Star. — London, England, 1828-04-01 00:00:00

it should be one varying with the - tverage price of the corn, was a part of the detail or question; and how ever divided ()Onion might be upon that branch of the subject, that digision did not at all affect the solidity and acknowledgement .of the principle. He, indeed, looked upon it as a matter of minor importance, and might, together with the rest of the minutiE of the measure, be discussed when the principle was fully agreed upon. The great ground, therefore, upon which he took his stand was, that the best and proper method of giving protection to the agricultural interest was by a duty on foreign corn, and not by the exclusion of it —(Hear, hear). It had been proposed during the lase Session that the Acts of 1815 and 1822 should be thrown into one Bill, and modified as circumstances might have appeared to have rendered necessary. 'I he .House, however, rejected that measure, because iehad pledged itself to the principle of duty, :and abandoned that of exclusion, that one on which those Acts were founded. At the close of the last Session, the late Mr. Canning announced that it was Iris intention to introduce this Session a Bill similar to the one which had been lost, but with such modifications as should appear essential to its success. What those modifications would have been, it was impossible for him (Mr. Grant) to pretend to assert. But looking at the causes of the failure of the Bill of last session, although it was impossible for him to speak with unrestricted confidence upon the sub ject, yet he thought he might fairly presume to say, that the intended modifications would have had the effect of giving further protection to the agricultural interest—(Hear !) And there could be no difficulty in discerning the reason which would have induced Mr. Canning to pursue that course. The object of that Right Hon. Gentleman bad been to give to the country the best practical measure he could ; and when he found the subject beset with insurmountable difficulties, when be found there must be a bounding to particular in terests, he held fast to the great principle of improve ment in the system of legislation, and was willing to introduce such modifications as should be found neces sary for the security of the.great and leading object.— He (Mr. Grant) came forward, therefore, to ask the Committee, in consistency, to support that principle to which it had previously pledged itself ; and in propos ing modifications on the measure of last year, he acted in conformity with the authority of Mr. Canning, who bad expressly declared it to be his opinion that some' were necessary. In that state, then, he found the ques tion; and if Mr. Canning had thought that some con s cessions Were necessary, he (Mr. Grant) was confident that the additions which the Committee had received to its experience would only have tended to confirm him more strongly in such an opinion—(Hear).—Then, in what situation did he find the laws with respect to the trade in Cone? The two Acts, those of 1815 and 1822, had been adopted for the purpose of giving a steady and sure protection to the agriculturist; but they had confessedly faled to attain so desirable an end. On looking at what had been the consequences of those Acts, he found that thefluctuations had been continual; that the subject had been agitated and discussed year after year ; and such was the inefficiency of the law, that for the last seven years temporary measures had continually been had recourse to—(Hear, hear). —One year 500,000 quarters of corn were admitted; another year the Canada corn was brought into the market; and in another instance a discretionary power was lodged in the hands of Government—(Bear)—"The natural result of such tampering with the law upon a great and important subject was doubt and discontent. The transfer of property was embarrassed, all the deal ings between landlord and tenant .were carried on in uncertainty, and the verb interest that most feared the alteration was the most injured by the unsatisfactory state of the law, and the t: mporary measures which had been had recourse to. The country called upon the Legislature to ion an end to such an imperfect sys tem, and he trussed that the Committee was prepared to' come to a permanent decision upon the subject. If he were ask'd what he considered it 41se duty of the Committee to do, he should say' that it should fist de cide as so the repeal of she Acts of 1815 and 1822 ; that it should then proceed to the adoption of some more just system of legislation, a system in which those principles that ought to regulate all commercial legis lesion were not lost sight of —(lleat, hear). Atsci above at., that by its decision it should put an end to thus doubts and apprehensions which hid so long agitated and injured the country.—Heat). It was Ills duty to endeavour to propose to the Committee some measure which was calculate.] to produce those effects, acid it was a duty from which he should not shriek. If illness vivid have excused him from striving to disch age that duty, he night with justice h eve pleaded it ; but he, left particularly desirous to be in his place wl en the qu'istion came under the consideration of the House; and he trusted, therefore, that if his efforts requited the Inlislgence of the H. use, it mould not be u ithheld from liird—(flear). He had already said that he thought if bit:Caiiiiing had occupied the station which he (Mr. giant) then, did, he would have been more than ever etilignied, by whet had transpired since lest Session, that ; it was necessary to introduce some modifications isitsr the last Bill which had been beim e that House. tit 'House viould recollect, that at the close of the laifftessicio a parti.,l measure was adopted, for the ad. srassirin Of b. tided corn under certain provisions. %%hen that ifirasute was proposed, it was contended by those 'litho' were oppined to any alteration in the then exist ing laws, that if it were carried into a law it would oc ea .nin the importation of an immerse quantity of foreign earn, to the injury and depression of the English grower. Ile hart ful.one.attacked those arguments, or rather a.- seetions, and his opinions upon the subject had under' ene no chauge. He still thought as he theta did.-- tvas of opinion that the depression in the price of British corn's ai to be accounted for upon other grounds thin' those to . whish it h .d been attributed. He thought thafilziple reason for it was to be found in the quantity and the quality of the crop. But whatever might be his:oonion, it vies hiedut) at that time to look at the pr . igitcabeiti of carrying bite execution any measure beshlilld piwose, and to select that which, under all tt t e iliiiiiisslabtes, should appear whim to pe. the best. 11114'iriew that'feerr being entertained, and abet preju dices; long asTheeed to, did mit overthrow the claims of treat and just principles to consideration ; but he knew !Liu that when changes were to be proposed, it e as t . necessary to annuli those who were likely to be affect- Ed; fie bad co nfessed that many just fears were enter ned aeto consequence which might result fro,i, aiiy sudden or great alteraticia in the tern Lsws; butt trorithaieveeeztent it might be just to regard any alarm' ale'rehension on th e su bj ect, i t was necessary f or the ale of all *nests, that th e H ouse s h ou ld c o me to Sion decisiiSh. Although he attributed the depression alt tine lifiegbf Briti s h cor n t o other r easons ttiau the Addiktria the bonded coin too the market, yeti theft *s69oo):great Get, the io.auence of which. and ibebe.desiii4 'l'hat feet was, that although, lire dot l ialtisfe4'4"litth as g2s. ancl44 ,s , gid. o n th e qua: -I ' l4 +rin 4 i l 4/1 4 tueali ' beets . cloth and Au - use s . ibdotillie pat& tbOusand quarters of foreign corn'' introduced into the market, and that, on, at a time when, from the price of British cern, the supply , could not have beets necessary—(Hear, beat). And, what use did he make of that tacr? He did not' bring it forward to induce those who lea , opposed to any new improved system to persevere in the opposition, but to show those who were called upon to legislate on the subject, that it in the time of Mr. -Canning some modifications had been acknowledged to be necessary, that position must now be still more evident. If it were found impracticable to legislate on those pure principles of commercial policy, which were in his mind far superior to all others, they approached as near to them as circumstances would permit. hitwe:f maintained the same opinion as he did last year ; and if an opportunity presented itself, he should be most ready to act upon those opinions, for however impracti. cable it might heat that moment to legislate upon them strictly, he was convinced of their truth, and would ad here to them as nearly as night be—([teat). He found it impossible tocarry into effect those principles rigidly, in defiance of the difficulties and the tears which beset la great and complex subject ; still he should be ready, whenever occasion required it, to maintain the justice of those principles to the uttermost. Ile did not imagine that the measure which he should propose, or that the Bill of last year, or that any Bill which, under existing circumstances, could be brought forward, would be in strict conformity with that system which he had and was still prepared to advocate; but in the course he had adopted he had endeavoured to chome the best kft open to him—he had endeavoured to take that, which, while it introduced a sounder system of legis- . lation, might prepare the minds of those most in-, terested to more decisive, and he believed more bone-• ficial alterations (Hear, hear). Troceeding theis t ' upon that plan, his first proposition would be for We i .Repeal of the Acts of 1815 and )1822 (Hear, hear). To that measure he attached much importance. By experience it would lead'to the adoption of more sound principles, and although the full length to be desired could not be gained at once, yet by that repeal one great step would be achieved—(Hear, hear, heat). He thought that by legislation, once and decidedly I sanctioning the principle of .protect ion by duties, a great advantage would be gained, and that any concession in the minor details were hardly worthy of consideration, if put at all in competition with tie success of the prin ciple. Inched, so much impottance did he attach to the acknowledgment of the principle, that he almost :e gretted the Bill of last Session, as altered by the House of Lords, had not been persevered in; because if it had passed into a law, a great advance would have been made to that system which he considered as the soundest and the best. A similar occurtence had taken place with respect to a Bill upon the Catholic claims; because a clause of a Bill a hich had received the assent of that House was thrown out by the Lords, the mea• sure had been given up, and that conduct had ever since been regretted, for it had occasioned the loss of the acknowledgment of an important principle—(Hear.) Then, with respect to the additional protection which circumstances had rendered it necessary for them to bestow on the agrieultutists, it might be afforded in taro ways. It might be bestowed either by augmenting the scale of duties, or by some collateral regulations.— With respect to the augmentation of the scale of duties,' he would state to the Committee what appeared to him, calculated to answer all the purposes. It would be t remarked that the scale of duties last year had been ad.i heted to as nearly as circumstances permitted. Whenj wheat—and be spoke of wheat because it was the chief. article—when wheat was 54.5. the quarter, the duty to l , be SO,. and Bd. and so to decline Is. for every s. the; quarter of wheat rose in price, until it reached 675. the quarter, and then the duty to decline 2s. on the quarter; so that when wheat was 565. the quarter, the duty would be 28s. and then the duties of last year com menced. When wheat was from 67-4 to 695. the.quar ter, the duty would fall 2s. for every Is. the a heat rose in price; and of er the quarter of wheat had reached 625. the duty would fall 3s. every Is. the quarter in creased in price until it reached 71s. So that the scales agreed between 565. the quarter and 71s. the quarter. But it would perhaps be better for him to read the descending scale. It was calculated for the Imperial measure: When the price of Wheat shall be From 585 to 59s a Quarter 28. 8d Duty .59s 605 27. id 605 61s 26s 8d 61s 625 255 Sd 625 63s 24. id 635 64s • 23s ed. 64s 65s 22s Sd 65i 66s els id 663 675 20s 8d 67s 68s lis Sd 681 694 les 8d 695 70s 13% 8d 70s 71s lOs 81 71s 72s 6s id 72s 73s 2s 8.1 7ss 74s is 04 Such was the proposed scale witli respect to wheat, calculated according to the Winchester measure, %when the price of wheat was 541. the quarter, the duty would be SO,. With respect to the-other species of grain he should advAt to them particularly, because several ap • •li. - ations had been received by his M a j es ty' s Govern ment', with respect to them. That pat t of. the country to which he belonged had taken much interest in the subject, and with tesuect to oats especially, had applied for an increased protection to what was proposed tut year. The question had been much considered, and alter mature deliberation and discussion, his Majesty's Goves nnient had come to the conclusion that no change whatever in the scale of duties of last year, in reference to barley and oats, was nece-.s ity—.(Hear .1) He had said that there was another mode of granting further protec- tion required. to the agriculturists, besides an aug mentation of the scare of duties. And, he bad ad verted to the point in consequence of a variety of appli cations and suggestions having been received. They had been submitted to his Majesty's Government, which, after fully considering them, had come to the decision that it was better to adopt at once the scale of duties— (Hear, hear). The only alteration, therefore, in the Bill of last Session, was in the scale of duties on wheat.— If he were asked why in the scale the price of 60s. was taken as that which was to be considered as the guide for the rest, he could only answer in the same way that Mr. Canning had done last Session—he could only say, that in a scale of fluctuating duties, although it was im possible to give any very definite reason for the choice, soma price naust be fixed upon. The state of .the cur rency, the quantity of foreign .corn introduced, the nature of the harvest, and a variety of other reasons, would tend to produce dunes in the price, and a .con sequent v 4riation in Abe duties. It was, therefore, o bible to fix any precise peke upon any very explicit reasoning. The Resolutions he should propose he cool& ecummend to the favourable consideration of theHousee in the ,sincere belief that they sere as well calculated stif any that could be devised to meet the eiews,in as fie as possible, of all interests—a. en, hear), Hi' though that they were likely to Chiller a zeal benefit on iii country, and to produce tit amendment in the -- ‘6...-............-.•.- He thought also that the st-p proposed being one* t rogyi.. it would lead the minds of men to a•state whieb -iseistiYar Ra them for the full neceptance of the great VW* icipl•s of cesnmerce which he firmly believed the meet sound and the most politic-s-(Hear). The adoption oT the resolutions, and the passing them in the shape of a ' law, would likewise, he hoped, allay irritation, and occasion that coufiJence between apparently conflicting interests, s hich was so heartily t o be d es i te d—(Heall. He had talked of the measure be should propose as a settlement of the question, and also as a step to other and great improvements in our legislation upon the subject. In one point of view the measure was perma neat, and in another point of view it was only prepa ratory. It was permanent as far as the Legislature was concerned ; for it must continue in force and undis turbed until further experience should convince the judgment of the community at large that a nearer appsoach to the pure principles on which commerce ~could be conducted was desirable. It was permanent, therefore, in as far as that House could investigate it, and it must not be altered until new opinions govei ned the minds of those who were especially interested in the,' subject. In offering it, therefore, to the agriculturists; for their acceptance, he presented it to them as a rest 4 ing place on which they might with security repose, and not as a shifting and uncertain lodgment—(Hear, hear).—But at the same time remarking, that he trusted it would only prove the foundation of a richer soil, which would in time produce and support those further alterations, the value of which was evidenced by clear and unalterable principles. He confessed that he deemed the measr,re imperfect, especially in as far as it fell short of the Bill of 14-t year; but he would not have introduced it—nothing, no consideration should have induced him to do so; bad he not felt a sincere conviction that it would prove beneficial to the country —(flego).—Had Mr. Canning been in his situation, he ! was convinced that he would have pursued the same! course; and, to use the words of that Right Honour-, able Gentleman, he might say that he brought forward the measure as a •' peace-offering between contending interests." He trusted that the House would receive it in that spirit ; that it would regard it as a compromise Le:ween two great interests for the benefit of the commu nity at large; and that those interests themselves would not be found adverse to lending towards the wishes of each other, when their mutual.prosperity was sl deeply concerned—(Hear). Nor could be quit this part of the sulject withrut recalling to the recollection of the; House the tempered, chastened eloquence with which it had been treated by Mi. Canning; and pf which style i that Right Hon. Gentleman was as much the texas i ter as he was of the witty, the brilliant, and the imagi-I native—(Hear, hear.). IHe was sure that that House , would ,in with Minim paying a sincere tribute to the admiration of one ovho had been so long its ornawsent and its pride—,(Elear, hear). Jr was impossible for him (Mr. Grant) to•touch upon any subject which had been treated of koy that great and illustrious Statesman, with out exposing the deep and ardent eeverenoe he enter tained, and.ever must entertain, for his rare and extra ordinary talents—talents which excited the admiration of those who were opposed to him, and actei as a de lightful spell over those who were so happy as to agree with him and be directed by his powers—( Hear, hear). And not only would that House sincerely join with him in an expression of admiration of one of the greatest Statesmen that country had ever produced, but he was satisfied that the same sentiment would be breathed by every intelligent mind and feeling heart throughout the empire—(Hear). In the same spirit, then, that Mr. Can ning had recommended the measure to the favourable consideration of the House, did he implore it to receive it. He entreated the House not to judge of the merits of the measure through the weakness of its advocate, but to view it fairly and dispassionately; to remember that there was more than one interest to conciliate, and that all the interests of the country required that the question should be set at rest by some decisive act of cite whole L•gislature—(Hear, hear). He thanked the !louse for its indulgence, and concluded admid.t cheers by proposing a Resolution, in the following terms: " That it is the opinion of this Committee, that any sort of corn, grain, meal, and flour, which may now by law be imported into the United Kingdom, shall be at all times admissible for home use upon payment of the duties following, if imported from a foreign country, whenever the average price of wheat, made up and pub lished in manner required by law, shall be "—(Here the Chairman read the scale above quoted). The Resolution having been read from the Chair, Mr.W.WHITNIORE rose and said, it was not his in tention to trespass on the attention of the Committeefor more than a few moments, as a future and a fitter op portunity would offer for the expression of his semi= meats respecting the resolution that had just been read ; but he seized the earliest possible oecasio3 to enter his protest against tie n mute of the Right Honourable Gentleman; because, it Ire d ffered fn m the measure of last Session, this bcing so much infetior to it—so con trary to all the purposes (I - commercial legislation, that he confessed he could not only not give it his support, but that it w as also s ith a great degree of surprise that he had heard the speech of the Right Hon. Gentle. man, the President of the hoard of Trade. His Right Hon. Friend had talked much of the advantage likely to accrue to the country by the establishment of a diffe tent principle from that which prevailed at present; but it the protecting duty that was to be applied amounted to absolute exclusion, it mattered very little to those who suffered by it, whether that exclusion was produced by duty or by law. He trusted therefore that the House and the country would not submit to the delusion con tained in the Resolution of his Right Hon. Friend. II (litre were to be a complete exclusion of foreign corn, he knew not what could b e sa id respect i ng t h e diff e- I rence of exclusion by du y or exclusion by law. He. denied that this was a compromise between two patties in the country; it was only a compromise of the CAI- • net—(Hear). He felt quite confident that if that great man—the lame nted Mr. Canning—were now living, the' changes that had occurred since the measure was last! debated in that House would have no weight with him' at all. Tr:e bonded corn that had accumulated between 1825 and 1828 on the duty of twelve shillings had been so collected, under the impression that no higher duty would be imposed, and it would have been better for ' , the importers of it to bring it into the market even at the duty of 11. 2s. or 11.45. fid. than leave it in their warehouses, or export it again. And on .this' grain he was authorised to say, that vent losses had been suffered by the importers—in one case alone, on three cargoes of wheat that had been im: ported from Odessa, the result was a loss on 114 whole of 2,0004 There was no reason to think that a great increase had taken place in the quantity of foreign corn inrpoited ; for though these was much foreign corn in bond list year, the quantity of wheat imported this year did not exceed 150,000 quatters. The result of the present measure would be to destroy the trade in foreign corn altogether, and thus deprive the country of a regular supply against a period of exigency. As hi intended to detail more at large the reasons for his .opposition to the proposed measure on another occasion lie should consider that he would now but waste their I tinse l if he said More on the subject than that he should .give the measure his decided tipposition, as one ma t contrary to all the principles of !commercial 1egi51460 4 ,, and more detrimental to the interests of the country, o ft any that had been laid befOre the Hotne for a long period, 'Sir T. 'OOOCH said he should out make many p, marks on the subject before tie House, as that was mi t the time for the discussion of the measure,tut he hop' the 'Right Hon. , Gentleman would not think that any Member was pledged to the measure, or to any nae q if 'its principles, by•the mere circumstance .of thaVing , o n that occasion obrerved.a silence with respect to them, it had always been his opinion, that of all thenniserre t to which the country svas• exposed, , the .perpetual tam pering with the Corn l Laws was the .most productive.o Mischief. He trusted, therefore,ithat before.the present Session drew to a close, something would be alone towards a permanent arrangement upon that sulijcet, —(Hear). He would confess that he was %non& prejudiced in favour 'of •the law as it now -stea l because he felt that ,1$ was the best calculated to give that security to the corn grower .which it was necestal that he should have—because it was less liable it those variations uhich constituted the great evil'of the other systems, and because it v.assproved by experienet that corn had been lower 'under 'its operation, on a comparison with 'former averages, than was generally admitted by its opponents. As, I.owever, in thescoo. Sitting opinions of the House and of the country, the present law could not be persevered in, the best thing that he and those who agreed with him in opini.:e, could do, was to endeavourrto give effect 'to 'the pre sent Bill ; but while he did .so, he must object :to the mode of taking the averages. The Bill of last year here out that.6os. was a'fair remunerating price. He wodla agree that it War. (Hear, hear), but then the Houseshould take care that the amount which it ,prolested to give should, inpoint of fact, be securedto the agt icaltut in. The way in which the averages were taken did ndt effect that ; for out of the.6os. was to be deducted the cost of commission and of cartage, which tadcen at In each, would reducethe remunerating price to 58s. The House need not manifest any impatience, for they mien depend on it that it was as painful to him to say a tee words in his place, as it would be to others tw told their tongue'..-(A laugh.) Having staled se much, he would take leave to say, that he lelt the wont perfect confidence in the Noble Duke at the head of the Go. vernenent that he would do nothing either to injure the landed interest or the 'general consumer. In fact, there was no Administration since the days 4 Mr. Pitt on which he felt that he could rely usth so much con& dente as on that which now directed the affairs of die country under the auspices of the Noble Duke. Mr. BENETT (Wilts) expressed the hope that there would not be any attempt to take the opinion of de House on these, or any counter-resolutions, in the ab. sence of those Hon. Members who were more jinn* diately connected with the landed interests.lf, however, the present plans were to be proceeded with, he felt as. sured that importations would be more and more en couraged. They wern,now at the rate of 1,000,000 yearly. By such course, we should become largely de. pendent on foreign nations. In the last half year, 515.000 quarters had been imported ; and it had been previously observed, if there were 400,000 quarters im• potted in the course of a year, it would:he justly the ground of alarm. Those large importations of foreiga corn would not only be injurious to the landed interests, but more especially to the agricultural labourers. Mr. FERGUSON condemned the old laws, and said that worse could not have been enacted. He was against a fixed duty : he thought a varying duty would be mote just. This was a question that ought not to be 'the subject of' compromise with any party : the protectios to be extended to the agriculturist ought to proceed oft its general merits. In the new Bill the averages, the warehousing system, and correspondingly increased protection of barley and oats, ought to be particularly considered. The latter point was of great consequence to Scotland and Ireland. Mr. ROBINSON expvcsed himself unfavourably to the measure. He begged to remind the House that, in proposing the measure of last Session, Mr. Canning said the balance was given in favour of the landed interest. Now, however, the Right Hon. Gentleman, the Piesi• dent of the Board of Trade, came down and proposed a measure still mote favourable to the landed interest. The whole tenor of the Right Hon. Gentleman's speech went to prove that liovernment considered it impos• sible to carry a Bill through the House in opposition to that interest. As a commercial man, and as a friend to what he considered sound and just principles, he mut ,protest against any system which mended a fixed and settled ptotection to the landed interest. The trade is corn shr.uld be treated on the same footing as any other branch of commerce. This, is fact, was not a quegics between the landed interest and the commercial a manufacturing; it was a question between landlords and rents. Lord MORPETH . said, he must object to the scale of duty proposed. However small the addition might be as comp tied to the measure of last Session, still it was important, as tending to increa e the price of his bread to every man in the country. Having been of opinion last ye.tr that if any change one to be made in the scale prop ised, it should be on the side of diminution, and not of addition, he could not approve of the Resolutions now proposed. The scale last year wig fixed with releience to the then average price. if the same principle were to be acted opus now, the scale of duly should be lower. After succession of favourable seasons, were they to be now told t h at no reduction of price was to be the consequence? The lion. Gentleman who spoke last did not appear to him to have made fair use of the language employed by Mr. Canning upon the occasion alluded to. What that sight Hon. Gentleman said was, that the House d Commons should not suffer itself to be prostrated u ti e feet of the other House of Parliament, and lie admitted that the measure then proposed was a a iei ifice made (4 the lani!ed interest. He was desirous to see the Janda interest sufficiently protected, but not out /of due pra portion to the other gaeat interests of the country, Sir T. LETHBRIDGE observed, that as the fall d paces since July last had taken place under the sew porary measure, they had a right so argue that del protection then was inadequate. The law had oxpikeei on the Ist of May, and what was the average ehero Wheat fell from ifils. t 0.525. and 535. in the course o six months. Could any one be surprised at this who they looked at the Tetuan' for which he :hail moved? There they would .find a regular ,intro ducsion of bonded corn, though the duty vatieb between U. 2s. Bd. at the lowest, and .11. 18oi at the highest. Even at 61s. the duty was 11.2 i. Bd. Thos: fact: were su ffi cient to all a y the apprehension that the measure was calculated to produce high pr ices. Ttiellon. Member for Worcester seemed so have forgotten that when Mr. Canning had produced his measure last Seto sion, an Honourable Friend of his (Sir T. Lethbridp i evl had proposed 645. and that he bad voted with him in s minority. There was no ground for saying that the landed interest was that which the Government most attended to: on the contrary, he thought it was jut the reverse—(A laugh).—lie hoped, bowel/tr., to sea the day when a better feeling would confident that there was no mole making corn cheap than by protecti temps. In confirmation of this opin fer to the history of the last 150 old rules of protecting duties, an bounties on exportation, were in foi - - - - no bounties included in the preset omission was, in his judgment, a de were then steady—they were now v he thought the present Bill was bet' some alteration should be made in system, some improvement introduce taking the averages, and a drawback be afforded on exportation. The It chided by declaring, that in his opi barley and oats should ha►e been deci the new law. As these would be fu for discussion, he would not at the the further upon the House; but the prop was not one with which he could pro lied, although he thought it better the Session. Colonel SISTHORPE concurred i lion. Members for Wiltshire and So Bench and Sir T. Lethbridge) that crssary to keep up the price of bark quantity of oats imported, he and counts y from Ireland, in the short peri the sth of January and the 22d of Ma ear, had been more than 165,000 qu was not much deceived, it would -. - greater , proportion of those oats had I3r ught from foreign markets into 1 struction of the grower here at home. protection was given by the new law t a stagnation in the home production ninst be the consequence. Mr. Secretary HUSKISSON said, course pursued by Honourable Gentle tering so much at length into the su what anomalous. He should not at p sr ide field of discussion, nor should I the House at all, were it not for the Hon. Gentlemen, who said they woul remark at all. With respect to what h lion.. Gentleman who spoke-fast, he that not a single bushel of foreign oat posed, been smuggled into Ireland, ound its way here. Any foreign oats. he country were openly imported. The or admitting the article, in censequ dearth which prevailed. But, as he st single bushel was imported in the man was not probable that any thing of th Occurred, or that any person, for a d profit, would run the risk of making on the f.ce of very severe penalties. Somersetshire (Sir T. Lethbridge) co ports having been opened to admit th foreigkoats. Now he thought, if the which received general assent towards Session, it was the propriety, under stances, of admitting foreign oats into seemed to have been fully agreed on such a step. Indeed this necessity wai admission of the Hon. Baronet himself, between two and three million quarters found a market here. It would appe. the Member for Somersetshire, they all the regulations which existed in lb Memf er said, that at one period of th was as'high as '2f. Os. Bd. and that even foreign corn found its way into the maxi of duty paid at the period alluded to, di corn alone. Was he not aware that bat corn, and flour paid duty as well as cori Ise. ks of February this year, the dut bur it he looked to the returns for each fiiid, that the amount of import was si Iprice was 51s. the quarter, at this petia there're proved the the lion. Member of danger on this poilit were carried so The Honourable Member concluded tf price fell from 60s. to 525. that fall in of the measure adopted last year. In cr ever, that fall of price, there were otbe that should be borne in mind. It most that there was an abundant harvest wel that, at former periods, experience pro, new measures, when proposed, was too. importation, from an apprehension tha sole might prove unfavourable. importation naturally produced a fal however, the Honourable Member 100 in February last yeatr, would find th the same as .la 4 Febtestry, and he e doubt that in July next the price woo much from what it was in July,. 1827 Learned Friend (Mt: Ferguson) seemed seemed to feel sonfe elhtm, as thinking of the growers of oats would be °verb. sure now proplml. Did his Hon. Fri last year a material alteration had proposed scale, in favour of oats - --t amounted to the whole difference betty • wiile no change took place with tespe. The protection to oats appeared to hi or proportion to that extended to' of had been observed in the course of this the plan now submitted to the fl .use opect from the prop .sttion of the Membe (Mr. Bankes) last Session. Ilis propos the pivot, as it was called, on which to tut is was 61s. The scale now propose quite different in °Vier teapects. La proposed was 225. the price being 61 whereas now the duty was 2Gs. Bd. at The Member for Bs idgenorth (Mr. Whit Hon. Gentlemen, professed to abstain at mesint, but yet' took an oppottu though concisely, what their opinions to the house and t s the Governme those Hoc. Gentlemen who had oche iiropose, should bring them forward no then have an opportunity of considering and of judging which were most likely sati.faction. If they had not the arg Honourable Gentlemen, they should at Resolutions. His Honourable Friend said he would oppose the plan now pr seemed to think that it was the very sa terois, as the plan proposed last Sessi one point, there certainly was no great principle of both was to take the two proposed scale, and to commence at t ar rise or tall of duties. In the scale pice , taken was 70.. at which the duty nominal. The price being 60s. the dot such as would e ff ec t ua lly prevent or gra admission of foreign corn. He was no he stated last year, that he considered protection; that at a price between 60s corn should be admitted sparingly ; bu every facility should be given. It was