f Ripon. The Duke of
Richmond moved that the bill be read a second time that day six months;
feeling it to be a measure likely to inflict a deadly blow upon
British agriculture and the national greatness. The debate continued
by adjournment up to Thursday the 28th of May, most of the peers
being anxious to deliver their sentiments on this great subject.
Lord Ash-burton justified the principles of protection. The system of
protection, he said, was founded upon three grounds: it was necessary
in order to secure industry; it secured us against dependence on foreign
countries for food; and there were peculiar burdens upon the land, for
which landowners were entitled to compensation. The debate was closed by
the Duke of Wellington, who justified the measure in an emphatic speech,
and warned their lordships, that if they rejected it, it would only be
to have another brought before them. On a division, the second reading
was carried by a majority of two hundred and eleven against one hundred
and sixty-four.

The customs' duties bill was read a first time, after the stern
opposition of the Duke of Richmond, in the house of lords, on the 20th
of May. The second reading was moved by the Earl of Dalhousie on the 4th
of June; in doing which is lordship stated generally the ground on which
it was based. The noble lord went through the detail of the several
articles of the tariff on which reductions were proposed, and concluded
by repudiating the notion that the measure was one of pure free trade,
and therefore did not go far enough: it was no free-trade measure at
all; but one for the removal of prohibitive, and the gradual repeal of
protective duties. The Duke of Richmond said, that after the decision to
which their lordships had come on the corn-importation bill, he felt it
was little use to trouble them with any remarks; and therefore he should
content himself with moving that the bill be read a second time that
day six months. After a few words from the Earl of Wicklow and Lord
Ashburton against the bill, and from Earl Grey and Lord Monteagle in its
support, the bill was read a second time, and ordered to be committed on
Monday week. Before proceeding with the tariff, however, their lordships
went into committee on the corn-importation bill. The first night of
the committee's sitting was Friday, June 12th; and the opponents of the
measure brought forward so many amendments, that the several clauses
were not gone through till the