Star.
London, England, 1825-04-14 00:00:00

7'HE CORN LAWS.

Yesterday, a Meeting of Merchants, Bankers, Ship-
owners, Manufacturers, and Traders, took place at the
City of London Tavern, to take into consideratior the
expediency of petitioning Parliament for a Revision of
the Corn Laws.

At a quarter past one o'clock the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor
took the Chair.
There were present a number of Members of Parliament and
eminent Merchants.
The LORD MAYOR introduced the subject of the
Meeting, by reading the Requisition, and observing,
.that it was high time that something should be done
with respect to the Corn Laws; that a number of Re-
solutions had been prepared, which would be read to
them, and then be should be glad to hear the opinion
of any Gentleman on each separate Resolution.
Mr. HALL then read the Resolutions, which were
declaratory of the opinion of the Meeting upon the
subject of revising the Corn Laws, a measure called
for most urgently by those who considered the real
welfare of the community. It WAS the intention of those
who brought forward the Resolutions, he said, to move
a Petition tp Parliament upon so vital a subject.
Mr. T. Witson moved the first Resolution, expres-
sive of the necessity of a revision of the Corn Laws.
He felt awkward in proposing Resolution, as he at-
tended the Meeting merely for the purpose of taking
the instructions of his Constituents, and of assuring
them
.that he would support their Petition with all his
might. The points upon which their application to
Parliament was founded were self-evident. The pre:
sent high prices of grain were deeply injurious to our
commercial interests. It had been said by those who
were for upholding the present system, with regard to
Colin, that those prices would,. at a future period, be
reduced, but that reduction would be no remedy for
the existing inconvenience which was felt by all classes,
particularly by the poor. As far as regarded the
wealth of nations, the high prices of that article would'
depress the Agricultural Interest in the same proporia
tic)] that the high prices of manufactures depressed our
manufacturing prosperity. The present laws enCou-
?raged an artificial pr ice, which was at all times prejudi-
cial. It was artificial to require 20s. more at home for
an article than it could be purchased at in a foreign
market. The benefit derivable from the existing state
of things,, with respect to the Corn Laws, was of par•.
tial benefit; but it unquestionably pioduced Enteral
evil. High prices should, if possible; be at all times.
avoided, but most particularly in so important an arti-
cle of consumption—(Hear, hear i) •
Mr. Laurin seconded the motion, in doing which he !alb con-
curred in what had fallen from Mr. Wilson.
Mr. Houses said, the manufacturing and aricultoral
interests should never be disunited. He objected to a
word in the Resolution, as casting an imputation upon
the Country Gentlemen. He meant the word N unne-
cessary," applied to the high price of Corn. When he,
Affected upon the great burdens upon the agricultural'
interests, he could not help saying that the high price
was unavoidable.

Mr. Wagon had no objection to expunge the word for the sae
of unanimity. The word " unnecessary" was therefore expunged. •

Mr. TOOKE disclaimed all idea of casting the slightest
reflection upon the agriculturists, but he begged to
state, that his respect for them did not alter the ques-
tion. An alteration had taken place in the Corn Laws
in 1815, and a modification in 1822, for the avowed
purpose of preventing fluctuations on the prices of the
article, but notwithstanding all that had been done, the
prices had fluctuated. The immensely increasing pope's.
non, however, had not been taken into contemplation.
This resJered importation necessary. The modification
which took place in 1822, was to the effect of throwing
open the parts when the pikes reached 80,end wheti
they reached 70, the duty should- not go ,beyond i 7
shillings. Those regulations' had been dnlwn up to
meet the possible contingency of a war, in order that
this country might have an adequate supply of her own.
The Hon. Gentleman then alluded to the history of the
wars of the last century, when there was a invent
importation of corn, and he drew this conclusion, that a
superabundant produce habitually intended foe one
meeket, by being withheld to supply other countries,
was more an inconvenience to the country which had it
to export than to those countries that imported it. .
Mr. JOLLY said, that the greatest quantity of earn
imported within any twelve months was not sualcient
for a supply of six weeks.
Mr. Houses said, that if the supply was so small, so
alteration was necessary.
Alderman Warrnman said, that when be had before
exerted himself on this subject, be was told it was' not
the time. Surely he could not be told so now. Het be-
listed it was positively in the contemplation of the.Le
gislatare to do that justice the country loudly called for.
, Mr. HARVEY also spoke for a revision of the lbws.
Mr. Caawsuan said he had a Resolution to propose,
which stated that the repeal of so much as related to tlke
periodical prices was most necessary.
Alderman THQUPEEE declared openly against the
impol cy of the Corn Laws, anti fur the ncie.sity of as
alteratitin. He did aot,believe that it woalil injure 11w
Agricultural interest. The variation in the rice .of
coca since 1822 was fifty per cent. Lt was ter the ad-,
vantage of ago iculture that the system of prices shuttle
eaeltstle such illsou.ition. L Us. enlarged also on the
datiker a nettlapsljetntasutsluirevaint and odd,