The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1844-03-26 00:00:00

finperiai parilamtnt.

HOUSE OF LORDS, MONDAY.
The Bishop of BANGOR presented various petitions
against the union of the see of Bangor with St. Asaph.
Lord DENMAN called attention to the recent capital
conviction in Louisiana, At the time that conviction
took place he believed the general impression, not in
England alone, but elsewhere, was that the sentence of
death recorded against the individual in question for aiding
the escape of a slave, would not be carried into effect. He
regretted, however, to find from the public prints that
sentence was to be carried into execution on the 25th
April next. Louisiana was, under Mr. Livingston.s
advice,
the first of the States to ameliorate its code of
laws, and he sincerely trusted that, in the present case,
such a severe sentence, would not be inflicted for such a
teic;mearativelv venial offence True, he had been told
by agitating the question. in this country, he might
Probably render the fate of the accused party more certain.
He Was of opinion that this would not be the case ; at all
events, he had snatched a few hours from the business of
the circuit, in order, if possible, he might be the means of
assisting in averting the sentence.
_ The Earl of Ittrox moved the second reading of the
Three-anda-Half per Cent. Annuities Bill.
Lord BROUGHAM said it was gratifying to find that the
satisfactory state of the finances of this country arose
mainly from the fact, that faith had been religiously kept
with the public creditor.
Lord NIONTEAGLE said a few words in favour of the
measure, and especially he was happy in being able to ex-
press his conviction, that among a number of £lO an-
nuities, amounting to upwards of 80,000 persons, not the
slightest alarm existed. He deplored that any country
should not maintain public faith—most of all did he de-
plore that the country so breaking public faith was so
nearly allied to ourselves (hear.)
After a few words from the Earl of RIPON and Lord
MON. TEAGLY. in explanation, the bill was read a second
time, and committed. Ordered to be read a third time
to-morrow.
Tne
Consolidated Fund Bill (£8,000,000) passed
th
Ero u arfhrtine same stages.
prayinrationg t hTaz WILLIAM presented a petition from Glasgow,
ide
t the state of Ireland might be taken into con-
The petition was laid upon the table.
Their lordships then adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—MONDAY.
The debate on Lord Ashley's amendment to the second
clause of the Factories Bill was resumed.
Mr. WARBURTON contended, that a legislated attempt
to shorten labour was an interference with the freedom of
capital so essential to commercial transactions, and must
lead to the reduction of wages. It would, in his opinion,
be far better to open our ports, and by free trade and com-
merce provide a remedy for the evils of our social conditi-
on much more rational and beneficial than any bill such
as that of the noble lord.
Mr. BECKETT was of opinion that the proposition of
Lord Ashley, while avoiding all unnecessary interference
with the rights of industry, was calculated to obviate
many of the evils to which the operatives in factories were
!Illosed; but though opposed to imposing twelve hours'
tabour on the factory population, he
the was not prepared for
immediate adoption of a ten-hours' bill. The object
'h°nlcl. be approached gradually, and he therefore propos-
d the adoption of an eleven-hours' bill, as the first step
towards its attainment.
Sir G. GREY felt all the difficulties of the case—on the
one hand, the difficulty of interfering with the rights of
tiaoop nt: ttailtuatnidolilaour ; and on the other, the ft that lve
hors' labourb w
for omen and children was adverse toe the
cosnriicjinatgiOpnri
of the human frame. He should therefore
consifdeor Lord Ashley's amendment, leaving it to future
tnocidpeiveiss.e some means for reconciling these
doner JAmEs GRAHAM gave a sketch of all that had been
nian in
the "3' of factory legislation, and entered into
ten Y details in order to prove that the.difference between
twelve hours' labour would create a diminution,
if the
esformer were adopted, of twenty-five per cent. in
lengeBAs a mere matter of feeling, he would go the whole
lfgeeinsafgattil;e with Lord Ashley in wishing that henceforth no
ia
!night enter a factory, but it was impossible to le-
wholeon feeling ; and in the highly artcial state of our
sYatem, resembling a house of cards, not to be
,taotiched without destruction to the fabric, any extensive
Peting with established usages might be attended with
nen Maerous consequences.
:Mr. LABROUCHERE opposed the amendment, on the
firntind that the limitation of labour to ten hours would
chiefly affect those manufactures of which our export
trade chiefly consisted, and which could not be tampered
with without the greatest danger.
b 1 r• r• FIELDEN also supported the amendment, and
17) even have preferred an eight hours' to a ten hours'

Sir R. PEEL said that the proposition of LorddAshrley
went to limit nominally the labour of women and children
eonf
to ten hours, but its effect would be to
limit
t
l children, and it
Male adults as well as that of women ao
would therefore become so very injurious tothembeaneuofeacld-
turing and labouring part of the population that
tot support it, although aware that many of the adherents
of the Government had come to a conclusion upon the
subject different toe manufactories
own.
The reduction of the work-
ingth hours of all ctories in the kingdom to the
extent of seven weeks in the year, would tend to raise the
prices of the manufactured article, and thus give an addi-
tional advantage to the foreign manufacturer. It was im-
possible to consider it altogether as a question of human-
ity—it was impossible to shut out the commercial view of
the matter; and in this view, however injurious it might
be to females and children to work more than ten hours a
day, it would be still more injurious to have no work to
do at all, if our rivals were enabled to undersell us in
foreign markets. Believing that the proposal of the
Government, was all that could be safely attempted, con-
sistently with the publie interest, be could not acquiesce
in the amendment of his noble friend.
vvorki Lord j RUSSELL denied that the limitation of the
lead °‘lraof women and children would necessarily
to ritn,„
but even iittlog the hours of adult male labourers also ;
argument for
sac the case, it would not be a tenable
e erPosed-r the rifice of those who were too young to
effect of
the
to
orebi:ani Such continuous labour. He believed the
that mi e aulendment would tend to reduce wages, but
got be remedied by a more free admission of fo-
PeoPiecZn• The great evil of this country was, that the
b ere exposed to an excess of toil, and were able to
correctsan insufficiency of food, and this evil might be
After ban an alteration of the corn law.
and r some farther discussion, Lord ASHLEY replied,
11,,, said he had no objection to adopt the suggestion of
4r: Beckett, of resorting to eleven hours a day for the
first and en hours afterwards.
oe committee then divided, and Lord Ashley's amend-
Luept was carried by a majority of 179 to 170.
el:, second division took place while reporters were ex-
Died from the gallery, affirming the ten hours uncondi-
"T,liallY bY a majority of 161 to 153.
JA
Es - E GRAHAM then said, that on the Bth clause
,o "tatnittee would have an opportunity of reconsider-
their decision, and untill that clause was decided upon
jourilnea:u persevere with the bill, and the house after ad-

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—TUESDAY.
13
eLord ASHLEY stated that on Friday his object would
should commence from next October • that the hours of
labour should be restricted to eleven 'hours per diem for
two Years from that period, and subsequently to ten hours
Per diem, thus affording ample time for preparation.
Sir J. GRAHAM intimated a persevering opposition on
the part of Government.
Sir R. PEEL, in reply to a question from Captain Rous,
said he knew of no ground for the rumour that it was the
Intention of her Majesty to pay a visit to the King of
Prussia at Berlin.
Mr. RICARDO moved an address to the Crown, pray-
ing that directions might be given to its ministers not to
enter into any negociations with foreign powers, making
contemplated alterations in the tariff of the United King-
dom contingent on the alterations of the tariffs of other
countries;a and expressive of the opinion of the house
choutrstehe,o great object of relieving the commercial inter-
injurious trweseternotthis country and foreign nations from all
ing our own customi lon sdwootiuelsdabs emboeys best promotedm ost s o
suitable
foe gt uoltaht;
financial and commercial interests of this country, with-
out reference to the amount
powers may think it ex h whichen interest to
pieotniordtuteyr: foreign
levy on British goods.
Mr. EWART seconded the motion.
Mr. GLADSTONE opposed the motion, on thoeutriottienndd
that such abstract propositions if conceded to w
to embarrass the Government in its nego
doctrine
cwoith
other countries. He could not agree to the n.
tained in the resolution, for there might be instances in
which a reduction of duties in one country might be
made an inducement to another to make similar reduc-
tions in favour of that from which it was to receive a
Positive benefit. Such a motion could not be acceded to
unless the house made up its mind that all commercial
treaties were utterly useless.
Lord HOWICK supported the motion, contending that
all
commercial restrictions were impolitic, and that we
had,, no occasion to punish ourselves because other na-
tions thought proper to act absurdly. Imports and not
Zoilrts, he contended, were the true measure of a na-
got and
n s Prosperity, which should be estimated by what we
. pot by what we gave, and true policy would there-
Lolre dictate that we should increase our trade and corn-
other countries.
erce by holding
out inducements to import largely from
thatBirJOHN HANNIER opposed the motion, and insisted
it Was most impolitic to undervalue the advantages
of
M commercial treaties.
r- HUME then addressed the house, but while yet
sPeaking it was counted out.

HOUSE OF LORDS.—THURSDAY.
ttsille LORD CHANCELLOR moved the second reading of
Ecclesiastical Courts Bill, stating its provisions, the
lef of which were the union of the Court of Arches and
stet
Prerogative Court, so as to save the expense of one
of df fficers—the amalgamation of the Provincial Courts
of --anterbury and York, and the. abolition of the Courts
reculiars throughout the kingdom. The noble and
'Med lord did not tbink it requisite to abolish the dio-
be...ll courts, although such a course was recommended
by the ecclesiastical commission.
:I"et' several noble lords had spoken both in favor and
pposon to the bill, it was read a second time without a
'vision, and their lordships adjourned.

HOUSE OF COMMONS.—THURSDAY.
thM CRAIG moved that the order made on Friday,
‘u instant,—that it be an instruction to the tee of of Selection to refer the Edinburgh and Glasgow,