The New York herald., 1846-03-20

...auo inquiry as 70 VINO snoulo constitste tne
new gsv ornment; had no personal objections OF
any KIND. My belief was that this question ought
TO be adjusted. was prepared TO facilitate its adj
Justment by my vote. apd by the exercise OF what
ever influence could command" As to the party
who had so long given him their support, it was ma
tural that they should withdraw their confidence,
acting as he had done at variance with the esta-
bl!shed principles on which party isusuaiy conduct
would have sacrificed their favorable opinion and
support unless influenced by the highest oonsidera-
tlOns OF public duty He ought to know the mo-
tlvss OF his party and he believed that there never
existed party Influenced by moro honorable and
disinterestsd feelings: This testimony was due to
them. But for himself he must say, lot the conse-
quences be what they may, they could not rob him
OF the conviction that the advice which he had given
party could impose. :" know what would have
conciliated temporary confidence. It would have
been to underrats the danger in Irelsnd-to invite
an united combination for the maintenance OF the
lection for native industy-(cheers and laughter)-
to insist that agricultural protection should be
In al its integrity. BY such a
course ! should have been sure to conciliate
temporary confidence but the month Of May would
not arrive without demonstrating that had thereby
abandoned my duty to my country. to my. Sover..
eign, and even to party. loud cheers.) had aud
nave the hrm persuasion, that IN the present temper
Of the public mind, the state of public feeling and
OF public opinion with respect to the Corn-laws, in
dependently OF all adventious circumstances, makes
the defence Of those Corn. laws difficult enough
Yet have the firmest persuasion, that il that calam
ny which foresee to ireland should arrive and it
the battle had to be fought for maintaining untouch
ed the present Corn.aws and for permitting state
OF law TO exist whereby duty OF It's. attaches to
the import OF foreign wheat, such degree OF odium
would have attached to the landed interests, if that
battle had been fought, as would have done them
the greatest injury" What were the facts which
came under the cognizancc of the Secretary Of
State for the Home Department. Why. that in one ~
part OF the empire four millions of the Queens SUBJ
jects were dependent on certain article Of food
for subsistence, and that disease had seized that
article. The government saw, at the distance of
three or four months, the gaunt forms Of famine
and disease following In the train OF famine. 81
will refer to some documents, if the subject is not
dlstasteful, az il seemed TO be when last mention
ed IT. for you appeared to dislike reference to let
ters, and turned away from communications. But
1t 10 absolutely necessary, before you come to f.
nal decision this question, that you should under
stand this Irish case. (Cheers) You must do so.
(Renewed cheers) cannot conclliste your conf
dcnce by any expression OF regret for the course
this House, that that day in my public life which
look back on with the greatest satisfaction and pride
ls that lst Of November last, when was ready to
take the responsibility Of issuing an order in Coun
70 the trusting tor an sprTSys
by the first packet which sailed after the first Of No
vember, the news might have gone forth that the
ports were OPEN The primary object OF such mea-
supply OF food, and to take the precautions against
famine, although other collateral advantages might
have flowed from it. think that the best step then
to have taken would have been to open the ports.
lncorrect-supposing that we had formed false es-
innate Of this danger-I believe that the generosity
OF Parliament would have projected US from harm T"
(Cres OF Hear" ''hear."' from the Protection
benches) Sir Robert read letters which had been
received by the last TWO mails from Ireland, not
from official authorizes, but from men from whose
statements there could not be the slightest pretence
OF Withholding confidence The first letter was ad
members et Limerick, dated Carass, near Lime
rick, February llth Sir David Roche stated,
that at one time he was disposed to think that
the part of the p0tatoe cron which appeared sound
had found be was in eror-the greater par: was now
Obliged to be given to pigs and catt!e to save the
owners from total loss. Sir David added-"No
doubt, for Six or seven weeks, while the remains Of
pray you, sir, look to it in time" The next letter
contained the result OF very minute investigation
made by Mr.iW. w. Hemsworth, sub-inspector Of
police, stationed at Stradbaly, Queens County, in.
living in that neighborhood. In his enquiries the
officer was accompanied by the Rev. Mr. Emerson,
the minister Of the parish The result Is thus stated
-"Many families whom we visited, and who had
planted sufficient for their ordinary wants, including
the seed necessary for the ensuing season. have not
had potatoe OF any kind for the last month :"
["Observe," exclaimed Sir Robert Peel "this is in
the month OF FebruaTy-fve months at least before
there can be any supply from the natural bounty OF
Providence: "Others have lost nearly all; and tn
few that still remain are totally unfit tor human
food In every instance where we saw potatoes in
pits in the fields, we had them examined, and with
Of putrefacton perfectly disgusting even to look at"
Tbe third letter was from Lord Stuart de Decies,
the Lord Lieutenant OF the County of Waterford.
Among other particulars 1t mentioned this-"That
,rs Il --ls -,
are, even at this early period Of the year, no less
than three hundred persons whose stores OF provl-
sions are upon the point OF becoming exhausted" J"
Lord Stuart suggested, "that much good might be
ment Of Government corn-stores, from which grain
might be purchased at first cost price" The fourth
letter was from Mr.. Thomas Dillon, Of Cahircivecn,
a resident magistrate; it stated, that having gone
opportunities not only Of hearing but Of Witnessing
the destruction which had been committed, and
which was gaming ground rapidly. Mr.. Dillon
added, that he almost ict counfUnded at the diff.
so s 4 e suPs IN RSs
quoted official return from the highest authority,
embracing particulars from every electoral district
with the exception OF nlnety-nine. The facts were
that "n four electoral divisions the loss OF pota-
toes has been nearly ninetenths of the whole crop;
in nlnety-three, between seven-tenths and eight
tenths; one hundred and twenty five, the loss ap-
proaches to seven tenths Of the whole crop; in six
teen, dppIOaCueSt 10 BlX-teun6s IN i've nunOIeQ ana
ninety SIX nearly one half Of the crop is entirely de-
stroyed; and in five hundred and eighty-two divi-
sons nearly four.tenhs OF the crop are entirely de-
stroyed." Government had acted upon the sugges-
tions made to them stores Of corn should be estab
lshed p be disposed OF at low prices, or given in
return f0r labor.
A Member-"It will be wanted for seed"
Sir RoDgRr PEEL" Yes. To get seed from
foreign countries for the ensuing year s next to i'm
possible. An eighth OF the whole crop . required
for seed each acre of potatoes requires nearly ton,
three efourths OF ton at least, tor seed: take the
tonnage which it would require TO bring in 10000
tons OF potatoes from any part Of Europe where po
tatoes may still abound It 10 almost impossible 70
supply the deficiency. You must look for seed to
the accumulation by making savings from the exist
ing CROP Il may be necessary for you to form that
saving When the pressure OF famine is severe, the
immediate want will be supplied-the danger OF
next year will be forgotten. The government must
interfere, for the purpose of encouraging the saving
10 sufficient quantities, in order to secure supply
Of seed for next year, How are we TO do this 7
Why, by the substitution, suppose, Of some other