favour of
this system, and the present was the first attempt
which had been made to change the current. The Noble
Lords who supported the Amendment appeared to him
to look to the appearance rather than to the reality of
things. As if they were to assign as the cause of rain
not the stare of the atmosphere but the clouds which
floated in it. Did they suppose that there would be less
foreign importation because the warehousing system
was discouraged or destroyed? They were greatly
mistaken if they supposed this. The importation could
not be prevented but it could be rendered less capable
of a prompt and accurate adaptation to the circum-
stances of the market, and were likely to produce glut
and the depression of price attendant upon it. The
Noble Marquis dwelt at great length upon the advan-
tages of a regular and well adjusted supply, which
depended upon the warehousing system, and upon the
mischirfs of that supply alternately scanty and excessive
which direct importation was calculated to produce.
The evidence given before the Committee 'hewed that
the frauds which were apprehended could not be pre-
vented by an amendment of this nature. The effect of
the amendment was to supply motives and afford means
to fraud. It consolidated the interests of great bodies
of men, with reference to a single point, and thus gave
others, a temptation to conspire. If he saw in the
amendment the means of conferring, any benefit upon
the country, he should not be deterred from giving st
support by any apprehension as to what might be its
effect in another place ; but he saw on the contrary, that
the only effect it could produce was to counteract the be-
nefits to be expected from the Bill, at the same time that
it exposed them to the danger of losing the present favour-
able opportunity of settling this great question altogether.
A Noble Lord who had spoken early in the debate had
expressed great anxiety that the value of property should
not be precarious. The Bill was calculated to affect
this desirable object, so far as it could be accomplished
by legislation, and the amendment by producing alter-
nately scarcity and glut, had no other tendency than to
produce uncertainty and instability of propertys With
respect to Ireland, to which country allusion had been
made, the population were not likely to be prevented
from eating wheat by the cheapness, but rather by the
dearness of that article of food. The letter which bad
been so frequently alluded to of his Right Honourable
Friend the President of the Board of Trade, had been
',represented.
wished

It did not contain a proposition which
he to make, but it explained a sacrifice to
which he was willing to submit rather than endanger
the Bill. Neither were the propositions the same—the
one was temporary, and the other permanent. The
letter of his Right Hon. Friend differed, therefore, tato
awls, from the proposition now under the consideration
of the Hou e. If they looked back to the Acts of 1815
and 1822 they might by parity of reasoning say, that
the Act of 1822 did not differ from that of 1815, as
Well as that the present amendment was similar to that
proposition contained in the letter of his Right Hose
Friend. The present amendment annulled some of the
most important parts of the Bill, and collaterally struck
a violent blow upon the warehousing system. It would
lead to the transmission of corn now in bond to Hot;
I land, with a view to re•importation. This could be
done at an expense of about Ss. per quarter, and the
advantage to be gained by it would be 4s. After se-
veral other observations, the Noble Lord concluded by
expressing bis anxious wish that the House would reject
the amendment.
Lord REDESDALIC contended that it was necessary for tko
House to protect the agricultural interest of the country, by dudes
approximating as nearly to prohibition u was consistent with the
safety of that Interest. He declared his intention to support the
unendment.
The House then divided, when there were found to be—,
Contents present 78
Proxies . 44
—122
. 85
. 48
—133

Not Contest
Proxies

Majority . . 11
Against rescinding the Amendment of the Duke of Wellington,
which accordingly remains part of the Bill.
On our re-admission to the House, we found—
Lord GODERICH on his kgs, who was just observing, that,
after the decision to which the House had come, it would be pre-
posterous in him to oppose any other amendment.
Lord LAUDERDALE wished to be informed when the Noble
Lord intended to propose the third reading of the Bill.
Lord GODERICH was sorry to refuse any information which
could contribute to the convenience of any Noble Lord, but in the
position in which the Bill now stood, it must be supposed that he
requiredd some time for coasideration.
CLIFDEN said, that he had not the honour.of being of
his Majesty's Colinas; but his advice to Ministers would be to
throw the Bill away altogether, and leave to their Lordships'
House the papules ity of having rejected the measure.
After some further conversation between Earl STASXO,II, Lord
Rissairs, and Lord Goomucti, the third reading was flied for
Friday.—The House then aJjourned at &run °Timm.