rose to put the
house in possession of the course which government intended now to
pursue. After explaining the nature of the sugar duties, and their
views in the proposed alterations, and asserting that he believed a
concurrence between the friends and the opponents of ministers had been
concerted in the late division, he said the course which government
would now take, and on which all members would be free, who had not
engaged to vote for Mr. Miles's proposal of 20s., would be to propose,
as an amendment, that 24s. should be the duty. They wished it to
be known in the countries east of the Cape what the intentions of
government were. Sir Robert Peel went on to explain the reasons why he
did not content himself with merely proposing a renewal of the present
sugar duties; after which, he said, that he was not insensible to
the impediments which had been opposed to the progress of ministerial
legislation. In certain of their measures, government had failed to
obtain the approbation of some whose support they valued: but they were
not prepared to purchase that approbation at the price of refraining
from the policy which they deemed essential to the welfare of the
country. They had felt it their duty to make a relaxation of duties;
in that course they held it their duty to persevere: and he was anxious
that on so important an occasion there should be no deception and no
reserve. Lord John Russell considered that the proposal of Sir Robert
Peel was neither more nor less than that the house should retract its
former vote, and thus disgrace itself with the country. For his own part
he was not much moved by their threats of quitting office, as he had not
been one of the general supporters of the government. He justified
the degree of concert which had taken place between Mr. Miles and the
opposition; and asked if there had not also been a combination on his
side. In conclusion, he warned the house that if they gave Sir Robert
Peel the victory on this occasion, they would henceforth be wholly in
his power. Mr. P. Miles denied that the conspiracy existed of which the
right honourable baronet had spoken, and expressed his regret that he
intended to persevere with his bill: he should have thought he would
have been justified in paying due deference to the decision of a
majority of that house, and postponing his measure till another session.
Messrs. Cochrane and Labouchere opposed; and Sir Howard Douglas, and
Messrs. Kemble and Wa