§ Mr. Turnersaid, he held in his hand a letter which he had received from two gentlemen engaged in the wine-trade. It detailed the particulars of an interview with the right hon. Baronet (Sir R. Peel) and the Chancellor of the Exchequer, oft the subject of the present state of the trade. It appeared from that tetter, that the right hon. Baronet and the Chancellor of the Exchequer had declared themselves ready to accede to some preposition which would have the effect of somewhat relieving the trade with respect to the stock on hand. What he 102 wished to ask of the right hon. Baronet,! was, how far that statement was correct?
§ Sir R. Peelmust assume, from what the hon. Member said, that the communication was genuine, but tinder the circumstances he must say that its publication was unwarranted. It was true that he and his right hon. Friend the Chancellor of the Exchequer had had an inter view with some gentlemen connected with; the wine-trade, as they had had with deputations representing the interests of other commercial bodies. They had listened to the statements made in this case, but had not pledged themselves to anything except to the fact that they would give the subject their best consideration. Now, under such circumstances, he must say that the publication of what occurred at that interview was altogether unjustifiable; and still more so, when he and his right hon. Friend were represented as assenting to a particular proposition, respecting which they had only promised that they would give the subject their best consideration. It was greatly discouraging to Members of the Government, in consenting to interviews affecting particular interests, to have accounts i of them prematurely laid before the public, and that in a manner which might lead to very erroneous conclusions respecting them.