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    Stnjjmal ^Bsirltatnntt.

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    i HOUSE OF LORDS . —Fkidat , Feb 4 . Petitions -were presented from Scarborough and other places in favour of the total repeal of the Com Laws . On the motion of the Marquis of NORHilfBT , the Buildings Regulation Bill and the Boroughs' Improvement Bill passed through committee , and "were ordered to be read a third time on Monday . On tic motion of the Bute of Wellikgtos , the Appropriation Acts' Amendment- Bill passed through committee , and waa ordered to be read a third time en Monday .

    iurd Mo . * ct £ agi . e , pursuant to notice , moved for the pro juctivn of certain papers relative to the appointment of Mr . Eden and Mr . Perdval to the Exchtquer-BUl-affice , and for other papers relative , to the late transactions . The Noble Lord said that his object Was to afford information as to the "working of the office , and to bring ^ he "whole business of it distinctly before the ccuutry . — Ordered . Lord Bsovgham said that he was anxious not to make his motion for papers relative to the seizure of the Creole in the absence of his Noble and Lsaraed Friend , the L ' ^ rA CLirf J us tice of the Queen ' s Bench , snd , as bis Noble rvnd Lssraed Friend was unable to attend to ic that day , he wculd , -with their Lordships * permission , postpone his motion until Monday . Their Lordships then adjourned to Monday .

    2 toaday , Feb . 14 . The Loud Cjia ^ celxox took his" seat on the woolsack st 3 Te o"el-ck . After some petitions in tivccr of a repeal of the Coin Iaw 3 had been presented , The :. lsrcnis of NoJi 3 iA > "BT presented a petition from the ilayor and Town Council of Birmingham , praying that the c-irrjicg c-t t ^ e provisions of the Rsgcl-iltn of BuSdiES ^ 'Eill might be cocfided to the To ^ n C-. -uncil , iruUad of to certain Commissioners , as had bean proposed in the BLL The petition rs prayed to be heard by counsel on the subject , at the bar of tiitis Lordships' House . The Bill was then read a third time and passed .

    The il ^ rquis No&maxby wished impress upon the Noble I > nke opposite the necessity o ! drawing the attention cf his colleagues in the G jvemmcut to the propriety of intr-- « iucing a BL 1 for the dxainrvge of toTms into the other House . ' - , The BL-roughlmpiovemeats' Bill wa 3 read a third time , and passed . O . a ifce nT ^ tion of the Dake of WrLLi ^ GTOX the Appropr . ul ^ OH Acts'AmenimentBiilwasrea ^ ia third tinie stud passed . Lori iKOi'GHAM moved f .-r the production of the CDrrespon-Ierce rtlidnir to the American ship Creole ; but after a shore debate , the motion was wirhdrar . ii ,, audthe House a .-j . uni * d .

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    HOUSE OF COMMONS . —Fsiiut , Feb . 11 . Mr . Arkwrisht took the oaths and his seat for Lscminster . On the motion cf Sir G- CiEUE , the following Jlembira -h-uts nominated the Select Committee on Petitions fcr PiiTatc Bills . — Mr . S ; rutt , Mr . Kobert Ciive , Mr . Rice , Mr . Tilliers Stuart , M . r . Wrightson , Mr . G Cavendish , Mr . Couipton , Mr . Brother : on . Mr . P . ikington , Mr . Forbes , 'Mr . TVni . Beckett , Mr . Bramston , Mr . Walker , Mr . George Philips , Mt . Bell , Mr . Gibson Craig , the O'Connor Dud , Mr . M'Kstzie , Mr . Borsman , 3 Ir . Eliot Yorke , Sir . KiasKe , Mr . Aglionby , S r John Tarde Buller , Cr , tain Jenss , Mr . Tbornc '" , Mr . B irneby , Mr . Chalmers , Mr . Titton Egerton , Mr . S ^ nsSelo , Lord " Worsley , Mr . Henry Baillie , Mr . Biiward Buller , Sir Wm . Heathcote , Mr . Hope Johr . stcne , Mr . Morgan John O'Connsil , Mr . P ^ eke , Mr . George Wm . Wood , 3 Ir . ETana , Mr . Home DrEaimond , Mr . Parker , Mr . Mar-£ hal > , and Sir Charles Douglas .

    Petitions Were presented in great numbers , praying for the toU . 1 repeal of the Corn Laws . Sir C . Napier asked thn Rteht Hon . Baronet ( Sir R Peel ) whither he had any objection to lay before the Hcnse a copy of the instructions given by Sir R . Step-, fort ! to G-aneral Mitchell , General Jackson , and Capt . Stewa-rt , sfter the rabniis 3 ioa of ilehemet Aii ; also the instructions given by Lor P . Ponsonby to General Jackson and Mr . Wood ; likewise , if any correspondence hns tsken place between the British and Turkish Governments , relative to the amelioration of the inha . fcitants of Lebanon , as was promised by the allied -prarers .

    Sir R 03 ERT Peel said that the instructions had bet : n starched for but could net be found . He did cot think that the production cf the correspondence relating t : > tha amelioration of Syria would farther the Gallant Admiral ' s object , if produced , 2 . n 4 he iSir Robert Peel ) must , therefore , exercise his discretion in withholding it ; but he would assnre the Hon . and Gallant Admiral , that every effort on the part of the present government would be made to cause the Porte to fulfil it 3 engagements -with respect to the amelioration of the condition of its subjects , and in granting the papers moved for would be but defeating the object ¦ which the gallant cfaccr had in viett . —The subject then dropped .

    Mr . Majre , Philips intimated to the House that he should fur the present withdraw his motion for a " Copy of the letter from Mr . Amory to ' LardPaliaerston , dated August 2 S : h , 1 S 41 , together with its accompanying papers , and of the correspondenca which followed thsreon between Lord Aberdeen , Lord Canning , Mr . Amory , and Mr . Kinder . " The Honourable Member said that whenever it should be his intention again to bring the matter before the House , he would give full notice of the . same- He assured the House that when he gave notics last night he was not at all aware that the Noble Lord to whom it related ( Lord Ashbmtjn ) had sailed— , hear . hear . )

    Mr . Tox Matle mored a return of the number of jury eases in the first < livision of the Court of Session , from the 1 st day of January , 1 S 32 , till the 31 st day of Jc ' y , 1841 ; specifying thosa in which the late Lord President of the Court of Session presided , and those in which any other and what Judge presided . Srr J . Graham resisted the motion , and Bald he trusted that the debate of last night would not be repeated . Mr . Fox Haule consented to withdraw it " 111 Wakxet ^ pressed his Eurprise at the readiness Triih which the Hon . Gentleman consented to withdraw his motion , and said it was calculated to impress the public mini with the convistion that the side of the House to which he belonged - as in error , and that the oth&r side possessed all the truth—ihear , hear . ) He hoped tha right Hon . Gsntlemaa would persist in bis notion . After a few words from Mr . Roebuck ,

    Sir R . Peel Ba \ d the grounds on which the house had refused tha motion were , that in departing from the usual couise a reflection would be east on the conduct and character of two judges . The nation of to-night contained the same reflection as that of last "night , and tiie Hon . Gentleman feeling that , had consented to "Withdraw it . Mr . O'Co > -nell thought it was a little too bad to refuse the returns sought , when the Hon . Gentleman had removed from this motion that which was objected to in that of last night . Mr . Hope Jon > so > " defended the character « f the Xord President , and said that whenever he was absent from his post , it was from illness , or causes that might affect any man in a similar position . The HouBe divided . The numbers were—For the motion 113 ; Ag * i »« t it , 130 ; Majority against the motion , 25 ,

    Mr . MlLNES called the attention of the House to the ess * of those parsons committed to the House ox' Correction at Salford , for non-sttendance on some plica of religious worship . This conviction , he said , waa harsh and unjust in the extreme , and was founded on an old act of James , which was altogether opposed to the spirit of the present time . He therefore would call ¦ upnn the Right Hon . Baronet to exert his legislative ability ts repeal or amend so unjust an act As it was necessary that he should conclude "with a motion , he would move that a bumble address be presented to her Majesty , praying that she would be graciousiy please-1 t © order a copy of the commitment of W . D -arden to the New Bailey , Manchester , by Clement Rogers , and -James Royds , at Rochdale , for ncn-atfcendanca sX church during divine service on the Lord " s day . The question having been put from the chair ,

    Sir JaMES { tSAHAM said he was the last person to ¦ vindicate the practice of magistrates who , when a party ¦ was brought before them charged with one oSsnca , proceeded to convict him for another , upon some enact ; ment almost fallen into desuetude—( hear , hear . ) Such a pnctic 3 was altogether unjust , and ought to be put an end to . Neither did he stand there to say that the exaction of such penalties as these was in accordance -with the spirit of the age . Ho did not think that tern poral penalties were proper msana to enforce the performance of spiritual and personal duties . His Hon . Friend had called attention to the exisung penalty under the Uniformity Act , bat it must be rememberBd that . by the Act of Toleration , thuse dissenter 3 from the Church of England who took the oaths of allegiance and supremacy were exempted from their penalties . To persons not dissenters , however , the Toleration Act gave no protection , and they were consequently stili

    liable to the penalties of the Act of Uniformity ; so that lie really believed that on Wednesday last all Hon . Members of the House who were members of the Church of ^ England , and all Hon . Members who . were dissenters from the Church , on Jailing to shew that they had taken these oaths would have been legally liable , and might have been convicted in penalties far non-attendance at church—( hear , hear . ) He thought that 3 uch a Btat # of the law onght not to continne ; but he felt , nevertheless , that to touch the Acts of Uniformity and Toleration would rtqawe from tha Government very great caution , and ha was not disposed to state without deli ' Daation "what was the best course to be pursued . However , " hs would not shrink frem stating that , ii the GaTerainsnt should be able t * flna a snitavle remedy they w ^ iMfeel i % thsir duty to apply it , whatever- it nughi * e ^ Tie Hoo » tben adjourned .

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    Monday , February 14 . The Speaker te&k the chair a little before four o'clock . . A great number of petitions both against the Corn Laws generally , and against the Ministerial measure respecting them , "were presented by different Member ? . Captain Boldeeo preseated the Ordnance estimate ? . Oa the motion of SirT . Fbeemantle a new writ ¦ wa 3 ordered for the Southern division of the County of Salep , in the room of the Earl of Darlington , now Duke of Cleveland . . Dr . Bowbiug postponed his motion with respect to the quarantine laws to Thursday next . Mr . VrBNOJf SMIIH gave notice of his intention to call the attention of the House to-morrow on the subject cf emigration . Mr . DIseaeli gave notice of his intention Bhortly to move the blending of diplomatic bodies .

    On the motion of VIr . Shaw returns were ordered cf the mortality of infants in the North Union Workhouse of Dublin . Sir D . Roche beirged to ask the Bight Hon . Gentleman far the satisfaction of the large holders of bonded com and cattle—( great laughtei)—when it "was intended to apply the new dutie « , sheuld his measure ever pass the House- ( laughter )—to provisions now in bond . Sir R . Peel understood the question to be—supposing the measure should pass—in what time was it

    preposed to apply the new duties to corn bonded in this country ?—( hear , hear , from Sir I > . Roche . ) He canld not see why the new duties should not come immediately into operation on the passing of the Act As to cattle , he "was net aware of there being any in bond—( laughter ) —but perhaps the Hon . Bart , was referring to a former statement of his ( Sir R . Peel ' s . ) What he meant was , in reference to other articles of provision besides corn ; it was his opinion , and th 3 t of his colleagues , that the prohibition ought not to exist—( hear . )

    Mr . Laboucuere wished to put a question to the Right Hon . Gentleman the Ticc-Presideni of the Board of Trrule , respecting the regulating duties of the Colonies , which he was bringing before the consideration of K ~ Q House . It wa relative to the importation of corn from America into Canada . The House was aware that tt present the importation of corn and flour from America into Canada was duty free , and the question he wished to ask to ' , whether he was to understand ths efftct of the schedule of duties laid on the table of the Hvuse , to be to put a duty of 3 s . a quarter on American flour imported from America into Canada . Mr . Gladsto . ne said that tha resolution which had been aanfu ^ ced to the Houso "was unquestionably one which would raise the question of placing a duty of 3 s . on com imported from America . The qu-stion would r-e raised , and he w ^ uld then state the intention of the GjVcrnment .

    Mr . Labouchere wished to ask tne Right Honourable Bircnet ( Sir R . Pet !) whtthtr it was the inaction of Government ta allow the importation of flour in bond . Sir R . Peel was aware that Irish iiembers took greet inkreat in this subject , and remembered the opposition they gave last Session to the proposition in vaived in the p : eseut question ; but he was bound to say , that in case of a change of the Corn and Provision Lavrs , he could adopt no special legislation ; for though it was a provision exporting country , no exception could be made in her favour—( hear . ) Mr . Roebuck gave notice to the effect that when the question of the importation of provisions iiom the Colonies came before the House , he would take ihs secse of the House on the question , whether or not it was competent for the House to tax the C « j 1 unies . tEear )

    THE CORN LAWS . —ADJOURNED DEBATE . Sir R . Peel now moved that tfee House resolve itss ' . f into a Committee of the whole House , and returns the debate on the duties affecting the impoit oi foreign corn . Mr . Greens having taken the Chair , Lyrd JOHN RUSSELL said , Sir , I believe I should in no way diminish the difficulties of the task I have undertaken , or obtain greater power for my arguments , if I were to commence my address ts > the House by preface or introduction . Therefore , I shall at once call the attention of the House to the position in which they now stind . The quisuo : i of the Com Laws has been submitted to us by the First Minister of the Crown . - In proposing the scale be has laid before us , ho has not

    only acted upon the authority of the Government over which he presides ; but ho has also informed us that hiving collected the opinions of those most interested in agriculture , he found thtre were but very few of that class who were net in favour ef some modification of the existing corn law . We , therefore , now stand in . the situation of considering the Corn Laws with a view to alteration by almost general coasent—< hear , hear . ) The cry is no longer tbat of surrender—icheers . ) The question is , as to the terms of the continuation—( hear , htar . ) Sir , if that be the case ; we are prepared to condemn the present Corn Laws as unfit to be longer continued on the statute boot as iuipt for the purpose fer which they have been enacted , of regulating the trade in corn ; I say ihen , without fear of contradictien , tbat it is of the utmost importance that you should make that change upon sound principles ; that you should endeavour to make it give as much as possible of general satisfaction ; especially to that distressed poition oi the community , of whose condition we hava heard such lamentable accounts from both sides of the House ; and loitly , that it should be such a law that it would not be liable to cause an immediate fresh agitation of the question , but that all who are to live under that law , all who hava transactions , in that most imp&rtant of all articles of food , "which comprehends , in its various classes , the whole community , that they should t-e aware of the state of law under which they are to live ; and be prepared to state that for a time at least , it should nt t be disturbed—( hear . ) Sir , 1 think it nesessaT . v , however I may be obliged to

    trespass on the indulgence of the House in giving you my reasons for opposing , in this early stage , the measure cf the Government , ti slats as briefly as I can the general principles which should guide onr legislation upon this subject . I do so , because although in one poiit I should agree with the principles laid down by the first Minister of the Crown , there are other points on which I entirely differ from him . I suppose it wiil be agreed tbat with respect to-corn , as with respect to everything else , the general principle is one c f not legislating at all upon the subject—( hear , bear . ) The general principle with regard to all commodities is , that the producer or the seller endeavours to produce and to bring to market that which is most likely to find a ready and immediate purchaser ; and tho purchaser ,

    on his side , goes to market to oltain the goods of which he is most in need , the best in their quality , and the cheapest in their price , therefore legislators have no place on the subject . The community themselves are fir better judges than the wisest Senate on the matter . The community thein-Btsives , in their several capacities , choose which arc the aiticles of which they stand in need—they choose from whom they purchase them , aad those articles which afford profit . The producers themselves are the best judges of the articles they shall produce , and of the markets to which they shall bring their productions . 1 therefore think your legislation is unwise , and the effect of this legislation of yeurs has been to cause the occupation of certain lands , and the employment of

    many labourers upon them . You should endeavour to protect the labourers in your own country from an excess of taxation . But , Sir , I come then to agree to so much of protection as mujht be asked under these twe heads . If it should be found in Committee—if it should be found , in discussing this matter in Committee , that there are undue preferences in the country 1 mention , I think they should be removed . If , however , it should be proved that there are no such preferences , if there be encouragement given to agriculture by this law , that should likewise be taken into consider ation , but the Government in proposing the plan now before the House , take a wider range ; they laid their principle far more wide ; they laid down the principle adopted byMalthus , which principle was acted upon by

    the Legislature of this country on a former occasion . You ought to make yourselves independent of foreign nation *—( cheers . ) 2 iow that is the principle upon which the present law is framed—that is the principle upon which the proposition of the Right Hon . Baronet is framed , and which tends to prevent by prohibition other nations from sending food into this country . I confess , therefore , although this proposition may be excellent to some remote aa- \ stquestered state—although is might suit a state in Mexico , 1 cannot conceive how it can be applicable to a great commercial country Supposing it were desirable , in what manner would you esfciDiiah it in practice ? You must recollect it is not merely with xeepbet to corn . The Right Hon . Baxonet s . atea tne other night that they had had for four years

    * n imputation of 4300 , 060 quarters , so that it might be ta . u that the p ^^ ople of the country were dependant U ) . > on foreign countries for upwards of one million of quait ^ is a year . With respect to the other commodities iBe employment of tbe people engaged in manufac-Lures -jj much depends upsn the supply of the raw material as food . If the supply of cotton from America were stopped , or the snpply of foreign silk , Uiero would be net less than five millions of people deprived of employment There would be seven millL-ns ^ f yonr pipple , jf yon go on this principle , who wera dependent upon foreign nations for their food , and who cannot but continue to be bo dependent—( hear , hear )—so that it is evident that any attempt wnich you have made to make this country independent of foreign countries has failed , and every such attempt must necessarily fail—( hear .

    Tne osly way in which I conceive this object of the liw uj oe wished for at all is in the case of war with foreign nations . I cannot conceive greater time of war tnaa wuen tais couQtry was ' struggling against Napoleon —( hear , hear . / Bat , during the time of that war , two nullioB quarters of corn were imported in one single year—fa ^ ar . ) That importation was greatly diminished in suH&tquent years ; but still at that time this conntry was aauiuting foreign corn , there being no law to prevent tut ) iinporatioH , and the people were living partly on the produce t > f otber nations . Bnt is there any chanca or probability that you will have a greater war taan that to contend with ? But if thtre was , still I ssy thai resting as you are upon commerce and manufacture , the supply of food would be in danger ; but it wooid not be in the danger that is apprehended —( hear , hear . ) Therefore , the remedy should be the very

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    reverse of that which IB proposed to the House—( cheen . ) The remedy proposed to the House as taken from the Right Hon . Gentleman ' s argument , is to endeavour as much as possible to protect oar native productions , and to make such a law as never to have any supply except from the northern parts of Europe . The Right Hon . Gentleman in that argument said that the countries with which we have our commerce are nearly in the same latitude as thia country is , and that consequently , their seasons were nearly the same as ours . In other -words , the Sight Hob . Baronet endeavoured to maintain that as a necessary consequence , when those countries had abundance of

    provisions , so would this country have abundance , and when those countries had a scarcity so also we weuld have a scarcity —( loud '' cheering : from the Opposition Benches . ) A 1 that argument went upon the supposition that we should have a law such as that which exists at present , which confines the supplies of this country —( hear , hear : ) A real remedy could not be had in that way—our supplies should not be restricted or confined to those countries alone , but instead of having our supplies in those countries , and in the North of Europe exclusively , we should be supplied by the North of Europe—by the countries adjacent to the Black Sea , and by every other country all over the world . Our commerce should be extended all over the

    whole world for the purpose ' of giving us that supply of food of which we so greatly stand in need —( hear , and cheers . ) Sir , the proposal now made to the House by the resolution proposed by the Right Hon . Baronet opposite , maintains the principle of a sliding scale , and it maintains the principle of a high duty—( loud cheers from the Opposition Benches , and counter cheer ? . ) In objection to that sliding scale , the first objection I take to it is , that a high and prohibitory duty , I shoartd say , always forms part of tbat scale —( hear , hear , and loud cheers . ) I can understand a scale not exceeding 10 s . or 12-., and going down to 4 s . or 2 s ., or la ., but I find that whenever Honourable Gentlemen speak of a sHdiug scale , it always contains a high and a prohibitory duty . What is the first duty in this

    proposed measure ? The first duty ia 20 ? . upon all foreign wheat — ( cries of hear ,, hear . ) I wi < h now to show firit , that that is a prohibitory duty — ( cheers . ) I have looked at the papers which contain tha latest information the House has had upon the subject . I have looked at those papers which were presented to the House by the Right Hon . Gentleman , the Vice President of the Board of Trade , and also I have looked at the papers which ware presented to Parliament , last year , by a gentleman who was expressly sent to the North of Europe for the purpose of ascertaining the precise state of trade there—a gentleman who had communications there not only with official persons , but also with merchants and persons in trade there . I was surprised afc first that tho Right Hon . Gentleman ( Sir

    Robert Peel ) in tha course of hia speech , having collected as he did , his icf . > i-matioa from that Gantlsnian's papsrs , should hava made an attack upon that Gentleman ; but when I looted at these , papers my surprise csa sed , for I discovered that it was merely another pro ^ f of the discretion of the Right Hon . Gentleman—( laughter and cheering . ) I find that the price of wkeat in Dantzic is 353 . ; that the charges ¦ which they say must necessarily be incurred , and of which . I . need not go into details , woukl be 4 s . Cd . to 53 ., making in all 10 s . Gd . to be added to the original price ; that as the original pries at Dantzic , when brought from the interior of the country , would be 35 s ., they say , with the addition of 10 s . 6 d ., it would be sold in England , making the price of 45 s . 6 d . What have we

    to add to that ?—( cries cf " hear , hear" )—20 s—making G 5 s . 6 d ., when the price here is 60 s . ; being cf course a prohibitory duty—( cheers ) And in the same way , at Odessa , it is stated in the return , that the price will be 26 s ., and freight 10 s . ; of course , we must add to that some charges which we cannot take at less than 5 s ., there would be Sis ., without the pront of tho merchant . Therefore , with respect to these lower sums , you see there shall be a prohibitory duty of 20 a ., and that when corn is 55 s ., there shall be a duty of . 18 s . ; yet in all these instances it would be shown that the duty would be prohibitory . That when the price of gniin is 553 . and 56 s . —the price at which the Right Hou . Gentleman says it ought to be—when that favourite and chosen pricu is the one , and nobody can

    tell why that should be the price—( hear , from the Opposition benches)—there would then be a prohibitory duty on foreign corn ; true , the Right Hon . Gentleman says ,-and he- say 3 most truly , "I think 20 s . is quita sufiicient ; " and no doubt he is perfectly right —( bear . ) I think those duties of 45 s . and 47 s ., as we had in one year when corn was 39 s ., are odious , and ought not to be endured . I agree ' with the Right H * n . Gentleman , and I think that in 1 S 21 , if they said 283 . will exclude foreign corn , we don't want a door stronger than to keep the corn out If the door be itself strong enough , we have no occasion to put on iron plates and locks ; therefore , we wil be satisfied with a duty of 203 . — ( hear , hear . ) But I must and do hope that we have arrived at a period in this question when we have a

    greater claim than what is entertained in the plan proposed by the Right Hoa . Gentleman opposite , which , though it makes the old system appear rather leas odious to the country , in reality is nothing but ^ a mockery—( hear , hear . ) I have mentioned the price of corn at Dantzic and Odessa , and if we reckon the average price of corn at 45 s ., the duty of 20 s . raises it to Gos . ; therefore , with respect to all foreign countries , I maintain that this duty of 20 s . is prohibitory ; it is no- possible for me to say , though I have Endeavoured to ascertain it , at what price duty ceases to be prohibitory . As the price increases , and the merchant gets a better price , the duty falls . I should think , according to the statement I have made , that it could be imported at the present price , which is 6 s , but it appeals

    to me that corn brought from Dan ' z ' . c will be 45 s , 6 d ., which , with the profit * it requires , could hardly be sold at the present price of corn , namely , sixty-one shillings . Up to this point you have a prohibitory duty . Now , Sir , I need not say that a prohibitory duty strikes at all th 8 principles of trade . I do not mean to say every trade of . tbe country , but at all the principles : of trade . It is this that has caused so much mischief in the Corn Laws as they at present stand . Tho merchant buys an article in foreign countries , it mny be at an advantageous price , or not according to the market ; and after incurring great expense , and after making himself liable to a large sum of money in order to bring articles from foreign countries , he finds , on bringing them to this country , a prohibitory

    duty staring him in the face , offering an insuperable obstacle to his trade by this impediment thrown in its way . ( Hear , hear , hear , and loud cheers . ) Thus is the sliding scale in its nature inimical to trade . Now , what has been the consequence during the last year of some of these duties ? It Is stated very well in two pamphlets written on this subject , the one by Mr . Hubbard , end the other by Mr . Greg . In one it is shewn that , in June last—nay , I think on the 5 th of Jnly , that the price of Dantz'c Wheat was 48 s . a quarter , and you might have obtained it oat of bond at 548 . or 5 Cs . a quarter . It was not admitted on the 5 th of August , when corn had risen to 60 s . ; yet &till it was not admitted the speculator had reason to believe that he could obtain a better price for it In the

    beginning of September , only two months after the time when it might have been sold at 48 s ., it was sold for 70 s ., thus being an addition of 22 s . per quarter—\ hear , hear , and cheers . ) Was that a benefit to the English fanner —( loud cheers )—or was it a benefit to the landowners of this country ?—( cheers . ) No , it was given to the foreign speculator or holder of corn , thus benefitting them alone , without any benefit whatever to the consumer— ( loud cheers . ) The corn was Admitted at an enormous price without any benefit to the revenue or the consumer . Mr . Greg states—but I think it is an over calculation that he has made—but he states that the money paid to the holders of corn , and to the growers in foreign countries , was not less than £ 6 , 000 , 000 . As I said , I think that is over

    the sum , but I should think not less than £ 3 , 000 , 000 or £ 4 , 000 , 000 have necessarily been paid in ordtr to obtain the benefits of this sliding scale—( loud cheers . ) It was a tribute paid to the sliding scale , but a loss to the country—( loud cheers . ) Sir , I have another statement which I hava received to-day , which shows another evil of the sliding scale . You say that yon will take the duty according to those averages . The Right Eon . Bait did not say how he would settle the averages . He said they shall not be altered , they shall betaken much in the same way as heretofore . Now , take the averages as you may , there ia one effect inherent , they do not tell the quality of the corn—( hear . ) During the present year , as has happened in one of the former years , a great portion of the Corn

    was vsry much damaged ; some persons , well acquainted with agriculture , say not leas than a fifth of th « whole crop of England . The consequence has been a very great lowering of the price of corn in the market Bat do the people get their bread at all cheaper ?—( cries of hear , hear . ) You hove a duty now of 26 s ., perhaps instead of some lower sum . btcuise it has come to that degree of cheapness ; but that degree of cheapness is not cheapness to the consumer of bread , because he is paying as much as when the average was much higher . Now , a gentleman who has written on this subject says , that in the beginning of 1841 , in the month of January , the average price of Wheat was 61 s 2 d ., that in January 1842 , the average price was also 61 s 2 d . You would , therefore , euppose the price being the same

    the averages being the same , tbe duties being the same , that the people could obtain their bread at the same price . Is that the case ? far from it The price cf the best town flour at Mark-lane in the first four months of 1841 , was 55 s . a sack , and in 1842 it was 61 s . a sack , making a difference of ne less than 6 s . in the sack of flour , in that sack of flour , from which tho bread is admitted to be made , while the averages and the duty which yonimpose , have not altered a single shilling . Now that is a fault—that is a defect , which you could not get rid of even if you were to chsnge your system of averages twenty timeB , and to introduce 150 towns more than now proposed to be introduced—( laughter

    from the opposition . ) It is a fault by which you are charging the people with improper duty , by which you are making the poor labourer of this country pay a high price for his corn , end at the same time are excluding foreign com from this country —( hear . ) Sir , another defect which is likewise manifest in this scale , or in any scale , is that you require foreign corn at particular tmes , when you are unable to obtain it by that exchange of articles which accompanies a regular trade . You have prohibition for two or three years . You then find that a large supply will be required . The price rises enormously—as I have shown you the price rises 22 s . in the coarse of two months . You have

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    many millions to pay , and you have no miT 5 " 18 ° " nieeting the demand by sending bar goods ; You . Have not a regular , trade . You . jjre Obliged to Benid oot pjuv 9 ? your stock of bullion to pay for tbafc corn . The Ba ^ t of England naturally and inevitably contracts its issue . s and that contraction takes place whilst the whole commercial world la in a state of embarrassment—( hear , hear , }—when yonr raanuftctdrers are unable to give employment to their artisans , and when those artisans are paying increased prices for the articles of sustenance . There must , no denbtj be Beasonain which cora will be much higher than at others . I admit that ; and I do not think you can have a regular low price , or a perfectly steady price , at alL ; But this I do say—this 1 do assert , that if there are difficulties placed by nature

    in the way of such steadiness of price , you have by your bad ^ legislation aggravated those difficulties- ' - ( Cheers from the Opposition . ) You have heaped embarrassment upon embarrassment , and piled difficulty upon difficulties— ( hear . ) A steadiness of price should be the object of your legislation , and that is totally incompatible Withoprohibition at one moment , and afree : admission at another —( hear , hear . ) Then with respect to frauds ; I wish to say a few words iipon that subject I cannot think , however ,. witfi . theRight Hon . Gentleman , that while there are now very serious frauds , there will not also be very serious frauds under his scheme ; because , put it as you may , the raising of tho price Is in every instance to be' : abcpnipanied with , a lowering of the duty , arid to the extent of

    the reduction you necessarily hold out a temptation to fraud . In the year 1830 , I think , a Cohimitteo of the House sat and investigated aud exposed , a gtoatriuiiiber of frauds that had been committed with respect to the averages , and they advised what they considered a remedy for those fraudB . You had , however , in the last year—you had , in the years 1838 and 1 S 39 frauds eytisting which , were notorious—you had the markets raised 9 s . a quarter in a single week , all for the purpose and with the contrivance , of obtaining a reduction of the duty . That at leait is a bail system of legislation which gives encouragement to fraud and gambling speculations , when ^ you ought to have an honbst ard wholesoine tra > le . But thare is another ivnA most serious effect of the sliding scale which I have touched upon

    before , namely tnat ' it confines your supplies to countries in the North of Europe —( hear , hear . ) Ycu have a deficient harvest , a scarcity in this ' country , arid a riss in prices—you theni send immediately orders ^ 'id ships to Dantzio , and to all the ports Which commuaicute with us in the Baltic , for cargoesiof wheat , in order to take advantage of our low duty . That corn comes in , and you are to remain satisfled with tiiat fcupply- But , suppose any merchant should say , " the prices of corn , from the Baltic are too high . I know there . is a market for British goods in North Amorica . I know that if their corn could be sent here in exchange for our goods 1 could / disposeof it , " and that the transaction would be profitable in both ways / ( Hear , hear . ) But if he were to send an order to America , the duty

    may havo risen by the time that the can > o has arrived , and thea your prohibitions stand in his way ; then your prices may have fallen , y « ur duty may be high , and he will find that for two or three years that cargo ia left upon his hands , and he is a loser by the Whole transaction . What a defect must that be in the law , WJhieb does not permit you to go at all to the most favourable market , which does not permit you to go : to the United Stutes for your supply—¦ ( hear , hear . ) ¦ Indeed , with respect to our commerce with foreign nations , there seenia to be nothing more desirable than that we should endeavour to retain and to improve ; our trade with America ; and 1 should say to you . most emphatically , " Preserve the markets of the United States , and of the Brazils . " Great quantities of goods manufa-jtured by

    us Ime been imported to these . -countries . - By adopting common rules , and by adhering to common sense , you would retain , improve , and enlarge almost indefinitely , those markets- ^( hear , and cheers . ) But no , yim say " the present laws won'b do , we must alter them , and make a new contrivance , by which we may shut the door against tho United States , arid refuse to admit their produce to our markets . I havo hera a . statement which I have taken from Buckingham ' s work on America—an important extract—on the extent and means of production of the state of New York alette , as regards the growth of wheat , and which 1 shall take the liberty of reading to tbe House . [ The Noble Lord read the extract in a low voice ; but the substance of the quotation was , that this fertile territory extended

    from the Lakes in the North to Ohio in the South ; embracing an area of 280 , 000 square miles , being twice as largVas the kingdom of France , and six times the siza of England . It contained 188 , 000 , 000 acres of land , and was irrigated by , or branching on the Ohio , the : ' . Wisconsin , arid the Mississippi . ; Within twentyone years its population has increased to the number of 3 , 000 , 000 , and . it was calculated that by the year 1850 it would have swelled to the aggregate of 6 , 000 , 000 . ] Now , proceeded the Nobla Lord , this great population , this vast extent of fertile and arable land is removed from . this , country to such a distance , that on the authority of Mr . Curtis wheat could not be exported from those districts to our ports for less than from 43 s . to 47 s . a quarter ; bo that the American could not

    be considered a competitor by the English farmer , at least while there would be no just grounds to regard the American farmer as such , the people of that country would be great consumers of your manufactures ^ - ( bear . ) I do believe that 0 , 000 , 000 of people inhabiting so fertile a country would naturally prefer the pursuit of agriculture to manufactures—( cheers ) . I believe that they would beglad toreteive your manufactures in exchange for their food and expoi'b—( cheers)—for howaver the manufacturers of the United States may be advancing , they cannot yet give the bulk of the people sufficient occupation , arid it is probable that they will riot do so for a long time —( hear . ) You have it in yonr power to establish a commerce of an extensive and useful kindof giving food to tbe people and employment to the

    poor and in-future years of . enabling them to avoid that horrible distress which has prevailed of late—of bestowing conifort on the inhabitants of this kingdom while they consume the products of distant countries—( hear , hear . ) But , instead of this , you say v We have the power of regulation in our hands and wo will use it to atop this great trade . We lifive the power in our hands to fctop this accumulation of human comfort and prosperity , and because we have the power , we undertake to place a barrier against it" — ( loud cheers . ) Sir ; such would be the effect of your continuance of the sliding scale . The objection was , that theyi could not avoid dearness in certain years , either , by a fixed duty or by any other fixed plan . We have a right , Sir , to reject the plan at present

    proposed for one more consonant with the maxims of trade—more consonant with the deductions of science —and , above all * more consonant with the petitions of our suflering population— ( loud cheers . ) Opposed then , as I am , Sir , to tho plan of a sliding scale , and thinking that any phin founded on that basis ought to be rejected , I shall , if that plan be also presented , be ready to discuss the subject with those who oppose the laying on of any duty at all . / think that a moderate fixed duty might be proposed with propriety J but what I propose , in the present instance , i 3 the rejection of the plan proposed by her Majesty ' s Ministers—( hear , bear . ) If it should be found that there arfe no exclusive burdens on agriculture —( hear , ) -r-I should then say , make such a provision of a duty , as shall prevent

    a sudden ehange , and prevent the falling into distress of great masses of agricultural labour . But if there should be , as I believe there are , peculiar burdens on agriculture , then impose a duty as moderate as you possibly can , in consideration of those burden ? . ; Do not let us raise a singled shilling—not a single farthing above what is absolutely necessary . If there is , as the Right Hon . GentleinaH states that there is , an advantage in submitting to restrictions for the sake of the general interest , this argument , to be unconquerable , must be supported by good and sensible reasons ^ - ( hear , bear . ) Now , Sir , for a fixed duty we have , for a sliding scale it is not possible to have , such reasonf . It may be said in favour of a fixed / duty that it has been recommended at different times by persons of great

    authority- - ( hear , hear . ) The first recommendation is from Mr . Malthus , who , in i . 815 , proposed , after a certain time , that the duty should become fixed at 10 s . Hia proposal for a duty on foreign corn was that it should be first 203 ., and fall la , year by year , till it come to 1 Of ., where it should remain . Mr , M'CuHbck , another advocate for a fixed duty , stated that , in ^ stead of the burdens of agriculture being equivalent to a fixed duty of 10 s ., that a duty of 5 s . would be a full protection-r ( hear . ) The Committee of 1821 , which comprised many persons eminent in agriculture , among otheca , tho Hon . Gentleman the Paymaster of the Forces , Sir T . Gooch , and many persons of all classes and all opinions , also recommended a fixed duty . ' Sir Robert Peel expressed his disseiit . "

    Lord John Russell—Dues the Right Hon . Gentleman dispute that ? The report begins by expressing a doubt whether there can be any solid foundation for agricultural proepeiity expected by abstaining as far as possible from legislative interference with agriculture , either by protection or prohibition of importation—( loud cheers . ) The report then goes on to Btate that agriculture had flourished most when a free importation of corn bad been allowed . ( The Noble Lord proceeded to read various extracts from the report of the Committee alluded to ; from : which it appeared that the Committee recommended a modification of the existing law , which produced much inconvenience from the audden manner in which the ports were opened under its enactments , and the consequent sudden influx of corn into the market , and suggested a remedy thai , whenever the ports were open , corn should be admitted at a fixed duty . The reading of this extract was followed by loud cheering arid counter cheering . )

    Permit me to observe , that although the Committee recommends & fixed duty , I cannot but think that the person who drew up the report , arid who so well explained and understood the principles of free trade , and S 3 anxiously advised an adoption of those principles , must when he recommended it , nave considered the adoption of a fixed duty as a temporary measure , as the best probably which he could obtain--at the time— ( bsar , hear)—but must have looked forward to the ultimate adoption of the ¦ great- ; principle which he bad bo distinctly laid down in the commencement of the Report , and bave considered that tho time Would at length arrive when ali pvotect ^ pn arid all prohibition should cease . ( Cheera . ) One < f the objections to a plan of a fixed duty is , -that- . it ' would , in times of scarcity , prevent an adequate supply from coining into she market . When I had the honour to propose a plan for a fixed duty to the House , I stated ruy belief that the imposition of a fixed duty would in a great measure prevent

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    tbe occurrence of scarcity by securing a constant ana regular snpply ; but , at the same time , 1 statedthf ? re might be yarlouB methods of preventing a fixed duty acting in such a manner in times of scarcity ; and one of the remedies wai to give to the Government the power of entering tha ports under certain circumstances . 1 think that may be better than tho view taken by the Cot ^ unittee of 1821 . It may , perhaps , be better that at a c

    ( Hear , hear . ) The Right Hon . Gentleman stated the other night , that it would be necessary for the purpose of the Titho Commutation Act , that the system of average should be kept up-- ( loud cheers . ) -But what he stated ; more particularly ; Was , that if you bad corn very'cheap , ; there would ' . ; . b © such abundanco from foreign countries , that then the English agriculturalists would be ruined by the competition ; arid he stated if you have com very dear , then the keeping up of a fixed duty would ba an evil and a grievance . With respect to the former of these objections , I thirik the protection to the farmer is the cheapness —( cheereH-df the afcundant year . Then with respect to dear years , I am ready , and always was ready to say , that I thirik a greater advantage would be given by it to the foreign

    merchant than to : me English agriculturist . There is another part of the-subject upon ¦ which I have not said a wordj arid which the Right Honourable Gentleman ( iismissed at the cpmmericemerit of the address to- tbe House— -I mean the distress tbat ' "' /' . prevails ' in the country . That that distress exists [ to a great extentthat it exists in Leeds , ;> Ianchesterf a great part of tha cotton district , arid part of Scotland , is how by no person denied , It was stated in the strongest terins by the Hon .. Gentleinan wh ^ seconded the Address ( Mr , Beckett ) The Right Hon . Baronet states , that he does hot propose his present corn bill as . any remedy for that distress—( hear , hear)—nor does he think the Corn Laws , as they at preBent exist , are at all answerable for that distress . Now , Sir , I should not say they were

    the causa of the whole of this distress , but they tended very considerably to aggravate it ; and' I think that a great relaxation of " your Cora Laws Would tend greatly , though not , perhaps , imriiediately ,. . . td mitigate that distress —( hear , hear , hear , and cheers . ) What has been said by persons conversant with the cotton trade in . Manchester , in a circular ¦ which they addressed to the wholesale bouses in London , that wJiile the . sale ' of cotton exported , profitably or not , bas increased during the last year , the sale of these goods for domestic uses had decreased at the rate of 3 ^ bales per Meek . They therefore conclude—and the conclusion is a natural one , audborric out by all the other evidence on the subject—that the want of means in the labouring classes to purchase clothing and other articles

    as well as food , has been the cause of the diminished consumption—that so much greater cpart of the earnings of the labouring classes than hitherto have during the last two or three years gone in the purchase of bread . Now , this tt itement . is supported by all those who hava communicated with the labouring portions of the community , and by their own statements in various parts Of the country . - I myst If presented a petition tonight , froni ; persons who , ; thousbi sometimes able to procure some brtail , were unable to com u me sugar at , all ; and , with respect to other articles , that the consumption of them was greatly diminished . Well , then , if you had a f ^ ee admission of foreign corn , one of the cbnsequences would be that the numerous classes able to puichuse food at a cheaper rate would be enabled to consume manufactures ; and another consequence would be that the manufacturers would find a

    batter market for their goods , and that they would send these goods in exchanee for the goods sent to this conntry . Therefore , whilst I do not say tbat the whole of tiitt distteas is caused by the Com Laws , - or would be tutiliy removed by the repeal of those luws , I do say thtt they tend to . 'iggravale thedifitress , and that you would mitigafcr that distress by a relaxation of those laws-r-vhear , and cheers . ) The Right Hon . Gentleman supposes us to be in a position similar to what has occurred at other times in manufacturing diotricts when distress was as be thinks , eccasioned partly by over-production , and partly by other causes . The Right Hon . Gentleman supposes that overproduction , the operation of joint stock banks , and some other causes contributed in different degrees , aud that all the rernedy ia in the reduction of the excess , and a return to the former stats of things , and the former amouirt of nroduction . Now that is not the

    view which I take of the present state of things . Although it may . be that the production of goods , has been somewhat in excess , ytt if that bad been the cause of the distress , the distress would have passed away , and tke evil wbuld have cured itself- —( hear , hear . ) The Right Hon . Baronet thinks that part of the evil is in the excessive- building of bouses in the manufacturing towns , and the , consequent increase of the population ; and that another part is in the improvemerit of machinery . Sir , I ciuinot say whether the first may be in some part a cause of distress ; but I say that with regard to inachinery , tie whole history of our riianufactures directly contradicts his opinion—ihear . ) Whereever improvements , have taken place in

    machinery , and means have been formed ef lessening the amount of human labour necessary to produce an article , new markets have bren created or increased —( hear , hear )—ami thus the whole number of persons employed has been increased at the same time and not diminished ^ - ( hear , hear . ) And what is the case of those gteat towns , euch as Manchester , Leeda , RIacclesfleld , and Biruiinehaui I— ( hear , hear . ) They increase year after year , as the ingenuity of our countrymen f ^ roin time to time adds improvement to machinery— . ( hear , hear , hear . ) If the improvement « f machinery decreased employment , the case would have been the other way and population would have decreased in those towna Sir R . Peel made some observations which were not heard in the gallery . : ' :.:: '

    Lord John Russell—Sir , I certainly did think the Right Hon . Baronet gave in , in some degree ^ to the opinion tbat machinery decreases employment It is an opinion which has been stated by several who support his views of this question , and I thirik it is very dangerous . ( Loud cries of "Hear , hear . ") I thought that he mentioned the improvement of machinery as amongst the causes of the distress . But I believe that Riachiuery would increase still more , and go on iucreaaing , if you did but encourage freedom instead of imposing new restrictions . A -great portion of the people think that some relief may be obtained by repealing these laws . If you cannot repeal them totally , as th « '"' great ; majority of the petitioners t ) this House ag&intA the Corn Laws demand , I do advise you to make some

    material advance —< l ear , hear)—and shew that you are willing to meet their wishes , as far as is consistent with other interests—( hear , hear ;) I advise you to make some material advance that will shew you have sympathy with the sufferings of the people —( hear , hear . ) I agree , Sir , that it is perfectly impossible to hope that any good , or that any alleviation whatever of the general distress which prevails in the country , can arise from that measure , which is only made to look a little better than the old measure—( cheera )—a measure which perpetuates the vicious principles already cxi » ting--forbids any improvemeiit—encourages speculation , ; and prevents your commerce . -. with the north of

    Europo , the Black Sea , and the United States . Such it measure , Sir , Will do nothing to relieve the distress of this country . Whatever you do , I advise you not to a ^ ree to such a measure as that . If you think tbat the Corn Laws are founded on sound principles—that they tend to promote the interests of the country , do riot mind the sinister evils they may cause , but if you do make a change , do so for : some purpose j , do not inriova ^ Without you innovate for some good purpose —( cheers . ) Lord Bacon said that the froward retention of custom was sometimes as bad ' ¦ _ as innoration—but Lord Bacon never : dreamed that there : might be a measure of tkis kind proposed—a measure which would have all the evils of " froward retention of

    custom , " arid yet contains within it all the mischiefs or evils of innovation —( hear , hear . ) A measure which does not improve your commerce ; and , therefore , casnot alleviate the existing state of distreas—a measure which confines your trade , arid which was proposed by the Gavernment having first excited hopes fer a lorig period—hopes , which when apparently on the point of being attained , a measure la proposed iu reality standing upon the very same principles and producing similar results as those of the present law—( hear , hear . ) Such a measure , Sir , I consider is that now proposed . I cannot think you will legislate on this question to any purpose , unless you in the first place reject the measure now proposed —( hear , hear , and loud cheers . ) If you reject that , you may hereafter

    consider to what extent you may , set free your trade in matters of food . You may hereafter consider how far you will concede to the wishes of the people—it will be open to you to take every view that may'be proposed to you to consider . '¦; You may consider the agricultural interests and the quant of land brought into cultivation . You may also consider the burthens which affect agriculture ; and I wish to say here ; Sir , that if there be any odium in advocating the imposition of a duty—from that odium I do riot wish in the slightest degree to shrink —( bear , bear . ) If you adopt the system now proposed , though I do not believe that in the present civilised state of the people of England , you will not have such tumults and outrages as have taken place in former centuries ; yet I apprehend that you will produce growing discontent in the public mind . Att , therefore , so tbaVit shall be said that you have legislated on well considered views , and

    for the benefit of the whole community . But I desire now to impress the fact upon you , thai all commercial men and all indifferent spectators have unanimously condemned the sliding-scale as the wont basis of legislation with respect to provisions , and that it is perfectly well known to the community at large tLat this principle has been thus generally condemned . How can you believe that the public can be persuaded after such denunciations that the proprietors of land alone can take impartial views on this subject ; that they who are chiefly interested should , contrary to the experience of all mankirid , take clear and disinterested views On the present occaBion ?—( hear , hear . ) The people will not eo reason . They will , I apprehend , attribute , however unjustly , that you hav « been biassed in favour of those intereata with which you are connected , and in favour of a system under which some members of the Government are eaid to have increased their incomes of late . ( Laughter and hear , hear . )

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    . ' Anything would be bettor than legislation © f this kind . ' ¦ ¦ Be it error , If you will enacfc lows which may savour of tjeignorance of the 15 th and lGth centuries on matters ' of trade , and you may sustain the odium arising in coii * geq ^ ence . Bu't if yon allow it to be said thafc ^^ the / Par liament P' this country—that the House of ^ ConrmonH have decided the ^ q ^ ibn in which the foo ^ qf ttie whole commuriityi 8 i ? tolveo on a partial basis , and to maintainyour own adv ^ tages , ^ willhe Impossible but that the Legislaturei shall Wfflr-k the estimation of their iounfary —( cheers . ) Such , Sir ; lw ^ 8 ™ e : rtewB J take in the present crisiB , I only hope tin ** jonjiwy < k > me to that decision on this question wbkft ¦ ftTM ? h ° w that yon have large and enHghtened intentfam * . ™ -. Mspect to the future state of trade and cornmenw- ^ lt : ? ^ 8)—tnat you bave considered agricultural , as well 88 si * otner in « terests , and that baying bo considered , jaxt Tfft . pass a law , whic \ when it is passed , men will fooft 0 v' as - a blessing to the country , and will thank yon TfStfr J ^ *"' tude and fervoar In their hearts as wise and -teisefidf « % . " *

    legislators— ( cheers . ) That such may be your deeisf ^ p I most" cordially wish , but I cannot think that you caa legislate thus unless you proceed upon principles entirely different from those submitted to you on Wednes * day night I therefore beg to move " that this House , considering the evils which have been caused by the preEerit Corn Laws , and especially by the fluctuations of the graduated or sliding scale , is not prepared to adopt the measure of her Majesty's Government which ia founded upon the same principle , and is likely . 'to be attended by similar results . " ' ¦ . " ¦ -.: , ;! ^ ;

    Mr . QiADsTONE said , the real question was , not which aide of the House could collect the greatest array of prejudice and passion in its support } but whether , looking to what is practically best , the House ought , under all the considerations involved in the subject , to accept the proposal of his Right . Hon . Friend . ( Sir Rw Peel , ) or adopt that proposed last year by the Noble Lord . / Now he was prepared to contend that the evils attributed to the existing Corri Law were to be attributed to that law only in a limited degree , and he should further contend that the evils themselves were very much exaggerated . He further contended that the advantages of a fixed duty were grosslyexaggerated , and that the objections which attached to such a duty on its own merits were perfectly insuperable . The

    Sliding scale was said to have been chargeable with the evil of leading to serve fluctuations in price , but similar fluctuations had taken place in countries where no such law prevailed . The Hon . Gentleman / quoted the prices of rye in Prussia at different periods , in order to support this viaw of the case . ' rye being in Pmsssia used as the general food of the people in about the same proportion as wheat was used in England . This , he said , proved that the fluctuations were to be ' attributed to the difficulty of aajusting the supply to tho demand , rather than to any inherent evil in the law . The Hop . Gentleman then went on to show that at 64 ? . the Noble Lord and Sir B . Peel would , like great planets , be in conjunction as far as respected duty , but as the Noble Lord would not reduce his 8 s . duty to

    Is . until it reached 73 s . or 74 s ., surely his plan held out far more temptations than that of bis Right Hon . Friend to tamper with the averages ; for his Right Hor ; Friend ' s proposal was to reduce gradually and not suddenly , like that of the Noble Lord . As to considering the 20 s . / duty a prehibitory one , he had to remind the House that that duty was only levied when the price at home indicated an abundant supply in the home mar * kets , at which time any material supply of foreign corn would be prejudicial , and if this were to be considered a prohibitory duty , he must say . that he sincerely hoped that we should be always blest with such a one . Since the year 1704 , there had always been a maximum duty

    of 20 s . on the importation of foreign corn , and in the course of that time there was a period of thirty years which was triumphantly-. ' referred to , by the advocates of a repeal of the Corn Laws as one during the whole of which a free trade in corn practically prevailed . It was truis that a free trade practically did prevail during that period , but nevertheless the maximum duty of 20 s . was also in force the whole time . It was said that if we took the corn of other countries they would take our manufactures in return . Of this he would not have Hon . Gentleman to be too certain . How stood the ease with Russia ? Was it because we would not take Russian produce that Russia would not take onr manufactures ? The fact was this—we

    exported to Russia to the value of two millions per annum , and we imported from that country over six millions in value . . In addition to this Russia had recently published a new ; tariff , by which additional restrictions were placed upon the importation . into that country of British produce , which shewed that other conntries were much more favourable to an imitation of us in our former restrictive system , than likely to follow us in bur modern ' system of . relaxing , those restrictions . The Hon . Gentleman concluded by vindicating the measure of the Government as a great improvement of the present Corn Law , and , therefore , gave to it his hearty and conscientious support—( hear , hear . ) .

    Mr . C . Wood said , it was out of the question to pretend to say that we should not be dependent on foreign nations for corn , when , for the last ten years the p oduce of the country was insumcient to supply its populatio v , and when it was evident that the evil must irierease with every future year . We must therefore be dependent in a great measure upon foreign supply , and the only question was as to tho way in which that supply could be obtained with the least possible injury to any class of the community . The Hon . Gentleman then entered into a lengthened argument , interspersed with several calculations , in order to show that a fixed duty Was preferable to a sliding scale . Mr . Liddell said as far as his experience went he believed the measure proposed by the Government would gratify not only the agriculturists , but also a great portion of the manufacturing and commercial interests . It had never been asserted on the Ministerial side of the House that this country could ba

    maintained wholly independent of foreign supply ; but it bad been held that in a good average harvest the country could nearly supply itself with food , and when it could not do so , the system of averages enabled them to obtain a sufficient supply without risking the prosperity of the agricultural classes of society . They knew from experience that they had little to expect from concession . When Catholic emancipation was granted in the most / liberal manner , it was said that the reason of . grauting so liberal a measure was that it might give the fullest satisfaction . It gave satisfaction , however , but for a short time . Again , in the case of tbe Reform Bill , it was said in defence of the extent to which it went , that the people would not be satisfied with less . What was the result ? The Noble Lord who brought it forward had subsequently more trouble to defend his V nnality" than he ever had to ; npset the rotten boreughs . For the sake of conciliation , therefore , they should not depart from that which was sound in principle . : ; : . ; -- ¦" .: ' . " . ¦' - . ;¦ - ' ¦ ¦¦'¦"•¦• ¦ W ?? --- ' .--... '¦'• ; : ' - ' :. ¦'

    . Dr . Bo wring said that the inferences drawn from his accounts of the consumption of the necessaries of lifei in Prussia , by the Right Hon . Baronet ( Sir R . Peel ) were erroneous ; but even , if true , and if there was a greater consumption per head in Eugland , that was no reason why it should be reduced . The fact was , however , that the condition of the people of England was , year after year , becoming worse , while in Prussia the condition of the inhabitants waa pro * gressively improving . He would prefer the scale suggested by Mr . Christopher to that proposed by the Government , for under the latter plan we could never bave corn admitted in any quantity except under very rare circumstances , and concluded by a warning to the landed interests not to deal too harshly by the people , Who paid more in proportion to their means than the landed proprietors to the support of the expences of thestate . . ¦"¦ ¦ - ¦ ' ¦ ¦¦;¦ '¦ '• '¦ .-.- ; . ' '¦ ' ¦ ' [ . ''''¦ " ¦¦' . - ¦ " ¦ ¦ . '' ¦ ¦ ' : r

    Mr . Ferrand ( amid loud cries of "divide , divide" ) said that ; in rising to address the House he felt that he had awful responsibility to discbarge , and under which he was placed . He had been requested by the working classes of the north of England to come down , to this House and defend them from the persecution of their oppressors . In the last session of Parliament he had ri 8 *> n in his place here on behalf of the working classes of this country , and he had been gjranted ar patient hearing . He hoped he should receive the same treatment at their hands to-night , and he would not only , on the part of himself , but also tbat of the working classes , feel very grateful to them—( hear , hear . ) It was his lot ; from his youth , to reside in the middle of a manufacturing district ; and one of

    the proudest acts of his life was to respond to the call which they had made upon him to stand forth in their behalf , and endeavour to burst asunder the bonds of their oppressors-- ( bear , hear . ) The manufactures with whom he had the honour of being- acquainted denied the allegations which were contained in the petitions which were placed upon the table —( hear , hear , and cheers . ) The working classes of the north of England assert that they had never beenapplied to . in the mas 3 , to agree to those petitions . They say that these petitions were an absolute fraud upon them , as well asa decided insult to the good sense of this House—( cheers . ) They assert that the signatures to those petitions were obtained by the foulest means possible—they were obtained ly making a mere mockery of religion

    —( hear , hear , and cheers . ) And the anti-Com Law League manufacturers have exacted the signatures of the working people with such threatenings , and such oppression , as are an outrage upon the liberty of the subject —( cheers and laughter . ) Before he craved the notice of this House , he would allude to the Noble Lord , the Member for the city of London , who had asserted within the walls of this House , that this was a question which it was the duty of the country to decide , and riot the Legislature . He ( Mr . Ferrand ; thought that the Noble Lord bad himself appealed to the country and here was his answer—( great cheering ) He ( the Noble Lord ) had appealed to the country /* the fixed duty project , and tbe Right Hon . Baronet

    ( Sir R . Peel ) had appealed to the country upon the sliding scale—( cheers . ) It was true that the Noble Lord had taken bis seat backed by a majority of nine and these / it was said , were dead men—( laughter ) , but the Right Hen . Baronet bad taken his seat in tbe House backed by a majority of ninety-one living representatives of the people —( cheers and laughter . ) Perhaps the Noble Lord , boiling with rags under the ignominyof his defeat , might assert tbat that majority was obtained by fifty different false statements . Brit what said Lord Morpeth when he started in Leeds ? in . that place , lest Uiere should be any mistake between her Majesty ' s Government then and the Right Hon . Baronet , the First Lord of the Treasury , Lord Morpettt ( Continuedinour seventh page *}

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    Untitled Article

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• Citation
  • Northern Star (1837-1852), Feb. 19, 1842, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse-os.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct879/page/6/