The Express.
London, England, 1849-01-27 00:00:00

ESSEX AGRICULTURAL PROTECTION

SOCIETY.
The &nand general meeting of the above society
took place yesterday at the Shire Hall, Chelosaford. Mr.
Biker, of Writtle, in the chair. The room was densely
crowded.
The Secretary, Mr. H. T. BEDDELL, read the annual
report, which began by expressing tie regret of the commit-
tee that they had ao topic of congratulation to offer to the
society on the contrary, all their anticipations of the evil
mutts of free trade had been more than realised. Next
month corn would come in duty free, when the British
farmer would be exposed to the competition of all the world.
After some further obeerrations, the report proceeded to say:
If the present un•Ergiiish policy of encouraging foreign labour to
the great injury of our native producers and operatives, be still per-
sisted in, the subject o which, in all probability. the attention of agri-
culturists will be directed will be the transfer of all local taxation
(whether in the shape of poor, highway, or county rate) to the nation
at large. Above all, it will, under the present circumstances, be im-
possible to endure the enormous tax of four millims annually received
on the manufacture of your barley into malt while foreign goods
are admitted into use at a merely nomisal duty.
After a glowing testimony to the honesty, :sal, and talents
of the late Lord O. Bentinck, the report concluded by re-
commending • firm and decided counts of action to the
British farmer.
The CHAIRMAN, in introdusing the report, stated that
in his opinion, unless • fait amount of protection be given to
agriculture, the British farmer would be unable to compete
with the foreign producer. (Hear, hear.) Mr. Bancroft,
the American minister, an impartial wining, had given it as
his opinion that foreign wheat could be produced at 28s. the
quarter, and barley and rye proportionately cheap, giving
the pries of rye bread Ad. the Illb. loaf, and of wheaten 6d. If
tney added to this 511. or W. of freight, they might form sal
idea of how the prices of corn would shortly range in this
country. After some further anti-fres-trade observations,
the repot wee unanimously adopted.
The Bev. Mr. COX proposed the *et resole*. :
That the policy body teireinsed Ws the Inemild stolen et
this eeeseM of redwis the moms nano hided en
fmplpieoWens. les boa head to the nomery
at and sew *mem with err Ma el demos
with an ealtivalion el the id. Ms prise of ell
min dying the poet row bee Inia ream. Wm a mamma.
bp
the le the arid* beam; hat aondlinteenteg this low Me.
en% the Impeders bars teen shis to pay a seenikestie duty, end yet
nehersell min ear own mar W. This het Wing he be a phial
tselsf tire a *sty win be Wend ea keel's n, it isftemee.
ann. bOs members et the Mel agneelleni Tlytt _ot (WWI
awl stems dlhe vessels& to
they trill wait rung
aesemAllnd ateinpethentMsest. ia mos sneelela if such reportafter be nothen
let It nay gerd thir fame* as lisressam lightly treated by her
liiejleers goesrmeat, they pledge themselves to ter their unranit.
hag smug= Is reline themethill hem all Imposts that press with
unmet minty cm the ershivation of the 1011, and to recover the pro.
twines they he. km
...t ea to eseeplattbst the farmers had
boss lawftss by _our rime Latta (Lord J. Res.ll), who
had esomered** heads to the slats they tarred ap ; sad
betrayed by earafeer wham they had treated; but the time
might some when sr* *tap would be pest endaranse. To
show that soomMing was ethriag already he would rasa*.
that he had rose.* a letter from the sseretary of an as*
poor-rate smociarlos, stating that it had beet determised
upon to agitate for a national rate ; that Norwich had takes
the initiative; and requesting his co-operation. He was de-
cidedly opposed to such a chase but it showed that the
public mind was astir. With respect to the malt
tax, he did not think there was much diversi
of opinion as to the expediency of its &twines.ty
(Cheers.) But if the farmers permitted themselves
to be deluded by Cobden, U they followed his dictation, and
sought the repeal of the malt tax as a set-off against prone-
dela, they would be indeed the clods which Lord J. Russell
had described them. (Rear.) The removal of protection
would reduce their receipts 25 per Gent., the repeal of the
molt tax would save them a hinting a quart on their mall
hoer. It they did not receive justice they might then
agitate; and, as the late Lard G. Benda* had said, with
the malt tax for a lever, they might overthrow any govern-
ment that could possibly be formed
The resolution, having
been seconded, was agreed to.
Sir J. TYRRELL, M.P., proposed the second resolution :
That this meeting returns than to the chairman, rimeheirman,
and committee for pest mei," and motets that they will continue
them Wag the present year, and that the secretary be reeppolntei.
After an oulogiunt on the late Lard Ct. Bentinck, the
hon. bart. proceeded to my that the point for them to con-
sider wee the comes to be punned in the minting melon of
parliament. There were various budgets before the coun-
try. The Manchester Stockingers talked of the malt tax.
Ha would yield to no man in Ws anxiety for a repeal malt
that
tax, and he might tell them that the repeal of the malt tax
was one of the chief features in the budget which had been
prepared by_ his lamented friend, Lord G. Bentinck.
(Cheers.) The present government was most inet
dcient, and one came of their inefficiency was
that they followed the eosins& of mesa who had not been
very successful it their own pursuits. Why he had been
told that three of their chief guideo—a gentlemen at the
Board at Cannel, !eta who had feenaseir been at the Board
of Trade, and a shied whom tables had often been used by
Sir R. Peel—had aelginally lees letters. What could they
expect from a gereenatent °thalami ? (Laughter.) It was
reported in the slabs that monument intended to reduce
the army by 10, _OOO era sad the wavy to a similar sawaat,
bat is la Waved itirso Wended* add 10,000 to the Irhh
easiathbohn. Aiwither way awident report 111111 that them
bedlam aderhsealathe estflwateallte ell-iaportatt question
rawbelber MOW* elowld M propead ca coat, and that
Leta . end the Chemollor el the Ezeltequer had
bas lel la the shoe*. The Omen would, therefore, ne
UM they had weft to Mr hes goversetatt. They must
them pst their shwelders to she wheel, aad they sight
Vthik______cawleat sad best exertions in their roe.
er ILE, emended the resolution, at
the same degrierigs4 any redaction in the army or
navy, the g
liblleaSset ad which would be to redaae NAP