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    < The Spbakeb.—The hon. gentleman is ent...

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    — ¦—*¦—¦ i*» the; working population. Th...

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    ' House Of'lor ' Ds^Monsay , Feb.9. V - ...

    The _Spbakeb . —The hon . gentleman is entitled to pat a question , but he is net entitled by the rules of _Re house to make a speech . ( Hear , hear . ) Mr . _Fsbkasd . —I will put uie question , then , to the noble lord , ' whether the petitions he has presented _jre the free and unbiassed acts of the persons whose names are appended to them ? ., ' ( Laguhter . _) Lord Mobpkih . —I have just to say that , to the best of my belief , the signatures are the tree and unbiassed acts of tiie persons whose names are appended to those petitions . ( Cheers ' . ) Mr . DtntcoHBE moved for a return of the number of families and persons who bad been removed from their places of settlement in Lancashire , Yorkshire , and Cheshire , in the years 1842-34 , with the places to wliich they had been removed , and their residences in the towns . The return was ordered . - _™ V _., - _, » _Vl-iV The Speicgs . —The hnn ( _wntkmiin m entitled to

    • FACTORY SCHOOLS . Mr . _Bbight objected to the manner in which the money accumulated from fines under the Factories Act had been distributed . Messrs . Horner and Saunders had paid to the church and schools £ 420 . Whereas the sum awarded to the Dissenters ' schools was only £ 75 . Sir J- _Gkahui could assure the hen . member that it waa the wish of the government that the fines to which he referred should be . distributed without partiality or favour . ( Hear , hear . ) Instructions hadbeen given that the spirit ofthe . act should be carried out in . the recoinmendations of the

    inspectors , and that the distributions should take place with reference only to the wants ofthe schools . He could assure the hon . member he . _vrould find that any application , come from whatever quarter it might , wonld receive the fullest attention . ( Hear . ) Sir R . _Ircus wished the right hon . baronet to state . more folly than he had done , whether the house was to understand that an equal amount was to be given tothe schools ofthe establishment and other schools , or only a proportional amount to the latter . He understood from the right hon . baronet that a proportional sum was to be given , _according to the number of scholars .

    Sir J . _GrEAHAMjin reply , had to state that by the act there was no distinction as to the schools , and that the inspectors were directed to report , without reference to the number of scholars , what stun they thought should be given .

    THE REFORMATION OF JUVENILE - OFFENDERS . Mr . Liddell asked the right hou . thc Secretary of State for the Home Department if government were prepared to take any steps towards the improvement and refomation of juvenile offenders ? Sir J . Graham said , this subject had not been neglected either by the present or by the former go-Termnent . Before 1833 there was no institution in this country for ihe punishment of juvenile convicts , except _m the hulks in the Med way , and so far from this being a place favourable to reformation , it was highly injurious to their morals . In 1 S 38 government , with the sanction of the house , founded an institution at Parkhurst . for the reformation of

    offenders . In September , 1841 , there were 2 S 0 juvenile offenders confined there , and they had since increased to 666 , being subjected to discipline and to as good moral training as was possible under the _circouisiances . He observed , in addition , tbat there were at Miilbank 200 juvenile offenders , of whom 100 were rery young ; so that at the present moment there were S 66 juvenile offenders subjected to discipline on ihe most perfect principles . ( Hear . ) If it should be the pleasure ofthe house to sanction the proposal of her Majesty ' s government , that an annual sum should be granted to promote the improvement of juvenile offenders convicted by a jnry , certainly it would be his endeavour to induce the

    magistrates in tiie various counties in England to give directions for setting apart a portion of thc prisons for the special use , and to establish schools for the discipline of these childreB —( hear , hear );—and when the schools had been established he would recommend that the public in each county should also erect an asylum of refuge , in which , on their escape fr om prison , those offenders might be received before they were restored to society . Air . Dc . _vcoiniEpresen ted a petition from the paperhangers of the city of Loudon , declaring themselves favourable to the principles of free trade , but wishing them to be equally applied , and complaining that the duty on the importation of foreign _paperhangings was to be reduced five-sixths , in place of one-half .

    THE CORN LAWS . Sir R . Peel rose for the purpose of correcting a false impression , that the present duties leriedon the importation of foreign corn would cease as soon as his resolutions imposing the new duties had re ceived the assent of the committee and had been approved by the house . He had thought that Parlia ment had been accustomed to deal with the corn as with other duties ; but as it was not so , he would make the reduction of the duties take place upon the passing ofthe Act . - Government , however , had determined to give to the Corn Bill precedence over ali other public business . It _would be taken without waiting for the bills necessary te give effect to the other alteration in the tariff , " and would , if it passed the House of Commons , be sent forthwith to the House of Lords .

    THE CONDITION OF AGRICULTURAL LABOURERS . Mr . Waklet , after presenting several petitions in favour of the repeal ofthe Com Laws , said that he had another petition of an important nature to present on the same subject . It was from If labourers iu IFIltshire , and was as follows : —

    • ' To tiie Hon , the Commons of Great Britain and Ireland , in Parliament Assembled . "The petition ofthe undersigned , inhabitants of _Pewsey , in the county of Wilts , showed- , —Thatyour petitioners are agricultural labourers , members of that class for whose especial _protectitn and benefit the Corn Laws are said to have passed , and are now sought to be maintained . That , _safar from haviu _= received protection and benefit , the condition of vour petitioners is one of destitution and of degradation , being obliged to submit to the work mushy assigned to bessis of burden , namely , io be harnessed to carts aud to draw them , laden with stones , irom place to place , in order to earn , not the fair wages lor labour , hut a miserable pittance , a sum nicely calculated as bcing just sufficient to keep _iUeia from . starvation , and to prevent their availing themselves of thai refuge which the law of the land has provided for them , and which t iie poor-rate is levied to

    ensure to them . That , although some of yuir petitioners have as many as eight in their family , in no one instance does the payment for their l _,-. bi > _ui amount to more than ( is . a-wcek , out of which sum rent , fuel , and olherneeessaries , as wellas food , have to lie provided ; that , being thus reduced under the Corn Laws , which do not enable the occupiers of the soil to give them employment lor fair wages , and which clearly do not aiiurd them protection , or coui use to their benefit , your _petitioners are strongly of _elision that those kwsare injurious , rather _tliaaaurraitageous to them ; they _ihtrcfors humbly implore year hou . house _inuncdi ; . Viy and entirely to abolish those laws , and all others the tendency of which is lo make food scarce and dear , —a state of things that is _always hurtful to the labouring classes _, ( signed by 14 labourers , having li wives and _± _& ciiiidren , altogether amounting to 70 persons , _subsisting , on £ 4 . 2 s . a-week , or lad . each person , being less than 2 d . a-uav each . )"

    THE GOVERNMENT COMMERCIAL MEASURE . On the motion ihat the _Sj-saker do now leave t ! : c _c-bair , Mr . P . Miles rose , and moved as an amendment , that the house do resolve _ifsi-lf into committee that cay six racnths . He trusted that he _apnroaehed the consideration of the question with ajus ' t _sara * of its rcasniiiude _, and that no cxpreKs , ioi . s might fill _frcm , liim which should tend io excite auy angry _feelings . Ir was , indeed , of too important a character io be treated on mere party grounds . It was a question which touched the inter _& _ts of every man iu _ti-ic-aantry , thc highest and lowest , the merchant ant ; the _aio-icnlturist , tho landlord and the tenant , th ;

    operative ana the artisan ; a » . d it was a quc _^' _ion * _-t fir greater magnitude than the Reform Biil , becsiyK ; it implied si change in the policy whi ' . - ' n bv . 'd been pursued in this country from tiie earliest period of its history , aad tinder which it hud risen _i-i great ea _' . _isenee—a policy which all _-Eaiii-ns had ion _* : 'followed , and which ail still continued to follow . ( _Vli-jtis . _) "ffhellier the country was prepared for this * , _re-. t _change—wi . ef ' = er the _coiistiist-iieics we ' re pre ; arc *; _1-jive ti . eir sanction to ihe _me-isure of the _rbjn ho : ; _, _gentleman—Le ccuhi not _Tcu ' _-. _tn-e tossy ; bill he- (? ir . _I'lik _?) could not hesitate tc dt clave tbat o : i a qaeniou .: l . _ :.. _!• . .. . _< ...... -, ¦* .. _tf h rit ttheir _interests

    _sEC- : ilimportance <> they _oa-jhi at least to ! j 2 consulted . U ; : _dunbtedly the _laajw-ity ' o _* this Parliament was _risi-ied - _* _-n _pi'ofecticniitprinciples . ( IJeiir , Lear . ) _Zfytwiths-tandii g the _explar . ' ii ' _jBS _clven by the right hon . tart- { Sir 11 . Pre )) lie t-Mr . Miles ) could not but agree with she late Secretary for the Colonics , in thinking tint there was :. o peculiar _necessity f »? this _measiirc—that though Ihtre was a failure , of the _votr . toe crop in _Ir-ilsi'd , yet there was no _fiilu _" . c in tie harvest of this conmry , for _^ every report showed that tlie crop waa very large . From the _n-prts which _hatibfrnpub-: > tKd it ai ) i ? cared thai between _thcSlh of , !« iv . ]? -i- " .

    _Jsad tiie 5 _ih of January . jg-iu , nearly _l . iX _' O , ' : _''' ! _qcai-Kirs of grain I « d _•¦• . ca _luipor ' tcd . _avd _raiire th v _. i _j- ' _* ' _.-irt . of uicsi . Thru ; ihc-re was lio 3 . _jiprcl : cr . _*? i < : ! i ' ¦ r famine vrns shown by the fst-t that _"Wi'eat was at 3 fe . a quarter—a priee v . hkh in 18-12 the ritfui Ifin . _hastmet had thought a fsir ' prkc . ( lic-ar , hew . ) iie ( Mr . Miles ) did not underline tiicrc / _riuK- _'biJitv tf - . he _Slinistvr . He could _tm _& _rriflwl that the _i-iiht h _.-n . _iiaronttVanxJcty wouid _beii- _'crt-ascd bvthe mere idea of a famine . Then the viuht _lm . _bmaei bpi not only the earliest repons from different quarters ' , iu . i he was receiving sueh _ix-poi-ts '' ciiistinH ? . llv . '' At tue same time the _ritht hon . _baivnet ' scol ' _i'ii-iics Ji ; : _j equally with himself the means of _judging whether the emergency wss _Fiieh- rs to demand the measure he proposed in November ; and when those colleagues were seen refuang to open the ports , and declaring the reports of famine _exaggerated , he {\ lr . Mile . - } , without wishing to impute improjier . _niolivts , could sot but say that-he felt that the cause of prelection

    ' House Of'lor ' Ds^Monsay , Feb.9. V - ...

    had long _beendoeihed _iatihettuad ci theW _^ ht hon . bart . / and that the propositions now made by the right hon . bart . nad at last sealed its fate . Uponthat prin ciple he ( Mr . Miles ) was prepared to take his stand and ghe his most decided opposition totherighthon baronet . But he did not mean to deny that there were parts of the measure from which the country would derive benefit , lie thought a moderate protection , however , due to native industry . He had brought forward hia motion , not on account of the agricultural iaterest only , but on account of all the interests ofthe country : he belonged to no particular interest , for he was equally engagedin all . He knew the ddhculty he should have in bringing this question before the house . But such difficulties should 1 Jl „ _ _ had loncrbsen _dnamed in . tlin ; min _^ _nftkk ' _-u _^ i . * _i—

    not dishearten him ( Mr . Miles ) ; for a large party in that _house-alai-ge and influential party beyond its _vvaus-rheld opinions inaccordancewithhisown . His chief objection to the measures of the . right hon . baronet was , that he saw no termination to them _, fcverj session would bring an additional change . It was proposed to effect great changes ; and _greater still must follow . The more , lie considered the ques tion , the more was he convinced that thosemeasnres ought not to be allowed to pass through -Parliament before the deliberate opinion ofthe country hadbeen taken on the subject by an appeal to _. the constituencies . He did not think the recent prosperity of this country was attributable to measures of the right hon . bart ., but to the fact of improved harvests , and

    the immense impetus given to trade by the more general application of capital to railroads . The termination of the wars in China and India had also materially aided in producing this result ; he could not therefore admit that the prosperity of thecountry was attributable to the right hon . baronet ' s policy , for many ot" those circumstances would have taken place had the noble lord Deen in power . ( Hear . ) Neither was ihe state of exports a test of prosperity . The foreign markets had been glutted—China and India had been inundated—with British goods . More reliance was to be placed on the home trade . He wonld not quote the former speeches of the right hon . bart . on the Corn question , nor taunt him with _inconsistencv . If the right hon . bart . considered

    his measures essential to the best , interests , of the country , he ( Mr . . Miles ) for one would not blame him ; but . he eould , not consent to follow the right hon . baronet . The Corn Law , it would be admitted , had worked well , so far as a law could work well . ( Laughter and cheers . ) . So far as calculation could go it Ltd , he thought , answered the . right hon . baronet ' s expectations . The object of _^ that law was to give a fair price to the farmer . What did he consider a fair price now ? If the right lion . " bart . was ri _« ht in his views of the effect which would attend the repeal of the Corn Laws , what became of the " eheap loaf argument of ihe hon . gentleman opposite 1 There was a vast difference between the cheapness produced by a good harvest , _Mjd the

    cheapness produced hy the introduction of foreign com . Mr . lluskisson had described the importation of foreign grain as the sure forerunner of scarcity ; while" the " same great authority held that a steady home supply was the only sure guarantee for a steady home ' market . The right hou . baronet ' s measures would lead _'totise titter ruin of the agricultural interest ; they would cause great agricultural distress , and tend to lower wages ; the working classes would feel their effects beforethe higher orders . When these measures passed , free trade wonld be the principle of her '"' Majesty ' s government , and " protection could hot be taken froni one interest without its of

    being taken from all . _^ What would lie said the navigation laws ; of recipivjcity treaties ? _Wheris the sweeping current was to pass when once the barrier was broken down , he could not say ; but , if justice were done to all parties , protection ought to be continned . Then the free trade proposed was a onesided free trade . This country would be inundated with foreign goods , buthave no corresponding advanmge ; and already the Swiss and French competed in hosiery , cotton goods , cutlery , & c , with British manufacturers . Wages on railroads or public works might for a time be higher , but ultimately all would be reduced . There were other circumstances which

    gave the manufacturer great natural advantages over the agriculturist , liis establishment was mu « h better conducted . ( Ironical cheers from the Opposition . ) What he meant was , that the manufacturer could survey aU his workmen at one glance , and therefore had them more under confront than the farmer . ( Hear , hear . ) Whether the sun shone , or the rain poured , the factory went on the same ; but the farmers were subject to the vicissitudes of the weather . It was a matter of great doubt whether manufactures and agriculture could be governed by the same laws and principles ( hear ) ,- as regards the restriction of labour . The manufacturer also had au advantage over the agriculturist in the burdens they respectively bore . One of the largest _cutton

    manufactories in the country , the annual proauce oi which was £ 170 , 000 worth of goods , and wuichpaid £ 39 , 000 a-year in wages , paid only £ 530 in direct ourdens . ( Hear . ) There was _uoiliiug to . couuterbalance this _inlkvom * ofthe farmer . _Thecompeusation offered to the landed interest—some £ 100 , 000 spread over the whole country—was nut . sufficient . There . was another article of product , which , how . ever did not strictly come within the subject—he meant sugar . IniSilahd 1 S 4-5 certain advantages were given to free-grown sugar over slave-grown sugar . But now ihe . growers of free-labour sugar were told that they could stand a little more competition . Why , what was to protect them from being told in 1 S 43 that the West Iudiau colonists had aireadv derived great benefit from competition , and ,

    itierefore , that- they must be subjected to _ttill more . On the other hand , if the farmer _wa-i obliged to sell his corn-at the cheapest market , why should he be cunpelled to buy hissugar at the dearest ? ( Hear . ) Extend ihe principle of the Canada Corn Biil generally , aud he ( Mr . Miles ) wouid then not o \> jectto vote for the plan . If free trade principles were to prevail they ought to be extended to the colonies ; and the manufacturer of this couutry ought not to be allowed to have a monopoly uf the colonial market . Upon the whole , he believed that they would be acting for the best _interests of the country , for the benefit of commerce , of the colonies , and of the workin *; classes , by advocating protection for every branch of " British industry . The hon . gentleman , who was very imperfectly heard towards the _ciose of hi ? _speech , concluded by moving his amendment .

    Sir W . Heathcote rose to second the amendment _, lie said , that in opposing the measure of the right iu ; u . baronet , he was desirous of altogether avoiding the _pi-actice that had in some quarters become general of charging the right hou . gentleman with personal dishonesty in having introduced it . It was true that he looked upon the measure itself as delusive , as based on grounds separately inconclusive , and inconsistent when combined ; and that he thought the ri _^ ht hon . baronet , in his eagerness to accomplish a great result , overlooked the evil of shaking a settlement wlr . _ch a _*> j : ear £ d to the public mind to be _s ' _ttsedon the good faith of the present Parliament _, ( licar . ) lie believed also that the right hon . bart . had not sufh _' cientiv perceived thc violent shock that

    was being given to public confidence in public men . iJur , to suppose that the right hon . baronet was pretending « conviction lie did not feel , or that he had any _ozhero' _-jeetii ] view than to promote what bethought to be the best interests of the country , appeared to hiin ( Sir W . Ilcithcote ) to be a _gratuitousassumption . Tne . plan proposed to be a large aud comprehensive scheme of free . . trade . If it were so , and if it was at the same time impartial , he would itill look on it as a step in a downward course , and one whieh was calculated to lead to evil . He was not afraid to avow , that , on his conscience , he believed the legislation ol the last twenty years in the same direction , had prodneed evils greater than had been supposed , and the amount of which hud beeu _conceslu only through the _enormous growth cf our colonial trade—a trade

    which , be it remembered , had beeu carried on on _uiucipks _antagonist to those of this measure . { Hear , hear . ) The . measure , however , was not impartial—it did not take protection from all alike . The different classes ' of domestic industry demanded _iroicction in pr . portion tu the amouiit of manual _, _liibour required to carry theni on . Tet , by this plan , _tiiAt _braccJi which required more manual labour thau any—agriculture—was to have the feast urotfcetion j --Hzitiauiiikcturcs , oa which iiiachinciT lvonhi he so much brought to bear , w . is to have thc most _, ( licar . ) The right hon . baronet-rested its auoiuiou on consideration * , hesaid , partly of jiwiicc and partly » : f policy . Surely , as regarded the justice of it , the c _lidiiiun of thu * British _auricuiturist , as compared _wiiii ihj foreigner , should _Ij-j considered , lie livid _i-i a _couutrv where , money brim ? plentiful , and its

    _t-iruiL-uiou _uipid , prices were high . . He was expos-.- * . ; tu iaxaiiou un ' .. quni and heavy , aud also to those _iociii : iss 2 _ssincuu ; which in foreign countries were i . _iii-. ic bv tiie suite . The agriculturist was _tmbarr-iSscd too , more , _perluips , _Ikui any other person in the state , wiih the . burd _- _* _-n of the stamp laws , the indirect taxation of ihe Excise aud Customs . But it was impossible to do away with theiifect en the right hen . baronet ' s supporters of . his _^ formcr _^ _argu-» e :: ls in favour of protection , ( licar . ) lie ( Sir » ' llcaihe-otc ) could not ' _owet that ths fanners , who

    - . verc not fifty years ago to _i-idiiy _Ivixeil as the ? were now by three times , were « b ! e io ieed double the . _¦ tfpslatiou . Nor could he forget that when last a still-city occurred , M ' . ; _-h as was nv . vJe one of the pretexts for this measure , _England was the only . coiititry in Europe really abie to meet it , and tliav at _< i time - . _Tsii-u eray other country was prepared to . close Us _o' / r ts agaiuit us . To avert- tiie _possibility Of such a _vi-itis ueinsr , renewed , lie hud _v-ited for tiie Canada _Cv-rn 13 il ) , and he was prepared to have voted for an _Australi-.: _!! C . n ; Hilt aisu . Liu new lio such prin ciple was _rel-aiiifid , he conceived _iiiaiicif bound to oppose _t-ic measure .

    Air . W . _Lascelus said the lion , baronet who last spoke seemed to attribute the _pi-osptritv uf Kaglaad \ _a the system of prutet-tiuu . lie _thought _differeiuly ; for fr- 'JH ihe tiiuc of the coii-. inehcei'jcut of the _adoption of thc principle might be traced a system-of fluctuation , of alternations of prosperity aiid adversity . _Xor did he sec why this measure should beimv ' . ea test of Conservative poliey . There was nothing in tlie reconstruction of the Conservative partv , after the Reform Hill , to authorise the _supposition that . a "restrictive commercial policy was to be considered as

    ' House Of'lor ' Ds^Monsay , Feb.9. V - ...

    _itsfundamente _[ l _^ B _^ _nlfte _^ _UH _^ tawnet had been taunted with . the sudden change in his policy and with ha inconsistency , h ut it was impossible to took at the principles of his former relaxations in the protective _systom and hot see that they had _mbraced the whole princi ple of free trado . ( Hear , hear . ) They were so understood . ( Hear . ) In 1842 the right hon . baronet _proposed the _existing Corn Law ; and what was the consequence i ' mear' ) In every -meceedin _s sessions of Parliament questions had . been put to _^ him _; m ' every tone ef alarm-: " After the principles you hare expressed , do you mean to alter the Corn Laws , or do you not " The right hon . " baronet ' s answers , whieh were considered unsatisfactory at the time ( hear hearVwere . . - . _« _VjiZi- _ -ii '_ f _^ f « i . ,.., .... .. ..-: ' .

    to this effect— I have no intention ' to alter the Corn Laws , but no man whois the Minister of this country ought to , pledge himself for ever as to what he may . do . upon such a subject . "' They might aitempt to bolster the trade of the country by protective duties , but , dependMon . it , that at the root of the question we should find our ' best policy iii free intercourse with foreign countries . From the first opening of the East India Company ' s charter and whether they looked ; at the articles of silk ' sugar , or wool , every instance that they could possibly bring to mind of a relaxation of protbetive duties established the wisdom of that policy ' Lord _iVoRRETs said , that having been a ' constant supporter . ot the right . hon .. baronet ( Sir RPeel )

    . since the year 1 S 30 down tothe present time , he regretted that he must now not onl y oppose the measure , but also withdraw all confidence from the right hon . baronet a administration . He had not deserted their ranks until he had heard the explanation and themeasures . He _wasjready to admit the difficulties ofthe right h pn . baronet ' s positiou _. that whatever change he had proposedwould have met with equal opposition from most of Lis present opponents ; theretore he might have been driven to such an extensive plan . But he ( Lord Nbrreys ) thought he might have obviated much ofthe difficulty if he had refused to return to power until the government had been ottered to the noble duke who presided _, at the Agricultural Society . Any man who knew anvthimr of nnlilir

    affairs knew what would have been the result . ; This would have opened the eyes of the agriculturists to their real position , and some settlement more favourable to theagricultural body might have been effected . He ( Lord Norreys ) never could have expected that he who , in 1841 , so damaged the fixed duty that its advocates dare not again propose such a mode of protection—who , in 1842 , professed to make an adjustment of the question—that he would have been the man to propose ais . dutyto end in total repeal . He did not Believe that-the right lion , baronet had beeu wanting in political integrity , or that he had been actuated by any dishonest motives : but ,

    contrasting _his . conduGt in former years with the present , it was clear hehad been wanting in that foresight which it Was necessary a leader should possess to command thc confidence of his party . He ( Lord Norreys ) would resist the measure ; and the right hon . baronet , and not those who opposed the measure , must be responsible for any confusion which arose . ( Hear , hear . ) Mr . B . Cochrane declared his intention to vote for thc measure of the government , and did not see that Sir . Robert ' . Peel had been more inconsistent than others ; The Reform Bill had passed , aiid the _necessity for passing this measure was one ofthe inevitable consequences of that bill .

    ' Mr . W . Deedesdefended the Corn-Law of . 1842 , and _commented upon the inconsistency of Sir Robert "Peel , who instanced the prosperous condition of the country during the last three , years , and then called upon Parliament to alter the law . under whicli that prosperity had beeu attained . . Sir J . IValsh denied that thc maintenance of the Corn Laws resolved itself , into a . question of rent , as was frequently stated by . the free traders , ; though even if . it were so the magnitude of . the , interests dependent on the land should induce the legislature to be cautious in unsettling it . The country . had made , rapid progress under the old system , and there never was a period when its agriculture wa 3 more ready for a stride in advance , and if proper security was offered they would be quite able to meet the demands of our increasing population . Mr . A . B . Hope supported the amendment .

    Lord Saxdox startled the house by declaring that though he disapproved of . the scheme proposed by her Majesty ' s government , hehad made up his mind to vote in favour of it . After stating his objections to _thejneasure at some length , hesaid that he felt that the country must be governed . . He found that wheu opinions hostile to protection had been pronounced by the great leaders on both sides of the house , and that it was now Opposed' by all the gentlemen who had ever sat in . the government except two , it was no longer a matter for discussion ; but the only question was the way of doing it . ' He looked upon it , as the French sai < _£ "ttii fait accompli "—it was _setded .. It inh * htbe railed _against , but thecountry must be govemcil ; and when the only persons who could govern the country were " of one opinion , the sooner it was settled the better it would be for all parties . _, ' ' . -

    Lord J . _Rcsseh believed that he was the first member who had risen _oiihissidcoi the _Loute en the important question how before them ; and while he should give his vote on the same ' side with the noble lord who had just addressed them , he could say that he should do it with better heart and hope than that noble lord . He was not at all terrified by au _argument which appeared quite conclusive on the other side—namely , that protection was a system of legislation which had been adopted iu " England for centuries , and thai we were about to destroy it . We bad destroyed many other systems which had been injurious to the country , though they had been defended by the prescriptive usage of centuries ; and he hopedthat hereafter wc should bo proud of having

    destroyed this system , and of having participated in f unding instead of it a newer and better state of things . The protection which it was now sought to maintain for agriculture was defended on the ground that it was a protection for the benefit of agriculture , aud of agriculture alone . Now , such protection was an interference with trade and labour for the benefit of a class—it was a tax on the community for- the benefit of a class , whilst the class for whose benefit it was professedly intended , absolutely lost by _ it . These were truths which every writer on politieal economy now admitted ; but he was sorry to say that every one of them was at fault when tliey ciime to the consideration on the question— " What is the course vou ought to take , when you wish to . get rid

    of that protection , which you admit to , be an evil ? Admitting that the transition from protection to free trade could not be made without some sniicring , he proceeded to discuss the mode in which Sir It . Peel had treated the question _^ He thou ght that Sir Robert had not laid the grounds fur his measure boldly and broadly enough in point of time . Sir Robert might have quoted _several measures of Mr . lluskisson with respect to raw silk , French gloves , and several osher articles , to show the benefit of removing prohibitory , and of relaxing protective duties _, lie ( Lord J . Russell ) would , not enter into any criticism at present on the reductions iu tlie commercial and manufacturing articles contained in the new tariff proposed by Sir Robert _Pt-e ) , but would

    eoiifiue liis observations to his plan for gelling rid altogether of the corn duties at tho expiration of three years . He was of opinion that if Sir Robert had undertaken his present course iu the year 1 S _42 , it would have been better both for agriculture and the community at large . As matters now stood , seeing the _struggle whieh was goiii ; _, * on throughout the country , anil whieh was likely to continue , ' he was prepared to say that the immediate _aboiition ofthe corn duties was tlie most expedient course lor a government- to pursue . Considering , however , the plan of Sir R . l _' eel as a great measure , whieh was to lay the foundation of a new principle of commercial legislation , 'aud was to leave all the interests of the couutry to nourish or to fade

    according to the skill of the parties . concerned m them , he was determined and prepared to give every support in his power to it , although it did not go to the length he-wished . The relief ollercd by the plan to thc a » ricuitu * al interest was more _apparent than veal . He heard Irom all parts of the kingdom that the farmers everywhere said that if they were lo have a system of free trade , thoy would prefer an abolition cf the duties at once to a gradual reduce on of them , and that they were -anxious to he relieved irom that new Corn Law which was proposed to break their fall . After explaining the reatons why he thought that the farmers wero correct in that oMniun , he p ut it to Si : * Robert Peel whether he wouid not rc-consider that part- ol

    his plan . He wished , however , that plan , wiictucr amended as he _suggested or not , to succeed both in that house and the House of Lords ; and no vote of liis should be so given as to endanger its success , lie then made sonic comments on the minor details ol Sir _Robert ' s scheme , anil concluded by drawin _** a ' contrast between the disinterested support which the Whigs were now giving to tho free trade measures of a Tory government , ami the factious opposition whieh thc Tories gave to the same measure when proposed by a Wing government . Ilis opinion was that if the free trade measures of thu Whig government had been allowed to pass , _wiii'n they wen ! _ori-. inaliy proposed , mueh of the sum-ring of tlie ycai

    1 S-12 would have _Ijcc-ii avoided . ' Sir . lloberfc _i'tx-i would have escaped much in " tho invootiv _*! whieh was now heaped upon him , if lie had then been true to himself , ami would not have bes . ii reproached , with betraying somtbotly if he had _llien ken true to his country . Sir Robert mi » ht wc . _ir ihe laurel for enabling the poor man to gtVa belter "' reward fev his ' labour , and solo improve his mural ami social ' condition ; he might also wear the lam el for increasing the _proipcrivy and improving the revenue ef tiie country ; but with the Whi gs would re .-t the solid satisfaction . that out of office they li ail joined to "ether to consolidate the triumph of the Minister of thetlav .

    Sir R . Ixcus . congratulated . Lord John Russell on the gallantry with whieh he had come to the rescue of the Ministry after nine gentlemen had risen one after an other on the Ministerial benches to direct their fire , not against a common enemy , but a » ai . iist ennh other . He lamented that thc vote of Lord Sau-

    ' House Of'lor ' Ds^Monsay , Feb.9. V - ...

    _iS Ji - u - w » _"ch direct contradiction _toUiis IS _W \ was one fit the . most cohvincihsar _guff # ' l «> had ever heard against , the'f _xpS-^ iS _^ _pi ' . The principle on whieh « _M _™ S li _? t _| lc ar S eat and best _"iPW of corn ° , _WW ? i M 0 _derate ' and ; equable price . He asked _;« _& i & ° i i _^ _wamoro equabl e price than ILn _^ i _™* _?^ _Present system . In proof of _! _tte a 1 V r th l _Position he quoted returns _ioutZT oi orni 01 , many years at Hambu . gh , hi . ll * _, , nd ' sev « al other foreign , ports . He should have liked Sir Robert ' s plan better , if he had transforred that part of the poor rate which now tell on the land exclusivel y to the Consolidated tuna . He then complained"that cove ' rnment had

    not taken into consideration the effect of this change in the Corn Law on the rent-charges recently created in lieu oi tithes . It would be easy to prove the gross inconsistency of all those who agitate this measure but it was unnecessary , as we had confitcntes reos . Lord John Russell had changed the opinions of liis youth tor those ofa matureir age . . He did hot accuse tarn ot any hw or sordid motive in making that change . Neither did he accuse Sir R . _Peelofariyiother n hi _* 1 V tf T _° " _^ S _^ were _mostpure and honourable . If , however Sir R . Peel was aW statesman _Ztr . ; , f _^ " dl , ct u « _'sthave be eiTthat of aman _Tfi "iv- th WiUUs and emergencies of the _° a _^ l ' / i s _^ - _"ge on this point had been n sudden , that we could not help " expecting more changes on other matters . . In Lord J . Russell he knew what he had to / expectand lie . must that

    ; say he would rather trust to an open enemy ' than—but lie stopped himself , and concluded by declaring his"iiitentumtoi support the amendment ; Major FmjuuiucK opposed the ministerial plan . Mr . _biDHEt * Hr . _anKni showed , by reference to " tlie reports oi the commissioners , the imminent dangers which hang over Ireland , in , consequence , of tlie _kwlure of the potatoeerop . The hon . gentleman then said : I do not stand on a point of consistency when I frankly avow that I think the law ofl 8 i 2 has failed —( cheers ); that th o first time it was tested by adverse circumstances it failed , and signally failed ;" , and proceeded to show that the present ministry had offered to tlie noble lord opposite a hearty and spontaneous support in effecting a change in the system ,

    should he have succeeded in ' forming a ' cabinet . lie denied that wheat could be imported from the continental ports at the low prices which had been stated ; and asserted that'it would be impossible to bring any great quantity of . foreign grain to * compete ' successfully with our home produce ; As to the apprehensions * from the United States / the population increased in them much more rapidly tlioh tlie production . The right hon : gentleman then proceeded to say that a meeting took place at a * village called Goatacre , in my county—a meeting which has been alluded to in a different sense by different parties in this-house . ( Heir . ) Now , I ani- ' not _iirenared to

    deny—indeed , ! think on the face of the ' resolutions agreed to at that meeting it is obvious'that those re ; solutions were not drawn' up 'by working _nieh ; * that tlie proceedings were preorganised arid contrived' bv others . ( Hear . ) But this 1 am bound to stats , thai the statements of those vidrking men as to the difficulties they labour under iverc correct . ( Hear , hear . ) ' I live in'tlie midst of apopulation as to whom Iscarcely know how they exist . ( Hear . ) The " only remedy he couid see for this state of things-was high'farming , which would at once give a remunerative-return for capital and greater employment for labour . ¦ Tlie lion , member concluded an elaborate and eloquent speech by strongly supporting the new measure . ¦

    On the motion of Mr . S . O'Brien , the debate was then adjourned till Tuesday . -

    PRESENTMENT SESSIONS ( IRELAND ) BILL . Sir James Gkaium mpved'fi _- . r leave to'bring in " a bill to authorise grand juries' in Ireland , at the spring assizes ofthe present year , to appoint extraordinary presentment sessions ; to empower such sessions to make presentment' for county works _^ aiid to provide funds for thc execution of such works by loans of public money . " Ho said the powers which were meant to be conferred ongrand juries by the bii . " _a vere permissive , and not compulsory . " .. One object of the bill was . to render the money already , in the hands of grand juries immediately . available , so that the contracts for which it . was intended might lie commenced in the spring and in the early part of summer . This sum amounted to ' . £ 120 _, " 000 , and ' was . hpw lodged in exchequer bills , and bearing interest ,-so tliat .

    supposing all the grand juries , in Ireland , concurred ' in the objects of the bill , it could be , sent into the labour market immediately ; . The second object . of the bill was to . give grand juries power to make presentments at the spring- assizes for further works ,, which , under the existing law , they could not do until , the summer assizes . It was intended ' . , that these ' further works should be made to the amount " of _£ S 0 _, 000 , making in all £ 200 , 000 , to be expended in employment ' under _, the control of the grand juries . It was , ho should repeat , merely a permissive , anil not a . _gompulsovy power , and under existing circumstance ' s he , hoped the house would Me induced to pass the measure with as little delay as possible . ( Hear , hear . ) Sir James Graham and Mr . Young were then empowered to introduce the bill . The house adjourned at one o ' clock .

    HOUSE OF LORDS-Tuesday , Feb . 10

    , THE POLISH NUNS . Lord Aberdeen-, in answer to a question _Opmi Lord Kinnaird respecting the cruelties alleged ' to have been perpetrated on the Polish nuns at Minsk , stated that he had no doubt the persecutions in question wcre grossly exaggerated ; and that whatever might be the state of the case , the government " of this country had no power to interfere . Several petitions were presented , thc Scotch Turnpike-roads Bill was forwarded a stage , and the house adjourned . HOUSE OF OOMMONS-TunsDAY , Feb . 10 . Mr . James S . Wortley took the oaths and his seat for the county of Bute .

    NEW WRIT . Onthe motion of Mr . J . Youxg a new writ was ordered for the election of a citizen to " serve for Westminster in the room of Captaiii Rous , who , since his election , had accepted the ofKcc of one of the Lords Commissioners'for executing tho office of Lord High Admiral . A large number of petitions , for nnd against the Corn Laws , were presented by various members . Petitions in favour of the Ten Hours' Factory Labour Bill wcre presented from places in the county of York , by Sir G . Strickland ; from places in the county of Dorset ,, by Mr . Bankcs ;¦ from twelve places in _Glasgow and its vicinity , and two places in Chorley , by Mr . T . Duncombe ; from places in "Wales , b . i an lion , member , whoso name we did not learn ; and from several places in Lancashire , by Mr . Ferrand .

    Mr . T . Duncombe presented petitions from inhabitants of Marylebone , Pancras , and ' other places , against the enrolment of the militia , which they considered to be altogether unnecessary . After a sharp coflreisation respecting flic value of the tariffs of different countries , prepared for 'P arliament by Mr . -AI Gregor , wliich were styled by Lord _Si'viiif-iir "dull romances , " and defended by Dr . Bowring , Mr . Hume , and others , the house resumed the debate on

    TIIE CUSTOMS AND CORN _IMPORTATION ACTS . ' Mr . S . O'BniEX denied that there existed , ns Lord J . Russell represented , an impression among the fanners that the repeal of the Corn Laws , if it too ); place at all , should take place immediately . He regretted that the agricultural interest had vot an opportunity of publicly and constitutionally declaring tlieir opinion . After the late declinations he wanted to know upon wh ; it principles-parties in this country were ia future to be kept together ? Not only had the present government changed its principles since it came into office , but it had also .-taught us this valuable truth—that parties in ' this country wcre no longer te bo kept together , by distinctive principles . Mr . _^ Sidney Herbert had tol d them that tlieJaw of lS 12 ' liail signally tailed . What he wanted to know w : _is this— " Did that law fall to the Sidney 'Herbert of IS _4-5 , or to the Sidney Herbert oflS-iG ? " The Sidncv Herbert of _lSiii found , that it failed because it

    let in corn too freely ; the Sidney Herbert of 1840 found thiit . it failed because , . it restricted the free importation , of corn . Mi * .-S . Herbert asked too much , if he supposed Ihat t ! i

    alone . We were propounding the most - trines when wo brought forward mcasures _. _ol whicn tho avowed object was tu leave thc poor mun wxt . iout protecti . ni , and so to consign him to unmitigated ruin . The axiom of buy in- m tiie PHcapest _nuu-kc _. and selling in we _driest , and tljal thc property . ol the poor mun Ji _« ed « l »» V _^ _ie-Aum , was a very plausiblo one ; , but gee , ho \ v it operated . _ oiip-> o * e an individual to buy his papci _* _-haji | rings in Paris iiis carriages in Drussels , and-his lnrdwarc in Germany ; . and suppose , while he was lookim : cut . of Ihe window of his smart house , or his clepant carriuj . 'c _, he saw the labourers all idle , becaus e of the iiew law w hich had , passed in favour uf t he iutp'duction of these articles ; and suppose he said to tiicm , "Mv good fellows , 1 have done my best to make vou _noo ' r and wretched , but I have not done so irom anv selfish motive . Onthe 27 th ot January ,

    18-10 , it was propounded bv the head ol the government Ihat tiie property ofthe poor needed no protection , " and that in future wc should all buy m ' Uie cheapest market and sell in the dearest , and I have ouly a wish to promote my own interest by acting upon those principle * . " What poor consolation this

    ' House Of'lor ' Ds^Monsay , Feb.9. V - ...

    Would be . to ihe poor . workman ! He begged the house also to think riot , only of the amount of poverty which tliese proposals , if carried out , would occasion , but of the amount of alienation and disaffection which they would occasion . . In that house they were all rich men . . Comparatively they were all rich . They all had had a breakfast that morning and they all would have a ' dinner ' _ibefovo night . But . there were millions in tho country who could no ; say so . ( Hear , hear . ) The doctrine they had announced was the most selfish doctrine . It was not a'question of cotton . a gainst corn . But when , they spoke ot always buying in the cheapest and selling in the dearest market , he would ask how they reconciled their principle with that of a poor law ? Could they , explain wh y orw man ' s industry was taxed to

    relieve , anotheivman ' s . property ? , In showing that their principle struck against that ofa poor law he was _onlyarguingagainstaclunisy _. _hard _. _andinipracticable dogma on whieh . they . never could act ; which , if reduced fo practice , would alienate the affections of the people , and only increase their own dangers He was sorry to hear , that : dogma promulgated in that house ,- the members of which could not call themselves in any sense the . representatives of the poor wan —( hear hear ) . ;—became , while they talked . of . respecting the rights of the poor , they had hitherto been acting so as practically to diminish and destroy those rights _. They Bhould ; be . very careful how . they ' announced that , they . were' T , no longer . able to protect the . property which , the , millions , of . their

    Mowcountrymen , said . was . all , they had in the world . Ue had been accustomed to consider the present as a _aiidloi'ds' question . He was convinced that he had beeu wrong . It _vvas . not a landlords ' , question , ' but a tenant-formers ' ., question , ; and being such , he refused , . to alter the existing , law relative to the importation , of foreign , corn . He then drew a higblyeploured picture of the ruin which would fall upon the- tenant-farmers , and , the labourers whom they employed—whose honest hearts were , . worth more than all the heaviest volumes of politicalecoiioiiiyif the . new-fangled doctrines of Mr . Cobden should be carried into execution under the auspices of Sir R . Tecl . . 'Theu * . great fault was that , they , " like then landlords , hiid trusted in the faith of the legislature

    and . themhibrtun'f which they would most deplore in their common ruirt . ' would be the , loss of all . ' confidence in public men ., _, . _> ,.-. , ; ,... ; Mr . S _.-OnAwroKD considered tliat ' tlie eloquence of the last . speaker . was mucli greater . than the power of his . ; arguments ; , ' . 'for though he ' professedly took great interest in the ' . _jy ' elfare of the working lha'ii , he _^ _hotved the value of his professions by refusing . to give to that working , man cheap , food .. Nothing would promote . the prosperity of the ' country so , much as cheap . ; corn ' , and thereforeit was . _tliatjic wished to repeal every tax ' ; whic . h , was _! imposed on , its . inip or-, tation from foreigncountries . .. Hecoaclu _ded'by de- . ' clariiig liis intention of giviiighis . co rdial support ti ) the proposition' of iier . Majesfy ' s government on ' this

    occasion . .,. _, , ; Mr . 'LL ' Bailue regretted' that this question shiiuld have been , taken up pri party , grounds . The members oh tlie ministerial side of the house had , _btily the choice of two dterhatives—they niust , either accept the compromise now offered to them , or throw but the present administration to . make ; room for another equally , pledged jto ' theabolifion of all . duties oh the importation ot _\' foreign yoraY . , y stances , ' _ he . should support , tlie' proposition ' of ; the government ! from a coiivictidh that _. iii so _' doiiig . 'he

    was supporting the best interests ot the . British _empire .. , ......... ; . . ; ,. ; . Mr . _iLefroy coinmented on the speech' of Mr . . "S ! Crawford on the , wretchetl condition of the _population of Ireland , and asked how this measure was ' caleulated to improve it , or . to raise the capital ofthe landlords and farmers of . Ireland ' , wlio ' were the employers " of labour 1 He deciared himself cbmpelled , as an Irish member , to oppose the proposition of tlie govemient , . whicli he deiioii ' iiccd as a most rash and hazardous experiment . . ' .. ' ' . _''" ' ' * "'' . '" " !

    Lord Cl _* ements had no hesitation in meeting the challenge of die last speaker , and in contending ' that this proposition would not be injurious either to tlie population or the ' landlords , ' of Ireland . ' He wished hon . members would inquire how far the Corn' Jaws had benefited the agricultural population ' of Ireland . Nothing could be more destitute or"dcplorable thin the condition of the peasantry of'that country ' What , then , was , ' or what would be , ' the beiidfit ot protection to a population in such deplorable misery ? Had it been , or would it be , of" the slightest use either to the tenant-farmer , or had it prevented , or would it prevent , ' , the labourer tronf ' stancls'hg idle in tlie ; market-place ? No such' thing ' . ' 'Tie should ; tlici * efbfe , _'' give his ' support to the government proposition for the alteration in the Cbrn , 'Laws . ' '

    The Marquis of Gkasbv . believed that Sir R . Peel was actuated by the most ' pure and ' ' honourable motives ; but if hehad promulgated , in 1841 the sanib opinions which he now entertained , he ' . would , not have proposvd tlietri now as a ' Minister of the Crop . It was net a fair way of putting the . ' question to say that the labourer , if the Corn Laws , were repealed , would be enxbied to buy cheaper bread . The question , was , would he be able to . buy ahd to _m cat more bread ? He was afraid that he would iibt be able ; for where , subsistence was cheap , labour , was cheap

    also , andthe condition ot the population most _miserable . Sir Robert had told " the hou sc thathe Voukl not hold out hopes that foreign , nations wouid follow our example or relax the regulations of ' their ' _tariffs . But even , if they did , you might . increase ' your exports , but in the same proportion '" your home consumption of manufactures would ' fall ' off , as vour agriculturists would be deprived of-funds wherevith to purchase them . He should support the principle of protection , which had mainly conduced to the greatness , the happiness , and welfare of Great Britain .

    Mr . GiiECORY contended that agriculture had flourished hitherto in this country , not through , but in spite of protection . _, IIo derided the fears of the agriculturists , that land would be thrown out of cultivation , and that we should become dependent on foreign nations for supply , if we acceded to the proposition of government . lie hoped that the house possessed too mueh true courage to be afraid of the imputation _thatthis measure was granted as a concession to agitation . Lord BnooKB expressed his regret that , on his first entrance into ' Parliament , he should llnd himself compelled to oppose the administration of Sir Robert Peel , lie gave thc First Lord of tlio Treasury credit for a sincerity and straightforwardness

    which nad not been manifested by many of those who followed him . He was surprised at heaving Lord Sandon express his disapprobation of the measure , and his determination to vote for it , because he ' considered that the government- of the country could not be carried ou without the aid of the unquestioned talent of Sir Robert _l- ' cel . For his part , he thought an objectionable measure should be rejected , without regard to possible consequenees . Another reason assigned for supporting tiie government measure was , the " fact thatthe present Parliament was near its end . But old age frequently benumbed the faculties , and impaired the judgment ; and in its senility , Sir Robert Peel called upon it to make its will , and i'ive away its property . '

    Lord lVousu . Y observed tliat this measure was not brought forward by her Majesty ' s government as a measure which they deemed right , bnt as a mciisure wliich peculiar circumstances had rendered expedient , At , thc last general election no cry was so _general as that of" Peel , the farmer's friend ; " but now " Pee ) , the fanner ' s friend , " was introducing a _mea-ure which almost every farmer in the country considered as pregnant with ruin to himself and his _property . Noticing the observation of Mr . Sidney Herbert , that the country gentlemen uf England were entertaining apprehensions of the proposed

    chance not very creditable to their good sense , he asked who were thu parties who had first poured those apprehensions into the a « rieultural mind ? They were no less personages - than Sir Hobert Peel and " Sir James Graham . Having read amid the cheers and laughter of tho house extracts from their speeches in direct contradiction to the many advantages whieh they now proclaimed as likely to result from free trade , , ho observed , that with the recollection of these _fpeeches fresh in their memories it was _impossible that the _iarnier-i would not at tiie next general cleciimi choose such representative- ! as would enable them lo demand a revision of tho Corn

    La . vs , even if they were defeated in then * present opposition to the new-fangled -scheme of government . The question , . therefore , would nut be settled , even if tho present-measure were passed : bu _^ _Jjuhnpcil that it would not bo passed even by ihe ( present Parlinincnt , which was elected as a Protection . Parliament ; for ii . was not . oithcr wise or equitable to enact a , permanent-law : to _mact a mere temporary evil _, lie urged upon the government the propriety of appealing to the country upon this subject , and ot taking tho opinion of the constituencies whether they would oi * would not abandon protective duties . If they did _nof _. ,. they must _reni-im in their present painful _portion , in which they were dependent on their opponents for support .

    Sir James _Giuium considered tliat this question was oue of vast-importance , -whieh dcniantlcti Irom all who were encaged in bringing it forward the nio .-t frank explanations , lie then avowed most expk'ilJy thathe had changed his opinions on the subject ol the Corn Laws ; : _uul with _tkat avowal lie disposed of _alllhcRi . _vechcs \ _x- \\\\ A \ be bail formerly made , and which Lord Worsloy had just . quoted against him . He then proceeded to explain , the reasons ofthe change which had taken place in his opinions ! , and io apply certain tests to . try the honesty ef that change . Tlie ' lirst , test would havo rei ' _eiem- ' e to his private

    interests in this question . Ho must , therefore , inform the iuusc that-ins ' private position as a landlord , who had inherited iv large portion of interior land ,-exposed him , if this change should prove injurious , to as ureal risk as any landowner in the country . Lord " _Worslcy had insinuated . that the government had broueht " forward the present measure , not because it was right-, bite because it was expedient . _iXow , he distinctly asserted that the government had brought it forward , not only because it was expedient , but also because it was right . He denied that this alteration would be injurious to the poor , and contended that it would give _chenpei * bread io

    < The Spbakeb.—The Hon. Gentleman Is Ent...

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    — ¦—*¦—¦ I*» The; Working Population. Th...

    _¦—*¦—¦ i *» the ; working population . The ' question , ' . ' therefore , narrowed itself within this _compass- '" Is the main- ' teiiance of tho Corn 'Laws condiicivo to the in- ' . ' . terests . of the majority , of the community , and is .. it calculated to procure for the population a cheap ' . ' and abundant supply of . food ? " and that . ques- " tion , hc _^ proceeded to ai _* ue at ; considerable , length . Tic admitted that tho _unlbres-ehcircum-V stances which occurred after the closeoftl _' e last _ses - sion had _^ exerted gnat influence in . producing ' the - change of opinion whichhe was now about to defend . Ihose unloreseen circumstances were the con- ' dition of tho hnrvest . which though not deficient in quality was variable in quality , and the o ' raat " failure of the potatoe crop through all the domestic

    dominions ot _OreatBritaiii . In Ireland the failure was so universal that it would become necessary before , many days , elapsed to _muke a grant of public money tu . purchase , food for its ' inhabitants _.,, But could any-Minister thke upon himself the responsibility of asking the people of Great Britaiu to submit to a tax for such a purpose whilst their own food was enhanced in price by avtificial ' regulations ? lie certainly could hot ; and , . therefore , lie had proposed , that the law should be _\ suspended ; but . 'he foresaw / the necessity of _abolishiiy if you . once susponded it . Since the year 1843 those whose duty it was to watch public . events- had had _experience leading to the nib ' st decisive , conclusions _- . We had , continued the right hon . bart . first of ai

    , tho lamentable experience of . , 1813 , itself , ; a , year , of the greatest distress , and , siuce ' . it has-passed , I may say of the' utmost daiigor . ( Hear , * hear , ) . What were the circumstances of JS 42 '?' . _-. ' Allow ihe just to glaiiee at thein . We had in this metropolis , at midnight , Chartist _mcotinjis . Alnio ' t for nearly three weeks there wore assembled in . all the environs ' of the _metropolis immense , masses of people , greatly discontented , and acting in _» spirit d _.-mteioits to the public peace . What was the condition ot Lancashire _, the seat , of our great staple manufacture , depenriin " for its prosperity ou uninterrupted tranquillity _aiuT labour ? Such was the madness of the people on tliat occasion , that a great combination existed to stop _machinery , and to put an end to thesourte of the

    labour on which theydepehded for subsistence . . ( licar , hear . ) - / What was the duty of the government under these circumstances ? It . was my painful duty to _cou-jultssitb the Horse .. Guards as to thi , precautions that werenectssary for Hie maintenance ' of the public peace ; a large force was inarched to Manchester , and the , troops were actually called un to enforce public tranquillity . I can safely say that for three ¦ months the . anxiety which ! and my colleagues experienced with reference to the public peace was greater than / wc ever felt before with reference to public concerns . ( Hear , hear . ) Those were the days of high prices and . . ' scarcity . ( Hear , hear . ) L am-,. ' certain-, from what I have since observed , that that ' turbulent ; _disposition , that dangerous

    disposition , " mainly arose fiom the want of adequate sustenance ; combined with low wages . ( Loudeheefs . ) Ile . _would now refer to the different experience of tlie last two years . They _h-id been blessed with . in abufidaut . hai-. vest in-this country ; ami as a consequence , with plenty of work . What '• vere the results ? Within tiiD last few weeks he had not had a single interview with the commissioners" of ' police— ( cheers ) —and within the last twelve months not one with tlie authorities at the Horse Guards , ( Loud Opposition cheers . ) ; ; There had been perfect .-peace , tranquillity characterised the whole of tho great- seats of industry , happiness and contentment were diffused among their population . ( Great cheering . ) - .. He did . not wish to trouble , the house with statistics , but lie . hiid

    prepared an analysis , ol the _i-tate of crime , hi . the counties which were the great seats of ' , industry , which was pregnant with instruction . . / The ; : returns comprised the six counties . of , York , Lancaster , Warwick , Gloucester , Chester , and -Stafford . " .. / The amount of crime in the three high-priced years of 1810 , 1 S 41 . and 1842 , when average prices of wheat were 60 s ., 01 s ., , and . , ( j _* 7 s .,. a quarter , had been compared with-the amount iii tiie three jearsof . _lS-15 , 18-14 , and 1815 , -when-, the , average " was 50 s ., per quarter , thegeneral result , was that the . average decrease on the , whole six counties , from 1842 to 1845 , amounted * , to- IS . . per , cent . To tliese instructive , figures he . could only add , that he was coviviuced ; fi'om experience ,, and . by reflection on nasi ;

    event ? , that it was a . fallacy that wages fell with low prices and rose , with Jiigh prices . ( Hear . ) Unless the rise in wages was equal to , and concurrent with the , rise ,, in prices ,, there could be no benefit to the working . classes . In support of this be might adduce the ,, testimony and tlie . experience . of Sir John ¦ \ Yi \ lshaiu _, Assistant l \ or-law Commissioner , and himself , a , landed , proprietor in the county of Hereford . That gentleman had informed him that "he had never known wa _** cs rise in the agricultural districts from more than . 10 s ., to 12 s ., and in other districts from 12 s .. to lo :-. or 25 percent . ; while the rise ia the price of food , bail been from 40 to 50 and cveii . _90 percent ., . With ' . such facts before , them , could it _1-e contended-that wages vo = o in p ' roppitiuu to the increase in thc )) _i-iee of food ? But whatever misht be

    the .. eifeet in agricultural districts , the fact was always fhe reverse in the manufacturing districts . In them low wages were always accompanied by high prices , and high prices by-low wages . ( Hear . ) . So speedily did . tins-. cause aet upon ihe manufacturing districts , . _a- . short time _aao they bad information hum the West . Ptiding ,. .. that on ' account of an aeuial rise in the price of , food , and _the-apprehension ofa still greater rise , thty hud begun to work short time , and it . was expected that such reduction . would extend still farther . . ( Hear , hear . ) For these reasons , therefore he said , . that looking at the state . of the country in the months of _November aud December , and contrasting the eoiiditku of ihcmaiuifacf uringdiiivietsiu 1842 and JS 45 , there was . no option left to the government , but to take the course tliey had done . ( Cheers ) It was formerly tho opinion of the operatives that low prices were . synonymous with low wages ; they had now departed from that , opinion . ( _Minmiu's .

    I hey had changed that opinion . ( Hear , and _jNo . ) The experience of the last four years had convinced them of this fact . It was true , they might still be subject to many evils—they might be taxed iu their industry and subject to long hours of labour ; but if they were _liiade to understand that by this measure their comforts would not be diminished , and thc trade of thc country placed upon a more secure basis , he did hope that i-y subsequent mutual agreement between the musters and the men , the question of thc hours of labour could be satisfactorily _-settied ; and he did not hesitate to say that it would be the _kappiett dtijj in his life , when he sutu that important mwsthn so settled hy _nmtuaf consent , lie was happy io see that the nobie lord the member for Yorkshire , whose absence from that house lie had never ceased to _regret , as one of its brightest ornaments , had upou the hustings expressed similar sentiments . In concUrsinn , he would sav that ho did not think the landlord *

    would have any great sacriiiee lo make , but- it it were ten times greater than lie thought it could be , he would say for himself that sooner than have an increase of rent at the expense of the comfort * of the poorer classes , lie would descend to a lower c .-tattsubmit to a curtailment of _hl- > means—rather than have such a _charge laid to liis door . ( Cheers . ) It had been said a great-parly had been broken up , old tics severed , and two " powerful niiuUtvies dissolved by ' -his question ; but he hoped and believed that thc adoption of the proposal now under their consideration would save a great and powerful n _.-uiim ironi misery , from anarchy , aud ruin . The right hon . Baronet resumed his seat amidst _^ _ctieviil cheers . Lord Cijvh briefly imposed thu ministerial measure _, and called for a dissolution , in order that thc question might be fairly tried by tho country ; and after disposing of the m tiers of the day-the debate was adjourned at one o ' clock till Thursday .

    HOUSE OF LOUJ > S-Wkh . nk 3 » ay , Fi : ; :. 1 . 1 . Thc House of Lords did not sit . HOUSE OF COMMONS—Wkdxesday , \ Fkii . 11 . The _Si'iiakku took the chair at tho umuiI hour tu Wednesdays , twelve o ' clock noon . _Sm-r-il _peiitioi . s wero presented in favour of the ; _v- ) _c- !| of flit * . Corn Laws , and praying for the conikiuaucu of protection io _iiericukure . NEW WRIT . A new writ was ordered for the election _i ; f a knight of the shire for the county of Mayo , in th evooui of ilv . II . Blake , wUu bus accepted die Cuiitcra Hundreds . . ' _.-Mr . _lluc'ii ' . cnx _yi-cscnled a _y-etUum _frent \\ arrington in favour of a Ten Hour : / _Fac-tury Biil .

    HUSH FOOR LAW . Mi * . S . _Cuawvorh called tho attention of _iroTcrn--ment to _thcncccj'sir . y of inmieiiiacci . v cxtcmiiiig tho . powers of the Poor Law _( Ireland ) Act ; so-as to enable boanis of guardians to dispense out-door relief to destitute persons in case of the poor-houses beingtilled . This subject was one of _Kvcatiuipurtiincc . in the peculiar circumstances ol Ireland at present . . in-Ireland , _inub-r uo _eircaihsinuees couid the guar- _, uians _aiiniinistcr out-dcor- relief—nil they could do . was to olfei * relief in the _workhouse to _il'oce . who were properly _lecomiiiended . The rule , too , was , ihat unless tbe head of the famil y became i : n iumato ofthe workhouse , none of his fciiiii _. v could obtain relief there . In case of famine , _thc- ' n _, ihe l _' oor Law _guanlians would jk ; 1 he abie tu meet the aj . piieii- _'ieiis made to _fheni for relief . Ijudersueh _cin-uiusijineu _* _. ho hoped that _{ _lov _.-viinii-nt . wneii ' _v _ii'lw . llH ' . c li bill giviug to tlio . iKnvd of _j * Hiiruian 3 a . _distretlunaiy power to _adniinisUT _out-ii' . air relivf .

    Sir J . _CiRAitAM _rcjjanied _w-iih _miicii anxiety tne condition of a iui _' _i _-i- portion of ihe Irish | iuor for tiie next four or live months . -Dunns that timu tho difficulty would bo great , ami must , bu met by provident arrangements on ihe nan . of _thtgiwcKinieni . Alter stilting 'he variou'i _nn-. _'uinvs which Snu ! been intro-( _iuccd _iiy her Majcsty ' _s-miUiMcrs in the'hope of . increasing flic means ol employment--in Ireland—such as the Public Works Biil , the Grand Jurie s _,-rrcseutment Bill , and the Drainage Act—he observed , that ic was possible tliat in Committee of Suppiy _.-he should feci it neecssarv to ask a grant in aid oi that object . If , iiiiferiuiiately , fever should follow the scarcitv now impending over Ireland , tho government would . "ot . be taken by surprise , as tuc i . oor Law Commissioners had made the most ample-M-| _rnngcuciits to meet it . In rcply _. to Mr . . bluuiuw

• Citation
  • Northern Star (1837-1852), Feb. 14, 1846, page 7, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/ns4_14021846/page/7/