Page:History of merchant shipping and ancient commerce (Volume 3).djvu/282

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extend to every country similar concessions as were extended to them. Such was the impression on both the contending parties. As to Mr. Bouverie's amendment, though it, in some degree, resembled Mr. Gladstone's views, that gentleman complained "that his scheme had been withered by an unkind shadow cast over it by the member for Kilmarnock," at the same time, refusing to discuss a plan not dissimilar to his own, and adhering to his opinion, that, as foreign countries were in the habit of adopting measures to meet their own wants, England ought to be allowed to do the same, but only on the principle of reciprocity.

Mr. Bouverie's plan rejected. It is unnecessary to pursue this point any further. A long debate ensued on it, in which Mr. Milner Gibson and Mr. Bright delivered, with their usual force, their extreme, but then unpalatable, Free-trade opinions, while Mr. Roundell Palmer opposed any change hostile to the principles of the Navigation Laws. It appeared from the general feeling of the committee, that Mr. Bouverie's amendment had not the slightest chance of being adopted, and he was desirous of withdrawing it. Mr. Wawn, however, insisted upon a division; and when a division was taken, only fifteen members voted in favour of Mr. Bouverie's scheme of conditional legislation, while 132 voted against it.

Mr. Disraeli's speech. Various other divisions took place on the consideration of the Bill in committee, and numerous important alterations were then made, so that only eighteen clauses were carried up to the sitting of the 23rd March. On the motion to report progress, Mr. Disraeli protested against the whole Bill, which, by