The Express.
London, England, 1849-03-06 00:00:00

MEETING AT DORKLXG,

A very crowded meeting of agriculturists was
held on Thursday afternoon, at the Red Lion Hotel, Dork-
ing, fur the purpose of taking into consideration the present
Mate of agricultural distress, and devising some measures
for the alleviation of the ruinous position of the farmer, and
the peculiar burdens oppressing the agricultural iattrest.
C. BARCLAY, Esq., was voted to the chair. He said,
they knew well that he had always been in favour of protec-
tion—protest:ion for agriculture, protection for the colonies,
protection upon every amide which was imported from:
foreign countries—(cheers)—but he would not have a pro-
hibitory duty, and, when he was their representative in par-
liament, he n voted for one. At the same time he did
think that they were entitled to protection upon those
articles which were the produce of other countries and im-
ported into this ; that, at any rate, those articles should pay
a duty levied in the way of a revenue duty. (Cheers.)
Mr. Id. T. HOPE, M.P., in rising to move the first reso-
lution, clrerve4 that it earl:ad a proposition about which
there could be no manmade doubt. He believed there
could be no doubt whatever that the agriculture of this
country was experiencing very great depression, and that
others who were connected with it were not only suffering
from very heavy losses, but labouring under considerable
apprehension and alarm with respect to the future. (Hear,
hear.) So far as agriculture wee concerned, he should
say that it had not received fair trestment—(cheers)—
on the contrary, he was disposed to agree with one of the
resolution, which he nude:stood was to be proposed that
day, Met the principles of free trade had been carried
out thus far to the detriment of the farmer, who had
not reaped the advantages therefrom that other classes of
the country had derived. The resolution which he had
to move stated that the present alarming position of the
farmers of England called for the earnest and unanimous
exertions of all clines connected with agriculture in seeking
the prompt interference of the legislature to alleviate the
burdens oppressing the farmers, and avert the ruin impend-
ing over them. He knew it was denied by some persons that
there were peculiar burdens affecting the farmers ; and he
had teen it urged that the poor rates were paid as much b
the manufacturing and commercial claims as by the agricu -
tural interest. He believed that that was not the case.

(Hear.) For his part, he was quite convinced that in
the southern districts of England, at all events, the
poor rate bore much more heavily upon tho e districts
than it did in the districts w►ere the 'population was
collected together in large towns and chile. (Hear.)
He did not agree in some of the remedies which had been
proposed. A great deal had been mid respecting an altera-
tion of the malt tex—(hear, hear)—but he had very groat
doubts Indeed whether anf alteration of the malt tax would
prove an effective relief to the agricultural interest, and his
opinion was that, even if it turned out to bee relief, it would
be so but partially. (" Hear, hear," from the chairman ;
murmurs from the farmers.) It would certainly be more
beneficial to those districts which grew malt than to those
which were the mre distressed districts of the country, and
which did not depend up,rl the produce of their barley.
(Hear.) He trusted, then, that the farmers and gentlemen
connected with the agricultural interest, before they made
up their minds to follow any particular course, would se.
riously deliberate whether what they asked would really be
for their benefit. He moved :
. . . .

Thattiro MINS alaTriiiiiioiltion of the farmers of Eng'and calls
for the 41111100 i sag unanimous exertions of ell elven mutated with
Y wedging the prompt interference of the leeistmure to
2= 1:1% bank= Imprimis. ape tamers, and avert the ruin bu-
smen awe Um.
- - - - - - - - - •

Mr. PENROBII mended the resolution, which having
besa pat from the chair, was carried unanimously.
Kr. DEWDNRY then roes and proposed :
That the premien spina of tuition and local rating is meat Ittihaet
and bargemen le dr agricultural interest of England, and that this
swasting Issamainda in lieu thereof a national taxation to (quaint
saanapt all dill= whose property is under the protection of the go.
veasanant Use hardens whkh now press peculiarly upon the agricul.
nasal immunity.
---•• •- • •

In proposing this resolution, Mr. Dewdney maid it would
be his duty to show that there were some burdens which did
bear peculiarly upon the farmers, and for the purpose of
doing this he should state certain facts which were capa-
ble of indubitable proof. They knew very well that
if a farm were uncultivated it stood upon the poor book
as nil, and that when the collector went his rounds, ho
would not get any rates for it. lie would hike the largest
farm in the pariah, Box-hill; if it were net cultivated it
would not return anything; but farmer A— took that
farm, and he went to work and made the land productive.
By what means ? By the application of his geld, his skill,
and his industry. (Hear.) The land itself, left unculti-
vated, everybody knew would produce nothing but weeds ;
mad it was neither more nor less than the gold, skill, and
lesing/zy of the farmer that made the land produce wheat
mad barley ; for, before the farmer could use Box-hill to ad-
vantage, according to the present system of valuations and
the incoming of the tenant, he must be possessed of
at least 6,0001., to enable hint to cultivate the 600 acres.
He (Mr. Dewdney) happened to be the occupant of a
mill of a certain power in this parish, and if that mill were
empty it returned nothing to the poor rates. What made
the machinery of value to the miller WAS his gold, his skill,
and his industry. Now the farmer who took Box .hill Farm
would be called upon by the collector of rates for 2e. in the
pound upon 4501. ; for the meeting would bear in mind that
them was 5,0001. capital at work ; whilst the miller would
find plenty of employment for his 5,0001., and the tax col-
lector would demand of him only 2a. in the pound upon 801.
per year. (Hear.) Then he asked why this state of things
should be permitted to continue ? Where was the fairness
or the justice of it ? (Cheers.) He did not see that the
farmers enjoyed any exclusive protection or advantage from
the government under which they live! ; and he certainly
could not understand why they should have almost the ex-
clusive harden of supporting the poor placed upon their
shoulders.
Mr. WOOD seconded the resolution; and after a few
words from
The CHAIRMAN, who said that the proposal contained
in it would not do the farmers any good, but simply benefit
the landlorde,
Mr. H. DRUMMOWD M.P., said that, having the
other day made a few observationsin the House of Commons
upon this subject, he wished to take advantage of the present
opportunity to explain what he meant ; for it often hap-
pened that hon. gentlemen were a little drowsy in that
house, and a great number of circumstances arose, particu-
larly after dinner, that rendered it not very easy to make a
long speech, and therefore the member who addressed the
house ran the risk of being misunderstood. if he spoke
shortly. (Laughter.) On the occasion to which be referred
he spoke upon the subject of equalising taxation. If he took
the whole seventy millions that were annual's, raised by
tame in this country, he found that they had been laid on
for different objects: sometimes to encourage one interest,
sometimes to discourage another; sometimes to punish au
enemy, and sometimes to encourage a friend—in short, they
had never been laid on upon any regular fixed principle or
=(Hear, hear.) Last year he stated that, considering
Instances under which the present government came
into office, and the numerous pledges they had given, for
other reasons which he need not now detail, they ought
to have appointed a committee to examine how these
things could be better and more fairly apportioned.
What he meant was this, that nothing should come into this
country without paying a duty—(cheers)—and that every-
thing produced in this country should be exempt from duty.
(Cheers.) It was a monstrous thing that a man could not
grow a hop at his own door, but a fellow mast come and
poke himself into his house and see whet he did with it.
(Cheers.) With regard to the malt tax, he did not so much
object to that tax as he did to the act which imposed it,
directing how to convert it into malt ; and, worse than all,
inn bad malt. (Cheers.) If she excisemen were to let them
alone he was satisfied that they would make mu* better
malt than they did at present. (Hear.) At that time he
also stated that there were 30,000,000 people in the
country—that was 6,000,000 families—that . 1,000,000 of
families consumed five times as much as all the mat ; that
another million consumed four times as much as 01l the rest •
that another million consumed three times as much as all

the rest ; that another million consumed twice as mneh as
all the rest; and that another million were upon the print
of starvation. (Hear, hear.) Now he contended that that
state of things was cot right ; that there wee something
wrorg in our economical arrangements when that was the
condition of the country; and that what they now sought
to do we,, to make their taxation press upwards as their
summed tarn did. (Loud cheers.) With regard to the
equalisation of taxation, really and truly many of these ques-
tions were not such as they were supposed to be. Take, for
iastance, the corn law, which was purely a landlord's ques-
tion, and nothing more. (Laughter.) No farmer had
need to bother his brains about the matter. Show him
the most discontented farmer in the country, and if he
said to him, " Suppose you get rid of halt your rent,"
the man would agree with him at once. (Loud cries
of " No, no.") Well, then, he would steepest that
the gentlemen who cried" No" were bis landlords, and took
off half his rent. He bad no hesitation in saying that he
should ba satisfied. (Cheers and laughter.)
The resolution was put and agreed to.
Mr. R. WELLER, in moving the next resolution, pro-
tested against the injustice of adopting a system of partial
free trade. He saw that the manufacturers were protected
by a duty of 10 per cent., whilst the agriculturists were left
earn without a vestige of protection. 11s was row quite
willing to go forward with the principles of free trade. It
was of no use to attempt to go back again. They would
never be able to reclaim what they had lust, and if the
legislature had been 's minded " and misled to give swap
protection, let the farmer go forward and demand the general
adoption of free trade princi?lee. The farmer could not con-
tinue Mlles under the present system of partial free trade,
even if he had no rent whatever to pay. (Hear.) For his
part, he disliked class legislation. Protection had been taken
from them, and all he now wanted wrs to see the principles
of free trade fully and fairly carried out, and the taxes placed
on those who could best afford to pay them. (Cheers.) The
hon. gentleman concluded by proposing :
That the introduction of primal tree trade has depredated the Talus
of the property of the Lamer to an alarming extent, and that
.this
meeting 00111,iticrf that the exclusive application oi free-trade pried.
pies to arricultural produce places all partite depending upon agricul-
ture in an unfair position with regard to the rest at her Majesty's
subjects.
Mr. CAFFIS hiving seconded the resolution, it was int
from the chair and carried unanimously.

MEETING AT CHELMSFORD.

On Friday a very numerous meeting of Essex
agriculturists essemblen at the Shire Hall, Chelmsford, " for
the purpose of considering the propriety of advocating the
repeal of the malt tax ; the removal of other burdens press-
ins unfairly on the occupiers of laud ; and for otter business
connected with the agrieulturrl interest."
Rob rt Baker, Req., presided ; and was supported by Sir
John Tyrell, Bart., M.P.; T. W. 13ramston, Esq., M P. ;
and Major Beten`ord, M P. ; and between 400 and 500 cf the
principal farmers of the county.
The CHAIRMAN remarked that at a recent meeting
it was intimated by Mr. Cox that they had better wait
till the &assembling of parliament to ascertain whether
it was the intention of the legislature to re-consider the
question of protection, or to endeavour to compensate
for its repeal by the removal of taxation from the
farmers. They were all aware of the result—no mention
whatever had been made by her Majesty's ministers of
the injury which the farmers had sustained; and such
being the ease, the present meeting was celled to give the
farmers of Rue: an opportunity of expressing their opinion
upon the subject. (Cheers.) He was quite satisfied there
would not have been so numerous an attendance bail there
not been an unqualified necessity for it—had not the agri-
cultural interest been reduced to an unprecedented extent of
suffering ; and he war convinced, unloss these was some alle-
viation of the burdens under which they laboured, the great
mass of farmers must sink in the ruin by which they were
surrounded. As a society, established upon the principle
that protection was absolutely necessary to agriculture, they
still adhered to that principle; but protection having beat
withdrawn, they at least claimed to be relieved, as far as pas-
sible, from those burdens which pressed unfairly upon
farmers—foremost among which were the malt tax, the hop
tax, and the property tax. (Hear.) They should pray for the
repeal of the malt tax, as most injurious to British agriculture
—(hem)—aid tending to the demoralisation of the labourer,
by driving him to the beer-shop, instead of being able to
brew a better beverage in his own cottage. Ile (the chair-
man) did not advocate the removal of this tax as an equiva-
lent for the loss of protection ; but he contended that every
farmer would be directly benefited at least Is. per acre upon
the extent of his holding; and beyond that there were the
benefits of using the malt as food for cattle, being able to
brew a better diseription of beer, and the boon it would con-
fer upon the labouring poor. (Hear.) He concluded by
calling up* the seeretary to reed the petition, and expressed
a hope that it would be signed in such a way as to impress
its importance upon the House of Commons and the auntry
at large.
Mr. BIDDELL here read the following :
The humble petition of landowner*, occupiers, and others oonnected
with the cultivation of the soil In the county of lescx.—rheweth,—
That the legislature of this country having removed all duties on the
importation of corn and cittle, sr, your petitlonere, claim the right of
being, and humbly pray to be, relieved from the heavy burdens aris-
ing from the unequal imposition of the nialt and other taxes, as well
as of the poor, county, police, and highway rates pressing directly end
peculiarly main land, thereby Inflicting upon tin and other cleans a
grievous amount of injury and injustice. At the same time your
petitioners declare that they still adhere to the belief that a protection
to British agrioulture by import dutice upon corn in absolutely neces-
sary for the proper and profitable cultivation of the laud, and for the
welfare of all other classes of native producers, inasmuch as the
foreigner &teapot contribute to our heavy taxation. It is only, there-
fore, a Isle and just method of obtaining rr venue to make his commo-
dities pay towards our burdens upon entering our ports.
Mr. BOWYER BhIIJ fitrose to propose the first resolu-
tion. They had lost protection, and then came the question
what burdens were to be reduced to enable them to compete
with the foreign producer ? The two principal things press-
ing upon the farmers were the malt tax and the poor rate,
end he was for going the whole length for the rereal of both,
for he thought if they would obtain a little, they must go
upon the principle which actuated Mr. Cobden, and ask for
a great deal. As to the melt tax, be thought they were all
agreed that a benefit to a certain extent would result from
the repeal of it, and the only difference was tt.e extent to
which the repeal or alteration should be carried. He believed
It was stated by Mr. Cox that the benefit resulting to the
farmers by a repeal of the ton would be only one farthing per
quarter, but he (Mr. Smijtb) had an essay in his hand upon
the benefit of the repeal, which showed that the difference
would be 2d. per qr. ; he thought it might ba put between
the two ; but, to show the benefit likely to arise from it,
every farmer might calculate the duty upon each quarter of
barley that was malted, and he would then see how great a
boon would be conferred upon them by the repeal of the
tax. They bad four members, three of whom were present ;
and, although Sir E. N. Buxton was not there, if le was a
man of honour, he would be found voting on the right aide,
and if he kept the promise he made at the election he could
not refuse to vote for the repeal of the malt tax. Mr. Smijth
then proposed the adoption of the petition.
Mr. BARKER (of Ramsey) said, when he reflected upon
the way in which those measures had been brought forward
which had proved so ruinous to the British farmer, he could
not help lifting up hie voice against it by seconding the reso-
lution just proposed.
The resolution was then put, and carried unanimously.
Mr. W. F. HOBBS proposed that the ?elation should be
signed by the chairman, and be presented to the House of
Lords. He said it had been allowed by all tl•at the greatest
burden pressing upon the farmer was the malt-tax, hut in
inking for its removal, he did not ask for it as a remuneration
for that protection which had been removed, but he de-
manded it as an ac• of justice. At the tithe of the discus-
skin upon the corn-laws, Sir Robert Peel said he thought
the farmers ought to have the articles they co•isumed un-
taxed, and he therefore thought it was a du.y they owed to
themselves and tv.eir labourers to demand an immediate and
total repeal of the malt-tax. (" lieu," and cheers.) lie
found that, although it was said the malt-tax did not in
six or seven years exceed five millions of money, yet its
continued imposition, with the other burdens pressing
upon the formers, acted most grievously upon those en-
gaged in the cultivation of the soil. It was misted before
the Houma( Commons, by Mr. Hudson, of Castle Acre, that
if the malt-tax were removed, the farmer would use his infe-
rior barley for the purpose of making malt to fat his cattle and
for other purposes. He knew it was Paid that the govern-
ment money would not be in circulation if the repeal was
granted but the money now annually expended in the pur-
chase ot foreign cake, and in paying the duty upon linseed
and other productions would be more than a compensation
for that. Another benefit which would result from repeal of
the tax would be that labourers could brew their own beer
instead of being driven to beer-shops, or partaking of sugar
and water, which was their present substitute for malt li-
quor. He quite agreed in the present proceedings, and be-
lieved it rested with themselves whether they made any im-
pression upon the government or not. (Cheers.) There had
been various reasons usigned why the discussion of the
subject should be postponer), but they were groundless
and he was sure, sinless they boldly and openly expressed
their opinions, the legislature would not act for them;
he hoped their appeals would produce some effect; but
if they were disregarded one other step was left them
they had still the labourers with them; and as they were
deeply interested in the continuance of protection,
they would soon be heard, and something must then
be done. The commutation of tithes must also be re-
adjusted ; and if the present ruinous prices continued, instead
of taking the average of seven years, they must take the
average of three as the basis of their calculations. (Cheers.)
He hoped they would take his advice—get to work, sign pe-
titions; and, if that meeting made no impression, call a
county meeting, and he had no doubt redress would soon be
grant d. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. CARTER, of Woodham, seconded the resolution, ex•
pressing the pleasure he felt at the presence of three of the
county members, who, he doubted not, would support their
interests in the House of Commons to the utmost of their
power. (Cheers.)
The resolution war put, and carried unanimously, with ac-
clamation.
The Rev. T. SCHREIBER proposed—
That tals meeting is of opinion that the notice given in the Wattm
of Conine= by Mr. Disraeli entitles him to the confidence he
HEDAM,of Braxted,seconded the resolution, which
was carried.
Mr. BRAMSTON, after expressing his regret at being
absent from the last meeting, said he felt it his duty to be
premnt to-d& —as a country gentleman—as in owner and
occupier of land—ax having a most respectable body of
tenantry, and also as one of the representatives of the county.
A meeting like this, so numerous and so respectable, could
not but lend an important influence to'the resolutions which
were to be submitted to the House of Commons la the course
of next week, and upon which it was extremely desirable
that the opinions of those practically engaged in the cultiva-
tion of the land should be expressed and understood. (Hear )
That the malt-tax only applied to a certain number of counties
(their own particularly) in his opinion added to its injustice,
because, while the cider districts got off sect free, and the
north of England was but slightly affected, a portion of the
kingdom only had to bear the burden of a tax which pressed so