Star.
London, England, 1826-05-12 00:00:00

Inrd (Malenesbnry), he h .d nn he itation ih stating his
irsoin;on, that at no distant period an alteiation must be
effected in those•laws. He was persuaded that icquiry
was necessary, in order to effect a permanent alteration
of the Corn Laws; and a temporary alteration ought
not t•, be adopted. It appeared to be the intention of
his Majesty's Government to effect an alteration in the
Cons Laws, in order to prevent a presumptive scarcity,
which, even if it occurred, might be better remedied by
the exercise of their own discre.innary power, under
their own responsibility. This would be better than
atiempting to legislate in the dark. Every argument
which had been used would apply with equal force to
any season as well as to the present, and all of them
tended to elucidate the necessity of making a perma-
nent alteration in the law upon the subject. If the law
were permanently settled, every former might take his
lease accordingly ; but at present all his calculations
-might be overthrown by circumstances which he could
-nos possibly foresee. In the present burthened state of
'the country it was impossible that the agricultural into-
:rest could exist at all without some protection, in some
shape or other; but there might to a system even
worse than bad—an unsettled system. How could a
!man lay out his capital to advantage, if it was to be
atnject to all the charges incidental to the alterations
rot Parliamentary temper ? If, in addition to the winds
en Heaven, their property was to be made valuable, or
otherwise, accordinit to the dictum of that House?
Surely it w•as necessary that some step should be taken
towards effecting a permanent arrangement of those
laws. Was it possible to suppose that people could be
bind to the advantage which v. ould result from settling
those laws for ever? At all events he would prefer
leaving it to Ministe:s, to act upon their own responsi•
bility, rather than confer upon them the power they
sought fur. He thought the interests of the country
could not be more safely entrusted than to their keep-
ing. If the dreaded evil should occur, Ministers might
act on their own responsibility; and he would ask,
when was there ever an instance in which indemnity
-was withheld from them ? Noth ng could be more mis-
chievous than to reason beforehand upon the mere pro-
bability of the markets being affected. It engendered ideas amongst
the country people that Ministers had private information; and
the result must inevitably be, that an artificial rise would be
created, without any reference to supply and demand. He felt
convinced that it would be better for Ministers to proceed under
the responsibility be had stated, until the next Session of Parlia-
.ment, and to avoid entering upon the question of the Corn Laws
until then. When the time for considering the question arrived,
however, he believed it would be found impossible to disconnect
the landed and the manufacturing interests, which were intimately
interwoven ; and when Parliament was again called upon to legis-
late upon the Corn Laws, he hoped they would settle them once
.and for ever—( Hear, hear).
Lord NlA:Ammar and the Earl of Lmemet. mutually explained.
Strangers were then ordered to withdraw, and their Lord-
ships divided—

IH

Contents (proxies 70) .
Not-contents (proxies Is) . . 67
Majority_ . —99
"Their Lordships then adjourned at Hatx-rast TWILLVt o'clock.
HOUSE OF COM MONS.
Mr. Alderman WOOD begged have to withdraw the order for
the second reading of the Thames Watermen Bill. The Hon.
Member regretted that owing to the Bill being considered private,
he would be unable to carry it through this Session.
Mt. HUSKISSON presented a Petition sigoed by upwards of
3,000 Roman Catholics of Liverpool, praying that they might
enjoy those priyileges in this country as the Protestants did. The
Hon. Member stated that the Petitioners did not wish to have
• their case agitated in Parliament this Session, but hoped that
something would he done for them in the next.
Lord N UGE NT entirely coincided in the prayer of the Petition,
and assured the Right Hon. Member that he intended next Thurs-
day to present a Petition on the same subject front the Catholics
of England.
Mr. HUSKISSON presented a Petition from the importers of
• butter residing at Blackburn, praying against any alteration of the
laws relating to the Butter Trade.—Referred to the Committee
'on the Bill.

The Hon. Mamas -also presented a Petition from an individual
-named James Miller, an out-pensioner of Chelsea Hospital, pray-
ing that a clause in the Island of Jersey Bill might be altered.
The Hon. Massage presented a simnel Petition "from a person
maned Robinson.

Lord EN NIS AIORE presented a Petition to the same effect
.from Joseph Beard.
These fttftions were laid on the table, and ordered to be printed.
3k. P. CORBETT presented a Petition from the Maltsters of
Oswestry, ptaying for a reduction of the duty on MalL—Ordered
vobeprinted.
Mr. J. SMITH presented a Petition from the inhabitants of
Briginhelinstone, complaining of the practice of County Courts.—
Ordered to be printed.
The House went into a Committee on the Lismore Divorce /Xl/,
in which Counsel was heard and witnesses were examined.

The House resumed ; the Report was received, and the DUI
ordered to be read a third time.

On the motion of dr. Aseacaomay, the House resolved itself
into a Committee on the Johnson Divorce Bill, when Counsel
was heard, and witnesses were examined.

The House resumed.

Mr. BROGIYEN brought up the Report, and the Bill was
ordered to be read s third time.

Colonel STRUT? presented a Petition againskSlavery from
the Borough of Malden.—Ordered to be printed.
Mr. K. DOUGLAS presented a Petition from Copar, praying
for the Amelioration of West India Property. Ordered to be printed.
Colossal TR-F.NCH presented a Petition from Amersham against
Negro Slavery.—Ordered to be printed.