The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1840-04-07 00:00:00

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-THURSDAY.

A great number of petitions were again presented, chiefly
in favour of, and against the corn laws.
Lord J. RUSSELL having brought up the bill
_respecting
Canada, which was read a first time, -on moving that it be
read a second time, said that he wished to correct a misap-
prehension which had taken place of something that had
fallen from him with regard to clergy reserves, and which
perhaps, if not corrected, might lead to serious misunder-
standings in Canada. It had been stated that he expressed
himself unfavourably to the general nature of the measure
which the legislature of Upper Canada had passed, and that
the Governor-General had proposed a measure totally op-
posed to the views of the government. This was far from
being the meaning of what he had said. What he had said
was, that it was a difficult thing to have a measure with re-
gard to the subject which would entirely coincide with one's
own abstract notions, or with what might have been feasible
forty years ago, but which was not practicable now. He
went no further in his observations, which applied generally
to the opinions held about church establishments. So far
from annulling what the Governor-General had done, they
entirely approved of the course, thinking it would be a means
of restoring peace to Upper Canada.
The bill was ordered to be read a second time on Monday
se'nnight.
Mr. MACKINNON gave notice of his intention of moving
for a committee to investigate the subject and provide legis-
lative enactments for the regulation of the emigration of la-
bourers from India to British Guiana.
A conversation ensued as to the appointment of the com-
mittee on the surrender of opium in China. Lord Sandon
objecting to the preponderance of fifteen ministerialists to
six conservatives.—The appointment was ultimately post-
poned.
Mr. HERRIES referring to the post-office returns as printed,
said in the estimate with regard to the post-office between the
time of its being laid on the table of the house and the time
of its being'printed, a difference had been made of £BO,OOO.
That was a circumstance which he thought ought to be ex-
plained.
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER observed that there
had been no concealment or fraud. The post-office had made
out an estimate and sent it in, but just as that estimate was
actually printed the secretary of the post-office stated to him,
in a letter, that some mistake had been made in the calcula-
tion, and requested to be allowed to put in the altered esti-
mate.
Lord J. RUSSELL gave notice that he should move that
the order for the attendance of Mr. Sheriff Evans be put off
till the 4th of May.
Mr. HERRIES observed, that about eighteen months ago a
cargo of rough rice was brought from America, and when in-.
troduced into this country it was charged with a duty of
2s. 6d. per bushel. The parties importing it claimed, under
the American treaty with this country, to be placed on a
footing with the most favoured nations in respect of the du-
ties on similar commodities. He•wished to know whether it
had yet been decided that the cargo should be admitted on
the terms the claimants desired ?

The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said, the proper
communication on this suoject was between the American
minister and the treasury.
Mr. HERRIES gave notice that he would move for certain
papers connected with the case.
The law of evidence (Scotland) bill was brought up.
The adjourned debate on the corn laws was then resumed.
Mr. W ODEHOUSE began in a very discursive speech, op-
posing Mr. Villier's motion, and combating at great length
the opinions expressed by Mr. Jones Loyd in his late pam-
phlet on the currency.
Mr. RICH treated the question historically. From 1774 to
1790, under the free system, prices had been steady, and
500,000 additional acres had been brought into cultivation.
Under the present law the fluctuations had been extreme.
It was complicated with many steps, and these abrupt, espe-
cially in the very part of the scale where they ought to have
been easiest—where the prices exceeded 655. It was to have
produced moderate pikes, steady supply, and prosperity to
at least the agricultural classes. All these anticipations had
been disappointed. It had been said, however, that so great
a nation as ours should grow her own corn. Would 3ou
extend that argument to tea, to coffee, to cotton ? It was im-
possible for her, with ber great population, to render herself
independent of foreign supplies. A fixed duty would give
not only a steady import, but a revenue which would pre-
clude the necessity for any new tax.
Captain HAMILTON deprecated the disturbance and the
distress which must follow from a repeal of the present law.
It was not for this densely-people,: country to throw all the
inferior lands out of cultivation, and render itself dependent
on the states of Germany. A great landholder in .1-lamp-
shire, now employing upwards of forty labourers, bad in-
formed him that if the present law were repealed he should
be unable to employ more than fifteen. What, then, was to
be the refuge of all the remainder, disrlaced by the abandon-
ment of cultivation on the inferior lands ? The union work-
house, where they might expect, ere long, to be joined by
their former masters. .

Lord MORPETH said that his persuasion of the impossi-
bility of forming a cabinet which would be united in the par-
ticular view entertained by himself had reconciled him to the
consideration that on this question the present ministry was
divided in opinion. Although he spoke not with the weight
which might have attached to him had he been representing
the sentiments of the government, yet he felt himself bound
to say a few words on behalf of his constituents, who took an
anxious interest on the subject. Even districts merely agri-
cultural in the riding which he represented had joined in pe-
titions for an alteration of the law ; and if he were not now
to concur with them, he knew not how he could put up our
common prayer for daily bread. He wished a general inter-
change of produce between all parts of the world. Monopoly
should be banished from the family of nations, like selfish-
ness from private life ; and philanthropy and patriotism
should be synonymous terms. He did not deny the expe-
diency of some protecting duty, nor would he prejudge the
question whether it ought to be fixed or graduated, though
his own impression was in favour of the fixed, as promoting
uniformity of supply, and preventing sudden exportations of
bullion. The argument against agitation was in favour of the
side he espoused, for agitation could be stopped only by the
removal of the grievance. But gentlemen were like the vestry
in Oliver Twist, all struck with consternation, because the
hungry asked for more to eat. This motion might be nega-
tived ; but he was confident of eventual success. Having
lived to see freedom of religious opinions, and freedom from
personal slavery, he trusted also to see freedom of trade in
corn.

Mr. G. KNIGHT observed, that if mere modifications were
desired, it would be idle to make a comprehensive reference
to a committee, which could produce nothing but disappoint..
ment. But the people were beginning to understand the
subject, and to know that free trade in corn was not compati-
ble with high wages, and that its only effect would be that of
enabling the master manufacturers to increase their own
gains at the cost of the operatives, and the landlords, and to
grind their workmen still lower. No novelty had been pro.
duced since the rejection of this attempt in the last session,
except one which he much regretted—the exhibition of a ma-
jority of the cabinet ministers in hostility to the agricultural
interest, but sheltered under the high-minded expedient of
an open question. The present law, though of courseit could
not control the seasons, had much mitigated the evil arising
from their inequalities. He appealed for support more espe-
cially to the members for Ireland, whose staple was agricul-
ture.

Mr. PRYME proposed to add to the motion for a com-
mittee, by way of amendment, the words •4 with a view to
the reduction of the average prices specified in the table an-
nexed to the act (the 9th of George IV.) according to which
the respective duties are imposed." He grounded his recom-
mendation on the argument that agriculture is entitled to a
protection in proportion to that which is given to other arti-
cles of general consumption. He supported his views by
extracts from Adam Smith and Ricardo. Agriculture, he
would remind the house, was subjected almost exclusively to
the burdens of tithe, and to a much larger proportion of
church, county, highway, and poor rate, than other branches
of industry were liable to bear. He contended, however,
that the present protection was too high, that it occasioned
frequent fluctuations, and that it injured our commerce and
manufactures, the prosperity of which was most important
to agriculture itself ; and his conclusion was, that the requi-
site protection would be grievously injurious in years of
scarcity. Such years, he showed, had occurred not only
under the present law but under the system existing at the
close of the last century, which was practically a system of
free trade.
Mr. W. DUNCOMBE opposed the motion for a committee.
He was persuadqd that neither a fixed duty nor even a repeal
of all duty whetever would satisfy the agitating parties. Their
object was a general abolition of all burdens, of which this
was only one. If the duty on foreign corn were to be re-
moved, you must remove the duty on all other foreign com-
modities. Was government prepared to surrender these
sources of revenue ?
Mr. CLAY supported the original motion. The house,
though thin, was now inattentive and noisy, and called not
unfrequently for a division, while the hon. gentleman endea-
voured to enforce the necessity of conceding to what he de-
scribed as the general and still increasing desire of the nation
at large.

Mr: SHAW was solicitous to correct the error committed
by Mr. Villiers, in representing Ireland as a country whose
export of corn was not extensive.
Mr. VILLIERS had supposed that this export was dimi-
nishing.

Mr.-SHaw, from the actual figures, showed, on the con-
trary, that the export of corn, flour included, was very largely
increased. Much complaint was made in England of the in-
flux of Irish labourers : if the corn law should be repealed,
there would be not merely an influx, but an inundation of
them.
At the conclusion of Mr. Shaw's speech the debate was
ther adjourned.

HOUSE OF LORDS—FRIDAY.
There were a great many petitions presented, chiefly on
the corn law question.
The Marquis of LONDONDERRY asked whether the papers
' regarding which he had given notice, re-
Spain and the British legion ?

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