The Sun.
London, England, 1859-09-24 00:00:00

tended as he believed at that time to be for the ad-
vantage of the agricultural interest. He alluded to
the Act of Parliament which was passed in the year
1815, which absolutely prohibited any foreign corn
coming into this country. He believed that the
distress which ensued in consequence of that act
was such as had never occurred in this country
either before or since. It was stated in a commit-
tee of the House of Commons by Mr. Fane, the
Vice-President of the Board of Trade, that writs
and executions were being issued by thousands
against the farmers in consequence of the distress
which that law had brought upon them, and a peti-
tion was presented to Parliament from the citizens
of Oxford, calling attention to the distress which
prevailed among the farmers of this county. The
cause of this state of things was this :—When the
act was passed prohibiting the importation of
foreign corn unless the market price was 80s. per
quarter, men took it for granted that it would
never be less than 80s., and in consequence the
landlords and agents made their arrangements on
that basis. But what was the fact ? At the close
of the year 1815 and 1816 corn fell below 60s. per
quarter, and the ruin which was caused in conse-
quence was very great. Year by year there was
great agricultural distress. A new Corn Law was
passed, but proved of no advantage. He thought
he had never known a period of time when there
was so little complaint of agricultural distress as
there had been since the repeal of the Corn Laws.
He (Mr. Harcourt) did not vote for that law, but
he wuuld have voted for a great reduction of duty.
He voted with Sir Robert Peel, and so did Lord
Derby, when that statesman lowered the duty to
425. per quarter. He voted with Lord Derby when
it was proposed to introduce Canadian corn ; and
the only question that was raised was whether a
fixed duty of ss. should be levied, or whether there
should be a sliding scale from ls. to ss. Lord Derby
voted for that bill, and he (Mr. Harcourt) also sup-
ported it. (Cheers and some interruption, and a
voice, "No politics.") Again, with regard- to the
importation of cattle, he saw by the Oxford papers
of last Saturday that mutton was realising ss. per
stone, and beef from 4s. 8,1. to ss. per stone. He
did not think the agricultural interest was ever in
so satisfactory a state as it was at the present time.
(Interruption.) They now heard none of those com-
plaints which they heard formerly. What he ven-
tured to tell them in his address in the year 1841
was fully justified by what had since taken place.
He told them at that time that he should continue
to support the protection which was accorded by
the law, but he also told them that he believed that
the permanent advantage of the landed interest
would be better promoted by the prosperity of
trade and commerce than by the operation of those
laws which tended to keep up an inefficient protec-
tion. The exports of this country during the last
15 years had doubled, and had increased from
£58,600,000 to £116,500,000.
Colonel NORTH also responded, and said he
thought they would agree with him that his col-
league, Mr. Harcourt, had opened the door for the
admission of politics on the present occasion wide
enough for him (Col. North) to go to any length, if he
felt disposed to do so, but he meant to confine himself
to thanking them for the kind reception they had
given him. He had witnessed the distribution of
prizes, and it was impossible not to feel that asso-
ciations of this kind were a great public benefit to
the neighbourhood, for they not only improved the
condition of the labouring classes, but brought to-
gether those who had not the opportunity of meet-
ing very often. To him, who resided in a distant
part of the county, this was a great privilege, for he
was very desirous of coming among them, and mak-
ing acquaintance with those who honoured him with
their support. His colleague, Mr. Harcourt, had
alluded to some observations which fell from him at
Banbury, and charged him with introducing mili-
tary politics. He (Colonel North) denied that there
was any such thing as politics in the army, and
they might depend upon it it would be a fatal day
for England if ever such should be the case. If they
looked upon the armies abroad, there was not one
upon which the Government there could depend,
whether they looked to Austria, France, Prussia, or
Spain. It was a common question how such and
such, a regiment would act, and whether it would
stand by the Government or fraternise with the
mob. He would ask them whether, on the memo-
rable 10th of April, the most timid person doubted
for one moment the adherence of their troops, or did
not believe they could be relied on ix any extremity.
He reiterated the declaration that there was no such
thing as politics in the army, and that it would be a
fatal day for England when her army became politi-
cal. In conclusion, he hoped that next year they
would have as good a meeting as the present one,
and that everything would pass off as smoothly and
as happily. (Cheers.)

BUCKINGHAMSHIRE (NORTH).
BUCKINGHAM, WEDNESDAY.
The members of the Agricultural Association for
North-west Bucks and the adjoining portion of
Oxfordshire and Northamptonshire, held their se-
cond annual meeting this day, for ploughing com-
petition, exhibition of stock, poultry, &c., and
afterwards dined together in the Town-hall, under
the presidency of the Hon. Richard Cavendish.
The usual loyal toasts having been given and
duly honoured,
The CHAIRMAN rose to propose " The Army and
Navy," and in doing so observed that some few
years ago people began to think we should no
longer require an army and navy, but unfortunately
recent events had rendered their services necessary,
and in the performance of the duties which had
devolved upon them they had deserved well of
their country. (Cheers.) It was gratifying to find
that their emoluments had been raised and their
comforts increased. (Hear, hear.) We had now
commenced a new war with China, which he hoped
would be the last, but to render our hostilities
effectual we must insist upon the money demanded
being paid down. (Cheers.) That must be done
before agreeing to any terms of peace. (Hear,
hear.) Having been among the Asiatics he could
speak of them from his own personal knowledge,
and would not trust to their promises to pay.
(Hear, hear.) England was too much inclined to
put faith in promises. Perhaps it might sometimes
( be advisable to evince some degree of faith in pro-
I mises, because it showed that we were not so
anxious to increase our possessions as some persons
supposed. But the present war in China had been
forced upon us, and it was our duty to avenge the
deaths of those who had been slaughtered by the
Chinese ; and, above all, as he had said before, to
see our demands fully discharged by the payment
of the money down. (Loud cheers.)
Mr. HUBBARD, M.P., proposed the health of the
Hon. Mr. Cavendish, the President of the Associa-
tion, who had so materially contributed to its suc-
cess by the prizes which he had offered, and the
success with which he had competed for those
prizes. (Cheers.)
The CHAIRMAN, amid loud cheering, acknow-
ledged the compliment, and expressed his regret at
the unavoidable absence of the Duke of Buckingham.
Sir H. VERNEY, M.P., in proposing " Prosperity
to the North West Bucks Society," observed that
its promoters hadiconferred a lasting benefit on the
whole agricultural interest. One of the great re-
sults which he hoped to see from the improvement
of agriculture was that the capitalists of this coun-
try would feel convinced of this important truth—
that there is no speculation in which they can en •
gage with greater safety and with more advantage
than the investment of a portion of their capital in
the cultivation of the soil of old England. (Cheers.)
He had long felt that to be a matter of the utmost
national importance, and was quite satisfied that
when capitalists became aware of the advantages
which they would derive from the investment of
their money in land they would not hesitate to do so,
and thus give a great impetus to cultivation.
(Cheers.) Many persons had ruined themselves
and their families by investing their capital in
foreign securities, but he knew of no instance in
which a man investing his money in the cultivation
of the soil and employing intelligent agriculturists
had not obtained a fair and adequate remuneration.
(Cheers.) The character and intelligence of those
who cultivated the soil had of late years been raised
in a remarkable degree, and if the moneyed men
would unite hand in hand with the intelligent and
high-principled agriculturists, the soil would be
made to produce its utmost and afford them a safe
and secure investment. (Cheers.)
Mr. P. Box, in proposing the " Patrons of the
Association," congratulated them on the success
which had hitherto attended their efforts, and
thanked them in the name of the members for the
liberal aid they had afforded in carrying out its
objects. (Cheers.)
The MAYOR then proposed the health of the
members for the borough, Sir Harry Verney and
Mr. Hubbard, who were both deeply inter sted in
\
the progress of agriculture. (Loud cheering.)
Sir H. VERNEY, in acknowledging the toast, said
he
was one of the very few persons now living who
had the honour of originating the Royal Agricul-
tural
n hunn
Solecieste i
Society of England—a body which had given
mpulsetoitle
inag manyric partsulturalof the
associations
which had been established
country, on the wise principle of promoting the in-
terests of agriculture without touching
any otherii
Royalsubject. ( (cheers.)
Agriculturalhe er s.)
The earlier
Society were attended meetings
of t
by the
late Earl Spencer, whose memory all agriculturists
must highly revere, for to that noble earl and to
the principles which he inculcated these societies
owed their origin, and had promoted the social
well-being and happiness of that class whose inte-
rests he had so much at heart, as much as the scien-
tific and practical improvements. which lead taken
C to the success-
placeT The since
epriz etsh
were
te
rpee rtihoedn.
distributed C h eers .