Star.
London, England, 1829-05-02 00:00:00

,; .

• district where it was established. He admitted some
difficulty existed in devising a remedy for the distress
which had fallen upon the silt trade. But he had never
expected that. in the increased and increasing pressure
under which it suffered, so serious a reduction should
be made in the only means by which it could _receive
protection. ..It wet net pptble for tint to pddetrity"
the dismay and consternation which pervaded the tam-
try upon the announcement of the measures which his'
Majesty's Government had brought forward upon this
subject. The first fruits of this system were exhibited
in the city which he (Mr. Fyler) represented, where
there were four thousand looms out of employment.
One manufacturer alone ordered 200 looms to step
if the proposed measure should pass into a law. This
stale ef stairs was not confined to Coventry; and if
the measure before the House should be emitted, it
would, beyond doubt, prevent the continuance of
large numbers of manufacturers, and throw thousands
more of operatives out of employment. Now, with
regard to the arguments which had been used by the
Right Honourable Gentleman opposite in support of
his measures: The Right Hon. Gentleman said that the
causes of the distress of the'silk trade were the exten-
sion of the manufacture and speculative over-trading.
N.sw, as to the extension of the manufacture, he (Mr.
Filer) should only say, that the immediate tendency of
the new measures. Was to increase it. The drawback
which had been allowed on goods manufactured in this
country had produced a similar effect, as the amount
of duty so returned was always employed in extending
the manufacture. With regard to the ovet-trading,
when the duty upon imported French silks had been
redtiCed, the only chance which the English manufac-
tater had of being able to compete with the French
co,tsisted in his throwing an additional quantity of
goods into the market : but although the master ma u•
facturer was able to do this, the operative could only
get his Cornier wages by working eighteen hours a day.
This fact he mentioned only to show that the manufac-
biters had not been influenced by any falsestr wild spitit
rf specula-iort in preparing the manufactures for the
market. With regard to the city of Coventry, he ad.
noted the silk trade may have extended there, and that
there had been a beneficial substitution of one species of
machotery lot another; but he could not admit that the
improvement was the result of the change which had
taken place in the law. The trade had been gradually
isiciea.itpg from 1815 to 1824. when the new treasures
were introduced. Competition may, perhaps, have im-
proved the trade, but before the improvement could pro.
duteany advantage, it would be necessary to show the
manufacturers alive they were to dispose of the goods
which they had produced in an improved state. But, if
the extension of the manufacture had been a cause of
the evili,the remedy which the Right Hen. Gentleman
proposed was a very exttaurdinaty one, namely, to let
mid this country the silk goods of India. It had been
stated. at the close of the last Session, in that House,
th tt -ships were in India loaded with silk goods, and
reatoy to pour them into this country, if the measure
then belnie the House should pass into a law. It was
easy to see what effect would be produced upon the
prevent depressed state of the silk trade by deluging the
market with the silk goods of India. Another remedy
Rich. had been proposed was, to seduce the duty on
French ecsods. It was at present five shillings and
three .pence, or thirty-two pet cent. and it was proposed
to reduce it to an ad valorem duty of twenty-five per
cent. It was said that France was overstocked with
silk goods, and for' the star cause which had over-
stocked the m kets of this country.. This may per-
haps be in part true; bet France would be in a mach
wove condition it she had not the power of pouring
her goods into thii country ; and it was not to be doubted
that it the present measure were :o pass into a law, but
that n I only would the import of French goods be
vastly increa-ed from France. but also from India.
The reduction of the import duty, therefore, could only
involve the manufacture in greater distress. and aggra-
vate. it possible, the evils under which the manufac.
tote?s laboured. The first result of the measure would
be to depteciate the value of the stock in hand. and to
diminish the profits of those who were now only able
to maintain their existence by labouring fourteen hours
a daY.. It, this measure were to turn out a relief, it
would be a relief to France, and not to us—to France,
who had refused to allow us that free trade which we
had p-rmitted to her—to France, who watches with
the most steady and vigilant jealousy the silk of her
own country, superior to that of any other country,
even 6f Italy—who watches that silk, and prevents by
severe, be had almost mid penal laws, its introduction
into England. The principles upon which the Govern.
went
were,
this country ought to proceed in matters of
trade in the foreign trade a full reciprocity. and
in the home trade a fair and equal Competition. It was
suggested that the custom-house officers would, in the
case of the duty which was to be imposed, have the
option of assessing it either ad sutlers= or by weight;
but the advantage to be derived from this would be
entirely inconsiderable, as the whole amount of the re•
duction would be-such as to afford the manufactuiet
only"' protection of three shillings and sixpence. or two
and a half per cent. on the whole manufacture. There
was smother part of the Bill to which he was less in•
cloned to object—he meant th.t part which ptovided for
the limitation of the number of ports, and which he con-
sidered to be II good principle as far as it went; but this
advantage:whatever it may be, was more than counter.
balanced by the reduction of the duty. It was to the
manufacturers very immaterial whether the goods were
brought into the couhtry by smuggling, or under a
duty which legalized the importation, and was so low
as to afford theimanutactutet here no protection. The
di-tinction which had been made upon this subject was
one without a difference, and the consequence of either
state of the case would be to fill the Engiish ma ket
with silk goods of foreign manufacture. Another point
made .in theapeech of the Right Hon. Gentleman was
on the subject of the drawback-. His predecess.4 (Mr.
.Huslitison) had said that his object (in whi:b he entirely
tailed) was to procure for this country an export trade.
Rut if the Right Hon. Gentleman would look it hi.
own figures he would easily see the impossibility of
this counts', in the present depressed state of the silk
manufacture, exporting to any amount. But •even
with the drawbacks there was 10s. 63. in the pound
against the manufactures of this country in. theforeign
trade. The Member for Dover had said. with some
degree of exultation (ieteriing to the import of raw
and thrown silk), that the quantity of raw material ins-
potted into-the country was the same as before. and, if
the quantity of
.raw Islamist was the same, the gum-
- City of labour employed in the manufacture must be the
same. Another Hon. Gentleman. the Member for
M mime, who was very fond of figures, said that every
ounce of. raw material imported into the country went
to the mill, and.was, there manufactured by English
I.bour But Abele Honourable Members had uot
taster into consideration the quantity of .stock ip
baud, whsch was last year mu considerable. 's Re-
sides, these wets, many fabrics of silk iq which-
. thrown ulka were not used at all. There were also
ls

maw ether imanafactons, as a crush% description, of
fine eased, in which • silk was employed:::
admitted that, notwithstanding the large deductions to
be made on these heads, a great cpiantity went to the
mill, but it was one thing to find .employment. and
another to be employed with profit. In many cases
there had been no return at all, though the persons em-
ploying the capital bad continued to manufacture, from.
the difficulty of changing the 'course in which their
efforts had been so long directed. He might say more
upon this subject, bat he was afraid of exceeding the
limits which be had prescribed to himself. He could
nor, however, help, in conclusion, impressing upon the
mind of the Right Hon. Gentleman opposite the im.
portance of the measure which he was about to intro.
duce. He should take leave to read an extract from a
letter which he had that moraing received from the
Overseers of the poor at Coventry, who stated that the
paces' rate, which was last year fourpenee or sixpence,
would, in May next, be a shilling and eightpence. The
Hon. Member next referred to a report drawn up at the
request of the Right Hon. Gentleman .by a most re-
spectable manufacturer (he alluded to Mr. Jocelyn),
who stated that the measure now in progress would
bring positive ruin upon every branch of the silk trade.
He would recommend the Right Hon. Gentleman to re-
flect upon what men. urged by desperation may be
capable of committiog. There did not exist a more
loyal, dutiful. and Michela body of men than the silk
weavers; but their distresses had been so•great as to
excite them to acts of violence; which had rendered it
tieceisary to call out the military at Macclesfield.—
(Here the Hon. Member read an extract of a letter from
Maccleiteld, in which it was said that the town was in
the greatest confusion; that 5,009 persons paraded the
streets; that a troop of horse and a company of loot
had been sent for into the town to keep the people quiet,
and oppress them still more). He dreaded that, great
as was the present distress of the silk weavers, the pre-
sent measures would aggravate them still more—
" And in the lowest deep a lower deep,
Still threatening to devour them, opens wide,
To which the hell they feel would wem a Heaven."
In conclusion the Hon. Member protesteJ against the
proposed measures, and moved as an amendment, that
the House resolve itself into a Committee of the whole
House on that day six months.

Mr. G. ROBINSON rose to second the motion. The
Honourable Member said that, if he was not deeply
impressed with the importance of the subject, be should
am obtrude himself upon the House after the result of
the debate which had taken place upon this subject the
ether night. The measures now proposed by his Ma-
jesty's Ministers were so far from affording relief to the
silk trade, that they would aggravate all the evils under
Wrich it at present was oppressed. He should not en-
ter into any details upon the present occasion, but only
observe upon some of the mistakes into which Hon.
Members had fallen upon the other side of the question.
The silk manufacturers and their advocates had been
as much misunderstood and misrepresented, as if they

Aught protection and advantages beyond those which
were enjoyed by the other classes of the community. This
was not the case, and yet the principle of exclusive penl
tection hid been adopted and legislated on in Perlis.
meat in the case of the agriculturists. He was free NI,
admit that, after the long and expensive war in wind'
the country had been involved, the agriculturists wow
entitled to protection. and they had obtained it by
law which amounted to an absolute prohibition, in ear-
tain circumstances, of the importation of foreign cons
into this country. But he only mentioned this fact foe
the purpose of showing that, in the case of the land-
holders, the scale of import duties bad been so con-
structed as to amount to an absolute, positive, and him
ide protection by the scale of duties adopted for thetas:6
pose of preventing a large quantity of foreign corn from
being brought in. The distinction between bilk- mad
aviculture was this—that although the Legislature, by
the Act ot 18%; provided fir -the latter an adequate'
protection, that very Circumstance threw the former
into a state of distress=, which distress the proposed
measure would much increase. The Right Honourable
Gentleman asserted, that one of the grounds on which
be brought forward this measure, was to protect the
manufacturer against the smuggler. As he found
that the smuggler could introduce foreign goods with
a charge upon them ot twenty-six per cents the Right
Honourable Gentleman proposed that the duty should
be lowered to 25 per gent. one per cent. less than the
charge under which the smuggler now ran the goods.
But must it not be evident to tt.e Right Hon. Gentleman
that that could afford no protection to the hominsans-
facturi-t ?On the coin-tory. the aigumeut of Right
Hon. Gentleman went to thit. "1 cahoot protect you
against the smuggler, and so I let the legal trader
also in upon you." The Right Hon. Gentleman was,
however, quite mistaken. it he supposed this measure
would prevent smagglipg. The Right Hon. Gentleman
bad truly stated, that there was a set of smugglers
who paid insurances of 26 per tent. to cover all the risks
of their illicit trade. But there was another class of

smugglers who refused to conform to that plan; and
whose ventures, though small in gamy separate trans•
action, amounted to a large aggregate. He (Mr. Robin-
son) was appielunsi.e, therefore, that the amount et
foreign goods which had been punted into the country
dosing the last three years, though increasing annually
one hundred and twenty thou and p-undr, would be
most destructively augmeri,ed by thiißrll. He contended
that there was nothing unfair or unreasonable on the part
of those engaged in the silk trade to ask for a piobibi.
tion of foreign goods, unpalatable as that word might
sound. Toe nianulaciute of silk goods, portable and
valuable as it wa-, admitted of most estensive smug-
gling; and fiat circumstance, added to the right of the
sulk manufacturer to say, that as Parliament bad recog-
nised the principle of protection in tile corn trade, they
were emitted to adequate protection in their trade. It
was true that prohibition would not put an end to
sniuggliug; but the facilities for smuggling were
gie.tly increased by the difficulty of rectgnizing and
distorigui,hing smuggled- goods, occasioned by the
admission of goods legally. The Right Hon. Gen-
limas had instituted a comparison between the quan-
tity of raw and thrown silk, imported in the five years
before 1824. and the quantity imported in the five years
after 1826. But that was not a fair mode of comparison,
the last two years of the kismer of those periods being
years of prohibition. The comparison ought to have been
bet seen the years 1823 1824, and 1826, and the years
1826, 1847, and 1828. The Right Hon. Gentleman.
ought also to take into consideration the stock of, raw
nod thrown silk in the hands Cf the silk manufacturer not
manufactured, amounting t0.8013,0001b5. It bad been
stated that the number of spindles at work had increased
since 1823 ; this was true, but they only worked
three or four days a weekb the owners preferring such a
partial use of them to shutting them up, throwing the
workmen on the poor rates. The working time of the
manufacturers had been increased horn ten tortes six-
teen hours a day. It site bad cimdition of the labourers
had arisen from the natural fluctuations of trade, he
,would be willing to leave the evil to cure itself; but it
proceeded front factitious and artifieinl causes, aad the
r Hems would be compelled to atteacrto them, for they

were of the greatest poseilde
importance, and if they did
`Lack- focie)hemselves upon the attention of ParliaMeni
in feletrgelo the silk trade,.they would with respect !o
some other branch of industry. Hew as filled with dis-
may wheil.he saw the Government inclined to abandon
the silk trade to its fate.. His own constituents. the
glove-makers of Worcester, were suffering in an equal
demagniutct"turershimrcoul"dobitatlinnnaolerelrienft Lob: 040(bl:robin's;
what hope could they entertain? He did not decry
political economy. He thought it an honour to be a
I political economist; but he had to complain that the
abstract principles of the science were applied to eases
to which they did not belong. It had been argued that
the country was prosperous because the esports bad in-
creased; but it was a well known fact. that the exports
had yielded no returns; mud in cases where they had
made returns. they were too small to induce a ieperi.
tion of the adventures. Our traders were met in every
market by foreign competitors, who did not obtain an
immediate advantage over them, but who were making
great progress to that end. It was, therefore, impru-
dent to abagdon the silk trade to competition. He
had never said-that the regulations of 1t26 had occa-
sioned the distresses of the silk trade; be had only
maintained that they had greatly aggravated them.
Other trades did not cunie forward with complaints.
for they were not so mulch rivalled by foreigners, and
they were willing to wait the result of the exerti-ms
of the silk manufacturers. The present laws *mild
not have the desired effect. for .he felt convinced
that they would.aggravate all the evils of which ever y
class connected with the silk trade complained. The
increase of distress since 1826 was alone a sufficient
case to demand inquiry. and he was convinced t•-at
very soon the distress would be so great as to compel
the House to grant ingisity, whether they would et
not. The corn growers had seemed- theins, Ives bg,
protection, and they ought not to leave others tM
competition. A proposition to fix a minimum of the
price of labour had been justly rejected; but a mini
mum had been fixed upon the price of coin. The.
Chancellor of the Exchequer would soon be unable to
raise the revenue, and the country would be ruined if the
(manufacturing interests we e not protected. LoreGode-
rich, in 1824, had said that the progress of our Ambassa-
dors in forming commercial arrangements with foreign
Courts were impeded by foreigners ohj.cting to our re-
strictive system. He had said, that it all mar kets were
opened the goods of this country would drive all others
out of the field. This had been completely falsified, and
the country had been deceived. It was impossible for
the men thrown out of the silk trade to get employment
in any other, and it was no light matter to throw five
hundred thousand poor labourers into a state of distress.
He would apply to the subject the well known lines;
" Princes and Leeds may lowish or may fade,
A breath can make them, as a breath has made;
But a bold peasantry, their country's pride,
When mice destroed, can never be supplied."
Mr. Alderman WAITHMAN said that these male-
tonal* people had been subjected to the most cruel
experiment that ever was tried upon so large a body,
and that it bad altogether failed in producing any thing
but the most dreadful distress that a large body of
people had ever suffered. With respect to the Bill itself,
be would venture to say that it would produce no one
of the results which were anticipated by those who
introduced it. On the contrary, it would increase smug-
gling, and chase the otter ruin of all parties engaged
in the trade. It had all the disadvantages of prohi-
bition without approaching on soy thing that could be
called free trade. The Hon. Member then adverted to
his experience in trade to show that the present distress
bore no resemblance to the revulsion: and fluctuations de-
pending upon speculation. He believed there never was a
greeter act of injustice done to a deserving body of atea
than the master in which the silk manufattuiers of this
country bad been treated. He would fearlessly say,
that to prohibition they must come at last, whatever
expedients might be resorted to for tempisrary purposes.
Much had been said of the increase of the consumptioa
ci spirits in order to show the prosperity of the country,
but Mr. Burke had remarked that gin was food for the
mind, and that philosopher observed, that whenever,
people were distressed in their mind and in difficultiei
they had recourse to spirits. The Right Hon. Presides,
of the Board of Trade bad quoted the official value of the
exports for the last year, and contended that they were
12,000.000 i. more than in the year before, but the fact
was, that the amount of the export war 16.000•0001. ii
real value less than the year before. TheHon.Aldermum
then made some remarks on the difference between the
official and the declared value. A few years ago the
difference between the official and declared value was
about 25 per cent. in amount in favour of the latter,
while in 1826 it was one-half more in favour of the
former. And it was easy to account for the increase
in the consumption of the raw material. The fact am
that the snicks made trete of the coarser kind, and
they required a vast quantity of the material, which
was worked up by power-looms to be injury of 'arts.
sans; but the new system worked in every respect
the same. With respect to corn, they had been told to
take their food from the foreigner, and he would take
their manufactures. Btu the truth was not so. Corn to
the amount of 5.000.0001. bad been importedond no cor-
responding exports had taken place; and he confessed
that that fact had altered his mind somewhat upon the
subject of the Corn Laws. He no longer thought it
would be right to strip the landowner of protection. It
was monstrous to suppose that it could be for the good
of this cuoury to adopt what was called a liberal sys•
tem without reference to circumstances. In support of
this view he quoted the remarks of the late Marquis of'
Lantdosse and Mr. Fox with reference to our commerce
with France, and asserted that it was left for the philo-
sophers of the present hour to conduct commerce with-
out a view to an equivalent for any concession made.
Such had been toe opinion of Adam Smith. That
writer. moreover designated the silk trade as the last
branch of our manufactures which could afford to be dealt
with on the principles of free trade. The conduct also of
Mr. Pitt had been in scent dance with the views of Adam
Smith. In proof of this, the Honourable Gentleman
quoted a speech of Mr. Pitt with reference to France
and America. Both those countries most wisely mains
Wised their prohibitory systems. He apologised to the
House for the time he had occupied, and concluded by
declaring it to be his opinion that it was necessary for
the good of the country and the silk trade to oppose
the measure under consideration. The persons employoill
in the silk trade were the first who were injured; but
the mischievous consequences must soon be felt by the
people at large. The question was not a party one; it
had been throat upon the Government by those who
occupied the side of the House on which he sat, and
most sincerely did he hope that his Majesty's Ministers
would think seriously of the subject, and give way to
the feelings of those immediately concerned, and-the
country in general.
Sir H. PARNELL hoped that his Majesty's Minis-
,rers would pursue thecourse oa this subject which they
commenced in 1824. The Hon. Member for Worces-
ter seemed to look on the system of free trade as a mere
chimera, bat he (Sir Henry Parnell) thought that the

%afore of the country depended on it ; and every p r.
son who studied the subject was of a similar opinion;
it was not fair to throw the entire weight of this
measure on his Majesty's Government ; the fact aft
that Ministers were influenced in their conduct by
the sense of the nous?. No question ever cam,
before the House which required more attention tt„,ll
' ' pt.-Veal& Men; thaii theSilliTrade; it was aniplYlnvet.
tigated into before the Committees of that House, and
the House of Lords, some years ago; the result of kelt
a conviction chat the course pursued by Ministers was
the most elpedietst. The worthy Alderman had onto
that the Silk Trade was on a decline since 1816.1,1
at the same time he admitted that the consumption
was increased. In answer to those who asked for
remedy to the present distress, he would say that
Parliamet t should not be called on for a remedy. The
manufacturers brought it on themselves by over.rrndieg.
and consequently they had the remedy in their own
hands. It being sufficiently established that over-trading ,
was the cause of distress. it might be asked what was
the cause of the cores trading ? The fact was, when the i
subject was first brnached in It 24. the uranulacturn
imported above a million of pounds of raw material en
speculation. becau-e they thought that with a protection
ef So, they could undersell ilie foreigner in the market.
They overlooked the effeci of competition at honie,b,,.
ing the f reigner only in • errs. Tr c Hon. Alderman had
nil taken the sense of the passage in Mem Smith's book.
which he read. Adam Smith did n*.t recommend ro.,
hibition.only that when a change eid t .ke place it should
he gradual. He had no doubt that it the silk trade
had been originally left to its. If in this couhtry auk.
out any protection, it *mid now be in a more with.
ing state than it was., le a couotr y where Nonni so.s
dear, the circumstance- or labour should not be %eon .ieJ
from the dearite.s. for capital generally abounded in 4
counlty where labour was dear, which was no ttiflN
advantage. He waist iined that his Hight fl snonrabjr
Friend had the sense of the House ansint the country
along with him in the •course which be was mussing,
arid he lived that Government /would in the nest year
extend the principle still further:
Mr. AT r WOOD opposed the Bill. In his wpini..s.
the Government of the country Old nr t posses
cis ut knowledge of the sus ject. Fur his pat t.he eunia
never approve of that doAtiere which on the ore toad
excited speculation, and on the next hand threw censure
on the maitufactuer for over-trading. It was quite
ridiculous to suppose that this or any other country
could increase their importation without, at the same
time, giving encouragement to exportations. He sid
nor, however, mean to say that great influx of fa
reign corn was likely to be beneficial .to the cm.'
try ; on the contrary, he was cmifi.lent that it would
only tend to embarrass the finances of the country. It
was chi...ugh the unfortunate Act of the Si k Weave s
that they were reduced to the lowest state of disteess,
which hi was anxiously desirous to relieve. There were
also other interests which suffered considerable inconve-
nience from the measures of Goverom.nt, such as. the
shipping interest, and even the agricultural. I. deed,
he thought it the bounden duty of Parliament to enter.
upon an inquiry into the general state of the ci entry.-
a measure which, he believed, was called upodbY the
wishes and the interests of thecommunity.
Mr. SADLER said he should not have risen upon
the present occasion to occupy the time of the House,:
did he not consider this the cause both of huntaniiyeri4
of sound policy. He should not now enter inturgeques-
•
tion of free trade. became it was too large a one, mad:,
many future opportfmtits would occur for considering
tit; the more it :oat •ConSideked. the min.:its *.sitivto'l
cates would be called
.Upon to defend die. principle:
The experience of the trading interestiof the country,
and their presentAgressed state, was sufficient to
show the fella% of . such a the. trading
interests he did nth mean the great capitalist: ; but that
very nummoueond important class, possessed,of small
capitals, who 'felt that: ,chef lute sinking by degrees,
and were steeped in poverty to the very lips. The per-
sons interested in the silk trade stalled or e-Committee;
end it were granted, they could have clearly and sr •
16(mo:oily pointed otits the measures calculated to re-
lieve them. As allusion had been made to a hat he before
stated on the subject of fleet:ode, be would again endea-
vour to explain himself. He Might however asks/why it was
that those who defended.the principle did not define it
more clearly, and point out the limits to which they wish-
ed it to extend? He had no hesitation in saying. that if
their manufactures were to be left open to competition
without adequate protection, they must at last be com-
pletely prostrated. and the ultimate consequence mast
be, that the interests of the shuttle and of the plough
would become a sacrifice to mere. jobbers. Thei
silk manufacture.: should have been heard two years
back, . and they could then . have supported their
cause with irrefragable arguments. It might be said
that he was now only declaiming, and he thought he
beard that observation fall from an Honourable Mem-
ber. He would therefore proceed to the proof: He
had no objeetion to explain what he meant by Ira
trade. It all the countries of the world were millett
to the same amount of 'moon and to the satire bm-
thens, if their habits of life were the same, then the
principle of free trade might be safely and ponied!
acted upon. That. however, was not and never could
be the case. Notwithstanding all they had heard about
the superabundance of labour in the market, he would
maintain that there was not a sinew too much in the
country, if a different system were pursued. But it one
country received in imports the labour of another with-
out an adequate Muth for its own labour, the country
so acting must in the coarse of tithe necessarily become
deteriorated. This country, was, perhaps, above all ,
others, in an artificial state. It was asked were not all
the counteies of Europe in an artificial state ? They
were, but then this wale question of degtee, end what
an English:4pr paid tor. the necessaries of life differed
as muclvfromerhat a Frenchman paid, at the• last dif-
fered from nothing. Thedifference was as great as if I
pound weight was placed upon one man, end a hundred
pound weight upon another. Could it be said that they
were equally. borthened? England was not yet in a
state to dispense with protection, and the attempt could'.
not but be most injurious. What was the policy dictated
by the present circumstances of the country ? In some
branches of trade they had certain ceunterbalanciag ad-
vantages. In such branches let a liberal and unfettered_.
intercourse be permitted with ether countries, tie tliee
basis of mutual advantage. In *thee' branches, who*
the same advantages did not exist, le; a principle of pro.
section be acted upon. This'eras. lib new policy.
was sanctioned by .the wisest &ateimeii, end recent-
mended by the long course of prosperity. whieb the
country had enjoyed under it. The preseil $71601;
the contrary; bad already depressed, sad would Om-
tinne to depress the country', till bp feared it weld&
end in ruin. With respect to the silk trade, it wM
said that the number of spindles and the umber •
of looms had greatly increased ; but to draw say
inference from this .it should have been stated what
number of days in each week, and what number
of hours in each_. day, these splndles and 16101"
were at wok. They had been told of the great,