On this page

• Text (1)

  Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

  • 

    Untitled Article

• Transcript

  • Note: This text has been automatically extracted via Optical Character Recognition (OCR) software. The text has not been manually corrected and should not be relied on to be an accurate representation of the item.

    Additionally, when viewing full transcripts, extracted text may not be in the same order as the original document.

    Untitled Article

    the counsel or conduct of the noble lord . ( Hear . ) Jtfot only has he made speeches on the state of Italy ; bu t he has sent somo of his friends on missions to that country ( hear , and laughter ) , and when we find that , notwithstanding the vast ability of the noble lord , and his great experience and eloquence , the state of Italy is rather aggravated than not , I can assure the noble lord that the jJovernment is sensible that they must [ proceed in such affairs with very great deliberation . " Mr . Erskine Mather had , he said , behaved with such good feeling throughout the transaction that every one must feel for him . It was a painful subject , but the former Government were responsible for the position of affairs in which Mr . Mather was so much concerned .

    Lord Dttdeey Stttaet brought the debate to a close by criticising the speech of the Chancellor of the Exchequer , and pointing out America as an example of conduct in the case of outrages on her citizens . Of course , beyond the speech ^ inaking , the debate had no practical result .

    GENEBAL POLICY OP MINISTERS . "We have observed that Lord John Uussell appended a review of the general policy of . Ministers to the animadversions he made on the Mather case , on Monday evening . For the sake of perspicuity we havejseparated these dissimilar topics , and mow- present our readers with that portion of the debate which assumed the form of an indictment of Ministers . Lord John Uttssem . reverted to the relative positions of the Ministry and the Opposition after his fall . He told the House , what it had been told fifty times before , that Ministers , urged by the Opposition , had undertaken not to press any but essential measures ; and to make the session

    as short as possible . It was also attempted to extort from them some declaration of their future policy . In regard to the former , said Lord John , I cannot say that we , obtained very full satisfaction ( laughter ); and with respect to the latter , we have been totally and entirely . disappointed . He then ran throug h the precedents of what other ministers had done on acceding to office—showing how Lord Grey , in 1832 , and Sir Robert Peel , in 1834 , and Lord Melbourne in 1841 , had made full statements of their intentions . But the present Ministers had only been

    curious to conceal their intentions and their policy . ( Cheers . ) He insisted that nothing like an answer had been given to the question , did' or did not Ministers intend to pursue the policy of Sir Robert Peel ; and he aceused Lord Derby and Mr . Disraeli of being hig hly favourable to a fixed duty on corn . Then he described the budget speech , and adverted , with a laughing accompaniment from the House , to Lord Derby ' s famous Mansion House speech , understood to be a supplement to the budget oration . Ho pointed out how expositions of policy , many and various , had been made by divers members of the

    Ministry . " Then we have a number of gen tlemen supp orters ot the Government , who go down to the country and say that they wish above all things that no new corn laws shall be imposed ; and a gentleman who stood the other day before the electors at Maidstone as a Derbyite , said he rejoiced that we have at length got an honest Government , and that t here is no chance of an imposition of a tax upon bread , or of that blessing being in anyway taken from the people . ( Hear , hear . ) I am reminded by an honourable friend near me , that the present candidate for Greenwich—a Derbyite , too—marches about the town with the big loaf before him—( laughter)—promising that t . hn nmsont Government is to erive a large loaf and cheap

    bread . ( Continued laughter . ) That certainly was xmft ambiguous . It did seem at last that we had something like light , when the right hon . gontleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer addressed his constituents , and told thorn that the time for the restoration of tho protective duties of 1840 Avas past , that the spirit of tho ago was opposed to them , and that no minister could safely oppose tho spirit of the epoch in which he lives . ( Cheers . ) 1 hat is a wiso maxim . ( Laughter . ) Tho only thing which astonishes us is that this light should have boon so long in raichinc tho riirht hon . gentleman . ( Laughter . )"

    Commenting on Mr . Disraeli ' s manifesto to Buckinghamshire , Lord John pointed to tho aenortion it contained , that tho rent of land had decroasod by five millions , in consoquonco of tho incomo-tax and the repeal of tho corn laws ; and ho declared , that if it w as proposed to tax tho community to mako go that loss , nothing could bo moro propostorous . As to tho promisod " revision of taxation , would that satisfy tho farmore , who had been told that if Lord Dorby coulil bo got into oflico they should liavo Protection P And ho claimed for tho kto Government tho main of tho government measures , oxcopt tho Militia Bill , which was certainly their own , and from which they would

    dorivo all tho credit euch a moasuro dosorvod . Ho thon fastened on tho policy of ministers regarding oducation , showing how they proposed to disturb tho mixed system prevailing in Irolaml , and altor tho manage inont clauses of tlio National School Society . And ho charged thorn with obtaining tho grant for oducation , and thon presenting their now minuto to tho Houao . Ho wound up by a gonoral attack . "I may say that tho Government nufforod from tho mode in which thoy haVo proceeded to occupy office in tho present ; ntato of affairs . Wo all know that somo loss ot » ,, i ; i \ nn \ limitation occurred to thora when , last year , they

    woro invitod by tho Crown to occupy oflico , and thoy declared thomsolvos unablo to fill tho sovoral offices ot tho aovornmont ; . Soon nftor that it was publicly announced that thoy hud . mado thoir dispositions , and that thoy Ji « M tho mettiiH of forming a Govornmont when called upon to do so ( Hear , hoar . ) That announcement turned out to bo correct ;; for it anpoarod that a vovy lournod and oimnont poruon had consented to occupy tlio ofuco of Lord

    Chancellor , and that several country gentlemen , abandoning the agreeable pursuits and easy business'which belongs to an English country gentleman ( a laugh ) , were ready to assume the terrible responsibilities of office ( laughter ) , so that a Government could be formed . But there was one thing which they seem to have entirely forgotten , ( hear , hear)—that was , what were the principles on which they were to act . ( Laughter and cheers . ) I suppose they thought the principles of a Government a trifle . ( Renewed laughter . ) They have been , wanting in fixed opinions on any subject . Accordingly , no sooner does , an hon . gentleman propose any subject , than they are ready to agree to his proposals . ( Hear , hear . ) An hon . gentleman opposite proceeds to raise the question of Maynooth . They allow that dangerous question to be raised , and they

    say , 'We are quite ready to agree to -the motion for inquiry , though we have no present intention" of abolishing Maynooth ; ' and thus they allow Ireland to be agitated , though it is clear that no inquiry can take place . Another gentleman wants to have an alteration in the management clauses on education . The Government are quite ready to let him have the alteration heLeeeks for . Apart of the church of Ireland is desirous olUn alteration in the Irish education ; the Government says , By all means ; you are quite right / It is only for somebody to start some project or some crude notion , and the Government is at once ready to agree to it , and says , ' Here is a fair question to consider ; we do not agr&atJiat it can be carried into-effect * a * mice , Dtit We think it quite right that the

    question should he agitated . ' ( Cheers . ) Why , sir , this is offering a premium ior agitation on all subjects . " I liave stated that it was our object to obtain an assurance that the parliament should be dissolved as speedily as possible consistent with public business , and also to obtain some explanation of the policy of the Goyernment . That explanation we certainly have not obtained ; but we have obtained that which I think is quite sufficient . We have obtained enough to entitle my right hon . friend the member for Ripon to say that the question before us is > whether you have confidence in the Earl of Derby ' Government , or whether you have not . ( Cheers . ) I know some hon . eentlemen think my right hon . friend-. ( Sir James Graham )

    very unreasonable , who think with Sir Lucius O lugger , who , when told by Captain Absolute that he differed with him as to the qpinions he expressed , replied that it was most extraordinary that he happened at that moment to be expressing no opinions whatever . Hon . gentlemen may quarrel with his right honV friend ( Snr James Graham )^ then- only ground of quarrel was , that they had no opinions whatever . ( Laughter . ) With great deference to them , I think that in this country , in England , that is quite a sufficient reason for my right hon . friend ' s distrust . ( Hear . ) This country can only be satisfied when At hasmen ruling le and ini It

    it who have some princip some opons . seems a very popular thing to say to the country , you have only to express your opinions on this or on that subject , that if we get a majority in favour of the corn-laws they shall be re-enacted , or that if the majority is in favour of freetrade , the present policy shall be carried out . That seems a popular question ; but depend upon it the country will decide only upon the clear and intelligible question , ' Will you , or will you not , place your confidence in a Government which has no opinions , no principles , and which is ready to act upon any wind . " ( Loud cheering . )

    The succeeding speakers confined themselves to the Mather case , until the Marquis of Granbt rose , and , amidst roars of laughter , jeers , and cries of " Oh , oil !" proceededtounfoldamummyprotectionistspeechjgravely asserting that " no class could be in a state of prosperity ; " that Jamaica was " reduced to barbarism ; " and other similar curious opinions . After a burst of derisive laughter at his extravagant expressions , he continued" Ah ! thoy might laugh , and ho was sorry to be obliged to say it ; but this he did say—that if it woro a fact that the largo proprietors were the sufferers , there would soon bo a rotracing of bur steps , and ho would not now be advocating in that House this course . ( ' Oh , oh ! ' laughter , and cheers . ) Tho battlo was not at all between the agricultural and the manufacturing interests . No , tho battle

    that had to bo fought was between capital and labour ; between industry and idleness ; between tho man who worked and tho man who had already , . mado or got a fortune . ( Ohecra nnrl laughter . ) Yos ; tho working classes were getting educated ; woro beg inning to think for themselves on this subject . ( Cheors and counter cheers . ) The noblo lord ( Lord . J . llussell ) might talk theories ; but if ho wont into tho street and asked a labouring man about cheap broad , ho would get an answer that it was of little value to tho working man to hoar of a sixpenny loaf , when ho had only fourponco in his pockot . ( Contemptuous laughter from tho Froo-tradors . ) Ayo ; and thoy muBt listen to tho labourer . ( Ironical ohoors . ) Thoy ( tho Freo-trodora ) used odd p hrases ; thoy said to tho ' Government , ' You daro not propose a duty on corn . ' Daro ! Wot if thoy had tho people with thorn P m ho was sure thoy would have . " ( Cheers and counter cheors . )

    Why could ho not ri « o in that House without exciting tho ridicule of itw members P Tlio next speaker was Lord I ' AMiimsTON , who devoted a few energetic words to tho protection , and thon passed to tho foreign question . Thon tho CiiANOKM-on of tho Exchequer ilrat do fending Lord Malmosbury , pleaded to tho indictment of Lord John Itusflell . , Ho began by flfiying that lio could not follow tho " amiable examplo" of Lord Stanley , and leave Lord John unnoticod , nor could ho lotivo tho ropl y entirel y' to his noblo friend , Lord Granby ( laughter ); thon lie continued : ¦— "I am bound myself to notico tho elaborate attack of tho noblo lord . Tho noblo lord has tiikon a review of what hue occurred during tho briof poriod that wo have sat on those bonohos . Wo have hoard from him a statement of

    that kmd before this session . The very first night that T had the honour to take my seat the noble lord ran and opened his batteries . ( Laughter , and ' Hear hear ^ The noblo lord has sometimes recurred to the att ack hi his drum has been muffled , and bis fire has been slacl-( Laughter , and f Hear , hear . ' ) And now we have his W effort , but I believe that it is a forlorn hope , and tW % , wiU not take the citadel . " ( Eenewed laughter . ) * ° He repudiated lord John's insinuation that he ( fltr Disraeli ) had advocated the re-imposition of duties oft * corn as compensation for reduced rents . What lie really said was , that property , the value of which was depreciated , and unjustly taxed , had a legitimate claim for redress and relief ! ( Loud cheers . )—

    " The noble lord has also stated that he is not aware although I have referred to the great things that the present Goyernment has done ( and of which I -w ^ conscious that I had ) , that , we have really done anything of any consequence except , the passing of the Militia Biu —which he could not pass , ( koud laughter . ) ^ "What " says the noble lord , " is the ; Militia Bilfp—I make you ' a present of that ; and the next great measure on which you plume yourselves so much , you only stole it from our commission j and when you introduced it you made such changes in it , that had it not been for my trusty friend the rigl )* hon . member for Tiverton , you would have marred » JTits beauties . " ( Laughter . ) But if these bills for tie teform

    of Chancery pass , they ¦ will in jay-mind confer one of the greatest blessings which society has experienced ; and no matter who may be the minister and what ma y be the parhament—neither the parliament nor the minister that passed it will be forgotten . ( Loud cheers . ) But there i $ something more . I remember that on the 15 th . of March , when the noble lord appeared in the hew Opposition of which he was the recognised leader , he came forward and said , that it was incunlbent on me to declare the measures which it had been thought necessary to pass ; and when I mentioned that measure of Chancery reform in the catalogue of those I meant to try , the noble lord received the intimation with a derisive scoff . ( Cheers . ) He was supported by all the sections of that new Opposition , and , mor e than all , by that section which , though the followingis small , make . up for bulk of numbers by their fidelity—by those

    that follow the noble lord the member for Tivertoa , who said that he trusted the country would not be embarked in a Chancery suit . ( Laughter . ) Well , there is a prospect of that bill being carried ; but I do not claim any great credit for it , except that when a chance was offered us to do this great good to the country I did it , in spite of the noble lord the member for Tiverton , ( Loud cheers . )" He unmercifully lashed Lord John for his indignation respecting the alleged tampering with . education . " I am here to defend the conduct of the Government . The noble lord says that for party—nay , for a hi g her object—for hustings purposes , we have been tampering with the established system of education . ( Cries of hear , hear . ) Yes , jquskalt hetuv ( Cheers and laughter . ) The nohle lord cannot hear of education and religion being used for party purposes , Does he remember the appropriation clause ? ( Cheers . )"

    And then he pointed to more than one case in which the Whig Government had introduced clauses after the educational vote of the year had been taken . Turning from this subject , he defied anybody to quote any speech or sentence he had ever made or uttered which recommended a recurrence to the corn-laws which were in force before 1846 . " When we come to this question of a fixed duty , on which you have talked so much , I say I will not pin my career , my political career , on what is not a principle but a measure . I should be very glad as a financier if there was a moderate fixed duty on corn . I admit that , and 1 see plenty of ercat authorities opposite mo who have circum

    often and often advocated it . But if I find by - stances which I do not wish now particularly to describe —( ironical cheers)—by acts which I have no wish now to denounce , that a fiscal proposition is invested with a peculiar odium , that it would bo ono of tho unwisefli things a minister could do to propose such a tax , wlieuia rightly or wrongly , I cannot soo that I am bound to propose it . Why , I could offer authorities in favour of duties on corn , not from my own bench , but from writings you perpetually quoted—men whoso political opinions entire y ftgron with yours , distinguished writers , members ot mm > political economy club , not merely tho writings ot jur . M'Culloch , and whom once you always quoted , tnoug now vnii Hhrink from his authority but to tho writings « i

    Col . Torrcne , to tho pages of Mr . Mill . I might appeal " scientific pages , andyou would find it difficult to quote others against mo ; but in governing mankind wo muss look to something boyond mere scientific propriety ; an « u a measure , though it may bo recommended by tho iigi scientific authority , is one that tho popular will ropud » au »» I do not tliink that any ministor is bound to propos ii » Ho stated tho ministerial views to bo tho roe one lmU on of tho producor and consumer , which was effected , J o sw , " when you have not permitted tho consumer to floun by placing unjust taxes on tho producer , while , at i ^ eamo time you are roaolvod to support no tax « wi give to tho producor an . unjust ond artificial pnoo 101

    And ho terminated a spirited speech as tollo r ' i "I boliovo tho country will support thoso view » boliovo that that ; tomporato policy will ho ra ™ ' ° ot country . The noblo lord tho inombor for tjio vi . j London talks of our being a party without a W " i , Woll , ho neoms to bo in Opposition without a cry . l ^ Vo , Ho confosBos that nothing is loft-rno opinion , no m mont , no agitation whatever » loft , . Tho . noblo 1 ^ J ^ tho imagination of a poot—for lio is still * P ° « i last gasp , to my groat surprise , discovered » rojo t , u , Horaothing wo must rnlly round ; wo must i *» ' . > * , r i \) V apothognV of that profound ( jontloman tho ^ 0 » liipon . That right hon . gontlonmn lias " ^ "Jjpprby hisiBtandard tho ascription , ' No conficlonco m W >»

    Untitled Article

    676 THE ' } r % 4 $ & 0 MTBLS / ESAytJRDAY ,

• Citation
  • Leader (1850-1860), June 19, 1852, page 576, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1940/page/4/