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Northern Star (1837-1852), 31st January 1846, Edition 3 of 3, Page 7, NO VOTE « NO MUSKET!! WE5-MB.SIBR. -- , ...

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      Jaspaby Be: 1846.*>: The R ^Qrffhern .St...

      _jaspaby BE : 1846 . *> : THE _^ _QRffHERN . STAR . ?

      No Vote « No Musket!! We5-Mb.Sibr. -- , ...

      NO VOTE NO MUSKET !! WE 5-MB . SIBR . _-- , \ ta public meeting , held at the Parthenium room , st Martui ' s-lan . _* . on Sundav , Jan . IS , the following _LsohvSon was moved bv _hlrl Cnffy , seconded by Mv . jliller , and carried unanimously , " That the _embodi-Jnent of the militiain a timeof profound peace is uncalled for , and extremely unjust * seeing that we have j , othiiig but our lives to fight- for ; and they are not ot present ineiiared by any foreign foe . "

      SEWC-STtE-OS-TTSE . The Militia . —At the usual weekly meeting ofthe - _jhartists of Newcastle and Gateshead , held in the _litiise of Martin . lude , Sun Inn , Side , on Monday owning , Jauuary 19 th , Mr . Robertson in the chair , ihe following resolution was carried unanimously .: — « ' That this meeting views the embodying of the . _nilitta at tbe present time as another encroachment on the rights and liberties of the working classes , by jbrciBg them fiom their homes and families ,

      todeieml the countiy by arms which tbey are not allowed io do by their votes . We therefore determine to call a public meeting at tiie earliest opportunity , to petition rarliaiiieut against the militia laws , and to protes t agaiusi the embodiment of that force . " > " ewc __* - i . k- _«» n-T -xe , Tuesday . —A public _meetjjig nf the inhabitants of tbis town hasbeen held here i _.-night , to take measures to prevent the anticipated enrolment of the militia . The meeting , consisting of nearly _ _! _, *> " ¦ tradesmen and mechanics , assembled inthe new _lt-etnie-room .

      jfr . Jonathan Priestman , amember ofthe Society of Friends , occupied the chair , and addresses were _Slivered bv the Rev . Messrs . Browning , Banks , 31 'Crec ( of Sunderland ) , and Bell ; and Messrs Haggle , Charlton , Adam , Isicke , Dodds , and Miat . ' fhe _tenotir of their remarks _aiay be gathered from tlie following _re-olutions , all ot" which were _nnanidO'isly adopted : — I . That fhi > nueting , _riewing the practice of war as _rijoally rq . _asiiaui io religion aud humanity , and believing that large Military preparations tend to increase the pro- ability <• ' its occurrence , has heard with the deepest r _^ cret and disapproval of the contemplated enrolment of the militia , and Jiolds it to he the duty of every lorer of Isis _eonntrr 10 oppose the measure by all peaceful and Christian ni «« i 5 . . . i

      i . That _iliis _meeting being further of opinion that the uittitia system i _? hostile to civil liberty , peculiarly _oppresi-ire towards the working classes , and calcnlated to _erereisean injurious effect on public morals , earnestly _adfisessdlthemfii'ls of peace conscientiously to consider whether it be lwt their duty peacefully te endure tlie penalties wliit-n the law indicts for non-compliance , rather than facilitate the working of the system by either serving theiM _> el \ e _« or providing substitutes . -. As aprotrsr against this measure _^ a memorial , in accordance with the resolution , was adopted . The mayor bas convened another meeting for Thursday , to memorialise Parliament on the subject . Indeed , tlio feeling _against tbe system of compul-5 . < yry military service is very decided amongst all flakes here .

      H _ - * D _ -BSMITH . A public meeting was held at the Temperance Hall , Bridge-road , on Thursday evening , January ± . _iid , to consider the propriety of petitioning Parliament again-: the embodiment of the militia . Mr . _Barnes Millwood , an elector ofthe county , was unanimously _called to the chair . Onthe motion of Messrs * . Stallwootl and Koss , supported by Mr . T . Clark , the Mowing resolution was unanimously adopted , amid the loudea applause : — " That , in the opinion of this meeting , the contemplated embodiment of the militia is an unwarrantable stretch of power—unjust towards the unrepresented classes of the country ,

      who are thereby compelled to defend , by force of arms , a government which neither recognises their _mlits nor protects their interests , and unwarranted j ly ihe picx * ut political aspects of tbe world . " A petition was also Tead , moved , and seconded , and , after a very able address from Mr . P . M'Grath , was carried unanimously amid vehement applause , ordered to be -igned by the chairman of the meeting , and io be presented by T . S . Duncombe , Esq . The county _meniters . Messrs . G . Byng , and T . Wood , to be _requested to support its prayer . A vote of thanks w . i « given iothechairman , and this numerous aril highly _respectable meeting adjourned .

      EEADISG . On Thursday evening week apnblie meeting , called by placard , was holden in the school-room , _Minster--ireci , to petition Parliament against the calling out of tbe militia . At seTen o ' clock tbe chair was taken by Mr . J . _Campbeil _, a working man of the right sat , who opened the meeting with a short address replete with > o _ nd sense and good feeling . Mr . ( _r . W . Wlu _.-ler then moved the adoption ofa petition against tie embodiment of the militia . Mr . E . Kous seeoi __< _li-d Its adoption . Mr . C . Doyle , of tbe Executive , supported the petition in a powerful _speccb , ic tin *« _-juise of which he showed the iniquity _r-f the prenovu war with America , and the enormous hardens fi . nr . er wars had entailed on the present _ceueration . His _address was repeatedly cheered . The petition wa * unanimously carried .

      T 0 D 3 J 0 BDEX . The _pet-j-J _. of Todmorden were thrown into lo little excit . u-e » t on Friday , 23 rd inst ., wilh a placard appearing an the walls , headed " Tyranny resisted / ' it Wing a copy of that which called the meeting , held in the room , Turnagain-lane , to petition Parliament against calling out the militia . The Leaguers a .. _tl lories did all their puny efforts would allow , to pivtcnt the meeting taking place , by giving it out that Mr . Tatter __ l , who was noiiced to speak at it , " and tiie chairman , and any other person who attended , ar . d took an active part , would be appi ehendid ; but the Chartists were not to be frightened from their object , nor the people irom attending . Oa Monday night , the time of meeting , the large

      _roimofthe Odd Fellows' Ilall was completely wedged fal ; all agreed that there has not been such a _meeting here _siw-e the discussion the Chartists had with the League , when they had such a triumph over that bo _ . yiiil . 4 i ' . Mr . Wheelwright , of _Hebden-biid |> e , Avas caL ' ed _. the chair , and opened the bu-iness witb a speech well limed and _argumentative , giving tbe enemy a _severe _castigation for their puny attempt to prevent tlie meeting taking place , and " introduced Mr . Jam _«* « Mooney , to move the adoption of the _t-etition p » -sed at the meeting held in Turnagainlane . _ dr . Mooney , inmakinghi 3 motion , spike in a strain of eloquence that would have d < ne honour to a lord . Ik showed the necessity for the people having political power , and showed that it was the

      duty of the government to call only upon those who were admitted within the pale ofthe constitution , as they wert * tlie only interested parties in maintaining a _standiig army ] or of calling out the militia force . Mr . Mooney was repeatedly cheered . He concluded by moving ih _* adoption ofthe peiitipn . -Mr . Samuel Whiihain ihen , in a brief manner , seconded the Eon _' on . Tiie _thainnaa then introduced Mr . Tattersal , from Burnley , who _cccupied the attention of the meeting in a --train of eloquence , not to te surpassed , for above an hour . He introduced tbe Oregon _question , and explained every particular of it in a manner _rbat all must understand . Mr . Tatter-al _nlluded to the foul means the _Whies and Tories had

      resorted to . to fix the stigma of" Physical force " npon the Chartists as a body ; "but , " said he , "I am determined , as far as I am concerned , not to nse brute forte for them ; I am determined to convince than that I am a man of peace , for . by the Cod that rules over us , I will not shoulder a musket against my _nei ghbour Jonathan , or my poor _> u _ ieriug brother in Ireland . " He then explained what would be tlie eor _.-e-jUence to all who refused to serve or else _3 nd a substitute ; told them it was not his business _«» advise _iiiem how to act , but he would ask them the quest _» . i . ** If they were allotted , would they go ?" The whole _meeting , * with one simultaneous shout , said " Xo : * " Such a " So" it was as I never heard before , lie then _requested none to _foie for the

      adoption ol the petition , unless tbey were ready to use even ; _ieg __ l means io prevent the govwmnent calling tie militia out . De requested them to bold ont ne fclse hopes ; if they did not agree with the whole ofit . _i-. 'iz to vote for it ; or if they did agree with it , but did not intend to carry out the spirit of it , not to _voiejfor it . After he had concluded , the chairman _a-iain read the petition , and gave any person in ihe room an _opportunity to object to , or make any remark upon it . After waiting a sufficient time , aud none coming forward , he put the motion _, when there appeared smooth , gloved , and blistered hands unitedly'held up far it . A better meeting in Todnion ! _.- ; . has never been held . Thegovernnient are doing wo . _ i . _ _-rs for Chartism . The calling out of the militia wiU convince them ofthe intelligence of the people ; ihey wil ; not nnd whole iaiaiiies _rushis _;? to their star _ d-. _; d now , without _thouuht . After votes of thanks io Mr . Tattersal and the chairman had

      been given , ihe meeting gave ihree hearty cheers foi Irest , Williams , Jones , and Ellis , and the vast _assembly separated _iugbJy delighted with the evening ' s _proc-redings .

      BU > BEE . A meeting of Trades' Delesrates is to be held on Monday next , at the Mechanics' Institute , to take into _consioei-ation the best means of opposing the embodimei-t ofthe militia , A Reqe ' _sikos is in course of signature ia Leeds , _requesting , tie Mayor io call a meeting of the inhabitants " to consider the propriety of memorialising the government and petitioning the two Houses of Parliament , in reference to the danger of war with America on the Oregon question , and tbe calling out ef the mi _' _utia . "

      Iimlwas Acciuest. —Awfulb-Ath.—A Passeng...

      IImlwas _Acciuest . _—AwfulB-ath . —A passenger * n tlie Sh rtiuld and Manchester Railway , having frem some cause neglected to leave the carriage at the station for which he was booked , and as the conductor ofthe train of course could not be hailed , or if he had bten so , would most probably not have stopped the train to oblige the gentleman , he ( the passenger ; , took the very rash step of jumping out oi lhe _can-iKse when at full speed , and coming in _eonta etwith ? eiue Hi . - __ . ury in his fail , the front part oi his _ln-ad wu- _. _. t . erailv driven iu , and almost iustant « _h-ath ensued .

      Imperial Sartorientt

      imperial _SartorientT

      House Of Lords-Monday^. 26 Ministerial C...

      HOUSE OF LORDS-Monday _^ . 26 MINISTERIAL CHANGES . , ' - \! l , _? _ukeof _J CHMOSD asliea whether the Duke of _Wellington had received her Majesty ' s permission to explain the circumstances that attended the late Ministerial changes . The Dnke of Wblisg ton replied that he had , and was prepared to explain his own part in the transactions , but not that of others . The Duke then gave a similar account of Sir R . Peel ' s conduct ia _reject to his proposition to suspend the _oi-der in council , which the right hon . baronet gave himself on Thursday evening . He said he was one of those who also considered that proposition unnecessary . He considered the misfortune of the failure of the potatoes to be a great calamity , but not exactlv a deficiency of tood . His Grace also said that he was one of those

      who thought it right to avoid any essential alteration in the Com Laws . He had , however , from a sense of duty , endeavoured to heal the divisions in the Cabinet , and not having succeeded , he was of opinion that they should resign . They did resign , and then the attempt to form another Government and t __« reeal of Sir Robert Peel followed , with which all the world are acquainted . IBs Grace was asked to stand by liis right honoiirablefriend _. andlie resolved todo so . 11- highly applauded hi _» rigbt honourable friend for forming a Government in which her Majesty could have confidence . He knew that in doing that he must be a party to an alteration of the Corn Laws ; but he could not refuse his aid to his right honourable friend in forming a Government to carry on the business of the country .

      . .. . The Duke of B _. ckisgham expressed himself not satisfied with the conduct of the ministers , and his determination to stand by the Dnke of Richmond . __ After speeches of no importance from the Marquis of Lansdowne , the Earl ot Radnor , and Lord Beaumont , the Earl of Aberdeen declared that he had at once given Sir Robert Peel ' s proposition to open the ports bis cordial assent . Adjourned at half-past six o ' clock .

      HOUSE OF _COMMONS—Mojout , Jan . 26 . The _Speik-k took the chair at the usual hour . PUBLIC WORKS ( IRELAND ) . In committee , Sir T . Freu-ntl- moved that a sum not exceeding £ 50 , 000 be granted to the Board of Works ( Ireland ) . Various sums had at different periods been granted to that body to enable them to give _employment tothe people in seasons . of distress , but their funds were now nearly exhausted , and he ( Sir T . Fremantle ) trusted that , in the present crisis , the house would not refuse to strengthen their hands . ( Hear , hear . ) After some discussion the resolution was agreed to .

      RAILWAY LEGISLATION . Sir Robkbt P __ i _ called the attention of tbe House of Commons to the subject of railway legislation . He referred to the number of schemes which had already received the sanction of Parliament , and to thc vast sums of money which would be expended in their construction . These projects alone would require £ 70 , 000 , 000 sterling for their completion . The inclination towards railway enterprise had , however , rapidly extended itself , so that at the present time there were deposited with the Board of Trade S 15 plans , undertaking in aU 20 , 637 miles of line , at a

      cost of £ 350 , 000 , 000 . By what principles ought legislation on this highly-important matter to be in future regulated ? lie felt no disposition whatever to place jiny obstruction in the way of the develop ment of railway enterprise ; nevertheless , he considered it very doubtful whether either the public interests , or the interests of the railway companies , would be promoted by this great mass of projectsimultaneously receiving thesanction of Parliament . He proposed , therefore , the appointment of a select committee to take the matter into consideration The committee would be aided in its researches by tbe information which Government had collected .

      After a very lengthy discussion thc motion was put and carried . Sir T . _Fremisile obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend the Drainage Acts in Ireland . At nine o ' clock the house adjourned .

      HOUSE OF LORDS—Tpesdat , Jan . 27 . The Duke of Richmond in presenting a petition from tenants , farmers , aad others in the eastern district of the county of Ross , assured the house that he had not attempted to buy over Mr . Feargus O'Connor to the cause of protection . Lord _Dalhoesie answered a question of the Marquis of Clanricarde respecting Irish railroads ; aud the house adjourned . HOUSE OF COMMONS—Tuesoat , Jan . 27-The intense interest excited by the expected statement of Sir R . Peel on the subject of the Corn Laws was this afternoon manifested in no slight degree in the vicinity ofthe House of Commons , as well as in the iiouse itself . From the hour of one in the afternoon , nrangers who had had the good fortune to

      procure tickets of admission to the galleries were to be seen making their way with much haste to the scene of the all-important announcement—respecting the fate of the Corn Laws—and by half an hour after the time mentioned there were more candidates for admission to tbe strangers' galleries than the whole house itself could conveniently hold . Every passage leading to the interior of the house was crowded to excess , so that the police ( who attended in considerable numbers ) had no little difficulty in keeping a passage clear for the members . Thedoorswereopened a little before the usual hour , immediately after which every seat was thronged to such an extent , as not xo leave a single one unoceupied , to the great disappointment and mortification of some hundreds who , having tickets , calculated upon admission as a certainty .

      The attendance of members in the house was very numerous . We should say that there were not less lh-ui 400 present at half-past four . The seats below tbe bar , usually reserved for strangers , were filled with peers and other visitors , and most prominent of those in the front « eat were seated Prince Albert , the Duke of Cambridge , and the Earl of Jersey . The Sr _ AK . i __ K took the chair at the usual hour .

      FUTURE COMMERCIAL _POLICY OF THE COUNTRY .

      SIR ROBERT PEEL'S STATEMENT . At twenty minutes to five o ' clock Sir R . Peel moved that the order ofthe day be read for the house resolving itself into a committee ofthe whole house on the Customs and Corn Importation Acts . The Speaker than left the chair , and the House went into committee , Mr . Greene in the chair . Sir K . Pesl said , that in pursuance of the recommendation of the speech from the throne , he was about to call upon the house te review the duties whieh applied to many articles the produce and manufacture of other countries . He should proceed on the assumption contained in her Majesty ' s speech , that the repeal of prohibitory and the relaxation of protective duties waa in itself a wise policy—that

      protective duties abstractedly and in principle were open to objection—and that , though the policy of them might in some cases be defended , it must always be on some special grounds of national interest , or of justice towards individuals . He was also about to act onthe presumption , that during _thtlast three years there had been increased productiveness in the revenue , notwithstanding a large remission of taxation ; that there had been au increased demand for labour ; and that there had also been increased competent * , comfort , contentment , and peace among the population . In advising the continued application of thosejtrinciples , which had produced such salutary lesu ' _ts , and wbicb had already been sanctioned bythe house , he was not inclined to disregard the necessity

      of maintaining public credit unimpaired , and he was , therefore , prepared to act wilh forbearance , in _ordw that he might not prejudice in auy respect the permanent interests of the country . It was possible that , owing to the numerous and various interests , wliich hi » present proposition would affect , an impression might arise that hi * scheme was a r » 3 h one , and ought to be discouraged . If such should be the opinion of the partisans of protection , nothing would be more easy for , them than to meet hiin on au early night with a resolution that protection to domestic industry was in itself a good , and that the principle of it ought to be sanctioned by the house . ( Cheers . ) It might , on the other hand , be the conclusion of the house , considering all

      the difficulties ofthis question , and the nature ofthe « ontest which had long existed , and would longeontin «_ to exist if there were not a satisfactory adjustment of it—that his proposition , extensive as it was , ought to b * accepted as a whole , though there might be- objections in detail to parts of it . If tbat should be the conclusion of the house , he should have confidence in lis ultimate success ; but if not , the sooner its disapprobation was expressed , the bettir for all parties . The great principle of the relaxation of protective duties be was not going to apply to any one particular interest —( cheers );—on the contrary , be asked all the interests of tbe countiy , manufacturing , commercial , and agricultural , to make the sacrifice , if it were one , of their protection , to the common good . ( Cheers . ) Of late years the whole tariff had been submitted to the review of the Jiou . se . Jn 1812 he had proposed , and in 1815

      he had carried out to a very large extent , a plan for remitting the duty on the raw materialconstituting the elements of manufacture . There was at this moment scarcely a duty on the raw material imported from foreign countries which wc had not abandoned . He had , therefore , a right to call on thc manufacturer to relinquish thc protection of which he was now in possession . ( Cheers . ) The only two articles of raw material now subject to duty were tallow and timber . He intended to reduce the duty on tallow from 3 s . 2 d . to ls . Gd . a cwt ., and to make a gradual reduction on timber till it reached a point at which it would remain fixed , and which he would definitely describe on a future day . Having given the manufacturer free access to every raw material of manufacture , he called upon such of them as were engaged in making up the three articles , wool , linen , and cotton , which formed the clothing of tlte country , to give a proof of the siuceritv of their

      House Of Lords-Monday^. 26 Ministerial C...

      con victionrby reliiiquisEirig the pf 6 tectioh "" ° which was now given to the articles . of their manufacture . He made this call iipon them the more confidently , because it was the _manufacturing , and not the agricultural interest , which first called on the government for protecting duties . Having given the manufacturer the advantage of a free command of the raw materials which enter into his fabrics , he ( Sir R . Peel ] called upon the manufacturer to join him in relaxing the protection bn their manufactures . ( Loud cheers from the Opposition benches . ) Cotton manufacture he proposed to admit duty free . On unmanufacture - articles ofcottoninamore advanced state ( such as cotton stockings ) he proposed to reduce the present duty of twenty per cent , to ten per cent . ( Acryoi

      "Take it all oil , " and some slight interruption . ) It was the mercantile andmanufacturinginterest which set the example of requiring protection , and it ia therefore but justice thatthey should set the example ofrclinqui-hingthat protection . ( Cheers . ) Nothing could be more remarkable than the observation made by one who had no prejudices in favour of the agriculturists . Dr . Adam Smith , speaking historically ays : — "Country gentlemen and farmers are , to their great honour , of all people the least subject to the wretched spirit of monopoly . " ( Laughter , and loud ironical cheering from the O pposition . ) Dispersed _^ different par ts of the country , they cannot so easily combine as merchants and manufacturers , who being collected into towns , and accustomed to

      that exclusive corporation spirit wliich prevails in them , naturally endeavour to obtain against all their countrymen the same exclusive privilege which they generally possess against the inhabitants of their respective towns . They accordingly seem to have been the original inventors of those restraints upon the importation of foreign goods whicli secure to them the monopoly of the home market . Itwas probably in imitation of them , and to put themselves on a . level with those who they found were disposed to oppress them , that the country gentlemen and farmers of Great Britain so far forgot the generosity which is natural to their station as to demand the exclusive privilege of supplying their countrymen with corn and butcher ' s meat . They did not Derhans take

      time to consider how much less their interest could be affected bythe freedom of trade than that of the people whose example they followed . " This extract might excite the laughter of some gentlemen on the other side of the house but lie believed the statement to be perfectly correct , that the restriction did not originate with the agriculturists , but that it was pressed on the Legislature in the first instance by the mercantile and manufacturing interests ; and that it was afterwards adopted ' and extended , as a necessary consequence , to the agricultural interests . He proposed to call on thc manufacturers of linen and woollen , the two other great articles in addition to cotton concerned in the production ofthe clothing ofthegreatbodyofthepeople , torelinquishprotection .

      At present , woollen goods which are made up are subject under the reduced tariff of 1 S 42 to a duty of 20 per cent . He proposed that , ' as in tbe case of made-up cotton goods , the duty should be reduced from 20 per cent , to 10 per cent . In the case of linen he proposed that the coarser articles should come in duty free . The duties on made-up linens he proposed fo reduce one-half . At present there was a duty on silk , which was called 30 per cent ., but which was often higher . He proposed to adopt a new principlein the levying of thatduty , which was now an encouragement to the smuggler , and not to the British manufacturer , and to impose a duty ' of 15 per cent ., instead of 30 for every £ 100 value of silk . The duty on paper-hangings hc proposed to reduce from ls . to

      2 d . tbe square yard . With regard to the great mass of manufactures , subject to a duty of 20 per cent , according to the tariff of 1 S __ 2 , he proposed that a duty of 10 per cent , should be _theniaximum , and tbis duty would fall on manufactures , such as brocade , earthenware , ahd other articles of that kind , and on all manufactures of hair . At present therewas a . duty of 20 per cent , on the import of foreign carriages . ( "Hear , hear , " and laughter on the Opposition benches . ) He would venture to say that there was no article so extravagantly dear as the carriage manufacture . ( Ironical cheers . ) He proposed to reduce the duty on candles one-hall . He proposed that the duty on foreign soap should be reduced , * that in the case of hard soap , now subject to a duty of 30 » . per

      cwt ., that duty should , on account of Excise duty on soap in this countiy , be reduced to 20 s . per cwt . ; that in the case of soft soap , the duty should be reduced from 20 s . to 14 s . per cwt . ; and that in the case of Naples soap the duty should be reduced from S 6 s . io 20 s . per cwt . A great many articles in thc tariff of 1842 he proposed to admit duty free . He proposed to abolish the duty on dress hides , and to diminish the duty on foreign boots and shoes . He proposed the following reductions : —On bout-fronts , from Ss . fid . to ls . 9 d . per dczen pairs ; large fronts , from 5 s . Cd . to 2 s . 3 d per dozen pair ; boots , from £ 1 8 s . to 14 s . per _* _- _-. en pair ; shoes , from 14 s . to 7 s . ; women anf _^ children ' s shoes in the same proportion . He proposed to reduce the duty on straw

      plaiting from 7 s . Cd . to 5 s . per pound , and on straw hats from 8 s . 6 d . to 5 s . per pound . When he proposed the reduction ofthe duty on silk manufacture , he proposed also to take off the duty ou dyed thrown silk . He proposed to reduce the duty upon brandy and foreign spirits . He intended to reduce the present duty upon brandy , Geneva , and foreign spirits generally , from 22 s . lOd . to 15 s . ( Hear , hear . ) He proposed to reduce the duties on sugar . ( Loud cheers from the Opposition benches . ) He proposed , assuming that the competition was to be with sugar the produce of free labour , to deduct 3 s . Gd . from the amount of the present differential duty . In the case of muscovade thc amount of differential duty was 9 s . 4 d . ; in the case of clayed

      sugar lis . Sd . ; he proposed to deduct from theamount of differential duty in . each case 3 s . 6 d ., leaving the differential duty in fat our of British colonial sugar , competing with sugar the produce of free labour , at os . lOd . in the one case , and at Ss . in the other . ( Hear , hear . ) The right hon . baronet then proceeded to review the articles connected with agriculture on whicli import duties were levied , lie proposed to reduce the duty on all seeds to 5 s . per cwt . ( Hear , hear . ) Indian corn or maize , which was of such importance in the fattening of cattle , he proposed in future to introduce duty free . ( Hear , hear . ) Hc also proposed tbat buckwheat , and maize , and buckwheat flour , should he admitted duty free . ( Hear , hear . ) The right hon . bavonet then described the reduction of duty which he intended to propose on the importation of foreign butter , cheese _.

      hops , and cured _j fish . He proposed that the duty should be immediately reduced upon butter from 20 s . to 10 s . per cwt . ; upon cheese , from 10 s . to os . per cwt ; upon hops , from £ 410 s . to £ 2 os . ; upon cured fish , from 2 s . to ls . per cwt . He proposed an immediate repeal of the duty on all those article , which constitute meat , as distinguished from grain ; that the duty on fresh beef , on salted beef , on what are called unenumerated articles , salt pork and fresh pork , on potatoes , on vegetables of all kinds , shall be repealed . ( Cheers . ) He proposed that all that enters into the vegetable , anything that constitutes ] animal food should be admitted duty free . He proposed that , in respect of all animals , they should be allowed to come into this country duty free ; he proposed that horses and other animals mentioned in the

      _tariffdaughter)—should , as a proof of adherence to the principles laid down in respect to meat and manufactured articles , and in respect to the raw material , be admitted duty free . ( Hear . ) The agriculturists would remember that he had proposed the removal of protection from some of the great articles of manufacture connected with clothing ; thus their farm servants and domestics would be able to command a cheaper supply of clothing . ( Cheers . ) Tbe right lion , baronet then proceeded to describe tho nature oi Ms proposal with respect to the importation of foreign com . He had already stated that he intended to exempt some articles now included in the Corn Laws , as maize , from duty altogether . It might , therefore , be as well for him to inform thc house at once , tliat

      though be did not intend to propose the immediate repeal of tbe Corn Laws , yet , in tho hope of making a final adjustment of tbe question , and for the sake of giving time for adjustment to the agricultural interest , he did intend to propose that their continuance should only be temporary . The bill which he should therefore introduce on this subject would contain an enactment that after a certain date grain of all kinds should come in duty free . ( Cheers . ) He proposed , however , that a considerable reduction should be made at once in the existing amount of duty , and that thc duty so reduced should be limited to the continuance of three years . ( Great cheering . ) His bill would contain a provision that at that period , when the change

      would be least felt—namely , on the M of lebruary , 1849—oats , barley , rye , and wheat , should be only liable to that mere nominal duty which he intended to apply to maize , for the purpose of procuring statistical returns of the quantity imported . He wished it might he possible to take advantage ofthe present deficiency in the potatoe food , to introduce amongst the people of Ireland a taste for a higher kind of food than they have been accustomed to enjoj —( cheers ) —and at the same time diminish thc chance to which they are often exposed of the recurrence of a loss of the ordinary food of millions . ( Cheers . ) He proposed that , immediately all corn the produce of British

      colonial possessions out of Europe , should be admitted at a nominal duty . ( Cheers . ) He proposed that in all cases those restrictions which apply to the import J _»» tneal , the produce of griin , should be removed _, 'ihey were established ior the protection of the millers in this country , and it was now unnecessary they should be continued . He therefore saw no reason wh y they should remain on barley or any other articles . ( Hear . ) lie proposed that there sliould be an enactment fov three years , tothis effect , -that till the 1 st ef February , 1 S 49 , the following duties should be levied on all wheat imported into this couutry from foreign porta : —

      - . Whenever the average price ot wheat , made up and published in the manner required by law , shall be foi every quarter s . _s . s . d Under 48 the duty shall le for every quarter 10 ( 48 — 4 y do . do . . _U ( 48 — 50 do . do . . 8 <

      House Of Lords-Monday^. 26 Ministerial C...

      , ' - "' "" - ¦' . '• - - . > _: < _ - ; - _-y-,.. t . ! " ¦<¦•» •_* ,. „ .. . „ , g . ( J , _trflCier ?* the duty shall be for every quarter 7 0 51 — _•** do . '¦ ' ' do . ' . ' * _"' _( . 0 52 — SS do . do . . 5 0 53 and upwards' do . do . . 4 0 The enactments which he proposed for all other descriptions of grain would follow the scale of duties upon wheat . There wot f . _'d , therefore , be levied on wheat at its present price a duty of 4 s ., instead of the present duty of 163 . a quarter ; and every other grain taken out of bond for consumption in the home market ivould be liable to little more than a nominal duty . Such was the arrangement for the adjustment of this great question which her Majesty ' s government now offered to the Iiouse . He intended to accompany that arrangement with other

      provisions , calculated , he would not say to give compensation to , but to advance the interest of that portion ofthe community which would be called upon to relinquish protection , with which lie washiniselfmore particularly connected , and in the welfare of whicli the prosperity of England was deeply involved . He then reviewed some of the burdens which fell on the land , and which he thought capable of alleviation hy useful reforms , and not by transferring them toothei parties . - First among these burdens he placed the ! " ll » _'fL _?** ; Tuey werc at present administered by 16 , 000 local authorities distributed throughout the country . Nothing could bo more defective than that a highway which united several distinct parishes should not be under the control of one boardbut

      , should be under the control of every distinct parish through which it ran .. In each parish there was a different surveyor of the high roads . The sys tem led of necessity to a lax expenditure , and to very bad reparation of the roads . He proposed to compel parishes to unite themselves into districts for the repair of the roads . Those districts would bc generally the same with tho Poor Law Unions ; and thus the high roads would bc uiider the control of 600 instead of 10 , 000 different authorities . Another of the burdens grievously , and he thought justly , complained of by the agricultural interest arose out of the . law of settlement . Under the operation ot the present law , the population of the agricultural districts is invited into the

      manufacturing towns ; the agricultural labourer removes to a manufacturing town ; the prime of his life is consumed upon manufactures , the best of his strength is spent in that town , but then a reaction takes place ; a revulsion in trade ensues ; the man does not prosper . What is the consequence ? The man and his wife and family are sent back to the rural district to which he belongs by settlement . He returns to the rural district , unfitted for rural labour , having been transferred tliere greatly _ag-iinst his inclinations . Thus , great injustice is done—and not only is injustice done to the man , but a shock is given tothe feelings of every one who witnesses such proceedings taking place . Not only , therefore , for the sake of removing a burden from the landbut

      , also for the sake of doing justice to the labouring man , he proposed that five years' industrial residence in a town shall give the labouring man a settlement , aud not only that , but also that the power of removal shall be taken away in respect of hira after that term of residence , and that his demand for support shall not be on the place of his rural settlement , but on the place where his labour and industry have been given . He proposed that after the passing of this law no person who has resided for five years last preceding in a parish shall be removed from that parish , and that neither residence in a prison , barrack , lunatic asylum , or hospital , nor residence whilst receiving relief j shall be reckoned to be a part or an interruption of that period . ( Hear . ) Also that the children

      ot any person , or the children of his wife , whether legitimate or illegitimate , under sixteen years , residing with the father or mother , shall not bc removed , nor shall the wife of any person be removed ( hear , hear ) where such person is himself not removable . He also proposed that no widow residing with her husband at thc time of his death shall be removable from the parish in which he resided at the time for one year after hk death . At present , when the working man is exhausted by the labours of a lifetimej an apprehension often arises in the minds of the parish authorities that ho will become chargeable to the parish , and they immediately set about his removal . Now , it was proposed that there shall be no power of removal " on the ground of

      chargeability , on account of accident , or by sickness of " a man or any of his family , from the manufacturing to the agricultural districts . ( Hear . ) He then approached another matter , in which ho advised , without any loss to any other interest , a great advantage to the agricultural interest . Ho proposed that the State should give facilities to the improvement of agricultural skill and industry . The Duke of Richmond had collected a mass of interesting evidence to show the great capability of improvement which was inherent to all kinds of land . Much benefit might be effected by increased draining . Mr . Pusey had proposed several schemes for the improvement of land ; but great difficulties occurred , especially among the owners of entailed estates , in

      raising the funds to carry thom into execution . Government proposed that the credit ofthe State should be _empl yed in enabling thoso improvements to be made . An advance of Exchequer-bills should bc made by way of loan for the purpose of agricultural improvement , security being of course taken to protect the country against loss . The right hon . baronet , after describing at some length the mode in which these advances were to be made and repaid , concluded by stating that that was another plan by which he hoped to enable the agricultural _intercut to meet competition with the foreign grower . With respect to the local burdens pressing on the agriculturist , he must declare at once that he could not advise nny alteration

      in the mode of the assessment of the poor-rates , it had been said that tliey were a cliarge upon the land , and that there should be an alteration in the mode of the levy . In point of fact , they were not a charge upon the laud . The opposition was between real and personal property . It was real property upon whicli the poor-rate was levied , as oil mines , houses , hinds , and manufactories . If the poor-rates were a charge for general objects , it would be just to make personal property contribute , * but they were a local charge , and personal property could not bc called on for contribution without establishing an inquisition into every man ' s affairs , whicli , for the minute objects of a poor-rate raised to relieve local distress , would not be tolerated . Thc rate on

      personal property had been abandoned because it could not be levied , and therefore he was not prepared to propose any alteration in the mode of' assessment . He would , however , relieve the agricultural interest of the charge of maintaining the prisoners in the county gaols , and would provide for that cliarge by an animal vote of that house . He also proposed that that portion of the charge for prosecuting felons which was now defrayed in England and Wales out of local rates imposed upon the land , should likewise be transferred to the State . In Ireland the relief would amount to £ 17 , 000 , and hi England to £ 100 , 000 a-year . lie then proceeded to contend that if there was any part of the United Kingdom likely to suffer from the withdrawal ol

      protection , it wa 3 Ireland- ; for Ireland had not , as Englaud had , the means of finding employment for her agricultural population iu her manufacturing districts . Here , again , he would propose no relief from local burdens which was not accompanied by social advantages . In Ireland the police werc paid partly by the _lai . d and partly by the Treasury . He believed that it would be for ' the general advautage to place the police entirely under the Treasury , and to vest the control of it in the Executive Go vcrnment . Such was the recommendation of Lord Devon ' s Commission ; and he , therefore , proposed that all the charge for the rural polico in Ireland should hereafter be borne by the public Treasury . Sir Robert then adverted to tlic subject of tlie

      medical relief of the poor in this country , lie believed tbat there was no part of the Poor Law which had given greater or more just _dissatisfaction . Ho proposed to relieve thc unions of half of tho churge on this score , by tnkiug it ujon the government . lie estimated that the amount of charge in that case would he £ 100 , 000 for England and .-615 , 000 for Scotland . The subject of medical relief in Ireland was under a different-, system , and would shortly occupy the attention ofthe other House of Parliament . He next proceeded to intimate his belief that in the parish workhouses of England thc provision for pur . poses of education was very inadequate , lie did not purpose in any way to interfere with the right now vested in the board of guardians to appoint a

      schoolmaster or schoolmistress to . superintend the education of the pauper children , that right of appointment , would remain where it now was ; but government , in undertaking to provide £ 30 , 000 a-yoar for tho salaries of schoolmasters and schoolmistresses , for the children of the destitute , would _resei-Ye to itself power to inquire into the qualifications of those instructors , and a power of inspecting , -and to a certain extent controlling , the schools . Then again as to the auditors of the unions , he proposed that their salaries , like those of the Commissioners and Sub-commissioner ? , should be defrayed at the public expense . He called upon the house to recollect that in everv compensation which hc had proposed for the land , he hud also proposed to give to the community great social relief . He , therefore , hoped that , bet ote this law : was rejected , both parties , if their immediate views were not accomplished by it , would recollect

      that it proposed great benefits for society at large . Whether those benefits would be sufficient to induce both patties to g ive their assent to his proposition , he could not as yet tell ; but he wished them to consider it calmly and temperately , and to reflect on the consequences which might accrue from its rejection : He concluded with two observations—one connected with our foreigii and our commercial policy , and another connected with our domestic policy . In making these great reductions on the importation of articles the produce or manufacture of foreign countries , he could give the house no guarantee that foreign countries would follow our example _, lie had resolved to consult our own interests alone , and not to . punish other countries and oui _. _clves by continuing high duties , and the necessary concomi taiit of b ;' igli duties , smuggling . He could not pro-Hiise _thr-m that foreigii countries would exhibit any

      House Of Lords-Monday^. 26 Ministerial C...

      _gratitudeJor . what , we were . now . doing .. ; . _ On .. the , contrary , he mig ht lie told that many countries which had benefited by the relaxation of our * duties on their commodities had applied a higher rate of duties to our goods . He relied on that fact as an encouragement to proceed in our past course . What had been the result of those increased duties on our export trade ? Why , that it had flourished in spite of them , because the smuggler of foreign countries had been called in by the inhabitants to our aid . He was convinced that our example would ultimately be followed by forei gn countries , and that reason and the common interests of the people , and the government in those countries would induce a relaxation of hostile tanfls . He trusted that this improved

      intercourse witli forei gn countries would constitute a new bond of peace ( hear , hear ); that it would control the passions ot those European governments who still indulge themselves in visions of war , and that every lover of peace between nations would derive material strength from the removal of impediments from commercial intercourse . With respect' to pur domestic policy , he had been asked why he had determined to disturb the prosperity which had now lasted for nearly three years . " It had coexisted with the Corn Law of 1842—what reason was there to disturb it ? " His answer was that ii _{> to October last all those indications oi ' prosperity did exist ; but since that time there had been indications of sympathy in the

      manufacturing districts between employment and the price of provisions . What had occurred since October , 1845 , was one ofthe grounds on which ho had determined to bring forward the present proposition . The right hon . baronet concluded as follows : —These are the proposals which , on the part of the government , I offer for the adjustment—the ultimate adjustment of this question . I cannot appeal to any ungenerous feeling , 1 cannot appeal to fear , or to anything which will be calculated to exercise an undue swayover the reason of those to whom these proposals are made . There maybe agitation , but itis not one which has leached the great mass of the labouring classes , there being among them the total absence of all excitement . 1 admit it is perfectly possible that , without dangei

      to the public peace , we might continue the existing duties ; therefore 1 cannot appeal to fear as a ground for agreeing to these proposals . But this I do say , — there has been a great change in the opinion of tho great mass of the community with respect to the Corn Laws . ( Hear . ) There is between the master manufacturers and the operative classes a common conviction that did not prevail in 1 S 42 , or at a former period—that it will be for the public advantage that these Jaws should be repealed ; and while there is that union of sentiment between them , there appeal's at the same time to be a general contentment and loyalty , and a confidence in your justice : _alid impartiality . ( Hear . ) As far as I can judge , ' the example which you set in taking on yourselves

      great pecuniary'burdens , in order tbat you might relieve the labouring classes from tho taxation they aro subject to , has produced the deepest impression and the most beneficial effect on their minds , and that they have a perfect confidence , as I said before , in your justice and wisdom . ( Hear , hear . ) But because this is a time of peace _s because there is a perfect calm , except so far as au agitation among the principal manufacturers may interrupt it ; because you ave not subject to any coercion whatever , 1 entreat you to bear in mind that the aspect of affairs may change ; that we may have to contend with worse harvests than that of this year , and that it may be wise to avail ourselves of the present moment to effect an adjustment which I believe must be

      ultimately made , and wliich could not be long delayed without engendering feelings of animosity between different classes of her Majesty ' s subjects . Erom a sincere conviction that the settlement is not to be delayed—that , accompanied with the precautionary measure ' s to which I have referred , it will not inflict injury on the agricultural interest—from those feelings I should uceply lament , exclusively on public grounds , the failure of thc attempt which , at the instance of her Majesty ' s government , I have made on this occasion to recommend to your calm and dispassionate consideration these proposals , with no other feeling or interest in the ultimate issue than

      that they may , to use the words of her Majesty ' s speech , conduce to the promotion " of friendly feelings between different classes , to provide additional security for the continuance of peace , and to maintain contentment and happiness at home by increasing the comforts and bettering the condition of the great body of the people . "—[ 1 he speech was concluded at five minutes past eight o ' clock amidst loud cheering . ] Sir R . Peel rose again to suggest that the discussion on his resolution should be taken on that dayweek . His measure involved a great remission of taxation , and , therefore , a defalcation of the revenue . Besides , it incurred an annual charge amounting at least to £ 000 , 000 .

      Mr . S . _O'BitiKS suggested toSh * 11 . Peel the propriety of considering whether this day fortnight would not be an early day for the consideration of this scheme . T he voices of the farmers of E ngland could not reach the house in less than that time . Mr . H-MB hoped that Sir R . Peel would not yield the postponement now required . Sir It . Peel asked Mr . Hume to allow him to conduct his own affairs . He then suggested that the house should enter on this discussion on Thursday week . , Mr . Miles begged for further time . Why not take the discussion on Monday week ?

      Sir R . Peel assented to that suggestion , * but informed the House that he should then proceed dc die in diem with the discussion of this question . He could not exactly declare the loss which the revenue would experience by tlie adoption of his proposition . Ho thought last year that by the alteration _;^ the Excise duties he should lose one million ; but the revenue from that so u rce was no w as good as it was before tho alteration . He expected to lose four millions by the reduction ofthe Customs duties ; but nothing of the kind occurred . He was , therefore , unwilling to make an estimate of the loss which would accrue to the revenue . The charge which his scheme would impose on the consolidated fund would be an annual cliarge of £ 513 , 000 . In answer to a question from Lord John Russell , relative to the mode of proceeding in order to obtain a decision of the house on the subject ,

      Sir R . Peel observed , that he had no objection to bring the resolution on tho Corn Laws first under consideration ; but whatever course should appear most advisable to the liouse , the same would be most convenient to the government . Mr . Liddell said—He had been a staunch supporter of Sir It . Peel , but he felt that he could no longer look forward with hope or confidence to his measures . ( Hear , hear . ) The right hon . baronet had given them his hopes ofthe effects to be produced by this change ; ho would permit him ( Mr . Liddell ) to express his fears of them . Within thc last five or six years . unbounded improvement had ) taken place in the cultivation of the land in the north of England : miles and miles of drainage had been laid

      down ; in these improvements the capital of thc tenant had been spent as well as that of the landlords ; and how were they to find a profitable return if the principle of protection were no longer acted on ? Hc trusted his fears were visionary ; he fervently trusted that the right hon . baronet ' s hopes would be realized ; but , should any material diminution in the price of corn follow these changes , if any extent of land should be thrown out of cultivation , those who would first suffer would not be the owners of large estates , who were denounced by the League as regardless of all interests but their own , but tbe small tenants who had expended all their capital in the land , and those smaller landholders who cultivated their own estates , and who would not be able

      to compete with the improvements of their richer neighbours . He feared that a transfer of property to an extent little anticipated by the rigbt hon . baronet , might bc the consequence of this policy ; and ho i ' or one would not expose himself to thc reproaches ot those who had placed confidence iu him ; he at least would not appear before his constituents in any other light than that of a perfectly honest and consistent man . ( Hear , hear . ) Captain Rous said , that when the right hon . baronet was surrounded by such questionable friendswhen in the neighbourhood of gentlemen who had not yet made up their minds as to which side of thc liouse they would honour with their notice—it might not be unacceptable fov him ( Captain Rous ) to declare that he would support him , and the measures he proposed

      heart and soiil ; and he would do so , because he was satisfied they were measures for the welfare of every class of her Majesty ' s subjects . ( " Hear , hear , " from the Opposition benches . ) On many occasions he had opposed the ri » ht hon . baronet , but in the general scheme of his policy he had almost invariably concurred ; and what was now submitted to the consideration ofthe house , he could most cordially approve . The hon . and gallant gentleman added that in the event of the right hon . baronet failing in his plans , of a dissolution of Parliament , and ofthe noble lord the member for London becoming Prime Minister he ( Captain Rous ) was prepared , and would be glad to give to that noble lord thesame support which he now offered tho right hon . baronet . ( Cheers from thc Opposition benches . ) . After speeches from Mr . S . O'Brien , Lord _Ingestre , and Mr . F . Scott ,

      Sir J . Tvr _ ll rose Irom the Opposition side of the house , where he had occupied a seat amongst tlie leaders , a circumstance which occasioned some merriment on his rising . He regretted the prolongation ofthe discussion , as it could not end iti the house ' s coming to any conclusion upon this occasion ; but he must say , as the right hon . baronet had complained that his antagonists had not confined themselves to argument , but had employed vituperation , he ( Sir John Tyrell ) felt , for ono , as he imagined persons would have felt in the Peninsular war , if the Duke of Wellington and the greater part of his staff had gone over to Marshal Soult . ( Laughter . ) Such was tlic fooling which hc ( Sir J . Tyrell ) , as an agricultural member , felt at thc situation he was placed in . Thev who had so long supported him were uow told that if thev did not continue to support him , , thev must submit to bo exhibited in the most disiwV

      House Of Lords-Monday^. 26 Ministerial C...

      vaiitageou 8 ,. eontr _ ist with the gentlemen behind liim ~ _thclV . i _[* siihd ' Rad __^ without _oileiice . . Those gent _' emen might now enjoy an opportunity of seeinjr what amount of ingenuity might be exercised , for tbe purpose of drawing the agricultural . members through the utmost possible quantity of dirt . « Iu l _& i they certainly owed him every allegiance , as the architect of their partv ; but now it would be a difficult matter to discover upon what ground he could claim their allegiance , seeing that his public conduct was in complete accordance with that of the hon . member , for Montrose , for he voted that black , was white , and white was black . Looking , then , at all the proceedings of Ministers ho saw no reason why he should continue to support what very fairly might be called the potntoe-iieel Government .

      Colonel Sictiiobp said he had no hesitation in saying , thou » h with great pain , that for some _vears he had felt an honest pride in supporting ihe right hon . baronet , but that he should now feel as great a pride in opposing him on the propositions lie had that night ventured to submit to the consideration of the house . Lord March said , that in the present stage of these proceedings ho would not occupy the time of the house by following the right hen . baronet . At the _siinio time he must say , that never in his life had he

      been so horrified , so distressed , anil so astonished , as when he heard the proposition that night submitted by the right hon . gentleman the First Lord of the Treasury in his speech in that liouse . He was perfectly certain that he , for one , could not , in any one instance , accede in any way to the propositions the right hon . gentleman recommended , and he now begged to state to tho right hon . gentleman that tbey would meet with his most strenuous , his most violent , and bis most constant opposition . ( Cheers . ) In answer to a question from Mr . Gro _« an , Sir Peel said

      R . , I will relieve any apprehension there may bc on the sulject ofthe " income-tax bv saying that it is not the intention of her Majesty _^ government to make any proposition with respect to the income-tax . ( Hear . ) Fortified by the experience ofthe past , although there will be a " temporary effect upon tho revenue , yet I have that confidence " in its elasticity , in consequence of the abundance of employ _, ment , that I do hope it will be possible to make all the reductions I propose without the imposition any new tax . ( Loud cheers . ) hh \ _Benxett said , the right hon . baronet seemtct altogether to have forgotten the interests of those persons who consumed hops and malt—the labouring population ofthe country . ( Hear , hear . ) He came down to the liouse that evening with the full confidence that the . right hon . baronet wouid have proposed the repeal of the malt-tax . ( Hear , hear . ) That tax fell- heavily on the labouring classes of the countrv , for it was a tax upon one of their necessaries oflife . " ( Hear . )

      Mr . Wakley had expected that tho gentlemen of the Anti-Corn Law League would have expressed their satisfaction at the proposition of thc right hon . baronet , and he was astonished at the stubborn silence which they had preserved ; because it was impossible that they could have heard the scheme of the right hon . baronet without expressing the strongest approbation , and in the main principle of his proposal agreeing with him . There might be some points of _disagreement , and some arrangements whicli might call for discussion from them , * but when they heard that in the end of three years there was to be a total repeal ofthe Corn Laws , nnd a previous , repeal with reference to the duties on the food of the people , it was utterly impossible that they could fail to _express *

      the strongest approval ofthe scheme as a whole . The hon . member for Wiltshire was disappointed at the hon . baronet , because he did not come up to his expectations iu regard to the malt tax . But he ( Mr . Wakley ) was firmly persuaded that the right hon . baronet ' s measure was one calculated to benefit the millions , to benefit trade , and to preserve the peace of the world , and lie , for one , was prepared at once without further hesitation to say—representing , as he did , nearly 300 , 000 inhabitants ot the northern part of the metropolis—that he felt for the scheme of the right hon . baronet the strongest possible favour . He ( Mr . Wakley ) clearly saw that the next fortnight was to be expended in agitation , and not very peaceful agitation . He saw clearly

      enough that an appeal was to be made to the passions of the electors of this country , lie would wish to ask them if they were prepared to raise every hustings in the kingdom as an instrument of torture to the eyes of the poor man wiio had not a vote ? Let tlicm remember that they were going to make an appeal of a most dangerous character . The poor man would say , "See what happens j the parties who return the members are tho sellers of food ; we are the consumers of food ; they have the votes , and we have none . " Did they believe , that if an appeal of that kind were made , it could do otherwise than cause agitation , and be attended with danger to the peace of society ? Millions who had no votes complained of class legislation , and

      said that they had no voice in electing those who wero to govern the country ; and they were about to call on the sellers of food to determine whether the consumers of food should have justice done to them with regard to commercial legislation . He stated this because he was convinced that if the appeal were made , andif strong excitement were raised by it , ic would be ofa most dangerous character and calculated to endanger the peace of society . If hon . gentlemen werc sincere in reference to the feelings ofthe mass . of the people—if they really did consider that the mass of society wou . u he opposed to the scheme of the right hon . baronet , he would ask ,

      [ were they prepared to extend the franchise to the consumers of food ? No , tlicy were not ; and he , therefore said , under these circumstance . * , they would act wisely to he eaudousjiow they excited the indignation of the millions , and induced them to belicvo that they were the promoters of oppression . Believing , as he did , that the scheme of the right hon . baronet had been propounded with a sincere desire to benefit the nation at large , without reference to particular _elasses—believing that it was one of a just character—believing that thero was nothing ol injustice in it to any party , he should give it his most cordial support ; and if the right lion , baronet maintained the noble ground he hail taken , the millions of England would carry his proposition for him , if appealed to .

      Mr . Bennett said , he came to that house free and unpledged , lie had pursued an honest course for forty years iu public and in private , and nothing should induce hipi to do anything which he did not believe to be for the benefit of his country . The hon . member for Finsbury talked of agitation ; had he never heard of agitation before ? _" Had he never heard of agitators on the otlier side going into every village ? But the agitation might be turned the other way by the good sense of the agricultural labourers . At Goatacre ,-forinstance , there were not 300 people , as stated , but a reporter , a brickinaker , who earned about 30 s . a-week , and another person like him . The speeches delivered by them were made . ' or them , and this had been since proved and stated iu the county paper .

      Mr . Gisboiine denied that the Anti-Corn Law League had received the announcement of the right hon . baronet with stubborn silence . They had not expressed the slightest disrespect to the measure of tlie right hon . gentleman ; bin on so complicated a measure nobody should be called upon hastily to express an opinion . Mr . Newdeoate _, in reply to Mv . Wakley , denounced the Anti-Corn Law League as a mischievous body of agitators and anarchisti . The hon . member for Finsbury had challenged hon . members on that- side to extend the snffrjge ; and he would say , that it the people of this country were exposed tothe oppressive effects of foreign competition , and tothe heavyburdens to which they were now subjected , it might be necessary seriously to consider the propriety of extending the suffrage much lower than it was . it present , and " he did not shrink from expressing such aa

      opinion . After speeches from Colonel T . Wood , Lord Newport , and Air . Aglionby , Mt * . G . B ... \ k .: s _addresset _. the-house in opposition to the m i nisterial propositions , challenging the _government to appeal to the country by dissolving Parliament . Mr . Greene ( the Chairman to the Committee ) then reported progress , and it was moved su : d _agi-eet . to that the house resolve again into the same committee on Monday , the Oth of February . The other orders on the paper were then disposed of , and the house adjourned at twelve o ' clock . IIOUSE OF _OOMMONS-Wedsssdatl _, Jan . 23 . The House of Commons met yesterday morning at twelve o clock . The business transacted was of little importance .

      Mr . _GisnonsB proposed certain resolutions for ths purpose of giving the committee on the petitions foe railway bills power to report * not only whether tha standing orders had been complied with , _butalso whethci * in any particular ease they ought to be suspended and the parties allowed to go o _» i with titeir bill ; but they were opposed by Lord G . Someissei and Miv Smi'ii , and negatived after a short conversation without a division .

      FAMINE IN IRELAND-PUBLIC WORKS BILL , On the motion of Sir T . _Frkmastie , the Public Works ( Ireland ) Bill was read a second time after a sliort discussion on the adequacy of the grant , i « which Mr . Hume , Mr . _O'Connell , Sir R . Ferguson , Sir II . Barron , Mr . M . Millies , and Mr . F . French joined . In the course of the discussion Mr . _O'Cosneli . said , he did not mean to oppose the bill , but , on the contrary , would give it everv assistance in bis power ,

      under this protest , that the government _sltou'd not . consider that they were discharging any essential part of tlieir duty by _massing this bill . It wa s but an instalment of the relief which England required . __ It was impossible to bo too which was approaching that gerate at all when he suid of four weeks of an _actnul right hon . gentleman was this bill on as fast as possible Tho _Jioiiso then adjourn wiuwt

      Emphatic On The Peril Country. He Did No...

      emphatic on the peril country . He did not exagthat they were within . threo i . im . iuc .- -in Ireland . . ' Iho , therefore Tig ht murijuig .- ; \ - _> ' : ' _^ . ' ' ¦ ed . :- •• '' " '" _¦' . ¦ _., . - iiipiiiitic on tne pern ountrv . He did not esagthat they were Within threo i . imiuc ,-in Ireland . / Tho o _; , therefore Tig ht in _urgnig * ble . _y . ' , - ' . ' : ' \ ¦/ : ' _- _!^ _- . ed . ' - ¦ ' . . '" ' *''¦' " I : ' . \ - * . ' % _!*¦' ; s , ¦ ¦ : •• f '' i ' _^ W ¦ ¦ . . ¦ -- •;" . : _?¦ '• - ? _e ? _^ _v-: '; " . ' ¦ _•>*; ' _" h _*

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Jan. 31, 1846, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns3_31011846/page/7/