Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-02-27

importation, there has been increase in The price
ofthe domestic articles.
Here Inc speaker illustrated his position by
large number OF statistics, as 10 oxen, pigs, lard,
wool, &C., &c.
Such has been the effect Of those reductions
that were made in 1912 and 1914, and which were
regarded as a protection 10 domestic industry
| (Hear, hear.) So far as we have experience OF
The last three years, then, have shown that under
the removal of protection TO domestic indus
| try, the great social interests OF the country
have been promoted crime has been less,
morality has been improved, and | could al
so bring conclusive proof that the public health
has been promoted. (Cheers.) Our national
trade has increased, and our exports have been
greater than before; and these We have succeeded
| in etiecting, not only without doing serious nlu-
ry 10 those interests from which protection has
been withdrawn bnt have shown that The change
has been concurrent with an increase in the price
Of the article. [Hear, hear.] Now, it is right
should stale that Notwithstanding the conviction
which this experience has brought home 10 my
mind, yet my decided impression was, that, on
| other grounds the change 10 The present corn-law
ought not TO have devolyed upon me- This was
firmly resolved upon, that could not this session,
1 on the motion of The honorable gentleman for the
consideration Of the corn laws could not, with
these convictions, which, say you will, can
| not withhold, have met that motion with direct
negative. Loud cries Of Hear, hear.l claim
no credit whatever for these arguments. My
conviction has been brought about b. the
| results Of observation and experience.
Those who have the merit OF having tormcd
| their deductions from argument and reason, aie
entitled 10 all credit that account; but claim
no title 10 having made an impression by ar
suments drawn from any other source than that
Of experience and observation. II could not
o1,1n a, IT, -, ~ rnrp I tpc
either upon the public ground of this Country be-
ing highly taxed and protection therefore neces-
sary, or on The ground that il was for The interest
OF the laborins classes that high prices should
continue as the guarantee for high wages, so
could not have undertaken il npon The ground
| that interference with domestic industry must
necessarily be 10 paralyze our commerce
(Hear.)
wish most ardenily 10 have The opportunity
OF stating 10 those friends who have honored me
on so many occasions with their confidence, that
| can continue this conflict no longer, Cloud
cheers from the opposition benches;) that must
/ dcvoIve il upon other persons more convinced OF
the strength of their arguments. (Hear) |
question whether, if il had been defended IN ano
! ther Parliament il would moi have been my duy
10 committee defence of protection TO other hands
more able to maintain the struggle. (Hear) !
should also have wished that another Parliament
should have had the opportunity of considering
this question; but there did occur that during
the course OF the last autumn, which pre-
cluded me from taking that step-lhat great
| calamity, The limits Of which it was diff
cult to find, and The consequences OF which
il was, and believe still is, difficult 10 fore
see, (hear, ear)-ihat great visitation Of
Providence, the failure 10 a large extent of The
potato crop in Ireland, and in many parts OF Eng
land, which made il great and pressing question
with The Government what course il was our du-
| ty to pursue in such an emergency towards our
Sovereign and the coun;ry-(hear;) whether il
was advisable, from The pressure OF The circum-
stances, TO take immediate measures for meeting
| The threatened evil? II was impossible, with the
| convictions We entertained To abstain from
adopting some course, if we did not pretend ap-
prehensions OF scarcity Tor the purpose OF making
alterations in the corn laws, than which nothing
| could be more base and diShonorable. (Hear)
But you will now have the opportunity OF udg-
ing and determining in what lay came 10 thai
conclusion, seeing that was induced 10 advise
the unusual course OF obtaining that information
| in The way which shall now be laid before you.
| now approach an explanation ot The circum-
stances in which, early in November the govern
ment was temporarily dissolved and in which il
was reconstructed in the month of December.
The speaker here went into history The po-
iato disease, which is interesting, but 100 long Tor
our columns. At The close he referred 10 the re-
cent changes in the Cabinet and then proceeded:
As said before, that when after The severe Ia
Dor of last session, almost every honr OF my time
since has been devoted 10 watching changes and
reading evidence, night and day, 50 as to be able
TO guard against heavy national calamity,
confess il does seem hard TO find myself the object
| Of accusations-Oo nd cries OF "hear, hear )-ol
accusations of being unfathful 10 the interests Of
The community in general, or 10 any special OF
peculiar interests-( lesr, hear)-l have, over
and over again, attempted 10 define the relation il;
| which think stand towards parties, towards
the community, and towards this housc-and yet
| have observed it stated, over and over again,
that am under some kind of personal obligation
10 certain party for having placed me in the Of
fee now hold. ! see il over and over repeated,
that the same power which elevated me IS power
fu enough TO displace me; and | am constantly
menaced with the threat that they will remove
me from power. (lear, hear.) Now, do Gl.
firm, that there is a material mistake, both as 10
the extent of The obligation and the severity of the
| penalty. | owe no personal obligation 10 any
man, or 10 any body of men, for being compelled
to submit 10 The TOLL and 10 make The sacrifices
which official duty gives me. Clear, hear)
| Iby no means undervalue the distinction Ut my
position; but lei there be distinct understanding
as to what is The real notion ollhe obligation which
/ owe for being placed in power lis value, allow
me to say, does not consist in The power Of dis
tribu,ing honors. That is inseparahle from The
officer Of Prime Minister and cannot be diverted
from H. but, believe me- that The possession of The
| power OF advising the Sovereign as 10 The highest
! rewards and the highest offices is i'll compensated
BY the invidious duty of>eeclion, and the disan
pointmenls which every selection unavoidably
occasions. value not power for The privilege il
confers OF distributing patronage Clear hear)
| Asto personal objects, lei me say il without ar
rogance. have none. have served four Sover-
eigns-George iii. and his three successors. In
the reign OF George ILL.,, my office was of so sub
ordinate character, that il was impossible for
me 10 attract the police OF my Sovereign; bot
during The reign OF his three successors, George
] w., first as a Regent, and then as King, Will
liam w. and Victoria, il has been my fate 10
hold some OF The highest Offices in the Stale.
have served them at critical times and under dill
6cult circumstances They have each taken far
too favorable view OF my services have render
| ed; but TO each OF these Sovereigns have said,
with every feeling Of dutiful and grateful
acknowledgment, that there was but one
favor-one dislinction-one reward they had
| il in their power 10 confer-ihe simple as
surance that I had been loyal and faith
full servant (Hear, hear) II power have any
value il is because lgives increased opportunities
for rendering public service. II is this which
constitutes the real valpe Of official power, and
think can say with truth, that in intention, at
least have moi abused it. CLEAR. hear.) and
those with whom acl, have tried 10 use ii for the
promotion of the pnbc interest and The advance
mcnt of the common good. We cannot charge
ourselves with having acted at variance with true
principles OF conservative policy. We cannot
think that It was at variance with conservative
policy that We attempted TO repair The disasters Of
Cabul, and 10 restore in The Indian army spirit
which had been checked by the inisfortnnes of
Afgbanistan. Hear, hear) We cannot think
i, inconsistent with conservative policy that we
labored to assuase the animosites which have
50 long prevailed between This country and our
powerful neighbor. In The speech which was
read today from The throne her Majesty express
es her desire that the cordial understanding which
so happily exists between this counlryand France
may always be made conducive 10 inc promotion
of be interests OF humanity, and TO secure the
peace OF The world. :,