lS2-i.J 



have some respect for the opinions and Use 



desires of nearly tlie whole body of iho 



comiminity. 



Sinilhjkld:— Beef, Ss. 6d. to 4s. 2rf.— Mut- 

 ton, 3s. 6d. to 4s. 6d.— Veal, 4s.6tt. to 5s. lOJ. 

 Pork, 3s. 4(1. to 6s. Od. — Bacon, — 

 Kaw fat, 2s. Ijd. 



Political Affairs in March. 2o9 



Cum Exch<ms;i :— Wheat, 4-}$. 1o 80s.— 

 IJarley, 31 s. to' 40s. — Oats, its. to 3'^<f. — 

 Lortt" in London, 4lbs. ll(i.— Hay, 70s. 

 to ll5s.— Clover do. 80s. to 130s. — Straw, 

 38s. to b'is. 



Coals in the pool. Sis. fid. to 41s. 2d. 

 Middlesex; 31aicli22. 



POLITICAL AFFAIRS IN MARCH. 



GREAT BRITAIN. 



PARLIAMENT has been occupied 

 in very unsatisfactory plans for the 

 reduction of taxes, »nd in making expe- 

 riments, on Utopian principles, on onr 

 staple branches of trade and manufac- 

 tures. While all other nations enforce 

 restrictions on trade, and we are borne 

 down by fifty millions of annual taxes, 

 it is wildly proposed to allow the export 

 of wool and the import of French silks; 

 and, instead of taking off the direct 

 assessed taxes, which would relieve all, 

 it is proposed to take off indirect taxes, 

 which will serve none but tlie special 

 dealers and miinnfactnrers. 



On a motion made for the production 

 of papers relative to Spain, Sir Rohert 

 Wilson made a very luminous speech; 

 wiiich, from his iiersoual knowledge of 

 the subject, we have been induced to 

 transfer from the Mortiivg Chronicle: — 



Sir Robert Wilson expressed his solicitude 

 to offer himself to the notice of the House 

 OQ a quesiion of the hi;ihest importance 

 to the toreign policy of Great Britain, in- 

 volving the dearest interests of ten niil- 

 Jinns of Spaniards, and collaleially af- 

 fecting the future happiness of several mil- 

 lions of the people of Portugal. With 

 tliat impression of iis impor'aiice, he rose 

 to support the motion of the Noble Lord 

 (Russel) differing, however, in some points, 

 persuaded that the promulgation of such 

 sentiments as those wliicii fell from him, 

 must prove of the greatest value, nut 

 alone to the people of Spain, but to those 

 of every nation whose independence and 

 liberties were compromised by the success 

 of the unprincipled aggression of France. 

 Of that aliocioiis aggression, it was some 

 consolation to think that no subject of a 

 free country ventured to he a ddender. 

 Even success, which in too many iiisianccs 

 was wont to extenuate crime, had, in this 

 case only added horror and enormity to 

 the original otl'ence. It was impossible — 

 after the proofs tiie govenmicnt of France 

 had imecpiivoeally given of its policj — after 

 the avowed intentions of the Holy Alliance 

 — it was impossible, lie thought, that a 

 British Statesman could be found wlio did 

 not view Willi jealously ami alarm ilic mi- 

 litary occupation of Spain. For his jtart, 

 he considered that occupaliou as a scandal 



to the character of Great Britain ; and 

 that at least the ministers of the crown 

 were bound to afford to i)arliaiiieiit the ful- 

 lest explanation on a question so intimately 

 connected with our dearest interests. The 

 Noble Lord (PvUssell) had justly ob^-erved 

 that we should have declared broadly to 

 the Spanish Government, that no interfe- 

 rence would be allowed with South Ame- 

 rica, so long as the armies of France 

 remained in "the Peninsula. It was an 

 omission, which, if the correspondence 

 laid on the table had supplied, would have 

 made the conduct pursued by the British 

 Government on that part of the question, 

 hiiihly salisfaetoiy. He regietted that 

 omission the more, in consequence of in- 

 formation that he had heard within the 

 last twenty-four hours. It had been com- 

 nninicated to him that the Spanish Go- 

 vernment had proposed to send an Am- 

 bassador to thi'< country for the purpose of 

 meeting the deputies from the Soiiili Ame- 

 rican States, and entering with thein iiito 

 an arrangement, with the view of obtain- 

 ing for Old Spain commercial preferences. 

 If that information w as well toundcd, he 

 should consider such an arrangement pre- 

 judicial to British interests, unbecoming 

 the character of ou'- government to accede 

 to, and most disreputable to the principles 

 and policy of the South American Go- 

 vernments. It was their duty to recollect 

 that tliev were contending, not alone for 

 their own interests, but that, in the issue 

 of that great struggle, the liberties of the 

 other states of the world were involved. 

 For what commercial advantage did the 

 Spanish Government propose to itself by 

 such ail arrangement? What, but the 

 power to raise money, in order to be ena- 

 bled to pay Fiance for the continuance 

 of Its trtops to subjugate its people? The 

 inability to maintain that army from the 

 want of resources on the part of the Span- 

 ish Government, though, perhaps, a slow, 

 was hkely to be an ethcient, remedy. But 

 even that remedy would be prevented, if 

 any such arrangement with theSoiilh Ame- 

 rican States was carried into effect upon 

 the principle he had adverted to. If, on 

 the contrary, it was made the basis of any 

 arrangement that the armies of France 

 should evacuate the Peninsula, such au 

 adjustment would be I'.ighly honourable. 

 Ail that the people of Sjiain demanded, 

 was the power to regulate themselves. 

 Relieved 



