The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-22 00:00:00

terial benches.) He would say more, he was grateful to hit*
for, so far as he could judge for the sentiments of his constirre-
mats, and of the great body of merchants whom he represent-
ed, they were of opinion that the measure was a great im-
provement, and ought to be accepted and tried for a she&
time, to see whether its working would not produce a steady .
trade in corn. He was of opinion that it would.—(Loud
cheers from the Ministerial side of the House.) He had not
yet alluded to the article of oats, and he thought with respect
to that produce, the present measure was en exceeding liberal
one. At this moment he had oats. weighing 421bs. to the
bushel : the price in Denmark for these oats was Bs. a quarter.
and the charges from Denmark independent of the duty
would not exceed 65., thus bringing the price up to 14s. Now,
at 20s , the duty was 6..., and thus they could bring oats into
this country, paying a duty of 6s. when the price was at 20s.
Now, under the old scale, 20s. was almost prohibitory, and,
therefore, there was a great improvement, and riot only was it
a great improvement, but it acted as a check upon the home
market. On all these grounds, considering the measure to be
one of great reform on the old stale, he did not, feel it to be
his duty to refuse so valuable au improvement as that proposed
by the flight lion. Baronet, on the ground that an abstract re-
solution had been proposed in the principle of which he agreed,
but which he felt assured there was no chance of carrying.--
( Loud cheers from the Ministerial benches. )
Mr. C. HULLER said, the Honourable Gentleman why
had just addressed the House, seemed to differ much in the
sentiments he entertained now, and those he entertained when
lie addressed the electors of Bridport, in June last. lie
called upon them then to sink all minor differences, in the
great cause of free trade, when he said the question was,
whether the people should suffer by the monopolists,
whom he designated as living upon the fat of the land.
Ile was proceeding—and he, (Mr. Buller) was delighted to
perceive that those by whom the Right Hon. Baronet was rice
casionally supported, supported him (Mr. Mitchell)—to prove
to the Right Hon. Baronet that it was a benefit. to the country
that wheat could he brought. frcm Denmark at 285., and oats
at 203. There was only one other speech made that night
upon which he felt inclined to remark, and upon only one pas-
sage in that speech. He was very' glad that a remark of his
elicited from the Hon. Gentleman, the Member for the West
Riding of Yorkshire, an explanation of what lie thought was
a fair subject for agitating the minds of the people,*
and what he thought was a fair subject of the people's wishes.
They should all admit that the 'nice of food was naturally one
of the everyday censiderations of the people of England, but
although the people were agitated upon that question, it
seemed to him to be one of the greatest advantages that could
be, that there should be honest and enlightened Members who
should tell their constituents when they were actuated by delu-
sions, that those delusions were mischievous and utterly useless.
He appealed to lion. Members to say, whether it was not the
duty of intelligent Members of that House to disabuse the
1 minds of their constituents upon these subjects? Me (Mr.
Buller) had taken no part in debates upon this question
before ; he knew the collision of interests which would pervade
the country when it came to be discussed; but he was always
of opinion that whenever it came to be settled—whenever the
circumstances of the country were such as to require a settle-
ment of it—when the people came to demand an alteration of
those laws which prevented the introduction of corn into this
country, the question would be speedily settled. The one ereat
argument which excited the feelings and biassed the judgment
of the people against the Corn-laws was their manifest injure
tice. If there was nothing else—no other consideration but
that, it rendered the immediate settlement of them most essen-
tial. Hon. Gentlemen on the other side did not avow
that they were personally interested in a settlement of
the question—they stated that it ' was not for them-
selves they cared a bit, but they were anxious for the
prosperity of the farmers, and were not indifferent to
the manufacturers, who were the parties principally interested
in this measure. Consistent with common sense, it was im-
peiative upon the Legislature to enact a measure with respect
to the introduction of corn into this country, and it was equally
imperative upon them to remove the fatal mistrust which ex-
isted with reference to the present law. Even if those laws
were not so objectionable, it would be wise to remove those
causes which bad the effect of rendering their legislation so
much an object of suspicion.--( Hear, hear. ) It is an in-
variable rule that when the people of any country believe that
laws are founded on unjust principles, that they always ex-'
aggerate the evils which result from them—they are slow to
sit down under the notion that those laws might have been
originally founded in justice if they cannot impute the evils
from which they suffer to any other cause. When complaints
are made that the people attribute more evils to the
existence of the Corn-laws than are due to them, it would
be wise to consider them and to remove those causes. The
Right Hon. Baronet opposite had stated that the present dis-
tress of the people of this country was not owing to the opera
tion of the Corn-laws, but that it was caused by over-production.
Sir R. PEEL—It very much leads to it.
Mr. BULLER—The Right Hon. Baronet states that the
present distress is the reaction consequent upon over-production
and increase of machinery ; what consolation did that give the
Right Hon. Baronet, what advantages were there from that,
except the employment of capital ? but no proportionate advan-
tage accrued to the people. Last year he called the attention
of the House to the increase of population, and the decrease
of their means of employment. Between 1825 and 1831 more
than two millions of people were added to the population of
this country, and during that interval of time there was a pe-
sitive diminution in the number of families employed in agri-
culture. He would.ask the House to consider what the effect
of that was upon the country. According to the last returns
the population was increased 4,500,000, and although they ,
were not regularly classified, as far as could be judged front e. ~
other circumstances it might be fairly inferred that the entire . ,10
of that increased population found its support in manufactures, ' ,0 j
and not in agriculture.--( Hear, hear.) 4,500,000 were added . •1>
to the population of this country since 1821 and it did not appear , - . e,
that agriculture gave them any increased employment, but that ' ~.:.e.til
than whole means of subsistence had been found in trade and selfeee
attributable
the
ee
dto the Corn-laws or ,uty of Parliament f el' ie,
e,4
' „e
manufactures alone. It was his (air. Buller's) firm belief, whe- 7,ei ii ji sliri
.i ''t
they, the titiehaptresir
wast
clusiste osbvdist
was to search for some effectual means to relieve ~iif , ,
that distress, or at all events to secure for the ..rinierj
people some permanent means of employment. If agree,.e °1",1
distress
culture geve no increased employment, but manufactures,did, "se iegee
ittbeweas,'nptllsoeydmuethyt ofa the Par liia)emeepniet, taonddoenalalbtlehetyhecmould to facilitate .. '., f` ej
to acquire the' ~r eto
necessaries of life. If the town was made too large for the e; /1,;,i
country, and the country could not feed the town, whatwas the eve'llyesed
clear policy of a Government but to remove the restrictierlfX:4 ,tel;4
under which the town was in getting f00d..? They should rite %lel
allowed, at all events, to obtain food for themselves, and if the' t- se' 4
A 1B elf '
could not get it from their own country, the people shoul-14s to ~,
be prevented from getting it where they could at a reasons" s I.,,,rtere
price. He did say without hesitation that the present Corn-lawlete s" 40
any laws like them, which prevented the people from getting t. " ,boq- '''o4,
nece.saries of lies at a fair reasonable price, and did not fac!l,ffs, 1yi1,,,,' 41
tate their employment, if they did not directly take the brern,loa fg‘i
out of the people's mouths, effectually prevented the pr.,iPleli eell"ie
from getting it.—( Hear, hear.) Notwithstanding wheF, s -004. fit
e Mr. Buller) then said, he felt himself constraieedee /40 efle4
I
express a very great discrepancy of opinion beeweereep i.iiii ,i jo
and his Hon. Friend the Member for Wolverhampton. .. e f,ll''eee 'til,
would wish to say one word with reference to the vote which; 7i,i. Nei 00,
would be obliged to give that night ou the motion of his 1191b,i5",,;5e5i,,,
Friend (Mr. Villiers). lie should say, in the first instal:WC' -:e ea`e,,i
that he could not assent at all to a motion that all duty ue ,i„o 0
corn should cease.—(Cheers and Hear, hear, front the ',itr
Ministerial benches.) He (Mr. Buller) would WWI ' .:, 'e''i
to the House, in a very few words, the grounds upon which be° . ..e'
had come to that honest opinion.—(Laughter and cheers./
In altering the Corn-laws there ought to be a fixed &ail ' e
and a due regard should at alt times be observed for vested ' r•
'
interests. Nothing could be more fatal than the . '
notion that vested interests should be interfered with ; be the ,
laws bad, mischievous, or even founded on injustice, still va.e° ' '
interests had grown up and had been recognised by the Constite- '
tion, nothing could be more fatal or prejudicial than to interfere .
with these interests rashly or precipitately.—(Hear, hear.) It . e
was stated that this question was decidedly a landlords' questionee_; eee.
He believed it was—( Hear, hear)—and that the effect ..,
_.
the Ilight,Hon. Baronet's measure would be to raise the land-
lords' rent and cheapen food by artificial means. The Or e
vernment should look at the immense body of farmers and ago- ,
~ .
cultural labourer:, whose condition required improvetnente-7.
( Hear, hear.) The laws might bee-altered, but if they were
they should be so altered as to abolish all unjust restrictions,
and allay those alarms which every class of the 0007
manity must naturally feel.—(Hear, hear, hear.) Thor° .
was as great a difference between these two principles t 5
it was possible could exist. The plan proposed by the nig°t.
Hou. Baronet was one unheard of in the history of taxation., .
Ho had heard of prohibitory laws, and of protection, but lay"-
,:, ;• - sr
so totally prohibitory as these, and protection so exclusive.
~e !: i
this, had never before came under his notice. The Enghsf:.'
Corn-law stood forth alone as the only instance of an attempt
~.. '
on the part of the Legislature to regulate by laws the impart.%
tion of any i articular article.—( An Hon., Member on TO e,,
~
Ministerial benches The French law.") What was we
French law but an imitation of ours? It was nothing lii°r i ...' ~
and it was one universally condemned. Whatever the price.°4 ,
corn might he, by this sliding scale, it was quite evident tilaa.
the consumer could not procure it at a reasonable price. Tebert
was a great difference between this system and the
file-
duty. We say that in consideration of certain 'Il;
terests to be preserved we will give you a fixed protection to ri`"
corn. He would ask on what principle the Right Hon. Bart;
could justify the sliding scale because of the peculiar burdens .s
land. The burdens on land were fixed, and if corn were low, taese's,
did not get higher; indeed, the contrary was the fact, for wile
corn was low, the taxes became lower too. Gentlemen o
site, then, did away with the whole of their arguments forts "
,',
justice of the duty on corn, if they applied it in the shape °ch ri'' el
sliding scale. The Aiding scale raised the price of corn in; it efete ,
higher than was necessary, and than they who advocatee2d,s
~I '
t
),
'
imagined. At 68s. the duty was 16s. Bd, which left 52s*heeee4
,i,es 40'
price, and he (Mr. Buller) believed that no return had ilfeete„elie9,e)
made of corn coming in at a less price than 525. These 60,:,,,,0-„„,t,
of this scale would be in the working, but the speculator in reeeSl tififiV
would, always keep back the price of corn for the lowest shictiaie.',4o,l;o,'
formerly
pose,
for forexample,
slti.
atnhrt
igheoseet i li
ilgslsespa.
rtetiadihed,nuauuefttioteyaire,tt
tobshahr:enigdp. l
hod,
wentii
ernoo2eegwi
saoh.
:tffehosgerecoenotsttruhthntloeichi
tlakgoettewrhbaetaeentcrrwdehkdae.tv
csuhrta6eii
isse2dtsa
ti low:
:la
si..p. j i
lc i It_
,:is..iisi:,
ii
1:11:::;;:iti),
if el: i
prospectptoltriii price rose
arfnooiereeeai
fnls
Sir R. PEEL.—Suppose it should fall?
Mr. C. BULLER—The Right Hon. Baronet said, suPls.CiseJ„„J;',
it should fall ? The effect of the sliding scale was to Toit4( 134'g,
the price higher than it need be. Suppose, however, lhaerii.difNe*
price should fall, there was no injury to the agrieull'o oriel",
They did not give the consumer the advantage of a fixed leihear.ettve top
but threw in parcels of foreign corn without giving any Arieteles!j,,fit
pprice, and so it did no good to the consumer. He (Air'esi4ei,,e, Pie',
er did not contend that we should have corn Is. a toile 0.118, t":
lower now and then, but that we should have it at as low ; ,lit,,'eoltee
as the variations of the season would admit. There vTli le,h6 e'tli d O
one other argument of the supporters of this Bill to W,hact , eie.' is lel/
would now advert. The Right Hon. Baronet sai‘aits Ole °lselc'.
said our fixed duty would settle the question, but such_. Wardll:elicit la
the case, for the moment we get the fixed duty agitaotion_ei., etl4_, ),
~lig
be started for the total repeal. It did not depend, h !Wallet; eri/50,
what was said in that House, or what was said out of ifff *O.& l's sl...'esd
pended on the manner in which the question was settled, 'Deli'
.:1;1101
once the fixed duty were established there would heentietiotage,B °feje!
chief whatever to be apprehended in that way. Theeeh or lor. ~
;es!
of time fixed duty was, that whether the price was 'Tetley evel:
,e,:f pi
there could be no exaggeration as to it—if the fixed,, the (hal
,4(11
ss. the price of corn would be augmented ss. ;
0"
oa. Thate "'ee
were es. the price would be increased es., and s , null!r/ ,
(err. eta ;
would be the effect of the fixed duty, and he anytn
no
imputesay
would defy human imagination to that t.
Blood
to it. He (Mr. Bulle would not pretend!eoe. fiatorte,,
good would' result from them easure of the Righ! it_ ;; sit id
He admitted that it would do some good, ati!!,!". Buller? b it
somewhat lower the price of corn. All he (Mr
the Pe°P e'elee
to say was that it did not de enough to satisfy. _ swede la
did not remove the real evil, it did not create.ae_e woe _
, /tome* rioe
mend for corn from foreign eountrice,
_italic,
__hie
it ensure a steady supply from foreigre
,_
..c"
!eelsHonottie
secure a moderate price. the li IF_ ;ea sliding di
Baronet said that the usual price of corn unede(rilii"n klufleoe),. to
would be from 545. to 58s. per quarter.
655. He believed it would do little good; 1 L woo a
UP this
not think that it would give us corn lower th.,nrofuld'n 060tetrie;
assure the manufacturers, nor would it place comet
enawe oen_tiee
sure foundation in this country. He should say..". those g‘nthat
question •, but as he should give his vote ag n"
eht it right he
he should say what was his ground for doiegres, oe the
men with whom he had so often voted, he thou,'
0, and thatcati,
should state his opinion of the general i.7ll(e'icar.),nt ie so
laws, more especialSy under the sliding 1
sehble in Lb repealed'
low a tone of voice as to be wholly inan-12,,s
were
eeeme a,
We understood him to say, that if the C
England Would b
agriculture would be ruined, and g
Mr. J. B. HOPE spoke at considerable length, ueliery.