The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1835-02-27 00:00:00

went was dismissed, and the adininis'•ation which now ruled was
put into its place. That iuquiry would doubtless, however, be
made by ether hon. gentlemen. (Cheers from the opposition.)
It was right such an inquiry should be made, for the exercise of
so high a prerogative could never be matter of indifference; he,
however, had not made it, seeing that the change omits very
face could not be attributed to intrigue. (Hear, hear.) It,
then, on these general grounds, he was induced to take upuu
himself his present task, painful as it personally was, the terms
of the speech from the throne confirmed him in the propriety of
the course which he followed. As one who, for a tune at least,
had been connected with the government of Earl Grey,. and as
one who felt conscious that he never deserted the principles
which had led to that junction, he had looked to his majesty'sl
speech to see whether those principles weie endangered by the
professions of the present administration. The great principles
of the government of Earl Grey were peace, economy, and re-
form. (Hear, hear.) With regard to peace, so far from its
being endangered by the present government, it was apparent
that toil country was now on an equally friendly fooling with
some states as when Earl Grey was in power, whilst it was on
a more friendly footing with other states, (" Hear,' hear," from
the oppos.eion benches ; ) and whilst the connexion of this
country had been ripened and strengthened with the free go-
vernments of Europe, other powerful states, not baying the
blessings of a free government, manifested such confidence in
the maintenance of peace that no less than two of them were
now disarming. (Cheers from the opposition.) He understood
the cheers opposite to mean that it was nothing for this country
to possess the confidence of the powerful states of Europe. This
was a new doctrine—certainly not the doctrineoif the Whigs of
old—not the doctrine of Mr. Fox, who expressly repudiated it,
as unworthy the consideration of a British minister, and held
that the interests of Britain should alone be consulted. (Hear,
hear.) With regard to the principle of economy, perhaips the
11 name of the Duke of Wellington and his connexion wlth the
present government might be a sufficient guarantee for its being
folly carried into effect, especially as his exertions in the cause
Hof economical reform had been the subject of many eulogies
upon-him by his successors isroofficea but the fact 'announced in
.the speech from the throneobat the estimates for the present
year would be much lower Iran in any recent year, led to uo
hypothesis, but declared a fact which he trusted would be most
satisfactory, even to the hon. member for Middlesex.
.He (Lord
Sandon) hoped, with this state of the public revenue, and after
the charge which the great act of national humanity, the aboli-
tion ef.negro slavery incurred, had been defrayed, to see the'
country relieved front sonic of the burdens which still pressed
Anion its industry; and, although connected with a commercial
rather than an agricultural constituency, he should hope to wit-
ness Some relief afforded to the latter interest, with the prosperity
of whit h all other interests in the country were deeply involved.
The third great principle for which be had looked in the speech
from the throne was, perhaps, nay, no doubt, the greatest and
most important of' all—he meant reform. (Hear, hear.) .Earl
grey, in parliamentary reform, bad made larger concessions
then he himself had ever contemplated, Or than any reformer
atititipat ed. He had gone thus tar avowedly for the purpose of
;soil* no further; his government had asserted the same prin-
ciples) and he (Lord Sandon) must do them the creditof saying
that they had resisted the numerous attempts at further change
in the system of representation which from time, to trine had
been pressed upon them by hon. gentlemen now sittingnn the
other side of the house. Therefore it was that he (Lord San-
don) might appeal to those who ha.' supported Earl Grey's ad-
ministration whether or not any further change was to be ex-
pected from the present administration, in respect to parlia-
mentary reform, and whether the reform bill which Earl Grey
carried into effect was in any way endangered by the govern-
ment now in power. (Hear, hear.) He presutued that cheer
as acquiescing in that view. (Cries of No, no," from the
opposition benches.) He did not expect that in an assemblage
professing the principle of common sense, (laughter,) it would
be asserted that the measure of reform would be endangered by
the present administration; he had thought that hon. gentle-
men would have left such sentiments behind them in their elec-
tion taverns, and on the hustings, for in that place the assertion,
if ventured, would be repudiated. (" Hear," and laughter.)
He knew that it had been said that if the present administra-
tion did not, now that they were restored to power, attempt to
repeal a measure which out of power they had opposed as fatal
to the interests of the country, they would tamper with and-sa-
crifice their principles. In that house, however, he did not
think that this doctrine would be attempted to be maintained.
He had never, after the passing of the measure of catholic
emancipation—a measure of vast importance, altering in 'some
degree the constitution itself—l. yard it asserted that a man was
traitor tq his principles because in office he had not attempted
to repeal a bill which out of office he had opposed. If, then, in
the way of parliamentary reform no difference could be dis-
covered between the present government, and that of Earl Grey
(laughter from the opposition benches)—for, practically, Earl
Grey would give no more, and the present government would
take none away,—the fruits of that measure still remained to
be gathered, mid it would be seen it was not intended to be left
a mere idle statute. ;Perhaps one of the subjects which had
most attracted the public attention was that of a reform in the
muuicipal corporations of the country. (Hear, hear.) :There
was ou doubt but that in these corporations much amendment
was required, and many abuses called fin- correction, and espe-
cially with reference to the management of their funds; but
the subject was one upon which Earl Grey thought it necessary
to institute the fullest and most ample inquiries, and a commis-
sion was issued for the purpose. It the report of the commis-
sioners had been delayed too long, it. was the fault of the COM.
misioners, and not of the government, and it could not be
expected of the present administration that they should propose
a scheme of municipal reform befOre that report was made
known. When it was furnished, he had the fullest confidence
that the present government would not be slow in giving it the
fullest consideration, and in carrying it into complete eact.
With reference to the grievances of the dissenters, perhaps the
question second in importance in the amount of public atten-
tion attracted to it, he did not conceive that much difference
existed as to practical grievances between the present adminis-
tration and that of Earl Grey. The three leading grounds of
complaint were with reference to the celebration of their mar-
riages, a registration of births, and the liability to chinch-rates;
and though Earl Grey's government did introduce a measure
referring to these subjects, it was not. opposed by the present
administration ; or,' if opposed at all, it was so 'merely on points
of detail.. On the subject of church rates he (Lord Sandon)
found from the language addressed by, the right hon. baronet
now at the head of the government to his constituents, and from
the course pursued by hinr last session, when in oppoaition,
that the only difficulty was in thedetails ofthe plan propounded.
The church-rate was one.of those burdens which pressetrupon
the land, and as the removal of local burdens was pointedly
alluded to in the speech from the throne,it might be that church-
rates were included amongst them. As to the non-admission of
dissenters to the universities, it was not complained of as a real
grievance, but, in fact, many of the objects for which the re-
striction had been sought t,") he removed had already been at-
tained and others he hoped to see effected. It also appeared.
froth his Majesty's speech that the course of amendment in the
legal institutions of the country which the right hon. baronet
had himself begun, and which had elicited for him such high
eulogiums from the other side of the house, were to be continued
in respect to civil jurisprudence and in the ecclesiastical courts.
The important question of Irish tithes, which had occupied the
attention of every government for a long period, had not escaped
the consideration of his Majesty's present ministers, who had
declared their intention to produce some scheme for the final
and satisfactory settlement and termination of that subject.
When in opposition, the present government bad warmly co-
operated with that of Earl Grey in the measures propounded
with that object by the noble earl's government, and be (Lord
Sandon) did not doubt they would carry out to the fullest ex-
tent that object. II ear.) If he remembered right the measure
which had been introduced by his noble friend (Lord Stan-
ley) when secretary for Ireland, had received the support
of the right hon. uaropet at the head of the government;
but undolibtedly he had opposed the bill as altered by the
honourati/e'andlearned member for Dublin, which gave such
an iuordinate advantage to the landlords. On the subject of
tithes he was aware a great difference of opinion existed. Into
it he should not now enter; but he must observe, that the sub-
ject was not fairly treated, because, after the feelings of the
'house were shockd by the recital of the miserable calamities;
which arose from the present system of collecting tithes, the de-
mand was made for their total abolition as th only remedy.
The house and the country Ware also told that another great evil
was the present system of the Irish church establishment, The
late government disclaimed the intention of giving one shilling
of the church revenues to the catholic clergy, but insisted that,
having once stripped the tithe system of all its odium.'and sub-
stituted a rent charge or land-tax for tithes, thereby preventing
collision with the people, the scheme was to get rid of a 'certain
number of protestant clergymen from the catholic districts. He
was aware that this could not be done without a great shock to
public feeling, and without affording a triumph to one party in
Ireland, and being a cause of irritation to the other, and this,
too, without the positive advantage of relieving the poor pea-
santry of their ecclesiastical burdens, or making the priesthood
independent. The speech from the throne announced it to be
in the contemplation of the government to submit a measure for
the corrimutation of tithes,—a question of vast importance to
the agriculturists in this country; but the reform which the go-
verninent propounded as the most important, extensive, bene-
cial, and dearest to the hearts of every maxi, was the reform in
the English church. He could not think this measure came ill
from the present government, who had distributed an increase
of £300,00U anuually amongst the working clergy. lie most
heartily concurred in the object they had in view in this respect:
it was in accordance With his own feelings, and one upon wind'
he entertained the greatest anxiety. He was glad to find that
his majesty had given directions dolt proper provision should be
made for the better-accommodation of the poorer classes in the
churches of the establishment both in England and Scotland.
He was also glad that they had not forgotten the acconsmodation
of the poorer classes in the chuyches of the sister country; for
thciy suffered there mull more than they did in England from
want' f accommodation. Ile felt that tlns was the proper plaice
in which to make provision for such accommodation. He felt
that it was the common cause of all classes of the community,
that the principle should he laid down in that house to be
dis-
cussed, Whether it was or was not the duty of the state to pro-
vide for the religious instruction of the people. (Cheers from
the ministerial echoed back from the opposition benches.)
He found that the feeling against a church establishment was
directed its much against the poor, and unassuming, and eqiially-
distributed church of ScOtland, as against the wealthy and un-
equally distributed church of England. (Hear, hear.) Ile
knew that these were reforms which were not of a nature ty
touch the feelings generally. lie knew that they would not
secure the support or the hon, and learned member for Dublin
and his friends. lie was afraid that there were also some mem-
bers of our own country whose feelings would not be affected
by them: but he was confident that these were reforms which
did touch the feelings of the great majority of the people of
London. (Great cheering from the ministerial, and some
laughter from the oppositiiin benches.) "It 18 not in vain,"
continued the noble lord, " that we arc come here fresh from
the elections. (' Hear,' and, a laugh.) It is not in vain that
we are come here fresh frum large classes of our constituents
(hear, hear), fer it gives us an opportunity of knowing the real
feelings or the people. (Immense cheering from the opposi-
tion.) Yes, it gives us an opportunity of knowing the real
feelings of the people. (Cheeps from the ministerial echoed
hack from the opposition benches.) The return of one who,
like myself, represents one of the largest and wealthiest con-
stituencies in time country, and whose bald and open avowal of
attachment to the church, and to friendly reforms in the church,
has been his passport to the hearts of his constituents, con-
vinces me that these reforms will secure to the' church the
cordial support awl affection of the country." (Cheers.) The
noble lord then piticeeded to Observe that he had now touched
on all the leading subjects connected with the address which
the house had just heard from the throne. He thought that he
had touched upon all those topics which at present occupied
public, attention, and they were all fully noticed in the speech,
with the exception of the Irish church ouestion. on which the
present government would go on with wholesome, temperate,
constitutional, but not speculati se reforms; he found with plea.
sure that the speech from the throne fully confirmed him in that
assurance. Ile found that the reforms which ministers pro-
pesed a ,ire such as would procure them the support not only of
their friends, but also of every honest and impartial man in
the country. He could not for his own part see how those
gentlemen who formed part of the administration of Earl
Grey, or how those gentlemen who supported it, could object
to give to the present government a fair trial. (Loud laughter
from the opposition.) He was not now speaking of Lord Mel-
bourne's administration, but of Earl Grey's, to which he be-
lieved the people were attached. To Lord Melbourne's ad-
ministration they were not. attached. (Cheers and laughter.)-