Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1846-02-27
FOREIGN INTELLIGENCE
SPEECH OF SIR ROBERT PEEL.

.
The Address having been read from the Chair
81. Robert Peel rose and spoke as follows: Sir
would fain hope, that although the course which
take is an unusual one, yet am acting In con
tormty with the general wish OF the House, BY
awaiting myself oil the very earies, opportunity
of giving that explanation which al no remote pc.
Rod the House would require from me- (Hear
hear) would fain hope that am not obsiruet-
ing the course of this discussion upon the address
by giving that explanation at This period. But,
if no consideration OF public advantage could
Justify this course, yet 10 the generous feelings OF
Inc House il will seem but natural that ! Should
desire that not moment should elapse be ore /
explain 10 The House the motives on which Ihave
acted and the principles which have governed my
conduct (Cheen.) | may feel hurt at having
been the object oil much accusation upon vague
surnse-I may think il unjust TO have been con-
demned without hearing-( hear)-I say no.
thing upon that head-if any momentary feelings
OF Indignation we're aroused, the recollection OF
frequent indulgence OF great confidence, was
cutie sufficient 10 etface those temporary feel
ings-I make, therefore, no reference to particular
exrressions, or particular accusations. But this
do ask, even while do not require the reversal
OF the sentence-I ask for the opportunity, after
condemnation, of explaining the motives Of my
conduct-(Hear, hear)-I ask you to listen a,
lsa,; with patience and indulgence to those facts.
and that evidence which shall this night adduce,
and which will form the materials on which other
tribunals, Judging under less excitement, will H.
,imaiely pronounce upon the motives and the con-
due, oil men charged with deep responsibility in
critical times-(Hear, hear)-l wish to explain
wha, were the grounds which led me and those
with whom acted, humbly 10 tender 10 gracious
so-eregn the resignation Of the trust which was
committed 10 us-I wish also 10 explain what
nndar which hat truS
was re -assumed, and under which | now appea
as the Minister OF this Empire. (Hear, hear.I
Sir The immediate cause which led to The disco
luton Of the Government in the early part OF las
December, was that great and mysterious cala-'
mi,y. which caused lamentable failure in an
article Of food on which great Numbers Of the
people in this part OF the united kingdom, and
sill larger Numbers in The sister kingdom, depend
mainly TOR their subsistence.
That was the immediate and p.oXimate cause,
no doubt which led 10 The dissolution of the Go
vernment. Butt would be unfair and uncandid
on nv part il | attached undue importance 10
that particular cause. That particular cause
appeared 10 me 10 preclude further delay and 10
REQUIRE immediate decision-decision not only
uoon the measures which il was necessary at the
Time to adopt, but as 10 the course 10 be ultimate.
" taken with regard TO The laws which govern the
importation OF grain. (dear, hear.) / will not
assign 10 that cause 100 mach weight. | will NOT
withhold the homage which is due TO The progress
OF reason and TO truth, by denying that my OPT
Mons on the subject of protection have undergone
change. (Cheers from the opposi.ion.) Whe-
,hsr holding private station, or in public one,
will assert the privilege Of yielding TO the force
OF argument and conviction, and acting upon the
results OF enlarged experience. (Cheers) II
nav be supposed that there is something humi-
Hating in making such admission; Sir | feel no
such humiliation (Checrs) should feel hu-
initiation. II, having modified or changed my OPT
Mons, declined 10 acknowledge the change for
tear of mourning The imputation Of inconsistency.
Cheers The question is, whether The facts are
sufficient TO account for the change, and the mo-
lives for II are pure and dsintercsteL Nothing
could be more base, on the part of public man,
Than 10 protect himself from danger by pretend
ing change; on . other hand nothing could be
more inconsistent with the duiy he owes his sove-
reign and country, than il seeing reason 10 alter
his course he is precluded from that alteration by
the fear Of being tainted with il. (Cheers.) Sir
those who contend FOR the removal OF mpedi.
ments upon the import OF great article Of sub
sisience, such as corn, start with an immense ad-
vantage in the argument, The natural pre-
sumntion is in favor of free and Unrestricted
importation Il may BE- possible to combat that
presumption, 10 meet the advocates OF free i'm
port in the field Of argument, by showing that
.h.re are other and greater advantages in sys-
TEN of protection than in system oil unresrict-
ed importation We all admit that the argument
in favor Of high protection or prohibition on The
ground that il is for the benefit of particular
class, is un,enable. The most strenuous advo-
Gates for protection have abandoned that argu-
ment; they rest, and wisely rest the defence OF
protective duties upon higher principles They
have alleged, as have myself alleged, that there
Tor .psn d 10.
Sir il became absolutely necessary for me, oc-
Copying the public station do, and seeing The
partth must unavoidably devolve on me in the
present confetti became absolutely necessary
for me malufey to consider whether the grounds
on which an alteration of the corn laws can be
resisted are tenahle. The arguments in favor of
protection must be either that protection 10 domes
lie industry is in itself a sound principle and
thai, therefore, agriculture being a branch of do
nestle industry is entitled 10 share in that proec-
! Non or that IN country like ours, encountered
with an enormous debt, and subject TO great taxa.
lion, il is necessary that domestic industry should
be protected from competition with foreigners; or
again that the interests of the great body OF The
community, the laboring classes, are not commit
led in this question, that the rate of wages varies
with The price Of provisions, that high prices i'm.
plies high wages and that low wages are the con-
CONTAINS OF low prices. Again. it may be said,
mar Inc land is entitled to protection on account
OF peculiar burdens 10 which it is subject. Blu,
mat IS question Of justice rather than of policy
~ may be- have always felt il was so; but you
have The power Of weakening the force of that
argument by The removal of the burden. The
Hrst three objections to the removal Of protection,
are objections founded on considerations ofpublic
policy. Now, want TO deprive those who, argu-
ing priori, without the benefit of experience,
nave come TO the conclusion that protection is OBJ
!.cuonaele ia principle-T want to deprive
mem OF none Of the credit which is lairly their
w. Reason, unaided by experience brought
Conviction TO their minds. NV opinions have
ven modified by the result Of the experience
81 The last three years. | have had the opportn
hlly oil comparing the results which have follow
ed during the last three year. from thai nrincinle
upon which You have been acting for some vears
/ past-namely, the gradual removal Of nro,ec,;on
on domestic industry. have had the opnortnn;.
" OF comparing the periods of abundance and
comparatively low prices with periods of scarcitv
and high prices-(chsers)-and am led to he
conclusion, that the main grounds OF public poll
g on which protection has been defended are
MOI MOI 'enable; at least cannot ma ntan them
lcheefs.) do not believe. after the experience
VI Inc last three years. that the rate of wages va
ne, neg with the price OF food do not believe
aat with high prices wages will necessarily rise
,a'ne same ratio. do not believe that low
s s OF food necessarily implies low rate of
r dyes (Cheers) Neither can maintain that
n ao 10 domestic industry is necessary
;ivs l said las, year that thought these pro,ec.
"s aa'ies were evils in themselves.
.. mought they ought not 10 be lightly abolish
p,,,. nat me system OF protected industry had
'4 up' and must be tenderly and cautiously