§ Earl Fitzwilliam, in presenting a petition from Liverpool against the Corn-laws, said, that the mercantile community formed a body not unworthy of their Lordships' attention. Their dealings and opinions entitle them to it. It was to them the country owed its power and pre-eminence in Europe: to them, let him say their Lordships owed their own wealth and station in society. This petition proceeded from a meeting convened by the Mayor of Liverpool, and was signed by him on behalf of the merchants, bankers, and other inhabitants who attended it. It prayed that the hardships which the people so long suffered from a partial and exclusive system might be removed. The second petition proceeded from a meeting similarly convened, and second only in commercial importance to that of Liverpool. It was from the mayor, aldermen, and burgesses of Kingston-upon-Hull. The next was from the mayor, aldermen, and councillors of the borough of Derby; and the next from the mayor, aldermen, and councillors of the borough of Wigan. He had, besides, eighty-one petitions, signed by 36,000 persons, to the same effect, knowing there was one from Boston, than which there was no town more dependent on agriculture for support.
§ Lord Wynfordwished to know whether these petitioners were willing to forego the advantage they derived from the protection afforded to their manufactures?
§ Earl FitzwilliamYes. And all the petitions from the great manufacturing towns this year stated the wish of the inhabitants to be, that they should receive no greater protection than other classes. But even if they were not willing to give up the protecting duties, that furnished no argument in support of the Corn-laws; for the protection to agriculture far exceeded thirty per cent., the degree guaranteed to our manufactures when our commercial system underwent a revision some years back. Foreign corn could not be imported until the price reached at least 65s., and thus the agriculturist enjoyed not merely the benefit of the duty on foreign corn when the price was high, but of a practical prohibition up to that period.
The Marquess of Salisburysaid, he saw 1149 by the petition from Liverpool, that it did not proceed from the corporation.
§ Earl FitzwilliamThe noble Marquess had taken an exception to this petition which was unworthy of his station or character. He had never said the petition proceeded from the corporation. It was of more value than if it had, for it was not confined to the corporation, but emanated from the whole body of the inhabitants. It could not well be distinguished by a more authoritative character. The noble Marquess would not, surely, say that the wealth and intelligence of the town were confined to the members of the corporation. The noble Marquess was too well acquainted with Liverpool to make such an assertion. [The Marquess of Salisbury: "Hear, hear."] Oh! he saw the noble Marquess chuckled over the inference, that because he stated that there were persons of wealth and intelligence extrinsic to the corporation, men of the same characteristics were not to be found within. His words, however, bore no such construction.
The Marquess of Salisburyexplained, and said, that all he meant to convey was, that it did not appear who were the persons attending this meeting, and he should be now entitled to move its rejection, as it purported to be from the mayor, bankers, &c, of Liverpool, whereas it was signed only by the mayor. He wished to know from the clerk how he had entered it?
§ Petitions laid on the table.