Star.
London, England, 1822-02-27 00:00:00

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LON DON.

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N.:4VY Fin PER CENTS.
TO THE norms OF THE STAU.
Sta—T take the liberty of suepedng to you the policyof your
urging upon the holders of 5 per Cent. Stock, both the expediency
and the wisdom of refusing to acquiesce in the proposal now
made to them. The expediency of the refusal would, of course,
consist in thereby ensuring to the proprietor his full interest at 5
per Cent. and the wisdom, I would venture to add, musk be
found in the necessity which a pretty unanimous refusal would
create for something like a real and efficient reduction in the ex-
penses of Government.—lf the independent part of the Press
will but take this matter of the 5 per Cents. up, both boldly 'and
steadily, there can be little doubt of the measure now proposed
failing entirely. When, however, taxation is once reduced to its
lowest possible point, by cutting down to the lowest rate the Civii
and Military Expenditure of the Country, it will then ill-become
any man to raise his voice against the reduction of the 5 per Cents.
or of any other Stock.—lt is the Press, and the Press alone, which
can unite the holders of the 5 per Cents. and induce them to act
almost unanimously in a rejection of the offer of my Lord Lrna-
Poor and the enAxcet.con of the Fateuittuss.—l am, Sir, your
snoq obedient humble servant, A. B.
Poo:!, February SS, 16 t.

E EV EN ING STAR:

WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 27. 1 522.
STOCK EXCHANGE, ONE O'CLOCK.
Consul% have continued steady this morning, at 78; 79. The
Five per Cents. have fallen again this morning, in consequence
of the numerous small sales, and ale at this hour 1031, 103,
1021. It is supposed that the Bank will make known, after the
Meeting to-morrow; their intention of discounting at 4 per Cent.
CURRENT PRICES:
Bank Stock 24914 3 1h
3 per Cent. Reduced 79% sia 1/2
S, per Cent. Consols 7376 79 78%
3V, per Cent. 90Y4 5/4 lh-1 per Ct: 9814 97%
5 per Cent. 1031/4 103
Bank Long Annuities 2044 % •
Imperial 3 per Cents. 7874
India Stock 243 24'7—India Bonds 475. 455. pre.
Exchequer Bills of £l,OOO, Is. dis. Is. pre.
Ditto small 2s. 4s. pre.
Con•ols for Acct. 78% 79 78%.
All Foreign Securities have fallen to-day. Spanish Bonds have
fallen one per cent.

Last night the Earl of LtveapooL exhibited his
view of the state of the country in the House of
Lords. The speech of his Lordship was but an im-
proved version of the expose of the Marquis of Lox-
DONDERRY on a former evening in the other House;
it was, however, much more explicit in its details,
more guarded in its assertions, and was freed from
those peculiarities of expression with which the Se-
cretary for Foreign Affairs enriches the English lan-
guage. The Population, the Saving Banks, the Ex-
ports and linports, and the state of the Revenue,
were all brought forward by the Noble Earl as proofs
of our wealth, and of the consolatory, if not flourish-
ing state of the country. The Agricultural Distress
was the next subject, but the space we have devoted
to the debates, precludes us from entering at length
into an examination of the views of his Lordship on
this subject; we shall, however, notice one expression.
The Noble Earl is represented to have said, that
" the true cause of the agricultural distress was, that
there was not only a superabundance here, but in
every country in Europe."
Without remarking on the impiety of such an asser-
tion (for we really cannot but consider it such), we
will give an anticipated commentary on it from an
Irish newspaper. The Mayo Constitution says:

" The wretchedness and poverty which exist at present in
and about this town exceed belief, and the prospect for the
spring and summer is dismal indeed. It is not uncommon to
see a man spending the greater part of a day in re-digging
ground from which potatoes had been dug in the season, and
taking home in the evening the few that, in this second search,
he dixovers in the earth, as the only sustenance which he can
provide fora famishing family."
We would ask the Noble Lord to reconcile this
statement with his own assertion ; and before he again
complains of the bounty of PROVIDENCE, assure him-
self that every human being in his Majesty's domi-
niotis has " bread enough, and to spare." With what
face can his Lordship declare that we have a super-
abundance, while the wretched poor of an integral
part of the United Kingdom are ransacking the ground
for the remains of last year's produce, glad to feed
their starving families, not with meat—not with grain
of any kind, but with the waste of the potatoe-field—
with the very husks that the swine do eat; while the
prodigal sons of the Administration are rioting in the
spoils of the public treasury ?
Ministers, it would seem, still adhere to the plan
or borrowing money to lend to the Agriculturists.
We have already stated our objections to the plan;
and cannot conceive for what purpose it is adopted,
unless to quiet the landed interest, which has become
rather clamorous of late, and which possesses some
influence in both Houses of Parliament.

The Committee on Agriculture met on Friday
last; and again on Monday, when the Marquis of
LONDONDERRY made along speech, and brought for-
ward a graduated scale of protecting duties ; that is
to say—a new Corn Bill ; somewhat in accordance
with the plan recommended in the Report of last
year. The propositions.of the Noble Lord are said
to be al fibllows:
Open Ports for wheat at 675. per quarter, with a duty of
15s. per quarter certain, and a floating duty, in addition, of Ss.
per quarter, I',,r the first three months, if the price does not rise
above 725. per quirtcr. From 72,. per quarter to 80s. a duty
of 10s. per quarter. From 60s. per quarter to 85,. a duty of ss.
latter. Above 85s. per quarter a duty of ls.per quarter."
plan, we suspect, will not give much satisfac-

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