Unless, indeed, Government and the House prefer in the first instance fresh inquiries through a Committee or Royal Commission, in behalf of which course it is fair to allege the circumstance that artisans and operatives were not represented among the witnesses in former investigations, I submit that this motion ought to be at once adopted. Such action on our part will commend, and, in a sense, inaugurate, a principle which the nations of the world, who copied our present system, will not be slow to appreciate and embrace. Restoration of that effete system to its earlier moderate dimensions—rectification, however thorough, of the wrongs it involves towards inventors, will not suffice, and need not be attempted. The time has come, not for palliatives nor remedies, but for removal out of the way. [2] Another illustration naively presented us, even by Mr. Hindmarch, of the characteristic logic and boldness of the Patent interest, which may surprise “inventors’ friends” accustomed to rely that our system of Patents is legal and constitutional, will be found in the Appendix. [3] What would Adam Smith think of his commentator? SPEECH OF SIR R. PALMER, K.B., M.P. Sir ROUNDELL PALMER, in seconding the motion, said he had long felt convinced that this subject was one of great and growing importance, which it would be necessary at an early period to bring before the attention of the House. He rejoiced that it had been undertaken by a practical man like the honourable member for Leith, who could speak upon it, not under the influence of any of the partial views which possibly those who looked at it from a lawyer’s point of view might be thought by some to entertain, whether they were in favour of or against Patents. He was glad to find that practical men like his honourable friend had arrived at conclusions which, in their broad principles, were substantially the same as those to which many members of the legal profession, who had had a good deal of opportunity of observing that matter, had in common with himself, come. He was bound to state that he thought the time had arrived rather for opening than for concluding the discussion of that subject; and, therefore, he hoped he should not be thought to do anything inconsistent with the duty he had undertaken in seconding his honourable friend’s motion, when he said at once that, for his own part, he was inclined to go to the root of the matter and abolish Patents altogether, and not attempt to substitute even such a system—although it might probably be preferable in many respects to the present system—of rewards, as his honourable friend had mentioned. Of course those who derived benefit—whether they were the public or were private individuals—from the discoveries that might be made if Patents ceased to exist, might always take into consideration the value they received, and pay for that benefit, as he believed the Government now did, although it was not bound by Patents, with respect to improvements