The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1825-11-30 00:00:00

CITY of LONDON LITERARY and SCIENTIFIC
INSTITUTION.

IVe extract the following from a Discourse, just pub.
lished, which was delivered by Mr. M•Culloch at the
opening of the above Institution, as containing some ob.
servations, the importance of which, at this crisis, well
deserve to be attentively studied :
" From their more extensive intercourse with society,
and the greater field they have for making observatioes,
it bast been generally found that the mercantile classes
have taken more comprehensive views of almost all sub-
jects submitted to their consideration, and been less influ-
enced by prejudice than most others. But you are tee
intelligent not to know, and too candid not freely to ad.
mit, that even they have very frequently acted on the
most erroneous principles; and I hope you will not find
fault with me if I take the liberty to point out one or two
instances of this ; not in the invidious purpose of depte,.
dating those who unintentionally did wrong, but to show
the importance of obtaining that command over scientific
principles without which you will be always liable to fall
into similar errors.
The history of the corn trade furnishes a striking exam.
ple of the prevalence of popular delusion. If there be one
class of merchants more advantageous than another—if there
be one in the freedom and security of whose operations the
other merchants of the country and the public are most
especially interested, that class consists of the corn met.
chants; for it is by their intervention that the pressure of
scarcity is alleviated, that the luxuriant crop of one barren
' is stored up, and kept in reserve to supply the deficienty of
another, and that we are protected from the scourge of fo.
mine. And yet you must be all aware that this supremely
useful class of men were long the peculiar objects of popo,
lar aversion and hatred ; and what is still more unaccount-
able, they were regarded with no friendly eye by the met.
chants engaged in other businesses. Perhaps the circum-
stance may have escaped your recollection; but, so late u
1795 and 1800, the clamour against forestallers and re.
graters, for such were the opprobions epithets given to the
corn dealers, was as loud as it could well have been in the
age of the Edwards or the Henrys. And the municipal
authorities of this great city—a city that could not subsist
for a day without the aid derived from the industry of the
corn merchants, actually went so far as to denounce their
operations as the main, or rather sole cause of the scarcities
which then afflicted the country, and thus aggravated, in
no common degree, though no doubt unconsciously, the
misers, and suffering occasioned by the deficiency of food.
"There is not, I should hope, much reason to apprehend
a recurrence of such scenes as took place in die Court of
King's Bench in 1800. Scarcities must, indeed, occasion.
ally occur in future, as they have done hitherto. But the
more general diffusion of those principles which the juigea
and merchants of 1795 and 1800, sneered at as abstract and
theoretical, will effectually shield those who are engaged
in the corn trade from being again dragged into court, and
treated like felons, for endeavouring to supply us with
food, and to distribute it in the best manner.

" Most of you have no doubt heard of the famous excise
scheme proposed by Sir Robert Walpole in 1733. Every
one at all acquainted with the history of the last century,
knows that the mere proposal of this scheme had well viii
lighted up the flames of rebellion in the country; that it
was vehemently opposed by Sir John Barnard, the patriotic
and intelligent Member for London, and generally by the
whole mercantile body ; and that its abandonment was
hailed with the most earliest and enthusiastic demonstra-
tions of national rejoicing. But what, may I !.,e alloved
to inquire, was the nature of the scheme that had excited
all this violent outcry and commotion ? Unless you have
studied the subject with some attention, you sill hardly
believe me when I tell you, that this abused scheme was
really nothing more than a plan for partially introducing
the warehousing system ! It will seem to you inconceiv•
able that the merchants of that day could so far mistake
their own interests as to oppose a proposal which had fet
its object to allow them to lodge wine and tobacco in ptiVc
warehouses,_ where they were to remain free of duty until
withdrawn for home consumption. But this, however ex-
traordinary it may appear, was the entire extent of Sir Ro-
bert NValpole's plan. It was not, as he stated in his place
in the House of Commons, his intention to propose to aug-
ment the duties on any commodity, but to emble the mer-
chant to pay them at the most convenient period. and to
make Loudon an entrep.t for all the commodities of all the
world. No doubt can now remain in the mind of am
one, that the adoption of this scheme would have been
productive of the greatest advantage. Such, however, ant
so powerful was the delusion pmerated its the public mid
with respect to it, or, which is the more correct mode of

spi ak;ni, such was the prejudice of our ancestors, and such
the force of habit, that it was ir,t. till ISO 3, srventy year:
after the period when its introduction was proposed by Sr
Robert Walpole, that the warehorc:ing and bonding system,
the greatest improvement perhaps ever made in the corn.
mercial and financial policy of the country, could be safely
adopted."

Mr. Young is said to be in treaty with the management
of Drury-lane theatre.
Liston makes his appearance at Drury-lane next Sato.
day, as Alau•-worn is the 1 lypocri(c.
bliss Kelly, it is understood, will adopt a new main;
in the part of Lid!, Teazle to-morrow evening, correstios!•
ing with the view Mr. Sheridan always expressed ix fo:
character.

MR. KLAN IN TILL iiNITED STATES.—The New 7.('
Courier says—" It is now confidently reported, that Mr
Kean will not make his appearance at this theatre for abet::
ten days. Already the whole first tier of boxes has bx.
engaged for the first night of his appearance, and trany
applications have been received for the second tier. Dur;:
the two last evenings, he appeared in the private bca o:
the theatre."

FIRE AT TILE OLYMPIC Tit FATr.E.—On Monday
during the performance of the new Norwegian
Hans if Iceland; or, the Iron Casket, the audience
seriously alarmed by the smell of fire, and a volume
smoke, which was soon ascertained to proceed from !"-•
box lobby, where a beam was diecovered to be nn tire, I,
consequence of one of the men employed in the 'fllczae
having placed a lamp immediately under it, and FO eoi*,
that the flame communicated to it, and was fast ascend'e'r
when it was most fortunately arrested, whereby the wet:
serious consequences were prevented from ensuing.
Mr. Baron Graham has been so unwell as not to be al'
to attend the Court of Exchequer for the last we.k.
lion. Baron is now in the 821 year of his age, a':d 11'
gone through the laborious duties of a Judge nearly '27
years. It is said he will retire Llore the nex: Tom.
bring the first Judge that will enjoy the liberal FI;I'Y
lowed by the country to Judges on r•diring trent office
Mr. Tindal is spoken of among the Bar as likely to ea-
cecd him.

INFANT SClfooLs.—An Infant School is on the ew 0:
being establishod at Chester, under the rineti,,n cl th'
Bishop of that diocese. Ilk Lordship atteM:::d 3 P"b'';
mcoting, canvened I,y the .17.:tvor' on Tmsday last.
explained at considerable length the rcasons that inil'y.e‘l
him warmly to advocat.: the formation of ins:in:tiers
kind in populous and manufacturing towns. IFF
ship also submittl certain resolutiors he hail pr,ra'''.
which were adopted, and a Cmumittee was npro:lird
colic et the reccssary funds. The Bishop and LeTi 13'•
grave made donations of ..201. sae h.
In Scudder's Mustim at New York there is a :Troy.
tation in wax of Saul, Samuel, and the Witch Cf
Saul wears a blue silk coat and smallclothos eat, red
spangles ; the Witch sits in a parlour chair in a ;IC:
cotton gown, with a shawl, cap, and bla,k 1111:1:, •
and Samind sports a ‘s hitc cotton nilit,cap.
Several of the Mot :lite! and Evening Papers 7
vreexpyllioAriSshtc;!j,: anis,;ols..r,lrc,-; a I.
!,
,:7 accountLiyerr 0 o -l. every fasic
was stated in the ./..; .:i.‘7t Press of Friday last !
. .

Governm7r,t has (Ictcnuitied upr:i l't tt:i
lion for the rcc7uitin.... ,:•rvir;, 03 an

regimcnts of the 11ex to be cor,m
there, one to occupy th 'carrot:ls, Cie oth:.r

COMAINATIONS Al KENDAL—The journe;
of Kendal have struck against their einp:oyel
quence Ofafl advant' of %vv.'s which the fon
mended bong refused.—CarllSc Journal.

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