§ MR. A. JOHNSTONsaid, he would beg to ask Mr. Chancellor of the Exchequer, Whether he is prepared to comply with the wishes of a large number of eminent firms in the City of London, by giving orders to the Custom House authorities throughout the kingdom to receive all Duties from this day forward under Custom House Certificates that such amount paid as Import Duties shall be returned to the parties who shall have paid them after this day, provided the House shall eventually decide to take off the said Duty?
§ THE CHANCELLOR OF THE EXCHEQUERsaid, in reply, that the question had been carefully considered, and the Government thought that they would best discharge their duty by adhering to the determination he had announced, that the duty should be collected for the purpose of revenue up to the 1st of June, and after that date that it should cease, if the House gave its consent to the proposals of the Government.