The Sun.
London, England, 1814-05-06 00:00:00

CORN LAWS.

Sir H.I. PARNELL moved the Ortiei• of the Day for
the further consideration of the Relolutious' he
had before submitted do them.

The Order of the .Day-haii,ing.been read, and the
question being put On the further consithtratioa
of the Resolutions,

Mr. PROTHEII9P. appealetrto the candour of the
Hon. Baronet, whether the question ought to be
brought forward now.' The last time it was pOst-
poned,,it was on the ground that it was necessarl
that the Resolutions-should-be printed, and in the
bands of Members at least two before the
'diseuision. The fact, however, was, that the
papers were not delivered until this. day, and
many Gentlemen, who, like him, hAd been en.
gaged during. the morning in Counnitto.”3., were
now called upon, at an. hoar or two's ndtice,
to vote upon propositions of 'no less impor-
tance than to fix the terms trponwilich the people
of Englantl were to eat their bread.
Sir. H. rAP.NEI.I. said, that the Hon. Gentleman
might have had the paper yesterday, if. he had,
taken the trouble of applying, at the Vote-Office.
This subject, however, did not now cOme bef.re
the House as a new question, but had occupied a
good deal of thcr time last Session, and had been
called to their attention by several notices which
he had given in the preSent' Session. He must
deny positively, Goth for the corrirnittec and
hinisell,-ony intention to fix the piiee at which the
people of this country were to eat their bread.
A Message from the Lords was then received;
agreeing to some private Bilis.
On the question being put for the resolutions
being referred to a Comtnittee, ' •
Mr. ROSE said, that as upCni this question he

, . ,
=conld with tegnlarity take a view of the Whole
• sohject, he 'should nary submit to.the Howe the.
reasons *for which be thought it. impossible for
them to proceed on that report, He believed the
`present report was such a one as never had been
proceeded on since the beginning of time. The
first resolOtion was, 'that the export of Corn should
be free at hll. times, and without any restrictions,
'Now, the laws for regulating and restraining the
• vxport of Corn. had' been in force for near 500
.-veers. These were not among those dormant
• ws which often lay neglected on the statute-
• book ; but the principle of them had been en-
forced during alinbst every reign in that long pe-
niud. The Committee.last year had only gone the
length of suggesting the propriety of regulating
0 • .e exportation ; but the taking off all restraints to
...N.portation was' a new idea, which was now, for the
Prst time, proposed. The Corinnitteethroughout
appeared to take this mistaken view of the subject,
that it was the interests of the growers of Corn
only that they appeared to attend to, and took
no notke at all of the interests of the consumers.
They, however, sometimes in their report woke
of Abe advantages of having provisions cheap,
while the main principle and pervading spirit of
their report was to get high prices. Those things
'were as-inconsistent and incompatible, as any two
opposite principles -could be. With all the dili-
gence which they stated that they had employed
upon the syhject, it seemed as if they had only
read 7 out of the 80 Statutes on this subject,
which were to be "found, in the books, and they
bestowed the most extravagant panegyrics on the
Act of the 15th or Charles 11. which, however,
it was afterwards taund necessary to repeal. They
stated, that, from the operation of this law, Eng-
land became an exporting country, and from its
repeal itb ecame an importing country. They
appeared, however, quite to have mistaken both
the Act and the effects of it. The Committee•
stated directly in their reports that from the
year 1765 England became regularly an import...,
ing country, and that the price of Corn was pro-
gressively increased.. This, statement was directly
opposite to the fact, as would appear from the
Custom-house returns. 'For the first 14 years, after
the year 1765, there was an excess of exportation
above the import ; for the next five years it was
nearly even ; and it was only nine years that there
W 93 an excess of import, until the year 1794,
when the new and extraordinary circumstances in.
Which the world was placed accounted for the rise
'of prices. ' The Committee had stated, that the
price. of Corn _had progressively increased front
the year 1765 to the year 1794; when the fact
was, that .it had not increased at all, and the pr ice
of the qufqtern loaf fluctuated during that period
from about sixpence to seven-pence. He did not
impute to the Committee any intention to de-
ceive the House ; but they appeared to have exa-
mined the question in so careless and cursory a
manner, that the House could not with any
safety proceed upon a report which was so
inaccurate, Another Resolution of the Committee
against allowing the-importation of flaur, was the
most extravagant proposition he had ever heard of.
This-would ,be cutting off every resource in times
of scarcity ; for on the account of the room which
Corn took up, the supplies front America and
;post other couittries came entirely in Flour. It
was very extraordinary, that when the witnesses
which, the Committee had called from Ireland de-
clared that they would conceive two guineas a
barrel, or 70s. a quarter, a fair.average price for
Wheat to be sold at in the Dublin market, the
Committee.should, notwithstanding this evidence
from their own witnesses, fix 90 or 100 s. a quar-
ter as the price it ought to be sold at. Mr. Cur-
wen (a most zealons Agriculturist) thought, at
the present exorbitant high rents, 80s. a quarter
was a bare saving-price for the farmer, hut the
Committee chose to fix a 'much higher price.—
This most important subject should undergo a
'lurch_ more attentive examination,.before any le-
gislative measures were adopted. His opinion
was, such a price as would give a fair profit
both to the farmers and the laud-holders, would
also afford a sufficient supply to the consumers.
—As to any alterations 'in the laws, it ap-
peared to him that those alterations should
be principilly regulations as to the im-
port. At present, the Custom-himse prices, on
.Which importation depended, were fixed every
three months, and that.was not a sufficient time,
-to allow merchants to bring their Corn from the
Countries, where 'Corn abounded. The great -
land-holders in Poland did not keep their Corn at
sea-port towns, but. waited the chance of orders
from this Country. The southern parts of-Rus-
sia, in the neighbourhood of Odessa, and on'the
rivers
.eommunicating with the Black Sett, af-
forded a supply -of Corn to any amount, if our
merchants had time allowed them to execute their
orders, and bring• it into this Country. He felt
for the interests of the growers of Corn; but he
thought the interests of the consumers should be
first attended to, and care taken that the Country
shotild never want .r- sufficient supply. If Corn
was to be permanently at 90 'shillings a quarter,
the quartern loaf mit,st be at 13 pence halfpenny ; •
and he could see no reason why it was to be kept
.at double the price, that it was before the extra- '
ordinary circumstances of the late war. The ques-
tion, however, required much more serious consi-
del'athin than appeared to have been giver Lit, be-
:Cole the Legislature would think it proper to
proceed it.• As it was now the mouth of May,
and so comprehensive a.subject could not be well
examined in. less -than, two or three months-, be
thought it would be much better to defer the con- •
sid&ation of it till next Session, by which time,
perhaps, we should have clearer ideas of what was
&fair price for Corn.

Sir H. PAIINF4,L was happy that the Right Hon.
Gentipian had-given him an opportunity of meet.:
in;; him upcin the merit of the Report.. He' was
prepared 110 maintain the accuracy of all ,the state-
ments and calculations in that report, except
one; He was very sorry that the Committee had
not the advantage of the 'Right • Honourable
Gentleman's assistance at their , labours. . It
lvould he recollected, however, that when he
'first brought forward the subjects his motion Was
merely with respect to the Irish Corn Laws ; but,`
by a' sudden amendment, it -was extruded to this
Kingdom, and three English Members of the
Coin were named, without sufficient time-for
consideration, or selecting those who might be

most aarviceable. He should; in thelitst
deny that either his object or that of the Com-
mittee Was to raise the price of Corti or Bread.
If the effect of the Resolutioot would be to pre-
• tent Cotfl from now falling below the jpresent
prices:, he conceived that this effect would be gives
ity; an. additional stimulus to the Agt iculturists,
and consequently gain 'an increased supply for
the future. As too low prices discouraged the
fanner; and prevented his furnishing the proper
supply for the futures so, on the other hand, if
he were encouraged to raise an abundant supply,
that would 'necessarily keep down the prices in
futute.H. He'agreed with the Right Hon. Gentle-
man, that the interests of the consumers should
he as much attended to as the interests of the
growers of Cony; but be conceived that their
interests would he most permanently protected by
Such prices, and no greater than would give the
farmer a fair pro'fit. When the Committee formerly
suggested 105 shillings a quarter as the price, it
was merely that they recommended the House to,
act Its on the principle of the Statote of Charles'
11. which had been found to be so beneficial in its
operation. At that time Corn was 52 shillings.a
quarter ; and as, to follow the principleof the Act,
they must substitute what was the !Test:livable price
of the preent and not of past tittles, they (when
Corp was sold higher) thought that was the,fair
price. They were not at all anxious about what
might be considered the proper price. They
thought, however, that every body must agree•
that the price ought not to be lower than the
farmers could afford to raise it for. He should
gladly leave it to the House to say what was the
fair price of Corn ; but he thought it evident, that
it might be so low as not only to be prejudicial to
the interests of the farmer; but to the pettnanent
interests of the consumer. The Right Hott..Gen-
tleman had supposed him to be singular in his
opinions about the exportoiCorn; on the contrary,
he believed that it was the Right Hon. Gent. who
was singular in his opinion. Of all the persons he
had conversed with on this sobjeet, there was not a
• single person who was not favourable to the
principle of free exportation. He defended the
report alluded to against the charge of incorrect-,,
less, except
,in a slight particular. The system
pursued for many years was the very reverse of
the law of Charles 11, For sixty-eight years, up
to 1764, the price of Corn Was 3fis.3d.; thence to
1794, 445. 7d.; and so on, to above-'BU.s. There .
was, therefore, a regular increase of prices since
the alteration of the' Act of Charles. It was said,
that taking' 84s. as the price of Corn would leave
the
.quartern loaf at double its price in 1794; but
it. should be recollected, that there were great
changes since in the value of motley. On a fair
computation, the quartern loaf was cheaper now,
at a corn-price of 84s. than it was in 1794.. It
was said, they were not in possession of sufficient
information to legislate on the subject at present; •
but the report 'was made,nearly a year ago, and
there were five or six other cases of Committees
on Distillery, &c. in which the matter had been
considered. During the 'Whole of last year, it
:had been discussed in pamphlets and periodical
works : his intention to bring on the 'subject
was well mown ; and every Gentleman, wish-
ing to be master of the subject, might have found
full opportunity. The question was one more of
principle than of evidence. Restrain importa-
tion, and the means of doing so were comparatively
of less importance. All appeared to, agree that the
present Corn Laws should be altered. As a gene-
ral
friend to-universal freedom of trade, he had to
explain why he, in this case, favoured restriction.
Were out-prices on a level with those of the rest
of Europe, he should not be for an artificial sys,
tent ; 13ut the difference in this respect made a
just. exception to the rule of free, unrestricted
trade. If Adam Smith were now giving an npi-
, Dion, it would differ, under the circumstances, froM
that contained in his work. Corn, he had said, was
so'bulky as to preclude great importations ; but
yet Corn came from Poland at a lower rate than.
our farMers could produce it.; yet the price had
risen greatly, .from the recent circumstances on
the Continent, whiCh had raised it op to 125 shit-
,
Hugs, and had given an impulse to oar own Agri-
culturists to grow it in greater abundance. A sud-
den importation, after peace, would therefore be
destructive to the capital employed in our own',
cultivation. Smith ,said, the proportion o irri-
Torztad to grown Corn was as ono 500th part of
consumption. But in the last nine or ten years
it was as one 25th, and sometimes as one 10th of
12th' part. kali other nations acted on a liberal
principle, our policy might be different. _The
great point was, which was most productive
of national wealth,--the entire freedom, or the
restricted trade ? The former Would produce- a
great diminution of our wealth, though it might
assist our manufacturing interests for a time. If we
were left dependent on foreigners,the time might
come when we should be compelled to disgraceful
measures, front our own necessities. It would he
the greatest injury to individuals to take away
suddenly the protections given by a restricted .
trade. Some thought we could never be an ex-
porting. country; but the Irish merchants said
they could. last year have exported largely to
Brazil, . Corn-was a drug in Ireland, while it was
_ a rarity in-Jamaica. Ireland should be considered
as an, agricultural country ; and- the deficiency
here, owing to our extensive manufactures, could
be supplied ; and we ought to give Ireland the
preference over Poland or other countries.
Mr. ROSE and Sir H. PARNELL mutually ex-
phlined.
Mi% FRANK LAND LEWIS spoke at considerable
length in answer to Sir H. P. There was a strong
suspicion in the minds of the people, worked upon
by the artful, that
.iu measures on thiS subject
something, was attempted against -their interests.
The questioo` might to receive a full and fair dis-, ,
rtssion. Individual interests were too often at-
tended
to in such ,Measures, and the permanent
interests of the many neglected. The object of
the report seemed to he higlr prices, and the Pub, •
lie Must pay them II;gh 'prices were to be the
stimulusat and low ones the consequence;--this
was 'somewhat suspicious. Any increase in the
price 'Of Bread
.Coro would tend to. increase the
price oflahour, and the farmer would' have to pay
apt rnere4sed price for every thing he wanted.—
True, Cdrn.fell in the early part of last century

but, in 168$, England and WaleS. were calcuikireti
only at 5,500,000 population, which was one. mail

- -
to ten i= In 1755, It Nvas Supo.-oseekto ue iii
creased only one. million. Could a change be won-
dered at, wbeu bad then so small a number to
feed ?

The CIIkNCELLOR of the EXbIIEaLIER compli-
mented the last Speaker, but said he should
agree to the Committee; not that he entirely con-
curred with the propositions now moved by the
Hon. Baronet, but because he understood an
amendutent would be moved by an Hon. Friend,
Ilicit might. lead to a full discussion on a future
day. The lion. Baronet had droliped the gradu-
ated ,scale which lie adopted last year, and which
appeared JO him (the Chancellor) to be the- best.

Sir J. NEWPORT noticed with some warmth an
expression bt. Mr. F. Lewis, which he conceived
tended to intimate that the House might be. influ-
enced by opinions out of doors.
Mr. LEwis diselalmed.any such meaning.
Sir W. DouclAs supported the propositions.

Lord A. PlAmturoti doubted whether lowering
the price of Corn would not defeat the first ob,
ject of the Mover,' which was to remunerate the
farmer.

Sir •11.1. RIDLEY opposed, and. Sir N. COUL-
- TO IntST supported, the propositions.
•
The House then went into.the Committee, and
the first and second Resolutions were read.
Mr; HUSKISSON rose to move an Amenament,
which he prefaced by a very able speech, pointing
out the injurious effect that were now, and had,
been produced, by the operation o the Corn
:.Laws, as they at'present stood. There were two
objects, lie thought, which tiaght to, be particu-
larly kept in view by a great nation : tire first,
that it 'should not depend upon foreign supplies ;
and the!Second, that it should be the endeavour
of legislative enactments- $0 maintain a steady
uniformity of price in the value. of' Corn.—
The
,fluctuations in the price of Corn be at-
tributed wholly to. the operation of the law,
and that fluctuation had a -direct and injurious
effect upon the .price of ' labour, and.more _espe-
cially upon -agricultural labour.' ln. 1806 the'Le-
gislature departed a little --from the established
system, by •allowing Ireland to' export Corn
,to
this Country; and what tnid been the consequence ?
That many millions of money had found its way,
into the Sister Country, to the great improvement
of Ireland, in a variety of beneficial ways. 'Such
a stimulus, too; had been created there, that Ire-'
land now was able to export, with the greatest fa-
cility, to the amount of three millions annually,—
The impolicy of depending for foreign supply was
furthershewn in the con-sequences of the Continen-
tal system, now so happily aholished: one among
the'many evils_ which that system inflicted upon
this country, was the high price of Corn ; nor.
was it at all improbable, that even the proceedings
of America against us, her embargoes, &c. Were
founded upon the base, .bitt delusive hope, of
starving us into submission." It was of impor7
tance, therefore, in a political point.of view, and
to enable us to maintain our foreign political re-
lations with dignity, and energy, that- we should
not' have to fear, from the hostility of any Power,.
•a, deficiency in the means of subsisting our popty•
lation(Hear, hear !).—With regard to the 2d
Proposition, it went too much. on- the idea of
giving the Eiiglish grower a monopoly in the
Englishmarket,, and of interdicting all speculation
in foreign supplies, till Corn should attain such a
Price as to indicate a aeficiency in our own. Whatever
Might; be. the Duty on the import4tion of Corn
from other countries, it appeared to him, that it'
would be expedient, with a view to the encourage-
ment of the growth of Coal in our provinces in
North- America,_ that the Corn imported thence
should pay but half the ordinary duty.—(Hear;
hear !).—After some further observations, the
HOttourable Gentleman concluded with -moving'
an amendt»ent, theasnbstance.of whiclr was, that
635. a quarter should be the price at which Corn
shoild be mllowed to be imported; on-paying the
Duty of 245. 3d. ; and that as the Corn rose in.
price, the duty should diminish in exact propor-
tion, so.that whenever Corn might rise to Sts. a
quarter, the Duty should cease and determine. •

Sir'H. PARN'ELL said, for the sake of humanity,
he would agree to the amendment,
Tie CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER thought
it expedient that the discussion should be delayed
till another opportunity.

Mr. LlustussoN's amendment to the 'original,
resolution, of substituting another schedule, was
agreed to.
The other resolutions, with some aMendmeutS,
were agreed to.

The CHANCELLOIT of the EXCHEQUER moved a
new resolution, for allowing foreign, corn to be
warehoused in this country, so that it might be
exported duty free, if it was not allowed tv conic
into the home market.

The resolutions were then agreed to,. and the
report received and committed -for Monday se'n-
night, to give sufficient time for its consideration.

The other Orders were then disposed of; after
which the House adjourned.

METEOROLOGICAL JOURNAL.
BY B. BANKS,

PHILOSOPHICAL INSTRUMENT MAKER, STRAND.,

Th e r m o m et e r . Weather.
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4; .51, 'i ►p -1 ;14 -6-1 A .a..
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• • ,
April. j' i ° C " Inches .
23. 45 46 1,54 43 80.15 Cloudy Rain*
24 47 44 f5l 41 29.94 ' .15 Rhin* Do.*
25 45 45 48 Al' .99 .10 Do. Cloudy
26 47 44 53 139 30.05 - .06 Showryl Fair
27 45 45 51 143 .25 , ' Fair I Cloudy
28 46 47 50 45' ' ..2 •, .03 Rairi Rain
2 , 30 51 55 48' .9,0 .16 Showry Cloudy
.30

Boise

terous

Weather,

COAL MARKET, MAY 4.

•Sliips at Market.. so!d. Price. •
11 i\-ewca•ale - 8 les. Oii. to 555.11. d-
.- 'Sunderland., .1. 48s. Od. to Od.