The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-24 00:00:00

.THE CORN-LAWS.

On the order of the day, that this Bill be read a second time,
being put.
Mr. ELIOT YORKE said that, unaccustomed as he
was to address the House, and, knowing his own deficiency, he
hesitated to appear before them ; but he was urged on to the
discharge of the duty by the petitions which he held in his
hand, signed as they were by an immense number of agricultur-
ists, and therefore he could not then, as formerly, give a silent
vote on the question, lest the truth of his own opinions
should be doubted, and the sincerity of his professions sus-
pected.—(Hear, hear.) His intention on that occasion wilts to
more that the Bill be read a second time that day six months..
--(Hear, hear.) In advancing to that subject he would say,
if the Gentlemen on that (the Ministerial) side of the
House felt as he did, he entreated of them not to be deterred
by what had taken place, but by every form which the House
recognised, and by the adoption of every course which it
sanctioned, to unite and exert themselves for the defeat of the
measure then before the llowe.—( Hear, hear.) He objected
to the Bill Le; iFe it sought to repeal a principle which,
had been recognised by the people of England as
identified with their best interests.—( Hear, hear.)
It was stated that no apprehension is manifested in the agricul-
tural diarists on thii subject, but he could answer that the sen-
timents of the district which he represented were not in its
favour. That district was an area of 1,600,000 acres. It was

formerly a wilderness, now it was a great corn-growing district.
But in order to briny, it to this state a large expenditure had
taken place. Not less than five millions had been expended to
bring these wastes into cultivation ; and all this had been done
on the faith of protection.—( Hear, hear.) At the present
moment they were subjected in that district to an annual tax of
from Bs. to Its. per acre, or an aggregate tax of 80,0001. per
annum. If prices fell, as he expected they would, the amount
of distress that must result would be appalling. He did not
expect a reduction in prices this year, while so much capital
was expended on public works; but as soon as that capital was
withdrawn their prices would fall, and general depression over.
take all engaged in agricultural operations. The Hon. Gen-
tleman then read several extracts, from correspondence he had
had with parties in the agricultural districts in support of this
view of prices, showing that, next year, with the Government
measure in operation, and an average crop, the price of
wheat would be from 40s. to 455. per quarter, and that the
wages of the labourers would have to be reduced at least 2s.
per week. He had that day received a letter from a gentleman,
stating that at the present moment an eminent corn merchant
in Gloucester had imported, wheat from Odessa at 37a. per
quarter. He had also received information that several parties
engaged in agriculture intended to remove abroad, and de-
vote themselves to the raising of wheat, if the government
measure was carried into effect. All this showed that it was

impossible for the farmers go on under the new system, and
meet payments. He had been furnished with several calcula-
tions on the subject. One was, that in a 'farm of 400 acres,
on which there was a loss under protection of 3471., under
free-trade the loss would be 856!. 9s. t2d.—( Hear, hear.) On
another farm of bOO acres, it was calculated that the loss under
the corn measure would not be less than 665!. 1 Bd., or a
sum nearly equal to the whole rent.—( Hear.) Yet this was a
farm that paid 1,200'. per annum for labourers' wages. The
Hon. ki ember then referred to certain returns respecting the
amount of disease to the agricultural districts in various years,
showing that in those years when corn was cheapest disease
and distress most abounded. He also referred to the tables of

prices, furnished by Mr. Crooke, showing that the effect of an
overabundance was to produce a state of suffering and distress
in the agricultural districts, and among the labouring classes.
The present law gave fair and moderate prices, and was all that
could be required, unless the Government wanted low prices.
If they did so, then he had shown that low prices meant
distress and low wages to the labouring classes.—(Hear.)
On this point he would refer to the authority of Lord
Fitzwilliam, who said, that the repeal of the corn-laws meant
ruin to the farmers and destitution to the labourers.—
( Hear, hear.) He (Mr. E. Yorke) would therefore
oppose the Bill by every means in his power, so as to
defeat the money corporation that was seeking the repeal of the
corn-laws.—(llear, hear.) But he would go still further to
prove the injurious operation of the relaxation of the protec-
tion principle. In the year 1844, the rates in the agricultural
districts were much higher than in the year 1842, though, in
the former period, the system had been relaxed. He further
objected to the measure before the House, on account of its
injustice. He did not deprecate the law from any selfish
or exclusive grounds, but because it would be an act
of spoliation in a great and important interest, which they
were bound to defend. And if the measure was carried by
the Government, he hoped they would not escape without that
denunciation and desecration which they deserved, and which
their treachery had justly earned.—( Hear, hear.) He ob-
jected to this measure because, while it took away all
protection from the agriculturists, it left on land and houses
all the great public burdens of the country.—(Hear, hear.)
Ile did not avow these principles for the purpose of making a
speech. He felt deeply upon this matter. They must look
narrowly into this subject, and they should not have his assent
to the proposed change unless they consented to remodel the
taxation of the country. He did not hesitate to say, in the
language which the Right lion. Baronet the Home Secretary
in 1839 used, that the Government had been guilty of a gross
fraud upon the public. He would say a word to the new proselytes
below him. It was the same w'ith apostacy in politics as in
religion. The proselyte was only used to strike a blow, and
the blow having been struck, the apostate was kicked over, be-
cause he was not then trusted by those who had used him.
He (Mr. Yorke) begged to move that the Bill be read a second
time that day six months.
Sir .1. Y. BULLER agreed with the views expressed by his
Hon. Friend, and, supporting those views, he could not consent
to allow the Bill further to proceed. He had supported the
last alteration in the eorn-laws, believing that no further alter-
ation would be proposed, at all events during the present Par-
liament. He had been greatly disappointed when he had heard
of the determination of the Government. He had not yet re-
covered from that disappointment.
Mr. M'GEACHY would support the measure of her 111a-
jesty's Government, because he believed it wise and politic.
Having supported the reductions in the tariff, and looking to
the effect of those reductions, he thought there was
every encouragement to proceed. —( Hear, hear.)
Every man who looked candidly and fairly into the position,
and the difficulties of the Right Hon. Baronet at the head of
the Government, during the last year, would not, in his
opinion, use any harsh expressions towards him for the mea-
sures which he had brought forward ; they would in fact con-
fess that he had acted the part of a wise and experienced
statesman. Every dispassionate man, who viewed the position
of the poorer classes of this country, would refrain from charg-
ing the Right Hon. Baronet with inconsistency for having pro-
posed his present measures. There was one point to which he
would allude for a moment, as
he conceived that the prevalence
of the present system was injudicious, and injurious to the in-
terests of the country. The Whig party themselves, until a
very • recent period, were protectionists, and a great portion of
the political difficulty of the present crisis was increased by the
fact of the Noble Lord, the Member for London, having been
unable to accept the reins of Government, which had been
abandoned by the Right Hon. Baronet and his colleagues. It
was evident that the cause of that non-acceptance of office was
the weakness and dissensions of that political party. Such a
course would surely lead to the most injurious consequences.
What would be the practical results of such a course? Why,
that the country would be governed by the Exeter-hall or
Anti- Nlaynooth Committee, or by 17, Old Bond-street or the
Central Protection Society, and all its most remote provincial
, branches. But there was one other point on which he would