The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-08-27 00:00:00

imptriatliavitanustit.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—TuEsDAY

The Lord Chancellor, the Marquis of Normanby, the Earl
of Clarendon, Viscount Duncannon, and Viscount Melbourne
'hai,ine taken their seats in front of the throne. as lords com-

missioners, the Usher of the Black Rod was directed to
suinmon the members of the commons at the bar of the
House of Lords. to hear the royal speech on the opening of

_
parliament.
Shortly afterwards, the SPEAKER, accompanied by a large
body of members, appeared at the bar, when the LORD
CHANCELLOR read the following speech :
" My Lords and Gentlemen,
" W e are commanded by her Majesty to acquaint you that
her Majesty has availed herself of the earlist opportunity of
resgrting to your advice and assistance after the dissolution
of the last parliament.
" Her Majesty continues to receive from foreign powers
gratifying assurances of their desire to maintain with her
Majesty the most friendly relations.
" Her Majesty has the satisfaction of informing you, that
the object for which the treaty of the 15th of July, 1840,
was conclnded between her Majesty, the Emperor of Aus-
tria, the King of Prussia, the Emperor of Russia, and the
Sultan, have been fully accomplished, and it is gratifying to
her Majesty to be enabled to state that the temporary sepa-
ration which the measures taken in the execution of that
treaty created between the contracting parties and France
has now ceased.

" Her Majesty trusts that the union of the principal powers
upon all matters affecting the great interests of Europe will
afford a firm security for the maintenance of peace.
" Her Majesty is glad to be able to inform you, that in
consequence of the evacuation of Ghorian by the Persian
troops, her Majesty has ordered her minister to the court of
Persia to return to Teheran.
" Her Majesty regrets that the negociations between her
plenipotentiaries in China and the Chinese government have
not yet been brought to a satisfactory conclusion, and that
it has been necessary to call into action the forces which her
Majesty has sent to the China seas ; but her Majesty still
trusts that the Emperor of China will see the justice of the
demands which her Majesty's plenipotentiaries have been
instructed to make.
" Her Majesty is happy to inform you that the difference
which had arisen between Spain and Portugal, about the
execution of a treaty concluded by these powers in 1830, for
regulating the navigation of the Douro. have been adjusted
amicably, and with honour to both parties, by the aid of her
Majesty's mediation.
" The debt incurred by the lekislature of Upper Canada,
for the purposes of public works, is a serious obstacle to fur-
ther improvements which are essential to the prosperity of
the united province. Her Majesty has authorised the gover-
nor-general to make a communication on the subject to the
council and assembly of Canada. Her Majesty will direct

the papers to be laid before you, ano trust..
attention will be directed to matters so materially affecting
the welfare of Canada and the strength of the empire.
" Gentlemen of the House of Commons.,
" We have to assure you that her Majesty relies with en-
tire confidence on your loyalty and zeal to make adequate
provision for the public service, as well as for the further
application of sums granted by the last parliament.
" My Lords and Gentlemen,
" We are more especially commanded to declare to you
that the extraordinary expenses which the events in Canada,
China, and the Mediterranean have occasioned, and the ne-
cessity of maintaining a force adequate to the protection of
our extensive possessions, have made it necessary to consider
the means of increasing the public revenues. Her Majesty
is anxious that this object should be effected in the manner
least burdensome to her people ; and it has appeared to her
Majesty, after full deliberation, that you may, at this junc-
ture, properly direct your attention to the revision of duties
affecting the productions of foreign countries. It will be
for you to consider whether some of these duties are not so
trifling in amount as to be unproductive to the revenue,
while they are vexatious to commerce. You may further
examine whether the principle of protection, upon which
others of these duties are founded, be not carried to an ex-
tent injurious alike to the income of the state and the in-
terests of the people.
" Her majesty is desirous that you should consider the
laws which regulate the trade in corn. It will be for you to
determine whether these laws do not aggravate the natural
fluctuations of supply ; whether they do not embarrass
trade, derange the currency, and by their operation diminish
the comfort and increase the privations of the great body of
the community.
" Her majesty, feeling the deepest sympathy with those of
her subjects who are now suffering from distress and want
of employment, it is her earnest prayer that all your delibe-
rations may be guided by wisdom, and may conduce to the
happiness of her beloved people."
The lords commissioners quitted their seats, and disrobed
after the Commons' members had withdrawn.
Earl SPENCER opened the debate by moving the address.
It was, as is usual on such occasions, an amplification of the
topics introduced by ministers into the loyal Speech.
After discussing those which referred to questions of
foreign and colonial policy, his lordship came to the subject
on which hinged the entire interest of the debate—the con-
sideration of the laws which regulate the trade in corn. He
said, that the most extravagant opinions had been enter-
tained on this subject, and that they had prevailed on both
sides of the question ; he felt satisfied that the corn-laws
were no protection to the agriculturist, and did not believe
that the price of corn would be materially altered by the
abolition of the corn-laws. The price depended on the ex-
pense of cultivation—on the cost of production. The land
that a repeal of these laws would throw out of cultivation
was any thing but corn land. It had never been worth the
foreigner's while to import corn unless he could obtain 535.
for it free of duty. He did not believe it was possible that
any large quantity of corn would be introduced at any ma-
terially reduced prices. He felt that an alteration in the
corn-laws and freedom of trade would yet, and soon, be
triumphant. The advantages he anticipated from that altera •
tion were to be obtained by raising the prices of food on the
continent, in order that their manufacturers might not be
able to compete with ours, and that they might not be able
to turn their attention so exclusively to manufactures. If
these laws were abolished and the continental prices raised,
speculation would be renewed in English corn, and very
greatly relieve the farmer in depressed years. He asked for
concessions on both sides, and that by delay in promoting
freedom of commerce, capital should not be driven abroad,
and the manufacturing prosperity of the country destroyed.
lie had generally concurred in opinion with the present
government ; he had supported them when they came into
power, and his confidence in them had never been shaken.
The noble lord concluded by moving the address, which was
a mere echo of the speech from the throne.
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE, who seconded the address,
entered at some length into a retrospective view of the rela-
tive value of bread-corn since the duties now in force had
been imposed, and proceeded with a statement to show that
neither the farmer nor the people benefited by the result.
The noble marquis next endeavoured to expose the futility of
the argument based on the alleged danger of relying for a
supply of bread upon foreign nations, who might at any mo-
ment close their ports, and refuse the necessary quantity,
and instanced the yearlBlo, when the continental ports were
firmly closed against British commerce. His lordship then
adverted to the question of the concurrent Nil of wages with
that of bread, and after stating that the labourer would be
able to buy more food and raiment out of his reduced earn-
ings than he could under the present system, reiterated his
strong objections to the sliding scale, concluded his speech
by insisting on the necessity of agreeing to the address as it
stood, and expressing his opinion that ministers c^uld not
quit power under more honourable circumstances than the
present.
The Earl of RIPON directed some very Mae censures
upon the conduct of foreign affairs, which had plunged the
country into an interminable, dangerous, and expensive
series of wars in Persia, China, and India; which had at
one period menaced the country from the other side of the
channel, and which had created a state of affairs beyond the
Atlantic, to which lie would not further advert, such were its
difficulties, than by saying that he felt the deepest anxiety
respecting the issue of the matter pending. The noble earl
next dissected the financial schemes of the last year and of
the present one, both of which he pronounced to be falla-
cious and absurd, if not ruinous. The former had proved
to be so by its results, and the scheme now under considera-
tion could be shown to be equally destructive to the revenue,
the policy, and the principles upon which the parliament had
legislated clueing the last ten years. It was upon the finan-
cial measures of the present government that he felt disposed
to take his ground of opposition, and he considered he could
bring forward the most convincing reasons to induce the
house to support him in the amendment which he proposed
to make of a vote of utter want of confidence iu her Ma-
jesty's government. This announcement was received with
cheers by their lordships, and, after going at some length
through the three fiscal measures proposed by the ministers,
which he successively dissected and condemned, the noble
earl conclude& by moving the amendment, which stated that
in order to carry out the object of her Majesty's address, it
was necessary that the existing government should have the
confidence of that house, which the present government did

not possess.
Earl FITZWILLIAM entered into a lengthened exposition
of his views upon the corn laws, and supported the address.
Lord LYTTELTON would vote for the address, but in doing
so wished to guard himself against being supposed to place
entire confidence in her majesty's government.
Viscount MKLBOURNE, in supporting the address, said
that he had never witnessed so serious an attack made upon
a government, supported by so little reason or argument.
The Duke of WELLINGTON was of opinion that his noble
friend, the Earl of Ripon, had laid down quite sufficient
grounds for the amendment which he had moved, and he
should, therefore, give it his support. He censured the course
adopted by the government, and said her majesty was ill-
advised in the speech which had been placed in her mouth at
the close of the last and in the beginning of the present
session, topics having been introduced into both of these
speeches calculated to inflame the passions of the people, and
to produce no counterbalancing advantage.
The Duke of RICHMOND contended that the scheme of a
fixed duty of Ss. on corn was one of the maddest that could
be conceived, and he would give his support to the admen-
ment. It was said that, it the present ministry were turned
out, that the conservatives on their accession to power would
adopt the very measures by which they had effected the de-
struction of the present administration. He did not believe
this, but if it should turn out to be the fact, he would be the
very first person to propose a want of confidence in them.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE contrasted the present views
of his noble friend the Earl of Ripon, with those which he
entertained when. as Mr. Robinson, he drew up, in con-
junction with other influential members of the House of
Commons, a report, wherein he stated his opinion that a
fixed duty on corn was what was required in order to intro-
duce a sound and healthy state of things into the supply of
food to this country. He, for his part, could scarcely be-
lieve that Mr. Robinson, whose name was appended to that
report, was the same individual with his noble friend on the
opposite side. The noble marquis then proceeded to deduce
from the undiminished prosperity that had followed upon the
repeal of the prohibitory duties on wool, and which measure
had been opposed on the very same grounds that were now
taken with respect to corn, that the same results would fol-
low upon the alteration of the sliding duty to a fixed one.
After some general observations, the noble marquis concluded
by stating that he was prepared to give up the reins of go-
vernment to that party which commanded the majority in
both houses, and he did so in the hope that when in office
they would use their power with moderation, and bring for-
ward liberal measures, in which he and his friends would
support them.
The Earl of COVENTRY said that none of the proposed
changes were required by the country. He was of opinion
that the country was in a safe state, and he hoped that it
would be shortly placed in the hands of the Duke of Wel-
lington.
The Marquis of NORTHAMPTON, in supporting the ad-
dress, said he did so because in his opinion a vote of want of
confidence attached to it an expression of confidence in those
whom the parties proposing the vote might suppose likely to
succeed to office.
t
like steadiness Lord BROUGHAM supported the address, and contended
that the
under
the constant and serious fluctuations in the price of corn
alteratioigi°o7
cordnerlthe present system rendered some alteration in the
necessary with the view of obtaining something
iness of price. The noble lord, after regretting
of judgmentparliament gover►anent did not go farther in their contemplated
corn laws, proceeded to condemn the error
tainty of obtainine,P,
sitch they had committed in dissolving the last
which could only be justified by the cer-
but which was uu],,astlarge working majority in their favour ;
try, and unjust to the measures
their sovereign, unjust to the coun-
advised the exercise oPjlasures they advocated, when they
alarm ezerogative for the factious pur-
pose
ZictlYssolved by their successors.
than they would be likely
to
haveof procuringhou Should
th e

When tin 3 noble loril.s4t down,

the gall

ision, And the reinit was—
For the a.ddresi;
For the amendment
Majority for the amendment

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TUESDAY.
Mr. M. PHILIPS moved the address in answer to her
majesty's speech, and in doing so alluded slightly and in a
congratulatory tone to the foreign policy of the country. Ile
then enlarged upon the state of our commercial relations, and
contended that unless we altered our import duties in some
particulars, and more especially with respect to the duties on
sugar, we could not hope to renew our treaty with the Brazils
under favourable circumstances. In adverting to the corn
laws, he assured the house that upon no previous occasion
within his recollection had there existed such depression and
misery as now prevailed throughout the manufacturing dis-
tricts—depression which might be removed by an alteration
of the corn laws, because those laws affected manufactures
and commerce in more ways than one. They tended to de-
range the currency by leading to the exportation of gold. by
which, as a necessary consequence, trade was completely pa-
ralysed. He was of opinion that the best mode of relieving
the distress of the manufacturing districts would be by
throwing down all obstacles to the extension of the manu-
facturing industry of the country, and in so doing the landed
interests would find that they had conferred upon themselves
the most lasting benefits. The hon. member concluded by
moving the address, which was, as usual, an echo of the

speech
Mr. DUNDAS shortly seconded the address
Mr. S. WORTLEY then rose to move an amendment to the
address. Her Majesty's ministers had, he said, appealed to
the country in support of their measures, and he, under the
peculiar circumstances attending his return to that house,
could scarcely be considered presumptuous in thus early pre-
senting hinssellto their notice, giving as he did by his very
presence in the house an answer on the part of an important
portion of the country to the appeal which had been made to
it by the government. (Cheers.) Concurring, as he did, in
the views of hon. gentlemen on his side of the house, and be-
lieving those views to be in accordance with the feelings of
the great majority, not only of his own constituents, but of
the country at large, he felt himself called upon to ask whe-
ther it was meet that her Majesty's ministers, under the cir-
cumstances in which they were placed, should be entrusted
with the future conduct of the affairs of the country, or whe-
ther they should be permitted to dictate the answer to her
Majesty's speech. The hon. gentleman then went through
a slight history of the whig administration since 1830, when
Lord Grey's government stated that their course would be
one of peace, economy, and reform. In the first, that of pre-
serving the peace of the world, they had most signally failed,
as was evident from the siege of Antwerp down to the war in
Syria. In the second they had also disappointed the hopes
of the country. In the third they had redeemed their pledge,
though even in that respect many people thought they were
actuated by their wishes to keep out the tories rather than by
any wish to keep faith with the people. The hon. gentleman
next adverted to the mode resorted to by the ministry for the
purpose of keeping themselves in power, by the immense
amount of patronage which they had created, and which, if
they had been permitted so to do by the conservatives, they
would have carried to a still greater extent. He then con-
demned the course pursued by the government respecting the
budget, though he admitted there might be something for-
gotten that the noble lord at the head of the government had,
in the other House of Parliament, in reply to a question,
declared that he proposed the fixed duty orf corn as a pro-
tection to the agriculturist, while the noble lord opposite
(Lord John Russell) declared, at the same time, in the
House of Commons, that he intended the measures con-
nected with the budget as a blow against all monopolies.
Under all the circumstances surrounding the present govern-
ment, he thought it was the duty of the house to inform her
Majesty, before they assumed the responsibility of entering
upon the business of the nation, that they had not confidence
in her ministers. (Cheers.) The lion. gentleman concluded
by moving, as an amendment, the insertion of words to the
effect that the house begged most humbly to represent to her
Majesty that they had observed that the public expenditure
exceeded the public income, and that they would adopt mea-
sures to remedy the evil ; that they were sensible of the im-
portance of the considerations to which her Majesty had
directed their attention, but that, in deciding upon the course
which they might deem necessary to pursue for the interests
of the country, they felt it their duty to submit to her Ma-
jesty that it was essential, towards obtaining a satisfactory
result to their deliberations, that the ministers of the crown
should possess the confidence of the house and of the coun-
try, and that that confidence was not possessed by her Ma-
jesty's present ministers. (Loud cheers.)
Lord BRUCE said that he represented a large seaport town,
and he had no hesitation in saying that his constituents
adopted to the fullest extent the sentiments embodied in the
amendment just moved by his hon. friend. (Cheers.) Un-
less the decision of the last parliament, as to want of confi-
dence in the present government, were cancelled by the
decision of this parliament, it would not be consistent with
he dignity of the house to canvass any distinct measures
rought forward by ministers placed in such a position. The
Loble lord concluded a pointed speech against the govern.
tent by seconding the amendment to the address.
Mr. LABOUCHERE said he was at a loss to understand
le policy of the amendment which had been moved. II
ertainly declared a want of confidence in ministers, but ii
ave no indication of the policy to which it was intended that
: should lead. The right hon. gentleman defended the
onduct of the government, which had, he said, conducted
he affairs of the country in a spirit of economy, and 'which
Lad succeeded in preserving the peace of Europe with
carcely the slightest interruption. He then entered into a
.efence of the necessity of ameliorating our commercial re-
trictions, and quoted a variety of returns relating to the
ricks played in striking the averages of the sales of corn, in
ader to show that gamblers and speculators could deal with
hem as they liked, and without the slightest reference to
he interests of the landed proprietors ; from which fact he
tamed the expediency of altering the sliding scale, and es-
ablishing a fixed duty, although he only then asked the house
o pledge itself to an early consideration of the question.
He rejoiced that the time had at length arrived when the
souse would decide as to the persons and principles by which
:he country was to be governed, but he hoped thrt ample time
would be taken to discuss measures of such importance.
The country would not be satisfied if the house decided only
upon the persons without at all deciding, or even indicating,
the principles upon which the Government was to be in future
carried on. Unless something of this kind was disclosed be-
fore the determination of that debate the country would be
disappointed, and their debate would be considered as a mere
party struggle. The right hon. gentleman concluded by ex-
pressing his conviction that the measures proposed by the
present Ministry must ere long be adopted, and that, by
whatever Ministers they might hereafter be proposed, they
should meet with his support.
Mr. D'ISRAELI support the amendment, and condemned
the use which had been made by the present Government of
her Majesty's name, and the position in which they had
placed her by their very last step, in bringing a speech from
the throne with no other view than that of laying the basis
of a nascent opposition.
Mr. BERNAL said, that the attack upon the Whigs came
with a bad grace from the hon. gentleman, who had con-
tested a borough on whig principles, and had taken certifi-
cates in his pocket from Mr. Daniel O'Connell and Mr.
Joseph Hume. Although he must himself stand or fall by
the West India interests, yet he would forego his monopoly,
and could therefore come fairly to the consideration of the
monopoly of the landed proprietors. He wished his brother
monopolists, the landed proprietors, to follow his example,
and accept the 8s fixed duty in time, lest they should find,
e.e long, that even that duty of 8s should become " fine by
degrees, and beautifully less. '
Commodore NAPIER eulogised the Government and sup-
ported the address.
Lord POLLINGTON supported the amendment, and said
that he would leave the Ministry in their anticipated defeat
to the consolations which were indulged in by their journals
—that, if no longer a Government, they would be, at al]
events a formidable opposition. This be admitted, for the)
were like those eastern barbrians who, when defeated by the
Romans, were still formidable from the poisoned weapons
which they flung behind them.
Mr. ROEBUCK ran over the various sins committed by the
present ministers towards the people who had placed them in
power, and contended that all their errors were attributable
to their having walked too closely in the steps of the con-
servatives. They had lost the confidence of the country,
which they could only hope to regain by a long course of
virtuous conduct in opposition. (Cheers and laughter.) They
had asked the country, "Do you like us ?" And the coun-
try had answered—there was no use in disguising though he
regretted the fact—the country had answered, " We do not."
He wished to be understood, when he said the country, that
he only referred to the constituencies—and by those con-
stituencies the ministry were told that its services were ne
Longer required. The hon. member then taunted the con•
servatives with the use they had made of the poor-law at the
late elections, and taunted Sir R. Peel with holding a position
which compelled him to be silent, while his party were making
a use of that bill which he knew in his heart was descipable
and base. With respect to economy, he thought that the
charge of want of economy against the ministry was just ; but
then it was to be remembered that their evil genius was on
the other side of the house, for if they proposed anything
savouring of economy they would be sure to have hon. gen-
tlemen on the opposition side of the house stating up, like
the keys of a harpsichord, to talk of the honour of England,
the army, the navy, and the ordnance. (A. laugh.)
When the hon. gentleman sat down a cry of " Divide"
arose. and the gallery was ordered to be cleared, but
Mr. MUNTZ presented himself to the house, and said that
although he thought the repeal of the corn-laws would pro-
duce a reduction of weges, yet the people would not be suf.
fered to remain in their present state of starvation, and some.
thing must be done to give increased employment to the
labouring classes.
Mr. EWART then rose, and moved the adjournment of the
debate. _ .. '

Sir R. PEEL said he acquiesced in the adjournment on the
special ground that the Speaker had been in chair since 12
o'clock that day.
The debate was accordingly adjourned.
HOUSE OF LORDS.—WEDNESDAY.
Their Lordships did not meet to-day.

Mt'. M. SUTTON Contended that the logs of the confidence
of the country in the present ministry was to be attributed to
the long vista of broken promises which their administra-
tion presented. He would vote in favour of the amendment,
but he trusted the house would permit him to ask a question
of the noble lord the -secretary of the colonies, upon a mat-
ter of some moment to himself. It had been reported that
the noble lord upon a former evening had said that he had
opposed the re-election of a noble relative of his (Lord Can-
terbury) not on the sole ground of his political opinions, but
that there were other parts of his conduct which had their
influence in producing that opposition. He knew that this
statement had given great pain to his noble relative, from the
indistinctness of the charge, and he trusted the noble lord
would remove these unpleasant feelings by at once stating the
nature of the charge against him. (Hear, hear.)
Lord J. RUSSELL said that at the time the occurrence
took place he had distinctly stated his other groueds of ob-
jection, though he had not thought it necessary to recapitu-
late them on the occasion referred to by the hon. gentleman.
He had not alleged against Lord Canterbury any breach of
his duty as speaker, though he did think his conduct was
unbecoming his high office in the instance he referred to.
When, by the exorcise of the royal prerogative, Lord Al-
thorpe quitted office, Lord Canterbury attended the councils
called for the purpose of establishing a ministry upon prin-
ciples opposed to those of the majority of the House of
Commons by which he had been elected to the speakership.
At the time, he felt considerable resentment against the
noble lord for this, notwithstanding all his respect for his
ability and general conduct as Speaker ; but he was con-
vinced that the noble lord had no wish, in the course he
pursued, to betray any disrespect to the House of Commons.
He believed it was a mere error of judgment, and all feel-
ings of resentment had long since passed away from his
mind, though at the time he had thought it right to oppose
his re-election.

Mr. M. SUTTON said, he was aware that there was -no
charge against his noble relative that could at all affect him,
except from its indistinctness and the dimness of its nature,
and he thanked the noble lord for the explanation he had

given.
Dr. BOWRING, in the course of a long speech against the
amendment, said, that the corn-laws were an enormous
drawback upon our commercial intercourse with other coun-
tries. He had himself been the bearer of many messages
from foreign powers, proposing commercial relations, which
were invariably refused, because the ministry dared not to
propose any alteration oi the corn-laws.
Mr. P. M. STEWART said he had a deep interest in the
landed prosperity ; but, upon broad principles, he would ad-
vocate a liberal system of commercial legislation. The right
hon. member for Tamworth, in 1828, had urged the neces-
sity of the sliding scale of corn duties, in order to procure an
evenness of price, but the return of the import duties since
then had clearly proved that the sliding scale bad produced
the very opposite effect. The right hon. baronet the mem-
ber for Dorchester (Sir J. Graham) had published a pamph-
let some time back, entitled "Corn and Currency ;" and he
must say that, after reading that pamphlet, he could no
longer give credit to the Government for the originality of
the propositions of their budget, evety one of which relating
to the corn, timber, and sugar duties, were advocated in that
pamphlet. The right hon. baronet might, therefore, discuss
his former opinions with his new friends, his opinions on
corn with the right hon. member for Kent (Sir E. Knatch-
bull,) and his opinions on the currency with the right hon.
baronet beside him (Sir It. Peel); and between them both,
like water, he might find his level.
Mr. S. CRAWFORD and Mr. COBDEN supported the ad-
dress. The latter gentleman contended at great length that
the aristocracy of the country were not taxed in anything
like a proper ratio in proportion to the heaviness with which
the burden fell upon the poor and labouring classes of the
community. He also insisted that the abrogation of the
corn laws would create an increased demand for manufac-
ures, and of course for labour ; so that instead of low wages
lie result would be cheap bread and increased wages. In
Pact, wages depended not on cheap or dear bread, but sim-
ply upon the supply and demand for labour. He likewise
adverted to the meeting of dissenting clergymen in Man-
chester, and said that the question of the abolition of the
corn laws having been once taken up by the pastors of the
community, must be considered, as was said by the noble
lord-opposite (Lord Stanley) in reference to the slave trade,
to be virtually carried.
Mr. BAILEY denied that the distress prevailing through
the manufacturing districts was in any way attributable to
the corn laws. If he believed that the repeal of those laws
would afford relief to the labouring classes, he would at once
assent to that repeal, believing that their duty was to legislate
not for a class but for the whole community. He would ask
if the increase of the manufactures had tended to increase the
happiness of the people? On the contrary, during the last
twenty years the manufactures of the country had been tre-
bled, while the distress of the operatives had been continually
on the increase ; and while the manufacturers were realising
fortunes the operatives were starving, a clear proof that the
interests of these parties were not identical : and in his
opinion, though the repeal of the corn laws might be advan-
tageous to the former, it could be of no advantage to the
latter. A great deal of the distress was occasioned by the
manufacturers themselves, who reversed the order of nature
by contracting with union workhouses and using every means
to procure infant labour, and thus throw adult labour out of
employment. The lion. gentleman then drew attention to
the contrast presented by the increased capital embarked in
the improvement of land which, though it did not return quite
five per cent to the proprietor, yet had produced a very nu-
merous and comparatively happy and contented population.
Mr. BRETHERTON defended the manufacturers, and said
if the manufactures were destroyed, the agriculturists would
be irretrievably injured.
Mr. H. GRATTAN supported the address.
Lord WORSLEY said that if foreign corn was introduced
into this country in quantities so large as was contemplated
by the hon. member for Stockport, he wished to ask, even
though there should be an increased demand for manufac-
turing labour, what was to become of the agricultural la-
bourers ? For certain he was that in that case it could not
he expected that corn would be grown in England. Although
be disapproved of the proposal of the government as re-
spected the corn laws, yet as the right hon. baronet (Sir R.
Peel) intended to make some alterations, of the nature of
which lie was not aware„ and as upon most other topics he
differed from the right hon. baronet, while he admired the
general policy of the present ministers, he thought himself
Allied in supporting them in preference to the right hon.
ronet.
Mr. HASTIE supported the'address.
Mr. HINDLEY, at 12 o'clock, moved the adjournment of
debate until the following day, which was immediately
.eed to.

PARISH MEETING

On Tuesday, pursuant to notite, a meeting was held in St.
Nicholas's Church, for the purpose of taking into considera-

tion the propriety of sanctioning an application to parliament,
by the commissioners for the better paving and sewerage of
the town, for an act to alter, amend, and extend the powers
and provisions of the act of the 11th George IV, the ten
years for which that act was passed having expired.
At one o'clock the Rev. Rector Campbell took the chair,
and Mr. Edward G. Deane, the clerk to the commissioners
read the advertisement by which the meeting was convened.
It had been called, he remarked, by the authority of the
churchwardens, the commissioners having no power for that
purpose themselves.
- - - .

Mr. NIOZLEY said, lie did not think any lengthened ob-
servations would be necessary to obtain the consent of the
parishioners to the course intended to be pursued. No per-
son could live in the town without being aware of the great
benefit it had derived from the sewerage, so far as it had
already gone; which naturally made them anxious to extend
it still further. No one could think of the awful storm of
the previous night without calling to mind what would have
happened, under the same circumstance, a few years ago, in
the neighbourhood in which he resided. They had often
witnessed hundreds of persons turned out of their beds by
the flooding of the lower parts of the town, to the great injury,
not only of property, but of the health of the inhabitants. In
moving for the additional powers which were necessary to
carry out this very desirable object, he would beg to offer
one suggestion. He hoped that with sewerage they would
combine drainage also. (Hear, hear.) By the former a
great deal was effected in carrying off the surface water, but
the proprietors of property, in important parts of the town,
were suffering serious inconvenience from want of drainage.
It was not so much property in low situations that was ex-
posed to this inconvenience AS that which stood upon decliv
ties, the basenients, which might be extremely useful, being
of no avail by reason of the damp from the property above.

Mr. HUTCHINSON seconded the proposition,
Mr. BIRKETT then intimated his readiness to afford any
explanation to parties who might desire it.
The CHAIRMAN said, he would, with their permission,
read the resolution which it was intended to propose, which
was as follows :
"That, in the opinion of this meeting, it is desirable that
the present act for the paving and sewerage of the town should
be amended, by giving power to the commissioners, amongst
other things, to levy a limited sewerage rate, in lieu of the one
which has expired, for the purpose of enabling them to con-
tinue those improvements in the drainage and sewerage of the
town, which are so essential to the health and benefit of the
inhabitants at large. And this meeting, therefore, so far as it
can, sanctions and approves of the commissioners applying to
parliament, in the ensuing session, for an act to alter, amend,
extend, and enlarge the powers and provisions contained in
the said act; but with this express understanding, that the
sewerage rate to be applied for shall not exceed twopence in
the pound, one half thereof to be chargeable on the owners of
property subject to such rate, and the other half on the
occupiers thereof."
Mr. FORD wished to know by what authority the vestry
was held.
Mr. DEANE reminded Mr. Ford of his observation at the
outset, that the meeting had been called by the churchwardens.
Mr. FORD replied, there was no such intimation in the
official summons. The meeting was called by the authority
of the Board of Highways.
Mr. JoHN HOLMES said, it was deemed much better that
the parishioners should be consulted. The commissioners
had gone against the consent of the vestry before. He like-
wise
thought it would be better to go to Parliament them-
selves than to be under a board of commissioners in London,
Mr: DEANE said, the commissioners were not bound to
come before the parish, but they wished to hear all o
the ob-
jections against their proposal, and prevent opposition in
Parliament.
Mr. BIRKETT said, they were aware that a bill had been
brought into parliament last year, by the Marquis of Nor-
manby, giving extensive powers to the commissioners to be
appointed under it—a bill which he, as a ratepayer, thought
would operate very injuriously to this town, contemplating,
as it did, suck a large measure of alteration, not only not de
sirable, but to a great extent impracticable. The Liverpool
commissioners, seeing this, appointed a deputation, of which
he was one, to oppose it. They did oppose it in every shape
and way, and he had very little hesitation in saying that they
would have got a total exemption, as London had, only that
they were not in the same position, having no local act in
existence.
Mr. Birkett was proceeding with his statement, when Mr.
Ford put it to the meeting if it would not be better that the
chairman should give a definitive answer to the question
which had been raised as to the legality of the meeting.
The CHAIRMAN said, he had not the least doubt but that
the churchwardens had a right to summon a vestry. Mr.
Ford's objection was, that that was not a vestry of which
legal notice had been given, having been summoned by order
of the commissioners, and not o
it f t
ion he churchwardens.
Mr. FORD.—That is my pos.
The CHAIRMAN.—It strikeme
that there is some force
in the objection. Is this a Meeting legally summoned That
is the point, Mr. Deane.
Mr. DEANE.—If the objection be valid, it is merely tech-
nical. The intention was,
to ascertain the sense of the pa-
rishioners at large. There can be no question that it is com-
petent in the commissioners to call a meeting; whether that
meeting be held in the church, the Sessions-house, or any
other place, can signify nothing. If it had not been for the
word " vestry," which I put in to meet scruples, this ques-
tion could not have been raised. It is a meeting of " the
inhabitants assessed to the relief of the poor:" and I do not
see why it is not to be considered a meeting for any legal
purpose.
The CHAIRMAN said, he could imagine no objection to
the commissioners of paving and sewerage calling a meeting
of the parishioners • but could a resolution emanating from
that meeting be called' a resolution of the parishioners in
vestry legally assembled ? (Hear.) He should say not. It
would be a meeting, and might pass what resolutions it
pleased ; but he questioned if they would come legally under
that designation.
Sonic further conversation ensued, and it was ultimately
decided to call another meeting, which was fixed for yester-
day week.