"Since the commencement of the month, several parcels of China
raw silk have changed hands at rather lower prices than in
December last. The manufacturers, finding a great falling off
in the sale of their goods, have shown but little disposition
to purchase. This, with the announcement of the public
sales which are now in progress, has caused great dulness
throughout the manufacturing districts. East India and China
piece-goods--the demand for which has suddenly diminished; and
prices for all sorts are lower, except good and fine Corahs
(which for some months past have been very scarce.) These have
sold at previous rates; but all other descriptions have been
unsaleable."
This is at best but April prosperity--gloom and brightness,
intermingled sunshine and showers.
In a very few days we shall learn how Ministers are to meet the
opposition which the absurd and incoherent financial statement of Sir
Charles Wood has provoked. We have seen bad budgets before, but this is
incomparably the worst that was ever devised. The obnoxious and unjust
Income Tax is to be renewed, solely for the purpose of bolstering
up Free Trade, and the removal of the Window Duties is to be nearly
neutralised by the imposition of a house tax! The "happy family,"
it must be owned, have an especial talent for making themselves
universally unpopular.
The result of the division on Mr Disraeli's motion cannot fail to be
very cheering to those who look for the advent of better times, and
more enlightened legislation. It marks the progress which has been
made, even in the present Parliament, from which we had so little to
expect; and it will be our own fault if the advantage is not pursued.
We would earnestly recommend to the serious perusal and consideration
of all, but more especially the landlords of Great Britain, the
emphatic peroration of Mr Disraeli in his admirable reply:--"I
hope honourable gentlemen will not be frightened by threats, from
whatever quarter they may come. I hope there is still so much spirit
in gentlemen of the United Kingdom, that they will not be daunted
even by the mystical reference of the First Minister, or the more
authoritative, more decided threats that may reach them from any
other quarter. I hope honourable gentlemen, if they believe they are
doing their duty by supporting this motion--and let no man support it
who does not believe that he is doing his duty--will feel in future
that their part is one of more activity in defending the interests of
the tenantry of this country. This is mainly a farmers' question. No
one has met my argument about rent, which showed the fallacy of that
barbarous slang that has been too long prevalent. It is a farmers'
question. Upon the farmers the pressure for years has been too severe;
it is now increasing. From motives I call appreciate, and feelings
of delicacy I can comprehend, the owners of the soil have not stood
Public-domain text, read in full here on John Shaqi.
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