§ On the motion that the Gold and Silver Plate (Scotland) Bill be read a third time,
§ Mr. Humeprotested against the Bill as contrary to the principle of free-trade. It was hard that silversmiths from Inverness and Aberdeen and other places should be compelled to send their plate to Edinburgh or Glasgow to be stamped.
§ The Chancellor of the Exchequersaid, this was an exception to the principle to which he was as much attached as his hon. Friend. The public had no means of knowing what they purchased, and had a right to protection. He had not understood that the system in England was objected to.
§ Dr. Bowringsaid, that the matter should be left to buyer and seller. Buyers of plate should be allowed to purchase it of any fineness. Other countries had emancipated themselves from this absurd system. Legislative interference with manufactures and commerce tended only to clog and embarrass what it was meant to aid.
§ Mr. Chisholmwould not oppose the principle of the Bill, but suggested a proviso that nothing in it should prevent the establishment of an assay-office in any town not within a certain distance of Edinburgh and Glasgow.
§ The Attorney-Generaldefended the necessity of the measure, which, he said, was called for by the trade as well as by the consumers in Scotland.
§ The House divided:—Ayes 66; Noes 8; Majority 58.
| List of the AYES. | |
| Adam, Sir C. | Brotherton, J. |
| Bagshaw, J. | Brownrigg, J. S. |
| Baldwin, Dr. | Chalmers, P. |
| Baring, F. T. | Chetwynd, Captain |
| Bernal, R. | Clive, Viscount |
| Bish, T. | Clive, hon. R. H. |
| Blamire, W. | Collier, J. |
| Brady, D. C. | Crawford, W. S. |
| Bridgeman, H. | Dalmeny, Lord |
| Donkin, Sir R. | Palmerston, Viscount |
| Dunbar, G. | Price, Sir R. |
| Duncombe, T. | Pryme, G. |
| Etwall, R. | Rice, rt. hon. T. S. |
| Ferguson R. | Robinson, G. R. |
| Forbes, W. | Rolfe, Sir R. M. |
| Freshfield, J. W. | Russell, Lord John |
| Grey, Sir G. | Shaw, right hon. F. |
| Hamilton, G. A. | Smith, Robert V. |
| Hawkins, J. H. | Steuart, R. |
| Hay, Sir A. L. | Talbot, J. H. |
| Heathcoat, J. | Tancred, H. W. |
| Hobhouse, right hon. | Thomson, rt. hn. C. P. |
| Sir J. | Thornley, T. |
| Howick, Viscount | Tooke, W. |
| Knightley, Sir C. | Vesey, hon. T, |
| Labouchere, rt. hn. H. | Wakley, T. |
| Lennox, Lord A. | Walker, C. A. |
| Lushington, Dr. | Westenra, hon. J. C. |
| Lushington, C. | Williams, W. A. |
| Mackinnon, W. A. | Wood, Alderman |
| M'Namara, Major | Yorke, E.T. |
| Mahon, Viscount | Young, G. F. |
| Maule, hon. F. | |
| Maunsell, T. P. | TELLERS. |
| Morpeth, Viscount | Gordon, R. |
| O'Brien, C. | Campbell, Sir J. |
| List of the NOES. | |
| Aglionby, H. A. | Leader, J. T. |
| Buckingham, J. S. | Thompson, Colonel |
| Elphinstone, H. | |
| Hector, C. J. | TELLERS. |
| Hindley, C. | Hume, J. |
| Hutt, W. | Bowring, Dr. |
§ The Bill read a third time and passed