The New York herald., 1846-03-20


pect m. renewal Of his confidence. But Sir
Robert impored that gentleman and others
although they might visit these penal equences,
them, If they thought it advisable at The pre- sent
crisis In stating that he had hitherto been a sup
porter OF the government, Fir. Miles in mis-
take On the great question OF "grease'-(Roars
of laughter)-he was determined opponent, under
an apprehension that grease might be used by some
people as a substitute for butter. "Now must
say that l think the hon gentleman, in taking his
stand upon grease, did much more injury than bene-
fit TO the cause of protection" few more of Mr.
Miless argments he was anxious 70 notice. As 10
hax was its cultivation abandoned IN consequence
Q! the withdrawal OF the duty land at what period
did II take place
Mr. WIN MILKs-After the last renewal Of the
duty on flax
SIR ROBERT PIEL-Now the last reduction of
duty was only I'd. per hundred weight. (Laughter)
The tuty on foreign flax was removed IN lSA-at
that time It was fl0 ton a reduction was then
effected to the nominal tduy of 3D. hundred
weight, and in lSis the duty was abandoned alto
gether. Was 1t the removal OF This duty Of 3d. a
hundred weight that Involved the parishes OF Aid
cock and Chisseborcrgh in ruin ? In ireland no
culture is more profitable than that OF fax. which il
Aldcock and Chisselborough had arisen from other
causes than the withdrawal Of the protective duty.
The debate had chiefly turned on the corn laws,
but it was not necessarily corn law debate. the
proposal was that the House should 20 into commit
tee to consider the principles 0t commercial po-
lcy. Now, as stated before, II Is the intention
OF her Majesy's government TO adhere 10 their pro-
posal. have stated the reasons why they will do
it. They are inclined to prefer it, considering
especially the opportunity that three years affords
tor improvement In drainage. But, at the same
time, also distinctly make the statement that if the
agricultural body are of opinion that it will be for
their advantage-if they think that immediate re-
peal will be preferable to the deferred repeal which
is the proposal Of the governmental" Hear" from
the opposition bencEes)-it, by unisn with honor
able gentlemen opposite, they should place me in =
minority--then the only consideration which shall
bear in mind will be, what course best take to
give effect to the law amended at your instance;
Loud cheers from the opposition benches) lwiu
do all can to carry the proposition OF the govern
ment-i prefer it, proposed y, believing 1t to be
favorable to the agricultural interest do not say
what course, speaking for myself, might pursue.
do not say what effect success here might produce
in another place, for which have less means Of an.
swering than have here but this will say, that
my opinion as to the policy of foal adjustmento OF
the corn laws will remain unaltered and shall de-
cldedly prefer immediate repeal, even though car
fusion by the rejection of this measure. cloud
cheers) Observe, say it will be quite for myself
to consider what course OF personal conduct will be
most conducive to the result should have in view
bat this do believe, that the fiaal adjustment OF
this question 10 now q consideration paramount TO
all Others" loud cheers) As to the probable
cost OF corn under the new measure, ne could not
more erroneous than to suppose that the interests OF
agriculture were naturally and Immediately inter-
woven with the price OF wheat la demonstrating
VI
the fact that 1t 10 impossible to draw just inference
| from the nominal price OF wheat, without, at the
same ttime, taking the quality into account. He
showed, by reference to returns beginning in l795.
that the price Of wheat had shown a tendency to
| decline. "a very remarkable series Of facts also
presents itself in the amount Of rental Of land as
tai Of land in 1916 as taken from the properly tax
return, was E32 5O2 600. The price of wheat for ve
years ending in 1915, was l02s. 3d. For the Eve
years ending with 1872, the price Of wheat was
n ia tkn aIxf Ia nd IN EnuI
had increased to Es7. 1900 Thus. coinciideni
with fall in the price Of corn, there was an in
crease in the rental Of land" The speech from the
existing duties, and ascertain whether such further
reductions could not be made a. would tend to IN.
sure continuance OF the advantages derved
from the previous reduction. The answer made
by the Commons did not convey a pledge az
TO the measure, but 1t conveyed an assurance
| that the recommendation should be considered.
And how was that assurance to be iul6lledl
Would they refuse to 90 into committee VIII
you stand still l-for six months to come viii you
do nothingl | say, in this country, to stand still
is to retrodrade never said that II was on the ex-
perence OF the tariff for three years have come to
a change of opinion. ] said thls-that during three
| yeats have seen, colncdent with abundance and
low prices great prosperity; have seen great con-
tentment have seen the diminutlon OF crime;
have seen the abatement of all social iisordefs;
have seen COED health; have seen increased conf
merce; and that experience OF three years has con-
ina. ana f. e hs
challenge offer, not connected with the tariff OF the
last three years alone, but with respect to the whole
series OF your reaxatons of prohibtory y:Jutles-
show me one relaxation, or removal OF prohibition,
which has not contributed 10 the advantage OF the
great body OF the consumers of this country" He
had indeed been ashamed to read some Of the petit
tons presented on the subject OF this protection
One was from shp-owners, praying that the House
might check all further rash experiments on British
navigation and reject the proposition tor reducing
the duty on foreign timber from 2os to los. he
asked what has been the issue OF the rash expert
ment you made in l8l2p' You found then discri-
minating duty OF 45s, which you reduced to 26s.
Have you destroyed the Canada tradel At the port
Of Liverpool the average tonnage In the British
North American trade, tor eleven years preceding
the reduction Of the duty was l53 tons; and since
you removed the duty on Canadian timber, the ave-
rage has been l9l 0OO tons Of shipping employed at
Liverpool in the Canada trade. On tile average Of
seven years before the reduction Of duty, $4,000
loads OF pines were imported; in 1874 the quantity
and in l6a5, to 900 loads. Yet the shpowners
call you to refuse a reduction of the duty tim
Der, as they called on you to refuse reduction for
in that particular article which will build ships that
shall endure for twelve years; and these were the
circumstances under which you have the modest
It's present amour. Of as, instead Of reducing Il to
l6s; and that 10 what the shpowners, of all things,
ask as essential to their interestsP' Following up
this subject, Sir Robert referred to the alarms excl
dulles, and to the srstiiyin results which had fol-
lowed When Mr. Hsskisson proposed an altcrs-
tlon Of the silk duties Lord Ashburton, (then Mr..
Baring) resisted tho measure, asserting that the ef-
feet would be to ruin the sllk. .weavers, and drive
them to the poor-ratss for subsistence And what
had been the RESULT The consumption, which Tor
the ten years ending IN lo18 was lesO,eo2 pounds,
lar tears were expressed in 1884, in reference 70 the
trade IN feathers. One extensive merchant told Sir
Rober. that the effect would be to annihilate the
Irish and English feather trade; but that person had
written to him in the course Of the present year, tell
ing him that his fears had proved unfounded-that
his trade was more prosperous than before; and
mentioning that his great demand had been from
Cornwall, thus showing that the Cornish miners
had been prosperous in consequence OF plenty and
abundance, and had been able to expend part OF
their earnings in feather goods. In conclusion, Sir