The Sun. — London, England, 1842-02-10 00:00:00

EVEN'ING SUN Majesty's Government should undertake, upon the re sponsibility of a Government, to <propose a measure — (Hear)—for the adjustment of that question, and that no interval, which could be avoided, should elapse between the recommendation from the Throne and the proposal of the measure to the House.—(Hear, hear.) Sir, the only object at which I shall aim, in bringing the subject -under the consideration of the House, is to state as clearly and as intelligibly as can the considerations which have influenced her Majesty's Governmett, and the nature of the measure which they intend to propOse. One other object I shall aim at, namely; to discuss this question, affecting such mighty interests; in the temper and spirit which is due to its great j importance ; bearing in mind how easy it is on each side to raise spcaggerated apprehensions, and to fincl.topies• Of inflammation by which feelings and passions may be easily excited.--(Hear, hear,) Sir, her Majesty's Government have thought it to be their duty to consider :the Corn-laws, with a view to their modificatitin .and amendment.—(Hear; hear.) They undertake the consideration of that question at a pe riod wherts there is great commercial distress—(Hear, hear, hear)'-7-; when there are great sufferings and privatleos-cOnnected with that distress. But I consider it to be Mi.: duty, in the first place, to declare, that, after having given to this subject the fullest consideration which I can, I cannot recommend the proposal which -I have to make by exciting a hope that it will tend immediately or materially to the mitigation of that commercial distress under which- we are suffer ing.—(Hear, hear.) My belief is, while I admit the commercial distress—while I deplore the suf ferings .and sympathize with those who are distressed, yet I feel bound to admit that I cannot attrihute that distress in any degree in which it has s n i, ‘ supposed attributable to the operation of those raT'vi.—(Cheers from the Ministerial benches.) I do .not ,view, with those feelings of despair in which some persons are inclined to indulge, the commercial prospects of this. country. Ido not believe that the re sources of our commercial and manufacturing prosperity are diained; but I- do see the operation of causes acting concurrently and simultaneously, sufficient, in my opinion, to account, in a great degree, for the depression which has unfortunately affected our manufacturing and commer cial districts ; and I have that confidence in the natural resources of this country—(Hear, hear)—l have had such fryquent opportunities of seeing periods of depres sion al,great followed by periods of revival of prosperity as sudden, that I confidently indulgo.the hope and belief that we May still recover by the operation of natural causes,' ' and again witness a revival of our coin mercial4prosperity.—(Hear, hear, and cheers.) Sir, it is impossible to take a review of the causes which have affected the manufacturing and commercial prosperity of this country, without perceiving that there have been in operation during the course of the last four or five years several causes, the effect of each of which taken separately would be but little, which, acting concurrently, have produced an effect sufficient to ac count for the present state of depression.—(Hear.) If you look at the stimulus given, partly through the extreme facility of credit to great undertakings during the years 1837 and-1838, to the.connexion which existed between the Companies and Directors of Joint Stock Banks, and the manufacturing establishments—if you look to the im mense efforts that w ere then made for the increase of our manufactures, to the numerous buildings that were then erected for the reception of the labourers in our manufaotories, to the emigration of labourers from the rural districts into the manufacturing districts, to the im mense increase which took place in the mechanical power of our manufactures, the consequence of the stimulus given to manufactures in 1837 and 1838—you can hardly be surprised thilt those consequences should have followed those exertions which have so fre quently. followed similar exertions at former periods.— (Rear.) The same causes which were in operation here were in'operation in the United States, at the same time; and th 6 same consequences to the commercial interests there, in a greater degree, have been the result, while the derangement in the monetary affairs of the United States has acted most powerfully on the demand Tor our manufactures in that country. Concurrently with that excitement and stimulus, and with the- depression that followed from them, had been the effect of the same causes in the United' States, diminishing the demand for our manufacture. There has been at the same time an interruption it our amicable relations with that country, causing a considerable deficiency in the extort 'of manufactured goods at a recent period, as compared with a former period of our inter course with that country. There have been also, during a considerable portion . of a later period of that time, the elements of war in Europe, and the necessary stagnation of commerce, which is in some degree inseparable from such a state of things. The united effect of these causes will, in my opinion, go far to account for the depression in our prosperity. Sir, I am admitting the extent of the depres sion. I am equally disposed to admit the ex tent of the privation and suffering which have been qv consequence of it. But here, again, am bound to say that I cannot recommem the measures which I am about to propose, by the hope that any alteration in'the Corn-laws will be a remedy for some Of the evils which, in a great manufacturing country like this, seem to be inseparable from society. Extend your foreign commerce as you may, depend -upon it it is not a necessary consequence that the means of employment for manual labour will be proportionate to the demand. Speaking of paiiiCtilar districts, wh . atever may be the ex tent ::of your commercial prosperity—whateve r may lee - the 'deinand for your manufactures, it is impossibly 'not to feel that, coincident with the general prosperity, there must be the severest partial dis tress. These have been so at ,periods of thy• greatesL manufacturing and . 1 commerc i al prosperity _ _ _ The aosessary consequence "of the sudthen iniprovemen in migtinery, and the consequent ktiminishing of the de mand 7 for manual labour, must to expose in cer tain AstFlets- : of the . country those who are depen dent for their support on manual labour to great privations. Sir, wa-find hundreds of persons occupied in great manu facturing districts entirely relying for subsistence on their labour in some particular department. By the ex ercise of . ingenuity some improvement in machinery is sune.ily devis e d, i s cop i ed by others, which has the effect. of depriving those who so relied on their manual labour for subsistence of the means of em ployment, as was the case with the hand-loom weavers —(Hear, hear)—and with many parties engaged in other branches of manufacture. —(hear, hear.) It is a hare - c - Ondition, inseparable from a man u f ac t ur i ng • • country, that there must be such revulsions in the de: n3anct . f6r nianual labour. It is, impossible, therefore, ii any ebinmercial system that great privation and suffering should-not frequently exist—(liear, hear)— although it'is not to be supposed that I deprecate the exercise of industry and skill.—(lkar, hear.) It would be madness to interfere with tbem—(ffear, hear)— and it would be follig to deny that in the aggregate this country has 4eived the greatest source of its strength from suAjmprovements in manufactures.— (Ifeat; hear.) Wt}. attempt to obstruct it would be Merely to , :n eneolirage competition and rivalry already too formidable. (Hear, . hear.) Inseparably neees - sary asl distress appears• to be from such - . . developrmtaAlr skill; and awl improvement of ma tivio not state this - for the purpose of impressing you against the importance of improvement, but fork.theiturpoie of disclaiming the sanguine hope that any sext - ait . of legislative enactments can exempt you from . the liability to such fluctuations and distress. In proportion to, the , manufacturing excitement—in proportion 'to the. stimuli to which I have re ferred, to the stimuli of specillation,. to - the fricility of undeitaking - ,4.by undue advances ; the pursuits or wealth just in .that- proportion must you expect that in certain dis tricts ofthe country these - privations will occur. But looking at the general state of the country, I can neither see grounds for that despondency in which some are apt to view it,- nor can I see any grounds .for im puting' -to- the operation of - .the Cora-laws, as some in 3 PUIM' to-them, any thateical - thare in the evils which we are TIQW suffering:-.4llear, hear, from the Tory bencht • I think 'we are toe, apt to assume that there must:be:A constant and-rapid increase in the amount :of our ex-Torts to other countries. We are too apt tor-de spond when we find any occasional _check in the amount of those,..wFports. The extent of our commerce during the last year, if found to be lets, when compared to the year iinglediately preceding it, we imagine from time to time..that the resources of our proSperity are being dried up:: --Now, Sir, at all periods -of the commercial iiistoq,o(jthis country, these alternations of prosperity and adversity have prevailed. If you.will examine, you can not-, deny that at the last period to which the returns are fully made up—a period which . includes the year •IB4l—on, comparing the state of trade in 1840, with the state of trade of p rece di ng years, for the inference which i s sometimes I see 'no grounds drawn, that the Qorn-laws • lia7l . kieen . the cause of our misfortunes, and that the repeal of those laWs would su pply iiiintediate .:remedy. -On=referring to this p a p er , / find that in the year 1840 the exports of British produce and • otitnufnetnses , --.1 speak of - their declared. value— th_. -value of B r iti s h p ro d uc e exported in 1840 to 41v13, ' ,tertii of the wo r ld, excee ded the exports of ‘ l * 9,36 5000/ • it ' eed d that of 1838 by 'mid fell . ' short o e f "e the' exports of 1839 by create great anxiety . and 1,827,0001.—a falling off. suffi re c h ie e n n t s , ion n . o B do u u t bt, ther to e s i v f e r y e o causes referusesamplyto e sufficient of otuoarpapecou commercialt for t that a transactions falling off w with ith t w h h e o U s e n United prosperityStatesa o t u that wn period—withsso intimately that country inter. woven—you will find that, during that period, there were operating causes connected with monetary derange ment,whichaccounted for the temporary cessation of trade. I stated that in the' year 1839, as compared with the year 1840, there was a deficit of 1,827,000 Z in the declared value of the export of British produce and manufactures. But in the year 1839 there was an export to the United States amounting to 8,839,0001., whereas, in the year 1840 the total amount was only 5,283,0001., leaving a deficit in the value of our exports to the United States in 1840, as com pared with the year 1839, to the amount of 3,556,0001. Now that fact is sufficient to account for the falling off in the general amount of our exports in the year 1840, as compared with the year 1839. The falling off, however, was greatly less than the in ' crease in other parts ; and consequently the differ ence was made up by the extension of our commerce with other countries.--(Hear, hear.) Sir, it is very satisfactory to view the progress of our colonial trade. In the year 1837 the whole of our exports to the Colonies amounted to 11,280,0001.; inlB3B, to 12,025,000/. 1839, t 014,363, 0001.; and in 1840 to 15,497,000/.—(Hear.) Now let us look at our commercial transactions with these countries in Furope which are the chief sources of our sup ply of food. Let its look to the state of our export trade with Germany, Holland, and Belgium. In 1837 the value of our exports to those three countries, the chief sources of our supply of food, amounted to 8,742,0001. ; in 183$, to 9,606,000/. ; in 1839, to 9,660,0001. ; and in 1840, to 9,704,0001.—(Hear, hear, hear.) So that even with respect to those countries which are the chief sources of our supply of corn when we stand in need of any, and which are supposed to be such formidable competitors of our manufacturers, and with which the sale of our productions is sup posed to be so rapidly declining on account of our exclusion of their eorn,--eveu with respect to those countries, there has been upon the whole an increase in the export of our manufactured articles.—(Hear, hear.) Sir, I cannot, therefore, infer that the operation of the Corn-laws is to be charged with the depression which unfortunately prevails in the country at the present moment.—(Hear, hear.) Ido see other causes in opera tiou which are sufficient in a great degree to account tier those evils which we all deplore.—(Hear, hear.) Sir, in considering any modification of the Corn-laws which it may be desirable to propose, it is impor tant to review the several proposals which have been already made with respect to them. Various opinions are entertained with respect to the Corn-laws: There are some who would admit of no modification whatever in respect to them, but would adhere to the existing state of the law, without admitting any altera tion or modification. It is my firm belief that this party are exceedingly limited in number in this Country. I believe that, amongst the agriculturists themselves, it is the prevailing opinion that the Corn-laws may be altered with advantage.—(Hear, hear.) So far as I can collect from the various communications that have been made to me by that body, I am justified in saying that the general impression —the general feeling —amongst the agriculturists is in favour of' a modification in some respects. There are also others who entertain a decidedly opposite opinion, who would consent to no modification, but would insist on the immediate and absolute repeal of the Corn-laws. Sir, it is impossible not to feel that those who advocate a repeal of every imposition on every kind of subsistence for the people, are enabled to appeal to topics which give them a great advantage.—(Hear hear, hear, and cheers.) To urge that there is a law which taxes bread—an obstacle to the subsistence of the community—an impost on the food of the popu lation—to urge that this a tax maintained for the pro teetion and advantage of a separate class—(Hear, hear) —to urge arguments of this kind gives the oppo nents of such a system the power of making a considerable impression on those who listen to them.— (Hear.) A comparison is made between the dearness of food in this country, and the cheapness of food in some other countries, and the inference is immediately drawn that the people of this country ought to be placed on the came footing with respect to articles of subsistence, and that their condition would be materially benefited if they were permitted to avail theinselves of the labours of the agriculturists of other countries.—(Hear, hear.) Sir, it appears to me that any conclusion founded upon such a position would be altogether groundless.--(Hear, hear.) The question is, can you infer the comfort and ease of' a people, from the price which they pay for Food ? Reference is made to the price of food in Ger many, and to the facilities which the low price of sub iistence gives for the establishment of manufactures ; and the inference is hastily and unwisely drawn that the people of this country must necessarily be placed upon a superior footing to what they are if the price of l'ood could undergo a corresponding reduction, and be equal with the price of other countries. I apprehend the true question is not what is the price of food, but what is the command which the labouring classes have over it. (Loud cheers from both sides of the House.) The question is, whether luxuries or the necessaries of life are easily accessible to the people, and what com .eand the labouring classes have over the enjoyment 'f the products of the country. Under the operation of the Corn-laws let us compare the condition of the labouring classes of this country with the condition of the labouring dasses in those countries in which I admit the price of provisions is greatly less. There is nothing to impede the cultivation of corn in the Prussian States. The price )f corn there is much less than it is in this country, but can it be from hence inferred that the condition of the Prussian people is preferable to that of the people of this country ?—(Loud cries of "Hear, hear") — or that the consequence of the immense reduction of the price of various articles, particularly in the price of bed, must necessarily be a great increase in the com 'orts and enjoyments of the labouring classes ?—(Hear.) Sir, there are means, from sources I apprehend of - inquestionable authority, of forming a judgment is to the comparative degrees of comfort of ..he people in both the countries alluded to; and beforeyou leter►nine that a low price ofpri visions is necessarily essen tial to manufacturing industry, to the general consumption, to the comforts or enjoyments of the people, it Nould be well to weigh the materials which yon possess before you draw such a conclusion. •iir, in the Report of the Committee which sat the Import Duties there is evidence on the ioint—evidence given by the Hon. Gentleman the I(ember for Bolton, whose attention has been directed to this subject, and who, before tl:at Committee, and in the Report which he made on the Prussian League, )n the state of our commercial relations with Prussia has given information as to the comparative consumption rif the people of this country, and the consumption of the uhabitants of the Prdssian States. Now, • let us ake the great articles of consumption ; and ive begin ly admitting that meat is dear; and that corn is dear, he great articles which constitute the suste- Lance of the people, and administer t o their ••••••••• comforts. I admit that they are 'greatly lower in Prussia than they are here.—(Hear.) But as I said before, it appears to me that the true test is not by comparative lowness of price, but the 'com mand the people have over that which _constitutes their comforts. Now I began with meat, and in speaking of that;, I shall take my information from a perfectly unsuspicious source. It is from oue who differs from me as to the operation of the Corn-laws, and who iaa de cided advocate for their repeal. (hear, hear.) 1)r. Bowring's • calculation with regard to meat is given iri 1840. It is the report on the Zolverien; he was speaking of a state of things in this country, whore the Corn-laws had been in operation-fm thirty vtiars, and must have effected, if that were their ten lency, the comforts of the people. But what was the Report made by the Right Honourable Gentleman ? Now, with respect to meat, Dr. Bowring says, that in Prussia he calculates that 14,000,000 of persons consume i 5,000,000 pounds of meat ; that is at the rate of about 35 . pounds annually for each person. But the Hon- ourable Gentleman says, that in this country 25,000,000 of persons consume 501 b. of meat annually, he says that it cannot he less than 50 lbs., and it has been estimated _at double that amount. Now, I will take it at the lowest calculation, and from that it appears that; the inhabitants of Prussia consume but 35 pounds yearly, whereas in this country fifty pounds is con sumed annually.—(Hear, hear.) Now, take sugar. Observe I am not at all denying that severe distress prevails in many parts of the country. I feel perfectly convinced that in parts of the country distress prevails , to - a very great extent.—(Hear.) I certainly do not niegn to say that the 17,000 persons in distress in Paisley consume so much meat or sugar. Not at all ; but it'is impossible to argue the sub- joet without drawing getiero inferences. You must look at the whole amount, and i,A doing so, kyou must not be taunted by the remark of " Can you say, that at Paisley and Stockport, such is the amount ? I" say no such thing. ladmit that there is n o such consumption ; but . in drawing get neral conclusions wits respect to legislation have no other alternative than to dea averages and comprehensive results, and by that means t o ascertain, I upon the whole,'what the consumption of a country is. Well, now, sugar ; now, before you determine that high prices are necessarily an evil, I ask you to compare the consumption of sugar in the dif ferent countries of Europe.—(Hear, hear.) I rely entirely upon the authority of Dr. Bowring. The Hon. Gentleman says that in France the consumption of sugar is 4 lb. 8 oz. per. head ; I will allow that it is 5 lb. per head, because there is certain beet-root sugar which he has not taken into his calculation. But in France, he put it at the highest, the consumption of sugar for each individual per annum, is 51b.; in the states of the German League it is 4 lb. ; in Europe generally it is 2i lb. The consumption of Great Britain the Hon. Gentleman calculated at 17 lb. per annum. I take the consumption of corn, of this very article.— (Hear, hear.) Mr. Hume—that is Mr. Deacon Hume, a gentleman whose , loss we must all deplore—Mr. Hume calculated the consumption of the people of this country to be one quarter of'wheat for each person. He calculated the consumption of wheat to be 25,000,000 of quarters, being one quarter per annum for each individual. The Hon. Gentleman's calculation is, that 24,000,000 of the inhabitants consumed 45,000,000 quarters of grain, that is, all other kinds of grain included. Now, I beg the House to bear in mind, with reference to the article of corn, that the estimate of consumption, by two gentlemen possessed of such means of information, entertaining views which made their testimony so altogether free from sus picion, is ' that the consumption of this country, compared with that of other countries, is one quarter of wheat for each individual. The Honourable Gentleman makes the total consumption for 24,000,000 of inhabitants, 45,000,000 quarters of grain, which is not very far from two quarters per head for each individual. Now, the Hon. Gentleman has given us the con sumption of the Prussian States. The Prussian States contain fourteen millions of inhabitants, and the con sumption of those States amounts to thirteen millions of quarters of wheat—observe, less than one-fourth the consumption in:this country; but while the Hon. Gentle man calculates the consumption in England as one quarter of wheat per annum for each individual, according to the Hon. Gentleman's calculation of the quarter of grain consumed by the inhabitants of the Prussian states, three-fourths at least are barley or rye.—(Ministerial cheers.) The Hon. Gentleman says that through out the Prussian States the consumption of rye is the proportion of three and four to one when compared, to wheat. The consumption of 124,000 lbs., gives us a consumption of 65 lbs. of wheat and 2401b5. of rye to each individual. Thus, this 124,000 lbs. gave an annual consumption of little more than one bushel of wheat to each indMdual in the Prussian states,: instead of one quarter of wheat which was the consumption of Great Britain. The Honourable Gentleman says that in England the consumption of tea is twelve pounds per head per annum for each individual, while in the Prussian States it is one pound. The annual con sumption of salt,:in the Prussian States is 16 lbs. per head—in England, it is abs. per head. The con sumption.of cotton goods in Prussia was foue pounds and one-third for each family of five persons, which was not half the amount of the consumption in England. The consumption of woollen cloth in Prus sia amounts to two ells and one-sixth per head per an num. In Great Britain it is six ells and a' quarter a head. It appears that the consumption of tobacco is greater in Prussia than in England.. In Prliasia it amounts to three lbs. per head per annum ; in England the consumption is only one pound per head per annum. The consumption of butter is likewise greater in Prussia, amounting to 21b. per head in that country, and lib. per head in England ; but you must recolleCt that in all the great articles, in cotton, in woollen, in salt, in tea, in sugar, in corn, the very article which we are at this mo ment considering, the consumption of each individual in this country, estimated in the year 1840, at a time when the price of corn was exceedingly high compared with the price in Prussia, owing to the command which the labouring classes had of the necessaries and comforts of life, the consumption far exceeded in this country the consumption in Prussia, where the price was less.—(Hear, hear.) I do not mean to santhat that is any argument now against removing restrictions. —(Loud Opposition cheers.) It is no argument against giving those classes an increased command over those articles, but it is an argument to show that it is not fair to give the diminished priee of foul as an argument for the prosperity of that country. Information has been laid on the table as to the condition of the labouring classes in Belgium. Now Belgiuni e is a great manufacturing country, and is represented. as * being in a high state of prosperity.. In this document the wages of the agri cultural labourers in Belgium is 'stated at 11d. per day, those of weavers at ls., masons ls. 3d., locksmiths and carpenters Is. 3d., manufacturing labourers Is. 3d., miners and quarrymen, Is. 4d., jewellers and goldsmiths Is. Bd. Such is the rate of wages in Belgium. In the last year the market price of wheat in that country was from 51s. 9d. to 535. per quar ter. At Antwerp it was from 51s. to 565. per quarter. Taking then, the general average of the prices of corn in Belgium, and comparing them with the amount of wages in that country, notwithstanding its manufacturing and agricultural prosperity, it appears to mo that the wages in that country do not give the same command over the enjoy ments of life which the wages recei% ed in this country do. Sir, I refer to this for the purpose of confirming my impression that to look for any rapid or great change in the condition of the people of this country from any extensive alteration in the Corn laws, would subject you td great disappointment, My firm believe is—l am speaking of those who are in favour of the absolute repeal of the Corn-laws—my firm impression is, that if this House were to consent to that total re peal which is urged upon their consideration, in stead of mitigating in the slightest degree the manufacturing distress now . prevalent, you would only superadd to it the severest agricultural distress.—(Hear.) Auy such disturbance of the agricultural in terests would, in. my opinion, inevitably lead to fatal results, not merely in respect of the agricul turists, but to those other classes of society whose prosperity was identical with theirs. There is, how ever, another portion of those who are advocates for a material alteration in 'the Corn-laws, who do not go the length of advising absolute repeal of those laws, but a substitution, in place of the present, of a fixed duty upon corn. With respect to these the ground is narrowed which we take. They are in favour of a fixed duty on corn—they admit that the agriculturist is entitled to protection, and therefore would impose a duty invariable in amount upon the importation of foreign corn. With respect to those, it must be remembered that whatever odium attaches to the imposition of a variable duty, must necessarily apply with equal force to the imposition of a fixed duty.—(Ceies of " No, no.") lam sure, Sir, that Honourable Gentlemen opposite do not understand me. lam not saying that the same objection applies to a fixed duty as to a variable one. lam only . saying this, that as far as odium is at tached to the imposition of any duty on the main subsistence of the people —so, to that extent, in prin ciple, a fixed duty is equally liable to objec tion.—(Tory cheering.) There may be - advantages in a fixed duty. That is for argument—(Hear, hear) — but the argument against the imposition of any duty whatever on the main article of subsistence applies with equal force to the fixed as to the variable duty.—(llear.) Both the one and the other must assume that agricul .ture requires protection—(rory , cheering)—either on account of the burthens which they have to bear (Cheers)—or for reasons of public policy to encourage the productions of our own soil.—(llear, hear.) But on principle, it is impossible to say that they do not rest on the same ground, and must be defended by the same arguments.—(Hear, hear.) In common with my colleagues, I have given this subject the fullest and most patient consideration ; and, if I could come to the conclusion that for a variable it would be better to substitute a fixed duty, I hope I should consider the obligations under which I ac as Minister of the Crown, and should have the moral eou rage to avow it and to propose it to the House. But after giving._ the fullest consideration to the principle of amending the law, I cannot reconcile my self to that.—(" Hear, hear," from the Opposition.) I do not believe we could impose an amoant of a fixed duty sufficient for the protection of domestic agriculture in years of average supply, which would at the same time determine in other years the quantity or the price that would be adequate tq the wants of - the country. In the consi6ration of the question it is ne cessary to ascertain what are the probabilities that this country can, from its own resources, supply its popula tion.—(Tory cheers.) lam not prepared to admit that this country is unable in ordinary times to supply itself. If I formed my judgment, Sir, from the quantity of corn grown during the last four years, I should be bound to admit that we were dependent on a foreign supply for a great portion of our subsistence, because during the last four years, to state the case fully and - fairly, the average importation of foreign grain was 2,300,000 quarters in each of those four years. And if We take the last twelve or thirteen years we shall find that on the whole the importation of foreign corn has been very con siderable, I think altogether twelve or thirteen mil lions of quarters of foreign wheat and fo re i gn flour. Since the year 1828, the total amo un t Of foreign w h eat and foreign flour . entered for home consumption, "from sth of July, 1828, to the sth of July, 1841, is 13,475,000 quarters. (An Hon. Member on the Oppo sition benches—" In each year?" The llon. Baronet explained that it was the whole amount, and proceeded.) This I think must be admitted also, if we take any period of the last - ten years. We cannot have any such period of time as ten years during which we shall be quite - independent of foreign supply; such a period of time cannot leave us without, during its progress, being under the necessity of importing a supply of foreign grain,. and in that sense you are not independent of . foreign supply. I retain my opinion that it is of • the utmost importance to the permanent interests of this country, that it should be as far as possible independent of foreign supply,— (year.) ldo not mean an-absolute and entire indepen- dence, which, I know, is absolutely impossible—it is per fectly impracticable—and nothing, I think, can be so mis chievous as to attempt to pass laws which should have the effect of givin,..n such an encouragenient to domestic pro duce as should - certainly secure us such an unqualified independence. This is impossible, but, speaking ge nerally, I think it is important that a. country like - this, whose chief means of subsistence are derived from its supply of wheat,—l say that it is mpoitant that if a country like this, is obliged to resort to foreign countries, - 11,-! , oudit to be - rather for tti purpose. ; of making up its deffiaericy,- , than for drawing. itS constant an d c hi e f source of -subsistence.- - (Hear, hear hoar how, Sir, I form - this - inference, as I said - before, from what has .taken place during the last four years ; awl, looking at what has occurred, I am bound to admit that this country was dependant . on others for a consi derableos n onportion tssu i P m ply, ported during that time has because, as I have before be s e taled the the amunt average 2,300 quarters a-year. But let us take the last ten years, and let us see what was the average importation during the first six of those years. During the first six of the last ten years, the produce of' this country was sufficient for its own consumption. During the first six years of the last ten this country amounted only to 137,000 quarters. And h ge importation of corn into the case during the six t at years having vin g the been aver a years of 1832, 1833, 1834, 1835, 1836, and 1837, it would be too much, I think, to infer that the population bad so rapidly increased with reference to its subsistence, that you must altogether abandon the hope of deriving sufficient supply from your own agriculture. Within the last ten years the popu lation of this country had, of course, considerably increased ; and, during the last four years it had been found necessary to import foreign corn, but during the six years preceding, the average produce of the country had been sufficient for the consumption.. I am not prepared, therefore, to admit the conclusion, that there must necessarily be a periodical and annual importation of foreign corn to supply the deficiency in this country. And therefore. Sir, in determining our duty, we had to provide for periods of comparative abundance, as well as for periods of comparative scarcity.—(Hear, hear.) Six years of good harvests might again recur, during which the produce of the country would be sufficient for its own consumption. If they did recur, then I fear that the effect of a fixed duty would be that the un limited right of importation, at a given amount of duty which you would always undertake to maintain in times of scarcity, would subject this coun try to severe distress and suffering in conse quence of the excess of produce, the fall in pdces, and in the remuneration for labour.—(Hear, hear.) Sir, it has been observed by writers of the highest authority, that unfavourable and favourable seas sons return in certain cycles—that you will often find, looking back to the produce of several years, that years of favourable harvests on the Continent have been gene rally found contemporaneous with • favourable harVests here, for the great producing countries of Europe are within the same parallels of latitude, and are affected by the same climate ; and it will, therefore, be found that abundant, or scarce harvests prevail through them all at the same time. Now, where there is an abundance, the consequence of a slight addition to' the quantity of corn produces an effect on prices vet's , different from the amount of excess. Mr. Tooke in his work on prices lays down the principle as follows :—" It will be found that prices vary in a ratio very different from the variation of quantities, and that the difference of the ratio between quantities and prices is liable to alter according to the nature of commodities ; but more in the case of corn, probably, than in that of any other article- of extensive consumption." Mr. Tooke also makes a comparision between defective and abundant harvests in this country and those of the Continent, and the conclusion he comes to • is, that it is generally the case that deficient harvests here are accompanied by deficient harvests in the chief producing countries of Europe, so that an abundant harvest here is an indi cation of an abundant harvest on the Conti nent.—(Hear.) While, therefore, this calculation shows what supply we might look for from other coun tries, it also shows, that at a time of unnatural depression, we might receive such discouragement to our native productions, as to make us dependent on foreign countries, a result that I should deplore as a great evils —(Loud cries of " Hear, hear.") It is urged on the other side, by the advocates of a fixed duty, that the consequence of imposing a fixed duty would be to • prevent those great alternations, and that although it might be difficult to maintain a fixed duty if there were periods of some scarcity, yet that the tendency of such a law will prevent such a scarcity, and the occurrence of such a contingency, in :which the difficulty would principally consist. Now, all experience seems to me to show, that with respect to corn, such fluctuations in produce and in price must be impossible to be remedied by legislation—(Hear, hear) —that no law that - you could pass for the freo im portation of corn, in case of deficient harvests here and on the Continent, would prevent a rise in price to such a point as to make ,a fixed duty tolerable. Take the United States, which are not• subject to the operation of the Corn-laws, and there you will find the amount of fluctuation in price arising from the fluctua tion of the seasons to be as great as that prevailing in this country.—(Hear, hear.) In Prussia you will find, with respect to rye, a species of grain not affected by the Corn-laws, that in consequence of the fluctuation of the seasons as great, a fluctuation in the price of it takes place, as in the price of any other grain. If the fixed duty be Bs. or 10s., and if your anticipations, that by legislative enactments you can guard against the rising of prices be not fallacious, and then prices rise to 80 or 90 shillings, I retain the impressions I stated in the course of last Session that no Government could undertake at such prices to enforce a fixed duty.—(Cheek) If that be admitted, you must make some provision for its relaxation. If you entrust the power of relaxation to the executive authority, you introduce immediately uncertainty into the operation of the law. You give a power capable of being abused, and most difficult to he exercised ; and if this be so you destroy that confidence in the permanence of your trade which you rely on as the great encouragement of trade; and therefore, with reference to a fixed duty, as applicable to the state of the country when there are low prices of corn, or as applicable to a state of scarcity when high prices prevail, I have come to the conclusion after fully considering the subject, that it is not advisable for Parlia ment to alter the law and apply the principle of a fixed • duty.—(Loud Ministerial cheers.) The alteration of the law which I shall propose will proceed upon the principle of retaining a duty upon corn, varying inversely with the price of the article in the whole market, that is, . the principle of the existing law. The maintenance of that principle necessarily in volves the principle of the system of averages. -It is said there would be great advantages in sweeping away altogether the system of averages.. It is quite - trite that it might be competent to abandon the system of averages with respect to the imPosition of a duty on corn ; but you must maintain a system of aver ages, because the whole of your proceedings are founded on ait is impos s ible to abolish th e system of fem averages, of averages;because the annual payments are sys founded on the accounts of the averages. It appears that as the averages must -be maintained for the purpose of tithes, it would not be expedient to adopt any other system, materially varying in prin ciple from that for determining the duty on corn. I am not saying, because there is a system of averages averagesmerela' stawtihillge, for the determination of tithes, that therefore we must apply it for the purpose of determining the duties on cAns.o with that you cannot dis your tithe commu tation exists. I say only that if you come to determine the amount of duty by the system of averages —seeing a system of averages is necessary, because it might be encumbent on the one hand to have two sys tems of averages in the country at the same time ; and it would be inconvenient to depart materially froM the principle on which the averages with respect to tithes are founded, —I propose, therefore, as necessary to a varying duty ,to retain a system of averages. It is the general impression throughout the country that there has been great fraud in respect of the averages— a very general impression, particularly in the agricultural districts, that there htni been either great frauds practised on the averages, or that extensive combinations have been entered into for the purpose of influencing the averages, and procuring the release of corn at lower prices. In Leeds, Wakefield, arid other parts of Yorkshire, there have been great and successful combinations for the pur pose of influencing the averages. As I said before, I am inclined to think that the apprehensions upon this subject may not be altogether without foundation, but I think that th e a p pre hnsions which have been enter tained are greatly exaggerated.—(Hear, hear.) Now, Sir, if I take the averages for six weeks in the year 1841 ; if' I take the aggregate averages of the kingdom for the six weeks ending the Gth of August, the 13th of August, the. 20th of August, the 27th of August, the 3d of September, and the 10th of September, the ave rages of the kingdom for the whole of those six weeks was 735. ld. Now, if I exclude London altogether from the averages, the general average would be 725. Bd., in place of, 735. ld. If I exclude the Yorkshire market, the general average for the kingdom would be 71s. 11d. It is probable that the raising of the price in the London market may have the effect of raising the price in the other markets ; but, as far as you can judge from the figures and returns, I think that the Apprehensions that there have been very extensive frauds with respect to the averages have been, as I said before, not altogether unfounded, perhaps, but that they have been • greatly g exa,(" crated. It should be remembered that the price of corn in London was higher than in Leeds and other parts of Yorkshire, and, therefore, they could: draw no necessary inference that great fraud had been practised because the London averages exceeded those of other places. For of , instance, in from the 13th of August to the 7 th 1838, the; weekly average was 735. The exclusion of the London market could have made no difference. In the - -year 1840 the - aggregate average front the 24th of July to the 20th of August was 70s. 2d. ; the average, exclusive of the London market, was 70s. ltd., but that difference made a great difference in the amount of duty. The duty upon the aggregate average of 70s. 2d. would have been 2s. Bd. ; but the average, exclusive of the London M arket wo uld have raised the p r i ce o f corn up to 10s. Bd . But then, as I said before, as th e p r i c e of corn in London is higher than in the country markets, you must not infer fraud fr om th a t circumstance. But, Sir, various proposals have been made with respect to the amend ment of the law as it affects averages—proposals which have received the utmost consideration from her Ma jesty's, Government. I think - there will be a general agreement in this, that whatever system is devised fraud should as' far as possible be, prevented, — (Cries of " Hear, hear," from the Opposition benches,) It is advised by some that the retu rns b e taken by the growers. Th a t is a proposal which it is impossible to adopt. At present the Irish and Scotch returns of corn sold are admitted into the averages. ,It would be im possible to have t hi s c ourse adopted, excluding the Irish and Scotch grower, as it would have a very material effect in raising the price of corn, Sir, I must state that I think we ought to guard as far as possible against fraud ; but I do not think we ought to effect an increase of protection by any indirect ope ration. If any protection be requisite, make it to come direct only from the Lel4oatete ; but it wOliltl not be fair to procure indirect protection and encouragement of domestic agriculture by any sugges tion with respect to the averages, except with a view of preventing fraud. . Various alterations in the law of the averages mu t t which will have th at e ff ect, lyliich ? if pr A r o necesst47 tie fof ppm , „ . , Of guarding against fraud ought, in' my opinion, to be adopted ; but for the purpose of getting any indirect protection for agriculture, I cannot be a - party to the proposal of such an altera tion.--(Hear, hear.) It - has been suggested by some that the sellers should be bound, under a penalty, to make a return of the corn sold: It is difficult to fore see what would be the effect of requiring, under a penalty, any farmer who might sell a certain proportion of corn, to make a return of the quantity sold, instead of the return made as at pre sent. I conceive that the greatest, and only effectual, security against fraud, is to diminish the temptation to commit it. Any plan that will remove motives of self-interest will constitute. a most effectual security. The proposal of her Majesty's Government with respect to taking the averages, is thiS :-They will propose to take the averages in the present mode from the factor, or miller, or purchaser-the party who now; under the existing law, makes the return each market day of the whole of the purchases he has made during the preceding week ; and upon the whole we can see no advantage in departing from that principle, namely, of making the buyer of the corn re turn the amount of sales of the preceding week. Trusting to these alterations, we shall make a levy of the duty for the purpose of preventing fraud. We shall propose that the duty of collecting the returns shall be devolved upon the Excise. The Excise is perfectly competent to undertake it. They have officers employed in the market towns, and such officers are qualified to discharge the duty, by having similar duties to perform enabled at the same time to perform the duty by their general habits of business, and the responsi bility they incur on account of their being public officers, giving, by their character, and that of their occu pations, greater security against fraud than could be given by any persons in a private capacity.-(Hear, hear.) We propose, therefore, that when the averages have been taken, they shall be collected and transmitted by an Excise officer. Another security which we propose to take, is to widen the range from which the returns aro to be taken. At present there are 150 towns mentioned in the Corn Act from which returns are received; from this number of 150 many considerable markets are excluded. We propose, therefore, not to take any discretionary power for the Executive to add to the num ber of these towns, but in the Bill which we intend to introduce we'shall name several populous towns, which are now extensive corn markets, which have hitherto been excluded, but which we propose should be now in cluded in the list for the averages. Thus, by increasing the number of places from which corn returns are to be collected, we shall obtain greater security against the averages being improperly influenced, while at the same time we shall gain a nearer approach to the actual average price of corn, than we could hope to obtain under the former system. It was thought proper when the present law was passed to limit the towns from which returns were to be made to those of England and Wales. I propose to continue this limi tation, so that although I propose to add several towns, the towns added will all be situate in England and Wales. An Host. MEMBER on the Opposition side-How many towns are to be added? Sir R. PEEL-I will name them all in the Bill. I propose to add those towns which have hitherto been ex cluded. Although we propose, therefore, to prevent fraud in the taking of the averages, first, by widening the range from which the averages are taken ; and, se condly, by employing a responsible officer, acting under the authority of a public board to make the returns, we more particularly rely, as a prevention of frtu'id, upon such an alteration of the duty as shall diminish the temptation to it.-(Loud cheers.) I trust I have made myself sufficiently understood by the House as to the alterations I propose to introduce in the method of tak ing the averages.-(Hear, and cheers.) I now approach that much more important subject, in fact, few subjects can be of more importance, the amount of the protection we proposed to give to corn, the produce of this country, and the manner in which we propose to levy the duty. At present the House is aware the duty depends-(Here there was considerable interruption the cause of whi c h we did not apprehend.)-Th e Bight Hon. Gentleman re sumed. At present the duty on corn is levied' n this manner :-When the price is 595. and under 60s. per quarter, a duty of 275. is levied. It then diminishes'at the rate of Is. of duty, with 1 s. increase of price, until it arrives at a price above 665. and not above 675. when the duty falls 2s. for every ls. rise of price until it reaches above 68s. and above 695. when the duty is 16s. Bd. At 70s. per quarter the duty is 13s. 9d, ; at 71s. it is 10s. Bd., then it falls 45., and at 725. it is 6s. Bd. At 735. it is 2s. Bd., and when corn reaches a higherprice that that per quarter the duty is Is. per quarter. Now, Sir, the objection to this mode of regulating the duty are these:-First, that the reductions of duty are so rapid, that they hold out a temptation of 16s. Bd., - up to the price of 705., for a fraudulent operation upon the ave rages ; this temptation operates from 665. to 735. From 60s. to 735. there is an increase of price of 13s. per quarter, but there is a decrease of duty of 255. Bd, which makes an under current of 38s. Bd. in a single quarter of corn, for combining to raise the averages between those prices. This diffe rence between 60s. and 735. is an inducement to retain corn for the purpose of affecting the averages. At 665. the inducement to retain corn in the hopes of a. rise in its price is 4s. on account of its.price, and 10s. on account of the duty, being an amount of 14s. in the price of a quarter. Between 70s. and 735. there is a difference of 3s. on account of price, and Os. in point of duty, being an inducement to retain corn at 70s. in the hopes of its reaching 735., of 12s. Now, it has been urged that these rapid rises'in the price is in jurious to the consumer, is injurious to the producer of corn, and injurious also to the revenue. It has been said that it is injurious to the consumer, because when corn is at a high price, between 665. and 705., and when it would be to the public advantage to liberate it for the purpose of distribution, still, by the joint operation of an increased priCe and a diminished duty, holders of corn were induced to keep it back, notwithstanding the high price, in hopes of rea li z i ng a p r i ce upwar d s of 735., and of pouring in corn at a duty of ls.--(Hear.) It has been said, that it acts injuriously to the agricultural interest, because it is a temptation to keep back corn until it can be suddenly poured in at the lowest pos sible amount of duty-(Hear) --when the agricultu rist loses the protection which the duty gives him. It has been said that' it is injurious to the revenue, because, instead of corn coming in at a pe riod when it might, under some other modifications, or under a fixed duty, be sent in for consumption, it was re tained till it is brought in at a duty of Is., by which the revenue loses the amount of the difference between that amount of ls..and the duty that might have other wise been levied. It had been said to operateinjuriously with respect to the trade and commerce of those dealers in corn produced at a distance, because those producers being uncertain what would be the amount of duty on a cargo of American corn on its arrival in this country, such grain is placed at a disadvantage, to which corn brought from parts in the immediate vicinity of England is not subjected.- (Hear, hear, and cheers.) The pouring in corn at a duty of Is., therefore, may so diminish the price as to increase the duty on that corn which a speculator had entered into at a distance, that the speculation .may be entirely defeated by the holders of- the corn grown at a distance, finding an amount of duty, on ,its arrival in England, which they had never contemplated meeting. These were the objections that hail been urged against the rapid transitions of duty, and its rapid rise inversely with the price. Now, Sir, one object wilt be in applying a scale of duty on corn, to diminish, as far as possible, con sistent with the principle for which they contended, the temptation to fraud, and the retaining of corn. The agriculturists ought to observe what is the effect of a law which permits the importation of corn at Is. duty. In the year 1838 the total amount of wheat imported for home consumption was 1,728,000 quarters ; and of that amount 1,261,000 quarters were entered at the duty of Is. In 1840 the total amount of wheat entered for home consumption was 2,000,000 quarters ; and of that amount 1,217-,000 were taken out at a duty of 2s, Bd. It is not merely to the amount taken out a duty of Is., or of 2s. Bd. that we are to look; we are also to look at the time of the year at which these duties were paid. That is a matter which it is very important we should ob serve. In the year 1838, the corn so taken out -at a duty of Is. was taken out in the week following the 13th of September. In the year 1840 the corn 'taken out at a duty of 2s. Bd. was taken out on the week fol lowing the 3d of September. In each of those years by far the greater part of the foreign wheat was taken cut at the low duty of Is. or of 2s. Bd. But it was taken out at the critical period just before the farmers in the greater part of the counties of England had thrashed their corn for the. purpose of bringing it to inarket.-(Hear, hear.) There was therefore a sudden depression in-the price of corn at that critical period, on account of the quantity of foreign corn that was poured in at the ' low amount of duty, which met the British farmer in the market just at the time he was thrashing his corn for the purpose of sale. And this told with a peculiarly unfavourable effect upon the farmers in the north of England. As their harvest was so late, anti as they were obliged to bring their corn at a late period into the market, they were peculiarly ex posed to the disadvanta g e of having t o conten d with a sudden influx of corn , kept back for the purpose of being poured into the market at the lowest rate of duty which it was possible to expect. That consideration alone, it appears to me, ought to weigh with those who are the most zealous advocates of protection to agricul ture, and induce theta to listen with favour to a modifica tion of the existing law. It appears to me that a modification of that law would be equally advantageous to the agricultural interest in that respect as it would be to every other class in the country.-(Hear, hear.) Now with the permission of the House I shall proceed in the course of a few minutes to read to the Rouse the scale of duty which we propose to apply.-(Hear, hear.) That • scale of duty is devised with a sincere desire to afford to agriculture, and to the agricultural interest, every protection which it can legitimately claim.---(Hear.) But, at the same time, it is a scale devised for the pur pose, when foreign corn is required, of facilitating, as far as possible commercial intercourse with respect to corn, and of subjecting dealings in corn to the same princi ples which regulate all other commer c i a l t ransact i ons. Nothing can be more difficult than to determine the amount of protection which home produce is entitled to.-(Hear, hear.) I should be afraid to mention what I should think a remunerating price, becanse I know that thousands of Vifenill.4l4Ticea must he talten Into con sideration behwe it can he seen what sum would or would not he a remunerating price for the agriculturist. On dis cussing a scale with the object of giving a just and sufficient encouragement to domestic agriculture, you must take 4 comprehensive view of the general pvudeptioxis of th e country and of th ; -iter , rPumgPices attending the growth of wheat Imo Allier . produce ; another element is to deter mine at what price foreign corn might be permitted to enter into competition with our produce. But to draw an accurate conclusion from the comparison pi theme ele- . ments is exceedingly difficult, wing that various opi nions must prevail, and that' dueh v i ew m ust be founded Rol; uilpreasiou produced by It ygriety of coal-1 plicated details. But with respect to wheat Ido not think there would be much difficulty in determining"on what would be a fair average, and a satisfactory price to the country at large. Now, if you take the average of the prices of wheat, which formed the Tithe Bill-the average of seven years, on which that Bill was founded you will find that the average price of *heat was 565. 10d. a quarter. The average of the last ten years was 655. 11d., but in this average enters the average of the last ten years, during three of which corn was higher than I am sure any one would wish to see it again.- (Cries of " Hear, hear.") For myself, I should say that so far as I can judge for the agriculturists, I believe that if they could be secured in a price somewhere between 545. and 58s. a quarter, they would not object to the ad mission of foreign corn. Taking the average of the seven years which was the basis of the Tithe Bill, and taking the average of the last ten years, but . excluding the three years which exhibited the extreme portion, you will find an average of 565., which, so far as I can Judge, is a fair remunerating price, which I. should not wish to see exceeded.-(Cries of " Hear, hear.") I cannot see on the other hand any advantage, consider ing the circumstances of th'e country, and the existing relations between landlord and tenant, and considering the happiness of the country-I cannot, I say, see any great advantage in any diminution below that amount. I am of opinion that the :variation in the prices should be limited to some sum between these extremes.(Hear.) But, as I said before, any calculation of this kind must be vague ; and I say that I beg to disclaim it as a pivot, or as at all times a remunerating price ; nor do I consider it a question on which the Legislature can de. termine with any accuracy, for I know it is impossible, by legislative arrangements, to guarantee any particular price of corn-that by a fixed duty or any other you can guarantee to the production of corn, a special price ; foreign abundance even at home may so reduce the price as to put it beyond the power of legislation.- (Hear, hear.) In the year 1835, when you had what some thought a nominal protection of 645., the average price of corn did not exceed 395. If you hope to ensure to. the agriculturists any amount of protection, or determine that a certain sum must be given for corn, you are countenancing, I say,. fallacy and delusion, if you hold out a hope of this kind.-(Hear, hear.) The quality of land, the rents paid, and a thousand other considerations, enter into the question, and therefore nothing were more vain than, in particular eases, to determine what is a remunerating price for corn.-(Hear, hear, hear.) The same difficulty occurs in regard to what shall be the rate at which foreign corn can be imported with ad vantage into this country. In the first place, it is neces-, sary to ascertain the quantity ; and in ascertaining the price of corn, the quantity must be particularly regarded. The price of wheat and the distance of the country ne cessarily enter into the calculation, and therefore it is almost impossible to determine what is the exact price at which foreign corn can be brought into this country. I will proceed now to read the scale of duty which her Majesty's Government proposes to place upon corn. We propose that when corn is under 515., a duty of 20s. shall be attached • but in no case shall that duty be exceeded ; when it is from 51s. to 525., per quarter, the duty shall be 195.-; .we should then propose to make what may be called a rest in the scale, for the purpose of applying to the three next items of prices the uniform duty of 18s., so that when corn was froin 525. AO 535., there " should be a duty.of 18s. ; from 535. to 545. a duty of 18s. ; and from 545. to 555., 18s. Then from 555. to 565. a duty of 17s. ; from 565. to 575., 16s. ; from 575. to . 585., 155. ; from 58s. to 59 5 ., 14 s . ; rom 595. to 605., 13s. ; from 60s. to 615., 125.; from 61s. to 625., 1 ls. ; from 625. to 635., 10s. ; from 635. to 645., 95.; from 645. to 655., Bs.; from 655. to 665., 7s. Then with respect to the three next items I would apply the duty of es., so that when Corn is from 665. to 675. per quarter, there shall be a duty of 6s. ; front 675. to GBs. a duty of .6s. ; and from 68s. to 695. a duty of 6s. We then propose, when corn is at from 695. to 70s. there shall be a duty of ss. ; from 70s. to 71s. a duty of 4s. ; from 71s. to 725. a duty of 3s. ; from 725. to 735. a duty of 2s. from 735. to 745. a duty of ls., and that at 755. the d u ty shall altogether vanish.-(Cheers and laughter.) What I propose, then, is when corn in the British empire is under the price of 51s. the duty should be 205., and never exceed that amount, as I am perfectly satisfied that it would be usel ess t o ta k e any greater amount. The duty when the price of. wheat is from 565. to 575. ,will be 165., and from 60s. to els , as I said before, 12s; I apprehend that the effect of thi s sca l e w ill be to diminish the temptation to practice on the averages, and that when the price of corn has arrived at from 60s. to 61s. ' there will be no inducem en t, on account o f the duty to keep back corn from the market. It must be recollected that there will be always an inducement to a certain extent to hold back corn, for the purpose of realizing a greater profit. If the markets are rising, and there is a prospect of the price rising to 735., there may be a considerable inducement to hold back to take advantage of the rise. To attempt to remove altogether every inducement to hold back would be useless, but trust that the proposed scale is so arranged as to hold Out no inducement on account of the diminishing seals of duty to hold back corn from the markets.-(Hear.) I now wish to call the attention of the House to what has been, the effect in the articles of oats and barley, of a more practical reduction of the duty. In the case of wheat, the fall in the diity is so rapid, that it offers s temptation to hold back wheat until it shall have reached - such a price as to be admitted at the lowest scale of duty. By far the greater amount of wheat has been imported at the lowest duty. In Barley and Oats, where the fall in the amount of duty is more gradual, the same results have notfollowed. Of 3,513,000 quarters of oats which have been imported, 248,000 quarters were admitted at a duty of Is. 9d., 695,000 at a duty. of 3s. 2d., 243,000 at 4s. 9d., and 940,000 at 6s. 3d. Such is the effect of a gra dual fall in the duty of Is. 6d. I propose to apply the same principle to wheat, and by applying that principle to wheat, I consider that there is every prospect that wheat like oAtS will be taken out at a higher rate of duty, that the revenue will profit accordingly, and that the commercial and agricultural interests will be equally benefited by wheat being taken out of bond when the legi timate demand requires it.-(Hear, hear.) Sir, with respect to the other articles of grain, I propose to adopt the proportions I find in the existing law. The proportions in the existing law are, that assuming the value of wheat to b e 100 s., th e va l ue o f b ar l ey is taken at 535., the value of oats is taken at 405., and the value of rye, peas, and beans is taken at 50s. If it be as sumed that at a duty of 565. for wheat, a duty of 16s. should apply, on barley a duty of 9s. ought to apply ; when oats are at 225„ a duty of about 6s. 3d. ought to apply ; when rye; peas, and beans, are at 325., a duty of 10s. ay. Now, I am not .at all aware of any reasons which exist for altering the proportions with respect to other kinds of grain, which we find established by the existing law ; and I propose, therefore, that in adjusting the duties applicable to other, kinds of grain the existing proportion of the Corn law should be applied. The schedule of duties which I shall propose for those several articles of con sumption will correspond with that relation of price. In the case of foreign oats, I. propose that the maximum duty should be Bs. Probably it is scarcely necessary that I should read the - whole in detail, but in the case of oats I propose that the maximum duty should be Bs.; that it should fall with the increase of price, that it should fall to 75., then that it should fall to Gs., and continue at Gs. for the three items of price, 215., 225., and 235. ; that at 245., the average price of d u ty s h ould be ss. ; that it should continue to decline as the prices increased by Is. ; that the extremes of variation of duty, should be Bs., and the duty of Is. should be the minimum, and be continued when the price of oats shall not exceed 285.-(Hear, hear.) In the case of barley, I would propose that under 265. the duty shall be for every quarter 115.., that being the maximum ; that between 265. and 275., the duty should be 10s. ; at 275., and under 305., it should continue at 9s. ; that at 30s. and 31s. it should be Bs., and so on until 375. and upwards, when the duty should be decreased to ls; In the case of rye, peas, and beans, I pro pose that, the same proportion should be observed. do not think it necessary to read the scale that will ap ply to rye, peas, and beans, particularl as it is founded on the same principle. The law which regulates the importation of British colonial wheat at present is to this - effect :-British colonial wheat and flour has been imported into this country at a duty of 55., whenever th e price of British wheat i s b e l ow 675. When the price of British wheat exceeds 675. it is then admissible at a duty of 6s. 6d. I propose to give the same advantages to colonial wheat, with respect to the reduction in price, as is applicable to other descriptious of grain. But, con sidering that the sudden drop, from ss. to sixpence, in consequence .of the difference of ls. in price, is at variance with the principle of the law which seeks to establish as equable and uniform a reduction Of duty as possible, we propose to make theSe arrangenients with respect to colonial wheat-that when the price of. British wheat is under 565, the duty upon every quarter of British colonial wheat should be ss. ; when it is 555. and under 56 s.t e he 3 t s l . u ; ty at to 5 b 7 e s. 4s. a ; n a d t su6nsd, anerdsBusi.letrhes7dsu. ttyhetodubtae. to b 2s. ; at 58s. and upwards the duty to be ls. ; and this i s t o take away that sudden fall in the amount of duty upon colonial wheat which takes place under the existing law, thus giving to colonial wheat the advantages in reduction which are given to other descriptions of corn. With re spect to fl our , I should propose the calculation that exists with respect to wheat, and enable it to be admitted at the same relative scale at which wheat is admitted. I believe, Sir, I have put the House in full possession of what her Majesty's Government intend to propose on this subject. If you compare the reduction in the amount of duty with the existing duty you will find it very considerable. Those who think that the modification which I propose to make in the ,existing- law is of no importance, I would ask to compare my scale with the scale of duties on the ad mission of foreign corn, which exists at present. When corn is 595. and under 60s. per quarter, the pre sent duty is 275. Bd. From 595. to eos. the duty which I propose is 13s. At 50s. the existing duty is 36 5 . Bd., increasing as corn falls. Now, instead of that I propose a duty of 20s. a t 50s. the quarter, that duty in no case to be increased. At 565. I propose a duty of 16s. At 60s. the present duty is no less than 265.; the duty which I propose at that price is 12s. At 635. the duty which I propose is 95., the existing duty being 935. Bd.. At 645.- the duty wich I propose is Bs., the present duty being 22a, ad, The existing ditty at 70s. is 10s. a * tusttmci of which I pro pose ss. Therefore is iqi.pos4ble that any one comparing .the duties whicb ivolinft, with those which exist at preaetat co.w d deny that there is a very considerable de crease,li; e. t ) is td If s d pt e ha c er r e e a tts oe consistentlyfip r t t compare pjusticeawhichr eth et t think op i ar l i c - tlie (n agr et i r e , u ll h l u t e u a t sent nominal duties vo;th those which Ip will perceive, that the redu c ti on not of a tUe•W protection ; ' et I t hi nk a g riculture can afford r opos diminution, they to part with some of the protection which it receives, and it is just that protection should be diminished. Ido not retain the protection for the sake of any particular 44,04147,0 W; hear) Protection canuot ,be IeVEN'ING SUN c i o s m c n o lli n i n li e t c; . ed l w al it eated upon such grounds.—(Hear, hear-)the ienietraisitfsl. justifiable uk ail classes v‘' salve of plel r ld not be u to agriculture if I protected it fir the sa l o w f a th i e t up rents, and maintaining —(Hear, hear.) I disclaim any such t 1 that i t i° It is my belief; and the belief of my colleagues , ,tha t you should take precautions that the main ~u se a ny important for this country—of the highest trnP°6rource of your supply should be derived from yourselves. t.m au ad additional duty which you pay for that purpose iL tius or ditional price, is one which is not vindicated as a r we iga a premium; but you are entitled to place a duty.° may corn, equivalent to any special burdens wind' " °tea° thrown upon your agriculture. Any additional Pr :Hire ta you may give to agriculture after that, I anl 0 '; ;or admit, can only be vindicated on the {round, that It i t is the interest of all classes.—(Hear.) but I consider our should r uu r the interest of all classes that we occasionally a small additional sum upon ..„si own domestic produce, in order to oPP.II - security and assurance against the calamity w ll : tt pa rt, ensue, if you are- altogether, or in a g r. '. that dependent on foreign supply. My belief 's'wbat these alternations of seasons will take place th ocio , ever laws you pass you will find occasional'defie!e_iea that you must expect the harvests of other count that be deficient at the same time with your own, a_ ll uatr ies if you are yourselves dependent on those eu five for some such importation as four ° ,1 . 0 . of* millions of quarters of corn, should the calanD4 yoa deficient harvest be a general one, in that case , ea ch depend on them, the interests of self-preservation lu.iaceti country will prevail, and there will be impedimentsl'n'estic in the way of exportation of corn, and theirown d ° ., „ii a produce will be applied to the sustenance of the'' l a w inhabitants. I certainly could not be a party to ,, u t Y ovlY passed for the s p ec i a l i nterest of agriculture, b e Ibe t 6 one for the genera l i nterests of all. Nor cantthata party to a n y l aw t h e effect of which would makes for country perman en tl y d ependent on foreign coun tr us t, is a very considerable portion of its supply. You )o ar a series of y ears b e d ependent for a portion ° f a corn ; I cann o t d eny t h at in many years of seattic"rived considerable porti on o f your supply must be haeado' from other co un t r i es, but .1 d o not g— le ars the hope that .t hi s country, in average c 4plY; • may produc e su ffi c i ent corn for its 0" 'or. But if th a t h ope must be abandoned—if we m ush f re :r to other countries, under ordinary circumstance s ' 0 the periodical addition t o our own supply, then het wee o ci• supply brought in for the purpose of repairing I dental, and comparatively slight deficie ge; per form a gre a t distinction from one of a ll ot.) manent and more extensive nature.— (Bear!, u ) t hat Sir, this.is the proposition which I am authorise. 7,- t hst Majesty's Government to submit to the House; it !'',„ to proposal which they deem on the whole, adver til ;rlo the- extent of protection which for a long of years th e l aws of this country have b nye agriculture, a n d a d vert i ng also to those laws nr e assumed that a certain price for wheat was the r a ng basis for great legislative enactments; , ; °I to . the imp or t ance of deriving their suP P , far as they c an , f rom domestic 0 s ourc' tbe r is the proposal which, prompted by and , interest but that o f their reason ann 0 o+v a dolt, driven by no other pressure than th eir 11 10 judgment, t h ey consider, kr the interest ?ifoes e ; country, s h ou ld meet with the sanction of th e , e d 1 0 ' Sir, this is no t a l together an unfr.vourable Per t t here the adjustment of these laws. In the first phi ce 4 ce°', is no suc h- amount of foreign corn available for t"dreso sumption of the country as need alarm those w ll° i V ° ,„ any exc ess i ve compet i tion from abroad. There L:ppsne during the p er i o d w hi c h has elapsed since the tion of Parliament, concurrently with gr e4 "prit mercial dist ress , and concrrrently- with seve r° tion, as mu c h - o f calmness, - of moderation, and of he r,- p Lion to - view with deliberation any proposal fo r . tdea• justment of. those laws, as could have been an tie lbe e° ,, There may have been excitement—there may ha l , ea err attempts at inflammation; but I must say that the bacoe demeanour and conduct of the great body of the ' 4 - V ° of this country, and of that portion of it which ijii- przw most exposed' to suffering on account of coni'i a th e depression, have been such as to entitle theln,, it yo: utmost sympathy an d f avour. There is no diffiel;o terposed by violence or menace. It is perfectly „°' ye; the H ouse to legislate as they may think ' l ' 0 0; the question.- I earnestly, trust that the, AlO v ; of these efforts, whether this proposal be accea e rd hot not —that. the result of this proposal, on the Pa r : fa cto", Majesty's GOvernment, will lead to some sa t e„.er t , adjustment of the matter. The adjustment whici` pose is that which we believe to be most el„ - r s upon the wh o l e , i n the complicated state of the n"'" Wit relations o f thi s country and its various interest s 'i t twice to a ll c l asses. —(Loud cheers.) I`e ,oriet' the wish o f P ar li ament to affirm the. Pliase'," of the co u r se we h ave proposed, or if it be the P of Parliament to reject the proposal, still I h °l9 l3e 1 ,! 3 question may be a dj us t e d ; and whatever nlaY, ade , adjustment o f i t b y P arliament, I shall conch t""e expressing a fi rm and earnest hope t hat arrangemenf, whate ver it s h a ll be, may be most conducive to the permanent welfare of all f manufacturing, cominercial, and agricultural, g o re' great country.—(Th e Right Hon. Baronet then r 3 his seat amidst loud and long continued cheers.) Lord J. RUSSELL would make nd observat Pb ,ooe , f j evening on the statement of the Right Hon. o ' o o% except to remark that they would come better P r L ) , to the discussion if they were supplied with „ t " - r oo e i of towns for• which the Right Honourable P, "l tito' proposed to collect the averages. It was indispensal s :, they should have this information, and also a ste of the principle upon which the selection was n?":,i e hoped, therefore, the Right Hon. Baronet won]. House this statement to-morrow. Sir R. PEEL wou ld lay the list o n the table °° l .o lllll day. His sole principle was to select the most in l P ° o th e towns in England and Wales, includin g , of tours' principal ma r k e t t owns. rer On the motio n th a t t h e Chairman ' shoa l. progress, t „ el': Mr. COBDEN sa id t h at i t was not his in t ent ion I 1)" ter into any argument on the question to night, 1'011056' did not think it would be just to himself or to his tuents, if he did not take that early tunity of saying that he heard not " 4 ,! h ~ t b t , tonishment the proposition submitted "' lloi l o House and the country by her Majesty's Gn ver •ted , ( I ' lie said, not with astonishment, for though he sva.', o lo,, pommo n with many others, until the Administra nt 4 brought forward the proposition, he did g ` pect that the measure they intended ° oat:, luce would be for the benefit of the e° et, di id r looking to th g e r c a o p n e s s t f i r t o u ni tion of the present thorns, or figs r tit —(Cheers.) He denounced the measure as an ' l ,,,tl' ht the suffering people of this country—(Chee l ; s p i jlic o people, whose patience had been so extolled by ta.-erve",(l Hen. Baronet —that people, whose patience d very different treatment from the landed a ristoer i 7 be eP', from th e C a bi net, who were their instrum ents.--;(`'d 6 This was a p roo f t o t h e country that if the pc o P l° „. - i s hn' land could permit it, selfish and ignorant i e botri t e c would proceed t o d es t roy every i nterest in the 0'44, The motion was then agreed to. The C °l . j tt i" 0 reported p rogress, an d o b tained leave to s i t gg Monday next.' The House th en resume d. • t°' at°l The other Orde rs o f th e D ay were then ag'reea the House adjourned at Eight o'Clock preciselP . _ Ot v iC i , c ; NO LAWYERS AT 13A usE.--I ha-- li n s Ihe judges and j urors, b ut m i ssed an important par t nr?s ie lish Court—where were the gentlemen of the bar o ur t ` o , of my read ers w ill, per h aps, concur with Captain there ;of that lialise was the last place made, when I fell Into but not a single lawyer in that place, and never had bee n ' or t10, 1 ) ,0 some of my enterprising professional brethren should.„ 0 0 ,„' O , be tempted to pack up their trunks for a descent lbell` o l exempt city, consider it my duty to add, that Ido 0° CO" there is the least chance for one. —Stepheni s America. csil% VISIT OF THE KING OF PR U-- slit t , NEWCATE.—It was stated, by mistake, that on " l ied '0 January, when his Majesty the King of Prussia 'os' r elitV o f gate, that Mrs. Fry read to the prisoners from 5 09 1,,r f o r work. What she selected that day was the I2th c ale P r ' Romans and one of the Psalms ; and it is the invo'„ pee n ' 1 , lice, not only of Mrs. Fry, hut all the ladies in c—ithel.reti with the several Prison Committees, when reading w or ds° soners, to confine themselves entirely to the truths I t in the Holy Scriptures. 10,1 te DEPTH OF S NOW .-0 51 Standedge, b 00' el' ridge which separates Yorkshire from Lancashire, th e :, O f f it sinary to some places drifted carriagedrif w ted so much at leastlast aes d ek e , e t p h at a i s t I t T i s e be he ig l4 ° laden coach. r, PATENT LEVER wAI .- This celebrated construction (the most accurate , : l g % V eo t, watch can be made) is now offered at the f ol t ir s ' oP er :, with the latest improvements : e. the detached r ot owelled in four holes, hand to mark the SeCoDCIS, ea taining power to continue going while winding ul' , SILVER CASES pa 6 0 6 With double -bottom cases, capped With hunting cases, capped COLD CASES. 0 12 12 0 Size for Ladies, with elegant gold dial Ditto • in double-backed eases l3 13 0 Size for Gentlemen' enamelled dial , 7 )7 _ r ind ° Ditto extra full size, capped A Pamphlet, containing observations respecting „i e es, constructions on which watches are made, with th e i iev!, be in gold and silver cases, and a variety of s'AetV ain o i l . " 0. signs, which have just been completed in g sent, gratis arid postage free, on application by and SONS, Watchmakers, No. 9, u don, opposite the Hank of England. b o y ld le,toteror yety _____ DR , dv f . 1 . &. s / o. TILS'. 0 On the 31st ult., a t R e i ga t e , S u rrey, the ' a ' 9 4 Steele, Esq., s urgeon , of a son. Ali fio.g , On the Ist i ns t., M ar i a , t h e w if e o f James '' -c Ma' 1 di surgeon, L e i ces t er - p l ace, L e i cester-squa re, of a d aug t he ', s o f On the 7th i ns t. i n Y or k- stree t, P o rtman-scl uar oener ai of H. E. Sharpe, Esq., her Majesty's Attorner• lady 01 0. llarbadoes, of a laughter. the la".' Ke O n i d l a t i l i 7 E 4 s t q h :, in o s f t a . , so a n t . Oak-lawn, Weybridge, drag rd l ier On the 4th inst., at Alders ate-street, Mrs. A- -" ring, of a daughter. g MARRIED. to On the 4h inst ,at Sholden curch, Nem , - • to. , Armstrong, t Esq., ' A .M., of the Inner Templ e, l b a le ri Ca ls Francis Elizab e th Lady M'Creag h, relict of the & s o 0 0 Sir Michael M'Creagh, daughter of Mr s . Wil son, of C.B. Hull Hous e, Kent. DIED. tonrPtree pa n On the 9th i ns t. , M r. Robert S tone , of ti e orisf market, aged 49. On the 17th u lt . , at Hanley-road , lfornse e d . 79. Levick, of the Corn Exchange, Mark-lane , ag Lo i.sr ndon•. rio Printed an d P u bli s hed by MURDO" - a ndt No. v • o• 112 () Straw:, at The Sue lie e , 1i0,112 I°l • °t r i o. County Ahddl es ex, Thursday, the THE FUN, LONDON, TBURSDAY, FEBRITA.RY 10, 10421 ~"' 4 : " `g e ~ ~, , ; , . a