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Leader (1850-1860), 4th December 1852, Edition Country of 2, Page 9, PECfeMBteft 4, 1852.] THE LEA ilER. 1157

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      Pecfembteft 4, 1852.] The Lea Iler. 1157

      PECfeMBteft 4 , 1852 . ] THE LEA ilER . 1157

      [The Following Appeared %N Our Second Ed...

      [ The following appeared % n our Second Edition of last weeh . ~\

      Ifaatarrqii.

      Ifaatarrqii .

      Oattjeday, November 27. It Is Finished. ...

      oattjeday , November 27 . It is finished . The great debate closed last night ; and the Free-traders , pure and simple , were defeated by an ample , and set on one side by an overwhelming , majority . Mr . Cobden and Manchester are beaten by the combined influence of the Peelites and the Leader who has no party , but who seems to control all . In fact , Lord Palmerston , as the Times says this morning , is Master of the Situation . "

      The adjourned debate was continued by Mr . Milnee Gibson , who denied that this was a question of want of confidence , the Government being entirely separated from it . The House should take care not to place Free-trade on a basis which might slide from under it . The fact that food was cheap might not always be a fact ; but the question rested upon the right that men had to free exchange . He complained of Lord Palmerston ' s conduct , in taking the question out of Mr . Villiers ' s hand .

      Mr . MiLNfcS Gaskell thought that the denial of the justice of the policy of 1846 was compatible with an admission of the benefits it had wrought . The question was between a Government desirous to carry out our commercial policy , united upon other questions , and a party which agreed upon no other question than that of Free-trade . Mr . Sidney Heebeet had been greatly disappointed at the course Government had taken at the opening of Parliament . The policy that had been adopted ought to have been stated in intelligible words . He animadverted upon the Government amendment , and censured its expressions , as not referring to the opinion of the country , which the House wanted to know . He should

      prefer Mr . Villiers ' s resolution , but that he thought there were words in it which it was impolitic to propose for the adoption of the other side . Generosity was the best policy ; and as a witty writer had said that the Jews could make few proselytes , seeing that their profession of faith began with a surgical operation , it could hardly be expected to bring over converts to Free-trade if we commenced with penance and the pillory . As regarded compensation , he distinctly asserted that it was out of the question , he having always considered the legislation of 1846 as the restitution of rights which the landed interest had unjustly enjoyed . The fame of Sir Robert Peel had been placed on a pedestal from which no counter-resolution of that House could move

      it . Having enjoyed that statesman ' s friendship , and sat by him while he was accused in the foulest language of the meanest crimes ( loud cheers ) , he knew his character and his generosity . He would wish no antagonist humiliated . But if they wanted humiliation—for not words but deeds humiliated men—they had but to look there . ( Tremendous cheers , as Mr . Herbert pointed to the Treasury Bench . ) He should support Lord Palmerston ' s amendment .

      Mr . Henry Djiummond explained to the House that Protection had been a creature of necessity , and had grown up when the Anglo-Saxon wanted iron brooches made by resident manufacturers , and that unrestricted competition hud boon another necessity , and its adoption had begun at the close of the war , the repeal of the corn-lawn being only the apox of tlmt policy . Hut he considered that Sir Kobert Peel had given a blow to public ; confidence in public men from which this generation would not recover . Mr . Mitntz had thought the repeal of the Corn-laws ii choice betweem evils . Hut as be did not believe our

      present prosperity ( which was duo to tho import of gold ) to bo mainly attributable to that repeal , he should uffirin no mioh proposition . Ho would support Lord I ' alineiston , but lio beggod to inform the House that the people wore laughing at thorn . Tho Marquis of OitANiiv ' H reasons for not adopting either of the resolutions woro threefold , lit-, did not believe that tho prosperity of the country was as grout iw it ought to bo ; lio did not believe that it was attributable to rccont legislation and unrestricted competition ; and ovon if it wore , ho believed that . such legislation was not stamped with tho principle of unre-MtricUul competition .

      Mr . Kn-zitOY Haid tlmt he should fool himself wanting 111 his duty to the memory of Sir It . Pool , whoso friond l > o had been , and under whom ho bad nerved , if ho J'tw itated to record bin conviction of the wisdom and j'wtieo of the policy of that statomnim . Hut , under U'o oireuinN tuiHfeH , ho HUggontod tho withdrawal of Mr . ViIIuu-h ' h motion . Mr . Kicndam ,, as a Protectionist , admitted tho oon-<< o » tmont of tho peoplo , but donied that it had been produced by Free-trado .

      Mr . Blackett would sooner see the Free-trade resolution carried by a small than by a sham majority . They must distinguish between the true and false Freetraders . Colonel Sibthoep had been reminded by the three resolutions of the three cross roads in which the criminal of old was buried , and should not support either . Mr . Warner supported Mr . Villiers ' s resolution , believing it framed with patriotic intentions .

      Sir James Gbaham , after some observations on the inconsistency of Ministers , said that he had endeavoured to frame his resolution in the temper and spirit which Sir It . Peel would , had he been alive , have displayed , and with that Christian forbearance for which the departed statesman was so remarkable . He was not surprised that , on the whole , gentlemen opposite were disposed to reject a declaration , that a policy against which they had so long struggled was wise and just . He was as earnestly opposed to any idea of compensation , and should resist it as strenuously , as any member in that House . But painful as it was to him to vote against Mr . Villiers , he should feel it his duty to suppoi't Lord Palmer ^ 'ton ' s amendment .

      Mr . Phiiipps , amid the noisy impatience of the House , was understood to oppose the resolution . Lord John Russell hoped the debate would be brought to a close that night . After commenting on the previous proceedings , % and alluding to Lord Palmerston as having relieved gentlemen opposite , and caused disunion on his own side , he said that both sets of resolutions were very well framed , and went to the same purpose , but that he could not vote against those of Mr . Yilliers ; although he should have voted for Lord Palmerston ' s had they come first in order . He did not see why he should

      make his vote dependent on the feelings of gentlemen opposite , who , however , he thought were more sensitive than circumstances demanded . Defending the " odious epithets , " and referring to his own efforts to prepare the way for the repeal of the Corn-laws , he expressed his apprehension that the signal for a fresh struggle had been held out by the Chancellor of the Exchequer , in the announcement of compensation or relief . He begged , for the sake of the landed interest , that no special favour might be asked for them , but that any boon of remitted taxation might be large and general . The admission of agricultural distress , in the Queen ' s Speech prepared by his own Government , was

      expressly meant to show that he intended no specific relief to that interest . The Chancellor of the Exchequer ' s argument , that his party had never sought to reverse the Free-trade policy , was ingenious , but deficient in truth , and he had led the farmers to believe he meant to restore protection when he ineant nothing of the kind . He would not judge Lord Derby harshly , but he seemed to have misconceived the constitutional position of himself as regarded the question of Freetrade , and also that of his subordinates , who bad taken opposite sides at the elections . The Chancellor of the Exchequer had been a faithless supporter of Protection ; it whs for the House to take care that he was not mo

      faithless to Free-trade . Ho had no confidence in tho professions of the Ministry , or in tho conversion of many of their supporters . Tho battle was not over . Mr . Secretary Waxpole said that the only question was , whether the legislation of 1840 should bo pronounced strictly wi « e and just . Ho had himself voted against that legislation , and he could not apply to it the proposed description , though admitting that it was beneficial to tho great body of tho people . Lord John Russell bad assumed that Government was going to givo compensation to tho landed interest , an hypothesis lie would eventually find totally unfounded , as the financial measures of Government , would be based on

      the policy of unrestricted competition . After a warm tributo to tho Karl of Derby , he replied to Lord John itiiHsoll ' s charge of doublet principles by reminding him that tho commercial policy was not tho only or the most important bond of the party who had been compelled to take office . If they hud not the confidence of tho country they could not and would not retain their places ; and ho disbelieved that unworthy motives

      actuated tho majority of public won in desiring office , for which tho having abandoned certain opinions wan no disqualification . I To declared that ho would adhere to the policy of tho Corn-laws on the , same ground that tho stanches !; Protestant would ad hero to tho Emancipation Act , or the Hlurdiest Tory to tho Reform Act . Hut Conservative principles were the Government bond of union , and by carrying them out they nhould best servo the country .

      Mr . CoiiDMN expressed his long-rooted suspicion of Lord I ' almer . stoii , and advised tho " juveniloH" not to follow him . If tho division should result unfavourably for tho Kreo-trado cause , tho country would attribute ! it to horel Pulmorston . After a sluiterh of Corn-law history ( continually interrupted by thu impatienco of the )

      House ) , he charged the landlords with being the cause of the mischief which might have occurred to the farmers since the repeal , by deluding them with the idea of Protection ; and he taunted them with their cowardice in bowing to a resolution framed in opposition to their opinions . Several members rose , but the clamour for a division became uproarious . At last Mr . Isaac Btttt was permitted to be heard . He protested against Mr . Cobden ' s dictatorial tone , and declared that the resolution was intended to record the triumph of the Manchester School , which sought Jacobinically to achieve its objects by appeals to the fears of Parliament . He would vote for no resolution which should foreclose his claim to compensation ; but professed his confidence in Government . Mr . Gladstone , in answer to an appeal Mr . Cobden had made to the friends of Sir It . Peel , said that the reason why they would be found voting for the amendment was , that they believed that vote dictated by a regard to the principles of justice . The language on which Mr . Cobden replied as a bar to compensation was totally unequal to bear that interpretation . Those who should vote for Lord Palmerston ' s amendment would accept the Free-trade policy because believing its maintenance for the future to be wise and just . Mr . Villiers ' s resolution was of a character which Parliament had never adopted ; and the speaker referred to the course which had been taken in rejecting a similar motion made on the subject of the Appropriation Clause . After an eloquent tribute to the memory of Sir R . Peel , and to his services in repealing the Cornlaws , Mr . Gladstone urged the repression of any desire to trample on those who had resisted manfully , and been defeated fairly . Mr . Newdegate retracted some language he had used out of the House in reference to Mr . Cobden , but expressed his indignation that a new agitation had been threatened by that individual . Mr . Viiliees , in his general reply , offered some explanations as to his share in promoting the resolution , and said that every one of the parties in the House who had imputed an unprecedented or unworthy character to that resolution , had previously declared that it was quite unexceptionable . He could not understand how any Free-trader could oppose it who had not ulterior views . Lord Palmeeston and Mr . Gladstone gave some explanations in reference to Mr . Villiers ' s remarks as to their knowledge of the resolution , denying his implied imputation . Tho House divided , and the numbers were—For Mr . Villiers ' s resolution - - 256 Against it 336 Majority against it - 80 Another division was taken on tho amendment , and the numbers were—For Lord Palmerston ' s amendment 468 Against it ------- 53 Majority for it - - - 415 The House adjourned at two . Early in the evening , in answer to Lord John JtushoII , the CiiANCKiiLOit of tho Excuequkk said that Friday next woulel bo the most convenient day for liis financial statement .

      Tho Return Of. Mr. W. .). Fox Ut Tho App...

      Tho return of . Mr . W . . ) . Fox ut tho approaching election , for Oldluun in now regarded as almost u certainty . Tho only doubt has arisen from ( lie possibility of tho intimidation whicb is »; xpe ; e't . etel from tin ; more violent , iidhcrorils of Mr . Jletalel , the other candidate , acting to prevent nomo of Mr . Fox ' s supporters e : oming to the poll . Meanwhile , an npplieiation which was made to tho magistrates of t , bo borough on tho subject of the recent eiiHturlitmcets of . public order , and tho appointment , of about 4 ( M ) special constables , has checked tlio . se violent exhibitions of party feeling which took placet previously . II , is probable ) that tho writ will not bo issued until tho now register , by which tbei Liberals are * e'onsidcrable guinor . s , comets into opetration , on the ) list of . Docetmhetr . Tint etemt radie ; tion which re'cetnt . ly appearoel in the ) Times of Mr . Kox ' s authorship of the letletr . s e > f "Amiens , " during tint rocetnt dispute * bettweten the * innster emgineters and their workinem , has gainer ! that geintloinaii setveral ne . tw neilietrcnts , alt , lie > itgh theiro are * ne » t wanting peirsoiiH whe » still believe * him to bei the * author . Thei general linprossiem appears to be * that . ' the * etletettion will ta . ltet place * bettwetem the * iH . li mid 14 th of Deecmhetr . The majority for Mr . Ke > x will , it is estiinalcel , bo about , KM ) . —Times , ( bin umrning .

      Aetetoreling Te> Present Nrrangetnicnts,...

      Aetetoreling te > present nrrangetnicnts , if tin * woal . bor prove * favourable , a grand reivietw will take * plae-o in the * ce > urftet of lietxt . wetetU in II yelei-park , in the * presence * of Uiet diKtinguislied ofliccrs who came oveir to this country tei bo pro-Hetnl , at , the * funeral of the lati * Duliei of Wellington . Tho Duke e > f (/ iiinhrielge * mid Leirel Rogliui , ncconipiinird by a e : e > nside > niblc niimbrr of olliccru aU . uelu'd t . o various foreign se > rvie : eis , who iit . leuidetel the * fnneirul e > f tho Duko of VVe * llingl . e » i , visited the * Royal Arsenal at Woedwierli yetst . etrelay , and we-nl . ove-r 1 , 1 io eliiloremt eletpurl . moiits of tho o . Hl . ahlisliinont .. Thon * biiH lx ; e » n a elespeirat . o affray wit . b pone-horn on the ) emtate * of liord llnwke * , Woimu'nk'y Park , ncur Donettfltetr ; threw lnetu havo beutn shot .

  • Citation
    • Leader (1850-1860), Dec. 4, 1852, page 9, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_04121852/page/9/