motion, which had been placed before the house by
Lord Palmerston; but that noble lord had omitted an
important sentence, which barred any claim to compensation.
Mr. Gladstone recommended, as the best
means of reconciling all parties, the adoption of certain
modifications of the original motion, as contained in
the amendment of Lord Palmerston. He did not think it
necessary that the question of compensation should be
settled in a motion directed simply to the purpose of
establishing the policy of free-trade.—Mr. T. DUNCOMBE
thought it a very pretty quarrel as it stood.
He ridiculed the notion of modifying the original
motion, and recommended that the house should
adjourn to enable the hon. gentlemen to settle their
differences.—Lord PALMERSTON said that he had been
indebted to Sir James Graham for a considerable portion
of his amendment, the policy of which he now
defended, as calculated to reconcile all parties.—Sir E.
B. LYTTON thought it very important that they should
adopt that form of words that would best satisfy the
house and the people out of doors. The various
motions before them had all some recommendations of
their own; but under present circumstances it was
inexpedient to hesitate about mere verbal phrases.
They should lay aside their party feelings for the sake
of a great principle, and it seemed to him that
the great principle under consideration was most
likely to meet the general approbation of the house
under the form of Lord Palmerston's amendment.—
The Marquis of GRANBY could neither agree to the
motion nor to any of the amendments. The present
prosperity of the country was not owing to recent
legislation, but to other causes; or if recent legislation
had anything to do with it, that prosperity could not
last. He was not going to oppose himself to the general
verdict of the country against protection, but his
opinions on the subject remained unchanged.—The
CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER made some
observations with regard to imputations cast upon him by
several of the preceding speakers. He had done everything
in his power on behalf of the land of England,
which he believed to have been unjustly treated by recent
legislation; at the same time that he must confess that
that legislation had, as far as cheapening provisions was
concerned, contributed to the welfare of the working
classes. The right hon, gentleman who appeared—and
indeed described himself to be—labouring under some
indisposition, defended the terms of her Majesty's
speech, which had been complained of in that and the
preceding debate, and justified the conduct of the
ministry generally. With regard to the motion and
amendments before the house, he refused to give up
the question of "compensation," but between the
proposition of the government and that of Lord Palmerston
he saw no real difference whatever.—Lord J. RUSSELL,
while fully and entirely concurring in the original
motion, suggested that from the various amendments
before the house, a motion might be drawn up calculated
to reconcile all parties.—Mr. CORDEN ridiculed
the idea of compensating any particular interest. If
that principle was entertained the whole battle must be
fought over again, as the government would find it just
as easy to cheat the people through the medium of
a tax-gatherer as by a corn law.—After an indignant
speech from Mr. NEWDEGATE, and an explanation
from Mr. Gladstone.—Mr. VILLIERS rose on the
general call of the house and delivered an effective
speech, the effect of which was that he rejected any
modification of his motion, and pressed for a division.
—After a few words from Mr. Barrow and Mr. Stanhope,
Sir J. GRAHAM withdrew his motion for
adjournment.—The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
said he should not be able to bring forward his
financial statement on the day he had intended for that
purpose (the 26th).

The adjourned debate on Mr. Villiers' Resolutions
was then resumed. When the order of the day had
been read, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said,
that after the resolution proposed by Lord Palmerston,
and the opinions expressed in favour of it, it would
simplify the course of the debate if he (the Chancellor
of the Exchequer) withdrew his amendment. The
amendment having been accordingly withdrawn, Lord
PALMERSTON then formally moved his amendment,
which was as follows: "That it is the opinion of this
house, that the improved condition of the country, and
especially of the industrious classes, is mainly the result
of recent legislation, which has established the principle
of unrestricted competition, has abolished taxes imposed
for the purposes of protection, and has thereby
diminished the cost and increased the abundance of the
principal articles of the food of the people. That it is
the opinion of this house, that this policy, firmly
maintained and prudently extended, will best enable the
industry of the country to bear its burthens, and will
thereby most surely promote the welfare and contentment
of the people. That this house will be ready to
take into consideration any measures consistent with
these principles which, in pursuance of her Majesty's
gracious speech and recommendation, may be laid
before it.'—Mr. BOOKER delivered an address in
favour of protection, and against both the motion and
the remaining (Lord Palmerston's) amendment.—Mr. B.
OSBORNE complained in indignant terms of the course
taken by Lord Palmerston and his supporters in
breaking up the unanimity on that side of the house.
Passing from that subject to the speech of the
Chancellor of the Exchequer on the opening night of the
debate, the assertions contained in which he denounced
and denied, the hon. gentleman observed (amidst roars
of laughter from the house, who evidently
misinterpreted his meaning), that Mr. Disraeli seemed to have
taken a leaf from a great French writer—he did not
allude to M Thiers, but to the revolutionary leader,
Danton, who laid down the principle that audacity was
the secret of success. The hon. gentleman then
proceeded, with a continual accompaniment of laughter
and cheers, to deal out a succession of hard hits against
various members of the government and their
supporters, by quoting (Mr. Disraeli, he said, had set the
example of quoting) from their protectionist speeches
and proceedings ever since 1846, which he contrasted
with the declaration of the heads of the government
that they had never attempted to reverse the system of
free trade. He ridiculed the notion that any forbearance,
or what was called "gentlemanlike consideration,"
should be exercised in favour of a party that had
stigmatised Sir Robert Peel as the "arch-enemy of the
human race," and had behaved throughout with
uniform equivocation and duplicity. The sudden
conversion of the ministers was at any rate suspicious, and
he asked the house if they believed it to be sincere.
Mr. Disraeli was "a great state conjuror,'' unequalled
since the days of the celebrated Ramo Samee—an
Indian gentleman who only swallowed swords, while
the Chancellor of the Exchequer had swallowed as
many as three amendments in one night. He warned
the house not to place confidence in "a gang of political
latitudinarians," who had no belief, "except in the
existence of the Treasury benches," and "the
perpetuity of place."—Mr. BALL followed in a protectionist
oration, in which he defended the farmers as an
intellectual class of men, condemned the cheapness of
commodities as the sign of approaching ruin, and objected
generally to the present prosperity of the country.—Mr.
PHILLIMORE supported Mr Villiers' motion, and Mr.
BENTINCK supported the government.—Sir W. PAGE
WOOD considered that under present circumstances the
house would stultify itself, and act an inconsistent part,
by adopting any other resolution than that of Mr.
Villiers. They would be denying that the legislation,
which had done so much for the country, was either
"wise, just," or "beneficial," for those were the three
words upon which they seemed to hang.—After some
observations from Sir John PAKINGTON, the debate was
adjourned.

               PROGRESS OF BUSINESS.

House of Lords.—Nov. 11. Parliament opened by Her Majesty.
—Address agreed to.

15th.—Duke of Wellington's Funeral Committee appointed.

16th—Statement by Lord St. Leonard's as to Reforms in
Chancery-Bills, Bills of Exchange, Bill (on account of the
suspension of business on the I8th) received from the Commons,
carried through, and passed.

House, of Commons.—Nov. 11th. Address in answer to Her
Majesty's Speech agreed to.