§ Mr. Littleton, in presenting a Petition from the Proprietors of various Iron Mines in the Coun- 11 ties of Stafford and Worcester, against the Monopoly enjoyed by the East-India Company, complained in strong terms of the privations to which the operatives in that trade were exposed, and adverted shortly to communications which he had some time ago had with the President of the Board of Trade. The parties to the present petition had then remonstrated against admitting foreign corn and steel into this country. Their remonstrance had been effectual, and they had now become sensible of the justice of the views they there opposed.
§ Mr. Huskissonremembered the application made by the hon. Member at the Board of Trade, and he also remembered telling him, and those by whom he was accompanied, that the hardware trade of this country would be most materially improved and benefitted by the introduction into this country of the lighter productions of other countries; and he had no doubt that that effect would be produced were the cause allowed to come into Full operation. He was formerly of opinion that allowing the raw material to be brought into this country, would be a benefit; our manufacturers would be able to make their articles cheaper, and foreigners have something to exchange for them. He was glad to find that the people were beginning to be sensible of the advantages of the liberal policy he had recommended; and had that not been followed, he believed that our present difficulties would have been much greater. He would not then enter further into the subject, but he could not permit that opportunity to pass of acknowledging the honourable and candid manner in which the gentlemen who attended on that occasion, and formerly opposed him, now admitted that the measures then in progress for removing the restriction on foreign trade have turned out for the good of the country; and that the originators of those measures intended them to be productive of good.
§ Mr. Robinsonthought the right hon. Gentleman drew a hasty conclusion when h inferred, because these petitioners were not suffering, that his measures must have been beneficial to the whole country.
§ Mr. Littletonsaid, the petitioners were suffering much; that no one engaged in the Iron Trade in England, Wales, or Scotland, was free from very severe privations.
§ The Petition was brought up and ordered to be printed.