Star.
London, England, 1830-03-30 00:00:00

to that of many out of doors, and of sane in that home; but he
could not help saying that he was astonished at this view of the no-
ble baron. It was not for hint to say what the motives of any noble
lord were, but certainly the tendency of the noble baton's resolu •
tions—as well as he understood them—was to direct the public feel.
inr, in a year of distrait, to what he (Lord ltlalmesbury) main-
tamed was not the cause of that distress. He admitted, indeed,
that the corn law was an aiding cause of the agricultural distress,
because it afforded an inadequate protection to the landed intetest.
He would tell the noble baron what had been the quantity of foreign
produce imported within the last eighteen months—.for that, he be-
lieved, was the time that the new Bill had been in operation. The
quantity entered for home consumption—for that was the fair way
to view it, not taking merely the amount imported—the quantity
was 2,200,000 quarters of foreign wheat within eighteen months.
There was prohibition—there was monopoly for you. It was such
as he had never seen in his life. He would now come to a new
description of importation, which was not much attended to in dis-
cussii.g these matters, but which really told upon this market in
the same ratio as the foreign corn—he meant the Irish importa-
tion. The returns which he had upon this subject were Im-
perfect, but, as far as he could come at the result, the quan-
tity imported within the two years was 4,650,000 quarters
of grain from Ireland. Was it possible that any market
should not suffer from this new competition ? He bad men-
tioned only the foreign wheat, but the quantity was 3,200,000
quarters of foreign grain of all kinds. Now suppose he were to
import 3,200,000 pairs of foreign shoes,what would the shoemakers
say ? A great deal had been said about the deficiency of the har-
vest, but he said that the supply from abroad was much more than
made up the deficiency. A had season altered the quality of the
produce more than the quantity. The last season was a productive
one rather than otherwise. But he would come back to the ave.
rages, and meet the noble baron on that ground. What he (Lord
Malmesbury) had stated was this. He did not look foe an ahem.
lion of the averages in order to procure some little additional pro.
tection to the agriculturist ; but he would say, " Let in the foreign
grain when you want it by instalments." He said nothing of the
lauty. He wished the regulation to be like a safety valve to let in
I the supply when it was requisite, sad to shut it out altogether when
it was not needed. He did not want by a side-wind to procure a
shilling or two additional protection. With regard to Ireland, he
said that the supplies from that country ought to be taken
into the average. He believed that, of the many hundred thou-
sand quarters which came in from Ireland, not the one-tenth'
part came into the averages. lie had suspected that this
would be the case, and for that reason he had moved for these
papers. Now he only asked that the machinery applied to
corn should be perfect. He thought it would be a very fit subject
for a committee of their lordships to inquire, whether the averages
were taken properly, according to the intentions, not of him or of
the noble baron, but of the legislature. He must beg leave to say
a few words in answer to certain observations of the noble baron, in
which he had endeavoured to father the distresses of the country
upon that which, certainly so far as his observations went, was no
more the parent of them than the mover. The noble baron had
quoted a right honourable gentleman for whom he (Lord Malmes.
bury) entertained the highest respect, because he knew him to be
possessed of first-rate talents, and, in private life, to bear a most
amiable character. But on this subject that right honourable
gentleman was the very last man to whom he should look as an
authority ; for he very well remembered who, in 1825, presided at
the board of trade; and he remembered that at that time, and down
to the present day, he had seen a series of attacks upon the landed
interest continued with an inveteracy and a pertinacity which
were astonishing—(Hear, hear, hear.) The right honourable
gentleman said that free trade must prevail in all branches; but
that in all others it would be of no avail if it were not adopted,
above all, in corn. In that year the noble lord at the head of the
government (Lord Liverpool) had been asked by him (LordMalmes. I
bury,) in his place, whether be intended to make any alteration in
the corn laws; and he answered—and, indeed, he believed he had
a letter from him to the same effect—that he did not. Well, by
and by came distress at Manchester—very severe distress indeed;
and when the noble lord was asked whether the government would
advance any money to relieve the distress, he said 'No, no ; lbws
got the panacea ; I have got in my pocket a plan which I eausive
will diminish the distress, if not entirely remove it." And what
was this plan ? It was to let out the foreign corn in bond. Even
at that time the most fatal results had manifested themselves. The
two great classes of the community had been ever since at Issas.
They were now impressed with the persuasion that while the one
class was prosperous the other must be depressed in the same pro-
portion—and this they justified by referring to the authority of a
minister of state ; the public opinion had gone on spreading front
that time to the present; and he was afraid that the time would
never come when this prejudice would wear away—for prejudice,
assuredly, it was. The two interests ought to act on the maxim of
" Live and let live ;" foe the prosperity of the one was inseparable
from the welfare of the other. The noble baron had founded an
argument upon a comparison between six Russians and four En-
glishmen. On that point he should only my, that when the land of
this country was thrown out of cultivation by such a principle and
those four serfs let in in the room of our industrious artisans,
he would go to Russia, and ask the Russians to pay our poor
rates. He would then call upon them to pay our land tax or
rather our property tax, for such, in fact, it was, amounting to five
per cent. upon the income of individuals. His noble friend bad
stated that Russia bad behaved in a generous and liberal man-
ner. He did not know whether their lordships recollected a
letter for which he had moved on a former occasion; but he
did perfectly remember moving for a fragment of a despatch
from the present minister, in which there was something very like a
threat from that liberal monarch if we did not let in his corn. Sup-
posing that this great necessary of life were at any time hereafter
wanting, and that we could only get it from this most merciful mo-
narch, he left it to their lordships to judge what would be our situ-
ation if we could not meet whatever demands he might think it
proper to make. He maintained that protection ought to be given
to every article; but, above all, to that primary article of consump-
tion—corn. He did not want a prohibition ; he would have a regu-
lation by which the consumer should never be called upon to pay
more than a reasonable price, while the grower should never be so
depresied as to be unable to produce it. Let the legislature settle the
rate. Many noble lords who had spoken on this subject seemed to
agree that somewhere about 60s. would he the price which would give
a fair remuneration ; he did not mean for the worst lands, but a gene-
ral average price. The noble baron must be aware that there were
lands now thrown out of cultivation which had been made productive
60 years ago. The bargain which he (Lord M.) would make was of
the description he had mentioned. But when he heard such stuff,
for such he could not help calling it, about rent being a mere sur-
plus, which could be dispensed with, he must ask why should the
lispital invested in houses be viewed in that light more than the ca-
-1 pital in land ? If the philosopher (he might be mistaken in calling
the gentleman who originated this doctrine, a philosopher,) but be
understood that it was principally inculcated by a gentleman flan
the northern part of the country, if he would take the trouble to
eirsmine the result, he thought he would see reason to alter his opi-
aims. What would be the case if we were to do away with all the
milts of land ? except allowing the mere interest of the capital in-
voted. The effect of this would be to destroy not the landlord, but
the yeomanry and the tenantry ; foe in that case every landlord must
ano the cultivation of his own land. As he did not possess the qua-
of übiquity, he mustof course place the land in the hands of ser-
vants,and then there would be nothing but lendlords,middle-men,and
peasantry. What than would become of the independent tenantry?
And, after all that could be said, he would maintain that an in-
dependent yeomanry was the most important class in the
oninosnity. A great deal was said about monopoly—but that
Pied, as well as the weeds " liberal" and " reciprocity," had lat-
terly received a very different signification from that which they
•osi#onllybece. What sort of monopoly was that when the amount
e(r Nada of gain imported within two years was eight millions
at gearters. Taking wheat at 60s. barley at 325. and pas and
beans at 40s. this would furnish an average of 40e. and Isere was
a sum of sixteen millions brought into the market to compete with
the British grower. When free trade was very much talked of a
silk bill was introduced. He looked into the subject and he found
that a lady had to pay 2L I7s. in Francs for her bonnet—more,
Indeed, than he thought at the time a bonnet was worth. Formerly,
• Illaral man was one who made allowance for the opinions of '
Wien, and gave them credit for conscientiousness and just prim.
Shen they differed from him ; but now, a liberal wan
aa~ all those who differed in opinion from him corrupt, bigoted,
Y
There was one point connected with free trade to
diltstikwaneeseary to advert, particularly as the wale
IS= had several petition, from the artisans el this
metropolis the subject—all these petitions were framed in the
same language which the noble baron used, and all complaining
. Maw he (Lord lialmesbury) said if there were
fiefissestle ought also to be free labour. Let the noble baron p,
tailor or his shoemaker, aid ask him why he kept up the prim
!elt a cost Of a pair of shoes now, when the duty was partly takes of
!:Jeober—although not to the extent it ought to be, and whoa
Wee in free of all duty ; the tradesmen would answer, " It is
sue the materials are cheaper, but there is a combiostiost. agile pt
our workmen; they won't work under certain prise,
nor let others work. •Is the city of Leads's. which
exclaimed In the Nam aseirous expose*, aildhlt
the City itself, he believed-4f a pose Impala ems up wi his
tools from the country, toil ashavoetiei as wash his labour. he
would be prevented ; be must be a heneed. be could mercies
his lawful calling. Now that was as mobs as any thing he
had ever bawd oE To be sure the be bought, but
that did not alter the character of 411111,.
tars as theme tbe ay agshat ca4l. (Hear, hear.)
—With respect to what the ejlibillae as to the profits
of labour, be should not ems Into the at any length;
'dot, beams be Will not sure that hit understood the
noble boson very distinctly ; and, next, beam it was desirable not