The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-01-23 00:00:00

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FREE' TRAY AND TILE CORN LAWS.
• Peens the Cleik.l
Mr, li.iskisson'e visit to Paris bat given necasion to ifsene
scapulae to make many reproaches to the French Mitsisten. It has
,b.: Supposed that Mr. Iluskinon came to negotiate a commercial
ft ,e h' and that the igth Government resisted every proposition
of
itit
nature. Thlsltupposltion may he erutuitous, but let ua
avfinit fir a moment that it is well-founded. In what tespect
antis tbo Emrich Administration hare been wrong ? The liberal
„velihatle of the two countries will undoubtedly reply. that the
r vet misters have beets wrong in nut showing as much liberality
.ii the English tioternment ; bet the latter has only done what it
wan fined to do. according to the avowal of Mr. Ihaskisaon him-
.e ;.-tt Only d.revusinhhed the entrance duties, particularly upon silk
giiiii,
to pent fraud. and the President of the Board of Trale
' -.and that highnduties were prejudicial to the revenue of Eng-
Lted. aitate they gave a peptic to the smuggler. Now that the
.4ntied are diesoakhed, the goods in question may be had through
tleelegit.mate thaenele as cheap as they were ptcvioudy obtained 1
:*otkeio am,agglers. Thus, therefore, the English Governmfeit
'Salt-to,.eive to ditties what w.' paid to the smug lea. and will thus ,
rein 'two ways.vnainely, by the extinction of fraud and the ex.
.4?.y* Ad !Patching over it, and by the augmentation of the
. codes duties. This is the most wabstantiel argument that Mr.
"J.::::lntatia coedit have 3/leaflets! in favour of Ids treuures; he
.eriture merely chcsulted the exclusive interact of England, and
it ',hied be a truly sinvular thing to make a merit of it with
t-4her nation. Moreover, the journalists who have treated this
.c.iesuon, have beeu far from perceiving one of the great obstacles
sat the roman octal relations that it is desired to be establiabiti he-
tral..u.s.) tee tau countries. Now this obstacle, which a not thought
roe 4:t France, exists on the part of the English Government, and
•i!" tiStie meowed, would render a commercial treaty much more
,yrstuctille ; but the English Government will not yield to this
without diSculty. Mr. Iluskisson dared scarcely say is word
Stott: it last Session. Su much has been said in France of the in-
-o=4 of industry, that a persuasion has at length been pot-
Anted. that in • cannily devoted to commerce, the persons en.
;peed in istlusttious pursuits ought to be the Governors, and as
tsitup as they pionounce„ every thing ought to give way ; but this
is one of the errors of Ilbersllsm. Industry even in England oc.
.s..;pies but an inferior place. The landowner are those who
itorern, and those alone the Ministers have to dread, since they
-coa.pose :he two Chambers. These are they, in fine, who make
the law to the Government. Now, the land.owners are desirous
osi the trade in which they are not imerested shituld be carried
on irilhout restrictions. But it is Dot an with the trade by which
.thee Lye, 'tensely, that of corn. The Corn Lows prohibit the ites.
yortahen of lore: 'et corn when English corn is below a price fixed
by the tariff. By this means, bread is always den in England,
and the la.nd.oweers derive a vast revenue from their land. Now
it. Is evident that • great nation. the riches of which consist for
vie tome pert in the produce of its agriculture, will be bound to
.nialte a free trade in corn the basis of a commercial treaty with
lin+ a country as England. But do oar liberals imagine that the
English land.owrent would easily receive such a proposition ?
Would induetry obtain from them what she wishes, by representing
to them that her interests are cnnneeted with theirs, and that in
-proportion as she is flourishing, their revenues will be augmented ?
ittp could she ever persuade them that they would gain more
le selling their earn at four shillings a bushel than at ten ? No-
't:Ar.ig is so prejudicial to English industry as the Corn Laws,
*hreh do it more liami than all foreign prohibitions. Yet we tray
ltelieee &at !Le territorial aristocracy will pay no Mention to the
complaints of the mannfactnring classes, but will continue to main.
tr.n them in their full fora.