The Sun.
London, England, 1842-03-10 00:00:00

• a...
:ad alto
eaesed...sgiven to agriculture a power and an effic envy wh.eh
el.eu that of every other country, and he trusted that the
eliculturists would go on horn year to year iticre.•sing the
ene)? of the soil, by the means which they applied to it.
• Rig Hon. Gentleman adverted to a topic which had
With e very trite, with alll who were acquainted
4%1 the 1,. „law
the
debates, namely, the operation
oe;:Corn-laws in hampering the trade of foreign countries.
iwLtlat here repeat what he ventured to state on a former
ett• The Right Hon. Gentleman said that if they had
abed
clutY on corn that would lead to a fixed importation—
isilett importation would lead to a fixed trade, and that would
117,V0 an increased demand for manufactures. He (11r. G.)
ta7° Over the fact that the Right Hon. Gentleman begged
tiliquestion, the important question, that. the impor.•
of corn would be followed by an increased demand
„i•ht ma corn
of " Hear, hear.") Perhaps
long,' period of time such a result would fol-
it Is,lloPposn cheers.) He said in a long period of time
404710 have thr effect. But let them look to what existed,
liale" going forward at the prevent moment. There was
Altr which sent tallow and hemp and other articles, but
Tydid not take the manufactures in exchange.
Hate. Mestaen— She does indirectly.
>ylr, GLADSTONE (in continnation) But she did
bet bonything like the extent to whi h we imported from
etes ""Itssia did not take their goods to more than 35 per
'Of the amou tto which they took goods in return from
sia, He did no wish to discourage a fixed trade as far as it
teal.eeloPetent with other interests. The Right Hon. Gentleman
hyi: not deny that the extent of a fixed duty must be limited
tarter' erage demand. Suppose they wanted two millions of
1114naf wheat, a fixed trade might enable them to procure
:"„e°t", and they might also pay for them with manufac-
Rape I°4- But how would it operate in present circum-
r l'or the last three or four years they had had bad
tea ~,t,a and there was a deficiency of corn to the amount of
Ilea'll°Tl quarters, and how, he asked, yield such a deficiency
4Plthod by a fixed duty? In such a cse, a sudden demad
ittsee„,,a,tod which the ordinary market a
may not be prepared
kallict7HY, and they must then offer high prices, and pay in
Via and the same result as that which now took place under
kittent system must ensue . The Hon. Gentleman, the
fa fec Liskeard, took a different course, and allured
id.----tret of the Corn-law in diminishing the demand for
keen; It was incident to their discussions that fallacies
tdia,h.° current on both sides, and there could be no greater
itaalban that which promised cheap bread. He thought it
hear, itted in the House that cheap bread meant nothing
itinitgial to the labouring classes.—(Cries of " No, no.")
thatt,oe read in the speeches of Honourable Gentleman we'
live were not to look to the money price, but to the rela-
-411,.°110f food. That was the question, and it was cornea-
.l4 : Unimportant what the money price was, provided they
_.lfaetreletive command of the necessaries of life.—(Cheers.)
ibitisrainly did hear less in the course of the present debate
2leatn,",° used in former years, about the danger of the British
'cures being undersold by their foreign competitors.
• klatieree Might be the distress prevailing amongst British
esinjotttrers at the present time, so far was it from being
ela by our foreign competitors, that it was an unquestiona-
-14
n
et that those suffered much more from our competition
.sateto did fro*Ports of cottom theirs. It had been shown this year tt
.ttate n goods were increasing at the time that he
idnit9tion
at home was also increasing ; and, therefore,
itettltte li,deappear.to him most unjust and detrimental to de-
t the in energies of English agriculturists, he would add
pleas Was rejoiced, on patriotic grounds, to find that our trele
tota to tear than in former years, from the efforts of foreign
ale tition.
He would admit that the competition of foreign
!teal „eleass formidable in some branches—nor would he
to weaken any argument that had been used to show
manufactures were entitled to some remedy against
4katif°fthose disadvantaoes ; but he would affirm that British
et'est ,ettirera, taken as 'a
whole, were able to beat their oppo-
-Ibsll4l almost every country of the world.--(Cheers.) But
blitGentleman said the effect of the Corn-laws was to
titsh."'o demand for labour. He spoke of the great hardships
litei„,.Present state of things,.
and alluded to the report of Mr
tad '-ts who stated that in one place 32,000 persons were
ktriPkrtially employed, and 17,000 without employment,
114 111:„ 52,000 persons out of work. Undonbtedly
t*,,-"ua lamentable state of things, but the real question
'44111; "muse to consider' was, would a repeal of the Corn-
Gtch,,Tnedy h.? (heers.) Now, setting aside all questions
'stet
regarded
and foreign competition, and looking to the sub-
l'ehe garded the labouring classes, be would ask, did each
re, in really believe that a repeal of the Corn.laws would
,11* efildsll,. tile number of unemployed labourers ?—( Cheers. )
'Vets "et lay of the number of labourers unemployed Wasa-
PostiO_res, but those of all classes —(Hcar, hear.) it
°KC that any man could suppose, whatever might be his
1%14;4 of the ultimate 'effect of the repeal of the Corn-laws
Newwag it possible any man could believe that a repeal of
.`botts-i'-laWs would not diplace a vast means of agricultural
tellitieL;i;d7o(rilsieers.) This had been, to a great extent, treated
question, but he thought that, for the present
atel•ea„Plti°,o, at least, was more of a labourers' question.—
"at I-) Now the most approvedauthorities on land, de-
this
Wiles "1' as the surplus produce the land yielded after the
yis cultivation and the maintenance of the cultivator. If
hob Were
, considerine the many classes of land cultiva-
taOtitCtgh.,t be said that the lowest class yielded no rent, or at
price me returns were exceedingly small. If you raised of agricultural produce in any country, you would
'eta et 14°01 wider extent of land into cultivation, and there-
ittesr e Poorer soils would be tilled ; and if the poorer soils
it*
Malts y were cultivated through the rise. of the price of
tve, Produce it followed that if you diminished prices
b-eighttittll throw die poorer soils out of cultivation. This
:I"ise,'"onish rents but in the present extent of cu,tivation
isetf4N
tlealtrivtahlaitonieyou, reducedtat rents,the same
by throwing certain lands
lime time, throw out of ern-
that t a great ,you
mfula'bourers.—(Hear.) It was also said
hsiAthhe_aCotrn.law: weree
repealed the agriculturists, instead of
17ter,
,ert 0 the present. extent, would turn their fields into
dein 'ins was another view of the question.
.. It was said that
Obtlriritishis the landlords would maintain their rents; perhaps
-"e Are it not at least clear that the transfer from. eto
lose-,lose-, huLould throw a vast number of labourers out of work __
Os `41., and eoUnt ry cheers.) It was evident, then, that throughout
Atone _ 0 support of the agricultural labourers would 1;
:strof. endangered by a repeal of the Corn.laws than the
'little • sne landlords —( Hear, hear.) He hoped now that the
tt4iitl, 41 result of those considerations would be to induce the House 1
apkaLb this question in the calm temper recommended to them
et speaker. Of all things he (Mr. Gladstone) would de.
a an
041,1 be "Y violent legislation on this subject, because the effect
%kilt to disturb the enormous mass of capital embarked in agri.
,aridloll Pllrsuits, to spread a panic among,t the cultivators of the ;
1.2 to diffuse, perhaps, in consequence of mere apprehensions
1.70:' 'Mich misery through the community.—(Hear, hear)
Lit tt
-`tenl and Learned Member for Lsskeard said, that one object '
et to preserve that security to the farmer which we did
LtSin
44t0 other interests, by excluding foreign competition in cer-
Orem Rea of the corn market. But the Honourable and
Gentleman• a should recollect that they attempted this
Zget no, could already secure to other interests what they
."`re 'le the farmer—that was, that while they could se-
%let ° ether interests a uniform legal protection, they
not in
the opinion of nine-tenths of the gentle.
'tk_ir`kivati)r.es.ent, do this for the farmer; and, therefore,
b that the stale could not compensate the farmer for
• rt: "ens on the land in proportion to the proteetion given to
'lib, 'Hreto
z•-qh.6 a, nothing could be more fair—the policy of the Act
trkn,"` the inability of the State should be compensated by ex.
tittlsh.-7 legal privileges. The Right Hon. and Learned Gentle-
Zak i'Poke last, said that in the markets of the country, under
lh "'the consumer derived no benefit from the Is. duty when
th!therhveas 731. • that the foreign ho:der derived all the profit ;
Aie
.4k4tei, os. duty
arnourit about 2,000,000 of quarters, would come in
as' wader the present law, and that at prices
tat cal;
„,14OW, in the first place, they ought to guard against
tw7ree admitting the defective working of the old law, he
ea iie,i'uat the new law, as shown in the course of the de-
declared by eminent mercantile authorities, in.
tCatinw-en of alt parties, would have the effect ofpermanently
Pee4wter at least of materially diminishing, the defects
was
Ott yore sY'tem. But the Hon. and Learned Gentleman
'rhe"! the dead, while he claimed too much credit for a fixed
%it') h jp°ll. Gentleman said that at the price of e6s. the to-
ib to°;er of corn would be as much Induced to bring
Oars Wmglarld as at 725. But was it natural that the fo-
Nk, a. Quid go to such a distance, pay as much for transpor.,t.,
Nahercite princh to the original cultivator for 50s. as for 7-
e„-eteß. Ls Ito refutation. But the new law would give good
1001--reent to the foreign holder, and great relief to the
t•
al scratat home. The Hon. Gentleman calculated on a most
sk.; el be io'e. When he said that three hundred thousand pounds
sat tot' to the consumer in the quantity of corn returned by
n Vectors, who, in fact returned only one-fourth of the
N4,1%1 •
aatces ao this might be multiplied by four. But those
ht, „
at t4,willtTet.beyremuch the highest sales in the country, and
Ite tales
mostly from hand to hand, the reports did not
entheea.fide votes.—(Hear, hear.) He (Mr. Gladstone) ha s
1144 L ;Peat pleasure the able and temperate speech of the
th tietet°,.:7' the Member for Sunderland But now the House
ata.l4ll-1:,..4ed hY an overwhelming majority against, a repeal of
s, and against a fixed duty, what then were they dis.
'Pr
" the Hon. Gentleman, who last spoke, called the new
oovaer.firsor of ultimate change, and quoted. Burke, to show
crow'slitw"r 'rnent ought not to tamper with Provision-laws. But
did not tamper with a subject when it brought for-
a% nieasn_
(eh white w le, admitted to be practicable, which. could. be carried;
ati:ters and lasee ot a speculation, or a mere political manoeuvr. .
hot ,t hat thghter.) He did not mean to ray that the measure
5 tw-' ""°nlth introduced under suspicious circumstances, was
of "ca-.,Tand conscientious measure • but the word tamper was
let;e otft,-; ‘!eaPon, and it bore sharply'certainly en the proposition
ssrWebt Go; "e•---- (Cheers and laughter.) He aLlrmed that the
tirak,l4 ~entneent did not tamper with the Corn-laws in bringing
i'easttre which was allowed to be a relief and to be prac.-
te''l:l:4 speetrkee the Noble Lord, the Member for Sunderland, in his
thathe ral',;_se_hile stating that'
he did not believe the Corn-laws
*fibPre, `. or the principal cause of the present. distress, said
14,nitr alteration would be very substantial
.benefit,fefotr_it
qt.% %agate the restrictions, and diminish the evils .
Hon.
nr„bei tl ,ritt,b°ogh he had no objection to vote tho
uw is
he .-Lanier for Warrington, because he believed it would(li
nill,notiktnetit, but If he believed the junction would be to reject
inwitillitet -"int on earth would induce him to give his vote.-
44 t 4ble ad" cl'eers.) This wag the declaration
_of one of the
erotthe (etr!-rocates of a fixed duty. Now, those were tamperers
Is, lin 101.21 thought with the Corn and Provision-laws who
0,4.'4 tint 'yard a measure which they knew they could not carry.
bo4tiineal agrresation their intentions ; but if they knew so little of
_So !the ronl,er of their position, as te deal with a question in.
lea,„‘od 1‘ vital interests of society, and agitating the country
heat,adiog tirid, those who attempted to deal with such a question
ete 105 t.% .° utmost strength of a Government long after they
.
wet:lett to en' strength
, and without a hope of bringing their
sa;ari ennclnsion the Government who so acted
regardtameerers 'with the Corn.laws.—(Loud cheers.)
111.11. t° a graduated scale, he should be ready to show,
toe: coneeiTare at this stage of the discussion, that it was pos.
.
%lute:tient, e a graduated scale which might operate without iii-
irawd eller 4w,1 trade. and be in every way, beneficial both to the
hon inietee .„Poditeer. But he must content himself with re-
this' that thoughtighs Hon. Gentleman, and those who thought with
ofa lehjert here was no such. thing as ideal perfection on
D'lldth Ott there
db t_ scale Was great Parliamentary authority on behalf
vtith ltard to it. and if the agriculturists had been in a delusion
vet ts,n, ethin. he would ask the Hon. Gentleman to view them
late, . compassion and sympathy, when he recollected
Pos,ttnatter Ywlte had been a partaken in their delusion. Surely it
(tieee'a_ ed jo_thy their consideration that the landed interest
towliril /rear.) share in the representation of the country.-1
te,s'"nated Hon. and Learned Member for Liskeard. het
the waßricultu".'s Right Hon. Friend at the supposed uneasiness
hae ficultiarist.r4r!' 11'1'4 if ever there was a time in which
the "'era!' ad done themselves honour by the. feeling they
w Y had Y eXhibited
(Ghee igeneran 'by the good sense and practical prudence
ead
regard Yor with but rare exceptions displayed in the
atiir.)ed this matter, the et nt was that time.—
time eult t e was antra •
age °1°()Ic at in that declaration ; he thought it tie
.multurist the ils of the Present law, and not see that
tditt n ef England were W 5 not ere making a considerable sacrifice.
giere „5 far from that they were sacrificing too much—
' ere than , Contending that they were sacrificing
teene-tithto tiwnerrn.se:ial and other i terests of the country had
tl 0;1 Political j 3
excitement,itata time when parties bad been shar-
inch' a tenet
(- tilos al electionhad been pitted together- in the
had been hea'ed by every stimulant
l
e whe ought
tieSe oiret:then have known better could app )1-
111 • `"os' comedeered the exaggerated views that, from
ld
riLthat ir c.:`anees, parties had been led to entertain, he would
itrheactohepierilltZ,nro_urab.leto the
.. agriculturists of England
.that
_e tight an as re...ce ot proposition aed supported it, and carried
vPtle2heititeht,a..t
malinthdurnmerlotfy the
ef e timing law. Let those who
but
bound In the posit. -
'es. was a prohibitive.. duty,.
let there with the Corn.l
ton of those who thought their interests
..asstone it. awa. He did not ray that it was so,
Was it no material change, instead of a
"11 Wlthi the price, to ce t tlitPresent scale