The National Register.
London, England, 1816-09-30 00:00:00

SUFFOLK.

• THOMAS ARCHER.—The farm., generally speaking, having
been under lease for some time, and most of these leases hav-
ing been renewed .within three or four years, I believe there
are few in this neighbourhood (near Mildenhall) which have
been let at an abatement of rent; and although the farms are
let at very high rents, I regret to say, I know of very few in-
dances indeed where the landlords have made any deduction
to their tenants. We have many firm within a few miles,
where, during the last two years, the whole of their produce
has been scarcely sufficient to pay their rent only, and several
others that have not produced sufficient to pay the rent, pro-
perty tax, assessed rates and parish rates. It is needless
the efore to observe. that the occupiers of such farina, who by
close industry and attention for many years, had gained some
property, have very materially wasted ,it, and should no relief
be afforded them, must unavoidably, in a very short time, be
involved in the same ruin which many farmers, tilio had not
been so fortunate as to make any savingstor who leave taken their
occupations within three or four years, are daily furnishing
the country with instances of. Indeed, it may very fairly be
said, that the rent of the lands for many farms in this neigh-
bourhood is not paid from die produce of the land, but from
the capital of the fanners. 'lliere are many circumstances,
and fresh instances so frequently occur, denoting the distress
of the farmers, it would be very difficult indeed to encounter
them. Every wheelwright, blacksmith, collarmiaker—in short,
every tradesman could furnish you with a number of in-
stances, where the farmers bring obliged to pay their rent,
taxes, and tithes, and parish dues, have not been able to -
ter up by any means sufficient to pay any other bah., so that
every tradesman's outstanding bills against the farmers are
very much increased, and to such a degree, as to involve
many of them in the same ruin. At the present nsoment we
have two parishes, Mildenhall and [sleben', which, together
Lave very few, if any, short of 100 labourers, and moat of them
very hearty young men, for whom the fanners cannot find
regular work. These men sic driven to apply to the parish
officers for relief for the sapport of themselves and families.
EIMARD GWllLT.—Laiiiio sold at Ipswich fair last year for
alma: one third less than they did the'year before, and tar one-
balf less than they did iu 1813. _

EtwAnm Moog.—ln some cases of imoccupancy the farms
are in the bands of assignees. A large farm of 3or 600 acres
in the_parisli of Kesgrave was out of lease last Michaelinatt,
and the tenant agreed on a renewal of his lease, bait he has
since declitted aetatiiug the farm, and the landlord, Mr. Shows-,
is, I undetatml, looking nit for another tenant. Another
farm, in the same parish, of 3 or 40i) acres perhaps t I speak
mach at random in this instance) is It {OW eupiell by a tenant,
the last being a baukr 4 the kindlord, Mr. Edwards, has the
fires on his own bands. of about 150 acres, in Culpho,
is in the hands of iNfigliees of the late tenant. One in this
parish, of about iifl acres, -on which a teauttit (Reeve) has
brought up a large tinuilyivery respectably, is in the hands of
the last mentioned assignees, the bankrupt tenant of that farm
being the owner of this. Reeve u now working as a labourer,
as are his sons, being in fact on the parish, though not actually
relieved out of the poor-rates. Another little farmer with a
large thmily, who seven years ago, sold a small hum bar 1000
;miners, and has sitter lived in a house of ilk own, with about
1:1 :acres of land, is now on the parish.. I could enumerate
/rimy others *at I know of by rumour, but the above may
softer!, as coming within my immediate knowledge. As a
;wig:qt.:At, for this county, heretofore so wealthy and happy,
roelay, tearcely no hour of atty slay, passes without some oc-
. :menet! bringing before me some insiare:e of agricultural
nistotss. I see, hoe ever, your query is confined to the farmer;
even so confined, I could till my sheet with a detail of their
distresses. Small farmers coming to parish officers for work—
:ill classes of fraita;.r. employing more men than they Want, and
ws dtl employ, if heat to their cyan choice; though they east so
ill afford this, it is better than maintaining able men to do
nothing, sad living upon the rates. Its my, and many other