Star.
London, England, 1820-05-17 00:00:00

in a comfortable situation, there would be a moral
rertraint to such an engagement; but when the-poor
man saw no other prospect but misery, that rests
was removed, and he felt that his condition inllit,
,though it might be altered, could not. he injured by
marriage ; but in other situations, aniOg the middle
and higher classes of society, men felt that they had
happiness to lose, and were, therefore, not willing
thus to hazard it. The Noble Lord made some al-
lusions to the employment of the poor in the fisheries.
The last point, upon which he would say a few words,
was the introduction of machinery, which had tended
so considerably to aggravate the public distress, by
driving out of employment so many iilivideals, and
which had been stated by the papers on their Lord-
ships' table, as one of the causes of public distress.—
He could not better explain what he meant than by
a reference to what the situation of the country was
forty years ago ; that part of it, at least, with which
he was acquainted, Devonshire. NVages were then
six shillings a week, and at the present time they
were increased to seven. With so trifling an increase
of wages, and the immense strides of manufacture,
was it to be supposed that the peasant could enjoy
anything like comfort ? If manufactures then were
to be encouraged, they should not be encouraged at
the expense of agriculture. He readily admitted that
they might be found serviceable to the master ma-
nufacturers, but he questioned much their general
utility. He was aware that the subject was difficult,
but he felt that it was too important to allow of de-
lay ; it embraced their best interests, and he could
appeal, he was sure with confidence, to the benevo-
lence of that august assembly. To their honour,
sense, and feeling, he confided his proposition, and he
was satisfied that it would meet with due considera-
tion.. He should, therefore, move " for the appoint-
ment of a Committee to propose means for affording
Permanent Employment to the Poor, particularly in
the Manufacturing Districts."
The Earl of LIVERPOOL did not rise for the
purpose of considering the var. us important matters
brought before the consideration of the House by the
Noble Lord who had just addressed them. To enter
upon their consideration would, in fact, amount to
an examination of the first principles of political eco-
nomy--it would be to take a view of their applica-
tion to the agriculture, manufactures, and commerce,
not only of this, but of every other country. He
must, however, thank the Noble Lord for the can-
dour which he had shewn in bringing the subject
forward upon such grounds that his object appeared
to be what it really was, to -make the country diffe-
rent in all respects from its former situation. It was
upon that ground that he could not consent to the
motion. Ile felt that in bringing forward that mo-
tion the Noble Lord was as anxious as himself to
promote the benefit of the country; and sorry was
he to say, that, with the exception of the sentiment
which actuated him, he was compelled to give his en-
tire mad unqualified dissent to the whole proposition
which bad been brought before them—a proposition as
fatal as it was injurious, calculated to advance and pro-
' mote the interests of agriculture, upon the very ruin
of their manufactures. He, for one, would never
give his consent to such a proposition. He felt, and
was persuaded, that the existence of the one de-
pended upon the other, and that, unless they both
flourished, there would little advantage arise from
the temporary superiority of either. Where was the
manufacturer who did not look forward, if not in his
own life-time, at least during the lives of his heirs,
to vest his property in land? who did not look for-
ward to such a prospect as his best security? He
should not then trouble their Lordships with going
into the subject, but he must say a few words respect-
ing the remarks of the Noble Lord upon the encou-
ragement that should be given to the fisheries; and,
he could assure the Noble Lord, that it was a subject
which had occupied a considerable share of the at-
tention of Ministers ; but if the Noble Lord could
throw any new lights upon the subject—if he could
shew how a better supply of fish could be procured,
and a better market established, for that was a main
consideration—if he could shew how these objects
could be effected, he should be very happy to receive
such information, and he would unquestionably give
it due consideration. He doubted very much whether
any inquiry would produce such beneficial results ;
but he had said so much, because the censure of the
Noble Lord (Stanhope) 'appeared tohim to be founded
upon notions altogether erroneous. On the subject
of reclaiming waste lands, which had been adverted
to by the Noble Lord, they had many plans before
them ; but he doubted the expediency of any measure
for such a purpose. They had frequently tried it in
localities, such as the inclosing of ground for an hos-
pital, or a similar purpose, but they could not thus
convert the whole of the waste lands of England. A
great deal of capital bad been employed upon waste
lands, and those who were much conversant with
agricultural districts knew that the temptation of
high prices had induced many individuals to embark
a considerable deal of property in such speculations ;
but he believed that they were then very generally
convinced that such money was ill applied. And it
was at the public expense, too, that the Noble Lord
required that those lands should be cultivated, those
lands which were unworthy of the labour of an in-
dividual, were to be tilled at the expense of the Pub-
lic. He would ask the House, then, whether they
were prepared to admit such an inquiry? If ever
there had been an improvement which tended to the
advancement of the country, which accelerated her
progress in arms and in commerce, the invention of
machinery was that improvement! It had been arms
and legs to the maimed, and almost sight to the
blind ! at had been the source of all their power, and
wealth, and opulence, and it had enabled the country
to compete with and surpass all the nations of Eu-
rope. When an Englishman looked around him and
surveyed the nations of the earth, when lie saw them
Fast, West, North, and South, superior in climate,
in soil, and in all the bounties of nature, to what
could be attributed those blessings which he so pre-
eminently enjoyed, but to the superior energies of
those mighty minds who devoted their lives and la-
bours to the improvement of machinery? It was to
such men as Mr. Watt, Mr. Arkwright, and Mr.
Bolton, that they owed much of their superiority in
the scale of nations. But even if they were willing
to throw aside the advantages of machinery, it_ was
quite impossible that they could so retrograde in ci-
vilization as to be able to effect that object. With
such feelings, therefore, on the subject, he could not
concur in the present motion; he was unwillin at