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264 THE LEADil [^^rjxay,
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Histoet Of Parliament. Ministeeial Expla...
confiding , he asked for a distinct , candid , and manly avowal of the intentions of Ministers respecting the importation of foreign corn . , , , The CHANGKLLOEof theExcHBQTTBE wascheered when he rose to reply . Beginning with , the end of the speech just de livered , he ridiculed the " gloomy views" of the Opposition as to the feeling of the country . JAke Lord Derby he pointed to " that barometer of public , opinion , " the funds , to prove the tranquillity of things ; and he ex-Sre ' ssed a cynical surprise at the discovery made by the Opposition that Government intended to propose a fixed duty . After stating what he migh t do but what he would not do . he declared that he would express the " feelings "
of the Government "frankly , fairly , and without reserve . " He then ran over the often-repeated statement that his party had , after making various efforts to mitigate the effects of Corn-Law repeal , resolved to adjourn all further efforts until another parliament had been called . The question was in this state when suddenly a change of Government ensued . And lie contended , that as the change of Ministry had been brought about by no immediate act of theirs , they were not bound to state their intentions . " Why , " he tauntingly inquired , " are we , sitting on this side of the House , to take a different course of policy from that which we asserted on the other side of the House ? " a question met by cries of Oh ! oh ! and cheers ., They were certainly not bound to do so , but to
adhere to the policy they had followed in Opposition . He denied that their position , as Ministers , occasioned any greater uncertainty than did their position in Parliament before ; and he contended that any " candid man" would acknowledge there was a difference in the duty of a party who might come into power by the profession of a protective policy , and the duty of a party professing such a policy finding themselves in power . The change rather tended to decrease than to increase the uncertainty . " But the hon . and learned g entleman asks me to tell him whether , in another Parliament , we shall be prepared to propose a fixed duty , according to his own figures , of 5 s . ¦ upon corn . ( " No , no . ") That is the question , as I understand it . ( " No , no . " ) If it is not , I shall be glad to know what the real question is . "
Mr . ViiLiBKS . —" The question I put was , whether the Government intended to propose any scheme of commercial or fiscal legislation before the dissolution of Parliament in such a way that the question of the principle of protection or a duty on corn should be submitted to the deliberate judgment of the electors , " ( Hear , hear . ) The Ghancellob of the Exchequer . —" That is a mere Parliamentary periphrasis of what I saicT somewhat more simply- ( A iaugh . ) Well , then , I say it is not the intention of the Government to do anything of the kind . " ( Cheers and counter-cheers . ) Their business was to
propose measures calculated to redress the injustice done to the agricultural and other interests , by the changes of 1846 , 1848 , and 1849 . " But we are not pledged to any measure . " ( Laughter from the Opposition , and cheers . ) Certainly not to a fixed duty of 5 s . "I know , " he said ; maliciously , " there is a great desire on the part of gentlemen opposite t hat there should be a proposition for a fixed duty . ( " Hear , " and laughter . ) I regret , for their sakes , that I cannot give a promise to make any proposition of the kind . "
In fact he would state nothing-, promise nothing , but this , that the question should be settled at the next election . " I am aware that the government is placed in some difficulties , but they are difficulties which , as we did not seek them , so we will not shrink from them . ( Cheers . ) I am told , though I know not on what authority , that there has been , on the part of the now Government , an ad misericordiam appeal to the House of Commons . I am not aware of it . I have not sanctioned it . I have not mado it , nor have any of my colleagues . Let the blow bo whore or how , we shall do our best to encounter it . What wo ask is , not fair play for tho government , but fair play for the country . " ( Cheers . )
Turning to the question of a dissolution , ho disclaimed , on the part of the government , all desire to put off that event longer than necessary ; and ho enumerated the measures , besides those of Supply , and the Mutiny Hill , which he thought should bo carried , namely , tho Disfranchisement of St . Albans Hill , Chancery Keform , and a measure of National Defence . Having concluded this statement , he made a fierce party attack upon tho Opposition . Thrusting his thumbs into his waistcoat , he said , with a swaggering air , —
" I should now sit down , did I not feel that I have a duty to perform to her Majesty ' s Ministers . Tho Opposition has very frankl y inquirod what aro tho principles upon which tho Administration is formed . Thoro is a subject scarcely second to that in importanco in this country , nnd that is tho prinoiplo on which her Majesty ' s Opposition is formed . ( Groat cheering . ) I hope , therefore , I may bo permitted to tako thin opportunity of making that inquiry . ( Cheers . )" Of course tho meeting in Chosham-placo did not escape him . Ho was surprised to hear that " within a
fortnight of resigning tho government of tho country from an avowed inability to carry it on ; " within a fortnight of tho declaration , to the House and to tho , Queen , that a dissolution was in 6 xpcdieni , tho noble lord should ho engaged in constructing an opposition , tho avowed object of which was to force Lord Derby to do that which Lord John Bussell would not venture to attempt . No doubt tho noblo lord had arrived at that conclusion with a duo regard to all tho important circumstances . " But , " ho asked , "if , I am to trust tho authoritative statement , as I have a right to do , tho moro especially wlion I navo myself been challenged on tho part of tho
government , surely I am entitled to inquire what are the principles on which this nevv opposition is formed ( hear , hear)—an opposition which the noble lord has constructed under the inspiration and with , the aid and assistance of the right hori . gentleman the member for Ripori ( cheers ) and the hon , gentleman the member for the West Biding . ( Cheers . ) Such unbounded confidence exists between three such eminent men—I wish to know on what principle this new opposition is founded—this new opposition headed by a noble' lord acknowledged b y aft" of us to be an able and ' fitting leader , with such experienced vice-lieutenants as the right hon . gentleman the member for Eipon and the hon . gentleman the member for the West Biding . ( Hear . ) What , I again ask , is the principle on which the new opposition is founded ? Is it the principle of papal is it
supremacy or Protestant ascendancy ? ( Cheers . ) the principle of national defences or of perpetual peace P ( Cheers and laughter . ) Is it the principle of household suffrage or of the electoral groups ? ( Laug hter . ) Is it the opinion of the new opposition , along with the hon . member for the West Biding , that Free-trade is a panacea for all the evils of states ? Or is it the op inion of the new opposition , in deference to the noble lord the member for London , that Free-trade is a great exaggeration ? ( Cheers . )" He thought those questions ought to be frankly answered . For himself , great as were their difficulties , he did not despair . He had confidence in the good sense and temper of parliament ; and if these failed him , he was sure of the country , " convinced that it would support the government in their attempt to do their duty to their sovereign , and in their resolution to baffle the manoeuvres of faction . " ( Loud
cheers . ) Lord Johw RusselIi , without preface , attacked the extraordinary plea put forward by Mr . Disraeli , and insinuated by Lord Derby—" That the present Governnment had only accepted office because the Queen was without a government . " "Why , " he continued , "it is notorious that they have been for years trying to supplant the late government ; that they have been almost unscrupu lous as to the me ans , and that they omitted no opportunity by which they could place themselves in the situation they now hold . ( Cries of ' Oh ! oh ! ' from the Ministerial side of the House , answered by ironical cheers from the Opposition . ) Not satisfied with making direct motions adverse to Free-trade , motion to
they took advantage of any occasion ot a hostile go down and swelFthe ranks of the opponents of Government . ( Cheers and counter cheers . ) It was this way that , without agreeing with the hon . member for Montrose , they came down to this House to support him in order"to inflict a blow on the Government of that- day . ( Hear , hear . ) What was their course at the commencement of the present session ? Did they refrain from any attack on the Governmentf Did they confine themselves to weapons of legitimate warfare ? Did they riot use poisoned arrows for the purpose of attacking the late Lord-Lieutenant of Ireland ? ( Loud cheers and counter-cheers . ) Had they not a motion of which they had given notice for the very
next week , which was a vote of want of confidence in the Government ? And , after this , can they pretend they were surprised when they were asked to take office , or that they were asked to take office on any other ground but because they had mado a successful opposition to the Government . ( Hear , hear . ) Upon the very occasion on which tho noblo lord the member for Tiverton refused to the Government of tho day leave to bring in a bill with respect to tho militia—as upon the motion of the hon . member for Montropo—they came down , without any regard to the subject , without any opinion with respect to it —( cries of ' Uo , no !' cheers , andcounter-checra)—I believe , myself , without any opinion with respect to that subject , ( cheers , and countorto
cheors , ) and they took the unusual course of refusing the Minister leavo to bring in a bill with respect to the militia . ( Hear . ) I own I am surpr ised that , after that courso , they should make an allegation that they only accepted office becauso tho Queen was loft without a Government . ( Hear , hoar . ) " He proceeded to show that ho had quitted ofiico in consequence of these incessant attacks and occasional defeats which must follow from th « courso adop ted , to take tho House by surprise . Ho folt that if ho were not driven out of office , ho would bo " worried" out of it by gontlomon in opposition ; and under these circumstances he thought it was a false pretence to say that honourable gentlemen opposite had only accepted office becauso tho Quoon was without a Government . Ho
explained how Lord Derby ' s speech on tho 27 th hod altered his position . Lord Derb y proposed to govern with a minority . Now , if ho ( Lord John Bussell ) had thrown up office becauso ho thought it unconstitutional to govern with an uncertain majority , how much moro unconstitutional was it in tho noblo ford to attempt to govern with a confessed minority . And then they were not to discuss controversial questions , but wait until next February to learn whether Ministers intended to tax the food or tho people . Ho exposed tho absurdities and injustice of a fixed duty , and charged Mr . Disraeli with not dealing frankly with tho house in reply to tho quostioris of Mr . Villiors . It was propoaod to roter tho question to tho intelligent portion of tho people of England ; but upon this question tho wholo community ia intelligent . ( Cheers , and couritor-choors . ) » .
Lord John Russell entered into a statistical statement to prove , tho beneficial effects pf free-trade ; and mombors loft the house in great numbers . After reviewing tho free- trade policy , ho returned to tho question of tho propriety of u dissolution , concluding that Ministers wero bound to dissolve as speedily ns possible ; and flinging in their tooth the defiance tluit , instead of deserving reversal , tho policy of free-trade demanded extension . Mr . IIbihiibs mado a general reply to Lord John Russoll , retorting tho churgo that tho lato cabinet foil
through the incessant attacks of gentlemen in opnosi tion , by saying that the main opposition came froSrthe liberal camp . He also went into considerable detail respecting the navigation laws , with the view of show ing how injurious to our interests those laws had been * Sir James Gbaham foUowed Mr . Herries , and mad * a greatspeech , the main object of which was to show that the object of the present Ministry was to reverse the policy of free-trade , and he succeeded In showing it Clearing away the ground by making several smart hits at Mr . Disraeli , and Ministers m general , he entered boldly on his course , declaring that he had no doubt what
ever as to what were the intentions of Ministers "T ¦ tated last year , having then listened to him when his Dm posed measures on the subject of agricultural relief seemed somewhat mystified ( a laugh )—I stated that I was forced to go to another house for the information which I wished and I said that there were peers who acted in combination with the party of the right hon . gentleman who had been quite explicit aai to their general policy . That policy Was as I understood it , first to change the Administration next to dissolve Parliament , then to impose duties on imports , and among them upon corn . That was then my solution A clue having thus been given elsewhere as to the objects of what was then the : party in opposition , I adhere to
that view of their objects now , and I call on them to deny it if they can . They have succeeded in their first move-( hear)—they have displaced the last Ministry , and are in power themselves ; and it is now my belief that they wish to dissolve Parliament for the purpose of imposing , if they can ( hear , hear ) , in the new House , duties on imports , and among those , duties on corn . (' Hear , hear , * from the Ministerial benches . ) Do I represent the matter rightly' ? Well , it is entirely a question of evidence , and we fiave a difficulty here in ascertaining it . ( Cheers . ) " Now , he had the most perfect reliance on the honour of Lord Derby , and what he had stated , by that Sir James was convinced
he would abide ; Then , citing various speeches made by Lord Derby since the 28 th of February , 1851 , he read extracts from them , with parenthetical comments , and interrupted by exciting cheers from both sides . These extracts clearly showed that Lord Derby intended to restore a duty on imports and on corn . There was no hesitation about it , but a frank declaration ; of his undoubted intention to pursue a certain line of policy . Sir James piled proof on proof that such was the case . But he brought forward also more interesting testimony . " At that time , when the noble lord : ( Lord John Bussell ) resigned , and the present First Lord of the Treasury attempted to form a Ministry ,
the whole arrangement was kept open pending the return of the right hon . gentleman ( Mr . Gladstone ) who was then upon the Continent . Earl Derby made to him a proposal to join his Government . But what was the preliniinary point ? My right hon . friend asked the noble earl what we have asked in vain here—( cheers)—r' What are your intentions on the subject of protection ? ' The Earl of Derby said , 'My opinion is pronounced ; I am quite decided in favour of duties on imports , and I am not pre- ' pared to say that corn should be excepted . ' My right hon . friend , therefore , true to those pr inciples which he had constantly advocated in reference to this question , saw , union
' That preliminary step , then , us fatal to our , x cannot consent to join your Administration . ' ( Cheers . ) So earnest was Lord Derby in adhering to the faith of his pledges , and so sincere in his opinion in « favour of a reversal of a Free-trado policy , that , though he had road © the wholo of his arrangements as to tho formation of on Administration to depend upon the adhesion of my right hon . friend , when ho got that answer he abandoned the project , ( hear , ) conceiving that success was not possible . I regret that tho noblo lord the member for Tiverton ( Lord m- _ merston ) is not in his place to add his testimony ; but unless I am greatly deceived—I should have stated it in his prosonco , and ho could have contradicted me it i am misinformed—I am told , and I confidently believe , that ion 0
tho Earl of Derby had an interview , by the P < f ^? . ; her Majesty , with the noble lord the member for l »™ rwn when the present Administration was formed ; that ne aw propose to that noble viscount that ho should take pari J " tho now Administration , and that the same queBt , " f"f was put last year by my right hon . friend the member tor Oxford was put this year , and within tho last fortaigH » tho noblo lord—that the same question , I say , was put , ana tho same answer given—that it was as possible tor roe ** to flow backward from tho ocean as for the corn . lawswv repealed ( loud cheers ); and that it was impossible tor an ? to join the Administration . Well , but now I ^"" jjM ) time I have gone very far to prove my case . /! j" 7 My rolianco is implicit on tho honour of Lord vervy . But ho waa not content . Ho accumulated other prw ¦ Thoro was Mr . Christopher and Sir John Trollope- y '' did ho eay * And tho extract may bo takon as a sp cC 1 I ? ° of tho nioac in which Sir Jamofl dealt with his question .
Sir John Trollopo said— . _ , ^ " I will state to you , in his own words , what Lora v ° j said his future policy would bo . From ^ FlJ ^ Sion gather , what ovory man must know , that tins qu doos not rest with him or with tho Admm r ra ^ " - Of tlio can do nothing unless backed by tho constituencies o ^ orapiro . " This is most cortainly tho cnae ; wo »« ^ quarrel on . that point . If ( addressing t » io ^ ' » . Bido of the houso ) you frankly avow yoiir V ° [ W ' J clxto sock to bring it abWt by a dissolution I do not . dg * ^ a dissolution ; on the contrary , I shall . * ° . ° ? hat atop state tho reasons why I shall urge you to ttUjM *> ^ without delay , ho that wo may join issue lairiy , ^ . ^ country bo suffered to know what it Has w t ] l 0 ( Cheers . ) What docs tho right hon . go "" ™^ ' After head of tlio Poor-law board continue to a »» f otl quoting from tho Earl of Derby ' s speech to ttao n o £ tho 27 th of February on the address passages , wo ^ which I have already given to tlio Jwubo , tno rig gontloman then goes on to add- — ninotorfl of « Lord Derby thue roforfl tho matter to tho eW < w »
264 The Leadil [^^Rjxay,
264 THE LEADil [^^ rjxay ,
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Citation
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Leader (1850-1860), March 20, 1852, page 4, in the Nineteenth-Century Serials Edition (2008; 2018) ncse2.kdl.kcl.ac.uk/periodicals/l/issues/cld_20031852/page/4/
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