s to the
really delicate and dangerous question--the repeal of the Corn Laws. He
thinks the potato blight and the measures he proposes to meet its
probable consequences would necessitate the calling of Parliament before
Christmas--a very important step, as "it compels," he says, "an
immediate decision on these questions--'Shall we maintain
unaltered--shall we modify--shall we suspend--the operation of the Corn
Laws?'" The first vote the Cabinet proposes, say a vote of L100,000, to
be placed at the disposal of the Lord Lieutenant for the supply of food,
opens the whole question. Can the Government, then, vote public money
for the sustenance of the people and maintain existing restrictions on
the free importation of grain? He thinks not, and he goes on to give the
example of other countries threatened with scarcity, which are opening
their ports for foreign grain, and prohibiting their own to be exported,
thereby closing some of our ordinary sources of supply. If, he asks, the
Corn Laws are suspended, is it to be done by an act of prerogative, or
by legislation at the instance of the Government?

Such were the leading points placed before his Cabinet by Sir Robert
Peel in his memorandum of the 1st of November. "In the course of the
conversation which followed the reading of the above memorandum, it
became evident," he says, "that very serious differences of opinion
existed as to the necessity of adopting any extraordinary measures, and
as to the character of the measures which it might be advisable to
adopt."

The Cabinet broke up to meet again on the 6th of November, on which day
the Premier submitted to his colleagues the following memorandum: "To
issue forth an Order in Council remitting the duty on grain in bond to
one shilling, and opening the ports for the admission of all species of
grain at a smaller rate of duty until a day named in the Order. To call
Parliament together on the 27th instant, to ask for indemnity and a
sanction of the Order by law. To propose to Parliament no other measure
than that during the sitting before Christmas. To declare an intention
of submitting to Parliament immediately after the recess, a modification
of the existing law, but to decline entering into any details in
Parliament with regard to such modification. Such modification to
include the admission at a nominal duty of Indian corn and of British
Colonial corn--to proceed with regard to other descriptions of grain
upon the princip