§ Mr. Irvingwas anxious to put two questions to the noble Lord, which he hoped he would not object to answer. The House was aware, that some time ago a Committee had been appointed on our Commercial Affairs, chiefly as related to the West Indies. A Report from that Committee was already on the Table of the House. His first question was, whether it was intended to carry the recommendations of that Report into effect, and what were the measures of relief which Government intended to propose? His second question, and to this he hoped the noble Lord would not object to give an answer, related also to the West-India colonies. A Committee was now sitting up-stairs, to inquire into the state of the slaves of those colonies. What he was anxious to know from the noble Lord was, whether the Government would consent to suspend the Orders in Council which had been sent out in November last, until the Committee up-stairs should have made its Report.
§ Lord Althorpsaid, that to the first question he must decline giving any answer. As to the Orders in Council, they had been sent to the Crown colonies, where they had the force of law. They had also been sent to the colonies with local legislatures, with a recommendation that they should be adopted, but in every case these colonies had declined to adopt them. With respect to those colonies he would say, that it was not the intention of Government to press their adoption, but in the Crown colonies, as he had already said, the Orders in Council were now the law, and 388 it was not the intention of Government to alter them, or to suspend their operation till the Committee should have made its Report.
Sir Robert Peelwished to know from the noble Lord, whether any discriminating duties were intended to be applied to the Crown colonies, as distinguished from those colonies in which the Orders in Council were not adopted? He thought the adoption of such duties would be unjust to the latter colonies.
§ Lord Althorpsaid, it was not the intention of Government to propose any such duties. Government might adopt other measures, but it would not propose any discriminating duties.
§ Mr. Irvingregretted the course which the Government seemed disposed to adopt with respect to the Orders in Council. The noble Lord was perfectly correct in saying that those Orders were now law in the Crown colonies, but, though they were the letter of the law, they were nowhere carried into effect, and for this reason—that they could not be so carried. They might remain the law, but they would be a law wholly inoperative; and that was the reason why he was anxious that they should be suspended until the Committee should have reported.