Star. — London, England, 1828-04-30 00:00:00

be open to foreign corn on the payment of a duty UlJl.ss. per quarter, to be gradually reduced to lOs. quar ter. That course would have the effect of Kstead . ness 10 t he p rices, and he was convinced • pr c e in Ent:l.nd would be the price of Europe. ti T t to be. No system of averages could be ot ,d ..irhout being open to great abuses. For fifty the ports of Holland had been open, and that a y he,/ possessed the most steady market in the i d But two or three years since, at the solicitation le Semis)] landowners, the example of this country b ee n followed, and fluctuating and high prices had tbe co n s equence. He contended that the scheme pr 0 1,04 so en to fewer objections than any other, %v oid guard against the danger of high prices, so offer a remedy for the inconvenience of low But thete was another advantage it possessed. c onvinced, from information he had received t he ports were thrown open to the corn of the ' : t state-, the consequence would be, that that would put down its own manufactures, and its raw material to this country to be converted The system of free trade ought to be en ,; it was essential to the prosperity of the f ; but it was idle to think that it could be acted beneficially with respect to other articles, unless ; extended to corn. The Honourable Member ;tied by proposing, as an Amendment, the follow r.rolutior.; 'Tom and after the sth of July 1828. and until the sth of 129, a Duty of Fifteen Shillings shall be imposed on every of Wheat imported from any foreign country into the Kingdom ; and for the year from the sth of July 1829, to of July MO, a Duty of Fourteen Shillings per quarter; 'very succeeding year afterwards, the Duty shall be reduced 'ling until the sth of July 1834, after which time the Duty Wings shall remain a permanent and fixed duty, payable y quarter of Wheat imported from foreign countries, except Ada, as hereafter provided for." M t . WAR BU it . roN seconded the amendment. He 'stained that a fixed duty would secure a supply at times, and afford a certain protection to the British •r. The country Gentlemen appeared to be satis with the scale proposed by the Right Hon. Gentle (Nlr.Gtant), because it imposed prohibitory duties , the corn was 58s. or 58s. in price ; but the Right ...demon himself had declared that his measure' not or a prohibitory character. How those diffe , were to be reconciled he should not pretend Another Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Secretary bad characterised the measure as a compromise two great interests, but he (Mr. Warburton) that the advantage was all on one side. He tin Burgess, and he thought that one interest more entitled to protection than another. The , lemen had laboured to prove that the price corn in foreign markets was not above half of what was in this, and he maintained that the lower the .Jas in foreign countries the more moderate ought be the duty we demanded ; and the Government I the agriculturists ought to remember that whatever ;ht be the duties they succeeded in imposing, they Id nct prevent the migration of capital. The Erni- Committee reported that there was a super of capital and of population in the country, it did appear to him to be an act of insanity in the ;try Gentlemen to persevere in upholding a system , alike impeded the employment of capital and of population. Mr. C. GRANT stated, that it was not his intention enter at large into the principle of the question, as • had been discussed sufficiently often to make Hon. quite familiar with it. With many of the principles laid down by the Hon. Member for • he certainly concurred, though not in the ;s he drew from them. He agreed with the .mber in the opinion that high prohibition prices in'prinus to the agriculturist, as well as to the sumer. From the experience of the last fifteen years, agreed with him that high prohibition prices tended irive out capital, and that they are not consistent the state of the currency. He agreed that the sp.. the list 15 years ought to be corrected, and those' prole.sed, both when he supported Mr. II of last year; and when he brought forward .esolutions this Session ; but the Honourable push these doctrines to extremes. As to made to his Right Honourable Friend the the Colonies, and the opinions expressed is alterations of the Commercial Laws, hi. Curable Friend, in all his alterations, did not ipply one inflexible rule to all branches of adapted the role to the nature of the , and raised the rate of duty according to the laces of the particular case; not to the degree inciple required, but to the various circum. expediency necessary to be considered in rum a bad system to an improved one. He the Mon. Member that in principle they deal with corn as with any other commodity The Hon. Member had said there were two ;posing a duty on corn, one an ad valorem other a fixed one. Now he wished to know inciples an ad eakarent duty could be tegu lad been recommended by an Hon. Member night. Was it to vary with the value of ABERLY declared that he did not advocate valorem duty, but that he could not understand principle the Government proposed a duty of rent. on corn. ,ANT was sure that the opinion had been re -4 by some Gentleman the other night; but he ceroprehend on what principle an ad valorem be advocated. As to the proposal of a &red it was impossible to snake an estimate ot charges to which the farmer was subjected— , poor rates, tithes, and other imposts—he comprehend how the House could make up duty out of such fluctuating elements. The Member had said that the Resolutions would 'ln make the price of corn unsteady, but it be said they were proved to have such a toducing fluctuation, inasmuch as they were let. He considered the Hon. Member to be thinking that a fired duty would necessarily tdy price to corn; it was impossible that any id prevent variations in the price of an article, :e depended so much on circumstances over human efforts had controul. He was sure ced duty could not give a steady price ; but by itions before the House, the variations of duty irect the fluctuations of price. Then, suppos ted duty to operate through the whole scale might not the price rise so high as to render iible that the duty could be maintained ? It bible to read the history of the prices of the . food without being conv►nced that no human could prevent the fluctuation of prices, and that 'old unavoidably occur when tbere must treity. The House would abandon their they sanctioned the principle that a sear never come under a fixed duty. Only see ald bn the situation of the country in case of contingency. The Honourable Member was , to benefit the consumer by a measure calcu; 'ten up a high duty on high rices. But sup• q ua ng Acad . !'" t the p t ce in i c h i t ported ithoi is the P'"" nay had poss .rid. lion two t h e Fiend)] 14 d been fnilowe n i i, e ( nosey fni, o,ed was it t „ u id guar , .uld offer a ces But Cher „ is ( onvinct t t he port i x ,t State-, otr y would j its raw mat go ds. Thl R ed; e d• it w. try ; but it beneatiall] ass extended luded by pr That from and 1829, a Duty er of Wheat ted Kingdom; Rh of July 182 in every sutra Sbilling until Ten Shillings ev ery q uarter of na da, n bereafh M r . WARM aintained that 1 noses, and a oxen. The c d with the st; an Olt.Grant iii the corn w on.Gentlemat s not of a p, /views were say. Anothe .1 had char toren two gi ght that tl ss plain Bu: not more e uotry Gen lei corn in forei; was in this, 're was in foi be the dm, d the agricul ight be the r .uld nct prey ation Comm umlaut of c Id it did apps .untry Gentle hich alike im e population. Mr. C. WU , enter at larj at had been entlemen qu neral princit towdeen he •nclusinns he on. Member , ere itiprious .nsunter. Fro agreed with drive out c ith the state m of the 14st inciples he I inning's Bill .e present re,/ ember woul, e allusions ati emu! for I him in his ; ight Honour alas to apt de, bin a, mmodi y, a *conflates t his piaci es of ex' using from greed with t .ught to deal .f traffic. T ys of imp( the othi is what print led, as had he other ME article ? Mr. MAB ad Worn 'lbat prim a 'S Per cent. Mr. GRA .mmended 'Ad not co sty could b here, %lions cl imaments, e°ll4 not cc $ rued dut , Bon. m eth i contribute v could not b Power of tot not tried yet ".tag in us Rile 4 stead d wl could whale price /11 ' 11 no h that % sued he lesoluti. cold corre °8 Sae( m i mPoosibl as impos,i nide of fo I ' coal/ tines wool stare uty if thi 1 ")teal • k I da l V, plik 13(h a COI ' t qeliiptc t :I d to lee posing the price to rise to ninety shillings, as it had before now, and let the fixed duty of ten shillings be addei to it, what would be the result? Why, that it could not be maintained. It was useless, then, to le gislate on such a principle as on it period of extremity. fhe clamour of the suffering population would compel the Government to give up the duty. But the Honourable Member might say, that in a period of scarcity the Executive might be invested with the power of remitting the duty ; but how was it consistent to leave such a power to the Executive by a Bill, whose object was to take all 4ontroul over the matter from the Executive? For his paft, he would not admit that the Government ought to be allowed to interfere in regu- lating the duty, nor was the House prepared to admit such s principle? If the House should resolve that the time had come when it was proper to deprive the agri culturists of the high prohibitory prices, that would be the time also to give their protection, and this would be effected by adopting a fluctuating duty ; for. with such a system, the occurrence of a high price would allow foreign importation, and in a period of depression, the agriculturist would be supported against a competition that would otherwise overwhelm him. Fur these tea- sons he would oppose a fixed duty. Lord HOWICK condemned the notion of securing to any particular class what were called remunerating prices. He remembered a Petition presented to that House, which stated that the land occupied by the pe titioner was poor, that the climate was unfavourable, and that the produce obtained was precarious. It they were to seatre remunerating prices to such patties, others might as well at once build hot-houses over the country and grow sugar canes—(Hear, and a laugh.)— And what must be the consequences of acting upon the system of remunerating prices ? Why, when this coun try was destitute of corn, and applied for a supply to foreign countries, they would turn round and say—No; when we had plenty of corn for the market you would not adm.t us to trade with you, and now we will not. it Mr. W. BARING said was evident the House could protect the home market against competition with foreign growers of corn, but they should recollect that they could not protect it against compettion ss ith the consumers of foreign corn. The present law would prove useless in operation while the price of labour was less in foreign countries. The Hon. Gentleman here went into a detailed account of the various historical c.r. cumstances in which a tax on corn had been imposed in Holland and England,-and of the injurious consequences of it ; yet the agriculturists were not such valuable supporters of the State as had been asserted, for it was by a tax on capital that England had been able to carry on the late war. Scarcity was ■n attendant curse of war, yet nsw, after twelve years of peace, the House was passing a Bill which would produce in peace that curse of war—a scarcity. A temporary measure was but necessary after the war before a sudden transi tion from a bad system to an opposite one; but at this day, when English capital was united to foreign coun tries by projects for cutting canals and forming rivers, and such national schemes, and when the labouring classes of this country were suffering for want of em ployment, was it a time to introduce a measure calcu lated to drive English cap tal to foreign countries, and then, at the same time, to inflict high prices on a popu lation which .could not afford to pay them? The aris tocracy may support the measure by their influence for their own interest, but he was convinced they could never make it operative. On this ground he should oppose the motion. Mr. ()MAY CAVE contetided, that though the objections to the present resolutions were only the same that were urged against Mr. Canning's Bill la-t year, that was no reason that though Mr. Canning's Bi.l was incapable of doing any good, the proposed resolutions might not do much mischief. He had voted for it, through respect for the memory of Mr. Canning. As to, difference in operative results between a fixed duty and an ad valorem duty in times of scarcity, he could not see any, for under such circumstances the Govern. ment would have the remedy in their own hand., by admitting foreign corn. This same objection to a fixed duty applied with equal force to the resolutions, as, when the price should reach 61.5. no Government would dare to keep up the duty on a starving population. He should vote for the amendment. Mr. IRVING showed that there were Corn Laws in every country—Portugal, Spain, and France. There was nothing in the situation of England to exempt her from a Corn Law. Much had been said about regulat ing the duty by the price of labour, but that would not be a just standard, as the price of labour was only 16th of the value of manufactures. Skill, machkery, capital, and the advantages arising to commerce from the insular situation of the country, made up the difference. Although for labour there was not a sufficiently im portant standard wherewith the rate of duty should be regulated, he thought the proposed Resolutions pre ferable to the Amendment, and should give them his support, as they were capable of satisfying all interests. Lord MILTON said, as he had not hitherto taken part in the discussions which had taken place on this question, he was desirous to avail himself of the present opportunity of doing so. He was the more desirous to address the House now, after the speech of the Honour. able Gentleman (Mr. Irving), whose sentiments and opinions conveyed to his mind a very accurate descrip tion of the measure recommended by Government. Last year he (Lord Milton) gave a sort of support to the Resolutions brought forward by his Majesty's Go vernment, not because he thought that measure a per fect one to be adopted, but because it contained the principle of establishing a trade in corn. He could not forbear from expressing his surfs' ise on such an occasion as the present, at de absence of a Right Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Huskisson), whom he expected to take a lively interest in the present discussion. Mr. WARBURTON here intimated that the Right Hon. Gentleman was absent from indisposition. Lord MILTON resumed. He certainly was not aware of the cause just intimated to him, which he re gretted. But to return to the question. He could not refrain from the expression of his surprise that Hon. Gentlemen, with the view, as they conceived, of pro testing the agricultural interest, should have been en gaged last night in dividing the House upon proposi tions for obtaining an additional duty of one shilling on barley and on other species of grain, down even to peas and beans (Hear, hear!) In their attempts thus made to advance, as they thought, the agricultural intetests, they were,in his opinion,both pecuniarily and politic illy in error. He deprecated this endeavour to give an undue ascendancy and protection to agricultural pro duce. It was an vain that those Gentlemen dis claimed that such was their object in high flown speeches. When he put their words in one scale, and their actions in the other, he could not give them credit for proceeding with the disinterestedness to which they laid claim—(Hear, hear.)—lt was in vain for the landlord to deity that their interests were im mediately concerned in this question. It had been said that high prices were for the benefit not so much of the landlord as of the farmer, who stood between the land. lord and the consumer; but then it must be obvious to al'. that if the farmer sold at a high price, the landlord would impose a corresponding increase in the rent of an acre of land. Although some Hon. Gentlemen threw gs a longing, lingering, look behind," to the high prices which prevailed, yet he was willing to believe, that in frequeat instances they acted from a mistaken •iew of their own interests. He had heard wi h surprise from an Hon. Member (Mr. Irving) that night. far the first time, that the price of labour was so small an ingre dient in this question, that it made no matter. Mr. IRVING said, that the Noble Lard misunderstood —he would not say misrepresented—him. What he had said was, that the price of fallout was one sixth of the value of the manufactures. Lurd MILTON said, that even from the explanation of the Honour able Member, whom he regarded as the most accomplished member of the commercial corn• munity, the price of labour appeared to him to be of very little importance. However he would not now enter into an etamination of the calculation which the Honourable Member had made; as it depended upon a variety of circumstances, which, if their due propor tion was not given to them, might lead to an erroneous result. As to high prices, he concurred in the opinion that they mere a very good thing; they were at once a symptom and a cause of prosperity—a symptom of prosperity in the manufacturing classes, which were able to pay them, and a cause of it to the agricultural classes, which were benefirted by them. But high prices were only desirable when they arose from a natural and abundant supply, and a corresponding . demand for it—not when high prices arose from scarcity of supply In the latter event they could not be regarded as ad vairtageous to any class of the people, but were in jurious to the whole community. He wished to state this proposition, that as civilization advanced, ano as the interests of a nation were multiplied, it became necessary to extend equal protection to those varied interests, so as to promote and preserve them in a state of harmony and prosperity. Upon this prin ciple he wished the agricultural interest to be pro tected—he even wished not to see an _ acre of ground in the courtly thrown out of cultivation ; but he would not consent to defray the expenses of cultivating it out of the industry and earnings of any other portion of the people.—(Hear, hear). The Noble Lord expressed his approbation at what he had heard from the Chancellor of the Exchequer last night, namely. that it was the intention of his Majesty's Ministers to abide by a metallic instead of a paper currency. As a metallic currency was resolved upon, he considered that these Resolutions must necessarily be inefficient. It could not be expected that corn would ever reach sixty four shillings. The price could not reasonably be anticipated to exceed fifty-two shillings, even if it should ever come up to it. The Noble Lord proceeded to state, that the principle which regulated his conduct 3n this question, was the necessity of an established trade in corn. Without it, prices would be always fluc tuating, and fluctuating prices were always most inju rious; for when prices fell the fall disenabled the farmers to fulfil contracts into which they had entered when prices were high. He wished to see that foreign trade was unnecessary, and that England would yield a suffi cient produce for the whole of her population. He would refer to see foreign trade rather in posse than in ease— but he deemed the recognition of an established trade in corn expedient and necessary. It was the entertainment of these opinions, he feared, that made him regarded as an unworthy Member of the agricultural interest, with which he was most connected. In reply to what had fsllen from an Hon. Member (Mr. irving) as to the distress of the farmers, be begged to say, that as far as he had an opportunity of being informed on this subject, he was not a.vare that such distress prevailed. Mr. Secretary PEEL thought that the Noble Lord was incorrect in his position altogether, inasmuch as he admitted that the scale of duties had not only not been recommended by any eminent commercial man, but a mars by no means intere.ted in agriculture. The Noble Lord had talked of the landed interest squabbling for a shilling upon wheat, a shilling upon oats, and even a 'lulling upon tares and barley. Toe Right Hon. Gen tleman could not consent to this opinion of the Noble Lord. The landed interest was sent to that House to do their duty--Mot fot one particular class, but for the whole of the people. If, however, the proposition of the Hon. Member for Montrose (Mr. Hume) should be carried, that ten shillings should be the duty upon the importation of foreign corn, the Noble Lord would have no reason for gratulation hereafter. With respect to the currency, to which also allusion had been made, the Right Honourable Gentleman (M r. Secretary Pc el) said that it was the determination of his Majesty's Government to have a metallic circulation for the country. The circumstances were never so favourable as they were at present, nor could the object be attained with less difficulty than at the present time. With. out a determination of the question, there could be no security—no contingency against bad harvests, and however powerful the State might be wealth, such contingency could not be met by a paper currency. The Right Honourable Gentleman then proceeded to comment on the proposition of the Hnnourab'e Member (Mr. Hume), and remarked, that as that Honourable Member thought the charges upon corn per quarter in tlsis country did not exceed Ss. he was surprised at hi. proposing to give 10s. Indeed he (Mr. Secretary Peel) was surprised that the Honourable Member gave any duty at all. The Honourable Member was, Weed, such an advocate for foreign corn, that he (Mr. Se cretary Peel) wondered he had not proposed a bounty upon the importation of the foreign article. Poli• tical considerations were, however, mixed up in this case, as had justly been remarked by the Honour able Member for Bedford ; that Honourable Mem ber had said that the Aristocracy and the Magis tracy of the country should have some protection, as belonging to the Constitution of the country. Thi. principle was a correct one, and be would add, that it was highly improper that such an influx of foreign COM should be imported as would destroy agriculture in Ireland—a medium line should be drawn; but he was quite sure that that would not be accomplished by the amendments of the Hon. Member. who equally proposed ' when corn was at 70s. a duty of 10s. a quarter as when it was at any other price. The question had, however, ' been so frequently discussed, and all parties appearing to acquie.ce in the proposition of his Majesty's Ministers, he (Mr. Secretary Peel) should content himself by saying that he .hould abide by the original resolution. Sir THOMAS GOOCH expressed himself greatly pleased that his Majesty's Government had determimd to return to a metallic currency. Hr (So. T. Gooch) supported the plan, because it protected all interests as much as they could be sustained ; though the plans Os Government might not be quite so good as could be desired, he supported them, because they were the best that were lskety to be obtained.—(Hear) Mr. MABRRLY said the pivot point had been advanced as. without any adequate reasons being assigned for the sante. The strangers were then ordered to withdraw. The numbers were-- Tor Mr. Ihme's motion • 27 Against it • 339 Majority against Kr. Hume e propositioa —ll4 —Mr. WHITMORE gave node, that he Await propose his resolution on the queettoo, that the BM to be Wm* ht he tererred to a Committee. Mr. HUbIE'S otbet Resolutions were then negatived wftbout dirWons. Bill ordrred, on the motion of Mr. C. GR A NT, to he prepared pursuant to the Re4olution. The Itish Linea Trade Bill was read a second time, and ordered to be comm i tte d on Monday. The Report of the Committee on the Stamp Duties Acts was presented and agreed to. It regarded stamps on promissory notes, Scc. A Bill was ordered accordingly. The New South Wales 1311 was postponed till Frilay. On the motion of Mr. C. ORA NT, the House resolved into a Committee on the Corn Acts, and moved a resolution to remedy a defect in the law, by means of which accidental ocni.sion. Foreign Corn turned into flour could be imported from the isle of Man.— Report to-mm.ow. The remaining Orders having been disposed of, the House adjourned at Oar o'CLoct. MINORITY , ON LORD ELDON'S AMENDIERNT, APRIL 28, TOR nystierwa ma WOlll4 Li Till DECLARATION "THAT I AM A PRoTTSTAIPR " sawn% null's. RA /11.1. LODDU Cumberland Bradford Colville Dorset Beauchamp Hay (Kionoul) Newcastle Eldon Boston wits. Howe Wa!sloths= Winchilsea mu m% Grantley Shaftesbury Durham Kenyon Abingdon Salisbury Rolle Pomfret St. Asaph Bohm Plymouth Ely Redesdale Guilford Bath and Wells Arden Mansfield Chichester Sheffield Maltresbury Bristol Churchill Mountesehel LOIRE, Colchester Romney Willoughby Bexley 1-larewood Sinclair Petersham BISHOPS WHO VOTED AGAIWIT LOAD RLDOII . II AMBHIWIEWI Archbishop of York Lichfield St. David's lieduips London Gloucester Llandaff n inchester ('beater theory. The Bishops of CARLDILK and Locos.). went away. MINORITY OF TWENTY-SEVEN ON MR. HUM'S MOTION that a Duty of Fifteen Shillings a Quarter shall be imposed on Foreign Wheat imported; which duty shall be re. doted One Shilling in each succeeding year, until it is Ten Shil lings, then to remain a permanent Duty. Baring, B. Lumley. Swill* Sykes, Daniel Birch, Joseph 'latterly John Thomson, C. Poulett Cave t away Marshall, John Wilson, Sir Robert Davies, Colonel Marshall, Wm. Wood, Aldetman Dundas, Sir R. Martin, John Wood, John Dundas, Hon. G. Milton. Lord vitt Leas: Eastbope, J: Ord, Was. .Teetpla Hums .. Guest, J. J. Ponsonby, Hon. F. Henry WArburtoll Halsey, D. W. • Prather°, Ede. Holahouse. J. C. Randiffc, Lord Majority ... ... IDS Howick, Lord Robinson, Sir O. Minority ... ... 47 THE EVENING STAR. LON DON. WEDNESDAY, APRIL SO, 1828. STOCK EXCHANGE, TWELVE O'CLOCK. Consols opened this morning at 86, and at present may be quoted at 851 to 86. Little or nothing is doing. This is settling day in the Foreign market, and the chief me counts to settle are in Russian and Mexican Stocks. CITY, HALF-PAST ONE O'CLOCK. Consols have been fluctuating between 851 and 86, and at pre sent may be quoted at 851 1. In the Foreign market, Russian Stock is rather lower ; bat Bra zilian and Portuguese Bonds have improved. PRICE OF STOCKS AT TWO O'CLOCK. Bank Stock 2081 1 3 per Cent. Red. 831 1 S 3 per Ct. Cons. 851 6 31 1 31 per Cent. 95 31 per Cent. Red. 93 21 4 per Cc. New 103 21 4 per Cent. Scrip 4 per Cent. 1826, 103 Long Ann. 19 5-16 I 5-16 FORBION FUND: Brazilian Bds.sp Ct. 60} Da Ace. 60 1 60f Milian Bonds, 6 per Ct. 27 ColonNatt Itnti., 6 per Ct. 191 India Stock 2491 Ditto Bonds 100 99 South Sea Stock 94, 01d Annuities .81000 Ezcheq. Bills 64 .5 .C5OO Ditto 64 5 £lOO and .8200 Ditto 65 6 India for Acct. 448} Consols fur Acct. 86 51 I, TWO 011.40( K. Slez Ms. 5 p Ct. 261 Mex. 1id5,1825, 6 pCc 35 41 Do Acct 341 5 Portog. Bd.. Sp C. 601 1 2 If Do. Bonds, I 1124, Do Acct. 61 301 2 14 - Do Acct. 231 Rusa.lids.lB62.spera.9ol 891 1 vanish 14.1%. 3 pCt. De. Acct 90 1191 Do Acct. 60 Spanish Bds 5p Ct 111 Grarkßonds,lll2s, 5 pet.l7l Do Met BRITISH AND FOREIGN SHARKS, TWO O'CLOCK. 11111.11 %IL IPA Brazilian 35 20 70 691 10 :olombian 100 22 15/ Tlaipuzahua 400 300 52 311 United Mexican 40 36 121 1 12 Alliance British and Foreign 100 10 in i In the House of Lords last night that humane measure—the Bill for the Regulation of County Lunatic Asylums, together with the Bill for regulating theme And treatment of Insane Persons—was read a second time, and referred to a Committee. The Penryn Dis franchisement Bill was proceeded with by examination of new witnesses, which lasted till midnight. In the House of Commons an Amendment to the Corn Bill, of a different character from those lately attempted, was made by Mr. Hume. The plan of tl,e Honourable Member was a fixed duty on wheat of 15s. per quarter, to be reduced one shilling each succeeding year until it came to 10s. which was to be the peima nint duty. The Amendment was opposed by Govern ment, and rejected by a majority of 112. Many objec tions present themselves to a fixed duty upon an article so continually fluctuating as corn. The variations of the seasons—an unusual degree of speculation—tl.e differences of the harvests on the Continent, and other causes, tend to vary the prices very considerably, yet Mr. Hume would wish to have the same duty of ten shillings per quarter, whether English wheat fetched fifty shillings or seventy shillings. The people would not thank him for this in a year of scarcity, when, if this scheme were adopted, a state of things app►oaching to starvation must ensue. By the Resolutions proposed by Government, wheat may be imported free of duty at 725. per quarter—a price considered by many as postponing free importation too far, but infinitely pre. ferable to one that would prevent a free trade altogether. A manufactured article may often be protected by a fixed dirty, but in the case of Cain every possible rea. son is against it. The woolen manufacturers have taken alarm, and 1.01 without cause, at the drams making by some of the country Ger.tlemen to raise the duty on foreign wool. The Petition of the merchants of Lender, pre sented by Mr. WARD on Monday, stated the ruinous consequences that mutt ensue to the trade, if the agri. culturists should succeed in altering the views of . Ministers on this subject. The inexpediency of making any change in the duty is evident, if we consider the fact that it would actually lasso the demand for 1 * 1 1 ' 1 1 i' , rI ; . ~ i • .: f 1 t ' :I I • 1 I t ' ' C 'II . .I I -•• • i .f . 1 111 11, .. . 1 ' • it . ...., ; i • t 4 ' ' .1,1 1 : 0 'i 1 , i , ~ , ~j !' 1 i s : ; • '• . 1 1.. l' • i ' I • 4 ' . • I I t..; 1 i .. :i; ; lil 1 . . , 1 ~. t i.,. .. . : I 1 : ;11,, ' .. i• :. , .. , . j : i 1, : 1 . ; i• : :1 i ...': • IT q j ,": ' : ØH. fi • 1 f 1 H it i ! t • • 4 I I I '~ V