The Earl of Radnorsaid, he had to move for certain returns relative to the importation of corn, to which he understood there would be no objection, and he would take that opportunity of asking the noble Lord the President of the Council to state what were the grounds of the hope which he expressed on a former evening that trade would improve. He was anxious to hear those grounds, not from any impertinent curiosity, but from the desire he felt to hear of anything which would give a prospect of any improvement in the condition of the country. That distress prevailed to a great and alarming extent was admitted on all hands. Indeed, almost every person who spoke on the subject in that or the other House, or in the country, had but one opinion on it—all, all admitted the fact; but with some there was a " nevertheless," as if we were to get on to our former prosperous condition as a matter of course. Now, he did not find fault with those who were sanguine enough to entertain such hopes; but when they were expressed in high and authoritative quarters, he should like to hear the grounds on which they rested. For his own part, everything he saw or heard, or read in the public papers, would lead him to come to a conclusion very different from those who looked to the future with such hopes. One account mentioned in the other House stated that there were in Paisley not less than 1,700 persons moving about in a state of utter destitution. Another account given by a gentleman from Nottingham stated, that large numbers of unemployed 488 persons were roaming about the country in bands asking for alms, and, though they did no more than ask for relief, yet it was in such a significant manner that few persons considered it safe to refuse them. He had also heard that several of the fire insurance-offices had sent directions to their agents through the country, enjoining on them not to give insurances upon agricultural produce until they had made the most searching inquiries into the state of feeling in the particular district, and also, as to whether the person whose produce was to be insured was popular with his workmen. In this alarming state of the country, it would he quite satisfactory to hear from the noble Lord opposite the grounds on which on a former evening he had expressed a hope that trade would get better. The noble Lord then read the motion. It was for returns showing the actual quantity of wheat imported and admitted into bond in each week, from the passing of the late act relating to the importation of foreign corn to the latest period to which the same could be made out, distinguishing the price and the rate of duty in each week.
§ Lord Wharncliffethought it hard to be called upon in this way, and as it were taken by surprise, to state the grounds on which he had given an opinion on a former evening. One ground of his hope was in the measures which had been adopted by Government, and which he had no doubt, if allowed to work fairly, would be greatly beneficial to the country. That, at least, was his own opinion, and he saw in it good ground of hope for improvement. The Corn-law, as it had passed the Legislature, was calculated to be beneficial, if fairly tried; but it would be impossible that trade could he healthy while the Corn-law agitation was carried on through the country, and while it was made to seem uncertain whether Government was firm and strong enough to maintain the Corn-law in its present state. He would again contend that if that law was allowed to work fairly it would do much good. The working of the new tariff also, in his opinion, afforded good ground for hope of improvement.
The Marquess of Clanricardewished to know what the noble Lord meant when he said the late Corn-law would do much good? That character of the act would, he fancied, be differently interpreted by 489 different parties, for it was well known that some voted for the late act in the belief that it would raise the price of corn, while others supported it in the hope that it would lower that price.
Lord Wharnclifesaid, that his notion of the Corn-law was this, and his meaning in using the term to which the noble Marquess referred was the same, that it would have the effect of keeping prices steady, and of enabling trade to be carried on with fair play, which would be the case if the corn agitation ceased.
The Earl of Radnorwas afraid, that if trade had not fair play until the Corn-law agitation was at an end, it would never have it until the cause of that agitation was removed.