The Statesman.
London, England, 1815-03-09 00:00:00

arrtiety created by this hurry—soch the apprehen-
tion out of donee that euflicient time would not be
allowed for considering the subject, that not unite-
quently half a pamphlet was advertised through the
country, promi‘ing the other half if it could be
troueht out in ;-ime before the Bill was passed. But
tae advocates of this measure seemed resolved to pre-
via the fulfilment of these promises, and were
j;tt,ali) ig a race with all the printers' devils of
the country. -[A Mug-h, and hear!]—That this
measure had had plenty of diecuesion in that House
be was ready to admit, but he denied that the country
lod had a sufficient opportunity of considering it,
0,1 therefore he should propose to postpone the
farther consideration of the Report until the first
Moods,' after the Easter recess. If, however, he
shoed fail in his motion, and that the measure should
st;llhe hurried, it would not be his fault if the Bill
1.1,1 not that title annexed to it which it deserved.
The Honourable Member adverted to the diffelence
dopinion as to the amount of the import price, which
was evinced ane,ng the meeting at Lord Liverpool's,
and which difference also prevailed in that House.
This difference ss as indeed such, that if Gentlemen
would vote only as they spoke, without as well as
within the House, a decisive majority would appear
spinst 80s. But some Gentlemen seemed to act on
this question as Members of a political party were
m,crimes understood to argue, namely, " let us go
eboot our ft lends, a ,d not split hands to divide our
party." It was evident he thought that this must be an
inei,rting count' 1.. For the last 20 years we had let.
ited runt, and
if our manufactures did not decline
we should continue to import it. But, said come
agriculturists, who supported the measure, let us
have the monopoly of the home market, and we will
suep'y you with sufficient corn. But to those Gen-
tlemen he would answer, that they with that mono-
poly could not afford to supply the market e less
than double the price—that is at 80s. while corn
was to be had elsewhere at 40s. As to the capacity,
however, of those Gentlemen to supply the home-1
mallet, he must be allowed to doubt it. For he 1
(fluid not help preferring experience and evidence to
coejerture and speculation, and hence he was led to
conclude that we should continue to import corn.—
Havii that prospect then before us, he considered
the present measure as peculiarly objectionable, and
getting aside the question as to the interest of our
manufacturers altogether, he would pat it to Gen-
tlemen, whether if the case of any third country
were under consideration it would preclude that
country from buying food from any other nation, al-
th.,ugh it could obtain that food at half the price
that it could afford to grow it ?—[l.fear, hear!]—
As to the case of Ireland, he thought that question
disposed of by the admission on the other side. Fur
the Irish being free from poor's rates and other bur•
dens to' which the agriculturists of this country were
subject, and of course that price which would afford
protection to the latter must amply secure the for-
mer. The Irish growers were therefore quite safe,
which gave him the utmost satisfaction, feeling, as
tw did, a lively solicitude for the interests of that
country.
The lion. Gentleman's motion being read,
W. ROBINSON rose to observe, that he had al-
ready suffered so much from the consequences of
misconception and misrepresentation, that he was the
less inclined to allow any opportunity of now passing
when he was so assailed, without meeting it as be
conceived he was entitled to do.—[Loud cries of
Hear!]--With this feeling, therefore, he desired to
know, what the Honourable Gentleman meant when
he asserted that he (Mr. Robinson) had, for the sake
of catching at popularity, consented to sacrifice, in
the choice of the present measure, sv'tat. be (Mr. Ft.)
knew was for the best interests of the country? He
did not believe an import duty would be for the be.
nefit of the country; on the coutrary, he bad ex-
pressed himself quite of a different opinion—and he
was at a loss to know what the Hon. Gentleman had
seen in his public life to warrant him in supposing he
could act with such duplicity, or what right he had
to suppose that he would condescend to lend himself
to such a line of conduct.—[Loud cries of Hear!]
Mr. BARING disavowed any personal allusion to
the Right Honourable Gentleman in what he had
said—on the contrary, he had uniformly expressed
his approbation of the manner in which the Right
Von. Gentleman introduced the discussion before the
House. What he stated in general argument was,
that his own' and the prevailing opinion was in favour
of a duty, and that his Majesty's Ministers, in his
apprehension, must have held a similar opinion, and
only abandoned it from the great& unpopularity it
would engender. He disclaimed any personal or
mahecoming accusation against the Right Hon. Gen.
tietnatt.—[ilear, hear I]
Mr. ROBINSON explained, that he was obliged,
for many considerations, to seek this explanation,
and the reason whylit became incumbent upon him
'Was, that he understood the Honourable Gentleman
to has. said that he (Mr. R.) abandoned a measure
ss hid) he knew would be better, for tanotber of a
mote injurious charaCter. As the Hon. Gentlenian
had, however, disavowed this meaning to his expres-
simt,, he, of course, had nothing more to say on the
subject.

Mr. BARING had the least possible wish to mis-
represent the Right Hon. Gentleman. his allusion
went to show, that Ministers, however much they
condemned the attempt to become popular among
others, had, as he believed, refrained from imposing
the duty in question, to seek popularity for them-
selves.--[A laugh.]
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
rose and said, that whenever he heard that House or
Ministers censured with precipitating this measure,
he should repel the charge with the indignation it
merited ; and he hoped that the House would not
suffer itself to be taunted with the imputation of
cowardice, fir not giving an unnecessary delay to
the present measure • nor could he approve of any
protraction of a subject so generally interesting to
the feelings of the lower classes at the community,
when no possibility existed of rendering the argu-
ments clear to their understandings. With respect
to the cowardice imputed to the advocates of the
Rill for not postponing the consideration of the goes-
'ion, he conceived that more real cowardice would be
.frineed in giving war to threatening riots; and he
rhat the House would not transfer the leg)-
. 41i. n of the country from its constitutional posses-
' a licentious mos—ELoad eritl rf Mar,

1•t;

7

of the II idsoc I must now says girl •a •of Ntis4
thrill deter me this nigilt, awl tin 0 rry otnrr uppbra
Nulty, til, the last moment that this mottc,•re is be-
fore tr., from disrus.ing ifs merits, and offering, its
conformity with the r"guktions of the House, such
arguments and observations as I may think
[Loud cheers.]
The conversation here dropped, and the House
proceeded to the other Orders of Day.
Lord PALMERSTON brought up tile Report of
the Mutiny Bill.

Sir S. ROMILLY proposed a claUse to prevent
Courts. Martial from seetenci►►g offenders to more
than LOU lashes.

After some observations from Mr. Manners Sot.
ton, Mr. Whitbread, and Mr. W. Wynn, Sir S.
Romilly agreed to withdraw the clause, until a future
period.

The Report was then agreed to, and the Bill or•
dered to he read the third time tomorrow.

The House adjourned at Half-past One o'clock.

OUTRAGES LAST NIWIT.

The riots continue. The mischief again ecnnmitted
last night was considerable. There is no such thing
as giving a regular detail of such irregular proceed-
ings as now nightly involve the Metropolis in tu-
mult and individuals in dismay; bat we shall perform
the disagreeable duty imposed on us in this respect as
satisfactorily as we can. We shall begirt with the
attack made on the Office of the Herald Newspaper,
which " the mob" by no means regard among the
list of their friends. And here that Gavtte of truth
fortunately steps in to our aid with an account of the
attack and heroic defence, which is worthy of all
acceptation, and we according) ; give it in the words
of our valiant brethren of the slick and quill.—
" Soon after ten o'clock,. last night, a web, which
had rendezvoused before Drury-lane Theatre, uttering
yells which should have drawn some observation
from those appointed to keep the peace, proc'eded
very leisurely down Catharine-street, Ned marshalled
themselves before our office. They we: 2 provided with
stones, of various weights, from a pound upwards, andthey soon began their infamous w o.k. The lights in
our first door informed them where they might have a
chance of doing more mischief than the mere llreak.
big of windows, and a shower of stones soon came
through Ahem, but fortunately did not strike any one.
Almost every pane of glass was broken, and the room
covered with mud, broken glass, and stones.--
Amon other things thrown was nn iron bar, some-
what sharpened at the end, Such as paviours use to
raise fist stones with. This weapon of a savage is in
our possession. There was not a moment's hesita-
tion from any want of instruments of mischief, for
the outrage was planned, and it was in cousequeoce
of its being so, that we were prepared to keep the
ruffians out of the house, and to give then; a proper
reception if they had got lista it. A faithful servant
of the Paper had Information of the design given
to him, in Westminster, and arrived in time to
put us on our guard against every thing but
windrow-breaking. Some of the rabble might
easily hasis been demolished with one of their
own waepodlt, for they threw, through the fan-tight
of the hotise.door a 'erne stone loosened from the
pavement, and we might have returned this to there
from the top of the house! We resolved, however,
to do nothing unless they should force their way
in, which they showed some inclination to do, It
may be supposed; that we had ilso some expectation
of relief from the chief Office of the Westminster
Police, which is within a few hundred •• yards of
us ; but, although the attack lasted nearly a quarter
of an hour, we received none. The Magistrates, was
must suppose, could not spare any part of their force.
Indeed that answer was given to a friend, who, with.
out our knowledge, went to Bow-streettiet the very
commencement of the 'linkmen," and; as soon as he
was permitted to have au audience, requested some
exertion in our defence. The explosion of a detona.i

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