The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1822-07-06 00:00:00

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Iti nettle in doe Marriage Service—rtead awl laid
iaVe.
CORN IMPORTATION BILL.
E)rl BATuokst miffed the Ordes of t'
aboold be read for their Lordships gait
Committee on the above Bill, which beh
Cie Noble.Etatl isid. it sac with great r
addressed their tortfshiPa, as the duty Ins
ou taut on account of the indisposition of his t.
Friend, the Esrl.. of Liverpool. He thogght...
would be more convenieut to proceed tiow,.be-
(-Jose he was net aide to -tote oar whet day next
eek his Noble Friend would be so fir recovered
as to be able Mc attend in his place. it was not
his intention to enter into the catisesor the agricul-
tural distress, for he did ant thins they were any
way touching this Bill. By the Corn Act ell im-
portation of wheat was prohibited until the price
ruse to ea., when there was to be an unlimited ad-
utsaion of grain, which would cootie a great transi-
tion from high prices to low; the great bone was the
Midden change of the price; it made the master
sussotrofacturer enter into new contracts with his
wotkrttow, mad the farmer with his labourers. The
object of the present Bill was to correct that, by
allowing a moderate Importation of grain. Ile
tweet not state to their Lord.hips the difficulty of
moderating the quantity to be imported, if there
was only one port, and that difficulty was increased
whets there were eeveritl. The Bill proposed that'
*Own the price was from 70s. to 804. that there
"ea" be a duty of 17i. on foreign *heat imported,
to last for six weeks, after which a duty of Ids. ;
nod when the price in the home market strived art
P3a. a duty of Ss. ; and over flirt price Is. ; the
et act of which would be, that when the ports were
closed wheat warehoused was to be considered as
imported, and liable to the duty : tine would pre-
Sent all speculators froM entering into the inatket,
a. they would have to advance the amount of the
Oats-. The objection to title, as lie understood it,
was, that the duties proposed were not stifficient to
protect the British grower, hut those that took that
objection ought to take into their consideration end
add the S per cent. mercantile profit on foreign
wheat, 12 per cent. freight and insurance, which
*mild make the foreign wheat meet the British
Ws. minus. Suppose foreign wheat was at 30s. it
would bring it to 795. before it came into the
Pritish market. It was said that wheat might be
purchased abroad itt 355. and 375. but the reason
w is, thin this market was closed spinet them ;
but if it was to be opened, the price in the foreign
market would rise. Some time beck, when it was
supposed the harvest *mold fail here, the market
immediately rove on the Continent. Their Lord.
whips were not to suppose that the foreign former
was able to efford to sell et such low prices; so far
loin it, the distreas of the landed interest was
Rauch greater there then here—in many instances
the landowner had let the mortgagee into posses-
soon, end others had surrendered to the Crown for
arrears of taxes. The object of the Bill was to
present a sudden change, 1.1.0111 prohibition to an
overflow in the market. He uuderstood there was
an objection, that when the price was 70s. the
wheat alreedy ,rehoused before the passing of the
Bill should be allowed to come to market. fie did
rot see how the objection would lie: for If it came
to market at 70s. it would pay the duty—aid
eeitline as the law now stood, it would come lobo
the tilaoket at 804. without pitying any duty, as it
we, imported and warehoused under the faith of te.
Corn Bill. A eery great change must take place
before the price would rise to 704.; and was it not
tost.otrui ta %swoons that those persons who bad
wheat now warehoused would rather sell when it
raise to that price, and pay the duty, than risk its
tiling to 80a ? He could not understand why any
pow agreeing to the first part of the Bill could
dirapprore of the second part.. As the price of
1141,eat mu. Del near 70s. per quarter, he considered
the present a very goad time fur the Hose* to le-
gislate no the subject.
Lord East :ma said no man was more friendly than
himself to the principles of free trade, if the country
were in I natural State; but the 'exertions which had
berti made during the war, in order to preserve those
very countries who were now inundating us with
time coru, bad let the agricultural interest ite a very
unfit state to compete with them. It was admitted
by hintieters that a protecting duty was 'weep-
eary, and it was tart well known that foreign corn
could he brought beret at 31*.sor 3 ts. per quarter.
How then could it be conceived that 17s. a quarter
was a sufficient protection. when at the same time
the Act which pawed in 1815, fixed on 80.. per
Tinter at a remonstrating price to the Britirh grower' It
was the duly of Parliament rather to have raised the scale
•f
prouctioe higher, then have placed it tower than the Art
of the 55th of Outlaw King, The Amour io this country load
to pay tithes, parer rates, and assessed taxer, and tinder those
hardens he wound pat it to the Noble Esti, whether the Eng-
halo farmer could raise coin and bring it to market at a price
iv Gaze' the fsreign grower. It was said the poor lend, might
be throws orator cultivation, in order to limit the prodertioo.
let what woe to become of the immense capitals laid out
upon it! What was to become of the proprietors, of the
titillvatore of the soil and the poor, if those lands were
we oat of cultivation? What also was to become of
tie renege, sod the payment of the iutemt of the
141? It was true the bondholder held his right• under
law;lbe hat so also did the lamellialder. They slid not
task for a daty of 30s. or any specille sons—what the
humeri asked for was weemuneratime prior. Brfure
• at all on this subject, their Lordships ought to egos.
lige the burden' so the land. By she statute of Elis rhetb
all personal property was liable to be assessed for the
rosientation of the poor, yet there were nrany great mane-
factories which brought numbers of poor on the parted
where they was situated, but it only paid to the rates ass
barn. It timid ant be otherwise; the law could not reach

foble

.-
them; but the House was bound to hid the imschloiry fogies
effect to the law. This measure seas professed to be for the
relief of those for whom the law in 1815 was passed, end yet
astir Lordships had not • single Pititiou os their table to
firmer of it. It was sot his wish to raise prices so high as
to give one class of the eciammuoity an advantage over soy
other, bet it was his wish to see all cl Shrive together.
For 'he ressous he bad given he should move that the Bill
be committed this day the months.
Lord DACRE said lee felt assured that an. sufficient relief
could be afforded to the agriculturist, seed therefore be
►aped that their Lordships would at least poMposeibe mea-
sure for the present Sessios. The BM. according to the
Noble Earl opposite, must be inoperative, sad therefore
Little lies m could result from the delay. Before smother Ser.
mop h► thought their Lordships would be couvinced of the
onimewse ethos of (amities ou the agriceltorsl interest. If
the t•sa, ion did sot prodece • great part of the elostreit,
how happened it that the distress was so much greater
them so 1792, whea Ilse prices of produce were Dearly
His same as at preseui ? Toter vests uo evidence which
muisfiid him of the surplus prod../ that was talked of, but
he thought it! ;trial* that the eirculatiog medium sus lees
new than im 1112, alien from ilia ter.ressed transactions of the
emisky. 'kw/Ater grandly MIS requited. He could net ore
bow the eueplee peeklace cuaW be is(bettei from ;he qoaulais

The Earl of FIARROITBY would not follow the Noble
.pod Learned Lord sad the Lord who spoke lest through all
their arguments. The only questious for their Lordships
were these:—le this • ft time to legislate ?—.and is the pre-
*est a proper measure to pen? He acknowledged the dill
eishire • attending the question, from the abstruse nature of
the tothject, from -she oneertaluty of the farts, and from
Ilse inconclusive nal nre of the arguments derived from these
facts ; yet he thought the Roast would disappoint the just
expectations of the country if they did not provide prosper.
lively fur those evils which experience bad sheen to be of
probable occurrence. For three years and a half the agri-
ealtorists had had the complete indoopuly of the home mar-
ket, yet prices had aeceetaieely th dined, so that if the pro-
tettion had been as high as the Noble and Learned Lord
would here desired, yet the result would have brim the same.
Setting aside the stale of the circulation, this result was, be
thought, to be accounted for Irma the great quantity of foreign
corn which was warehoused in this country in 1818, followed
op by three abundant harvests. What ought to be guarded
against appeared to him to be this—that when, from the
state of the circulating medium, or a short harvest, the price
X corn was raved is our markets, N should not rapidly be
brought down by an unlimited importation of Gotten corn.
That h- thought would be effected by the present Bill; sod
hum the ehauge of the circulating medium, he considered
that TOr. per quarter was as much protection to the 4,4%11-
torsi interest as 600. was in 1815. He thought it could out
be crinclutlid that taxation was the cause of the distress,
since the earn* depression of mark, ts had taken place
is some of the Cantons of Switzerland, where hilly or
no taxation existed. He would put it to their Lordships,
taking into consideration the probability of bad harvests in
this country, whether it was probable that Parliameat would
be persuaded to peas a Bill m're favourable to agriculture
than the present. The present he enrsidler.d as the proper
time, by nudging a compromise of different opinions, to
place the agricolture of the country os a less dangerous
footing thaq it stood at present.
The Earl of EA RNA RYON thought it was the duly of their
Lordships to look to what was the esiniessrin of protection are.
misery fur the agricultural interest. If the price of corn
was raised much beyond the average prices on the Continent,
such a measure must drive capital out of the country, sad
wool I first destroy manufactures', and ultimately destroy the
leaded interest also. He was essavinerd that great part of
the Iliotrts• arose from the alteration of the currency. The
dati frosts wbieb the protecting price of the Act of ISIS
was ealcorlated was from the average prices of former yam
(during the piper smartie'', therefore thus* data must be
erroneous. For 150 years before the Bank Restriction Art,
the price of wheat en an average of years did not exceed
the resew mite. All that he hoped was, that the House
would consider the state of the correocy at least as one of the
souses which iaßueneed the present state of prices in our
maikets, and as Oa Mew hid ae data oe which they could
calculate prospectively, he should vote galas* their goiug
into a Committee.
Lord It EDESDALE thought the. presets! era mot a 61
time, for though it was said that it yes rsl new likely to
excite clamour, yet be would take leave I. sarthat it bad
excited damns• amongst the landholder/. and there were
besides other considerwrimm which induced him to believe

that this was not a At time to legislate on the sobject. It
was fir the interest of ell parties that corn should be at an
average price. The Brest distress which the agriculturist
felt, arose not from the money price merely, but from the
quantity of his pro 'ace that he was obliged to bring into
the angelic to pay fur what he wanted. If be was now
obliged to give three bushels of wheat for wield' which
• century ago he gave only one bushel, the Douse most my
that was um cause of the farmer's ditties.. If, for instance,
the taxes were 10s forresiy, be rod them by the sale of
one bushel of wheat at IN., but now with wheat at St. a
bushel, he most sell two hostels to pay them. Considering
it is that point of view, there was no period in the history
of this country when corn was so low as it now was. By
this law the trade ism cora would be assimilated to the deal-
Wigs is 'Change-alley, w hese the Bolls sod Bears endeavoured
to overreach each other. There inched they were met by
persons able to compete with them, but the agriculturist
would have no chance it such a contest. He thought
that it would he far better for the House out to le-
gislate Sr all on the subject, as they 'weld nut as.
fiery any body, whilst by postponing it they would at
testi have the advantage of getting better information of the
state of the rest or Europe has they at preseotpessessed. He
eoold not me any object in pressing forward the measure, as
it was allowed that it *sold be ineffective,valess • rive took
place in thecae's mike* which should bring wisest tip to be,.
per quarter : a eirestenstsiscl,very null hely to hymns. Fur
these reasons be should votenainst the Bill.
Lord ELL'ENBOROUGH said that all the argumente
proceeded on the supposition that the present was to he a
permanent measure, but it was in fact only endeavuoriug to
remedy an ilimoveoienee arising oat of the present state of
the lisw, and thereby to give time to their Lordships to frame
a measure which should have a greater appearance of per-
manence. The present Bill would certainly not relieve the
ogricollorist, but be would put it to their Lordships to say
obether, if wheat wereto rise to &Or. a quarter, they would
rather be under the old law or the rearm? He thought they
would at once meteor ledge it • mild be better to bare • duty
of Na. • quarter than mine at all. For these (COMM be
world support the Dill.
The Earl of DARNLEY said that be had always depre.
pled isquiries on this subject in that House, oe the ground
of the neknusrledged inability of Parliament interfering to
diminish the dishes, which was the only ground on which
Parliament was called epos to ioteifers at •11. The Bill
sow before the House was • melancholy proof of the truth
of that opiulon, though the House of Commons, by sending
it up to that House, seem to have entertained • different
one. This was a subject which had been much novasseil,
and all agreed in one point, that the distress was very great.
The doctors disagreed as to the remedy—one said high price*
moat be kept up b ix. heavy duty on importation; but be
(Lord Darnley) agreed with the Noble President of the
Council, (hat under circumstances of scarcity in the coun-
try, it would be impossible to execute such • Isw without
tisk of exciting as insurrection, and no Moister would
on his own responsibility divests* with the Bill. He would
not pursue this subject through all its beeorhea, as the
House most be fatigued with thy arguments at that sole to in-
duce their Lordships at least to passe on the subject, parlicu•
lady as it should be recollected that the measure had been
rejected was scree by those fur whfroe bent it the other Home
of Parliament bad passed the Bill. He believed there
emitted abuses in the striking the overages, and the House,
is his elision, ought to legislate to prevent such is soda lo
future.

The Eta of MORLEY said, that coasiderior the unees•
Wary of oar climate, be could not view with vibe same eon.
*device as some Noble lw.rda that the average price of
wheat is the mullet might not be above SW. a quarter
before the nest meeting of Parliament. lie could not say
that the Bill was, likely to satisfy the earieulteral interest 5
bet looking to the effect of an inilianiiest importation, know.
lag that the ports of France land Holland were crowded with
tern, be viewed the Rill a safer thee the liar as it at present
atpod,aud be was therefore fir guise into the Committee.

The .restiva was thee pat, and the Howe divtdcd, whets
there appeared
Contents ... .
Nee-eantents ..... .

Majority in favour of the 8R.... is
On our return below the bog, we found the HON* I.
Committee on the Bill, and
The Earl of. DARLINGTON declaring his intantios of
opposing the Bill in every stage.
The Bill then went Armagh Ike Coonsiltev, and the ,bird
reading was lard for Monday scat, fur whieb day their
Lordships
Adjourned at aloe o'cluvb,

.4trie., •
laid oil Ilea of lailatilpiareelo *alit Ala Noe time to the Irtirreatei
proyaKhewiale is the ptpolatila. He was oatielled
IL. iimr• is i sit ogrfenhuriat in she eolitatry who
or ths Dy was OM sess,h o e !heir Lordships not to tree*? Slam
~,,ingiDt‘u, halt relte! which ligai held out by the pretest Bill. No
isebiif enhht puswitty accrue fiy •uspeading their deciaioi,
./eing done, let much harm wish' arise from rashly legislaiing,-60 there-
concern b& c. 1441 ftetotell lire* -Lordships would see their way more
hod Tina clearly, before they decided us the subject,