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

HERBERT-MOND

MR. SYDNEY

'3 DEBATE

`• Like many others he had a great change of opinion to
announce with regard to this measure (hear, hear, and a
laugh). He did not stand on consistency as to smaller
matters, and he frankly avowed that he thought the law
of 1842 had failed (loud cheers from the opposition
benches.) He repeated he admitted frankly that the law
of 1842, the first time it was tested by adverse circum-
stances, failed—failed it might be by a combination of
circumstances which they had not foreseen in estimating
the ordinary alterations of the harvests, but not the less
signally failed (hear). * * * Reflecting then on the
circumstances which had occurred previous to the break-
ing up of the administration of his right honourable
friend, seeing that the law of 1842 had failed in its purpose
—that food was deficient in quantity and inferior in qua-
lity—that the disease which was doing so much injury
here was not peculiar to our own country, but was com-
mon to the whole of Europe—perceiving that, in conse-
quence of the deficiency, nearly all other countries had
opened their ports—that those countries from whom we
usually obtained corn, Northern Russia, Turkey, and
Egypt, had closed their ports against exportation, and
that Belgium, Holland, and other countries had opened
their ports—finding that our usual sources of supply had
been checked, and that other countries, which often sup-
plied us, had become competitors with us in the purchase
of corn—having regard to these circumstances, and taking
all things into consideration, he did agree with others of
her Majesty's government in thinking that the time had
come when it was necessary that some steps should be
taken to relieve the difficulty in which it was likely the
country would ere long find itself (cheers.)" * * * *
After entering into some statistical det

ails as to the prices
which

he con-

and probable quantity of corn in foreign countrie
could be made available for our supply, which,
tended, wert such as to ensure a high price in this coun-
try for three years to come, the hon. gentleman pro-
ceeded:—" He saw, too, a great change in public opinion
(hear, hear). He saw, also, a very great change of opi-
nion in theiminds of the agriculturalists themselves (hear,
hear). He found amongst the tenant farmers a very
great inclination to say, as they had said to him fre-
quently in strong language " this is a landlord's question "
(hear). These opinions are prevalent among the tenants
of large plots of land in his county—men of intelligence,
capacity, and experience; and, with these opinions, it was
impossible for any length of time to maintain a system,
the soundness of which was thus questioned by those
who were said to be most interested in it. They said it
brought great odium and little profit; that it led to very
great doubts, that it depended upon parliamentary majo-
rities, and upon different administrations ; and that they
would prefer to trust to their own capital, skill, and in-
dustry. They would then have nothing to complain of ;
but at present they were in a perpetual state of uncer-
tainty. As to the labourers, he asked every one con-
nected with the agricultural counties, whether they were
in a proper condition ? * * * "He lived in a part of

Wilfshire where the evil of low wages and small employ-
ment was rife, in the midst of a population which sub-
sisted, he scarcely knew how. And this was a question
which had disturbed more men's minds than his who
lived in that county (hear). Honourable gentlemen bad
been at great pains to investigate this subject ; but say
what they would he defied them to say with truth that
their condition could be worse (hear).

SIR JAMES GRAHAM-TUESDAYS DEBATE

" The question has been asked, Have ;;;;;;;' reason
since 1842 for changing your opinion ?" I say that since
1842 those who were charged with the administration of
affairs, and who had watched the various circumstances
which have occurred, have had experience, not to be mis-
taken, leading to conclusive consequences. We had, first
of all, the painful and lamentable experience of 1842 itself,
a year of the greatest distress, and since it has passed, I
may say, of the utmost danger. (Hear, hear.) What were
the circumstances of 1842? Allow me just to glance at
them. We had in this metropolis, at midnight, Chartist
meetings, assembled in Lincoln's-inn-fields. Almost for
nearly three weeks there were assembled in all the envi-
tirotoyntpohseneofsueotn.huiis metropolis immense masses of people, greatly
discontented, and acting in a spirit dangerous to the pub-
lic ac
rnctMee
r'hor
uaf
pt
the t wased t
latherbaonuq rcondition
ol t
y w ahn
iodc f h L
lathe abno cuy a r s
d?h
ei
pr ees,nuthed seat
of our great staple manufacture, depending for its prosper-
n
the madness of the people on that occasion, that a great
combination existed to stop machinery, and to put an end
subisstnence."
The Home Secretary, goes on to contend that with low
prices and abundance, this spirit of insubordination has
entirely passed away, and advances statistical facts from
the Home-office proving his position. With the recent
rise in the price of provisions, however, he sees its ap-
proaching return ; and this is one of his reasons for advo-
cating a settlement of the Corn-law question and the
abandonment of the sliding scale principle, which he con-
tends has totally failed, both as to its expected operation
to protect the agriculturist, and to benefit the labouring
classes. He next remarks upon the changed feeling of
these classes themselves ; and concludes, whilst urging the
necessity, on every ground, of a final settlement of the
question, by an attempt to throw dust in the eyes of the
manufacturing operatives, as to the certainty of a repeal of
the Corn-laws rendering unnecessary any legislation for the
restriction of their hours of labour, and the following sop
addressed to the landlords and eulogistic of his own dis-
interestedness.

As to the agricultural interest—the interest with
which I am myself connected—l would say, let us have
certainty with-reference to the value of our land. That
certainty you will have as far as it can possibly be given
from a change in the law. But in addition to certainty you
sill have peaceful enjoyment. You will have that peaceful
enjoyment without exciting the jealousy of your poorer
neighbour. And Ido not think that landlords will have to
make any very great sacrifices; but, entertaining the opi-
nions which I do, founded on the experience I now possess,
I say, were the sacrifice ten times greater, I for one, sooner
than it should be said of myself, or any of the class to
which I belong, that our object was to secure for ourselves
an increase of rent, and not to promote the welfare and
happiness of the great body of the community—sooner
than leave any room for such a suspicion, I should say,
speaking for myself, that I would descend to a lower es-
tate, and abrof ate my inheritance. (Cheers.) It is said
a great party has been dissolved. It is said old political
ties have been severed. It is said that social relations
have been disturbed. It is anticipated, and it is probable,
that an administration may be dissolved. (Cheers.) And
though I should regret the former part of those conse-
quences, on my conscience I believe this proposition will
save a great and powerful nation from anarchy, misery,
and ruin. (The right hon. gentleman resumed his seat
amidst great cheering.)

MELANCHOLY OCCURRENCE.—On Wednesday, an old
woman named Burns, living at Preston, beckoned a
neighbour into her house, and giving to her a baby, (the
old woman's grandchild,) exclaimed, "Look, here is the
child burnt, and I shall have to go to the madhouse," and
immediately ran out and disappeared. The neighbours
gave the alarm, and the child was found lying down by the

tire, its clothes b

aite insensible, a

it was either e

or, if alive,

was made for the grandmother, hut up to the inquest, she
had not been heard of, and it is supposed the accident had
such an effect upon her mind as to cause her to make
away with herself. Verdict—" Found mortally burnt in a
dwelling-house alone, but how or by what means she be-
came so burnt, no evidence appeared,''

BILLIARDS.—TWO of " bunbibbin's " slate-bedded
tables, for playing the gArie of billiards, have been added
by I\lr. Whiteman to his establishment, the Brunswick
Hotel. They will be a great acquisition to those fond of
the amusement.—See adv.

PIRACY.-1t is well known that Messrs. Rowland and
Son have, by a series of labours and highly-successful ex-
periments, succeeded in preparing for the Toilet, articles
which have obtained a universal reputation all over the
world. Some vile and unprincipled imitators, destitute
alike of Honour and talent, have conceived the nefarious
idea of fabricating articles, so closely resembling in ap-
pearance those of Messrs. ROWLAND as to require a
somewhat careful observation to detect the difference. The
objects consist of pernicious and injurious compounds,
which are offered to the public under the name of MA•
CASSAR OIL for the HAIR, or KALYDOR for the Cog-
PLEXION articles which, as prepared by Messrs. Row-
LAND, are universally preferred and esteemed. The only
mode for the purchaser to avoid the imposition, and escape
the baneful effects which the vile counterfeits will infalli-
bly produce, is to inspect, with great care, the bottles and
labels, and to ascertain that they bear the actual signature
of Messrs. ROWLAND and SONS. No others are genuine.
—See advt.