The Sun.
London, England, 1835-12-22 00:00:00

ROYAL AGRICULTURAL ASSO-

CIATION.

Letter from A. G. Speirs, Esq., M.P. for Paisley, to R.
Montgomery Martin, Esq., Secretary to the Royal
Agricultural Association.
" Culcreuch, Dec. 18, 1835.

" Sir,—l had the honour of receiving your circular,
dated 23d ult., inviting me to become a member of the
Royal Agricultural Society, proposed to be instituted in
London. If I could persuade myself that the sole objects
of this projected Institution were similar to those of the
Highland Society of Scotland, viz, to improve the science
and encourage the practice of agriculture itself, and gene-
rally those arts connected with it, then I would not hesi-
tate to add my name to those of the Noblemen and Gen-
tlemen who have already agreed to become members ; but
when I perceive from the very origin of your Society (the
political resolutions of the Meeting of Deputations at
Aylesbury, on the 12th ult.), that the chief purpose for
which it is founded is, the combination of agriculturists
as a body,' with a view to check and controul the Go-
vernment of the country, and from your choice of a leader,
in the person of a Noble Lord who has honestly, but, as I
think, upon very erroneous grounds, stood forward as the
champion of monopoly and restriction, I deem it my duty
not merely to refrain from all connection with such a So-
ciety, but also to state frankly that its principles are, in my
opinion, hostile to the true interests of Britain, and, more-
over, that under the guise of an Agricultural Association,
its projectors have no other object in view than to create a
powerful instrument for accomplishing the political ends of
the Tory party.
I have long been of opinion that the present Corn Laws
—prejudicial as they confessedly are to the commercial
interests—are beneficial neither to landlord nor tenant ;
in other words, that high duties will not produce high
prices—that to promote the interests of one class of the
community at the expense of the rest is ultimately prejudi-
cial to all—and hence that the sooner every restriction and
monopoly, and all taxation affecting the price of food, or
that of the raw materials of our manufactures, are abo-
lished, the better. In making any changes, I am well aware
that the varied and complicated interests of Britain render
it necessary to proceed with great caution, yet I do not
admit the impossibility of establishing the prosperity and
welfare of the whole empire on a surer basis than it now
stands, by a thorough revision of that restrictive system
which has so long, in my opinion, cramped the energy of the
nation, and given to foreigners an undue advantage ; and
therefore I can give no support, directly or indirectly, to aSo-
ciety which is avowedly instituted for the purpose of exclu-
sively protecting what are termed the agricultural interests,
" of pressing these interests on Government or Parliament,"
and of combining and directing the exertions of the
agriculturists "as a body," " whenever any measure
may be brought forward by Government, or the Legis-
lature, which may be thought injurious to the prosperity
of agriculture." lam satisfied that the prosperity of the
nation at large, is the best foundation for the prosperity of
the agricultural classes, and that it is a mischievous delu-
sion to induce these classes to look for a rise of rents, or
of prices from any legislative measure ; or, indeed, to look
for a rise of rents or prices at all. Their true friends should
encourage a better and more scientific system of tillage ; a
reduction of rents commensurate with the reduction of
prices of commodities generally ; as much relief as possible
from taxation, and an abrogation of all commercial restric-
tions ; the prosperity of trade and commerce affording the
surest prospect, by an increased consumption of agricul-
tural produce, of improving the condition of the agricultu-
rist. A landowner myself, I entertain generally the opi-
nions of one of the most• enlightened and soundest-thinking
men in England on the Corn Laws—my Lord Fitzwilliam;
and, as his Lordship happens to be one of the largest land-
owners in the country, he cannot surely be considered likely
to promulgate opinions, or countenance doctrines, inimical
to that class with which he is peculiarly and intimately con-
nected.

If I cannot consistently entertain the views apart from
politics on which your proposed Society is based, still less
can I be a party to those views of a political nature, which
I am sorry to add, appear to me to have had a more pre-
dominant influence in the projection of the institution, than
any conviction either of its necessity or its ultimate utility
in removing agricultural distress. You have assembled,
apparently at the bidding, at all events, under the direc-
tion of the Marquis of Chandos—a nobleman violently
Conservative in his politics, hcstile to the present liberal
Ministry, and a decided advocate of the Corn Laws, and of
restrictions and monopolies. You have assumed the neces-
sity of union for mutual protection and efficiency, based on
the two following resolutions of the Aylesbury meeting,
passed under the auspices of the same nobleman
" That heretofore all efforts to obtain from the Govern-
ment, or from Parliament, efficient relief for agricultural
distress have failed, and inquiry has twice been refused,
owing to the divided state of the agricultural body and
their want of co-operation.
" It is therefore advisable that the various Agricultural
Associations now scattered throughout the kingdom, and
hitherto powerless from want of union, do concentrate their
forces, and form a grand Central Society, or Board of Agri-
culture in London."

Your very first object is stated by yourselves to be pro-
tection to one class of interests, and the forcing of these in-
terests on the notice of the Government or the Legislature;
your next object is avowed to be the " calling forth combi-
nation and direction of the exertions of the agriculturists as
a body," to oppose Government, if thought necessary, or to
force measures on its attention : such appear to be your
real and great aims. Merely subordinate to those objects
is the projection of a hall, of meetings, and of a quarterly
publication, &c., devoted to the agricultural interests,
which appears in your prospectus. The only conclusion
which I can draw from these premises is, that your Asso-
ciation is really meant to be a Tory combination to over-
awe the Government and the Legislature—to force upon
both any measures however faulty in principle, or per-
nicious in tendency, which may be calculated to serve
Tory purposes—and, in short, to erect, as it were, a power-
ful Tory battery from which all that appears to me really
based on sound principle in politics, and all that is pro-
jected by a Liberal Administration for the good of the
people, including, of course, the agricultural classes, may
be most effectually assailed. Nothing, in my opinion, can
be more objectionable in principle, or more pernicious in
practice, and instead of giving the scheme that countenance
and support which you claim for it, the duty of every liberal
politician ought to be to denounce and oppose it.
In conclusion, may I ask if the agriculturists can expect
the other classes of the community to remain " disunited,"
and therefore " powerless," when they see the agriculturists
combining under the leading of Noble Lords and Gentle-
men ? The example may be followed, and this projected
Society will have whatever credit may result from leading
the way in that most pernicious consummation—placing
one class in a state of enmity or war with another.

I have the honour to be, Sir, &c.

Al G. SPEIRS.

MUNICIPAL WARDS.

Considerable misapprehension appears to exist in many
of the Corporate Towns respecting the Ward divisions
stated in the recent Gazettes as objected to by the Privy
Council. Notwithstanding such formal notice of objection
the Wards arc fixed for the present Municipal Elections
as advertised. The Corporation Act, as altered by the
Lords, it will be recollected, arbitrarily fixed the Bounda-
ries of the Boroughs in two schedules,—of ancient Mu-
nicipal and Parliamentary boundaries. The Boundaries
and Wards were originally to have been settled on re-
ports of the Boundary Commission as approved by the
Privy Council ; but the Lords invested the Circuit
Judges with the authority of appointing Circuit Bar-
risters to Ward as well as to revise the Boroughs,
and giving the Privy Council no veto, but simply a
power of conference with the Revising Barristers, whose
awards were nevertheless (on disagreement with the
Privy Council) to be the district divisions for the pre-
sent year. We understand that the time being necessa-
rily so limited for the consideration of these reports, the
Council gazetted them, distinguishing those they disap-
proved of as "objected" to. The Liberals therefore will
understand that The Gazette advertisements are the pre-
sent divisions. We have noticed in the provincial press
much discussion on the merits and demerits of the Parlia-
mentary and Municipal Revising Barristers. We do not
impute designed partiality to these gentlemen in the exercise
' of an arduous duty, but we can name sonic most extraor-
dinary selections by the Judges of Barristers not eminently
qualified, and singular omissions of many Barristers of superior
standing and qualifications, whose only unfitness in the eyes of
the Judges must have been their liberal political opinions. We
deem it of the deepest importance that the rights and fran-
chises of the Parliamentary and MuniCipal Constituencies
should be impartially and satisfactorily determined. The mode
of selection, and frequently the party character of the se-
lected, is we know Very far from satisfactory to the coun-
try. Doubtless Parliament will early next Session consider
this important subject. The existing system of registration
is most expensive, not only as a charge on the public purse,
but to all parties locally interested. A general impression
prevails that an amended mode is essential, and that sorrie
local tribunal would be more economical and less onerous to
the Electors. We trust also that many of the disputed
qualifications will be definitely determined by a declaratory
Act next Session. This is a question of paramount impor-
tance, in many points of view, and we shall return to its dis-
cussion.—Morning Chronicle.

The venerable Prince Talleyrand has kept his
apartments during the last few days, on account of the
insalubrity of the weather. The Prince is on the verge
of his 83d birth-day.