The motion was supported by
Messrs. Estcourt and Hawes, and opposed by Mr. Tracy and Sir Robert
Peel. The latter said, that if the house agreed to this motion, they
would strike a fatal blow at the principles of competition, and teach
the most eminent of living architects to rue the day when, in compliance
with an invitation of the house of commons, they sent in plans which had
the misfortune to be found entitled to preference. The question raised
was, not whether they should finally resolve to adopt Mr. Barry's plan,
but whether they would declare all the proceedings that had been taken
to be null. There was not even an implied engagement with Mr. Barry;
there was only a _prima facie_ presumption that his plan was entitled to
a preference. Mr. Hume, on seeing the general feeling of the house was
against his proposition, withdrew it; at the same time he considered
that his arguments had not only been unanswered, but that they were
unanswerable.

On the 3rd of May Mr. Grantley Berkeley renewed his proposition for
admitting ladies to the debates, by moving a resolution, "that it is
the opinion of this house that the resolution of the select committee
appointed in 1835 to consider the means of admitting ladies to a portion
of the stranger's gallery, together with the plan of Sir R. Smirke,
should be adopted, and that means should be taken to carry it into
effect with as little delay as possible." This resolution was carried by
a majority of one hundred and thirty-two against ninety. The chancellor
of the exchequer accordingly proposed among the miscellaneous estimates,
a grant of L400 to defray the expenses of fitting up an adequate portion
of the gallery; but after a few words from the Earl of Lincoln against
the motion and Lord Palmerston in favour of it, the grant was refused by
a majority of forty-two against twenty-eight.

MOTION FOR THE REDUCTION OF TAXATION ON BEHALF OF THE AGRICULTURISTS.

The complaints of the agricultural class of the community still
continued. On the 8th of February Lord John Russell proposed the
appointment of a select committee, in order to inquire into the distress
complained of. His lordship said, that whenever any great branch
of national industry was materially depressed, it was the duty of
parliament to give a favourable consideration to the complaints of those
engaged in it, to ascertain the facts of the case, and, if possible, to
devise a remedy: the proposition arose more from