The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1842-07-15 00:00:00

finperial Varliainent.

HOUSE 01' LORDS.—MONDAY.
Several bills on the table were forwarded a stage. After
which
Lord BuouGH Am proceeded to call the attention oh their
lordships to the extent of the distress prevailing throrighout
the country. He drew a deplorable picture of the sufferings
of the labouring classes in the manufacturing districts--suffer-
ings which quite unmanned one to contemplate, and which
were excruciating to recount, were it not that he felt it a
bounden duty to lay them before the house. All these suf-
ferings too were borne with a most exemplary patience; and
one feature was exhibited which raised the poor sufferers
above all praise—their kindness towards each other—even
where the party displaying it were but a shade less miserable
than those they endeavoured to aid. It was to be remelt- I
bered that those suffering people had no share in making the
laws by which they were governed. They had not even a
vote for a representative, and this entitled them to be the
more sedulously protected. In tracing the causes of the dis-
tress, it was said that the distress was owing to bad harvests ;
but this could not be the case, for in 1829, 1830, and 1831 we
had harvests as bad and prices higher, without any such dis-
tress as now prevailed. The noble lord then adverted to the
other causes to which the distress of the people had been at-
tributed, such as machinery, the currency, &c., and con-
tended that it was impossible to ascribe it to such causes.
Applying himself next to what he conceived to be the causes,
he said that they must be looked for in the state of our
foreign trade, and intimated that he had little fear of foreign
competition with our manufacturers if Government by its
legislation did not take part with the foreigner against the
native artizan. He at once detected in this state of our
foreign trade, not only a sufficient cause for the distress, but

ground for apprehension for the future. A petition
with which he had been entrusted, and which prayed their
lordships to hear evidence of the causes of the distress, ema-
nated from parties who were prepared to prove that the most
finished pieces of machinery, when to be sold, could only be
sold to foreign agents, unless at a tremendous sacrifice in
price, not in some instances amounting to one-third of the
value. They were also prepared to show that the more skil-
ful of the workmen in our factories were emigrating, and that
a considerable number of the capitalists themselves were
about to emigrate also. He knew himself several individu-
als of the latter class who would not continue in this country
unless some alteration should take place in the corn laws.
They were prepared to show that orders now about to be
given to foreign countries would be given to this country if
the system of the corn laws was altered, and that the trade,
so much of which had gone abroad, would return to this
country. Mercantile men were ready to prove that the mo-
ment their lordships would display a disposition to recon-
sider these laws, they would give the orders which otherwise
they must send to foreign countries. The noble lord then
contended that if this country did away with the prohibitory
and protecting duties, it would be impossible fur America,
or any other country in Europe, to avoid following its exam-
ple. If a committee of inquiry were granted of course all
these alleged causes of the distress and proposals for its
remedy would be considered, and evidence heard upon them,
though he must say one of those remedies never would
be adopted—that of the admission of slave-grown sugar.
The noble lord concluded by moving that it be referred to a
select committee to consider of the distresses of the country.
The Earl of RIPON said it was impossible that such an in-
quiry could lead to any satisfactory result. The object of

the noble lord and of the petitioners also was neither more
nor less than a repeal of the corn laws ; and he regretted to
be called upon to discuss this question over again. Unless
some safe and certain mode of relieving the distress could be
devised, to go into committee would only give rise to ex-
pectations which would ultimately end in disappointment,
and thus aggravate the existing evil. The noble lord then
proceeded to contend that a repeal of the corn law would not
produce the great effects alleged in promoting the activity of
our manufactures. He thought it would be a great misfor-
tune if the two great interests of the country, the agricultural
and the manufacturing, were to be again placed in collision,
as they inevitably would be if this committee were granted.
Thinking, therefore, that it would be highly inexpedient to
grant the committee, he felt it his duty to oppose the motion
of his noble friend.
Earl STANHOPE contended that the corn laws were not the
cause of the distress, and the inquiry, if granted, must be
most delusive to the people.
Lord KINNAIRD supported the motion.
_ _

The Marquis of CL.LIRICARDE contended that none of the
arguments used by Lord Brougham had been answered by
the Earl of Ripon.
Viscount MELBOURNE said there was no use in attempt-
ing to disguise the deplorable state of the country, which
was in the highest degree afflicting and alarming. Admitting
this suffering, the measures to be devised should not be of
a temporary character, but should be such as to meet the
whole case; and he must say that, considering the whole
case, he did not think that it could serve any good purpose
to appoint this committee.
The Earl of RADNOR supported the motion.
Lord WHARNCLIFFE thought that any interference with
the corn law would only aggravate the distress ; and he must
say that the corn law had not bad a fair trial, and should be
allowed more than the short period of eight weeks to test its
efficacy.

Lora BROUGHAM replied at considerable length ; after
which their lordships divided, and the motion was negatived
by a majority of 61 to 14.
Their lordships then adjourned.