The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1826-05-03 00:00:00

tingly decline. (Hear, hear.) If was of that character, and was
not considered in any to 'pen as • desirable acquisition ; for the con-
duct which the Government might be called on to pursue, in the
event of any change. would subject it to invidious censures from
those classes of the community on which its operation might really,
or by prejudice, be supposed to bear too heavily. However some
Gentlemen might think and express themselves of granting so great
a privilege to the Government, he could assure the House that his
Majesty's Ministers would receive such a trust with the utmost re-
luctance. They were fully aware of the odium which its exercise
' might bring on their proceedings, and did not court the trial ; but
while the Government was aware of what inconvenience and annoy.
ance they were likely to endure in that respect, they did not allow
any such anticipation to prevent or to excuse them from claiming
that discretion which it might be requisite and indispensable for
them to possess, in counteraction of the contingencies that might
arise to the community during the absence of Parliament. Ile did
not mean at that time to argue the propriety or Impropriety of the
cessation of the Parliamentary function'', but as it was the practice
that the Parliament did not always sit, liovernment was anxious to
guard against any casualties which might occur during the vaca-
tion. lie was not an alarmist, but the fact was that the price of
corn had been progressively rising in the market for the last six
weeks. (Hear, hear.) lie did not pretend to account at that time
for the clones which had produced that result, but he thought he
' might assert, without any great affectation of sagacity, and in per-
fect accordance with truth, that the effect of allowing the hooded
corn to get into the market would be to reduce the pt ice. In treating
of that part of the subject, he did not speak of high and low prices,
as he conceived the application of those terms was frequently
erroneous. In truth, the words " high" and " low" were re-
lative, and not positive ; and • price which in one year might be
deemed low, would, under a change of circumstances, appear high
in another. As, for instance, the price of corn per quarter averaged,
during the last year, sixty-seven shillings, and yet corn at that
time was not considered so dear as it is now, when the puce'
did not exceed sixty shillings. Thus sixty, which at the present
time was deemed high, would, in the preceding year, have been '
considered low. It was, therefore, to avoid the ambiguity, that he
did not employ the terms high and low. (Hear.) The House
should therefore not he misled by the highness or the lowness of ;
the price, but should direct its attention to the steadiness. (Hear.)
Let it then be supposed, that during the absence of Parliament
there should be such a rise in the price of corn as he contemplated
to be probable or possible, he would ask whether it was advisable, ;
when there was no opportunity of Parliamentary interference, that
the course of the evil should not be controlled, and that the Govern.
went should confine itself to the vanity of regret, instead of being
enabled to confer the benefit of correction ? Stich was not the opi.
nion of the House. he felt convinced ; and he was assured that they
would 'infer the production of the advantages which might be de-
rived
from the grant of the power, to the continuance of the cola.
chief, and anticipate the time when it might be n . yto act
without the direct assistance of Parliament ; for if, before the 13th
of August, when the statute provided for the contingency, it should
so happen that the price of corn should touch the extreme verge,—
which was not contemplated by the proposers of the statute,—or ,
that it might so rise as that the expediency and necessity sonic
measure to retard its progress would be evident, in that case what
could be done to relieve the country ? The Government proposed
to arm itself with an immense responsibility, the exercise of which
would subject them to vast inconvenience. They were so aware of
the consequences to which the power would render them liable,
that if they consulted their individual feelings, they would be
exceedingly desirous that the (louse should refuse to invest i
them with the invidious task, than which he did not con.
ceive that a more troublesome commission could be granted.
He hoped it was understood that the present proposal was not in.
tended in any respect to interfere with the principle of the Corn
Laws; and though he might be supposed to strip it of its protecting
duties, yet what he proposed to take was not in fact a variation, nor
did it evince any indication of a change. Honourable Gentlemen
might ask why Government would not take away the rate of 80s. and
17s. duty? 10 that he would not assent, because the highest rate
of another year might not be so great as now. Circumstances might
occur to produce a favourable alteration ; the state of trade and
commerce might revive, and cause a correspondent improvement in
the capability of the consumer to pay. It appeared to him timers.
Bible to define, with any degree of precision, what the fixed price
should be, for it was continually affected by numerous causes of
fluctuations, but he thought that it should not exceed fills. with I7s.
duty per quarter. The Honourable Member for Somersctshire had
said that the agricultural interest was to be considered in this case,
and that it should not be neglected. Ile agreed with that Honour.
able Member, but he could not see how the injury would be in-
flicted. He did not think the agricultural and manufacturing inn-
rests were to be considered in • different view, as if the one could
not receive any benefit unless at the expense of the other. They
naturally concurred. and mutually promoted the interests the one
of the other. Ile was, therefore, much surprised that the lien.
Baronet should draw aline of distinction between the two classes,
as possessing incompatible interests. He was sorry that the lion.
Member should object us the motion on that particular ground.
That Hon. Gentleman was entitled to great commendation for his
exertions and the purity of his motives; but when he (Mr. Can.
ring) gave that deserved credit to the Hon. Baronet, he differed
materially with him as to the propriety of introducing discussions
of such a nature as were then advanced. lie was convinced that
such topics were not only irrelevant, but that they would produce
conflicts between the two classes. The result would be, not to he.
netit the sufferers, hut to exe'te feelings of animosity and hatred,
which It would be afterwards found difficult to allay. He was sure
that such consequences were not contemplated by gentlemen, when
they spoke on the affairs of the country ; for they trust be well
aware that the debates in that House derived from the sober con.
sideration of the subjects discussed, not only the value which they
possessed in the House itself, but throughut the country. The ne-
cessity, therefore, of avoiding the introduction of inflammatory sub-
jects, must be apparent ; and he therefore hoped, as the lion. Ba-
ronet had goner. the credit of fair and honest motive'', that lie
would, in requital, admit that the Government was actuated by
principles of similar candour and sincerity in the assertion, that
they would accept with reluctance those powers which the necea-
soy of obviating dangerous casualties during the absence of Par-
I 'lament merely caused them to require. Ile should therefore re.
peat, that his 'notion was brought forward for the good of the State,
and to provide against a particular contingency. lie also trusted,
that the Hon. Baronet would acquit his Majesty's Ministers of any
sinister motive in urging the present measure for the adoption of
the House. They considered the power fur which they asked, to be
an infliction rather than a privilege, and a grant which, if they
could do so consistently with their duty, they would be much mote
gratified to refuse than to accept.
Mr. BANE ES thought that the distress which had been con-
sidered as a good ground fur the motion, did not afford sufficient
reason for its introduction. It had been gradual, and therefore did
not arrive with that sudden rapidity which imperatively called for
prompt measures, and might justify the grant of such power as
Ministers demanded from the House. Ile could allow for cases
affecting the foreign relations of the country, in which it would
be necessary to preserve silence ; but in such instances as that
now under the contemplation of the House, it did not
nppear to him that any cause existed for suppressing all
the information of which the Government was in possession,
and with which the Parliament ought to be made acquainted.
Those details of the circumstances of the country should have been
submitted to the House. As to the statement which the Right
lion. Secretary made of his objection to interfere with the Corn
Laws, it appeared strange that though the Right Hon. Gentleman
was unwilling to get into direct contact with their principle and
spirit, and that he denied that the distress of the country originated
in their operation, yet he thought that the remedy to be applied to
the evils and misery which prevailed, should Ise extracted front an
interference with the result of the Corn Laws prohibition. It was
a curious admission, when conpled whit the mode in which the
mischief was proposed to be relieve!. Persons differed as to the
price at which corn could or ought to be imported. Some maid 395.
a quarter, others more and leas. But the Right lion. Steretary
stated that he could not assign any fixed scale to which he would
reduce it. The extraction of the bonded corn, to which he looked as
a preventive of the scarcity and dearness which he apprehended,
did not amount in the whole kingdotn to more titan 3.0041000 quer-
ten, and of the,. about 1,290.000 were bonded in time London
warehouses ; so that they were not exactly situated. as the Right
Hon. Gentleman hated, in view of the starving and distressed dia-
-1 nicht. %Vint he wished to know was what effect win proposed to
I be produced by the contemplated relief? Was It intended to !e-
-duce the price, or what other object was proposed ? If the price
were as low as at Odessa, it would be useless uitleas the people had
the means of purchtuthig. Iledid not approve of the present mode of
partially tampering with the Corn Laws on the pa-t of the State, for it
led to conclusions by the sufferers that the misery and disinter' was sae.
e atoned by those laws. The manufacturers were naturally excited to
exclaim. " Oh, 'tilt the fault of the Corn Laws." (Hear, hear.)
But if the price of the corn was reduced to the consumers, how se-
ricu t must be the injury to)bte growers ! It would ultimately caese
the labourers to trust for their maintenance to the poor rates. (near,
hear.) Thus, In addition to those manufacturers who now depend
' on that Warta of support, there would be the additional man of
unemployed husbandman. It should be considered that the poor
rates were supplied by the land and by nothing else. ()Tear.) By
impoverishing that class, therefore, which was connected with the
cultivation of the land, they would be involving all the community
in ruin. It would be estate or univertad pauperism. (Hear.) ft
was a bad principle which induced Ministers to propose measures
which tended to destroy indeed of assisting the agricultural interests.
Ile should not he . to the Institution of a Committee of in.
qu ry. into the effects whic't the liberation of the bonded awn would
produce, because, though he did not conceive that it had much to
do in the matter, Set he hoped it would give the Ministers an in.
sight into the business, and eventually lead them to adopt proceed.
ings more solutary to the county. lie h met! Vial the Goveniment
possessed more knowledge titan they were Inclined to avow; tor, if
they did not, he did not expect that, with the information and PCP.
sons which had been presented to lila view, intuit good would be
effected. He should he sorry to present any impediment to theses!.
feting Morino in the procuring of relief, and lie would nut, there-
fore, oppose changes which might be elm toed necessary for the pur.
pore. Yet he did not reel such confidence in any Government,
(though he allowed merit en the prevent Ministry.) as to permit
stern the exercise of such arbitrary power is it was proposed to son.
ter on them. It is/1.1 a flange-roue et:pertnient to entrust any fin. '
venionint with an unlimited diteretuss to nullify the effect of the
Corn Laws, which IMP admitted to use dip Low „r rite will. with
the first part of the proposition lie load nn otip talon m CMICIIP t but
when the Remand rams In he debated, be should, as he felt ohs I
osibr.recngttehooilf.
slop ln Ivy
be
eerfifunis whhh might advanced against it,
the limn,. (In that point he differed wit's
the 11 able Newrotrivit, and Its would therefore wish eith o
ctigetkthise Gimtlerttan should endeavour to put
existing evils, by moving for a ~,,, ?tin to impure In
the causes which produced them, sod rust 14 glee cause to cote pat