and political aspects, he asked:—"What does the Duke of Wellington, who does not say what he does not mean, assert to be the object of the Corn Laws? The maintenance of the landed aristocracy in their present social position in this country. The right honourable gentleman the Paymaster of the Forces made a similar declaration not long ago. (Hear, hear.) When the right honourable baronet (Sir R. Peel) comes down to the House, and reads tables of corn imported, and manufactured goods exported, I assert that it savours of the same spirit. It seems to say, 'You have so much trade are you not satisfied? See what we have permitted you to have in reward for your exertions and industry.' The real question is as to the amount of trade which these laws have prevented; not what the manufacturers now enjoy, but what they might enjoy under a free trade. (Hear, hear.) Then the noble lord the member for North Lancashire got up a scene yesterday evening, about a petition from the landowners, manufacturers, and farmers of North Lancashire, with 16,000 signatures:"
"Lord Stanley: No, no.
"Mr. Gibson:Were they farmers or manufacturers?
"Lord Stanley: There were half the manufacturers of Preston and Blackburn.
"Mr. Gibson: There might be; but I want to know what proportion of the whole 16,000 were manufacturers. I very much doubt, if these persons had known that the petition was for the maintenance of the graduated scale, whether they would have signed the petition. If the noble lord was so confident that protection would benefit the manufacturers, I wish the noble lord, as member for North Lancashire, would rise in his place, and say that he was convinced he conferred a great benefit on his constituents by supporting the right honourable baronet's Corn Law. Will the noble lord undertake to rise in his place, and say that that was his conscientious belief?
"Lord Stanley: Yes, I say so.
"Mr. Gibson: Upon the manufacturers?
"Lord Stanley: I represent agriculturists and manufacturers, and I believe I am conferring a benefit on the manufacturers by doing so.
