Lord Ellenboroughasked, whether it would be convenient to the noble and learned Lord on the woolsack, that he should then proceed with his Motion respecting the Duties on Timber.
The Lord Chancellorwas sorry that any judicial arrangements of his should interfere with his noble friend in any Motion he might have to bring forward, nor should he allow them to do so; but he had on that evening to meet the Judges, to consult with them on a case on which it was important that they should be consulted; and as they were about to set out on their circuits, it was desirable that his meeting with them should not be delayed. If, therefore, his noble friend would defer his Motion till to-morrow, it would be a convenience to him.
§ The Marquis of Lansdown, in reference to what had fallen from the noble Lord (Ellenborough) on the subject of the exports from India, assured him that he was one who thought the trade should be protected, for the importance of the interests connected with that trade could not be overlooked.
§ The Duke of Wellingtonsaid, he could not concur with the noble Earl (Grey) that it would be desirable that their Lordships should wait in considering a question of the nature of that introduced by his noble friend (Lord Ellenborough) until Resolutions on the subject had been submitted in another place. No Resolutions had, it was true, yet been submitted, but it was true that a great financial statement had been made—in fact, the. Budget of the year had been brought forward— in that other place, before any resolutions were submitted, and before the Supplies had been voted, or before even the. Estimates for the year had been known in that place. It was no wonder, then, that his noble friend should desire information on the subject to which he referred, without waiting for the Resolutions to be submitted 624 elsewhere. He did not object that a statement of the kind should have been made, but he thought that the Supplies should have been voted before the Ways and Means were considered. The public ought to have the whole case before them; but at present all they knew was, that an alteration was to take place in some taxes, that others were to be taken off, and part of the plan so put forth had been already abandoned.
§ Earl Greywished to know from the noble Lord (Ellenborough) whether, in introducing the subject of the timber duties, it was his intention to enter upon the general subject of our trade, or the whole policy of the plans of Government on that subject; because, if he did, he should hope the noble Lord would not do so in the absence of his noble friend, the Secretary for the Colonies, who was prevented from being in his place by indisposition. Perhaps, therefore, if his noble friend should not be able to attend to-morrow, the noble Lord would not object to put off his Motion till Monday.
Lord Ellenboroughsaid, that he did not object to the principle of the timber duties, but to the manner in which the modification was to take place; and in noticing the subject, it was not his intention to enter into other questions of trade; but under any circumstances, he would rather not bring forward his Motion in the absence of the noble Viscount, the Secretary for the Colonies. He would therefore defer it to any day when it might be convenient to the noble Viscount to attend.