MR. PACKEcould not allow the debate to close—he meant the debate on the Motion for Adjournment—for it had quite assumed the character of a debate—without adverting to the speech of the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who opened the 244 discussion by anticipating a question which was to be put to him with regard to the agricluture of this kingdom. The right hon. Gentleman had said that farmers had benefited by free trade, and had challenged any man to rise and contradict that statement. Now, he (Mr. Packe) knew that in 1849, 1850, and 1851 the farmers were, in consequence of free trade measures, principally as regarded corn, in a very distressed state; and with regard to graziers, there was scarcely one who had taken his oxen to market who had not suffered a severe loss by their contracting virulent diseases, introduced by the importation of foreign cattle. The consequence of free trade had been that the small farmers had been swept away, while those with large capital had been able to go on. He thought it his duty to state, on the part of the farmers of this country, who were the most patient people on the face of the earth, that though they had kept their heads above water, they had not been able to make the profits of former years. The Budget must prove most injurious to the farmers, for the importation of wine must lessen the consumption of malt.
§ SIR JOHN PAKINGTONsaid, as there had been discussions on so many different subjects, he was glad to see his right hon. Friend the Member for Kilmarnock (Mr. Bouverie) in his place, and he hoped he had taken a note of that evening's proceedings. He would certainly encourage his right hon. Friend to make another attempt to stop this practice, which was evidently growing beyond all reasonable bounds, of creating a miscellaneous debate on the Motion for Adjournment until Monday.
§ LORD ADOLPHUS VANE-TEMPEST,in explanation, said, he had by no means intended to cast an imputation on the conduct of so distinguished a Member of the House as the hon. Member for Bridgwater. By his observations he had simply meant to express his regret that the hon. Gentleman had displayed a spirit of "convenient amiability" in postponing his Motion at the suggestion of the noble Lord the Secretary for Foreign Affairs.
§ MR. ROEBUCKIf there has been more than the usual divergence upon the part of hon. Members to-night into a variety of topics, that circumstance, I think, is due to the right hon. Gentleman the Chancellor of the Exchequer, who has led the way in the dance by making a speech upon his Budget in moving the adjournment of the House until Monday.