The Sun.
London, England, 1826-05-12 00:00:00

men of great 'experience, and that they would not venture imtale___.
rash experiments. Nothing could be more rash than to incur
the probability of a famine. The Noble Earl-had said let there
be inquiry. They wanted inquiry to stifle the subject for one
year. The Noble, Lord knew what this inquiry meant. It was
recommended by those who were in favour of the Corn Laws.
The distress then existing was occasioned by. the Corn'Laws,
and until those laws were amended and free importation- -al-
lowed, eteryemarter of corn taken out'of a foreign vessel :might
furniek the Manufacturer with the' means of ,gettingS tail of his
manufactured goods. Unless they admitted foreign cern, fo-
reign nations would not take away the goods which the ma-
nufacturer had to dispose of. It bad been said. the Corn Laws
did not produce the distress enemies the -niannfireturing ,claeses,
and that those laws had no effect open - the. workman and
labourer. That was a proposition he, must deny. , Suppose
Corn was three time* dearer than it was, then Corn Laws would
be monstrous and intolerable. From 1752 to 1792 the pros-
perity of the country advanced rapidly, and that was a pe-
riod when theie was au unrestricted importation of Foreign. Corn.
No part of the history of the country furitished an instance' of
more prosperity. Wien corn was high the rate of interest was
low, and the ipeculie'en ensued. Then they had all the misery
of re-action. If those effects had been produced, he was right in
saying distress was occasioned by the Coi)n Laws. He should
resist the Noble Earl's resolution. Ile had nothing to do.with
the consistency of Minister's, but did not wish to see corn at famine
prices. There would never be a steady price of corn until they
made the prices nearer those of the Continent.
The Earl of CARN.'.IIyON supported the proposition of the
Noble Earl. There was nothing in_ the state of the weather, or
the approaching harveet,.' to furnish ground for the apprehension.
of a famine. In the moment of distress, the unfortunete, persons
had complained' of power-looms and corn laws. If his Majesty's
Government acted openly, they would call on Parliament to abo-
lish the corn laws and power-looms. That, however, was not
the proposition ; if it were, they might understand it. But the
measures to be submitted to the House were either the effect of
fear, or what a Noble Lord had termed popular • humbug. Be-
lieving that the measures proposed would destroy all confidence in
the agricultural market, he was assured they would lead to results
disastrous to the country. Ile thought that there should be a
settled beacon to which all might look. The Noble Earl believed
it was their legislative duty to go into inquiry. If this Bill passed
the danger of famine would not be great, but the danger of ruin to
the agricultural interest would he great.
Lord DUDLEY and WARD opposed the Resolution. The
object of Ids Majesty's Government was to restore public tran-
quillity, and guaed against the danger •of corn being at a famine
price. The object of the Noble Earl's Resolution was to prevent
any alteration in the laws regulating corn before next Session of
Parliament. If 'they supported that proposition, they must say,
true it is, distress has been felt by the industrious classes—true it
is, riot has been the Consevuence—true it is, force has been luna-
voidably emploYed, and men trampled down by dragootir—true
it
is, the King's authority may order martial law, and distress may
still ensue, but corri must not be admitted into the ports for the
relief of the, suffering people. To that feeling the Noble Lord
could not accede. He should support the measures introduced by
his Majesty's Government, believing them influenced by a desire
to promote the public good—Solos popish supreme le.r.
The Earl of MANSFIELD dill not wish to disturb the sys-
tem of the Corn Laws without previous inquiry. The Corn
Laws, in the Noble Earril opinion, had not been the cause of dis-
tress. If he thought the preposition would materially relieve the
suffering classes, he should support those measures ; but he did nut
think letting out the bonded corn would be attended with adval-
tage. The price of corn might rise by letting it out of bond.
In Stockport they had raised the price of ,potatoes in consequence
of the late subscriptions., The Noble Earl was at a loss to see on
what ground the Gm-element provided against scarcity. Infer-
mation might have been received liyhis Majesty'S Ministers; but
he was ineppy to say titeee was net the slightest indication of any
such a case. He could riot Consent to give,liis Majesty's Mini-
sters the power and dieeretion they sought for. It appeared to
him that hie Majesty's l‘liniStere, and especially the. Noble Earl.
had changed their sentiments with respect to theCnin Laws. In
1522 the language Judd by Ministers differed front theit-opinions
at the present' day. ,
The Earl of LivEnpboi,,did not rice to go into detail. He
wished to make some observations, on the epeech of his Noble
Friend who budget jest down, heouse his Noble Friend trepposed
he had changed his opinion. If the Noble lord niemit to say that
the Corn Bill of 1822 was objectionable at the preseet day, he
would readily intbseribeeto that statement. it was the very nature
of the question that It must be variable. Taxation,,pretsed on so-
ciety more at one time than another. If agriculture bail been re-
lieved front taxation Gentlemen would ut deny that (ills, a quar-
ter now was the same as Boe. in 1815, when taxes pressed heavier
than at present. Circumstances of distress had arisen to make it
advisable for his Majesty's Ministers to see whether measures could
be taken to avoid an increase of that 4istress but before the
Noble Earl ,stated the ground on which he rested the measures,
lie declared that he never did ::sly the high price of corn wire the
cause of distress. He had seid over and over, that it was over-
trading. Taking the distress as arising from overetreriing or
any other cause, to exist, would their Lordehips say that high
'price of provisions was not an increase of that distress? ~It bad
been said that this; equntry, did not,grow more corn than was
enough for its censimoitien. " \Ft.-en their Lordifiliiiukatiked at
that fact,' they were to e(;ii:ifdtr'''iiiiat 'effect a had. harvest Would
have metre interests of the people. There were twaperiods at'
which they Might judgeewbether theednervest
,could .* good or
bad. Wet setting, ioeto ptirtienicleifeine freqmeitly destroyed
the. greatest espeaeeeno, thiaing e yeiisi ears, the obeervatinne
made upou the effect etithei ' liwieSed true. In the
year 1.61(; there wMii 'the triititeat. Peasiteet feom the 'appearance
of the crops, and tnhi expactotiinn failed in one day. The conse-
quence was, that,wheat swlliele was et :rase. rose to 110 e. per quar-
ter, , The Houle might eioneider what the effect would be, if be-
fore June or the !segu-tin- of July, such a Calamity was to Occur.
--Without the power called fur by'his Majeety's Government,
they could not open the ports before- the 14th of August. The
high prieeS would 'go 'end :there would be a scarcity without
the power to import a single quarter of 'corn. It was ridiculous
teiloule.to 'any calemity titre tide with indifference. Ismight occur,
itni.l produce ruin to, the anemia of 110,000,000 riterlitig. It was
said this might niit,baPpen, and dint they ought to hope for the
best. It was ;the) urged why might this not happen du any other
year ; the answer was L--the present eircuenstemees of the country
'made the ilifferenev.. Went of employineot was an evil the work-
beg pepoletien mule inderre, but suppose the effect of a bad hie-
vest to views wheer dietrer Ives staring the manefacturers in the
fare; With callitnitVlCelbee thrSeyee of* the nation, Would it be
Proper tole:rye the eonreoy et such a time with corn at a famine
price. A defect in the ltarveet, el...wetness of the season, mightleave
corn nit 150 s: and Government without the pirwir of admitting it
single quarter. It became essential to give that power tinder the
peculiar circuuest.usccs of the country which might be Withheld'
at any ether time. If the Unfortunate: woCknien found their Wages.
redireed to 7s. per Week, was it not a matter of importance to
them whether tire loaf was at sixpence or a shilling ? Their situ-
ation se bed enough, but it would be much Worse to be deprived
of the neceeeeries of life. The Nable Earl asked for a power
which might be beneficial to thesenuinufactUring districts. It was
a power they did not 'Mean to use unnecessarily. Whoever was
the Aileister, be must have the confidence of the country. It wree
not likely any MiOister would abuse the power then required. It
was said Minieters might.exereise a discretion, and not call upon
Parliament for a power which was dangermie in their bands.
There was no discretionary 'power for which Ministers were not
responsible. A. Noble Lord lied ellnded to him (Lord Liverpool)
as the author of the measures he brought into that House: He
as-owed himself the author of the measure. It was resorted to
for the purpose of giving relief if neceseery; and for rescuing per-
haps' millions of persons from famine. He lied been charged
with giving up hie opinion and the protection of 'the land-
ed interest. There never was any intention •on the' part of
his Majesty's Ministers to propose any alteration of the Cairn
Laws which was not founded on justice. In the negotiations they
had carried on with Foreign States., especially Prussia, the Mini-
sters of that Court bad been desirous of netting a favourable intro-
duction of their corn. The answer to the proposal •the Noble
Earl read to the Muse. It was in the following terms :—" In-
dependently however of insurmountable cliffiiesnitiesr, the under-
signerl feels bound to declare that the British Government can
never entertain any overtures from a Foreign Government, for an
alteration of the Corn Laws of this country. A. question of so,
Much importance must only. he considered with reference to the
interests of the British dominions." Thet was' the answer to the
Prussian Minister on the subject of the. Corn Laws, and it proved
the feeling of the Government of the country. They had upheld
KA'redly the 'View they had formerly took of the Corn Laws.—
They hail not only refereed to give way, but to negociate on, the
,obj, a It steed,' not then be said that
•theihad given up the
pampa . tders. Governthent only naked them to do that
orae just anal reasonable, and be willing to come in with
sv,,i-trnent and Parliament 'to is just' 'arrangement. 'This wane
the feeling with respect 'to the Corn Lanes, but the .measures
.to
i'eme utefore the Hoene had nothing. to do with the Corn Laws.—
The power claimed'hidoverniitent was to be' 'exercised for the
benefit of the public. It would not bin used embers it was wanted,
and the House had to decide whether it was safe to deny it.
The Marquis of LANSDOWNE was desirous of stating the
grounds on which he should give his assent to the motion of