The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-09-21 00:00:00

(hear, hear.) He would ask if it was not reasonable that an
interval should be allowed him to consult with his colleagues
upon a measure of such importance? If he were not to be
allowed a short period for this purpose, what • was to be
thought of a government which held office for five years,
and which never, until May 1841, intimated on the part of
that government an united opinion upon this important sub-
ject ? (Cheers.) If that government was so fully convinced
that these laws were at the root of a great portion of the
distress of the people, what must have been its neglect of
duty in having so long delayed a remedy for the evil. (Hear,
hear.) When he was prepared with his measure he would
state to the house at once the course he meant to pursue.
He would not propose measures to be carried here and re-
jected there—(loud cheering), but measures upon the success
of which he would be prepared to ,t,i!, a the existence of the
government. (Loud cheering.) With respect to finance, he
had again to regret that the noble lord had not taken the
opinion of the house. In what position he would ask did he
inherit the government of the country ? In 1837 there was
a deficiency in the revenue to the extent of £1,428,000; in
1838, there was a deficit of £430,000; in 1840, there was a
deficiency of £1,457,000; and in 1841 there was a deficiency
of £l,Bsl,ooo—thus making an accumulative deficit of
£5,166,000. For the year 1842 it was estimated that there
would be a deficiency of £2,soo,ooo—making a total deficit
of £7,666,000 when he came to the administration of the fi-
nances of the country, and yet when only one month in office
he was called upon at once to bring forward measures to
remedy the evil. (Cheers.) If the late Chancellor of the Ex-
chequer had by his budget realised his fullest expectations he
must still have proposed a vote of credit partaking in charac-
ter of that which his right hon. friend (Mr. Goulburn) would
have shortly to bring forward. The late government had cal-
culated on a revenue during the present year of £500,000
arising from the alteration of the timber duties, whereas it
was clear from the communications of Lord Sydenham that
during the present year not one shilling could be derived from
that source. (Cheers.) The right hon. baronet then pro-
ceeded to argue that little or no revenue could be derived
from the reuction of 12s of the differential duties on sugar ;
and subsequently referring to the growing expenses of our
colonies, and the great expenses of the war in China, asked,
if in the midst of such accumulated difficulties it was unrea-
sonable for the house to give him some little time to endea-
vour to meet them? (Hear, hear.) Was it not reasonable
before bringing forward any measure of finance to wait until
they saw what might take place in America? (Hear, hear.)
He would say no more on that head, but would turn
to Ireland, where it was said that his advent to
power was to be the signal for hoisting the standard of
ascendancy, and yet not one month had passed away
of his administration, when the noble lord had ad-
mitted that that that difficulty he had at least got over—
(cheers)—and that he had given a guarantee to the people of
Ireland that they would be governed impartially. (Cheers.)
He would take care, as far as in him lay, that the law should
be administered with firmness and partiality, and he hoped
with vigour ; and, at all events, he would take care not to
allow the administration of Irish affairs to be influenced by
the hope of gaining support in the House of Commons.
(Cheers.) He had made engagements to render impartial
justice to Ireland, and so far as depended upon himself those
engagements should be fulfilled. (Cheers.) The appoint-
ment of Lord De Grey as Lord Lieutenant of Ireland, and
Sir E. Sugden as Lord Chancellor of Ireland, was some
proof of the course intended to be pursued. Sir E. Sugden
having a pension as a retired chancellor for a very short
tenure of office, felt the country had a claim upon his ser-
vices, and had therefore consented to resume his duties ; but
if he had been prevented by any circumstances from doifyg
so, he (Sir R. Peel) would have selected a chancellor fr
the Irish-bar, which stood as high as any bar in the wol d.
(Cheers ) His only object in accepting the harassing duties
of his situation was the hope of being of service to his coun-
try, and in the measure be should propose no considerations
of political support should compel him to become the servile
instrument to carry the opinions of other people into effect.
(Hear, hear.) Power was only valuable to any honourable
mind, because of the opportunity it afforded of being ser-
viceable to the country, and when he found that power was
denied him in the way accordant with his own feelings and
opinions, he would reserve to himself the power of retiring
from office when he could no longer discharge its duties to his
own satisfaction. (Loud cheering.)
Lord PALME.RSTON was of opinion that the reasons for
the delay proposed by the right hon. baronet would not be
held satisfactory by the country at large. He contended
that the foreign relations of the country were handed over to
the present government in the most flourishing condition,
and such as to command respect as powerfully as in any
period of our history. The noble lord then entered into a
defence of the propositions of the late government, and con-
demned the postponement, until January, of any intimation
of the measures of that now in , existence, asserting that, as
far as regarded the corn laws, every possible information was
already before the house.
Mr. ViLLIERS spoke of the great distress prevailing in the
country, and thought it hard that the right hon. baronet
should refuse any measure of relief for a period of "many
months. With respect to the corn laws, as they refused to
discuss the measure in that house, h- believed the question
would be decided by agitation out of doors.
Mr. BROTHERTON pursued the same course of argument
as Mr. Villiers and Mr. Ward ; referring to his promise to
give the government a fair trial, he regretted that Sir R.
Peel had given him no opportunity whatever of judging of
his measures. _ _ _

Mr. COBDEN said that the course pursued by the govern-
ment appeared to be this—" we have a majority of 90 but we
have no argument." This was a bad example—they should
not thus teach the people the doctrine of appealing to nu-
merical force. Vast numbers of the members of the minis-
terial side of the house were returned by bribery, and were
therefore profoundly ignorant of the state of public opinion.
The hon. member then dwelt on the distress of the people,
and:attributed the evil altogether tothe corn laws.
Lord SANDON said that prudence, if not decency, ought
to have imposed silence upon hon. gentlemen on the opposite
side of the house upon the subject of bribery. They should
remember that their walls were built of glass, and strongly
contrasted•with the purity of elections of members on the
ministerial side, as was evinced by Bridport, Shrewsbury,
and Nottingham.
Mr. HAWES said the late elections had been carried by
the most gross and infamous bribery, bnt said that he was
free from the charge, as he had never incurred one shilling
of expense that he would be ashamed to name.
Mr. LYTTON contended that an alteration of the corn
laws would be productive of much injury to Ireland.
Mr. S. CRAWFORD thought the interests of Ireland would
be promoted very considerably by an alteration of the corn
laws.
Mr. M. J. O'CONNELL had but little hope that the go-
vernment of Ireland, whatever might be the intentions of the
noble secretary for that country, would give ultimate satis-
faction.
Mr. HARDY attributed the distress in the manufacturing
districts to over production.
Mr. HINDLEY denied that over production was the cause
—the real cause was the paucity of food.
Mr. MILNES thought the question of the corn laws to be
far too complicated to be dealt with hastily with any advan-
tage to the country.
Mr. FIELDEN moved, and Dr. Bown.ING seconded, a
motion to the effect, that it was the duty of the house not to
vote any supplies until an inquiry should be instituted into the
state of the distress of the operative population throughout
the country.
The house divided, and Mr. FIELDEN'S motion was lost
by a majority of 149 to 41.
The house then went into committee of supply, and Sir
R. PEEL proposed that Mr. Greene should be appointed to
the office of chairman of committees of ways and means, to
which was to be added the duty of taking the chair on gene-
ral committees, if such should be the pleasure of the house.
Mr. GREENE took the chair, and returned thanks for his
appointment.
One vote in supply was then taken, after which the house
resumed, the chairman reported progress, and obtained leave
to sit again on Monday.