The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1846-02-17 00:00:00

HOUSE OF LORDS.-THURSDAY

The Eirl of DALHOUSIE brought up a report from the
select committee on railways, which was laid on the table,
and ordered to be printed. His lordship said the object
of the resolutions contained in the report was to assimi-
late the practice of their lordships' house to that of the
House of Commons. His lordship also intimated that
the competing lines would be grouped together arid pro-
ceeded with as soon as each group should be completed.

In answer to a question by Lord KINNAIIID,
The Earl of DALHOUSIE said that the report of the
gauge commission had been that afternoon placed in his
hands.

Lord MONTEAGLE gave notice, that in the event of
the motion of Lord Beaumont, which stood for Monday
next, for the appointment of a select committee to inquire
into the burdens on real property, being carried, it was
his intention to move the addition of these words:
" and also to inquire and report on the legislative exemp-
tions from the pecuniary liabilities proved by law in re—
spect to the taxation affecting real property."
The Marquis of CLANRICARDE moved for a return of
all murders, or attempts to commit murder, in Ireland
since the year 1842. Crimes, he declared, prevailed to an
extent almost unprecedented ; and he accused the govern-
ment of very great remissness in not having taken earlier
measures to repress the system of combined outrages,
which are now more general than had ever been known,
and given efficient protection to honest men in their ho-
nest canines. He referred to her Majesty's speech as
justifying the expectation that energetic means would be
instantly adopted, and described a number of outrages
which had recently been committed, and which proved
0 was 'et- for the

tatiL ,ere s no longer any sa —.le pro-
perty of the rich or the life of the poor lie exposed the
absurdity of attempting to improve the agriculture of Ire-
land while no man was allowed to pursue the system which
he preferred. It was said that people should not submit
to such intimidation, but the government itself had recom-
mended submission in one remarkable instance, which he
cited.

Lord ST. GERMANS offered no opposition to the mo-
tion, and informed their lordships that such a bill as Lord
Clanricarde bad described would be, submitted to their
consideration on Monday next.
Lord FARNHAM bore testimony to tire firm support he
had received.from Government in one of the most dis-
turbed districts of Ireland; and Lord Grey, while agree-
ing that at whatever cost security of person and property
must be attained, urged that the opportunity should be
taken of considering the state of Ireland generally, and
accompanying any coercive bill that might be necessary
with measures of another kind, and having more compre-
hensive reference to the evils which have so long affected
Ireland.

The motion was agreed to, and their lordships adjourned

HOUSE OF COMMONS.-THURSDAY

The adjourned debate was commenced by
Mr. COLQUitouN, who entered into an-explanation of
his vote in 1838, in support of Mr. Villiers's motion for a
committee to inquire into the propriety of repealing the
Corn-laws. Sir R. Peel had entirely mistaken both his
past and present opinions. He had never entertained the
opinions so consistently entertained by Mr. Villiers; and
he bad never passed from them to the doctrines of high
protection. He had always considered the question of the
Corn-laws a most anxious and perplexing question ; and
in 1841, not being in Parliament, and having mucia leisure
time, he had studied it with all the diligence and impar-
tiality he could command. He had come to the conclu-
sion that protection was necessary for the interests of agri-
culture ; and having come to that conclusion, he had de-
clared himself an advocate for a fixed duty on corn. After
the occurrences of the past six months, it seemed proba-
ble that his notion of a fixed duty, had it been adopted,
would have now been deemed preferable to that of a slid..
ing scale. After applying himself to refute Sir R. Peel's
arguments respecting prices and wages, he proceeded to
comment on the speech delivered by Sir J. Graham on
Tuecday evening. Sir J. Graham had then disposed very
summarily of all his former arguments on this subject;

and had acid tint as he confessed that he had changed his
(opinions, there was an end of his former reasonings. No,
there was not an end of them ; for a statesman who spoke
like Sir James Graham, with eloquence and genius, ought
to recollect that his words were winged shafts which

stuck deeply in men's hearts. They had made many con-
, verts, and had influenced and were influencing thousands
of his fellow-countrymen ; and he (Mr. Colquhoun) was
of opinion that Sir James's explicit recantation of his im-
mortal words would not convince the country that he could
raise wages or exalt the financial condition of the labour-
ing population by his present measures. He was afraid
that those measures would bring on the country evils of a
kind to which its attention ought to be, yet had not been
called. What would be their effects on their colonial in-
terests ? The protection on timber and sugar would not
long survive the protection of corn ; and then the manu-
facturers of England would find themselves no longer in pos-
session of the advantages which they now possessed in the
colonial market. Under such circumstances, what would
be the condition of the country if, in addition to a failing
harvest, it should have to struggle, as in 1840, against a
falling revenue? But what reason was there to induce
the house to give their consent to a commercial code
which even Mr. Villiers could not recommend to his con-
stituents as a perfect code, as it still enforced protection
on silk, on sugar, on timber, on copper, and various other
articles. If, then, protection were left on some fabrics,
why was all protection to be taken from that manufacture
—for corn had been justly called by Lord F.Egerton a ma-
nufacture—which was of all others the most precarious in
its course, and the most uncertain in its returns ? He
regretted that ever since he bad taken his seat on the mi-
nisterial bench agricultural protection had never received
from Sir R. Peel anything like a sincere defence. Last
year Mr. Villiers had called Sir Robert's speech on the
Corn-laws a dexterous evasion of the whole question, and
had warned the country gentlemen that they would soon
be called upon to surrender the protection they enjoyed.
He was sorry to observe that on all the great institutions
of the country Sir R. Peel followed a similar course of
dexterous evasion. He had no antipathy to him, and a
very sincere regard for many of his colleagues; but his
opposition to Sir R. Peel's administration would in future
he openly avowed and steadily adhered to; for as long as
Sir Robert declined discussion on all the great questions
which agitated the minds of Englishmen, so long he should
not promise him any adhesion nor repose in him any con-
fidence.
Mr. HE ATHCOTE did not come forward on this occasion
to attack the consistency of others, but to maintain his
own. He had resisted a measure similar in principle to
the preseT4 when proposed by his own political friends ;
and he felt,bound to offer the same resistance now, when a
measure ten thousand times more mischievous in degree
was proposed by his political opponents. He explained
at some length the reasons why he considered this measure
a rash, ill-timed, and hazardous experiment, and observed
that it was not recommended to his mind by being accom-
panied with changes of opinion hitherto unparalleled in the
annals of political tergiversation. They had turned out a
government for proposing a fixed duty of Bs. a quarter on
corn ; and they were now themselves proposing a fixed
duty of 4s. a quarter, to expire at the end of three years.
Tne compensation which they proposed for the injury
which they were thus going to inflict on the agricultural
interest was utterly inadequite and disproportionate.
Monarchial Europe and Republic America had both their
corn laws. Why was England to deprive itself of a simi-
lar code? Holland had once made the experiment of ab-
rogating such laws; but the experiment had altogether
frti!ed. and Holland, like ourselves, had now the benefit of

a sliding scale.
Mr. W. C. MARTIN contrived to eat up his former
professions in favour of protection, and then declared
himself an emancipated free trader.
Mr. T. BARING indignantly repelled the hollow cant
made use of by Sir J. Graham respecting the starving
people of Ireland, and boldly expressed his belief that
the greatest want under which the country laboured at
present was the want of ministers, and the most appalling
scarcity was that of statesmen, who would consent to sit
together in the same cabinet. Neither in the effects of
our previous relaxation of protective duties nor in the
present circumstances of the country, could he see any
justification of the sweeping change now proposed.
Lord MORPETH next addressed the house in favour of
the government propositions, as also did Mr. ROEBUCK.
Mr. GASKELL spoke eloquently in favour of the amend-
ment, and the debate was adjourned.
HOUSE OF COMMONS.—FRIDAY.
Several members addressed the house on the govern-
ment commercial scheme, pro and con., and amongst the
rest Sir Howard Douglas, whose admirable speech we
give elsewhere. The debate was again adjourned to Mon-
day.

FOREIGN AND COLONIAL

UNITED STATES

The mail steamer Hibernia, Cadtain Rvrie. arrived at
this port on Saturday evening, bringing New York Rapers
to the 31st ult.—thirteen days later than the previous
advices.

The proposition in the London Times for the settle-
ment of the Oregon question had attracted some atten-
tion—viz., to take the 49th degree of North latitude as
f-,r as the sea as the boundary line, reserving to Great
Britain Vancouver's Island, the harbour of St. Juan de
Fuca, and the free navigation of the Columbia. The
Washington Union, the organ of the government, has
spoken of this offer in a spirit of peace. The question is
now so much narrowed that (says the Herald.) it is next
to impossible that war can grow out of the negotiations,
unless the negotiators go mad. The movements in Con-
gress are, so far, conciliatory and peaceable. No vote
has been taken of a warlike nature, and Mr. Calhoun and
Mr. Benton have indicated by their speeches that they
anticipate no rupture. Even General Cass, though he
thinks the news from England would not justify an inter-
mission in preparation for defence, has bated down the
offensive meaning that had been attached to Mr. Polk's
anti-colonisation doctrines. It is yet questionable whe-
ther the tariff of 1844 will be disturbed. The subtreasury
bill has a better chance of succeeding, though commercial
men consider it will be injurious to the trade of the
country. The effect of the news from England, being
more pacific than was expected, had had a highly favour-
able effect. News had been received from Mexico of

another revolution, and that country was in a most un-
settled state. The new party, headed by General Paredes,
is understood to be hostile to the United States.

The Money market continued tight. Though the war
panic had subsided, the banks, in order to present as
strong a position as possible in their quarterly statements,
had curtailed their discounts, and money was consequently
scarce.

In the Senate the proceedings bad been somewhat in-
teresting, though not tending to any specific result. To
the resolution offered by Mr. Crittenden, to the effect
that no notice should be given to the British Government
relative to the Oregon territory till after the present
session of Coi.gress, in order that time may he afforded
for amicable settlement, which was
„generally considered
asinviting conciliation and compromise, Mr. Magnum
gave notice of an amendment, to the effect that the said
notice, when given, be accompanied by a proposition from
the United States Government to submit the dispute to
the arbitration of competent persons, whose decision shall
be binding. The amendment was ordered to be printed.
A notice by Mr. Alien on the 20th ult., for leave to in-
troduce a resolution declaratory of the principle by which
the United States will be governed in regard to the inter-
ference of foreign powers with the independent govern-
ments of America, was laid on the table, by a vote of 28
to 23. Mr. Allen brought the subject forward again on
the 26th, when a warm discussion ensued, in the course
of which General Cash made another of his flourishing
war speeches, and Mr. Allen attacked Mr. Calhoun, who
replied temperately, showing the effect which such a de-
claration, uncalled for at the present time, would have on
the European powers, with whcm it was, in consideration
of their position with respect to England, important to
cultivate friendly relations. The resolutions were ulti-
mately admitted by a majority of twenty-six to twenty.
one, and were referred to the Committee on Foreign
Relations. It is believed that the committee will return
them, and that they will be laid on the table, on the
ground, as a writer in one of the papers shrewdly observes,
that the United States are not in a position at thisjunc-
ture to declare war against all the nations of Europe.
On the 21st, a bill, introduced by Mr. Fairfield, to aug-
ment the navy by appropriating 5,625,000 dollars to tee
building of ten war steamers, and for other purposes, was
brought forward. It was rejected as a war measure, but
again brought up on the 27th, and discussed with anima-
tion. According to a statement from the navy department
it appeared that the United States had only two sea-going

Mr. Benton opposed the bill vehemently. lie said there
was every indication of peace; but Mr. Dickinson, of
New York, while he admitted that the late intelligence
was pacific, advocated the bill as a peace measure. The
question was resumed on the 28th, and was contested with
still more vehemence, the war party still insisting en the
necessity of the addition from the immediate prospect of
contest.

The subject of the negotiations with England relative
to the Oregon territory was before the House on the 26th,
but without result. Mr Speight (" the tallest man in
Congress ") made a sensible speech in favour of peace
and economy, and declared that the failure of Lord John
Russell to form a Cabinet, on the express ground that
Lord Palmerston, who was hostile to America, was ob-
noxious to Lord Grey, was news which it made his heart
glad to hear. This single fact regarding the attempted
change in the Cabinet, he said, was conclusive of peace.
In the House of Representatives the question of the
notice to England on the Oregon territ,ry had been dis-
cussed in a desultory manner, as though irs interest had
subsided. A motion that the Oregon resolution be taken
out of committee on the 7th February. was lost by 84 to
52, as it required a vote of two-thirds. Mr. 110 l • es, in
a long and able speech, contended, from a variety of data,
that the United States had no claim to the Oregon which
was not equally held by this country.
A writer in one of the papers, of the 31st, in concluding
a review of the state of parties in Congress, says, " The
probable prospect of the present state of things at M'a h-
ington is highly favourable to a peaceable termination of
our difficulties with England, of the success of liberal
principles in commerce and currency, and the probable
triumph of the measures brought forward by Mr. Polk."
Rumours were prevalent that Mr. Buchanan, secretary
of state, has resigned, and that theseals would be resumed
by Mr. Colhoun.
The weather had been very severe. At Utica on the
20th, the thermometer stood at 20, 23, and 2-1 degrees
below zero.

- - -
The advices from Canada are to the 27th ult. Contracts
for the erection of fortifications at Kingston have been
declared. The works will cost £60,000. The papers state
that despatchethad been received announcing the appoint-
ment of Lord Cathcart as Governor-c

The express from the government of the U;Merl States,

bearin

when Presid

issued a procia-

mation convening the legislature of the state to meet at
Austin, on the th instant, to organise a state govern-
_ .

The news from Mexico is to 3d January, three days

later than that brought by the West India Mail. It fully
confirms the intelligence of the new revolution, under
Paredes. That revolution was complete. Paredes had
entered the city of Mexico, and was forming his Ministry
or Cabinet. There were reports that Mr. Slidell, the new
American Minitter, had been murdered by a Mexican
bandit, but they are disbelieved.