The Sun.
London, England, 1828-04-12 00:00:00

CORN LAWS.

The resolutions proposed by Ministers on the
subject of the Corn Laws are mow submitted to
the country, and before any measure founded on
them can pass into a law, there will be ample
time for discussion and deliberation. If the
question were merely to be argued on speculative
grounds, strong objections might no doubt be
urged against the measure in contemplation—
many plausible reasons might be brought for-
ward against any plan for restraining the influx
of foreign corn. But we would strongly urge on
those who are disposed to reason after this fashion,
that practically a statesman has frequently only
a choice of difficulties. He does not deal in
pure principles of abstract good ; nor can he
always, whatever be his natural inclination, tread
the path of straight-forward policy that lies before
him. He cannot hold by the unbending stand-
ard of general principles ; he cannot sail against
the wind and title of prejudice ; he must con-
cede ; he must make a compromise with evil ; he
must haggle and bargain for as much good as he
can get ; but he cannot break off the transac-
tion, because he has not every thing his own
way—under these qualifications, therefere, it is
that we approve of the resolutions of Ministers ;
and of the scale of duties by which they propose
to regulate the import of foreign corn. They
have, we are convinced, made the best compro-
mise that was possible between the jarring inte-
rests of commerce and agriculture. We should,
no doubt, have preferred the measure of last Ses-
sion, or any other plan which would have imposed
less restraint on the admission of foreign grain.
But the question is, whether such a measure
would pass, and whether, therefore, the present
plan is not the only practicable expedient for set-
ting this question at rest, and saving the inte-
rests of agriculture from the agitation occasioned
by never-ending discussions on the subject.
It was clearly necessary that some protection
should be given to agriculture, by restraining
the influx of foreign coin, while th© interests of
the commercial classes required that it should
not be entirely excluded from our markets. The
present measure then appears to steer a middle
course between these extremes. Under its pro-
visions no foreign corn can come into
this country, until the price rise above
60s. From a statement collected from Parlia-
mentary Papers of the prices at the principal
shipping Ports on the Continent in 1826, it ap-
pears that wheat could have been landed in this
country from Dantzic, Libau, Memel, Konings-
berg, &c. at from 30s. to 355. per quarter. Now, if
the duty be added to this original cost, which is
275. Bd. per quarter, when the price here is at
605., it will raise the foreign grain to 575. Bd.
per quarter, which would not leave a sufficient
profit to compensate the risk of the adventure.
The price must rise therefore above 60s. before
any considerable supply of corn can be brought
into the country ; and thus an adequate remune-
rating price is secured to the agriculturist, before
any great supply of foreign corn is admitted ;
while the decline of the protecting duty as the
price rises above 60s. gives the community an
adequate security against the miseries of scar-
city—so long as the price of corn remains under
or at 605., per quarter the community can suffer
no great hardship. This is rather a moderate
price, and implies clearly that we do not require
any foreign supplies. Until this point then the
measure restrains importation, and it thus affords
protection to agriculture without oppressing the
country. But the moment the price rises, the
diminishing duty operates as a sort of drain,
through which supplies immediately flow in from
the adjacent countries, and avert the evil of want.
On the grounds then of expediency merely,
we assent to the present measure, because it is
calculated to meet prejudices, and to conciliate
jar! ing interests, and perhaps, in time to pave
the way for another and more liberal arrange-
ment. We are the less disposed to quarrel with
these enactments for regulating the importation
of corn, because we do not conceive them of
that practical consequence which others attach to
them. The object of those laws restraining the
importation of corn, is to protect the home
grower against the competition of foreigners ;
and to give him a higher price than he would
receive under the operation of a free trade. But
we greatly doubt whether these petty devices
and restrictions have the effect which is ascribed
to them. It is only over the foreign supply of
corn, be it observed, that our legislative enact-
ments have any controul. Now, we consider
this supply to bear so small a proportion to the
internal produce of the country, that neither its
exclusion nor its free admission can have any
perceptible effect in lowering the prices ; and
therefore, that it is really of little consequence
what regulations we pass on the subject. It is
the great mistake of both parties, as far as we
can judge, to magnify the importance of the
foreign supply, and those accordingly who con-
demn restrictions on importation, ascribe all
the evils which the country has suffered from
scarcity and high prices, as well as from over
abundance, to the law of 1822, which gave
the agriculturist the monopoly of the home
market. To the want of the foreign supply they
maintain that all these lamentable consequences
are to be traced. The advocates of restrictions,
on the other hand, dread the free admission of
foreign corn as the climax of 'their miseries they
consider that the free importation of corn would
utterly ruin agriculture. We consider, however,
that whether we keep the foreign supply ont of
the country, or whether we admit it, we will
not thereby materially influence the price of
coin, which is fixed by causes sonnscted with the
home supply, and with the internal condition of
the country. In support of our opinions we
shall appeal to facts. To those who hold that a
free trade in corn would bring rum on agricul-
ture, by the depreciation of its produce, we would
merely state, that for more than 20 years prior to
1815, or rather to 1819, for it was then that
our ports were really shut—the trade in corn
was free. There was no restraint on the importation
of foreign supplies, which were aecordinOy very

freely brought into the country. Now what, it
may be asked, was the consequence of this free-
dom—was agriculture ruined by low prices ?
The fact is precisely the reverse. The price of
corn was high, and agriculture never was in such
a flourishing condition, while the country was all
the while, be it remembered, open to supplies of
foreign grain. In 1795, wheat was at B.os. per
quarter; it fell from that to 60s. In 1800 and
1801, which were both years of scarcity, the one
from cold and wet, and the other from excessive
drought, the price of wheat was 1.195. and 120 s.
per quarter'; and we not only opened our ports
to foreign grain, but we gave a large bounty, on
which account we paid in the two years
2,135,6781., and by this encouragement, added
to our enormous prices, we drained both Europe
and America of all that could possibly be spared
for our supply. Now, what was the effect of this
great supply on the hitherto unparalleled prices
of those two distressing years. Did the foreign
supplies, amounting in the two years to above
four million of quarters, abate these prices—so
far from it the price continued steady above
,
100s.per quarter. But the moment the new supply
from the harvest of 1802, was brought to bear
upon the demand the price tumbled down at
once to 60s. and 565. Here then we see the
foreign supply, not only operating freely for two
years, but encouraged by the stimulus of a
bounty, yet producing no effect whatever in the
price, being unable apparently to fill up in any
perceptible degree that miserable void left in the
produce of the year by the failure of the domestic
supply ; but the home supply of 1802, the mo-
ment it is got in, brings down the price one-
half. Need we seek a more marked proof
of the inefficiencies of the foreign supply to
affect the home price. The history of the
Corn Trade, furnishes numerous other facts
all strongly illustrating the insignificance of the
foreign supply compared with the great natural
causes which are in constant operation to raise
or lower the price. For twelve years previous to
1815 it will be found that the average price of
corn was, in the first six of these years 725., and
in the last six years 98s. 6d. per quarter. Now,
during all this time, the trade was free. In 1815
the new system of exclusion was begun ; and in
1819 the ports were actually shut—the foreign
supply was excluded—Agriculture obtained the
entire monopoly of the home market. Now
mark the consequence, corn, in place of rising as
it ought to have done, if the foreign supply had
been of any consequence, fell in 1820 to 655.
and 545.; and in 1822 to the incredibly low
price of 38s. per quarter. Could we wish then
for facts more conclusive against all our petty
contrivances to regulate the price of grain? Is
it not clear that the causes which fix its price are
wholly unconnected with the foreign supply,
seeing that they are high when .that supply is
freely admitted, and low when it is excluded ;
that the price of corn is fixed by the internal
supply ; and that in regard to the price of corn,
the effect of legislative enactments is controlled
and lost amid these great and powerful causes,
which, as they lie deep in the constitutions of
society, are far beyond all human control.

PARLIAMENTARY PAPER.

COALS.

Arr;Pccount of Coals exported from England and Scot-
land into Ireland, from Jan. 5, 1827, to Jan. .5, 1828;
and, an Account of Coals imported from the same into
the various Ports of Ireland, for the same period.

Ports of Ireland into Ports of Ireland into Tons.
which Imported. ' ~lons' which Imported.
-........_
Dublin 265,50731 Londonderry 8,378
Baltimore 1,551)4 Newry 33,813%
Belfast
Coleraine
Cork 12,1,741 Westport 9,028%
Drogheda 26,016 Wexford 27,992
Dundalk
Galway 3,68031 697,575 N,
Limerick

Note.--By the regulations which place the Commercial
Intercourse between Great Britain and Ireland on the
footing of a Coasting Trade, this Department is precluded
from ascertaining the Quantities of Coals shipped to Ire-
laud from the Ports of Great Britain ; and the foregoing
Statement, which exhibits the quantities delivered at the
Irish Ports, is therefore submitted as the best Return that
can be made to the Order of the Honourable House.
WILLIAM IRVING,
Inspector General of Imports and Exports.
Inspector General's Office, Custom House,
London, March 11.

ROBBERY OF.ARCHBISHOP MARSH'S Li-
BRARY.—In our first account of this affair we omitted
giving the name of the delinquent, from obvious reasons,
Since then we have learned that a manuscript of the
Vulgate, superbly written on vellum, had been sold by Air.
UNDERWOOD to Mr. HYNES, of Anglesea-street, for 41..
which that gentleman, with his usual promptitude in doing
what is correct, returned to the library, on being refunded
his money. The Bible would not be sold for 1,0001.
The Evening Mail, so noted for veracity and candour,
has charged us, in a vulgar article in its publication of
yesterday, with having given an intentionally false report
of this unpleasant circumstance. We again repeat, that
the, depredator of Dr. AlAusx's library had been afa •
vourite with Dr. MAGEE, and that he had been intro-
duced into the College library by the Rev. MOMAS
MAGEE. With regard to our statement of Mr. UNDER-
wooI) being a student of the University, and a candidate
for holy orders, we gave the report on the authority of the
persons •to whom he had told the story, which, we are
glad to find, is unfounded. About 100 books in all have
disappeared, and only 27 have been as yet returned.—
Dublin Freeman's Journal.

EXTRAORDINARY OCCURRENCE.—A great
sensation was created in the town of Windsor this morn-
ing by the following extraordinary circumstances :—Dur-
ing the perlOrmance of Divine Service at St. George's
Chapel, a respectably attired individual entered the nave of
the building wearing his hat,, when one of the attendants
requested him to remove it.. This not being complied
with, the Assistant-Verger took the gentleman's bat off
when the latter unbuttoning his coat, produced a brace of
pistols, which he seemed desirous to bring into use, when
casual circumstances diverted his attention. Intelligence
of this curious occurrence was immediately forwarded to
the Hon. and Rev. HENRY HOBART, Dean of Windsor,
who directed the necessary steps to be taken to secure the
seeming offender ; in the interim, the gentleman had left
the Chapel, and crossing the esplanade leading to the
guard-room, accosted a private of the 21st Fusileers on
duty at; the Castle, and producing a brace of pistols, de-
sired hint to " put toe to toe and take his choice." The
man, naturally astonished, declined ; when the offer was re-
peated to the officer on guard, who treated it in a
similar
manner. Application having in the meanwhile been made
to the civil authorities, a constable arrived, who appre-
hended the gentleman, and on examining the pistols, found
them both heavily loaded. On his person were also found
fifteen balls, a flask of powder, and a mould to cast bul-
lets. Insiuiry was subsequently made, when it was ascer-
tained that he had, purchased the pistols and other articles
this morning at a gunsmith's, in Windsor, where be had
given, his address, " Mr. Samuel Miles, Wyrandisbury
Mill, Bucks ;" this having been ascertained to be correct,
an express was despatched to his friends, who were in a
state' of great alarm, the unfortunate gentleman having
been some time deranged, and in a state of private surveil-
lance. Measures were immediately adopted to restore him
to his .friends, the Chapter of St. George foregoing all pro-
ceedings for the breach of Ecclesiastical Law,