The British Press; or, Morning Literary Advertiser.
London, England, 1820-05-27 00:00:00

increases in resources and population, furnish the
hest Markets for British Innntifactures. It
culiarly the interest of Great Britain to cultivate
pence with the United States, and to desire by
every means her rapid improvement and prosperity.
—awed cheering.)--13ftt the House 1111114 see the
truth and the whole troth, cod it would Ise foots.'
that Eagland, in her present distresses, only slimed
the common fate of the rest of the world. Much
of the distresses now endured have privet; from flair
lions credit, and over *Peculation, which nothing bet
time could correct, and if Parliament were to yield
any thin% to clamour in the hope of remedying the
rid, use mischief then Rood most fall: w. He
...aid Dow refer strictly to a preen'sl view of ;h,.
situation of the country. The Noble Mrsfil•tio had
gramoded his 'notion on general principles of is free
trede, which he was tan much • Statesman not to
qualify almost in the moment of his giving them ut-
terance. He (Lord L.) was not ignorant of the ad-
vantage" which would have resulted to the ward
from the adoption of such principles by all State.:
at an earlier period, hut although referring to first
principles might correct erroneous reasoniog, it was
not always practicable to act upon them. 1 there
were any point upon which he wua &posed
to blame the Noble Marquis, it was fur Ili.
not having brought before the House the whole
subject of our situation, and for not liatint:
referred to the agricultural state of the (smutty.
Let us look to the state of our laws affecting the
importation of agricultural produce, anti then pro-
pose the expediency of adopting a free co 11111 l erce !
Was not corn subjected to great limitations ? Cattle
was altogether prohibited, and the trade of wool was
subject to many restrictions. While these laws cons
tinue, could we go to poor countries and demand a
free commerce ? Would they not say to us. " V all
who speak so big upon the advantages of free trade—
von who deem so enamoured of the principles of
Adam Smith—why do you not set us the example
of a free trade, founded upon principles of recipe*.
cite, and take our corn and cattle ?" But this
would, its our present state, he quite impossible.
Our system is essentially different. ,‘ We," said
the Noble Earl, 4' have grown up to our present
greatness under different principles; some will say
in consequence of them, but others will say, and
with them I agree, that we have so improved
in spite of thent.—(clear, hear, hear.)—But
so it is, aid if our debt and taxes were ie-
(lured one-half, if we should adopt the principles
of n free trade, it would effect a violent convulsiou
in the relations of society, and would destroy our
agriculture, which ought to be considered as the
basis of a nation's power. The Noble Earl theism&
versed to the Corn Laws, which were passed in
l 9 ! 5 , and defended the principle of them, as afford.
mg a 11,:cesaary• protection to the farmer. Had
the Bill then prmibied, however, not been piss.
ed. he shousd, although he highly approved the
principle of it, have Bever at any future time pro-
meted it, liecausi nothing in' his mind could tie
more injurious thin to agitate mob a duration ofteu.
and for the same ressOu he should now disc-ion-
moaner any Mtetipt that should tic Made to d- nib
the existing system.—/Hear, hear.)—He dirOL:)
eel bis approbation of the present systeni of taking
the aterages. and thought it would prot4 iery
unfair to make any alteration in it, because it was
on that system that the protecting price wits 'ems.
blished : and as the system was in existence pre-
simply, its effect and operation were fully Mader-
"food. If any fraud were practised under it, it was
the fault of those who were moat interested in pre.
and the law was sufficient to punish it.
ridiculed 9?e idea of fixing a certain duty upon
the importation of corn, as in times of plenty it
would afford no protection to the farmer, and in
times of scateity could not be enforced against the
poor. He 'hewed that the average price of wisest,
from the year WM to 1819. was 75..; of barley
40r.; and' of "its 'loo.; and that the quantity of
fereigo corn admitted daring the setae period
into the consumption of the country did not
exceed on an overage 4,800,000 quartets. The
Noble Earl also strongly expressed. his 'convic-
iion of the necessity of adhering firmly to the
law of the last Session for regulating the standard
of the country. It had bees said that this law
had segmented the distresses of the country,
but in ti's opinion he by no means 'concur.
red. Had the lea affected the price of one
species of agrimiltOrall product, it intoit have
been equally operative upon another; but while
Cora lied fallen in price, cattle maintained their Ca.
lie at a higher rate than usnul. No man in that
House hail been a greater supporter of the Batik
Restriction Act during the war, and he was eon-
Irinced that this measure principally had enabled
the country to weather the difficulties of her si.
taation; but if in war it was attended with faci-
lities, in peace it brought nothing but evda.—
Its effect was to create artificial capital, which
in the hour of difficulty proved the want of reality.
and was the evil that was now most dreaded arid
most to be avoided. No alteration ought to hr
permitted in the Corn Laws or in the state of the
currency. All persons in this country, and in fo-
reign countries, should understand that we ate now
acting upon a fixed and settled system, not to Ise
altered on every occasional evil, nor modified to
snit the clamour of particular classes.—/Hear.)—
Undoubtedly the principle of prohibitions had
been carried to a greater pitch in this coitio►y than
any other in the world, and the country would de-
ceive itself if it was thought that the principle
could he continued successfully with all its former
*leaf in the great branches o( our manufactures.
Early prohibitions were tirerse,ars• for the enema-
ragitment of any inatiu facto... Thus it was with
Kntish cottons, until we :repined a superiority over
other nations. The same be said of the silk
Student present. Tiny would put an end to the ma-
imfacture at once to make the trade free. Ile la-
mented, for his own part, the establishment of the
silk manufacture in this country at all. It was nut
natural to this climate as to France, with whom we
might have so advantageously exchanged ottr cot-
tons fur their silks, which were at once better and
cl:raper. But the capitol being embarked, and die
inisinteuauce of much population depending on
them, there must be therefore great irnpolicy Ili in.
terfering. The House might regret ever having
adopted the prohibitory regulations ; but
,mice
done, they could not withdraw them without the
danger of greater evils than they at present tended
to perpetuate. Were Noble Lords aware, for in-
stance, 'what would be the effector withdrawing from

Irish linens the bounty on export; tie them, and the
restrictive "dirties•.tio importing bireign.•liAens ? •
They might reasonably regret that these duties had
ever been imposed; het it was no mimes because
evil tome, that the 1111011411/4" which leet produced it
could at once be withdrawn. Tile tratitisfactiore
was now mixed up witlethe Capital and population
of the country. He admitted that it might be de-
sirable to consider how far the principle of prohibi-
tions could be gbt rid of altogethe; vet he could
not imagine much prac}iral good would result from
it, as the articles affected by them most still hr pro-
tected with duties nearly as coercive as prololetiono.
He thought, however, that restricoons mizlet Ise
better than prohibitions in a mood point of view,
al many persons had expressed their willingness to
pay ever so high a duty on particular prohibited
' articles, at the same time that they were movilling
do without them, if they were to be hail even by a
contraband trade. This alteration would, however,
do nothing for the general increase of trade. He
anticiputed no great good on behalf of the cord-
merciesl ititerests of the country from the motion,
though he thought it right to consider what could
be done for the present exigencies, s titi if it sl Id
appear that nothing could he done, it would be well
lobe able to make up their minds even to that. After
a few remarks on the warehOusingsystem; his Leird-
ship adverted to the transit duties, (or the colonist-
mice of which he saw" no reason, any more than he
did for their imposition. The great argument in
their favour used to be, that we were the carriers Qf
the world, and that the Continent could not come
at tile commodities affected by them without our in-
tervention. l'he case was otherwise since the peace
bad opened the commerce of the world to every
couniey in Europe. As to the duties on the um-
ber of the north of Europe, they were in part laid
on in 1809, as a security and inducement for mer-
chant§ to •embark in the timber trade at a time
when we Ind no intercourse with the Continent.
So fir. therefore, the persons who engaged in that
business bad a •cleien to the continuance of that
duty. But there was a duty imposed subsequently
for purposes of revenue. The merchants could lint
shew ally reason why the Government should not
emancipate the trade so far as the !tatter duty af-
fected it. They were, in Tact, told at the time of
the peace that the trade meet be opened, but that
the protections should be ctiotileued foe o fry, years
after the iieice. They Cottle have no eight' yo'ilist
case in objeetlon to the rernissof of the Oulty;• sa
was for the wisdom and consiffeiatiois 'of the Films,
to deal 'with-it is might be (feinted beef. text
adverted to th• arguuseetOf the'Nobte Marquis re-
!pectin% the wine trade. .61,14, upon thee yob•
jest, ftfer teethe Methuen Treaty, so celled, en-
tered into by this country with Portiagal, which he
conceived to be one of the greatest monuments of
human wisdom; If their Lordships were inclined
to email themselves- of the _wood. Arti of that
Treaty. Portugal would be at full likely to pro.
btbit Li.filish woollens altogether. Whether such
• measure were proper for them to risk or not, it
was nOt then the time to dikes, ; but supposing
that risk resolv'ed on, it Blight' be as well. to eau-
eider what advantages were likely to he gained• in
exchange for the distress to which woollen mi-
stufactures would- be subjected. In tlie Treaty
concluded between this country and France in
1787, Mr. Pitt consented to n diminution of the
duties on French wine., but then it was only in
prOportion to a diminution on tier wines of Por-
tugal, such as secured the advantage to the latter.
This wits a wise measure. founded on a rectprOeity•
ofinteresto. He would spew this by the resSilta. la the
succeeding five years the exports to France, 718,6951;
to Portugal, 667,6631.; to Snain, 623,340/. leav-
ing a very small addition to France, and one that
by no means corresponded with the numerical supe-
riority of her population. At present the exports
of this country to Portugal and the Brazil', were
4,000,00 W. which amount win OU lb. increase. He
merely stated this to shear the presuinotou eves
not decidedly in favour of opening the wine trade
to France. It was to be recollected also, that the
envy which the superiority of our manufactures
excited among our neighbours, was of its«ll' • great
obstacle to any advantage which might
.be *apposed
available from all open trade with France. The
last point in the speech of the Noble Augnis to
which he would advert, was the livening of the
ludia trade. There was at present au extrusive de-
mand en the coniiatent of India for Brutish tnatio.
factures. The superiority of British machinery had
triumphed over cheap labour, and a comparative
exemption from taxation, so much, that British
intislitts were sold in India for our-half the price of
Italian muslins. This had led to a great effort
trade—to too great an effort. Their hail beta
amazing exports to the continent of Asia in the
two last years. As to the trade between this coun-
try and China, though the tea trade was in every
respect confined by the charter to the East ludic
Company, there was a cousiderable trade carried on
by free British vessels between India and Chiia,
under licenses granted by the resident Governmeitt
of India, which licenses, as he had heard, were never
refused on proper security being given. The im-
portant question as to opening the trade between
China and India and the winos), of Europe, and
with America, 'rue reserved by agreement. There
was nothing in the present circumstances of the
world to prevent China produce being conveyed
without the intervention of the Company to any part
of Europe or America. The tea trade must always
he excepted, being a matter of compact which must
depend on the duration of the charter, nor did
he believe, if opened. that its benefits could be
augmented. He had thus gone through the several
pants its the speech of the Noble Marquis, in
doing which he had thought it right to shew what
were, in has opinion. the real evils under which the
country suffered. He had no expectation of ashy be-
nefit accruing to any or the interests by entertaining
the motion, though he by no means objected to it.
His chief objection lay against the disposition to he
meddling merely because the country was in dis-
tress. He admitted that the fewer laws there were
enacted tin such subjects the better ; but though
there were by far too teeny of them its the statute-
,book. it did not follow that it would be wise to
alter them from year to year, to suit the prevailing
clamour of the prevailing interests.
The Marquis of LANSDOWN explained.
The Earl of LAUDERDALIt agreed with much
of what had feline from the Noble Eitel (Liver.
pool), whose statement must prove very satisfactory.
as it tended to shew that the diminution of demand

for Britian mannfactores was not diminished in the
rlegree geognilly aosopeesol. 41,se-Notalo Laud, boo. •
ever, made light of. the alteration the curreisey.
and said,r hat the sear could not have beaus caraied on
without the deorecietion induced by the kestricrion
Ad.. True it waithal but for the depreciation the war
eTobtil tint have heslifcarrird wit could any -Other
httisro invention have iiirodueed half the quantity of
trilikry attendant cur 1r5.1815,. heheil'inshlrshed
act:tirate table. elaewirog the effect of that "detnecso.
(ion, *llia trifilieliarl* gone' through two editions.
nor had any of ifik'ciilCulatiiinv tier been questioned
or controverted'. 'lli Orme tables he had sinews) that
the !axe., which wale twenty-four millions in 1805,
erre, in consequence or die deprecianimi, atti
timiced in 1819'W eitirly-four millions.: At pre.
tient paper wad 'atitii full Masi,. but there was
lib diminution of the amount' of taxes on that
account. The cinitiequence siar, that the country
*ere now paPist a-bserdert equal to the addition of
ten Minions, • Bowe 1817, the alteration of the
ehrrency bad been in effect equal to an addition of
seventeen every one of the last e 0 years
there had .bt;en an eXpenditure of capitol equal to
28 Millions.' These things, however. more than any
obilervatiOns which could he Intuit., displayed the as-
torsiohing energies of the country. He regretted the
interested and separate views taken. by agriculture
and eommeree. when, if they( understood their true
interests, they would be united in all their ;applica-
tions fur relief. Ile was happy to hear the princi-
ples of free trade avowed by the Government. He
approved of operiing lite trade of the China seas.
Whets the Charter of the India Company was be-
fore the House, he had objected to the opening of
the India trade, because be could not conceive it
possible for • British manufacturer to compete
with an Indian labourer, who Will able to sub-
sist himself on 2a. 61. per month. But he had
learnt from the experience of a free trade, that the
demand for coarse woollens had been extended, •
and he believed that the India trade was capable
of finding employment for the industry and inge.
nuity of a larger population than that of Britain.
He objected to the attempt to establish a Milking
fund by raising five millions annually for the pur-
pose. It was one of a specks of measures wholly
fallacious and distressing. During 20 years Montt
all the measures had tended to keep up capital in a
few hands. This had caused a prodigious change in
the possession and distribution of property ; nearly
Mx hundred millions of it had by that means
changed hands. While it was growing, however.
ind so causing a supposition of prosperity, it bad
no reference to ettjoymeut ; it was the same as the
proeitirty of• an itidiViduel always engaged in hoard.
lug' Without spending iny of hi. riches. The result
was lii immersee accumulation of capital on one
baud, and a general outcry of distress from all the
Operative clause's on the other. Ile hoped, and ins.
'deed he felt certain, that time would speedily effect
tinother distribution of that property which would
'he more related to general enjoyment mad general
"prosperity. •
Lord ELLENtionottati thought, that the into.
rests of commerce, agriculture, and Manufactures.
were so blended, that whii affected one would af-
fact others ; extend any one. and the eaten-
.ir:Ou of the others billowed. Thus was ouly true,
'however, under the pre!.eat lawi, which gave a ne-
cessary protection to agriculture; to insure the basis
or thievatem of prosperity. 114 was., therefore. much
gratified at the declaristiati Attie Noble Earl, that
uo alteration of the Corn Lads woold'be attempted.
He thought there could be no greater blessing for a
community than to have their corn at u fixed and
unvarying price, nor could there be any thing so
.deinoralixiiig as that lassitude and hard labour, that
oscillation between the gin-shop and the poor-house,
likely to he induced by allowing free import to
L cheap corn. He regretted that the poor laws were
r not comprised iu the discussion, which he looked
out as one of the greatest evils; one which destroyed
charity on one baud awl gratitude on the ()Uteri
which did away the amiable .relations that would
otlierwioe exist between the high and the low,
which must be destroyed or it would destroy ass
comitry. tie hail formerly some intention of sub.
witting a measure on. that subject ; but on curial-
denim; what had beets the fate of ajl 'such motions
Hitherto, he thought it would be better for it to ori.
ginate in the sober Horne. was sorry to hear
the Noble Earl oar. that in a acommereirst treaty
England could r:ffer no nclvaulage fair the in.
eourageniesit of her manufactures, except in the
case of Freuch wines. That of itself, lie thought,
would he a beneficial intercourse; but besides

that, we might to the South of Europe hold out
.the,temptatton of altering our regulations with Se.
apect to the silk trade, while for the North we.
cook' reduc► the duties on their wood and iron. ,
He deprecated the restrictive systems adopted
throughout Europe. which had since the peace en.
tailed more misery on the various countries than
they suffered iu the worst periods of the war. He
really believed most of the discontents of Europe
could lie cured simply by making trade free be•.
stereo all the countries. Thi intercourse between
this country and France wits a disgrace to both ;
with the best opportunitia.thera was no exchange.
of an fact urea bet weeafisent. He couc I uded by
supporting the motion.
Lord CALTMORPt complimented the eloquent
' and statesman-like developvment of the Noble Earl,
which was so well calculated to *hew that the
Government of this country was really a paternal
one. He was truly glad Ao hear those principles of.
free trade declared, which had been advocated by
the wisest and best men of all goverunielits.
The motion was then carried. and the Committee
appointed. which consisted of the leading per-.,us
among the Noble Lords on both sides of the House.
Adjourned at Half-past Ten o'Clock.