The Sun.
London, England, 1821-12-20 00:00:00

THE COLONIES,

CANADA.
(FtOrh the Quebec Gazettes 22d Oct. to, 15th Nov. 10111.)
(Continu:d from yeSterday's Paper.)
QUEBEC, Nov. 1.
Cons TitAbt.--The accounts of the unfavourable harvest
weather in Great Britain, early in September, and the conse-
quent rise in the price of grain, which were received at New
York only nn Wednesday se'nnight, were forwarded by a mer-
cantile express to this country, and acted upon here, before
Monday last ; large purchases, it is said, have been made, par-
ticularly in the district of Montreal, at some advance on the
late depressed prices. At present we believe that holders would
not sell at any price which a corresponding rise in freights
would justify, even supposing the prices occasioned by the alarm
in England were to hold. The wheat already exported this
season, at a risk, will probably come to a very favourable
market. The prices in England in November and December
next, will deterniine nearly the real state of the British Corn
Market till the ensuing thar*est. One of the evils of the Corn
Laws is, that interrupting the gradual supply which flows into
every country as it is wanted to keep up an equality of price
throughout, ensuring abundance to all and a constant excite-
ment and certain reward to industry, these laws occasion alter-
nately high prices and low prices, a scarcity and then a glut,
giving the natural reward of the produce to the speculator more
nearly allied to the gamester than to the prudent merchant,
whose invaluable labours tend to secure to the whole human
family the advantages which legislative meddlers are constantly
endeavouring to destroy. This country, in consequence of the
partial exclusion of foreign corn from the English market
during the late wars, and by the distinction recently made in
favour of colonial grain, has, probably upon the whole, been a
gainer by the operation of the Corn Laws : but we question
much if even a competition in the English market with all the
world, would not be more advantageous to the Canadas than
the existiikg *system. We certainly are in• justice entitled to
some advantages in the English market over foreigners,
seeing that we labour under the restrictions of the colonial
system from which they are exempt. It would be an in-
teresting subject of inquiry whether England has gained
any thing by her Corn Laws ? Whether the British
Landholder's themselves have gained any thing by them ? We
know however that they believe they are gainers, altircough, as
far as our knowledge goes, their condition is worse how than
before the system went. into full operation. There is no doubt,
however, that a majority would be found in Parliament to re-
peal those laws, were it not that, like every other law restric-
tive of trade and industry, they have produced an unnatural
state of things, which it is dangerous to touch. A determina-
tion certainly exists in England to return to a more wholesome
system by degrees, and much has already been done, of which
the restoration to a metallic currency and a reduction of the ex-
penditure are the most important.
BAKE as.—Nothing is so quick in perceiving advantages as
individual interest, and nothing is more apt to be too eager and
overshoot the mark. When opposing interests of this sort are
left free, without any unfair advantage, and subject only. to the
legal punishment provided for combination, fraud and violence,
the one generally keeps the other within the bounds of justice,
which is the general interest. The Bakers have latterly been
left to the same freedom as every other tradesman. Any one
who chuses, may now set up for himself without license; he
may sell at such weight, of such quality and price, as he thinks
fit. All combination to fix the price is, however, punishableby
fine, imprisonment, the pillory, and such like. Combination is
the only evil to be apprehended from the absence of regulations,
not that we think theßakers more liable to engage in it, or more
likely to succeed than any other tradesmen ; but because they
have been accustomed to something nearly approaching to a
combination, by the practice which formerly existed of regulat-
ing the price of Bread, the public being also thereby thrown
off its guard, and accustomed to use less vigilance in purchasing
Bread than other articles the price of which never was regu-
lated. When Flour rises, the price of Bread must also
rise. There is no good reason why a Baker holder of
Flour should not immediately profit by the rise as
well as other holders. Right or wrong, however, there
will be more or less of a clamour against the Bakers ;
it is their business not to merit it, and like every other un-
founded clamour, it will soon die away. Each of them ought
to be particularly solicitous to serve his customers, like every
other honest tradesman, on the best terms possible, carefully
avoiding every thing like combination, which is always to the
advantage of the dishonest, who never adhere to any engage-
ment. In the absence of all regulation by Public Authority,
and to avoid all mistakes, bakers of established character would
perhaps act prudently, if they were to mark their loaves with
their initials and the weight of each loaf ; otherwise the public
ought to insist upon having the bread weighed, that they may
know to a certainty what they give their money for. As to the
quality, the consiuner will be leady enough to find that out,
and will naturally prefer the best and cheapest.