The daily union. [volume] (Washington [D.C.]) 1845-1857, 1846-03-25

Il TO nght maj oattey DO you NV iena tnat that yer
fact Of suspension would constitute new elemer
in the consideration of things and would give ter
fold stimulus TO the agitation that previously exis
ed' DO you invite us 70 fight that battle nowl Whs
| would be the state Of feeling upon the subject ID
you invite US to suspend tho law with guarante
OF It's revyap In reference 20 the changes Of opin
| ION which had been syowed by members Of III
House, and as 10 which an attempt had been mad
TO attach suspicion, Sir Rober asked II some OF Ia
most honorable men that ever sat on the mini.
| terial benches had not given conclusive proofs q
sincerity! Did Lord Ashley, Mr.. Siurt, Mr.. w
Patien, Mr.. Eyer on, Lord Henniker, Mr Char
teris, or Mr.. Dawnay, vaeaie their seats iron
| interested or corrupt motssS Passing from
| these considerations, Sir Robert invited atten
ton to the course which the debate had taken
| and 10 tho admissions and expressions Of Opinion
\ Of those who had been oudest in their Condemns
ton Of tho government The hrst he would motto,
was the member for Huntingdon, Mr.. Thos. Bar
ing. "The honorable member thinks Il is Just IN
| time for making compromise on the subjeet-fo
| a new cornaw. Why, II ever there was un
fortunate moment for compromise, il is the pres
ent. What 10 the meaning Of a compromise Is
a new corn-law' We'll, what 70 de security for tn
maintenance Of thar" fronca chrc1ss from the pro
lection benches The member for Rox burghshiIe
(Mr. Francis Scott,) was the loudest advocate fo
protection and had curious notion Of the relation
between q country and its minister. Mr.. Scot
had kened Sir Robert Peel 10 hired advocate, anC
said that he had thrown up his brief perhaps Mr.
Scott not aware that minister Of state took ar
oath to unreseryedy and freely deliver his opinion
in council according TO his heart and conscience
Sir Robert unprecedented that an obligation OF tha
kind constituted a material difference between the
position of minister Of state and the Office Of re-
tanned counsel. Bot Mr. Scott, when insisting thai
he bound by every consideration Of consisten.
cy and honor TO maintain the corn-laws of 1912
had admitted that within the last three years In hi,
fhsra had ksan A.
roads such introduction Of science into agriculture
such facilities for introducing cheap corn that in his
opinion the time was come when the present corn
laws must be altered. "And when | ask the hon
orable gentleman Whom are you counsel fori'-
meaning, that II any obligation was imposed on me
to maintain the corn.law Of lSl2, could not quite
understand why the honorable gentleman could so
readily abandon 1.-THE honorable gentleman was
perfectly indignant at being supposed to be coun-
sell Claiming the functions Of Anacharsis Cloots,
who said no was encouragement for the human
rice, the honorable gentleman said, Il COUNSEL -
that is an imputation on my honor; counsel for
the agricilturiSts-l am counsel for the CONNER.
cia interests am counsel for the whole coun-
uy-l am counsel for the interests OF humani-
ty.'" Laughter Sir Robert did not himself
aim after functions 80 comprehensive. The next was
the member for Newcastle unier-Lyne, (Mr Col
quhoun,) and he told Sir r. Peel that hereafter and
forever he Withdrew his confidence from him. Blu,
another to a minister for not establishing "a
great principle" il was Mr.. Colquhoun himself
"Why, he has voted with the honorable member
for Wolverhampton; and he has voted against him.
(Laughter.l He is an advocate for a fixed duty;
bu, he has done all he could to maintain a sliding
scale. | do not know whether he honorable gentle
man has shared in my misforune and read the PAM
phle; OF John Campbell Colquhoun, Esquire, Of Kill
lermont. tLaughter.1 | mus, say that that pam
phlet, far can understand it, advocates repeal
of the corn-laws. II, then, the honorable gentle
man has voted with the honorable member for w OIL
verhampton, and has voted against him--if he is a
determined supporter OF fixed duty, and yet ever
since 1912 has done all in his power to maintain the
sliding scale; and If my construction Of his pamphlet
be correct, and he is advocate of repeal won
der how should have Jared with him IL | had laid
down "a great principle wonder what the honor
able gentleman would have said H. after having car
ried suspension, | should have subsequently, de-
cared that at the end of that suspension the govern
men would stake its existence the revival Of the
existing corn-law' | venture to say, there would
not have been a more strenuous opponent OF such
course than the honorable gentleman at least,
venture to say there never was gentleman so clam
orous for the announcement Of a principle who pur-
sued which left him completely at single
anchor to vote for any proposal that might be made
Laughter The letter OF Lord John Manners was
next adverted to- Sir Robert inquiring if it could
have been possible for the government to rely on
advise a renewal Of the corn-law upon suspension
'He says he is decidedly in favor Of repeal Of the
corn-aws, but he thinks the present Parliament
ought not to enact the present minister to pro-
pose such measure. Well, but that personal OBJ
lection is satisfactory to the country: the
question for the country is, 10 the measure right or
wrong' Surely, no member can justify himself
in voting against measure which he believes to
be right and which concerns such mighty inter-
ests" And now as to Mr.. William Miles, the
member for Sonerse'shre: that gentleman had de.
clared for the maintenance of the existing law in its
Integrity, and given Sir Robert notice that henceforth
he must not expect the renewal Of his confidence.
But Sir Robert mplored that gentleman and others,
although they might visit these penal consequences
on ministers, to pass the measure submitted TO them
if they thought it advisable at the present crisis In
stating that he had hitherto been a supporter Of the
government, Mr. Miles was in pisake; On the
great question Of "grease"- roars of laughter he
was "a determined opponent, under apprehension
that grease might be used by some people as a sub
sttuIe for butter. snow, / must say, that think
the honorable gentleman, in taking his stand upon
grease, did much more injury than benefit to the
cause of protection" A few more Of Mr.. Mies's
arguments he was anxious to notice. As to flax,
was its cultivation abandoned in consequence Of the
withdrawal Of the duty and at what period did it
take place.
Mr.. WILLIAM Mnrs. "After the last removal of
the duty on fax"
OH RoBERr FEkL. NOW the last reduction OF
duty was only Sd. per hundred weight laugh
ter, The duty on foreign fax was removed in
1924; at that time it was .elO ton: reduction was
then effected to the nominal duty Of Sd. hundred
weight; and in l842 the duty was altogether aban-
doned. Was it the removal of this duty Of Sd q
hundred weight that involved the parishes Of Aid
cock and Chisseborough in ruin''' In Ireland no
culture 10 more profitable than that Of fax, which is
unprotected and it is obvious chat the decay of Aid
cock and Chisselborough had arisen from other
causes than the withdrawal Of the protective duty.
The debate had chiefly turned on the corn-laws, but
1t was not necessarily corn-aw debate. The pro-
Posal was, that the House should 60 into committee
to consider the principles Of commercial policy
Now, as stated before, it is the intention Of her
Majesty's government to adhere to their proposalf
have stated the reasons why they will do il; they
are inclined to prefer il, considering especially the
opportunity that three years affords for improve.
ment in drainage. But, at the Same time, ! also
distinctly make this statement, that If the agricuu-
raj body are Of opinion that it will he for their
odvantage--if they think that immediate repeal
will be preferable to the deferred repeal which is
the proposal of tho government "hear!" from
tho opposition bsnchesl-if, by a union with
honorable gentlemen opposite, they should place
me in uninoritv-then the ONLY Consideration