The National Register.
London, England, 1820-06-19 00:00:00

CORN L4JVS.

If we wish to know the real amount of the tax raised
upon the country by the Corn Bill, we must ascertain
at what price Corn could be procured from foreign coun-
tries, if importation were always free; for beyond this
price it could not permanently rise. Poland and Russia
are the countries which export most Corti ; and it has
been repeatedly shown, that Corn brought Irons these
countries, as well as from other parts of the Coo LL iLL rut,
could he sold regularly in our markets at 455. or 503.—
It will be observed, from the debate on the 30th May,
that at present foreign wheat could be bought at 37a
and even so low as 335. according to some statements.
But ass g 50s. as the average, and estimating the
consumption of each individual who uses wheaten bread
at 1# qrs. pee annum, then it results, that according
to the average price of wheat in England for the last rite
years, (78s. 104.) a tax is imposed of 35s per annum
on each consumer, or 71. on a faintly consisting of a
Wall with his wife and two children. On the primer
classes, who consume oats, barley, and potatoes, the
tax may amount to half this sum; and such is the sacri-
fice made by the country for toe protection, as it is
called, of the landed interest! Thought sue whole of
this suns neither goes into the picket of the landlord nor
the farmer, it is entirety lust to the country. If the la-
bour expended in raising two quarters ol wheat were
employed iu sonar species of manufacture, and the pro-
duct sent abroad, it would exchange for more than three
quarters. The additional quarter of wheat, therefore,
(or commodities of an equal value), is as much lost as
if it were thrown into the sea. The senseless eta-
moor :thous, the quantity of waste land in the country,
has fostered the delusion which has given this pernicious
ditection to so great a portion of the national industry.
It is the true interest of a nation to employ its capital
and labour in those branches of industry, which being
best adapted to its soil, climate, and si.tiation, are there-
fore most productive; and it is no inure for its advan-
tage to cultivate all its sod, than to quarry all the stones
that are under it. If we make tip our minds to encou-
rage home cultivation in every article without regarding
expence, there are few commodities which may not or
raised within the country. hemp and flax imported
front Russia mav, by sufficient forcing, Le made to grow,
tl l gh of an interior quality, ou the waste lands 111
England. Sugar might uc ex!-acted from the beet root
'as in Frauce, at three times the cost of West ludic
sugar. Even vices, cotton, and rice, might be raised
in jhut-houses, at ten or twenty units the usual expellee,
to the great encouragement, no doubt, of domestic
in-
dustry. In short, by following up the principle of die
Corn Laws rigorously, and sacrificing one half our
we might bring ourselves to a slate of complete
independence on all foreign supplies. Such a system
i
would be pernicious n any country, but in a commer-
cial country it is the climax of bad policy. A nation
6 bite this, which has got the start of 11 its ikviillboGrs

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in capital and mechanical spill, and possesses so many
advantages in its insular position, its coal field., and
the superior security of property, mightlocrease in
wealth and population almost beyond any limit, were
its industry perfectly unshackled. But if the landholder
steps in and says, " you shall employ no more artisans
;nu! sailors than I can feed; and 111 proportion as you
tunltiply their numbers, you shall pay me a higher anti
a higher premium upon their subsistence," it is easy to
see that its progress must soon have an end. Had Lon-
don resolved to take no corn but from Middlesex, every
foot of that county, heath, or hill, would have been
cultivated like a garden, but London would never have
possessed ooe fourth of its present wealth or population.
So the landholders of Britain have rcsolt ed. that till
every foot of marsh mid rock is brought under the
plough, no more people shall be allowed to live in this
country than they call supply food for.

THE DIME DI FRlAlL—Friday a numerous body
of Spanish merchants resident in this country waited
on the Duke de Frias, the new Spanish ambassador,
to congratulate him on hs arrival in this country.—
Mr. Bernales was the organ of the deputation,and, in
addressing his Excellency, stated, that he tilt proud
of having been chosen to convey the sentiments of
his countrymen now in London. It had not been
usual, he observed, for Spanish merchants to pay
their respects to their ambassadors collectively ; but
they felt called upon to do so in the present instance,
that they might convey to him their high satisfac-
tion at having a man of his liberal sentiments for
their national representative in this country, and
to pay their just tribute of admiration to one who
had fought the battles of his country both in the
field and in the cabinet
The Duke de Frias replied nearly in the follow-
ing terms:-
1 anniappy to find among my countrymen abroad the
same spirit whirls animates those at home. 'nose few
Spaniards who are trot yet become sensible of all the be-
nefits of the Constitution are nevertheless encodes to
tyranny and oppression. For my own part, I have ever
been the decided friend of a lice government, and that
cause shall never want my 11111.1/01t. Wiles' the French
first entered Spain, I was of that age when a man begins
to feel that his country has a claim upon his services. I
therefore took up arias, and during six years combated
those enemies—l may say, with success. The ieniaining
six years 1 pawed in red; ement, lamenting the misfortunes
ot my clinotry ; but my 044 esists no longer, and all
Spain is rejoicing over the prospect of happiness that
awaits her. It gives me pleasure in bring able to assure
you, that the King is as sincerely attached to the Consti-
tution as any Loan in the country. Spain, 1 trust will sow
become the abode and asylum of rational liberty, where
persons from all parts of the world, who seek it, may find
protection."
The Demerara Gazette of the 27th of March
announces the pleasing fact, that so flourishing is the
state of the colony, that the Government are enabled
materially to lower the Tax on Revenue, and the
duties on Product. The duty on sugar is reduced
three-fourths ; that on rum two-thirds : on molas-
ses ahnost four fiths ; on cotton three-fourths ; and
00 coffee upwards of one halt: Four guilders were
to be paid by the owners of each slave. With res-
pect to the Income Tax, there has been a material
diminution ; all persons are to be exempted whose
incomes for the past year have not exceeded 2,000
guilders. A colonial duty of 66 guilders has been
imposed on each pipe of wine, but a drawback of 50
guilders is to be allowed on exportation from the
colony. Alt persons within the colony were sub-
ject to a tax of 50 guilders for each four-wheeled
carriage kept by them, and 22 guilders for each
horse, whether he be employed for business or for
pleasure. The ceremony of proclaiming his present
Majesty took place on the 25th of March. The
taxes of the colony were levied and paid previous to
the Ist of last month, in order that his Excellency,
the Governor, might be enabled to meet the expen-
ces ot the present year.
A Paper has been printed, by order of the House
of Commons, skewing the state of the public debt
of the empire, funded and unfunded, as it stood on
the sth ot January, 1820. By this it appears. that
the unredeemed debt of Great Britain and Ireland,
on the sth of January, 1820, amounted to
£836,946,923 of which the total annual charge
amounted to X 49,592,152. This enormous mass
of debt has been since increased by the late Loan.—
The redeemed debt, standing in the name of the
Commissioners for the reduction of the national
debt, amounts to £420,828,751, of which the
public has to bear the charge of management, with-
out deriving the slightest benefit from its operation ;
fur the expenditure of the year absorbs all the nomi-
nal sinking fund.