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Northern Star (1837-1852), 25th February 1843, Edition 1 of 4, Page 6

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      £Mapmal ^Parliament

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      Untitled Article

      HOUSE OF LORDS—Fbidat , Feb . 37 . ; The Duke of Weluxgiok laid on the table one of ; the letters omitted in the collection of the AffjhanistiD . } documents ; > he others wild not be found , i lord "WHAKiCi . TFPB , in reply to E « l FilisBHam , \ said that £ T-5 , 000 had been collected ia conseqwsse of , the Queen ' s letter , to which was added £ 25 , 0 * 9 col- '• ¦ lected by public subscription . This kad been ?* sced in the ha = ds of the Manufacturers * Belief -G « nnuttee , "which bad been constituted tor * ke distribution of a fund-collected fifteen years ago . The sum -which had recently t * -en collected hadljee& « £ tensively distribnted in tfce distressed districts . £ h £ i Lordships thea ^ djsarsed to Mcsday .

      5 IO 5 S 1 T , i " EB . 20 . " Tie Dnke o' Ws&xisecos broojfct forward a ¦ motion for a -soieoi thanks to LordSUenborongh , tfce -generals , officers , snd -soldiers , bofe Emopeaa and ¦ ^ native , for their services in brimfmg to its successful lesalt tha wax in Afghanistan . Th * illustrious Dtke , : ss in the case of "febe'tarees engaged in China , entered into a sucoEct £ staS of the opera&onB from the * rst outbreak of the iisurrection , occasionally , but sparingly , interspersed wifii -comment ; anxL , * af ter ¦ vindicating the claimB of the Grvemori&eneral , -acd of each coseianding officer , to fee ^ rafitude of tha conntry , concluded by moving the reeokition of whieb he had given notice , i and in "which . « a he wished the "rote to be n"ivii"K ™ yJ he had taken ess © to-avoid any topis "which Slight provoke disctLRSiDn .

      lie debate -wasparticipated in by Lord Avcs . hi . sj > , j the Marquis of ( LiKDSDOWSE , Lord Fiizsb&aLD ' and Teset , the M . ar < rnia « £ Claasicarde , Lord ; BROX 3 GHAi . "th « SBUhops of Salisbcst and-Cbi-CHESTEa , * nd the Earl of ^ JlrsTO , after winch the I resolution was put and carried unanimously . j The Hoose-adjourned at nme o'elock . 1 SJE 5 DAY , TEB . 21 . i The House < met , and s&a some " talk" abyot fibs new Houses , sdionrned . i : I ' , . j

      Untitled Article

      HOUSE OF COMMONS , Fsidat , Feb . IL j Mr . T . BsxcaHBE presented petition praying for an I inquiry into-the conduct of Lord Abinger at the pro- j « eedings tinder the late special commission , from certain , inhabitants-cf the city of London , and from"various j places in scd near the-metropolis , the parish of -St . \ Anne , Sobo , Camberwell ,-Somers " -town , and Islington , ; trem a parish inSouthwsrk , &c . ; aa also a petition to i the same eBect from -Nottingham , j

      3 JBTRESS OP THE COUNTRY . The adjourned debate en Lord Ho wick's merles -was ; Introduced by j Sir A . i- Hay , who said , that so far from regarding j ihis motien as an attack- en Ministers , he sbodd have j supposed , "if he had nofcinown the state of parties ,-that j the 2 f oble Mover 'was-sorae member of Government , j proposing to tfieKoate the recommendations of Her j Majesty ' s speeck . Atail eTents , it "was no answer to that motion to say Mxsi , it was brought forward for j party pcrpsses . The Minister ought not last year to i have shaken the foundations of all things , If he "was un- ; prepared to follow-up his own principles .

      Mr . Kashlbigh could not help considering this as a j party attack . ; and having been sent by a large minority j of a large constatuensy-to support the present -6 overa- i ment of this country , he should oppose the aotion . ] Gsptsin LaTjlB& took a cursory Tiew of several of the speeches on the Ministerial side in a vein of ridi-, cole , "which , upon the-bastings , is some&nes fonnctnot . ineffecSTa ' Mr . Bi « ac £ 3 I 0 X £ recommended it to Me . Farrand ] to - -wifedraw his sstendment , though he should be ' " wiUing to support the objects of it if bronght forward j in the shape of a substantive motion . He "woald oppose tha motion of Lord Howick ; but not by reason of any !

      eonfideace he placed 4 n the GoTernment , whose -sieasures he considered as haTing -aggravated the erils of the cosntry . The declaration of Sir Robert Peel against f nrthernchange in the- Corn Laws had produced some benefit in-quieting the apprehensions of the farmers ; i > ut the-speech of Mr . -Gladstone had been fax from distinct or-satisfactory ; -and he apprehended danger from the coarje which Lord-Stanley had announced respecting the admission of corn from the Canada * . -He assured the GoTernment that the farmers , theugh & body slew to move , were aliva to their own interests , and that titiIpm they should sqb a disposition to do them justice , they -would ere long be found in -opposition to-tbe present Ministry .

      Mr . MrSftK Phili-RS said he had reoeiTed a eommonication which enabled him distincUy to refute sereral charges made l > x Mr . . ^ errand imputing to eertain xninufact&Tcrs tha tti > ihttibt » treatment of their apprentices . This Mr . PhDips proceeded to do somewhat in , detail , aad-added other instances of misinformation grren to ^ membars of-Parliament , which ought , in hte opinion , to serve th * m as a " warning against the two ready beiiet ot all the tales they heard . He did net consider the present distress to have been . produced by the disturbing -causes "whJci . affected certain f or « ign ; . markets : there "would always be such causes at ; ¦ wort in come quarter ef the "world ; but his own belief ¦ was , that ^ he distress arose from the excessive prices . - which the present laws imposed upon food , particularly iqxm command sugar . ¦ On the subject of the country ' s distress , he did not suffer himself to entertain » ny party ' , feelin ? j and-Irom "whatever quarter any remedy might be offered , be should be equally ready to give it his ' -earnest attention . ' '

      Mr , FxtsuxD begged , in explanation , to assure the Son . Gentleman -who had just-sat do-wn that he Tras j 2 niBtaten in supposing htm the otter idght to charge the ' manafacturers of Manchester , as a body , with having ' introduced the system of apprenticeship in that neigh- j beorhood . Several-Hon . Members on the other side of . the house IresnenHy spoke as if they believed him to ; have made such a charge ; but he 4 nust say , once for j all , that he intended to make no seen charge against the manufacUiseaas a body ; on the-contrary , he knew \ there -were among them some of the kindest snd best j men that ever lived . He also begged to be allowed to j tell Che Hon . OesUeman that he had adopted the plan -which had been so -strongly recommended to him . : Before he read the ¦ statement he ha ^ received , he took 1

      care to obtain from different quarters sach evidence sb ' to produce in bis mind the most thorough conviction ¦ that his cirrespoBdent was a person in -shorn he could ' place the greatest reliance . . . { Mt , Phixips had -certainly understood tha Hon . Mem- ' ber to make the charge stated , and his own impres- sions were confirm d by the report he had seen in the ! newspapers of tke Hon . Gentleman ' s spasch —( hear , ' bear ; . j Mr . Dabby eould not see the inference srbich had

      been drawn from Sir Sebert Peel ' s speech , that if he was not prepared to alter the Com Law this s « 3 ion , he at least would do so next session . He -would not sup- ' port the Government if they had a mental r-ettrvation "with respect to the alteration of "the law , nor if they ; pledged themselves irrevocably to maintain it . The ' motion was decidedly a party move . The Anti-Corn- > Law League did not d 2 « to eall itself a Free-Trade J ieagne , for , as Mr . Husiissoa said , e-rery free-trader Etopped Bfeert of the particalaT interest to whkh he belonged .

      Lord HAB . E . T Take -was not prepared to go the , length of removicg all agricultural protection , and ' therefore relnctantly opposed Sie motion . ! Mr . Beoiherios said that . his most recent information assured him thai tilings were still becoming " worse j and so far from the distress being partial , it "was general . Yarions ciasea were assigned , and , amongst the proposed remedies was the lunatic idea of taxing machinery . How were oar great national bur- ; dans to be supported if machinery were restrained i

      Commercial prosperty was the foundation of national prosperity ; and as to the over-production complained of , it had been calculated Uiatourjaannfacturers could aot prodnee annually more th * . n three quarters of a yard of cloth for each inhabitant of ihis world , without going to the planet Jupiter . The ^ agricultural snpporters of Sir Robert Peel bad threatened to desert him if he wonld act up to Ms principles ; but let him carry out his principles , and he would receive support from men of principle on the opposition Bide of House .

      Mr . M . Ati"wood thought that 4 he Government ^ sra trea ting the motion rather as a trial of political strength Hian as a question affecting the condition trf the people . The increased . deposits in the savings' banks of Lancashire had been pointed to as a agn ^ of returning prosperity : but it was ar proof of precisely the reverse , for money was deposited in these iastitetions because dealers in money found that there was no better Aode of profitable investment , Bat while MmH ? S " ^ deploring ihe national distress , he had do con ^ dence in the promoters of the motion before the gK » - £ ^ JS 2 SJT ,: K ^ r ^ 'SKv'Arsss

      reference to the » fortj nine new miUs ^ S ^ S SXw r ^ T n 8 ' iMtea ( l of " improSi ^ ^ a ttS ^ ji and ; it appeared thai Mr . Gibsoa was readin ? fr ? m ttei file eonummity did jiot antaapaU mnch from those ' commaoal tiaUes and neg ^ tiittons , which were made apretaLf for net altering thtf Corr > law » . in fact it was this conntry that onght to eoaeede , inatead of ik

      Jng concessions , for while fte Bm .-Us put 15 to 20 per cent oa our injumXactnres , we put 400 per cent , on i their sugars . He cited the letter oi * Jhe senior Mr .-Gladstone , whwh appeared in the Jforsiw Po& , as to : the fact , that the western states of Amoriea were ' * nxums t « exchange their com for onr msniuHctares ; ana warned tie House , that bo long as there was a

      Untitled Article

      - Corn-la m , there would be Anti-Corn-law agitation . The prepor / ierance of the landed interest waa talked of , but fjie manufacturing and mercantile " portloa of the . comi Annlty would not submit to be-treated as a seoorj . dary class . The landed interest created a Tested ' jjter « st for themselves , and then they pleaded that vested irJsrest as an excuse for upholding the < Jom-law . He tioncluded with a defence of the Anti-Cora-law League i from the imputation of having excited the disturbances ! a the manufacturing districts . I Lard F . Egsktos said at that lateioar of the night j he should endeavour to compress into "tie smallest pos-I sibte space any observations he might-deem it his duty ¦ to m&ka He was satisfied , whatever the object of the \ Noble Lord might beia bringing forward this

      motion—; , , , , ' for there had been some dispute and . difference of ' « pinion ss to that-subject—that *! ie Noble Lord him--self wcmM be the last to take advantage of his motion , ; and impute to any vgentleman who differed from him en t that ( tae Conservative ) side Of the House , that that dJffereEce arose firam -want of « y » patt » y for tiie pre-¦ "vailing distress , -which all acknowledged and lamented . They had been told , indeed , and by those who , he thought , had stomped this motion with a very party character , that they were supporting a Government ! which had deracged everything and supported nothing , i "He thought : tbtt reproach came not with a good grace ! froai those of fee late Government who , whatever might hare been the « character of their policy , it must be ad-¦ niitted ( he did not presume to say f rem want of ability ¦ . or public virtee ) , had left such an account to fee settled

      ; i j as it was rather hard to expect , afier their having been j ten years in -office , that their successors , be they whom J they might—the Angel ^ Gabriel , Sir Robert Peel , or j -tny other -being , should settle— { laughter end cheers ) . Would not the motion of the Noble Lord be supported that night'by the representatives of a body of men who were associated for no other purpose than to lead the public to this conclusion , —that nearly all the evils nnder -winch the conntry was groaning were dedncible irom legislation for the agricultural interests ?—( hear ) . That was admitted . They ( the representatives of the Anti-Com Law League ) said the only remedy for the j distress was by the removal of agricultural protection . This waa a point on which he numbly presumed to

      differ from the organs of that body . He acknowle ^ ged with pain and sorrsw that the distress was great—that the greater or less amount of it was not worth dispute—that it was great enough to demand all their-sympatby . If he thought by conceding to the motion of the Noble Lord he could advance one day or one hour the relief of that distress , he would not oppose it , but would » ote for it with as much z : al and readiness as he now opposed it It seemed to him that-ssme little imprudence of language had bee ; used . He found that he and others stood charged with having promoted the offences of which he was partly an eye witness last summer ; and be was told that that insurrection in themanufacturing districtsb * gan with the Conservative millowners . He had not seen any report famished to

      tile-Government of the particular transactions of that unfortunate period , but he eertainly bad heard it universally reported that the origin of that outbreak was a certain Mr . Bailey—( hear )—and that that gentleman was a leading and active member of the Anti-Corn-Lvw-League—( hear , hearj . He did not himself bring forward the charge against Mr . Bailey , or against the Anti-Com-Law League , of having originated these disturbances x he was perfectly awax » that that body contained , as did most large associations , many gentlemen of great private worth , great property , . and considerable ability—many gentlemen whom be should respect if he had the honour of their acquaintance ; but when he was told that it was impossible for a body of men acting together , not to be stimulated by public meetings on a

      subject on which extreme excitement prevailed , to make speeches and to perfoim acts which might lead directly or indirectly to such effects u he thought had followed in this case . He knew as well as the Hon . Member that machinery was in as great danger from these outbreaks as any other species ef property . He thought it would be very ill judged to give further publicity to the speeches of the Anti-Corn Law League by quoting them there . He had no doubt the parties who made them were ashamed of them since . But they were eften told that it was a very just reproach upon many . gentlemen who took an interest in such debates as these , that they talked a great deal without proposing any practical remedy—( heat . ) Now he bad a remedy to propose —( lond cries of " hear , hear , from

      the Opposition benches )—a partial , a slight , a temporary one , one to which he attached no weight ( a laugh ) but one which . he sincerely thought would not be without its effect . He thought that the period of the distress , if it -were to happen at all by any measure , would be rather by the voluntary dissolution of the Anti-Corn Law League—( loud cries Of " hear , hear , '" and general laughter . ) He left it to her Majesty ' s Government in all such cases to consider whether any active measures should be taken against the proceedings of that body or not ; but he retained his opinions that a graceful aad voluntary act of dissolution on the put of the AntkCorn Law League would be the most likely measure to , put a period to the distress . He did not give this in tbie nature of advice , because be thought

      his advice would not be followed ; bat he stated it as his deliberate opinion—I" hear , hear , " and laughter . } When talking about the distress of the country , one point was frequently overlooked by Ron . Gentlemen . Some Hon . Members on the other side of the House attributed that distress entirely , or M " " ^ -entirely , to the existence and eeatinuance of a legislative proteeiion of corn . He w&a much more disposed to attribute it to another cause , . and to him this was a satisfactory view of the subject , because it did not involve any men , or man , er system , in censure and condemnation , as the contrary view taken by Hon . Gentlemen opposite did . Ha was inclined to think that the remote , if not the j > roximate , cause of ithe distress was one far more dificnlt Lo deal with then the Corn Laws . It had not

      originated in the protection given to the sgncoltural interest , but in the protection and unnatural stimulus given-to manufactures—ifaear , hear ) . Hs believed that protection was afforded in , the shape of causes and operatiossin which they "were ihe blind and passive agents coexistent with insecurity , disorder , and bloodshed in the rest of the world . That unnatural stimulus was one which in the nature oC things , and under the dispensations of a gracious Providence , could not continue ; and they were now feeling , and perhaps would ft el to a later moment , the effects of * that unnatural stimulus . The development of the powers of steam being accidently made at such a period , had more to do with the cause of the present distress than the agricultural protectioD—{ hear , hear ) .

      Mr . Cobce * said his chief © hjecbon to this motion was , that it did not induce agricultural as well as manufacturing distress . The agricultural labourers were in a wretched state . They were no gainers by the Corn Lawj nor were the fann&ra . With neither of these classes had the landlords any right to identify themselves . Tha landlord was no agriculturist ; he might live all his days in London or in Paris . He was no more an agriculturist than a shipowner was a sailor . But the real agriculturists were beginning to get a glimmering of light upon this question , The Member for Doset&hire , when the peasantry were in a wretched state , had attacked the League ; but the League bad carried back the war into that county , and had taken care that every one of its freeholders should

      be supplied "with a packet containing about a dozen tracts , which would make them as well acquainted wi-. h the subject as this Hease itself—( hear , hear , hear . ) He next proceeded to a defence of the League , for the morality and good conduct of whom the conntry had lately entered into bonds to the amonnt of £ 50 , 000 There had been an attempt , or an alleged attempt , to identify the measures of that body with a most odious , most horrible , and he would say . almost maniacal transaction . ( Hear , hear . ) There bad been an attempt made in another place , or attempted to be made , to prove that certain proceedings of Hon . Gentlemen were intimately connected with that most horrible transaction . ( Hear , hear . ) He did not believe the report of that allegation which he had seen . in the new spapeis .

      fie did not believe that the language , or even the spirit of the remarks of a learned and able individual , had been correctly described . All his predilections and r « ollections forbade him to believe that . If he could believe it , he should desire to designate it as the ebullition of an ill-regulated intellect —( oh , eh . ')—rather tban as tiie offspring of a malicious spirit . If anytking , inde « dj could add to his gratification at being a member of the League , it was the pride he felt at the character of the men with whom he bad the' honour to be associated in that assembly . ( Oh , ohJ ) Yes ; tested by their utility , tested by their public character and private worth , he unhesitatingly averred that they were fit to be compared with any of the Members of that House , or of that other illustrious assembly which was

      btyond its wall * ( Hear , hear , and a lsujjh . ; Ktxt be wofild inquire why the present motion -was to be resisted by the government ? When SirR . Peel took the reins -of government , he took with them the responsibility of introducing the * " ?^ Minm necessary for the country . The ministers , some avowedly , ethers impliedly , were advocates of free trade . Why did sot they carry it into tjfect ? Oh , they adopted it * nlj in the abstract . But this House had nothing to do with abstractions . Length of time was pleaded . He abon'd like to know whether that wonld be a defence to the claim of a just plaintiff in a court of law ? It ceuld not now be said , as at the £ &d of last session , that the period was unsuitable . The year lay before them , and thsre was no pressure of legislative business , public or private . What remained then ? Had they measures in contemplation , or had they not ? If rot , he would tell them emphatically , that they were forfeiting their duty to their country—that they were neglecting their

      duty to theirSovereign—if they continued to hold office one moment longer than they found themselves able to submit measures to remedy the national distress —( loud cheers ) . They might say that he was a prophet who would help to fulfil his own prophecies ; but , say what tney would , he would tell them this , as , indeed , he had told them last year , —that worse things were in store ; that presently they would have things in a worse condition in the north of England ; that the disturbances would not be confined to the cotton difctricts alone , but that they would have the agricultural population nsmg upon them ,, as they had the manufacturing population last autumn ; and the next time that they had to face a similar state of distress they might relv upon this , that the agricultural population woula tod themselvet in precisely the same state that Uie ^ inanufacturing classes had for some time been in . ¦ They had last year imposed a Corn Law unpayable to all classes of mej . aotile men . The law bad given no

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      extension to regular trade ; and it had rained the speculators . The tariff had reduced the duty on 700 articles , and had omitted . the only two which could havy done anytking for the people—corn and sugar . The responsibility of all this he waa entitled to throw upon the Bight Hon . Baronet , the member for Tsmworth . He it was who succeeded in getting that bill passed , and he was to answer for the consequences . The reduction of the timber duty , good io . itself , cane uselessly ia point of time ; for there was no building in progress , either of factories or of shipping . Every ono saw clearly tkat the Right Hon . Baronet must adopt some change of plan , and it was the duty of every independent member to throw on him the individual and personal responsibility of the present state of affairs—a responsibility of

      course arising from his position . He was not a party man in that House—( Derisive cheering on the Ministerial side of the House . ) The public knew that he was no party man ; and he would tell the House that whether Whig or Tory was in office , he would not sit there one hour unless he had the cordial consent of his constituents to vote as he considered best for the welfare of the conntry . He would tell the Bight Honourable Baronet that the whole responsibility of the present lamentable and dangerous state of the conntry rested upon his shoulders . —( " Hear , hear , " from Sir B Peel ) . There never has been violence or tumult in the north except when there was an-excessive want of employment and a consequent want of food for the people . The Bight Hon . Baronet had it in his hands to do as he pleased , or if not , as he once told the NoWe Lord the late Secretary for Foreign Affairs

      ( Lord Palmerston ) , he had the privilege of resigning office—( loud cheering )—and if he had not the power of doing as he pleated it was his duty to take that course—( cheers ) it was his duty to resign office the moment be had not the power to carry those measures which he believed to be for the good of the country . But whether the Bight Hon . Baronet did bo or not , he ( Mr . Cobden } had faith in the middle classes—he had faith in the beBt informed portion of the working classes , and in the more honest portion of the aristocracy— ( cries of " oh , oh , ' *)—he had faith that those classes joining together would force the Right Hon . Baronet ere long to the adoption of those principles which alone conld save the country . The Right Hon . Baronet had admitted these principles to be just , politic , and expedient , and he ( Mr . Cobden ) trusted that a union ef the classes to which be had alluded would force him to give them practical effect —( cheers )

      There were loud cries of " Bankes , Bankes , " but Sir B . Peel rose , labouring under very considerable excitement , and in a tone of voice which showed great agitation , said—Sir . the Hon . Gentleman has stated here very emphatically , and more than once at the conferences of the Anti-Corn Law League , that he held me individually ^—( loud cheeia from the Ministerial benches ) —that he held me individually responsible for the distress and suffering of the country . He has said most emphatically that he holds me personally responsibletloud cheering ) , and be the consequences of that

      insinuation what they may—( cheers )—never will I be influenced by menaces like these—( loud eheering from the Ministerial side of the House , re-echoed from the Opposition side )—never will I be driven by menaces , either in this House or out of it , to adopt a course which I consider at variance —( the cheering was here renewed , so that the -latter portion of the sentence waa drowned . The House -was in a state of the utmost excitement , many members on the Opposition side of the House calling out " No , no . " ) If I have misrepresented the Hon . Gentleman let him explain what he did say .

      Mr . Cobden rose , amidst loud cries of " Chair , chair , '' " Order , order , " and cheers . In considerable agitation he said—1 did not say I held the Right Hon . Baronet personally responsible Sir Robert Peel—( from his seat and with energy . ) —You did , you did—Shouts of " Yes , yes , " continued for several moments amidst cries of " order , order , " and " chair ) . " Mr . Cobden—I said I held the Right Hon . Baronet responsible by virtue of his office —( loud cries of " No , no , " and great confusion ) . That that was my meaning the whole context of what I said explains—( loud cries of No , no ) . '

      Sir B . Peel—The Hon . Gentleman did not say that he held her Majesty ' s Government responsible , but , addressing himself to me —( lwud cheering )—in the most emphatic manner said he held me individually responsible —( cheeringi , I will not overstate anything , therefore , I will not say tkat 1 am certain the Hon . Gentleman used the word personally "—( cries of " he did , " ) —but that he twice repeated , that be held me individually responsible—( loud cheering)—I am perfectly certain . The Hon . Gentleman may do so , and he may induce others to hold me individually responsible—( lond ebeeis)—bnt it shall in no way influence me in the discharge of my public duty—( loud cheering ) . — With respect to the present motion , he would take no objection on any point of form . That would be an

      unworthy objection on a snbject of such deep interest to a suffering people . But what would be the effect of granting the motion ? It would put a step to the whole business of the Executive Government While the committee should be discussing duties on tea ., tobacco , sugar , wool , and so on , how could the government make any fiscal calculation , or negociate any treaty connected with commerce ? Or would the noble lord , instead of dealing with particular duties , move a general resolution for extending the principle of last year ' s tariff ? It was impossible to imagine a proceeding which would so immediately and so generally give a check to commerce , diffuse uncertainty , and shake confidence . He did not deny the existence of the imputed distress ; but it ought not to be overstated ; it had been error , for

      instance , to rely on an October report of Mr . Horner as sustaining an allegation that matterfa were progressively Worse , when there was a subsequent report of his ia January , by which that allegation was disproved . Novr , as to the censures which had been thrown upon the Government for not following out their own declaration . They had thought that in a general revision « f our commercial code , the principle of protection ought to be extended , that relaxation , rather than restriction , ought to be the object ; but he himself had qualified those opinions by the most distinct reservations in favour of long-established interests . Mr . Huskiuson had stated similar qualifications . So bad Dr . Adasi Smith , a writer who-had not , he thought , been fcurpasEed by any of the modern commentators on

      his works . He then recapitulated the improvements introduced by the recent tariff—by that revision to which so little value was attached in this debate . He defended the non-inclusion of French wines and some other articles of luxury from the reduced scale of duties , on the ground that the maintenance of the duties on those articles was necessary for obtaining certain reciprocal concessions ftom the countries where those articles were produced ; and be justified the onmaion of sugar by nference to the arguments connected with the slave trade , and the state of existing slavery in the South American plantations . On the subject of timber much had been done ; the price of timber had accordingly been much reduced ; and though Mr . Cobden reckoned this

      redaction for nothing , because no facteries were just now in progress , he himself could not help thinking that the building of factories was not the only important o ' r-ject to which timber was applicable . Then he came to food . He had stifced bis administration upon the redaction of the duty on cattle . As to corn he had made certain alterations , and the price of corn had fallen materially ; perhaps that result would be attributed soleiy to the harvest . But , whatever was the cause , the reduction of price was the effect ; and , as Foon as the price had fallen , then came the cry that the price of provisions mattered little , and that the main point was , by admitting foreign corn , to get a foreign market . He had been asked , a few days ago , whether he intended to alter the Corn Law this session ? He

      had answered no . Then it was said he had confined his negation to the present session . Why , he had answered the question according to the animus of the questioner , and noi with any other nference or reservation . He contemplated no alteration of ihe corn laws ; but when he was afterwards asked whether he would pledge himself never to alter it , his answer undoubtedly was , as the answtr of every Minister ought to be upon any matter of commercial regulation ( not a matter of principle , like the maintenance of the monarchy or of the union , ) that he ivould nol give such a pledge . It waa said by the mover , " Settle the qaestion , " but would the mover ' s own recipe of a fixed duty settle it ? Would not the Anti-Corn Law men continue to ngitate ?

      H- next went into some of the general arguments against fixed duty , and against total repeal ; and then addressed himself to Mr . Baring ' s speech of the previous evening , who had charged the present Government with having deranged everything and settled nothing , , and spoke as follows : —He , the Chancellor of the Exchequer , who held office under Lord Melbourne how can he reconcile it to his . high advocacy of principle to have held office under a Minister who entertained opinions to which ho was himself so decidedly opposed ? i Cheers . ) But what were the measures which that Coanceilor of the Exchequer proposed to relieve the commercial and manufacturing distress of the country when he was in office ? I ask him to compare his propcEed measures with what we have effected in the new

      tariff . The measures which he then proposed went to increase the duty on almost all the articles of raw produce coming into our market to be manufactured . Was t bat the way to increase trade or give a stimulus to indu stry—( cheers )—to increase the duty on raw produce i . 'od to add sixteen per cent , to the assessed taxes for ti ^ purpose of meeting the deficiency in the revenue ? x « et the House contrast the measures of 1840 and 1841 , * ami then let them judge of the means adopted by the tat * Ministry for carrying out th ' e principles for which \* &T weK aow sncb ardent advocates , and stimulating th ^ industry of the country . One of the propositions was »* -o increase the duty upon the raw elements of manufacture . ' *^ d the proposition came from

      the very Chancellor of the . Exchequer who now thinks proper to taunt me with un" * etUing everything and settling notbiog . The Bight B . C ** - Gentleman told us that there was nothing of party sti . ^ B in the question , and that , therefore , the motion ough > safely to be allowed to pass . He must know , that if ^ wmitted to pass , it not only would paralyse the future proceedings of the Government , but that no Ministry , knowing what was due to themselves as public men , wcuW allow themselves to remain subject to the odium of suCb on applied censure . It would be an implied censure . You have not allowed us the period we never denied to Ton , for maturing and bringing forward the measures we deem necessary : but you te ; k to supersede us in the l ' lfiC '

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      tions of the administration of the country at the commencement of the session , by calling on the House of Commons to take those functions out of our hands . You ask us what we have done for the purpose of relieving the distresses of the country ? We have done other things , or at least attempted to do other things , than the mere reduction of the Customs' duties , We have been in office ab « ut sixteen months , and I think we have a right to look baok upon what hw been effected during that period without any sense of shame—( hear , hear , and cheers . ) We have succeeded in terminatimg two wars —( cries of " Oh ! " responded to by cheers on the Ministerial side of the House ) . The Noble Lord j ( Palmers ton ) seems to deny it . But whenever the Noble Lord pleases to claim exclusive

      credit to himself for terminating the Chinese war , I shall be perfectly prepared to meet him upon that point , and will voluntarily supply him with any information he may require—( great cheering ) . Whether it may have been owing to the wisdom of out measures or not , the Noble Lord will not at least deny that we have had the good fortune to bring to a successful termination two wars , which were necessarily absorbing the capital of this country in unproductive labour , which were , as all wars must do , striking a double blow , by diverting our own resources and consuming the resources of those countries with which we are to carry on a commercial intercourse . We hope to effect a reduction in the estimates of the present year —( hear , hear ) . We trust that we shall be enabled in the present session to present

      estimates on the three great branches of naval , military , and civil service , which will show a reduction of about £ 850 , 000—( hear ) . We have at least , then , again begun the process of reducing the estimates . For the last three or four years there has been , perhaps , necessarily and unavoidably , a constantly progressive increase of expenditure and diminution in the revenue of the country . In the present session we shall commence what , I hope , will be a continued series Jof diminished estimates—( cheers ) . We have been enabled to reduce the military force in Canada about 4 , 000 men , and we trust that peace has been established in that Colot . y . We are delighted with the prospect of establishing a perfect amity with France . We have diminished the duties upon colonial produce in every case where it entered into com .

      petition with our own , and we have thus made some advance towards the system oK treating our colonies as integral parts of the empire—( bear , hear ) . We have laboured to effect , and I trust successfully , an adjustment cf those differences with the United States which had continued for forty years , which have only been exasperated by delays , and which were the main causeo for apprehending the disturbances of our peaceful relations with that country . Wo tried to settle those differences without any compromise of British honour , and . on the other hand , without exciting such a feeling of hostility towards this country as appears to exist in some portions of the French nation . For the origin of that hostility we are not responsible . These two countries , however , now present a most

      remarkable spectacle to the civilized world . It is a remarkable thing to see two men who hold the most conspicuous offices in the Government of their respective countries , —the most distinguished in each for their military achievements and military character , — -men who have learned tbe art and miseries of war on the fields of Toulouse and Waterloo , and who have been opposed to each other on the field of battle ; it ia a remarkable thing to seo those two men exerting all , their influence In each country , they being tbe best judges of the sacrifices which war imposes , to inculcate thtj ( lessons of peace , —it Is a glorious occupation for their declining years . The life of each has been continued beyond the ordinary period of human existence , and I siiicerely hope that tbe life of each may long

      continue , in order that they may be spared to exhort their countrymen to lay aside their national jealousies , and to enter into tbe rivalry Of honourable competition for increasing human happiness—fcheers . ) When I com * pare the position , the example , and the efforts of these men , who have seen tbe morning sun shine on the living masses of embattled hosts that were to be low in the grave before the sun was set—when I see them inculcating those lessons of peace , and using their salutary influence respectively to discourage their countrymen from war , I do trust that upon each side those anonymous and irresponsible writers in journals , who are doing all they can to exasperate the public mind —( long-continued cheering , ) — to misrepresent every action between the two Governments , which are

      desirous of cultivating peace , representing to France that the Minister of France is the tool of England , and representing to England that the Ministry of England are sacrificing the honour of England through fear of France , —I do trust that those persons will profit by the example of two such illustrious warriors , and that that example will neutralize the influence of efforts such as those to which I have referred—efforts not directed by zeal for the honour of tbe country , but for the base purpose of encouraging national animosities or promoting : some party or personal interest—( lond cheering . ) But do I plead that as any reason why I cannot believe this motion will contribute to diminish permanently the distress and relieve the difficulties of the country , or do I maintain that any regard for what a Minister may have done should be any obstruction to the success of this motion ? Not at all . You may approve of our foreign policy , you may think that we have laid the foundation of peace in Canada , you

      may bear with satisfaction that the public expenditure will be diminished , you may hope , that although all differences with the United States may not be adjusted , yet , that those differences which were the principal cause of apprehension have been satisfactorily and honourably arranged ; but if , while you feel disposed to acknowledge those services and approve of this conduct , you nevertheless believe that the adoption of this motion will have tbe effect of relieving the public distress , let no consideration , I say it with perfect sincerity to those who sit on this as well as the other side of tha house , —let no consideration of party interest , no attachment to party , no predilection to particular men , inter fere for an instant with your vote , or prevent you from supporting the motion , if you conscientiously believe that it is calculated to diminish the distress , to lessen privation , and lay the foundation of commercial prosperity , and the permanent welfare of the state—( loud and continued cheering ) .

      Lord J . Bi'SSELL , after endeavouring to explain the obnoxious expression of Mr . Cobden , proceeded to deal with the question in debate . He justified the form of the present motion , and the fitness of the time at which it was brought forward . Foreign nations were induced by the example of this country to restrict their own codes of commerce : and thus England , by excluding the great articles in which those nations dealt , precluded herself from all chance of getting favourable treaties fr . im them . He could have understood the arguments for keeping up high duties upon articles of food if they

      had come from the opponents of free trade ; but he could not understand them when they came from a Government by whom the principles of free trade were adopted and proclaimed . It might be that a fixed duty of 8 a . would not now satisfy the people . It would , he believed , have satisfied them when it was first proposed ; but if statesmen allowed the time to go by when a moderate boon would suffice , a larger amount must be eventually conceded . Too ultimate repeal of the K jman Catholic disabilities , without any of ihe securities originally proposed to accompany it , was so illustration of tbia tendency in political affairs

      Mr . Cobden rose and said , that whan the Right Hon . Baronet the Member for Tarn worth , at the commencement of his speech , had assumed that he ( Mr . Cobden ) had referred to him personally , he had disavowed that he had intended to make use of the expression in a manner personally offensive to the Right Hon . Baronet After he ( Mr . Cobden ) had sat down , he had heard from Hon . Gentlemen around him that an interpretation had been put upou the language of the Right Hon . Baronet which be should not particularize ; but the remarks since made by the Noble Lord the Member for the city of London ( for which he [ Mr . Cobden J felt obliged , had given such a definite form to the insinuation of the Bight Hon . Baronet , that be rose not for the purpose of offering an explanation beyand what be had before said —( Loud cries of "order , " "chair ) . "

      The Speaker—The Hon . Member had no right now to address the House , except for the purpose of explanation . Mr . Cobden bad no intention of offering any explanation until he had given the Right Hon . Baronet an opportunity of ( cries of ¦ " chair , chair ) . " The Speaker again interposed , and said he had already endeavoured to explain to the Hon . Member for Stockport that he could not , according to the rules of the House , offer any observations except , in the way of explanation .

      Mr . Cobden said , that since such was the rule of the House , ho begged to say that in what he had stated be had intended ( and be believed every body understood what he meant ) to throw on the Right Hon . Baronet the responsibility of his measures as the head of the Government , and that in using the word " individual " be bad done so just as the Bight Hon . Baronet made use of the expression " I passed the tariff which you agreed to . " He had treated the Right Hon . Gentleman , as a member of the Government , as the Right Hon . Gentleman was in the habit of speaking of himself . Sir Robert Peel said , that the words " individual responsibility" had struck him and others . He admitted at once that he thought the words were personal to himself , and felt it might have an effect which others had seemed to anticipate —( cheers , and loud cries for Mr . Roebuck ) .

      Mr . Roebuck rose amidst considerable confusion , and spoke as follows : —At this time of the night I am not about to make a speech , but to ask an explanation on the part of a person not now present to a remarkable expression which fell from the Hon . Member for Stockport That Hon . Member in the course of his speech to-night alluded to certain expressions which were used by a Noble and learned Friend of mine in another place , and which the Hon . Member said be considered to be tbe result of mania —( cheers , and cries of " No . " )

      I beg pardon—the words were " tbe result of maniacal conduct . " Now , when I come to ask an explanation on this point , I am somewhat startled by the recollection of a remarkable circumstance which happened to myself previous to this debate . The Hon . Member for Stockport addressed me porsonally as the friend > f the NpWe and Learned ; ; Itord , and made use of the same « ft $ p § t&on , and I afterwards took the liberty of ipplyln | f-: io * the Hon . Member to know if he was about bo make in this House any remarks upon tbe observations made in another place , because if he did I fbould be . bere to Hiafce the requisite answer . The

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      answer which tbe Hon . Member for Stockport gave me waa this— " Do not have anything to do with that affair—do not mix yourself up with it , for if you do tbe Corn Law League will go down to Bath and turn you out "—( tremendous chleers ) . I have very little , but contempt for that announcement , and but very little respect for the prudence which suggested the observation—( oheers ) . I think { it my duty to make this explanation . I am sorry it is forced on me , but I wish to make ] it explicitly , so that it cannot be misunderstood , j Being a long-tried . and a distinguished friend of liberal opinions—among other things a friend to freedom of trade , and having at heart the success of this measure , the noble and learned lord had begged and entreated the friends of corn law reform to

      separate themselves from those very imprudent persons who had used intemperate language . The noble and learned lord , in another place , bad observed , tkat there had been made in the Anti-Corn Law League insinuations of a character , iwhich late events had illustrated in a painful and awful manner , and , in language mpre powerful than I can use , had aguin entreated those who felt deeply interested in the success of the measure he had at heart at once ! to separate themselves from a class of men who could use and adopt such dangerous language . This was the advice which has been described as the result of a disordered imagination .. —( loud cheera ) On the 17 th of July there was a meeting held of the delegates of the Anti-Corn Law League . Their proceedings were reported the next morning in the Morning

      Chronicle , and of course that report had been read by those who had conducted the business of that meeting . But it so happened that his noble and learned friend did not read the report in the Chronicle , but he had read the same report taken from that paper in the Quarterly Review-jnot quite so ephemeral a production as a newspaper , and therefore more likely to be communicated from one end of the country to the other , And now I think it my duty , and 1 never had a moie painful one cast upon me , ; to read , as the justification of my Nuble Friend , the ; paragraphs from which be derived his information . { And it will be incumbent on the gentleman to whom-allusion was made < I must mention hia name ) to ] explain away bis meaning , or at once to justify himself before mankind . The Rev . Mr .

      Bailey , of Sheffield , said , amongst other things—speaking of the people ) of the town of Sheffield having refused to communicate their distress to him whilst petitioning Parliament— " It was not words would move Parliament , but force ; this should have effect , if they did not change their system . He had heard of a gentleman who in a private company said that if 100 persons cast lots amongst them , and the lot should fall upon him , he would take the lot to deprive Sir Robert Peel tf life—( loud and indignant crieB of "hear , hear . ") He felt convinced that no such attempt ought to be made upon any pretence whatever ; but was persuaded of this , that when Sir Robert P < : el went to his grave , there would be b ) it few to shed one tear over him "—( loud and indignant cries of «• hear ") . Now , Sir , it must be clear that ' the Hon . Member in the expression that he used to night was misunderstood by the

      opposite side of the House ; but I would ask of him now , if be does not see { the danger of using such language—( beat , hear )—as this , when in an assembly like the present there can be a possibility of misconstruction , even npon words like his , so different from this ? How dangerous at such' a meeting , and at such a time , to use such terrible phrases as these , against which the real warning , honest and sincere , ef my Noble Friend was directed , when he gives that advice which has now been described as the offspring of madness—( loud cries of " Hear" ) . Sir , passion sometimes does disturb the best of judgments , and I sincerely believe that if the Hon . Gentleman j will retire to himself and weigh well tbe words he has used this night respecting that Noble person , he will find that there may be error on his own part as well as on tbe part of those upon whom be is so ready thus to cast aspersion—( loud and general cheering ) . !

      11 r . Cobden I here rose in evident excitement , but was pulled down again by on Hon . Member near him , amidst loud cries for explanation . Mr . G . Bankes rose to explain . He supposed that those who bad reported the miseries of the Dorsetshire peasantry were tbe same members of the Anti-Corn Law League who were ready to go to Bath to unseat the Hon . Member . He was not aware how long these emissaries of the Corn Law League had been in bis neighbourhood , and having been absent some weeks he could not say whether these emissaries of the Anti-Corn Law League bad reduced it to the condition that had been described— ( Oh !) with their tracts and pamphlets which they spread about and thrust under doors , and through the windows of the cottages . He

      thought it sufficient to assert , with respect to that part of the country , that the statements of the Hon . Member were not warranted byjthe facts—( Loud cries of " Hear . ") The condition of the peasantry was not what could be ! wished there , but he had to , lament that it had been rendered worse than it was the year before by the alterations in the Corn Laws and in the tariff . The Hon . Member had been pleased to style him a decided enemy to the Anti-Corn Law League , and he was by no means disposed to quarrel with that designation ; but he would tell the Hon . Member tot Stockport this , that no endeavours or speeches he ( Mr . Bankes ) might make against that Association could ever have such an effect in damaging the Anti-Corn Law League as bis ( Mr . Cobden's ) speech that night bad had—( Loud cries of Hear , hear . )

      Mr Codden . t— I beg to be allowed to explain . I tell the hon . member for Bath he has totally misrepresented my words—(" Order ") 1 beg to remind hon . gentlemen , that with the permission of the chair , I will have the opportunity of explaining fully , and completely , and quietly—ihear , hear ) . I have been misrepresented . I did not describe the eminent individual to whom we have alluded as ; " a maniac "—daughter ) . What , I did say was , " that I would treat these remarks , if proved to me , as the ebullition of an ill-regulated intellect—( hear , hear ) , and not as the offspring of a malignant spirit . "—( hear , hear ) . Now , when I used the word " maniac , " it waa when I eaid ' We console ourselves with tbe belief that M'Naughten was a maniac "lloud cries of "Oh ! " ) Now , in reference to what has

      fallen from the hou . and learned member as to what took place on this questien in the library of the House of Commons , j where I thought conversations were considered priyate and secret—( loud cries of " Oh 1 " " Hear , " and "JAh ! shew bim up" )—I treated the conversation as private , and should always hold as private any conversation which took place between me and an hon . member in the library , and should never dream of making that conversation public . I am not acquainted with the forms o r rules of this House , and probably I may be wrong ; but with reference to what theHon . and Learned Member said ftll from me in the way of a threat —(• ' Order , " ) I consider it highly necessary that I should be allowed to explain —( bear ); for I should consider myself unworthy of a seat in this House —( a loud burst of

      cheering from tee [ Ministerial benches );—if I bad ever uttered tbe words attributed to me by the Hon . and Learned Member in the menacing spirit he ' has described— ( hear . jhear ) . I will describe and explain most clearly to this I house what passed on that occasion . I am not here to interfere with members and their seats—( hear . ) Tbe Hon . and Learned Member asked me if I was going to allude to the eminent individual in question , as he wished , he said , to be present in that case , in order to take part in tbe debate . I asked him if he was going to justify Lord Brougham , and be said he was . A conversation then passed as io what took place when the Hon . JMember attacked the Sabbath Bill , and lost his seat in consequence of his opposition te that Bill—( loud cries of "Question , " and " Time : time" ) .

      The Speaker rose and said , that if the Hon . Member would confine himself to such matters as were strictly persona ! , in order to justify himself , he should certainly not feel it his duty to interrupt him , and he was sure ths House would listen to him , but not to an unlimited explanation , or reply to what bad fallen from the Hon . and Learned Member for Bath . Mr . Hume , { amidst cries of "Order" and "Chair , " contended thatjthe Hon . Member for Stockport ,- ( Mr . Cobden ) ought i to be permitted to enter into a full explanation , after a private conversation had been publicly related —|( hear , hear , and erder ) . The Hon . Member ought to be allowed to justify himself by stating what really did take place iu order to remove any unfavourable impression produced by what had fallen from the Hou . and Learned Member for Bath—( hear , hear ) .

      Mr . Cobden—I should not have alluded to the Sabbath Bill , but that it is essential to my explanation—( renewed cries ^> f " Question , " and " Chair ) . " Captain Ma ^ cles appealed to the House for justice to tbe Hon . Member , who had been seriously accusea . This was an occasion when they should show a little indulgence , and even go beyond the strict line of ordericries of " no , no , " and " cbair > . " Mr . Hume | attempted to obtain a hearing , and was understood to meve the adjournment of the debate . Mr . Cobden ; again rose , and was met with loud cries of " Spoke , and chair ) . " The Speaker interposed once more , and expressed himself as before .

      Mr . Cobden . —I will confine myself to what is strictly necessary to explain what passed between the Hon . and Learned Member and myself . When I alluded to the Sabbath Bill , I drew attention to the fact that in opposing that Bill tbe Hoa and Learned Member had drawn upon him tbe hostility of Dissenting Members . I then said to him , " If you justify Lord Brougham in his attack upon the ministers who attended the anti-Corn Law League proceed ! , gs , you will get yourself into trouble at Bath . —( Loud laughter . ) You will be considered as the opponent of the body , and you will have members ! of tbe League visiting Bath , and anti-Corn Law tea meetings there . "—( Shouts of laughter . ) Now I come to the head and front of my cff ; nding . — ( Here Mr . Roebuck held op his hand to call the

      attention of Members sitting on the Ministerial aide to what the Hon . Member was saying , and throughout' the explanation his gestures were rather remarkable . ) He says that jl menaced him . I deny it—( Cries of " Oh , oh ! " ) | The spirit of my remarks was that of strict friendship . —( Renewed cries of " Ob , oh ? " and daughter . ) I wish the House to understand th ^ t the hon . and learned gentleman threatened no attack upon me in the House . He was proposing to justify Lord Brougham , and to attack the Dissenting ministers ; not me —( laaghter . ) In my remarks I had not the most distant idea of threatening him ; and so far from desiring to see bim out of Parliament , he is the last man I should wish to see unseated—( laughter , and cries of ' Time .

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      After a brief reply from Lord Howick , Mr . Ferrand obtained the consent of the House to withdraw his amendment The House then divided . The numbers were—For the motion ig ^ Against it .... 306 Majority , Sir J . Graham obtained leave to bring in a bill to amend the law for the registration of persons entitled to vote , and to define certain rights of voting , aad to regulate certain proceedings in the election of members to serve in Parliament for England and Wales . The House adjourned at a quarter to four o ' clock .

      Monday , Feb . 20 . The House met at the usual hour , and after some business of an unimportant nature , . Mr . C . BRUCE presented several petitions from collieries in the counties of Stirling and Fife ; one signed by { 506 persons , another by more than 100 females , complaining of the Act passed last session for the res ? ul lation of mines and collieries , and the hardahips to which , under some of its provisions , they are exposed ; and also of the stain thrown on the reputation of females working in coal-pits , which they hoped tbe House would , by amending the &et , remove . Mr . Forbes presented a similar petition .

      Mr . T . Duncombe presented a petition from the calico-printers of Staffordshire , Derbyshire , and Lancashire , complaining of the privations they were suffering in consequence of the use of machinery , and praying that the House would place some restriction o . i its employment , or appoint a committee to inquire into the effects of machinery on labour . Tbe Hon . Member also presented a petition from the manufacturing labourers of Houldaworth , in the West Riding of Yorkshire , complaining that trade was rapidly declining , and distress augmenting , in that neighbourhood , and praying for a total repeal of the Com Laws . Mr . Ferrand gave notice of a motion for tbe appoiatment of a committee to inquire into the effects of steam-power and machinery on the condition of the industrious classes of the country .

      Mr . T . Duncohbe gave notice , with reference tobia motion for an iuquiry into the conduot of Lord Abinger when presiding as a Judge at the Special CommisaiQn issued in October last , that , petititiona having been presented complaining of his conduct on ( that occasion , in Cheshire and Lancashire , he should move that the House do summon witnesses to the Bar for the purpose of ascertaining the language used by Lord Abinger in his charges to the Grand Petit Juries , and also in passing sentence on the prisoners canvicted for rioting' and political offences before that Commission ,

      DISTURBANCES IN THE MANUFACTURING DISTRICTS . Mr . Ferrand wished to ask tbe Secretary of Stats for the Home Department whether the Government had made any inquiry into the late outbreaks in tbe manufacturing districts ; and , if bo , whether they would lay the evidence before the Hsuse ; and jf they had not caused any inquiry to be made , whether it was their intention to do so ? Sir J . Graham said that part of the evidence obtained by the Government on the subject , had been already made use of against patties who were now suffering tbe punishment of the law . The other portions of the evidence still remained to be investigated . True bills have been found upon the evidence against parties who were to take their trial in the course of eight oi tea days from the present time , and be ( Sir J . Graham ) was of opinion that all the circumstances of the case would be brought out on the trial with respect te who were really responsible for the cause of the disturbances

      THE INDIAN WAR . ¦ Sir R . Peel then rose and proposed the following resolution : — " That the thanks of tbe House be given to the Governor-General of India for the ability and judgment with which the resources of the British em * pire in India have been applied in the support of tbe military operations in Affghanistan ; and that tha thanks of the House be given to the general and other officers of the army , both European and Native , for ths intrepidity , skill , and perseverance displayed by them in the military operations hi Affghanistan , and for their indefatigable z-n \ and exertions throughout tbe late campaign ; and that the House approves and acknowledges the valour and patient perseverance displayed by the non-commissioned officers and privates , both European and Native . ' , Tbe Hon . Bart spoke at very great length , and was followed by Lord JOHN RussElL , Mr . G . Bankes , Mr . Hutt , Sir H . Hardinge , SirT . Colebrooke , and Sir R . Ingi . is in favour of the

      motion . Mr . Hume proposed as an amendment , "That the consideration of tbe thanks if this House te the Right Honourable Lord Ellenborougb , Governor-General of India , be deferred until all tbe documents , consisting of letters addressed to Major-General Nott , Major-General Pollock , to Major Oatram , and to the Governor cf Bombay ; and of a memorandum for Major-General Sir C . Napier , alluded to in the letter of July 8 th , addressed to the secret committee of the Court of Directors , and which have been withheld , shall be laid before this House , to enable the House to judge nhj , after repeated positive orders issued by Lord Ellenborough to Sir Jasper Nicholls and Major-General Nott and Mi jor-General Pollock to withdraw all their forces from Cabal towards the Company ' s possessions , those generals actually advanced their forces , and by their gallant conduct and brilliant successes , vindicated the character of the British arms in the scene of their

      former disasters . " Mr . Willtams seconded the amendment Mr . B . Baring , Mr . Hogg , Viscount Ebrington , Captain Mangles , Col . T . Wood , Captain Beraal , Capt . Layard , Mr . C . Wood , and Mr . S . OBrien , afterwards addressed the House , and the resolutions were pnt . The first was carried with the single dissentient of Mr . Hume , and on the others being pnt , Mr . Hnniewithdrew his amendment , and they were carried

      seriatim without a dissentient voice . Some other urainiportant business was then gone through , after which Mr . Ferrand moved , " That there be laid on the table of the House , correct , entire , and unmntilated copies of an original letter addressed to Mr . Edwin Cbadwick , secretary to the Poor Law Cemmission , by Mr . Robert Hyde Greg , dated Manchester , September 17 , 1834 , and of an original letter to Mr . E . lwin Chadwidt , by Mr . Henry Ash worth , dated TuitoD , nearBolton , Lancashire , 2 d month , 13 th day , 1835 . Also a copy of the correspondence relating to , and a return of the number of persons who were removed from their parishes in the agricultural districts into the manufacof tne

      turing districts , under the authority and sanction Poor Law Commissioners , with the dates and mode or their removal , the names of the parishes from wbica they were taken , and the names and residences of the persons to whom they were assigned ; with a particular account of the numbers , sexes and ages in each family when they were removed ; and also of the number or deaths , by accident or otherwise , which have since taken place among them ; also an account of those w&o have been maimeu' in their employment , and a sJtement of the account of the wages agreed upon wnen consigned , with tb e actual wages they received ; ana also an account of tl \ eir present residences , employmentand " THose returns bad been three times ine

      , wages . , moved fer in that Hous ^ and as often refused last occasion when their production was sought for by we Hon . Member for Oldham . he was importuned by tbe late Government not to persist hr the motion , and he believed that Hob . Gentleman had never to the present day forgiven himself for havin g g »' ™* *? . ~ ° " solicitations . The production o f the papers would prove to the country the shameful means which bad wen resorted to by the emissaries of Uw ^ ° J JTv ^ sioners to induce the poor people » the "nth nThi * land to emigrate to the north , in « rdar ^"" f ^ JS slaves of the manufacturers there . Tha treatment 01 those who had been kidnapped by D t- Kaj ^ fJJJl ftcrAnf a nf tha pnnimipoinntra mu diiii VICGKU »

      in the extreme . Instead of meeting t he comfeff to an receiving the wages which had been l ^ ° ™*^ I opte their wages were reduced one-half , and U ^^^» e , were crowded three or four families into t TelT f ^ tand exposed to miseries and diseases of the j . aad ful description . Small-pox broke out among ™ ^^ they died by hundreds . Their relatives in i *» j ^ made inquiries after them , but no tidings could ^^ His solemn conviction was , that those poor t peopla had been sold into a land o . f slavery , tne ¦ ' " ^ of the commissioners and the manufacturers beuv roHtina » hu .. tn n * mntrne , f <* TMlV nO . " frOUl **•• . r-

      Gibson ) ,. That fact was obvious from an « ° ' ¦» one of those letters which had been already taxsi rL to the House ; and if the papers be no * mov « a were proluced entire and unmutilated , tke <* " *" had made against the commissioners , who were re j > ^ sible for the treatment of these poor people , wouu fully substantiated . Tbe Right Hon . Baronet we ^ cretary of State for the Home Department niu . bis great honour , engaged that copies of tae p *^ should be laid before the House , so fat ; as > ^ possible ti procure them ; and he h 8 " 6 ' 1 ^ don e a promise that justice would at lengtn v ° ^ to this subject by a Conservative Government . ^ also to move for a copy of the diet table mn *» q Belper Union Workhouse , and at the "y ° * whicn Workhouse , on the 31 st day of January lasi , vow itweuld appear that the guardians «* «** ^ JJig . ing under the instructions of tbe Poor ^ w w sioners , were treating tke unfortiinaU inmates WJ £ workhouse in tbe most cruel and unmerciful a » nw WUrKIiUUQO iU MAO u * w « v »»* w » — _ fi 0 -w

      The Hon . Member alsojnoved for a copy « "'^ respondence which had taken place ^ tween tbe ^ ™ Law Commissioners , tbe Board of Gaardwofl ofu » Skipton Uflion . and a firm of cotton-spinners ^ jjgjj on business at the Low Mill , Addingham , M ^ J'J Riding of Yorkshire , and trading under the firm o " Seed and Co .. " respecting *» « g . "L * 5 H £ u 2 poor persons confined in the sarf Skipton WorKno to the said firm , for the purpose of " W J ^ JJjJ their factory ; ak » a statement of t ^^^ S agreed upon between the said f ^ . ^ L ^ ^ of cripples handed over to the oMI H ™ . J * J = K i . ^ -2 S 5 Wg 5 nrt sxxJL £ M * & 3 L"S ^ srirAWsa sA- * ( Continued in our Seventh page . )

      Untitled Article

      fi . THE NORT HERN : S TAR .

  • Citation
    • Northern Star (1837-1852), Feb. 25, 1843, page 6, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse.ac.uk/periodicals/ns/issues/vm2-ncseproduct1201/page/6/