The Earl of Liverpoolgave notice, that he would, if nothing in the interim should happen to make it necessary to put off the motion to a further day, on Monday se'nnight, bring under the consideration of their lordships the subject of the Corn-laws.
The Earl of Lauderdalewished to know the nature of the proposition intended to be brought forward, and he would tell the noble earl his reason for so wishing. When the people of this country were about to express their opinion on the subject of any alteration in the Corn-laws, it was recommended to them, by the friends of ministers, to refrain from any expression of disapprobation until such time as the proposition which ministers intended to submit to parliament should be made known. Now, he thought that, after the propositions were made, not only the two Houses, but the public ought to have time to examine, and express their opinion upon them. If they had not time for this, they would be entrapped into a measure which, he would say, was one of the most important, both politically and economically, ever agitated.
The Earl of Liverpoolsaid, he felt the importance of the subject as much as the noble earl did, and should never think of 405 calling upon parliament for any opinion upon it on the day on which he should bring forward his proposition.
The Earl of Lauderdalesaid, he wished that the country should have sufficient time to express its opinion; The noble lord must see that what he had stated did not meet his Objection, because he had prefaced his observations by saying, that the adherents of ministers had recommended that no expression of public feeling should take place, and told the people to wait until ministers should bring forward their proposition, and then there would be time enough to give their opinion. This proceeding put him in mind of an anecdote told by his father-in-law. As he was stepping into his carriage, his coachman came up to him, and said, "As I know, Sir, that you like to be consulted, I think it right to inform you that I was married yesterday." Now, the two Houses of parliament were to give their decision on the noble lord's proposition first, and the country was to be consulted on the subject afterwards. What he wished distinctly to know was, whether the noble earl intended to allow sufficient time for the public at large to express an opinion.
The Earl of Liverpoolreally did not know what the noble lord's calculation of sufficient time might be. All he could say was, that after he had submitted his proposition to their lordships, he should allow a reasonable time to intervene before he called upon them for their decision upon it.