Star.
London, England, 1820-05-31 00:00:00

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(af cry of " No, nor).—The Honourable Member
drew the attention of the House to the case of a ma-
nufacturer of cloth, who was obliged to divide the
produce of his labour into two portions. One portion
was given to his labourers, who assisted him to ma-
nufacture the article ; the other portion was to pay
him for making it. Corn rose in price, and the men
who worked for cloth would starve; if the manufac-
turer did not give them twenty instead of fifteen per
cent. He asked, in that.case, whether the rising of
corn would not raise the price of stock ? The Agri-
culturists might as well say, they ought to gro*
all the sugar, used in Great Britain, as the corn.—
They migbe as well Claim a right to the exclusive
cultivation of beet-root. Such an attempt would not
be more absurd than that of attempting to grow all
the corn consumed in this country. The interest of
-the Public wasto be considered before that of any
particular class. The error of 1815 was making the
Corn Law permanent : it should have been tempo-
. rasa.: This country would• be the happiest in the
-.. world if it got rid.of the National Debt and the Corn
Laws—(Laughter). There was not the slightest'
ground tot going into the nroposea inquiry. It was
• intehded to do good, but might much mischief..
Mr. T. BENETT was ready admit that if there
io
were no such thing as a Nazi ral Debt, we should
stand in no need of Corn Llses; but as that debt
existed, and w$ the cause of so much distress, there
must.be Chrn Laws ; the present Corn Laws did not
give the, relief which was intended by them ; and,
therefore, it was anecessary to have a new Bill to
give proper protection to Agriculture, for he knew
that the present law was, in every respect, evaded.
--Dirring the last Session of Parliament, a sum of
.£50,000 was voted for the Banishment of 5,000 men
lo the Cape of Good Hope ! The country thus lost
6,000 of its best labourers—(Hear, later),—each of
whom was of the value of £3OO to the country. if
a proper system existed, this great loss would not
have taken plate. but our own lands would be culti-
vated its the most complete and exten:ive manner.-
-lle truster that the House would .grant the Com-
anitteeavlitch the Hon. Gentleman moved for.
Kr..I)USICISSON said, this question had been so
forcibly considered by his Ei. r „AM; Yrifit' )(frac the
head of tho.-Board af-Tryfe,;. 111*-' • . dnot have
risen to address elf Muse; trad• , ; •'''. e Noble Lord
(Member for Yorkshire) mistaken 'the argument of
his Right Hon. Friend. In ISls,.when the subject
was uilder discussion, he v. as one who took part in
the debate upon the Bill. He proceeded to state the
reasons v. rich induced him •to support the Corn Bill,
and. contended, in a very able argument, that the
measure hail been attended with beneficial effects.
• Mr. COKE.
,of Norfolk) said, that representing, as
Le did, a great Agricultural COunty, and differing,
us-lie happened to do upon this occasion, from many
persons whom he highly esteemed, hi could not help
expressing his regret that this question had been
at;itated, as he felt it an imperative duty to declare
his disapproval of the motion. Every one who knew
h:ni must be aware that he was delighted with.Agri-
cultuie, and F,;culiatly attached to those by ' whom
its interest was promoted. But stin he could not
consistently, in the present generally distressed state
of the country, give his assent to'a motion limited to
the concerns or grievances of the Agriculturists alone.
Had a motion been m.ide for an inquiry upon a large
scale, scant rehending the Commercial and Manufac-
turing, as well as the Agricultural Interests, or had
a proposition been submitted for an inquiry into the
Staas- of the Nation, such .a proposition should have
had his -decided Supra. Bei he could not agree to
the idea of cOnfiniug the solicitude of the Ilouse to
the Agfitalturists, while the state of the Manufac-
turers was notorrouslyso very yrs etehed—(Hear).--
The HI ruse had that night heard a Pc.•.ion presented
by his Noble Friend (Lord Milton), whit!' stated
that the Petitioners were unable to earn more than
/Ifai. per week ; and if this statement were true, it
was indisputable that the condition of the M meta c-
firers was much more deplorable than that of the
Agriculturiitt in any quarter of the country. From
such a fact, indeed, it would appear that the griev •
soma of the one were considered more aggravated
than the other. Such, then, being the circumstances
er the country, he was an advocate for the most en-
larged and comprehensive incjuiry, in .order to see
sihat could be done for the relief of our severely snf-
feriog population. In the minds of some Gentleuien,
perhaps, ra consequence of inattention to their pro.
pert?, or the rise of rents during war, there might be
reasons for supposing that the price of Corn must be
kept up, or rather gaited, in order to meet that press
sure of taxation which seal the essential cause of the
national calamity. But he could sec no just reason
for such a course of proceeding, or for any course
that should berefit one class of the community at the
expense of another, when all were equally distressed.'
After adverting to the suffering ache Agriculturists
In consequence of the pressure of Tithes, which af-
fected so much the cultivator s of bad land ; and this
was one among the many seasons why some com-
mutation shOuld take place, as the Parsons derived
an unfair proportion of profit from poor lands, ren-
dered ptoductive principally through artificial ma-
nure, of which article, he presumed that the Asrsons
contributed nothing !—(A lough)—the Honourable
Member concluded with repeating the declaration of
his regret that he felt himself compelled, by a sense
of duty, to vote against the present motion.
Mr. ELLICE strongly opposed the Motion, which
had for its object the raising the prices of the neces-
saries of life, and therefore lae moved " the previous
.
question."
Mr. MANSFIELD declared, that the distresses of
the Agrictiltural Interests could not equal those of
the Manufacturing Interests; and he saw no reason
tOr any proposition that would have the effect of
raising the price of Corn.
Mi. BROUGHAM conceived it would be most
improper, after the numerous Petitions which were
piesersed to the House from distressed Agriculturists,
not to pay some attention to their claims ; and there-
fore he was greatly astonished at hearing the mone
strous proposition made by the Member for Coventry,
of moving the previous question--(Hear, hear).—He
could agree to no such proposition, but would listen
to the cry of distress that had gone forth all over the
kingdom; and he thought it would be indecent to
turn a deaf ear to the entreaties of the petitioners,
and therefore he was faiuurable to the Motion of the
Honourable ?Member for Surrey—( Hear, Hear ).
He had, however, one great doubt on the subject,

and that was, lest hopes, which could not be realized,
might be held out to.the country; but, on the whole,
'he thought that it would be fit for the Honse tt
take the case of the petitioners into its consideration..
As to protecting duties, there were numerous pro-
tections for all species
,of manufactutes ; and were
there to •be no protections kir the growth of the
land? ' If there was a general freedom of trade in
everything, there were numerous articles of manu-
facture which could -now be had, he would confi-
denky astert, at half the present price. The great
mass-of taxation and Poor-rates fell generally on the
agriculturists, much more than on any other class of
men. There was nothing like a free trade to be any
where found ; and it was absurd to object to the Corn
Laws on the ground of the freedom of trade. The
cultivated land of the country had long become the
depository of an immense mass of British capital ;
and he was astonished to hear a Gentleman say, that
our best policy would be .to send to Poland for
wheat, where it' could be got cheap. If such a
theory as-this were acted upon, six or seven millions
of acres would be thrown out of cultivation, and
the country would be overwhelmed by a calamity
never heard of before ; the labourers on these lands,
and even the owners, would be terned into paupers.
—He wished to see some measure carried into effect,
that, by taking away a moderate part of the public
burdens from one class of persons, and- adding a
moderate part to the other class, would tend to
equalize the pressure of those burdens. Without in-
tending to imply that there was a separation of in-
terests between the two classes, he thought that" the
agricultural interest was po paramount, as to deserve
primarily the attention of the House.
Mr. ELLICE 'and Mr. HICARDO explained.
Mr. GIPPS said, if the Hon. Member for Coventry
would withdraw his Amendment, he would propose
an Amendment for the appointment of a Select Com-
mitee to inquire into the mode of,ascertaining the
averages.—Mr. ELLtol withdrew his Amendment.
G7neral GASCOYNE said, it was in . the -know-
le4ge of most of the Members of the I louse, that it
w..:s his intention to move the previous question. He
could not, therefore, consent that the motion fur the
previous question should be withdrawn.
torkCASTLEREAGH rose, not for the purpose
of entering into any further discussion, but to call
the attention of the Hon.* to the question which
now stood before them. • The Member for Surrey
had proposed to :der all the Petitions to the consi-
deration of a Select Committee, with a view of en.
tering into the whole. subject, and effecting a com-
plete alteration or the Scale of protection settled in
1815. Agiecing. as he did, with his Right Hon.
Fi lend, the President of the Board of Trade, and
with his Honourable Friend on his left, it was im-
material, in his viear, whether the proposition of the
Member for Sarrey were got rid of by a direct
negative, or by the previous question. Either of these
courses equally effected his object of not going into a
general view of the agricultural state of the c'ountry.
At-the same time; be did not, wish to preclude .any
other•Honourable Member from adopting the sug-
gestion of his Honourable Friend (the President of the
Board of Trade): he was ready to give his support
to a motion for a Committee, not to enter into so large
a field of inquiry as would tend t 3 alter the scale of
protection adopted in 1815; but to inquire whether,
by frauctor erasion in the mode of striking the Ave-
rages, the proeisions of the Corn Bill had been de-
feated! The suggestion of the Honourable and
Learned Gentleman would open the whole question
of the scale of protection, and. if the averays were
taken upon a survey of the whole surface of the
United Kingilom, an alteration of .six or seven shil.
bugs would be produced upon this scale of protection
established by.the provisions of the Corn Bill in. 1815.
Mr:Alderman lIEYGATE thought the Corn Laws
required to he reconsidered, as Agriculture had been
materially affected by. the Bullion question.
Sir TIl ONI AS Ace LAND, Mr. VES EY FITZeLIUILD;
and Mr.Woncatovss, supported the original motion.
Mr. [lowa; Sumsee replied ; and,. after a few
words in explanatioU from General GA:berme and
Lord Mit.ros, the House proceeded.to divide upon ,
lie original motion :
Kyes.lso—.-Noes nn—Majariry for the original motion 49.

Lord- MILTON lamented the decision to which the House
had cutue, and begged them to defer the nomination of the Com-
mittee an account of the late,-or rather early hour--fhalf past
three in the morning.)
Air. BARING then moved the adjournment .of the House,,
is order that the Committee might be appointed at a time when
there would be a full attendanct. He trusted the decision of that
night would convince those whose opinions agreed with .his own,
of the necessity of watching this proceeding strictly ; and, for his
own part, he pledged himself to oppose it in every stage. .
Sir 11013 E RT WILSON seconded th: motion for adjourn-
ment. Feeling -anxious for the tranquillity of the country, and
knowing the effect which this decision of the House would pro-
duce, he implored them earnestly to a4opt the motion, and sus-
pend all further proceedings for that night. Millions of men
would have petitioned the }louse against this proceeding. if they
bad anticipated such a decision as that which• had taken place.
He felt satisfied that a Military Government would be required
to tranquillize the people in case that any new measure was at-
tempted in emsonance with the spirit jhst manifested by- the
House--(Order, Cirrkv.)
I.ord CASTLEREAGH regretted exceedingly the language
of the Honourable Gentienten--(olsers).—At the same time
he lamented aid deplored, from the bottom of his heart, the
decision to which the House bad just come. So little had he
anticipated such a result, that, being asked by several persons
whethet be thought there was such a difference of opinion as
would make it necessary h. them to remain in the House till
the division ? be had told thtou that nothing was so unlikely, from
the temper which the House had evinced during the debate, as
an effective support of the motion. If he had thought that it
would have bad so many supporters, there would have been a
very different attendance of Members, and. a very different me
suit from that which had taken place.
!sir. BROUGHAM lamented the necessity of differing from'
his gallant friend Robert Wilson) on any subject, but more
especially on a subject so delicate as the present. Ile did net
ear it was so in itself, but the Honourable Gentlemen. made
it delicate by the manner in which they treated it—(ifear).—
He would ask If any thing had fallen from the lion. mover, er
from any of those who had supported his motion, that could
warrant the belief that they wished to introduce a new system
of Corn Laws? for it had been put to every man an England;
Scotland, and Ireland, that ate a loaf, that the object of this
Committee was to raise the price of bread. Ile himself had
said, over and over agate, that he was, in the first instance, for
granting ne farther assistance to the agriculturists than they had
been formerly acknowledged by the Legislature, to be en-
titled to.
Mr. 11. SUMNER said, that the decision of the.llouse had
taken hint atemuch by surprise as it seemed to have taken others;
for, however convinced be was of the propriety of the measure
he proposed, he had not thought that any proposal be could make
to the House would have been so favourably received.
The Motion of Mr. Basuto was. dam. pt is the following
form, and carried unanimously :—es 'flat this debate be ad-
journed till tide day."
The other Orders of the -Day bse bum &posed of, the
Hose Adjourned at Four o'Closkshbaborlialt..