THE CORN-LAW QUESTION RESUMED.
This great question—a question which interested all parties, and all classes of society—formed the subject of several debates during this session. It was first brought prominently forward by Mr. Ward, who, on the 14th of March, moved, “That a select committee be appointed to inquire whether there are any peculiar burdens especially affecting the landed interest of this country, or any peculiar exemptions enjoyed by that interest; and to ascertain their nature and extent.” This motion was negatived, after a lengthened discussion, by a large majority; but, on the 13th of May, the whole subject of the corn-laws was brought under discussion upon the motion annually brought forward by Mr. Villiers, for a committee of the whole house to consider the duties on the importation of foreign corn. This was met by Mr. Gladstone with a direct negative. The most remarkable speeches delivered were those of Sir Robert Peel and Mr. Cobden. Mr. Cobden combated the notion that if the corn-laws were repealed, the whole system of revenue must be cut down; and declared that the anti-corn-law league would persist in agitation until the attainment of their object. On a division, the motion was rejected by a majority of three hundred and eighty-one against one hundred and twenty-five. Another general debate on the same subject occupied the house on the 13th of June, when Lord John Russell again proposed the consideration of the corn-laws in a committee of the whole house; which, however, was negatived by a large majority. But, previous to this debate, a measure partially effecting the operation of the corn-laws had been proposed in the house of commons by Lord Stanley, the secretary for the colonies. His lordship moved the following resolutions—“Resolved that, on the 12th day of October, 1842, an act was passed by the legislative council and legislative assembly of the province of Canada, and reserved by the governor-general for the signification of her majesty’s pleasure, imposing a duty of 3s., sterling money of Great Britain, on each imperial quarter of wheat imported into Canada, except from the United Kingdom, or any of her majesty’s possessions, and being the growth and produce thereof. That the said act recites that it was passed in the confident belief and expectation that, upon the imposition of a duty upon foreign wheat imported into the province, her majesty would be graciously pleased to recommend to parliament the removal or reduction of the duties on wheat and wheat flour imported into the said United Kingdom from Canada. That, in consideration of the duty so imposed by the said act of the legislature of Canada, it is expedient to provide that, if her majesty shall be pleased to give her sanction to the said act, the duties imposed upon wheat and wheat flour imported into the United Kingdom from Canada should be reduced. That, during the continuance of the said duty, in lieu of the duties now payable upon wheat and wheat flour imported into the United Kingdom from Canada, under an act passed in the last session of parliament, entitled ‘An act to amend the laws for the importation of corn,’ there shall be levied and paid the duties following:—viz., for every quarter of wheat, 1s.; for every barrel of wheat, meal, or flour, being one hundred and ninety-six pounds, a duty equal in amount to the duty payable on thirty-eight and a half gallons of wheat.” In moving these resolutions, Lord Stanley said that exaggerated notions of the measure had prevailed on all sides; and if he had not given a direct promise to the Canadian legislature, he would not have brought forward a question tending to create uneasiness among them. He brought it forward, in fact, only as a boon to Canada, which he had reason to expect, and of which the refusal would be highly injurious to her interests and feelings. His proposal was, not to let American wheat into England, but to let into England Canadian wheat, and flour ground in Canada, from whatever growth it might be manufactured. That was in accordance with the broad principle of the navigation act—“that all manufactured goods shall be deemed to be the produce of the country in which they are manufactured.” The resolutions of Lord Stanley, after a stormy debate, were confirmed by a majority of two hundred and forty-four against one hundred and eighty-eight. A few days afterwards the house went into committee on them, when Lord John Russell moved an amendment, which proposed to omit that part of them which referred to the Canadian legislature, his lordship objecting to the making of the legislation of the imperial depend on that of the colonial parliament. Lord Stanley defended the course taken by government as necessary to secure the object; and after a desultory conversation, the amendment was negatived. Another amendment, to the effect that no alteration should be made in the corn-law of the preceding session, and in the degrees of protection which it afforded to British agriculture, was moved by Lord Worsley; but this also was negatived; and after some further discussion the house divided on the original resolutions, which were carried by a majority of two hundred and eighteen against one hundred and thirty-seven. On the 2nd of June, a bill founded on the resolutions was brought in when Lord Worsley moved that it be read that day six months. This led to a renewed debate on the measure: but ultimately the second reading was carried by a majority of two hundred and nine against one hundred and nine. A debate in the house of lords took place on the committal of the bill, which was moved by Earl Dalhousie on the 4th of July. Lord Brougham seconded the motion, not “because the measure was a step in the right direction”—that is, towards the removal of the corn-laws—“but because it removed an anomaly.” Earl Stanhope moved, as an amendment, that the bill be committed that day six months; and he was supported in his opposition by the Duke of Richmond, the Earl of Radnor, and Lords Beaumont and Teynham. The amendment was, however, negatived by a majority of fifty-seven against twenty-five. The house subsequently went into committee, and the bill passed without amendment.