The National Register. — London, England, 1815-03-05 00:00:00

No. 375. , , SUNDAY, CORN LAWS• • • TO THE EDITOR OF TILE NATIONAL REGISTER. Si ft —A I though the injurious Resolutions which, if formed [ into a law, will reduce the greatest part of the community to short allowance or to receive alms as paupers in their re spective parishes, have passed thfough the Committee, I still l o pe that liberality, justice and Christian benevolence, will operate on the interested passions of men, and, assisted by the general voice of nineteen parts of the population, will induce the Legislature to abandon the measure altogether . Its effects have already begun to be felt. It was my intention after writing ,my last letter on this subject, not to have trou- . !Ad you with any further observation ; but necessity com pels every Englishman who has a feeling for the suffering part of his countrymen, (who have been endeavouring with I.alf a meal to support their labour.ansi rescue' their offspring Morn starvation, before they could submit to a condition so &wading to every industrious man, as to partition the po, rish for relief,) to elucidate the real object and trace the secret 'Principles cf -the measure : whether _time crieeipler ate founded upon the basis of general benefit or seltinterest. The proposers of these Resolutions have fixed a maximum' or general price they say, but this principle is to protest them selves as land-owners and the cultivators of their land ; this is the operation of the plan. The other classes of society which make up nineteen parts out of twenty, are to be std ferers by this prineiple, at this they call a general principle, fur the good of all classes. Now, Mr. Editor, if a general priesciple is to be establisliedi, so as to put all classes on an equilibrium, something above vague profession must be adopteti. to guard bo:h fanner and cous.umer from the arbitrary demands of lend-owners, and put the principles of equilibrium in so conspicuous 0, light that no one can take an unfair advantage of the other . The wax i CRUM s start ou will always cant i aue, we suspec t,: nd probably not without a just cause to establish our suspicion that these persons are legislating for their own interest, more than for that of the farnier and labouring mechanic. If this is really the case, the cloven foot well instantly discover itnelf, by folk wing the ,brit principle they themselves have adopted for the good of all : land-owners, to be guaintainc4 by, a clue proportion of rent; farmers, to be secured fray Ints.by any v 4 riatine ni Pony; ;ad tbe miler clasps of society, to Ire pro tected with the full enjoyment of nature's.!eants. ru. N 4. ceckxxv rat 1 / Vur *sng, gpastittition, aim tab, rtr BLISII ED AT NO. 11, /SEWCASTLB-EiTIIEET, STRAN I), ARCH 5, /815: , • , • 1 . ; t: as PRieR 9d, is a public principle, which enables all classes to share in the enjoyment; all then are pleased, and no murmurs are to be heard. The proposition, Sir, I mean to fix on, is not new in this country; it formerly used to be the only mode of landlords receiving their rents, in kind; as trade and commerce in creased it was found inconvenient, and more so now than it W.IS 150 or 200 years ago. But thelprineiple was good; there fore, as the wise men of the %lest assert that this protection is to secure the happiness of all, no stumbling block can he in the way, when the improvement is to benefit all classes, by a due regulation of profit. Now, Mr. Editor, as corn rents are an cient, I propose that all rents he paid in future by the average price of the bushel of wheat, this is only reducing the yalue of rent in kind ,to that of the nominal currency. Let the variation be what it will, the labOurer and mecha nic who exchanges his daily labour for a subsistence only, is always entitled to his portion of food; in this enjoyment he should be protected. Suppose I agree with rr;ry landlord for the money value or the 3tvetage u 7 of eight bushels of wheat pee etre, which averu, - er price should be published every three months at the .... • usual quarterly days of paying rents, the operation would be, that if the average price was to, advance to fifteen - shillinp per bushel, the landlord would receive six pounds per acre; if it W 44 to average five shillings, be would receive only two pounds per acre—so much to regulate the value of rent be tween the land-owner and cultivator. Now, Sir, for the la bourer and daily mechanic. Suppose we take the quartern loaf at the rate of OW shillinse the labourer will receive fifteen • shillings per week, tes. Gd. per day, which is tirc value of tiro quirtern loaves wig) one intic this mist forgt his protect ing wages. if the farmer . neuter ee 1 15 s. per bushel for his wheat, he must pay one half more rent to the landholder, and the quertern: loaf being advanced to ls. O. the farinet must psi his daily labourers ss. 9d. per day, equal to his two loaves and one half, and all other trades, as mechanics, are to be paid by the same principle. If a MPcbanic is worth ,f;s. per day, or any other givea snm, he agttes with his e•n player for the value of five loaves per day : if the loaf ad wages will, advance to 7s. ; • ad vances to is. Cd. his money if bread is reduced, his wages will be reduced in the sail.e proportion. This once established will protect all cla-s3ei seal all trades; as labour is the greatest cost above , the raw pia therefore the regulation of the labourers' teal war? 6e rio!ccted. • NATI NAL-1111E011*.T.E-4 TrF - 7 .