The National Register.
London, England, 1815-03-05 00:00:00

No. 375.

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SUNDAY,

CORN LAWS• •

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TO THE EDITOR OF TILE NATIONAL REGISTER.

Si ft —A I though the injurious Resolutions which, if formed [
into a law, will reduce the greatest part of the community
to short allowance or to receive alms as paupers in their re-
spective parishes, have passed thfough the Committee, I still
lope that liberality, justice and Christian benevolence, will
operate on the interested passions of men, and, assisted by
the general voice of nineteen parts of the population, will
induce the Legislature to abandon the measure altogether.
Its effects have already begun to be felt. It was my intention
after writing ,my last letter on this subject, not to have trou-.
!Ad you with any further observation ; but necessity com-
pels every Englishman who has a feeling for the suffering
part of his countrymen, (who have been endeavouring with
I.alf a meal to support their labour.ansi rescue' their offspring
Morn starvation, before they could submit to a condition
so &wading to every industrious man, as to partition the po,
rish for relief,) to elucidate the real object and trace the secret
'Principles cf -the measure : whether _time crieeipler ate
founded upon the basis of general benefit or seltinterest.
The proposers of these Resolutions have fixed a maximum' or
general price they say, but this principle is to protest them
selves as land-owners and the cultivators of their land ; this
is the operation of the plan. The other classes of society
which make up nineteen parts out of twenty, are to be std
ferers by this prineiple, at this they call a general principle,
fur the good of all classes.
Now, Mr. Editor, if a general priesciple is to be establisliedi,
so as to put all classes on an equilibrium, something above
vague profession must be adopteti. to guard bo:h fanner
and cous.umer from the arbitrary demands of lend-owners,
and put the principles of equilibrium in so conspicuous 0,
light that no one can take an unfair advantage of the other.
The wax i CRUM s start ou will always cant i aue, we suspect,: nd
probably not without a just cause to establish our suspicion
that these persons are legislating for their own interest, more
than for that of the farnier and labouring mechanic. If this is
really the case, the cloven foot well instantly discover itnelf, by
folk wing the ,brit principle they themselves have adopted for
the good of all : land-owners, to be guaintainc4 by, a clue
proportion of rent; farmers, to be secured fray Ints.by any
v4riatine ni Pony; ;ad tbe miler clasps of society, to Ire pro-
tected with the full enjoyment of nature's.!eants.
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Vur *sng, gpastittition, aim tab,

rtr BLISII ED AT NO. 11, /SEWCASTLB-EiTIIEET, STRAN I),

ARCH 5, /815:

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PRieR 9d,

is a public principle, which enables all classes to share in the
enjoyment; all then are pleased, and no murmurs are to be
heard.

The proposition, Sir, I mean to fix on, is not new in this
country; it formerly used to be the only mode of landlords
receiving their rents, in kind; as trade and commerce in-
creased it was found inconvenient, and more so now than it W.IS
150 or 200 years ago. But thelprineiple was good; there-
fore, as the wise men of the %lest assert that this protection is to
secure the happiness of all, no stumbling block can he in the
way, when the improvement is to benefit all classes, by a due
regulation of profit. Now, Mr. Editor, as corn rents are an-
cient, I propose that all rents he paid in future by the
average price of the bushel of wheat, this is only reducing
the yalue of rent in kind ,to that of the nominal currency.
Let the variation be what it will, the labOurer and mecha-
nic who exchanges his daily labour for a subsistence only, is
always entitled to his portion of food; in this enjoyment he
should be protected.
Suppose I agree with rr;ry landlord for the money value or
the 3tvetage u 7 of eight bushels of wheat pee etre, which
averu,- er price should be published every three months at the
.... •
usual quarterly days of paying rents, the operation would be,
that if the average price was to, advance to fifteen- shillinp
per bushel, the landlord would receive six pounds per acre;
if it W 44 to average five shillings, be would receive only two
pounds per acre—so much to regulate the value of rent be-
tween the land-owner and cultivator. Now, Sir, for the la-
bourer and daily mechanic. Suppose we take the quartern
loaf at the rate of OW shillinse the labourer will receive fifteen
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shillings per week, tes. Gd. per day, which is tirc value of
tiro quirtern loaves wig) one intic this mist forgt his protect-
ing wages. if the farmer. neuter ee 115 s. per bushel for his
wheat, he must pay one half more rent to the landholder,
and the quertern: loaf being advanced to ls. O. the farinet
must psi his daily labourers ss. 9d. per day, equal to his two
loaves and one half, and all other trades, as mechanics, are to
be paid by the same principle. If a MPcbanic is worth ,f;s.
per day, or any other givea snm, he agttes with his e•n-
player for the value of five loaves per day : if the loaf ad-
wages will, advance to 7s. ; •
ad-
vances to is. Cd. his money
if bread is reduced, his wages will be reduced in the sail.e
proportion. This once established will protect all cla-s3ei
seal
all trades; as labour is the greatest cost above, the raw pia-
therefore the regulation of the labourers' teal war?
6e rio!ccted.
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