The National Register.
London, England, 1815-03-19 00:00:00

THE NATIONAL REGISTER.

CH 1

unjustly, to have supported the Own Bill from interested taus
, At present lie merely demanded sufficient inforsnation to en-
sile Home to come to a decision satisfactory to themselves and
public.—Never had so great a mileber of respectable petitis
been presented on any subject. If the people were right. their
'ion out to be granted; if they were wrong, they might to be
itened by proper information. Discontent could never be
steti by precipitation. It might he asked whether any further
iiry was necessary, after the evidence which had been prothiced.
as point, lie hoped the House would follow the advice of the
Committee, which bad itself declared the cvider re before it was
incomplete, and that further examination was necessary.
was the opinion of the Co'nimittee, since the delivery of which,
'miserable petitions had been laid before their Lordships. Yet in
_ of this opinion and these petitions. the House was to proceed
discussion w ithout one title more evidence than it was possessed
session. By the Bill, 80s. was the price at which importa-
would be allowed. On this ntost material point the evidence
not only not satisfactory, but often contradictory. From the
informed persons with whom he had held any communication,
was a sufficient price. Even admitting that 80s. was necessary
the English grower, how could that price be effected if the Irish
agriculturist could undersell them ? Either this must be the conse-
"wore, or the Ii Soh landlord would be enabled greatly to increase
!Tilts. The House possessed no information as to the price at
'llcorn could he be imported front foreign countries. Some
no-
indeed, had been taken of the importation from the Baltic in
!violence, but by the happy establishment of peace, other ports
now opened in France and the Netherlands ; and he hoped
peace would be of long duration, nninternpted by a late attempt
not cntlangered by an interference on our part in any struggle
ich might take place. From all experience, it might be expected
the average would be much lower than the real price, and this
should not be forgotten in the consideration of this question.
state of circulation was also a most important part of the sub-
The nominal price could not be the same as if bullion was the
dating medium. Since April, 1814, the price of gold had fallen
51.115. to 41. 9s. When the Bank resumed its payments in cash,
hopes were held out it would soon do, 80s. would not in real value
what it was now. He thought the average and assize both errone-
managed, and that the price of the loaf ought not to be more
ts. when wheat was at SO.. Of the distress of the agricultnrists
,Jas fully aware, but what was the cause of it ? The geiteral de-
rangement of the country, after a long war. Every branch of the
community must suffer before all could subside after so much dis-
'dunce. He hoped Government would set an example, by adopt-
-. system of economy and retrenchment. He urged inquiry, as
tell for the sake of agriculturists as of any other body of men, as
• had suffered from unfounded prejudice. The noble Earl then
sted out the necessity of preserving the dignity of the House;
weed the reciprocality of the interelte of all 'classes of the com-
ity ; sheaved the respectability and, importance of the petitions
lust the Corn Bill ; and concluded by • a general motion for en.
iry respecting the growth and Consumption of Corn in Great
stain and Ireland, and all the laws relating thereto. •
lie Earl of DER ov professed liiinself.friendly to a nseasure which
been adopted for the relief and p?election.of the agricultural
of the community ; but when he contemplated the nuiltitnde
respectability of the petitioners trgaittA tt, he could not help
agreeing in the propriety of the House receiving farther informa-
..-.atui therefore he should agree in the motion of his Noble
riend.

Lord SPENCER was anxious for enquiry. The nature of the im-
tation from Fiance and Flanders, still so nuaseertained, was cer-
.gly a good ground for further examination.
Lord ST. JOHN observed, that we had begun the war against
nee, by refusing to send her corn. She then and for a long
before, was an importing country. England was an exporting
The state of things had been %itignhirly chanced, and France
now coming to overflow us.—The Noble Lord seemed to
against the motion.
Lord 8t3.111.3.v wan peculiarly connected with a manufacturing
trier, and his knowkdge of its necessities would make him vote
the motion.
Lord St nmouTis could not discover, from any thing that he had,
the least reason for delay. It could not be denied, that the
produced in England was inadequate to. her support, and the
location wa', whether the deficiency should be supplied by Ireland
by France. Hut the supply from France must alway 4 depend
upon her own convenience • and even recently the French Govern•
it had decreed, that no exportation shonld take place when corn
mid be as high as 494. a, quarter, a price in that country fully
Ina to our 90a. He therefore opposed the motion.

Lords KING and DARNLEY spoke shortly in favour of 4 Coin-
mittee.

Lord GRENVILLE contended, that the evidence upon which the
House NU called upon to pass this Bill was of Use most partial na-
ture ; lie therefore maintained that the House ought to have further
evidence before they proceeded in it. He concluded an elaborate
speech by observing, that nothing had ao much contributed to the
prosperity and reputation of this conntry as the confidence of the
mass of the people in the lauded interest, and he conjured their
Lordships to pause before they gave existence to measure which
siti2ht have the dreadful effect of shaking that hitherto unshaken
confidence.

The Earl of LIVERPOOL was sure the proposed Bill would be be-
neficial to all classes—the clamour without doors ought to have no
effect on their decision—a speedy determination was absolutely ne-
ressary ; the landholders, he believed, must lower their rents, but
they could not jndge until this question was decided, hOW they were
to lower them, or in what proportion.—As to the objections to the
present system of averages, he thought it much better to legislate on
the existing system of averages, as by that means only we could
compare the erect produced by this measure, with the effects of
the old system. IVith regard to the erect of this measure upon
the assize of bread, there had been a strange and gross misstate-
ment made in a certain place. It appeared. indeed, pretty plain,
that the people of this metropolis could never eat their bread as
cheap as in other parts of the kingdom, while the present assize of
bre,.d lasted, and while the system of averages lasted, upon which
that assize was fonnded. He wished, indeed, that this assize could
be done away with altogether.
Upon a division the numbers were--For Earl Grey's motion--Con-
tents present, 13 ; Non-contents present, 81—Proxies, 43-124
Majority against the Motion, 106.—Athourned.

TUESDAY, MARCH 14.
The House received various petitions against the Corn Bill, and
amongst them that from the town of St. Alban's.—Adjourned.

WEDNESDAY, MARCH 15. ,
Lord GRENVILLE presented a petition from the Common Council
of Losidoa, praying that before their Lordships proceeded to legi•lato
on a subject of such importance as the Corn Laws, they would hear
their petitioners against it by their Counsel at the bar.

cons LAWS.
The Earl of litvcrtroot., in moving for the second reading of tilt
Corn Bill. felt it incumbent on hint to request their Lordships' in
diligence while he should deliver the reasons by which he was guided
in the support to which he thought the Bill entitled from him. The
subject itself was one that he had considered and re-considered over
and over again for the last three years, He should in entering upon
it on the present occasion, first enquire what the situatieli of •the
country was. This was a great agrienitural as well as commercial
country, and it was the business and the duty Of the Legislature to
consult and promote the interests of one as well as the other of those
classes of the community. That dirty they were to keep steadily in
view, and not be guided by the policy which might prevail in other
countries differently circumstanced. They must not depend upon
others. They .1111111 st look to securlty at home, and rely, on them-
selves ter the means of guarding against the chances and accidents
which might deprive them of the chief article of human subsistence.
That must, in such a state, be the common object and interest of Iles
manufacturer, an well as the agriculturist. It was not the object or
the tilends of that Bill to protect or set up the interests of one class
of society against another, but to unite altos a subject interesting to
all, and ter the benefit of all, against ftweign interests. As to the
doctrine 'that legislative inteiference is injurious to agriculture.
he would put the fact abstractedly"; and if the question was
then to be entered on for the first time, he should act accordingly.
If the maxim were universally or eenerally acted npr to, he should
freely subicribe fo it as good and beneficial; it world deed be the
euthanasia of policy. But the truth was, not been the
practice in this country, nor in any other country sidlWarly circuits.
stanced. He should recommend, indeed, if we were to legislate
de 310t0, to let capital operate, and corn as well as other articles to
find their level ; but then the same system should extendw manu-
factures also. it. corn was .to be left to itself, so should 41gy eller
article the produce of industry and ingenuity. But restrictions a
protections had long been given by the Legislature to help the ma. •
nufacturer, and bolster up his interests, and they could not at mice :4
be rejected ; and as long as those protections were yielded to
manufacturer, to withhoW the same from the agriculturist, %mill he
to injure and discourage him.—The fewer restrictions there were.
certainly the better; but to deity to one class of the cotatuailty

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