The Sun.
London, England, 1845-03-14 00:00:00

J

hen
and improvement in his condition, after so long
so severe a winter, to the low price ef
tuect_which had prevailed since its commence-
(Rear ) Still ho did not menti• in this
tth.° sole cause of the improvement. But he believed,
aueiiifi a very great extent. that impreveracnt had been
it.hrusetrteirsed 1)Y
the price of food. But ally were not the
in a better state? --why were they left a.'
i
even with all this improvement, upon is. a week?
L114(1 hsen said that the !armors were responsible for
7 condition of the labourers, but to this he could not,
‘4.4T2Y means, assent.—(Hear, heir.) In his opinion,
7 farmer stood entirely exonerated faun any such
ergo, and it was to the landlords they were to look as
.-4-Ti•, cause of all the distress which so widely
terribly areveiled throughout the country.
tie.;l Hardwick, in his address to the labourer3 Of Had-
4::a_Pt had said, " Conciliate your employers, and if
ai"ii not perform their duty to you and themselves,
14, Souou to the landlords ; and I aesure you
t4' will fill us ready to urge our own tenents to
tiii/rePer cultivation of their farms, and consequently
ted,'.inst employment of the labourer." To the land-
/cell' then, they were to look for any alleviation that.
obtained in the condition or the labourer. The
ade were respensible, the lendlords pessessed oh-
te•',te Power. They could influence the condition of all
tenet
theta; and it was to them, and not to the farmers,
th's ceuntry had •to look for the remedy f agri-
,al,t
eet t distress. And how did the landlerds
, towards their tenants and labourers?—(hour, hear.)
ie
11,, raw"niil cite the opinion of the Hon. Member for
^ e,itire (Mr. Ptvey), as expressed at the meeting of
'ilffelk Agriculture) Society:—" Ile knew this corn
prwell, and he knew that there was not a place, from
tit-T.4104th to Berwick, in which the landlords might not
imeravernent; but e hen the tenant was short of
o'lleYethe landlord generally word I he short of money
aiii,(Hear.) But he would tell them how. to find
tiv". There were many districts where there Was a
eiu4lt tOperfluity, not only of uselese, but of loi,chievous
t_ 'et; and if they weuld cet that, down which excluded
lie gun and air, and feel on the soil, and sell it, they
Auld benefit
hem-fit the farmer by cutting it down, and they
th'ellild benefit the farmer and labourer too, by living out
-Proceede iu underdraining the soil.—(Cheers.)
here Was another mule in which they might find
q. He knew that on some properties a large sum
4.! 'Pent in the preservation of game.—(Cheere) It
4" net at all unusual for the game to cost sao/. or 6001.
and if this were given up, the money would-
Ploy one hundred able-bidied labourers in improving
ei:Properte.—,'Cheers.) This was another fund for
llndlortf3 of England to benefit the labourers and
attarora at the same. time." And if Hon. Gentlemen
rit'ed the responsibility for the improvement of the
fa.nuition of the labourer was to be thrown upon the
'in
ar, they must at least allow that that improve-
mfnt could only be obtained through an increase in the
arm"' s produce, and
app' a
toothlargr proportionate share
'ti that produce being ied e comfort of the h-
ilt I% Yet he would show them a high authority on
-•iie other side of the House in what way the farmers
more
rewarded for rendering the tillage of their land
.114 e valuable. He (Mr. Cobden) would read to the
°Pile some observations made by the Hon. Member
41.,elsineolnshire (,M4. Christopher), on the motion
Theit 'Honourable Friend the Member for Manchester
`"'ri Milner Gibson) for agricultural statistics, he said,
:clet- was most desirable for the farmer to know the
itut°4l quantity of corn grown in this country, as such
.iu owledge would insure steadiness of prices, which was
a,2.tely more valuable to the agriculturist than filte-
ring prices. But to ascertain this there was extreme
_Acuity. They could not leave it to the farmer to make
12•eturn of the quantity which he produced, for it was
•171 for his interest to do so. If in any cne or two years
Produced four quarters per acre on land which had
jlionsly grown but three, he might fear lest his land-
would say, t Your land is more productive
tlft I imagined, and I must, therefore, raise your
btellt: The interest of the farmers, therefore, would
A: to underrate and to furnish low returns."
nether authority at-a meeting of the Colchester Agri-
of rural Association—" That lie was aware that a spirit
tuulinprovement was abroad. Much was said about the
aut.farmers doing more. lie agreed they might do
rild Eire; the soil of the country was capable of greater pro-
•-eetition if he said one-fourth more he should be within
til4)lll9.—(llear, hear.) But that could not be done by
the tenant-farmer alone ; they must have confidence—
ertni cheers)—it must be done by leesee—(Ronevved
draiwing, by extending the length of fields,
Y'lcnocking down hedge-rows, and clearing away trees
I.',4!ich now shielded the corn." And what said another
lethority.at the meeting of the South Devon Agricultural
P•43oeiation?—" He knew it had been thought that land-
Ptle a were ready to avail themselves of such associa-
tion', on account of the opportunity it afforded them for
•..1,161`g into their tenants' effiiire anti opening their eyes.
• !(hear.) An instance of this occurred to hint at a re-
, Ploughing-match, where he met-a respectable agri-
itttriSt; whom he ell knew, and asked him if he was
Soirg 10 it'? lie said no. Why?' Because he did
°t approve of such things. This why produced another
IttilY • And the man gave a reason why. Suppose he
fent it plough an d man, with. tao superior horses, the
.14ndlord at once would sae, "fhis man is doing too well
°ll- my estate,' and increase the rent "—(clear, hear.)
After these authorities, was it a matter of wonder that
the-farm., Id esive themselves and, as he thought,
lu_ crs sou con .. • .
4 'tIY, exotierated from any responsilulty for' the con-
Irfion the labourer ? Was, then, the conduct of the
etedloisle any alleVia•ion of the evil? He would read to
-Ivte-a'doeuMent which had be, n taken from the mantel-
rte"e of a labourer, residing at Stow-upland, in the
comity of Suffolk. It was a certificate from the West
II Snir
" Azricultstral Association, established in 1833,
f 4 the advancement of agriculture and the encourage-
rent of industry, and skill, Aid good conduct among
"110reraand servants In husbandry :
•;:et.e. Pedent the Duke of Grafton, Lord-Lieutenant of
-"e County.'
ee."This is to certify that a orize of 21. was awarded to
williarnßurch, aged 81., lateiurer, or the parish of Stowe-
P:lank in West Suffolk, September, 25, 1840, for having
fluarha ape nine children without relief, except when
If`Oiir 'Carr very dear, and for having worked on the
kra e
farm twenty-eight years.
..(Signed) "R. RUSHBROOKE, Chairman."
4-ttis'svas the way in which they rewarded a man who
*•aa pininfor want. The whole thing together truly
~.
a bad case. The fact was they never looked berore
Zeal and provided for the necessities of the case. They
;ere,- in fact, legislating to make the land a lend of
war the
hed tried the allotment ssstem, and what
;at the allotment system?—a mere plaything, and worse
,'"411,. a plaything. That might be well enough, but he
••geould tell them that had there not been wiser heads
j°an their own below them, the whole country would
ie,_°llg before this have been in a frightful state of anarchy.
-4"°, it at the state of Ireland. They had contrived to
preserve the rights of property in Ireland by the aid of'
the English Exchequer and 20,000 men. But if the same
events were to occur in England, what -would he the con-
dition of•the whole population at the present moment?
ee
"i: imam aWare that this might be looked upon as a poll-
C] I. matter, but he did not think that that would be
-°°ked upon as a merely political matter in the
agricultural districts. At the last election the
role weight of the political influence had been
°reed b th ation in the ricuistricts. T
he e
11d red alembscrs had comae d ownitura tol teat H e awo
house and
In on the benches behind the M.nister, simply through
trile. Weight of the agricultural influence, and he there-
'l46 hoped that he should succeed in obtaining their
t'b 'operation, though he feared that he should not ; in-
d{Z he did not expecet to succeed in his motion, but
,le` had done his best, and he had no hesitation in telling
'"emehat if they obtained a Committee of that House
that he would explode the whole delusion of agricultural
Protection.—(Hear, hear.) He was able to bring for-
ward such an immens (Mass of evidence, such a prepon-
derance of talent, that when the Blue Book was sent
forth, as they could now send it, through their vehicles of
information, that the system of protection should not
Ilia for two years afterwards.--e(llear, hear.) cry
°f protection had proved a convenient handle for the po-
,"tieians,, for it carried the counties at the last election,
rY
eand the poliians gained honours, emoluments ad place
it. Thtie cold tattered flag was tarnishel, and was
- it to' be hoisted still fir the benefit of the politicians, or
• bOttld they cisme forward and honestly and fairly in-
.quire into the question ? lie could not believe that the
gentry of England would be made mere drain-heads, to
be beaten by others, and give no articulate voice of their
°wn. They were the gentry of England .who represented
the Counties. They were the aristocracy. of England.
Their fathers led his fathers, and they might still lead,
if
• they went the right way; hut if they went against
the • •
• stunt of the age, by opposing popular opinion, their
days, ho warned thorn, were numbered. In other days
--in the battle-field or the hunting-field, in all the
contexts of 'manly • vigour, their• fithere were foremost
in the strife. The aristocracy of I•:netand were not like
tihe aristocracy of France. mere minions of a Court; nor
ike the aristocracy if Spain, dwindled into mere
ngande. They were Englishmen, and had never shown
• Wilnt of firmness or courage when a call
It 118•4: been aneele upon This was a new era.
was.the age of improvement—the age of social ad-
' itlt.einnt—ntit the !.,,•e of war and feudal sports. They
."ed when the whole wealth of the country was poured
ot
-° their lip by mercantile enterprise. They could not
to tilt advantage of commercial rates. and feuded pri-
gna but they might, as they hail done, identify them-
▪ es With, svith.the people. and still remain the aristocracy of
nglitnd--(Hear, hear.) lie Ii id no hesitationsin telling
ehe
team there was 4, deep rooted, an hereditary prejudice in
favour. But they could not keep the benefit of
• te 'lt Prejudice if they opposed themselves to the spirit of
ee• age. But if they were indifferent to the
• entry—if they obstructed that progress which was
• eriliaulated to knit nations together in the bonds of peace
u
r°llgh- commercial intercourse—if they were to fight
against
the stream which had almost given life and
breath to Material nature, and obstruct that which the
ttc°ll.l2alunitv at large laid decreed should go on—then
43;1.7 oaf& be the gentry of England no longer, and
0
would be found to take their place ; and he had
b° hesitation in saying that he stood in a very critical
I:%°, 4ti°n• There was a spreading eespicion that they
t:re tampering with the feelings of the community. Let
eta read their own organs, and they woul l see that this
was the case. Let them, then, show that they were
not the' mere
politicians they were supposed to be.
Ina asked them to go into Committee, and he
"id give • them a majority of county Members—
' la,N"`, they should have a majority of the Central Protec-
-101(11 Society itself on that Committe a He only asked
rinquiry—a fair inquiry—into the causes of agricul-
t
enral •
distress, and he felt sure the Hon. Members who
intended b
to;move amendments to his motion, would nut
a mere quibble. He only asked for fair in-
quiry, and whether it established his principle, or the
principle of Hon. Gentlemen on the other side of the
lecniee, he did entreat the independent Gentlemen of that
(3)4e that they would not refuse on that occasion to go
into a fair, a full, and an impartial investigation.
eehlr. SIDNEY HERBERT said the speech of the
11°11. Member who had j'ust sat down ha.l been distin-
guished by 4 degree of Lugeauity mid kuowledge which

ha I but rarely been surpassed. But at the same time,
he theught the Hon. Gentleman hal lessened the inn
tee tance of his cause by the multiplicity of arguments
and facts which he edduced in support of it. The Hoe.
Member it would seem hal forgotten that - some of his
f ices were contradictory.—(Hear, hear.) The Hon.
Member had stated that the labour of Committees who
who had sat upon Vtis subject, had always led to im-
proving the condition cf the agriculturist, and the culti-
vation and quality of the land. Now, he must say, that
he differ,el very much from the Hon. Member—for at
various periods Committees had been appointed to in-
quire into the operation of agricultural protection, but
he did not remember that any of these Committees had.
produced any material change in the system. The
Committee which sat in 1815 and 1822, he admitted,
came to certain conclusions, which they reported to the
House but these reports could hardly be understood by
persons living in the present day.—(Opposition cheers.)
Subsequent Committees that were appointed found en at
difficulty in arriving at any conclusion upon the subject,
and, therefore, they declined to make any report to the
House, and they laid before the House nothing but two
large folio volumes, full of contradictory opinions and
facts.—(hear, hear.) A Committee sat in 1833, and
that Committee numbered sonic of the most eminent
man in that House. On that Committee, he be-
lieved, were the Noble Lord the Member fur the
City of London, and his Right Hon. Friend the princi-
pal Secretary of State fir the Home Department. That
Committee came to a different conclusion to &bat which
the lion. Member fir Sto:kport had arrived at. In the
first, place, they came to the conclusion that protection
ens necessary, and that notwithstanding agriculturists
had Vs contend with great difficulties, and no matter
whetter it was in the time of peace or war, great-im-
provements had ta'oin place in the cultivation of Imd.—
(11-ar, hear.) lie visited Ireland lest year, and that re
he
was told, and saw with his own eyes. that the state
of agriculture was improving, and in this country he
knew from personal inquiries that the profits of the
farmer were daily on the increase. The Flon. Member
hal said there could be no imorovement in the cultiva-
tion of land, because capital was withdrawn from it.
Now, how could the fanner have improve:l his lend so
as te increase his profits :without cipital.—(Hear, hear.)
The Hen. Member said landlordi kept their tenants in
a state of subserviency, and they were restricted from
making the most of their farms by certain clauses which •
were invariably introduced into farm leases. But the Hon.
Member forgot that those were penal clauses, and only
applied -to certain- ceunties.—(Hear, hear.) He would
venture, however, to say that these leases did not bear a
recent dame, because the House must he aware that
lately improvements had been intreduced into the term
and tenets-age of farm leases.—(Hear, hear.) In intim-
teres of apprenticeihip, to this day, they would find
early, absurd, and obsolete conditions ; but the Hon.
Member must bear in mind that it was the spirit of the
instrument that was acted upon, and not the letter. He.
entreated Hon. Members-on his own side of the House
not to suffer their sympathy for the prevailing agricul-
tural distress to induce them to concede the motion, for
it was quite impossible that it could be attended with any
beneficial result. What would be the utility of the in-
quiry ? Had they not already sufficient information en'
the subject? Surely, after the many discussions they had
had upon - the corn-laws, . and .after the. often-repeated
opinions. of eminent political economists on agricul-
ture and commerce, they had sufficient information to
enable them to form an opinion, or even to legislate
upon the subject if it were necessary. But even
were they to grant. the Committee, he did not
think it would appease the public mind, or put an end to
the Anti-Corn-law agitation. No, nor would the lion.
Member for Stockport, consent to suspend his judg-
ment on the corn laws and direct agricultural pro-
tection till they were put in possession of . the deci-
aion of this Committee. Nor would Covent-garden be
restored to the muses, or those gentlemen who there
enact tenant-farmers return to• their former occupations.
—(Hear, hear, and a laugh.) Granting the Committee
would not either put an - end to discussing the question
in that Howie. for he'saw that the• Hen. Gentleman the
Member for Wolverhampton had given notice of his
motion for a repeal of the corn-laws.---•(Hear, hear.) He
was not aware that the appointment of a Committee
would have the effect of indueing.him to withdraw
his notice.
Mr. C. P. VILLIERS—I have not given it yet.
Mr. S. HERBERT continued—At all events, he did
not think if the motion were carried it would put an end
to all discussion on the subject in that House. But Hon.
Members opposite admitted that they had no very great
respect for the deciSions of Committees, and where then
was the use of appointing,. one ?—(hear, hear.) It
would not have the effect eitte r of alleviating the d's-
tresm, for the appointment of the Committee would have
a most ruinous effect upon the lauded interest of the
country.—(Hear, hear.) All would be denbt and un-
certainty, and until -the report of the Committee were
known. capital would be entirely diverted. from agricul-
ture. Until the Committee had examined witnesses from
diffatent parts of the country—until they had taken the
opinion of eminent political economists, and until all the
doctrines of wages, texations, and profits had been in-
quired into, the agricelturalinterest, indeed the whole of
the country, would be in a state.of uncertainty. The effect
of this uncertainty, there could be no doubt, would be
disastrous. to the agricultural community, and indirectly,
if net directly, tend to injure the trade of the country.—
(Hear, hear.) Now, the Hon. Gentleman had made
Some observations nPus the improvements- which had
been made in egrisulture. The Hon. Member -at the
:Male 61111 drew a comparison between the improvements
made in agriculore, and the improvements which had
ieten intredueed into menufactures, which certainly
was very flotering to the Hon. Me-411)er himself.
Bet the Hon. Member hat forgotten that manufacturers
had a considerable advantage over agriculturists. The
agriculturist cent I only turn his capital once a year,
but the tnanufactarer umld do it frequently.—(Hear,
hear.) A farmer sometimes had a good harvest' and
sometimes a bad one. Iris profits, too, were often re-
duced in a bad harvest by the prospect of a future good
one, but the manuilteturer seldom or never laboured
under di advantages of this nature.—(Hear, hear.) He
hord the Hon. Member for Northampton woUld with.
draw his amendment.. Past Committees Insists agricul-
tural distress had produced no beneficial change, and he
did net think any further inquiry would be attended
with a different result.—(l-lear.) It had on more than-one
occasion been stated that her Majesty's present Ministry
took office plsdeed to maintain agricultural protection.
The Government had not, as had been stated to-night,
made promises which they did not intend to keep. The
Hon. Gentleman had said the .county Members had
been returned on the pledge that they would maintain
protection, as it was previous to the last election. For
his own part he had stated his views of the corn-laws to
his constituents, and had not concealed that the
Honourable Baronet at the same time would preserve
to the agricultural interest the protection of the corn-
law, but would make such modifications of the sliding-
scale as the altered circumstances_ of the country from
war to peace rendered necessary.--(1-lear, hear.). He
believed that there was a great deal of distress, which
was not within the reach of legislative remedy. But he
thought that nothing could more tend to alarm and dis-
hearten the farmers than that. the House should
show them it Was dissatisfied with the present
arrangement, and that, at the instance of a Gentleman
who was no friend to them—(Elear, hear)—and who
desired to deprive them of all protection.—(Hear, hear.)
It was going into an inquiry of indefinite length, from
which, after some period, a measure of some sort would
arise, for the purpose of putting an end to the protection
which now remained.—((dear, hear.) The Govern-
ment did not deny that there was some amount of pro-
tection which it was not intended to withdraw.—(Hear,
hear.) At the same time he and the Minist :its admitted
that it was a fair and legitimate subject of discussion in
that House. Tho Hon. Member for Wolverhampton
(Mr. Villiers) had given notice of a motion on the sub-
ject, on which the whole question would be tat teed, before
they could have any report of the proposed Committee,
if it should be granted. But if they were not ice- pos•
session of the information for which the Committee was
demanded by the lion. Member for Stockport, they
were not in a condition to go into the discus-
sion of Mr. Villiers's motion. If they were in
it state to go into it, then there was no necessity to send
to a Committee up stairs for information, which they al- •
reedy- poseested.—(rlenr, hear.) IF they told him how
the Committee would he constituted, so well known was
the state of opiaion on the question, he, could tell them
what would be the result.—(Hear, and a laugh.) He
thought, however, that the House was bound not to
accede to the motion, unless it was proposed to alter the
present law.—(Hear, hear.) It could not be pretended
that any information was required, and the Hon. Gen-
tlemat only wanted the Committee for the purpose of
expounding his own view's, which he was in the habit of
doing with great clearness and ability, and at sufficient
length in the House. The Committee would at most
only create hopes. as to the repeal of the import duties,
which could not be realised, and increase the dissatis-
faction and uneasiness which it was the idesire of Par-
liament to alley.—(hear.) He hepetl his Iron. Friend.
the Member for East Norfolk would withdraw his amend-
meet, and that the House would negative the motion. .
Lord HOWICK, who was at first very imperfectly
hoard. said that the Right lion. Gentleman who last sat '1
down had commenced by stating that Committees upon
agricultural distress were of no use. That was a mere
doctrine with Gentlemen opposite.—(Bear, hear.) He
remembered when the Governments of which they were
members held Cemuitteee oa agricultural distress
in
great estimation.—(Cheers.) Besides that, he denied
that Committees of inquiry were of no use.—(hear.)
The facts which were brought out were of importance.
The new views in which they placed acknowledged facts
were also of importance. He reminded Right Hen.
Gentlemen opposite, that the first step which was made
in ameliorating the system of protection grew out of a
Committee of inquiry into agricultural diatress.—(Hear.)
A majority of country gentlemen .were induced, in
the Committee of Isls, to adopt an able report
drawn up by Mr. Ilutkiston, which made an
important step towards improvement of the corn laws.—
(Hear, hoar.) The Committees of 1815 and 1833 were
the means of bringing together a body -of information
which had been iintnensely useful.—(Hear, hear.) The
Right Hon. Gentleman opposite (Sir R. Peel) adopted
that report. But it did not serve the arguments against
this motion. The Right Hon. Gentleman (Mr. Herbert)
said that Committees of this kind were of no use, es
was not questions of detail they had to 'consider, but
questions of treat principles, which might be :consi-
dered in the House. He (Lord Ilowick) had no hesita-
tion in stating that his opinion was made up.---(Hear,
hear.) He did not want to wait for the result of the
Committee to make up his mind, nor did he think that
the appointment of it would be a roast el for postponing
the motion of kis Hon. Friend the Membe,r for Wolver-
hampton.—(Hear, hoar.) But, was there nothing the
Committee could do beyond debating on the principle of
protecting duties?—(Hear.) On the contrary, he thought
much valuable information could be collected indepen.-
dent of' the corn-laws and protecting duties.—(Hear.)
They. invariably found on the one side of the House and
on the other the most exlire,ordhlar atatements of