The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1821-06-23 00:00:00

Lour.

IRE BRITISH PRESS.

•
Na I LONDON,
.0, vjATURDAY. Julia a, ism

The Paris Papers of Tumidity arrived last night.
The King of NAPLES has granted an amnesty to
all persons who have, since the Bth July last. been
seduced or frightened to inscribe their names in
the Csrbonari, or any other society proscribed by
religion or the laws. We shoeld have no objection
to a like indulgence to the Members of the muck
Consiitutional Society, sod the Manchester Orange
Club in this country, provided they acknowledged
their error.
The Five per Cent. Consols on 86 f. 50 c.—
Bank Actions 1,590 f.

His Royal Highness the Duke of CLAREIVCR'S
Grant Bill was read a first and second time lost
night in the House of Commons without any op.
position, and ordered to be committed for Muudsy.

The substance of the Agricultural Report of
the House of Commons is given in another part
of our Paper. The principle■ expressed in the
Report, with reference to the means suggested
by the landholders for improving their condi-
tion, and alletiating the distresses of the coun-
try, must prove a severe disappointment to those
who anticipated from the Committee the recom-
mendation of what has been erroneously called
“ further protection." The Report contains con-
classier arguments against the itnpolicy of imposing
any further restrictions upon the importation of fo-
reign corn, and proves most satisfactorily that, with
respect to the home consumption, the British far-
mers have for the two last harvests enjoyed in effect
a complete monopoly. The Committee give am-
ple proofs not only of the great extent of their
labours in inquiring into the state of the agriculture
of the country, and in examining the feasibility and
expediency of the various schemes of relief proposed
by the numerous petitioners to Parliament, and by
several Members of the House of Commons, but
also that they were influenced by an anxious soli-
citude to gratify the petitioners if possible, even, as
the Report cap it, " by a temporary depar-
ture from any sound and recognised principle of
general policy," provided that such a measure
offered any reasonable ground to hope that it might
be attended with some relief to the sufferers. Their
labours, however, conclude by as admission that
they cannot recommend any project as calculated
to produce a certain good, and such being time cruse,
the country most now feel that it is beyond the
power of Parliament to administer relief to the
agricultural interests by pursuing such steps as the
landholders themselves recommend. Much of the
existing evil is attributed, and we are satisfied very
justly, to the effects of the varying standard of the
currency, and a hope thence arises that m this is
restored to its ancient purity and consistency, and
as prices gradually accommodate themselves to the
fixed standard, the evil consequences of the former
deviation will cease to be felt.

It is observable that the Committee have em-
ployed themselves in their Report more in combat-
ing the proposed remedies of others, than in lug-
rating any as the result of their inquiry, and in
pursuing this course they have not failed to com-
ment upon " the mistaken notion that the depres-
sion under which our agriculture now labours is
either exclusively or principally to be attributed to
texation." It would perhaps not be very easy to
(inmate, with any degree of precision, the exact
proportion which, taxation bears to the total
amount of the whole outgoings of the agricul-
turists; but if it be admitted that the distress
is principally felt in the circumstance of the out-
goings exceeding the remunerating prices for the
sale of the articles produced, it becomes, we think,
as assertion somewhat hazardous, that no part of
the present depression is to be attributed to the
amount of intuition. It carnet be denied that the
necessity of our present Corn Laws, admitting their
necessity according to the impressions of the vgri-
calturisis themselves, implies a state of affairs
highly artificial ; it flows, in fact, from a general
derangement iu the connuercial system of this coun-
try, which it is impossible to trace to any other source
than the excess of taxation. Why do the farmers
now require a remunerating price, to the amount of
eighty shillings a spiarter, more than at any past
period, unless it be to meet the necessities or the
derangements of our artificial system, and to en-
able them to meet the burden which the Govern-
ment imposes upon them either lie direct or indirect
taxation ? The Corn Laws, hut especially- the
last Act, appc:ir to us to be extremely unwise in
principle, mid, ai experience his shove), wholly
nugatory in i.rat:tice ; but it cannot he denied
that the present price of corn does not, under
the existing system, remunerate the farmer
for growing his corn, or equalize his expenditure
with his income ; now if a considerable part of this
expenditure he the payment of taxes, we do not see
how taxation can he relieved from the imputation of
cawing much of the depression under which our
agriculture Inliours." The drawing up of this Re-
port is ascribed, we know not how truly, to Mr.
Ilusxtssots and Mr. RICARDO. We conjecture
that this passage respecting inoffensiveness of taxn-
tion, must have proceeded from the practised pen
of the former Gentleman.

The Royal Anent wilt be given this day in the
House of Lords, by Coromiss:on, to several UN.