ABSTRACT
The new House of Commons was soon to be tested as to the Corn Law. On the 17th of May, Mr. Whitmore moved a declaration to the effect, that instead of producing equality of prices, and thereby a permanent good, it had produced a contrary effect, and tended injuriously to cramp trade. Mr. Hume, amid much outcry, denied that any peculiar burthen fell on trade. Mr. Feargus O’Connor, Mr. G. Heathcote, and others, resisted the motion, and Lord Althorp» Chancellor of the Exchequer and leader in the Commons, took the same side, on the ground that then to agitate the question, when they would not have an opportunity of setting it at rest, owing to the quantity of other business before Parliament, would be the most unwise thing they could do; and so the question was settled for that session. Jeremy Bentham, who had gone to his grave after all opposition to the Reform Bill had been removed, rejoicing in his last days that the freedom of trade which he had always advocated, was about to be triumphant, could scarcely have anticipated that the “not-the-time” plea would so soon have been used by the reform ministers. “Importance of the business,” he had said in his Book of Fallacies, “extreme difficulty of the business—danger of innovation—need of caution and circumspection—impossibility of foreseeing all consequences —every thing should be gradual—one thing at a time— this is not the time—great occupation at present—wait for more leisure;—such is the prattle which the man in office, who, understanding nothing, understands that he must have something to say on every subject, shouts out among his auditors as a succedaneum of thought.”
