Daniel O'Connell, who met the allegation that the high price of food raised the wages of labour, by stating that the very reverse was the case in Ireland, where the euthanasia of the Corn Laws was a halfpenny an hour, or sixpence a-day, to the agricultural labourer. Dr. Bowring, as one of the evidence committee, said that statements given in by various members of the delegation, showed that the danger was even more imminent than it had been before represented.
On the same day (March 12th) Mr. Villiers moved in the House of Commons, that it should resolve itself into a committee of the whole house, to take into consideration the Act 9, Geo. IV., regulating the importation of foreign corn, and a debate ensued which extended over five sittings. The speakers in favour of the motion were: C. P. Villiers, Sir George Strickland, C. P. Thomson, Sir W. Molesworth, Mr. Grote, Mr. Clay, Joseph Hume, Mark Philips, Mr Hobhouse, Mr. Joseph Brotherton, John Fielden, Daniel O'Connell, and Mr. Denniston. The speakers against the motion were: Mr. Cayley, Sir Edward Knatchbull, Mr. Christopher, the Earl of Darlington, Mr. Wodehouse, Lord Howick, Colonel Wood, Mr. Handley, Sir R. Peel, S. O'Brien, Sir John Tyrrell, Mr. Bennett,. Viscount Sandon, Mr. Harvey, and Mr. Wood. On the division the numbers were:—
| For the motion | 195 |
| Against it | 342 |
On February 18th there was a majority of 189, that the petitioners against the Corn Laws should not be allowed to prove the truth of their allegations. On the 19th March there was a majority of 147 against taking the operations of the Corn Law into consideration. Something more was required to induce honourable members to consider, and something more still to come to honest action.
