Page:History of the Anti corn law league.pdf/341

Rh the starvation of the people was the "subject" of much merriment to honourable members. Mr. W. Ewart had asked if Sir Robert Peel would have any objection to the appointment of a committee of inquiry as to the "peculiar burthens" on land, before proceeding with his Corn Bill? Sir Robert smartly said:"My answer is, that I have proposed a measure which will reduce the present duty on wheat from 22s. to about 10s., or something in that proportion. I hope the honourable gentleman will unite in passing my bill into a law as speedily as possible." Loud peals of laughter from all parts of the house showed how the wit was relished. Mr. Milnes was peculiarly fortunate in raising such laughs. When he said that Mr. Buller had appealed not only to the passions, but to the appetites of the people, there were loud bursts of laughter, as if it had been a capital joke against the argument for the repeal of the Corn Law, that the starving ought to have food. Again were the roars of laughter renewed, when he described Mr. Villiers as "the solitary Robinson Crusoe, standing on the barren rock of Corn-Law repeal." Those "merry descants on a nations woes," were in admirable keeping with the whole system of heartless legislation in a house that called itself representative of the people. When Dr. Bowring, to show that in handicrafts in which machinery was not applied there had been a great reduction of wages, took shoemaking and tailoring as illustrations, there was much merriment excited. He said that women were going about crying for work, and there was loud laughter; that women were making men's trousers for sixpence a pair, and there was loud laughter; that he saw thousands around him hungry and naked, and there and when he asked what was to become of the women of Manchester, there were peals of loud laughter! The "hear, hears," recorded were about as indecent as the " laughter," every falsehood stated by Ferrand, of the cruelty of the manufacturers, was followed