180 
THE GARDENERS’ 
CHRONICLE. 
[Mar, 18, 
et eyer afterwards, to deter others from following their ex- 
ie. After a few words from the Lord CHancELuor the dis- 
Se terminated ; andit was arranged that the Judges should 
besummoned to a conference. 
es dd; © Townsend Peerage Bill was read a first time.— 
The Earl of AneRvEEN laid on the table the convention entered 
into between her Majesty and the oe of the French for the 
rennet surrender of fugitives from ju 
d MonrEeacrx brought forward ‘his motion for a committee 
Pia Maite into the effects and consequences of the Corn-law 
t session, and supported it at considerable length in a 
specch full of statistical details. ‘The distress that existed in the 
manufacturing districts had, he said, extended to the agricultural 
classes, and it was necessary to inquire how far that extension 
‘was owing to the operation of the Corn Bill of last year. Sufficient 
time had elapsed since that Act passed to judge of its effects, and 
_here was no danger to be apprehended Sedisearbing the great. 
<terests involved in agriculture, because t i 
state o juncertainty and insecurit: e was himself ready to 
condemn the law, though he only ae their Lordships to consent 
ould, should the committee 
one; and that the effec 
gambling, and to aes es country dangerously dependent on 
foreigners for its suppl 
CLIFFE, though he fully admitted the distresses of 
ese country, could not: agree in thinking that an alteration of the 
n Law would relieve them he question was not whether 
he: present law was perfect, but whether it was not the best 
ler the present circumstances. In his opinion the wise course 
is to sa w the existing law worked, before any proposition 
for the syithdrewel of that protection which fe Se so 
Jong enjoyed should be entertained. His conviction was, that if 
the present system were continued, pls of ene. revils Se 
from it would occur; and it was important to the safety of the 
country that their Lordships enould exhibit e steadiness of pur- 
e on the subject. Vith the view of satisfying the country he 
Hoped ¢ their Lordships would reject the mot: ik 
The Earl of CLARENDON believed the Corn-law to be the key- 
e of the commerce of the country. The landowners them- 
selves felt the inconvenience and uncertainty of the present sys- 
tem, and every day the public feeling against the law was 
growing stronger. The protection which the Janded interest 
fancied they had secured to themselves by the sliding scale had 
been found to be wholly vain. Under such circumstances, his 
Lordship could not refuse to concur in the motion for inquiry. 
free trade would be the only means of opening foreign markets 
for our manufactures.—Lord AsnpurTon said he had drawn a 
very contrary conclusion vor the extensive details with which 
Lord Monteagie’s speech had been crowded, and was convinced 
that the principal cause of manufacturing distress was the almost 
entire failure of the American market. No argument had been ad- 
duced to show that the distress, which all Lisette and which all 
lamented, had been caused by ‘orn-laws 
he warned their Lordships not to attempt an *Elteration which 
might spread wider the existing eee Getty until its connexion 
with the alleged cause was clearly m: ‘orn-laws in some 
i Fat of E ee and under 
their operation our manufacturing prospetity: had grown up and 
bee price of food been Eran with fewer fluctuations than in 
other country. He combatted the opinion that by admitting 
foreign corn free sees as should at once obtain a TECH OEOOA ad- 
vantage for our manufactures in foreign se and advocated 
only a degree of protection which would t ‘air compensation 
to agriculture for the charges which it rote usively sustained.— 
The Duke of Riou monn, in answer toa statement by Lord Mont- 
x been divided 
great classes of the community, and contend 
in fayour of the Uae nae English farmer a 
fortunate competitor ighly aveicved the firmness 0 
Government in rain caine? the present law, and was delig 
bs ees that there was no present intention of a change.—L ord 
awiLEram admitted that the present law was an improvement 
aHOEE its predecessors, inasmuch id it in some degree approxi- 
ated to a fixed duty. He supported the motion for a committee, 
and from the constant variation ‘a which the Corn-laws had 
been subject from their first institutions, and the constant dis- 
Ld trea and distress they had Gere HEY drew the conclu- 
mn that it would be ever so until the true principles of commer- 
aa legislation were acted upon, nan all artificial restrictions 
abolished. 
ROUGHAM contrasted the ability and the absence of party 
feeling with which the question had been brought before their 
Lordships with the spirit of aries ustice in which the conces- 
thease es, though, as hethonght, 
y the League, and denounced in 
indignant terms the blind mitien violence which had led them 
to cayil at the carrying out even of their own principles. He de- 
fended himself from the ae nt eset that he had 
offered his services to the ed the real cha. 
racter of the conversation rehicis had been fate misrepresented. 
to Ee te amat 
ing ti un down rR. Pe 
the verdict of the jury, he Sts now call a 
dent—at peel death of his private friend and public ser- 
vant, who through being mistaken for himself? 
He hoped in God that he would never be possessed of other feel- 
ings than those shown by the right hon. baronet. He could not 
sleep in peace if lear friend had lost his life 
through being mistaken for him (Lord Brougham) ; for, although 
he might be bound, as in this case, to call it an accident, he 
nocent cause of the catastrophe. 
right hon. baronet, must have a nd callous to all the best 
feelings of human nature, or elke: uperverted by faction; no 
other could for a moment doubt of the origin of the feelings by 
‘hich Sir ir R. Peel was overpowered, the motion 
‘he years in which the continental system was in 
fall operation, and in spite of which there had been an extensive 
that the e who feared a de- 
endenc on the foreigner were unfounded, concluded by ex- 
plaining, pense although eh OES for free trade, he would not 
oppose the levying of a ‘upon foreign produce for the pur- 
pose of ce ; he objested Only to gabe principle of pesteetrore 
ords from Lord St, Vincent and Lord Mount- 
CASHEL A pics! ition to the motion, Lord Montracie replied 
and their ad upon a division, negatiyed the motion bya 
majorit batyo 
hur ae acy ad LynpHURST presented a Pen from the 
eae tnstitation of the oh holding 
th 8 a minster,—Lord Brovena AM ‘ob ‘ved that 
i nbiee of late had attracted much attention BTONESt the 
members of the legal profession. Although he did not deny some 
of the inconveniences insisted upon, he still confessed that he 
had a very strong prejudice in favour of keeping the courts at 
Westminster-hall, where they had sat for cine out of mind, He 
would remark, algo, that there was one advantage in their 
remaining where ‘e they were, nam: ig title contiaiiyeo tie Nednes 
of Parliament.—Lord Laxcoanethonght 't that the subject was one 
be inquired into,—Lord Lynpnursr 
pointed out the Bdvantage which resulted from the members of the 
bar being kept constantly in the courts in which they bragged 
watching the proceedings in cases in which they were not im} 
ately engaged, and gathering experience from allithat passed BECore 
them. He kni Soa his own experience that co ouniel would 
not attend the courts, except in cases in which they were imme- 
diately concerned, if the courts were brought into the icity of 
their own chambers, proof of this was afforded by the prac. 
tice of the a when the court sat at Lincoln’s Inn. rerewere 
then few counsel in court beyond those engaged in the case 
actually under hearing—all the rest were occupied in their 
chambers, whence they could easily be summoned to the court 
when their services were actually required. He thought that this 
wasa decide d disadvantage. He concurred therefore with Lord 
m in deprecating & removal of the courts of law from 
Wi estintneter Hail. CampsBeELL perfectly coincided as to 
dvantage deri rived from compelling counsel to attend in 
court. To the working barrister attendance in conrt afforded at 
once a means of increasing his experience and of relaxing his 
mind from the seyerer studies and labours of chambers. ‘* Al 
‘work and no play makes Jack a dull boy.” It was highly desir- 
able that the barrister should be drawn from his chambers 
to the court, where, if only criticised the judge, or 
cracked a joke with his fellows at the bar, he was still ina 
field to add to his practical knowledge and experience, without 
any severe or irksome jabour of the mind. He was, therefore, 
strongly ub sed to we proposition for removing the courts of 
law. e was a prestige in the very name of Westminster- 
hall, and ne sincerely hoped that nothing would be done to re- 
move the. tie cuales from within the walls of that venerable 
edifice, Un any circumstances, he should SRY and de- 
cidedly erjectt to their being removed to Lincoln’s inn-fields. That 
noble square was one of the lungs of the Metropolis, and was as 
useful as it was ornamental. He should deprecate any propo 
tion that would eevee it with bricks and mortar. If the proposi- 
tion were to carry the courts to Alsatia, and so to sweep away 
the impurities of MUP he sho ald not so strongly object 
to it; but he hoped never to see the administration of justice 
removed from Westminster Hall. The petition was then laid 
upon the table. 
Friday.—The Attorneys’ and Solicitors’ Bill was read a third 
time and passed.—The Punishment of Death Bill was com- 
mitted and repeveed —The Marquess of LANsDOWNE moved 
for the production of the correspondence between Sir H. 
Pottinger and the merchants of Canton, in order to ha some 
legislative measures framed to put our intercour: pe 
country on a proper footing. The Karl of Apgrpr 
agreeing to the eae of the Capi eH thought that t 
would be unjust to Sir H. Pottinger to proceed to legislation 
without Wests oe 8 Ee and iitoraaek ion. nm as the 
Government w a position to legislate on this important sub 
ject calmly ae ‘advise, they would not hesitate in doing so. 
The motion was agree! 
HOUSE OF COMMON: 
Saturday.—In consequence of there having’ been “no House” on 
Friday, the usual adjournment to Monday could not take place ; 
the House, therefore, met necessarily on Saturday, and sat for 
versation arose respecting the colesiastieal 
Courts’ Bill, which was to have been discussed on the previous 
evenip After so: me obs: ranean of a desultory wiveoene the 
second reading was fixed fo 
Monday. aoene in vans Wer to Mr. Mackinnon, said 
fae tie Government adage yet received any other than imper- 
fect accounts from Antigua ; but he feared that the details in the 
newspapers, as a ‘th ee: xtent of the damage from the earthquake, 
not exaggerated, It might hereafter be the duty of the 
Government to tall on the House to aid the colony with a loan, 
the only shape in which they could afford relief. 
the motion for going into a Committee of Ways and Means, 
Mr. ‘M. Gimson adverted to the late Chartist trials, and to the 
particular evidence of Mr. Wilcox, who had stated ‘that he had 
n communication witb Sir J. Graham, and wished to know 
if there were any objections to the production of the correspond- 
ence.—Sir J. GRAnam had received numerous communications 
from Me ade Gea, at ee eine bat cle find no trace, 
a ad the nature al- 
luded to. the ATTORN ee eee NERAL explained the circumstances 
under which he had been led to propose to release Sir J. Gra- 
HAM from further attendance on the trials, by substituting the 
evidence of Wilcox, and defended bis impartiality in conducting 
the prosecutions on the par wo.—Mr. T. DoNcomBE 
said that he had received Ririuy Combatn cations, all bearing tes- 
timony that the impartial conduct of the Attorney-General, on 
had given Sal ily satisfaction to men Nor all parties. 
Tr. FERRAND nevived the ject of a mill being erected in the 
workhouse of the Halifax union, which Sir J. eeean had de- 
scribed, on the authority of the poor-law commissioners, as a hand 
corn-mill, but which he affirmed was a raj eH in which rags, 
collected on the Continent, and impregnated with diseases, were 
to be crushed. There had also been lately put up, in the Lambeth 
workhouse, another mill, the crank of which was so large, that 
oncein each of its revolutions the persons working it were obliged 
to bend themselves down to the ground, He now moved for papers 
and returns of the proceedings of the guerdians ce the Halifax 
{RAHAM Said, that as hehad had no opportunity of 
inquiring into the suggestion respecting the Lambeth workhouse, 
he would abstain from any observation upon that point. 
to the Halifax case, he must say that what he ited! denied, in op- 
position to Mr, Ferrand, was the existence of a pean at the 
eee Union. The mill there was, in fact, as he had stated it 
0 be, a hund-mill; and though certainly it was not, as te had 
eUThodenl for the grinding of corn, but for the grinding of rags, 
he apprehended this made no substantial difference. After some 
further conversation, the gallery was cleared for a division ; but 
Mr. FERRAND withdrew his motion. 
The House then went into a Committee of Ways and Means, 
ne a formal vote was taken; after which, on the rol for 
‘oing into committee ot ane Regimienation of Voters Bill, Sir J. 
RAHAM, in repl . LippELL, intimated that Madea ed 
been Lge ad sah order ee provide against the fraudulent pais 
nation of v , which would be added to the Bill.—Mr. Hu. 
did not anticipate much good from the Bill, unless more aul 
protection were given to the voters.—The House then went into 
Committee on the Bill. mn ‘the fifth eiauce” a division took 
place, on an addition moved by Mr. I’. Duncompu, that the 
grounds of obj pouene. to voters should be added, instead of the 
simple words, Mob jected to;”? but this was rejecte! ed by 57 to 47. 
—Mr. TuFNELL sa ed, that when an overseer objected to a 
vote, he should be e compelled to give notice of the objection to 
the voter. This amendment was resisted by Sir 3RAWAM, and 
rejected by 91 to 38.—At the 11th clause, Mr. E.painstonx ob- 
jected to the tax-paying clauses of the Refo. rm Act, as being un 
necessary to the qualificati on Hee voter ; and moved their ornise 
ion. He considered that the payme: nt of taxes should have 
nothing todo with the eeardio of the franchise.—Sir J. GRAHAM 
said that, at the time the Reform Bill passed, it was understood 
that, had it not been for the tax and rate paying qualification, @ 
higher basis for the franchise would have been demanded. 
clause under discussion in ee ait eas Bill was an EIDE cle 
of the existing law. ¢ discussion, the 
n.— 
EE 
3 
og 
THORP proposed 3/, instead of 20s., which was resisted by 154 to 
84, Having arrived at clause 48, the further progress of the 
Bill was adjourned, and the sega orders were dispose 
uesday.— Mir. W. eech of aenGIcerEIE length, in- 
troduced his motion for a unin tee to inquire into the peculiar 
burdens that pressed eet the land, and into the peculiar exemp- 
tions enjoyed by it. e could show that the power of the land- 
lords had been ay steaecaly applied to the exemption of them- 
selves from bexetiony ane that a combination existed Sone 
them dangerous to other interests of the country.—Mr. 
Bankes moved, as an EAinag ene that the attention of the House 
should be directed to Gilet associations dangerous to Ms sos 
peace, and inconsistent with the spirit of the constitution ; and, 
in doing so, took occasion a mati the charge which Mr. Cones 
had, ona previous evening, made against him, of paying to the men 
in his employment, no higher wages than 8s. a week, and of having 
in his neighbourhood the worst paid, worst clothed, and mostillite- 
rate people i in England. Heread pexcval letters, whieh showed that 
|, none lower ome as high as 
with other advantages, the pi eis) NURSE ranging 
between tifeve sums. He also showed that the peasantry of his 
neighbourhood were as well, if not better, with respect to wages, 
clothes, and education, than those in any other part of the 
country. In regard to the subjects of his own amendment he said 
the Anti-Corn-law Leaguers, if rey, did not actually violate the 
law, were GereAtnly upon the very verge of it. They raised large 
sums of money; and ne should like to ask Mr. Cobden, who tied 
on the former nigh oO many tpeeons | to him, where that 
money was lodged? hey  Heueoeal ee 
annually increase ; t m, he begged to know, was the Chan-~ 
cellor of the paar ‘ ppply for the Trem tax? The Anti- 
Corn-law League appe: 0 be treading in the path of Lord 
George Gor no Ss eter they announced great etings; they 
aimed at public excitement ; and by a excitement they ex- 
pected to work. Returned as he was for his one By the 
Bence feeling of the yeomanry and tend odes as f the 
richer id not want the sapport o: iste ors for the 
purpose of his seat; but he did ask and demand of them to pro- 
tect him and the other gentiemen of the country from the visits 
of emissaries deputed by such societies as he had characterized.— 
COBDEN explained that he had not spoken particularly of 
rt, Bankes, but of the system which he upheld. —Mr. CocHRaNnge 
tHOdete the House was indebted to Mr, Bankes for directing its 
attention to the dangerous and treasonable proceedings of the 
Anti-Corn-law Association. Such associations had been putdown 
before; and there could be no doubt that the machinery of the 
League mi ght beapplied t uy insorrectionary purposes. — Mk Ginson 
hoped the House would uffer an amendment, attacking men’s 
characters, to be Sichatayy without a vote ne their gencral 
sense upon it. Much was said of the Anti-Cor w League ; did 
no Corn-law leagues exist? Had the moony avuianen never 
countenanced proposals for robbing the public creditor? 
rojects were going on even now, and the landed Prope etre 
had admitted the fact by their support of the new Cort 
Sir eEL could not vote for the amendment, eae it had 
no immediate connexion with the motion, and be 
be only right to give 
motion. To that motion, also, ie could not agree. 
unfairly taunted the landed classes with Serine 
ou themselves, by their support of the new Corn-law, to 
have been previously defrauding the public. What would Mr. 
rae have pa if the same eer i been thrown ee the 
just now 
made through Mr. Gibson himself, ne their willingness to ayoton 
their own protections? He str ongly denied the charge piers 
ever sneered the manufacturing interest. ‘If ad ever 
indulged in sneers against the manufacturing interest of this 
country, it would come,” he said, ‘witha race from me, 
as a Minister of the Crown, and with a particularly bad grace 
from me asan individual, who owe all I possess to manufactures, 
Imay, in the heat of debate, and in replying to ih nips to any 
one who was wishing to take advantage of such expressions, 
eve rendered myself open to such iieennet aches but the 
hon. Member does me the gro: injustice if he supposes that I 
am unmindful of the deep Goligation lam under to the manufac- 
tures of this country, or that I would indulge in sneers ie the 
all epimuess of the fa actores to nich, i ce never forget I owe 
all of worldly wealth I possess. I remonstrate, therefore. 
protest against that BOOHEHH uction.”” "Though us should object, 
he said, to a committee, he should not object to vee on the 
subject for which such a committee was pro, oats t had been 
alleged that ue Jand was altogether exempt from br rebate and 
legacy duty: the law was not so portion 
of both pile duis: let a return of the amount of fey duties, 
and of the duties on conveyances, be called for, and then the 
House aout Reccmhetttee the land enjoyed the exemptions auceed 
in these particulars. So with respect to other eee from which 
the land had been erroneously represented to be exempt. The 
profits of stock had lately isi relieved from poor-rate, and the 
land had beens left to make up ifference; let all this be seen 
from return: be printed for the House. It “had been said that 
the highways kept up ne the land were necessary for the trans- 
port of its own produce; but were not the highways equally 
useful to those who had is land at all? Then, asto tithe. ech 
xX y, way of commutation was less a burden on 
than variable tithe, but both were burdens. Mr. Ward saa 
think they were not; Dr. ee Smith and Mr, Ricardo 
ecause it one 
3 the E 
for the purposo of settling slietion Mr. Ward was right, 
or 2 Surely this was a brave 
subject for Members to decide for themselv 
arged upon aa puny supporting the opinions of Ricardo 
and Smith. Fo. rt, he had never rested the defence 
of protection on nthe mere difference of burdens. He had grounded 
himself in a great measure on the considerations of general bene- 
» and of the ata rs that must arise from a rash destruction 0 
existing inter sts, SO vastin amount as those of, and connected 
with, trelanded Classes. He had never applied the general prin- 
ciple of buying cheap and selling dear wenaut this qualification 
of it, “If the House,” he said, ‘contemplates any 
change it would be better to propose that RISE at once, Sout T 
do not think it fair to ask for a committee, and next week vote 
for the repeal of the law about which pone committee is to inquire. 
I stated last session, as the organ of the Government, that our 
object was to attempt doing justice By SaoBUAE our measures in 
conformity with the general interests of the country, and that if 
y the ch hanges then made was much 
more j inj arto: taeA the Spe HON of the law itself. consi- 
dered, or could be convinced, that any further alteration in the 
Corn. taws were now required for the general interests of the 
country, nothing should induce me to advise a continuance of 
But, believing that the agricultural body havea 
right to expect from me that I will pee uae Jaws until I 
@M Convinced of the necessity of on. gentlemen op- 
posite may cheer, but if t! imagine that I make Cy pier for 
pets purposes they are very aul mistaken ; ‘ain, that 
[see from conviction that itis for the interests of the country 
at large that the present law should be altered—if that alteration 
were to lose power for me to-morrow, I would not hesitate one 
moment to adopt such a course, for [hope Ihave thecourageto act: 
always upon conviction which I feel to be right. But I haye not 
now that conviction as to the Beit eee ss any change is ne- 
cessary ; and after the support I he ced from the agri- 
cultural body, I feel that I should fe with great injustice 
the mation that body if I were to ana their minds by agreeing to 
rejected by 118 to 58, The | aioe unt of the penalty to be serioted 
on the raisers of frivolous objections raised considerable debate, 
the amounts suggested varying from 20s, to 5/,—Colonel S1B- 
the House and country on the 
deslaration made by Sir R. Peel, o: oud determination to 
maintain the present law. That declaration w: give universal 
satisfaction, and put an end to the hopes that. existed in some 
their income would 
