The National Register.
London, England, 1818-09-27 00:00:00

No. 555.—V0L. XI.

ON AGRICULTURE, 4c.

speech delivered Ly the President of the Workington
Agricultural Society, J. C. CURWEN, Esq. M.P.
03 the Distribution qi the Premiums at Ike Annual
Meeting, on Friday, Aug. 21,1818.

The President with great animation congratulated
-the Society on the generally improved state of the
country since the last meting :—that agriculture, ma-
mufactures, and commerce, were in a more prosperous
condition than during the preceding two years, were
undoubtedly true—but whether they were likely to
be permanently so, was s question of infinite import-
ance to every individual in the empire. All that
energy and ability can effect will ant be wanting on the part
of the people. That Great Britain possessed knowledge
aad capital beyond all ether cations, watild ant be question-
ed ; but as a counterpoise, she was hardened with taxation
doable in martinet to that of any other civilized state in Eu-
rope. The agzregate of government taxes, divided among
the whole population, exreerls ti. per head yearly; the con•
sequence of which is, that the necessaries of life here are
higher in 'slice than in any territory oa the co:stint/it. Many
attributed the national improvement to the ilisenreinnance of
the property tax, the war tax on malt, and a mitigution of the
taxes on aericieltistol horses; little attention, however, is
requisite to perceive, that this is not the case—for the pre-
sent amount of the taxes, compared with the present actual
aggregate income of the country, is as nearly as possible the
rite, Hating the war Cie income of the cmintry was esti-
mated at 413,030,0001.—The taxes at one fifth amount to
80,000,0901. stertice. The depreciation in the eater of all
kinds of property. which followed the conclusiaa of the war,
struck off one quarter part of the income of the people.—
TOa rejection in lanonr, that great soutce of the wealth of
nations, tell from ltig to 120 millions—the land mid the ite-
terel riotnoterce of the country tell about 40 millions mire—
striking off at once 100 millions; then the propoi that which
the reduced mitatton bore to the income was the same. The
inlineuce of the voice of Cie people on Parliament abolished
the property tax ; bat had it failed, that oppressive lax
could not in future base been collected.
That the agrictiltare, the mannfactures and commerce of
the country have revived, there can be no question; tint
important one rests behind. Has prosperity generally Mr-
fluted itself through all ranks and orders? Does the price of
laMmr bear a due ptoportimi in value to that at which the
uecessariesof life are held up ? Certaiuly not. And yet an
iaerease it, the iitliontere wages cannot, it is to be zipper-
ltended, take place, without hi Urging ou the countly, and the
great body of the people, more grievous all 'rings titan what
they at present endure. One thud of British luaeutisetui es
rocs to the wieldy of foreign states; the fornishiag of which
even& solely stud entirely no the cheapness of Lemur ; the
they means by which we are etiabhel to compete with other
count' irs. Advance labonr, and the looms will cease to
work! Can any ronatry be said to be in a prosperous couJi-
Gin when the working ela.sses are to a state of sitffering?—
'lime intelligence, exellittus, ann capital of the country are
capable of doing 11; tint they cannot effect impussibi-
; they wili tease tissue tolovi :dive int:melee with the agri•
cultiwist, the manufacture'', the merchant, and mechanic, in
faciiitatitig the gelietal prosperity, but they cannot theisedi.
ately.improve she condition of the labouriog classes. A ee.
thictioa in the expenditure of oucecilincui, which would pro-
gressis rly reduce the present enormous -taxation, ran alone
restore the empire to a sound -state. The difficulties are
great, hat are not physical impossibilities—they must be met,
oryngen. and vanquished. The voice of the people is compe-
tent to the task—they must be heard and respected. Many,
very many eve ti,e his ethres of our itsimitable cutistitution !-
111cre is no one tinder the sun cotvarable to it—but grievous
and iusuppurtable is the weightBEolllde burdens. The tem•
perate, yet lirm demands of the •peopie, can alms. Protein
that sy•teiii of wasteful extravagance which has Wilhelmd such
general sntfuring. The true barometer of national prosperity
exists not iu the spletelonmof palaces, nor can its phenoticna
acre ascertain the happiness of the lower, or the prosperity
Si, the middle ranks. A few may be in easy eiduciece, bit the
;ir, 'minting file greatest privations.
-rhc ricc,iiiicift monk an weeasion tur say. that he felt it an
imperious ditty to advert to what be coottetsed to he the real
slate of the country. The Jaeger exist, not its txtuluting the
aztual condition of the empire, but it being derelved by fille-
r:oils represoutatioas and ileiusive relics—it is certainly more
awe:hole to dotter by partialstaternents, than to Ming nuttier
review ilisaererahle truths. Dieclaiming nil advocacy el ear.
ty, it Was the -piens which the Pi esigteut rept utiated—J
system witch all Nlinisters, be they vsboz, flees inay, were
compel have meters,: to, and must so &ewer,. their COW
INC( 61111•1 the represmitetion ut the people- reinviis as it is
at present. 'Otis impure source, whence most of the poled-
cattail- Il ices t cave Ise ilitelorril by all good men tia.ing
A jail PlettPe of their own analieaaave Certatit it is,
Ott no permanent adv.oitace rail accrue to the country tili
time mien' of all our political evuo ye dispiessienately geoid
tiered and wisely duce essay.
'flits hasty review of the v 41141413 Of the casualty (the
übsirved) berau.e tieesieutry fur tile pre 'time u 1
liriagteg teeter Co al A!...11 a ledrit ctltilblettity colon-me.,
Kith the morel of Outs ituttltuttott.— It Is tilt us 14..1 lit tle;i"e7.
ate aid i,ll•et ea the caused iliat upteeicil so dodder. so
ruiglay, so %s al 4,1111 g a eitsts,,c it) tile genii-1 slat. of
agricatime. It ea& argot eimien,wil that tee lineal a capilai
had bei a, 1,;,,y •a in i,ashasitliy —that issue prv.dae .errses-
!seeded thir • ,il,ll steer the waste of war 11A, in
Thlseponois twit been e-.ett -tell by the Presolent, woo ha .
weed in the House. C-armors, lion it was the sudden mid
tkit •riatiaa.roluctien of the eiectelatiog medium whiels had