The National Register. — London, England, 1815-03-19 00:00:00

IPrr. , N AL P~ K THE NATI( THURSDAY, MARCII 16. %s hot is extended to another, would be outrageous injustice ; and to withdraw restrictions altogether, would be to alter the whole sys tem of our ceminercial and 'edified economy. It was far from his desire to overlook or depreciate the interests of the manufactures, bronaht ins as he had been, in the school where those interests had been cordially and assidnously attended to. lint with all his predi lections far that useful and tneritorioas class of men he did not hesi tate to say,, that next to navigation, the agricultural interest was - the tnost important concern of all to the public. It had always been a Wain object of the Goverunient of this country: In 1766, this emintry not only raised corn enough for the home consumption, but exported that article, and continued so to do till 1769. Experience Irove(' that the polic y of protecting agriculture was by no means ncompatible with the interests of the manufacturers. It bad been objected to the Bill, that it would raise the price of bread ; cer tainly ; and any regulation whatever might be attended with that effect. As to the protecting rate of 804. to which a Noble Lord had objected, there certainly had been a difference of opinion a 'tong those who had been examined at the bar, who had fluctuated at swim's points between 76s..and 90+. lint lie believed the-aver age ar those opinion was about 83% or e 4 ,. He could not help ad verting to the extraordinary statement which had been made, that nne wanlii raise the price of the quartern loaf to. 16d. when it was manifest that llSrk would be the utmost to which the loaf would na turally rise at the proposed rate. The object of the Bill was not to set the English agriculturist at variance with the Irish, but to voile them both together with the manufacturing interests and the irtcrests of all classes of the community. His Lordship entered into several arguments to prove that the regulation in question would not raise the price of corn; on the contrary, it was Isis flint ielief, that by fixing the price so high as 80s. the effect would be to make the price of corn much lower, on account of the stimulus awl encouragement it would give to agriculture. With respect to snanntactares, he believed it was not the cheapness of labour that ever made them flourish ; it was the plenty of fuel, of capital, and the power of machinery, which promoted manufactures, and not the cheapness of provisions, which were always dearer in manufacturing districts than in other places. The price of grain in England was tottigher now than that of grain in France, in proportion to the dilferences of prices, 15 years ago. And all that time our manu facturers contrived to maintain a superiority in foreign markets. lie was convinced, that if this hill wa s not passed, a most serious -stistigas would tall upon all the labouring poor, and particularly qui the agricultural labonrers of the country. The latter would losconich more by a fallin the price of bread. The policy of allow ing a free importation would he, to have a glut at one time, and a jjreat scarcity atatiother; and this was a state which no man could wish to free the country placed in. He asked for nothing but equal iirstice and equal law ; and for all these reasons lie would give the measure his warmest support. The Earl of Cartel see was adverse to the Bill. GRENVJLLE argued at much length against the Bill. He lhad dot day presented a petition from the City of London, in which the petitioners desired to be allowed to prove at the Bar, the effect this measure would have on the price of bread. This, he thought, thculd be of itself sufficient to induce farther inquiry, and, he trust the justice of their Lordships would forbid them to decide on a question so important, till both sides of it had been fully examined. t was impossitle for them to dispose of it satisfactorily at present, when not a single manufacturer had been called to their Bar to speak to the effect of such a measure on the price of labour, and conse -cpnutly on the price. - 4 of our mantihctures. He strongly -objected to he measure, as tending to enhance the prices of labour, and maim- C.ettires, and ultimately to cause the emigration of those who em ployed labour, and who ronsnmed the produce of our manufactures. Louis LAUDLRDALE and SELKIRK supported the Bill.--A divi &ie.. took place. Content.—Present, 92; Proxies, 52-144. Non -Contents—Pre rem, 15 : Proxies. —l7. Majority, 127. The Bill was then ordered to he committed on Friday.—Adjourn -cd et two o'clock. 'The Bank Restriction Hill passed throngli a Committee. Tile 7 rcaty wills America was laid on the table; to be taken into vonsider4tion on Wednesday. Lord. ST 414410 PR. piliViar - it to notice, moved a Resolution to the effect, " that edeontagernent oitg,lit to be given to agr►culture, and 14 ith this view, that taxation on the farmer and labourer ought to be diminished as tar as war consistent with the faith due to the public creditor and the maintenance of a requiFite peace establishment." flhe Earl of LtvERPoOL dad not see that any practical good could M 1111111.., TSTER. .4 . '•►a.~w AF. • - - - result from the adoption of the motion of the Noble Earl; on the contrary, it might be holding out expectations to the country mine!' conld not be realized. He therefore moved the prtvious question t , which was carried by 00 to 1.--Adjonrued. FRIDAY, MARCH 17. A great nnmber of Petitions were, as usual, presented aeainst tli Corn Bill. Among others, TAM Grenville Rreseitied a Petition from Westminster, signed by 34,000 persons. CITY PETITION. Lord Gnesivm.x. after stating the peculiar claim which the City of London have to be heard I►v Counsel against the Corn Bitl, moved,,, that, in compliance with the prayer of tt►e Petition, the Corporation London should be heard by Counsel against the Corn BM. The Lono CIIANCELLOR opposed the motion as being contrary to lex et cansuitudo PaHawaii. Earl GREY supported the motion. The Bill was ordered to be read a second. time on Monday next., —After which the House adjourned. simmilimmomums HOUSE OF COMMONS. MONDAY, MARC}, 13. Mr. V.l NSTTTA HT - bat/ill!! moved the Order of the Day for the fur. Cher consideration of the minutes of the proceedings on Monday lasi, relative to the disturbmces outside the House, a conversation of sine length ensued as to the conduct of the Magistrates ; Mr. WII aREAD and others thought some of them had been somewhat remiss in their duty, but nn censure was moved against theni, and the order was therefore discharged. Mr. VA NSITTA RT moved the Order of the Day for the - Howe re solving itself into a Committee of the whole noose on the South Set Act. It was a matter of notoriety that the Company had not pros pered, and the object of the present measure was to obtain a surrender of their exclusive privilege of trade to he purchased by a compensation, which he apprehended would entail little or no burthen on the country, —The motion brought on a desultory discussion on the subject of Spa.. nish South America, and the civil war now existing in that part of the world ; Mr. Vansittart said, it was nattital for Great Britain, after hay. ing established the liberties and independence of Old Spain, to wi:k well to the cause of freedom in those extensive colonies; but it woul,' he highly impolitic to adopt any measures that might expose us to the imputation of having made our firmer exertions in the Peninsula, on!: to find a pretext fur robbing our Allies of their most valuable posses sions. Mr. VA wstrrAor moved the further consideration of the adjourned. Report of the Committee of Ways and Mean% Sir ROBERT HERON said, he must protest against voting supplies "such an amount, without insisting on one resource—lie meant thut the most strict economy which ought to pervade every department 'the Government. Ministers, if they consulted the tranquillity an, happiness of the country, should advise the Illustrious Personage who exercised the Royal functions, to limit his expenditure ; and shout' Wiwi]) him how tar more glorious his days would be, were he to r, Germ his expences to the wants of his subjects, instead of increasing ill enormous and unnecessary charges of an extravagant Court Meal hear !) It was not long since, that the nation had admired two into trious Sovereigns who visited our country ; and the cause of their har ing received so much approbation was, that tkey had endured the greatest privations in times of public distress. This was 'a cOnduc' worthy of imitation, and he would take the liberty of recalling to ti recollection of the Hone the words which William the Third, 'one the best Kings, had addressed to his Parliament :—'" It a rWaii * gives me," said that great Monarch, " the deepest concern to impose new burdens on my people ; but I have never called tor any which related to my personal expence." Mr. BANX Ell said, in his opinion, a large proportion of the Propert y Tex would have been the wisest measure, under all the circumstances of the country, and lie bel►eveu that a similar opinion was pretty gt nerally entertained. The Right Hon. Gentleman had abandoned .that tax, because the voice of the people seemed to be against it ; but if tla revenue of the country were not made commensurate to the ►•xpendi tore, the sum then asked for, and a much larger sum, would be wanted. Mr. PHILLIPS objected to the _new tax on windows and on cotton as partial and oppressive. The question being called fur, the house divided—Aye!, 95; Nov 24.—Majority. 71. The Resolutions were then gone through, and the House adjourned. le 'll fU ty 1,. ry t., of• 181 85 .e. ler )n, S. he Lew :k Id he Ily es- ed. to. of of nd hI) re , he ar, LI S. IV- be )Ct he of Fes SW ed .ty ;es ;e. tat he di- be 111 1 ea,