Mr. Ricardo looked only to the good of the country at large, and was on that account averse to the Corn Laws. The high price of food must diminish the profit on the capital of the country, by raising the price of wages; and if the price of labour was low in a foreign country, that circumstance would induce capitalists to remove thither. The Corn Law ought to have been made a temporary and not a permanent measure.

Mr. Huskisson considered the appoint. ment of a Committee as unnecessary.

Mr. Coke of Norfolk, could have wished to see a Committee appointed on a broad basis, taking into consideration the difficulties of all classes; for if it were the fact, as stated in the petitions read tonight, that several manufacturers did not earn more than eleven-pence three-farthings a week, they had suffered more than the agricultural labourer had,

Mr. Ellice considered the present motion as only calculated to increase the public distress, and therefore he would meet it by moving the previous question.

Mr. Brougham conceived it would be most improper, after the numerous petitions which were presented to the House from distressed Agriculturalists, not to pay some attention to their claims; and therefore he was greatly astonished at hearing the monstrous proposition made by the Hon. Member for Coventry, of moving the previous question. (Hear, hear.) The great mass of taxation and poor-rates fall generally on the Agriculturalists, much more than on any other class of men. There was nothing like a free trade to be any where found; and it was absurd to object to the Corn Laws on the ground of the freedom of trade. He wished to see some measure carried into effect, that, by taking away a moderate part of the public burdens from one class, and adding a moderate part to the other class, would tend to equalize the pressure of those burdens. If some amend. ment could be proposed, confining the object of the Committee, he should feel it his duty to vote for the motion.

Mr. Ellice explained, and declared his readiness to withdraw his amendment.

Gen. Gascoyne would not consent to the previous question being withdrawn; if the House went into a Committee, he should propose the repeal of the Corn Laws.

Lord Castlereagh could not consent to the motion in its present extended shape. If confined to a specific object, it should have his support.

At three o'clock the House divided, when there appeared, for the original motion, 150; for the previous question, 101; majority 49.

On re-admission into the gallery, Lord Milton was found lamenting the decision

to which the House had come, and begging them to defer the nomination of the Committee on account of the lateness of the hour (half-past three).

Mr. Baring moved the adjournment of the House, in order that the Committee might be appointed at a time when there could be a full attendance.

Lord Castlereagh deplored and lamented from the bottom of his heart the decision of the House. So little had he anticipated such a result, that, being asked by several persons whether he thought there was such a difference of opinion as would make it necessary for them to remain in the House till the division, he had told them that nothing was so unlikely, from the temper which the House had evinced during the debate, as an effective support of the motion. If he had thought that it would have had so many supporters, there would have been a very different attendance of Members, and a very different result from that which had taken place.

Mr. H. Sumner said, that the decision of the House had taken him as much by surprise as it seemed to have taken others; for however convinced he was of the propriety of the measure he proposed, he had not thought that any proposal he could make to the House would have been so favourably received.

The motion of Mr. Baring was then put in the following form, and carried unanimously: "That this debate be adjourned till this day." Adjourned at a quarter before four.

May 31.

Mr. Robinson proposed, that the enquiries of the Committee which Mr. Sumner had obtained, should be strictly confined to devising means for the prevention of frauds in striking the average under the provisions of the Corn Laws of 1815; frauds which had been described by the Agriculturalists as working effects so extensive and injurious, as to reduce the general excluding price throughout the country from 80s. a quarter of wheat, which the Legislature had acknowledged as necessary for the British farmer's protection, to 72s. and even 70s.

Mr. Robinson's proposition was (justly perhaps) considered by the Landed Interest, as merely a device to neutralize the important results of Mr. Sumner's successful motion, and the gentlemen in that interest accordingly opposed the restriction of the Committee with great warmth.

Mr. Bankes and Mr. Burrell proposed, that a middle course might be taken, and that the Committee should be confined to the question of averages, but not to the consideration of frauds, or the particular arrangements of 1815; suggesting that

instead

instead of striking the averages by the twelve maritime districts, a general average of all the kingdom should be taken.

This proposition was vehemently resisted by Lord Castlereagh, who contended that in 1815, the Legislature fixed upon the the maritime districts as affording not a representation of the general average of the kingdom but a criterion. That from the nature of things the general average must always be lower than that of the maritime districts, and had the Legislature contemplated the general average, it would have taken a suitably low excluding price, 72s. or 74s.

Mr. Brougham replied to this argument with great eloquence; but, on a division, Mr. Robinson's motion was carried by a majority of 251 to 108; which of course destroys the whole effect of Mr. Sumner's motion.

June 1.

Mr. F. Campbell called the attention of the House to the present system of administering justice in Wales, and pointed out its numerous defects, as compared with the proceedings in the English courts. He also contrasted the character of an English judge with that of a Welsh judge. After various observations, he concluded with moving, that a Select Committee be appointed to enquire into the state of the courts of justice in Wales; to examine into the propriety of abolishing the same; to consider the best means of including Wales in the English circuits; and to report their opinion thereupon to the House.

After a discussion of some length, in which Mr. Warren, Mr. Creevey, Lord J. Russell, Mr. Wynn, Colonel Wood, and Mr. J. Allan took part, Lord Castlereagh moved an amendment to leave out all the words after " appointed," for the purpose of inserting the following: "to enquire into and report to the House their observations, touching the laws relating to the administration of justice in Wales." This amend ment, after some further conversation, was agreed to, and a Committee was appointed accordingly.

Lord Castlereagh, in moving for leave to bring in a bill to continue the Alien Act, stated the grounds on which the measure had been continued since the peace, and contended that they still existed in full force.

The motion was supported by the Solicitor General, and opposed by Sir R. Wilson, Mr. G. Baring Wall, Sir J. Mackintosh, and Mr. Lambton. It was carried, on a division, by a majority of 149 to 63.,

His Lordship also obtained leave to bring in a Bill for continuing the suspension of that provision in the charter in the Bank of Scotland, which naturalizes

foreigners purchasing a certain amount of stock.

June 2.

The House having gone into a Committe of Supply, Lord Palmerston addressed the House on the subject of the Army Estimates, but in a few minutes was obliged to sit down, from indisposition.

Mr. Ward then brought forward the Ordnance Estimates. The savings effected by the reduction of various establishments amounted to 16,000l. a year, but on the whole there was an increase of 133,000. He concluded with moving for a sum of 892,6941. 8s. 8d.

Mr. Hume went through the different items, and stated the increase of the present as compared with the last year.

Mr. Ward replied at considerable length. Mr. Creevey contended, that by law, the repairs of the forts at Barbadoes, and other islands in the West Indies, should be defrayed out of the 4 per cent. duties, a fund now expended in paying Sir C Long, 1500. a year, Sir H. Popham 500., and other pensions to Mr. Huskisson, Sir Fulk Greville, Lady Mansfield, &c. When he (Mr. C.) first introduced his motion relative to the Tellerships of the Exchequer, it was almost hooted out of the House, as an indecent attack upon private property. He had persevered, however, and the feeling of the country being pretty manifest, the Marquis of Buckingham and Lord Camden, after having enjoyed a sinecure of nearly 30,000/. for 19 years, begged, as a particular favour, that it might be taken away from them (a laugh), because they knew that though there were only 45 persons against them in the House, they had not one man out of it with them. The Hon. Gent. concluded by protesting against these items for repairs.

Mr. R. Ward observed, that the pension attacked by Mr. C. had been granted for public services, and had been confirmed by Parliament.

Mr. Vansittart was surprised at the way in which Mr. C. treated the conduct of the Marquis Camden, who had given one of the most splendid examples of public spirit recorded in the annals of any

country.

Lord Castlereagh said, if ever an act proceeded from virtuous and disinterested sentiment, it was the mode in which the noble personage adverted to (Lord Camden) had resigned so large a portion of his income.

After some observations from Mr. Tremayne, Mr. W. Smith, and others, the several resolutions moved by Mr. Ward were agreed to.

Lord Palmerston then explained at different items of the Army EsResolutions agreed to.

large the timates.

Durham County-Hon. W. J. F. V. Powlett, J. G. Lambton.

Durham-M. A. Taylor, Sir Henry Hardinge, K. C. B.

East Looe-T. P. Macqueen, *G. W.
Taylor.

Essex C. C. Western, Sir Eliah Harvey,
K. C. B.
Evesham

Sir Charles Cockerell, bart.

W. E. B. Boughton.
Exeter-W. Courtenay, R. W. Newman.
Eye-Sir R. Gifford, kt. S. M. Nightingale.
Flintshire-Sir Thomas Mostyn, bart.
Flint-Sir E. P. Lloyd, bart.

Fowey-Lord Valletort, George Lucy.
Gatton-Thomas Divett, J. W. Russell.
Germains, St.-Rt. Hon. C. Arbuthnot,
Hon. S. T. Bathurst.
Glamorganshire-Sir Christopher Cole, bart.
Gloucestershire-Sir. B. W. Guise, bart.
Lord R. H. Somerset.

Gloucester-E. Webb, R. B. Cooper.
Grampound-John Innis, Alex. Robertson.
Grantham-Hon. Edw. Cust, J. Hughes.
Grimsby-C. Tennyson, Wm. Duncomb.
Grinstead, East Lord Strathaven, Hon. C.
C. C. Jenkinson.

Guildford-C. B. Wall, Arthur Onslow, Hampshire-G. P. Jervoise, *J. Fleming. Harwich-Rt. Hon. N, Vansittart, Rt. Hon. C. B. Bathurst.

Haslemere-Right Hon. C. Long, R. Ward. Hastings James Dawkins, Hon W. H.

Hertfordshire Hon. William Lamb, Sir J. Sebright, bart.

Hertford - Lord Cranborne, Nicholson Calvert.

Heydon-Robert Farrand, John Baillie. Heytesbury-E. H. A' Court, C. A. A' Court. Higham Ferrers-William Plumer. Hindon Hon. F. G. Calthorpe, John Plumber.

Honiton-Hon. P. F. Cust, S. Crawley. Horsham-R. Hurst, * S. J. Aubrey, bart. Huntingdonshire-W. H. Fellowes, * Lord John Russell,

Huntingdon-J. Calvert, Lord Ancram. Hythe-S. J. Lloyd, S. Majoribanks. Ilchester-Sir I. Coffin, Bart. S. Lushington. Ipswich-W. Haldimand, T. B. Lennard. Ives, St.-James Robert George Graham, Lyndon Evelyn.

Kent-Sir E. Knatchbull, Bart. W. P.
Honeywood.

King's Lynn-Lord Walpole, Sir M. B.
Folkes, bart.
Kingston-on-Hull-J. Mitchell, D. Sykes.
Knaresborough-Sir. J. Mackintosh, kt.,
Rt. Hon. G. Tierney.

Lancashire-Lord Stanley, J. Blackburne. Lancaster G. Doveton, J. F. Cawthorne. Launceston-James Brogden, Hon. P. B. Pellew.

Leicestershire-Lord Robert Manners, G. A. Leigh Keck.

Leicester-J. Mansfield, T. Pares. Leominster-Lord Hotham, Sir W. Fairlie. Liskeard-Hon. W. Eliot, Sir W. H. Pringle, K. C. B.

Lewes Sir J. Shelley, bart. Sir George Shiffner, bart.

Lichfield G. G. V. Vernon, Sir Geo, Ansou, K. C. B.

Lincolnshire-Hou. C. A. Pelham, Charles Chaplin.

Lincoln-C. W. Sibthorp, Robert Smith. Liverpool-Right Hon. George Canning, Gen. Gascoyne.

London-Matthew Wood, *Sir Wm. Curtis, bart. Thomas Wilson, George Brydges. Lostwithiel-A. C. Grant, Sir Robert Wigram, bart.

Ludgershall-Sandford Graham, Earl of Carhampton.

Ludlow-Lord Clive, Hon. R. H. Clive.
Lyme Regis Hon. J. T. Fane, V. Fane.
Lymington-Sir H. B. Neale, hart. George
Finch.

Maidstone-A. W. Robarts, John Wells.
Malden-Benjamin Gaskell, C. C. Strutt.
Malmsbury W. Leake, C. Forbes.
Malton-Ld. Duncannon, J. C. Ramsden.
Marlborough Hon. John Wodehouse,
Lord Brudenell.

Marlow-O. Williams, T. P. Williams.
Mawes, St.- Sir S. B. Morland, bart.
Jos. Phillimore.

Merionethshire-Sir R. W. Vaughan, bart. Michael, St.-Sir George Staunton, bart. *W. T. Money.

Middlesex-G. Byng, S. C. Whitbread. Midhurst John Smith, Abel Smith. Milbourn Port Hon. Berkeley Paget, *Lord Graves.

Minehead-H. F. Luttrell, J. F. Luttrel!.
Monmouthshire - Sir C. Morgan, bart.
Lord G. C. H. Somerset.
Monmouth-Marquis of Worcester.
Montgomeryshire-C. W. Wynn.
Montgomery-Henry Clive.

Morpeth-Hon. W. Howard, W. Ord.
Newark-Sir W. H. Clinton, K. C. B. H.
Willoughby.

Newcastle-upon-Tyne-Sir M. W. Ridley, bart. Cuthbert Ellison.

Newcastle, Staffordshire W. S. Kinnersley, William Northey,

R. J. Wilmot. Newport, Cornwall

Jonathan Raine.