The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1845-02-11 00:00:00

them t,

quoted'the•Charitable Bequests Bill as a proof of that po-
sition, and imputed the unpopularity of its reception in
Ireland to the want of confidence in the sincerity of the
party which proffered it felt by the population of that
country. That party had inflan.ed religious prejudices
for years; and now, when its leaders adapted a better
policy, could they wonder that the agitators should throw
back upon them the phrases of " surpliced ruffians" and

" demon priesthood," which they themselves once used?
Such was the retribution which always fell on men who,
instead of appealing to sound opinion, appealed to popular
prejudice, and founded their power on deluding their
countrymen. He expressed great satisfaction in seeing
that the government were now adopting several measures
which they had condemned when proposed by their prede-
cessors. He rejoiced in the present gratifying state of
commercial and manufacturing industry, but reminded
the house that the prosperity of 1836 had been followed by
the distress of 1838, 1839, 1840. We Might prevent such
vicissitudes in future, not by interfering with the dispen-
sations of providence, but by enabling the manufacturers
of this country to exchange their produce for the prodnc-
tions of other nations. He implored the house to endea-
vour to ward off the mischief which other deficient har-
vests might bring upon us, by giving a freer inlet to the
productions of other countries. He was convinced that
protection was not the support, but the bane of agricul-
ture. That the present duties on foreign corn should be
diminished, he had no doubt, neither had the government.
He, therefore, insisted that they ought to reduce them,—
he would not now say to what amount,—whilst we were
as now in a state of calm, and not haAily under popular
uproar, when it would be said that we could not refuse
what we appeared to grant.
Mr. MILES wished to know why Lord John had pro-
posed a fixed duty, if he was so convinced that pro-
tection was the bane of agriculture? Had his lordship
found it convenient to make a compact alliance with the
Corn Law League? If the income-tax were continued,
be should claim that in the reduction of taxation the agri-
cultural interest should not be forgotten.
Mr. GLADSTONE entered into an explanation of the
reasons which bad induced him to retire from the Go-
vernment of which he had been a member. After thank-
ing Lord John Russell for the very kind terms in which
he had spoken of his services, he observed that in the
statement which he was about to make, he had no blame
to cast upon any of his colleagues for any dereliction of
their principles or their professions. His statement,
therefore, would not be a 'controversial statement or a
justification of his conduct, but a were explanation of
circumstances which if misstated or misconceived might
lead to mischievous mistakes. He had not resigned on
account of arty matt x connected with that department of
the Government with wt ich his services had long been
connected. He had not rt signed on account of any tiff-

lerence in opinion on the intentions. as far as he knew of
them, of his late colleagues towards the Church either of
England or Ireland. He had stated to the world formerly,
not in haste, but with great deliberation, the relations
which a Christian State ought to have with res
ligion. He had a strong impression that thos

!ct to r
who h;

important principles ;hould not be parties to propose ma-
terial departures from them. At the close of llst ses-
sion Sr H. Peel mentioned his intention to inquire into

he state of education in

the spit it with

which that education was conducted. He was not in pos-
session of the measures which the Government were
about to bring forward ; and as to Maynooth College, he
knew of nothing which they ware about to do that might
not be safely inferred from what they had• done. At the
same time he must say that the views which her Nl”jesty's
Government took on that subject differed from those

which he thought ought to be taken on such a question

spirit of that which he

had deliberately recorritnenc

fig uniform conviction was, that though he was not to
fetter his judgment by reference to abstract theory, yet
that it was due to the pubic to place himself in a position

an unsuspec

had, I hen-fiir

;ed judgmen