Star.
London, England, 1827-03-13 00:00:00

once subtti(ted to it He .(Mr. Vat) should not
have expected .that the Honourable Member for We.t-
minster, an advocate for-popular Government and
•the tights of the people, would raise his voice againu
,she mode in which Ministers had proprsed a reason
.able alteration in their fist plan, which was done
in consequence of better information on the subject.
How could this be reconciled with the statement of
the Honourable Member for Preston, that they had
been bullied out of their proposition? When his
Right Hon. Friend, the Secretary of &ate for Foreign
Affairs, stated his propositions, he declared that bis ob-
ject was to promote a free trade in griin; and upon its
being objected, that although the proportions as to
wheat we►e fair, these of barley were not, he distinctly
said, " that is matter of detail." His Right Hon. Friend
had accordingly called for further returns; and if he
had found fiom thence that the prices he had assumed
were correct, he 'would have adhered to the original
proposition—(hear); but he found they were nat correct,
and he did what the Minister of a free (*lsle ought
to do—he proposed the necessary alteration to the
House of Commons—Mear, hear). He (Mr. Peel)
hcld the account to which he referred now in his
hand; and it appeared front thence that the pro-
portions of wheat, barley, and oats, were-as follows:
the aggregate of forty-four years gave an average of
565. for wheat, 31s. fur barley, 'and 205.-Stl. for oats.
If Iflinisters were willing to abide be 60s. for wheat,
there was no ground for imputing, inconsistency to them.
His Right Hon. Fiend, the-Secretary for Foreign
Affairs, had distinctly lift the subject of barley and
oats open to consideration. By the present modifica-
tion of their otiginal propositions, Ministers were not
lisble to the reproach of being bullied by a majority in
the Howe; nor dill they deserve to be characterised
in the elegant and classical phrase of the Hon. Member
(or Westminster, as " a Goveinment not worth two-
pence' (Loud laughter).
General GASCOYNE stated, that he should main-
coin. his own consistency by voting for the original
proposition.
Mr. WARD observed, that be had voted for the osi-
ginal proposition under the conviction that it had been
the result of consideration on the part of -his Majesty's
Ministers. He viewed the present amendment as an
encroachment upon that proposition, and should vote
against it. The proportion of barley could not be in-
' creased, without thereby increasing :o a certain extent
the price of wheat.

Sir T. LETHBRIDGE, with reference to some re-
mark which fell from General Gascoyne; observed that
the Hon. and Gallant Member had committed himself
with his constituents in writing to them, as aeon as the
proposition was made, that it would be adopted—
( Hear.) If his Majesty's Ministers had come to the
House with such a proposition as that originally pro-
posed as to barley and oats, it would not have been
supported, and with great wisdom they changed their
plan ; for which they were reproached by the Hon. Mem-
ber for Westmiaster, in one of the most variegated
speeches be.bad ever heard in the House. Tbp only
fault he (Sir T. Lethbridge) bad to find with the amend-
ment was, that Ms. fir barley was not enough (A' laugh).
Colonel SIBTHORPE supported the amendment.

Si• E. KNATCHBULL said, he should- support the
amended proposition Rd 'Government.
• Mr. MONCK roe* inside loud tees of Qtestioa."
He would sdbere to the original propotitioo of his
Majesty's Ministers against the Ministers themselves.
The averages for the last forty years were wrongly
taken—(Coughing).
The gallery was then cleared for a division, when the
numbers appeared to be
Foe the Resolution . 211
Against It
Majority In favour of the Resolution - --177 .
The other Resolutions respecting the duty on barley
were then agreed to without a division.
On the Resolution respecting the duty on oats being
put,
Mr. Alderman WOOD said. the question would oc-
cupy a considerable portion of time, and therefore pro.
posed to report progress l—(Cry of " Go on I go on I")
Captain GORDON•did not think the proposition
would be any improvement of the Act. of 1815.
Mr. WHITMORE then rose, but the noise continuing,
be sat down.

Lord MILTON complained of the interruption, and
expressed his intention of adjourning the House if it
should be continued.
A conversation ensued, in which Mr. THOMPSON,
Mr. PEEL, General Gaiscoiriz, and Mr. Hume took
part, the latter Gentleman insisting upon moving that
the Chairman should report progress. The motion
was, however, not put, and
Mr. W. WHITMORE again rose, and said, he hoped
be might be allowed to address the House vet y shortly,
without interruption. He was sure, notwithstanding
what had been said to the contrary, that the duty on
oats now proposed was much more oppressive than
those under the existing law. By the resolutions
of the Committee in 1822, the duty on oats was
fixed at 4s. per quarter, with an addition of 2s. for
the,first three months, that made the whole duty 61.
per quarter. By the present resolutions, when the price
reached as. per quarter, the du 7 was to be 8a; that
was At least 2s. more than the other. If it were fol-
lowed up; the difference became still more striking,
and this which was said to be an alleviation of the
distresses of the country, was any thing but an allevia-
tion. It was by no means what the country had expected,
and had good right to expect. They had been buoyed
'up with hopes which the present conduct of Govern.
ment entirely disappointed. He was satisfied that if
this oppressive law should pass now, it could not con-
tinue, and that the agriculture of the country would
be exposed to all the danger and inconvenience of per.
pitual legislation. He despaired of convincing the
House, in its present temper, that this question, which
ought to be settled on fixed principles, had been-pro-
ceeded upon without due censidera:ion ; but he fe.red
that the conviction would be forced upon them by the
painful and disadvantageous means of experience.
Mr. HOME DRUMMOND said a few words.
Mr. CHARLES GRANT thought that the charges
elhis Hon. Friend were quite unfounded, and that is
far as oats were concerned there was a clear relief by,
the proposition now before the House.
The resolution was then put, and carried without a
division.
The other resolutions were agreed to.
The Marine Mutiny BM was read the third time and
pissed.
The other orders of the day were then disposed of,
and'the [Louse adjourned at ONE o'Ccoce.