Star.
London, England, 1815-02-24 00:00:00

throughout France was 465. and not 40s. as had been
erroneously asserted. It ought to be recollected, that
the calculation was made at the old rate of exthange,
of 21 'lyres to the pound, and it was unfair to fore
such a calculation on a depreciated cunt:atty.
fact was. that the price of Corn was not 'always iv.
gulated by loreign jinportation. Recendy there bad
been a greater fall than the importation which had
really taken place would larraitt,particolaily in barley,
the importation of which had been very much dinti.
• nished within the last year. He conceived the real
state of the counry, during the war, had been the
real cause of the present depression. After the long
• closure, of the continent, farmers were now at once
exposed to the competition of all European markets,
. and the suddenness of that change was the Merin
that rendered the protection of the Legislature seers-
-6,liT. He did not wish for an exiravagant protection
ta be given, so as to cause great profits to be made,
and the price of bread to be raised, but merely for
chat wi uIJ prevent the ruin of agriculture. Almost
all the witnesses ex mined by the CoMmittee had
. stated, that they considered 80s. a fair protection
price, uad:r the particular circumstances of the times,
but as those circumstances had changed, as imports
had been dereased, and the Property. Tax removed,
he thought that :lower sum would now be sufficient.
The price that would prevent intrortation, was not
• that which would go into the farmers pockets. Con-
sidering the expence bf shipping's &c. incurred by
Linnets in the North to send their cora to market, be
thought the nonimportation price should be a little
.higher than what they were to have as the intrinsic
value of their grain. He objected to the manner in
which the general average of the price of corn was
t iken. The country was divided into twelve maritime
districts, and the general was made from comparing
their particular. verage. He had himself seen the.
return of one district, stating 109 quarters to haver
.been sold for a sum specified, and. that small quan.•
tity had influenced a twelfth part of the general ave.
ragein the same proptvrtion as 400() quarters sold in
another district. Ile thought that it was unfair that
4,he average of small quantities should thus influence
aheiNliole. This mode of taking the average would
be »early eqlril to a duty rf Si. or 4s. He should
therefore prefer nitiking the protection price, in order
to attain the ohj:t:t which ail must desire, rather 765.
than 80s. The necessity ci a protection had chiefly
_grown out of the alteration in our currency ; as a new
alteration in that quarter was to take place at no very
distant period, it might produce a new revulsion, and
at the end of two years, perhaps, it would become
necessary to alter the provisions now proposed, and,
the douse would be bound to make that relative al;
tel :Won in the law, and lower the nonim inflation price,
which it was now requisite should be raked. He
.thee took a view of the improved state of the Corn
Laws, from the middle of the reign of Charles 11. to;
the present time. It was then prohibited to purchase
:corn to sell again, but now exports were completely'
free.

Lord PROBY supported the Resolutions, on the
ground that they were in favour of the agricultural
interest, which affected every class rf society. Unli-
mited importation would be the ruin of agriculture.
Mr. CALCRAFT .disputed some of the topics;
which his Hon. Friend (Mr. Baring j h id introduced.;
He did not understand that inn:acme tr bute which
was said to be paid to the agricultural interest, as:
he did not conceive himself indebted to any class'
Of his Majesty's subjects for what he received in ex-i
change for the produce of his lands. He also con-
tended that couwv gentlemen lived at least one
half cf the year AT their lands and in the middle of,
th..:ir tenants. He would not admit that the subject;
was entirely uncennected with rents. Kent was un-i
doubtedly a componmt part of the produce on which;
Country gentlemen lived. for a farm of four hun-
dred and twenty acres, in Scotland, it was in evidence
that the tenant peid 42600 ayear ; that its produce
was estimated at 85000, half of which consequently;
went to the landholder. Would any one deny that
rent in that case did not affect the price of corn ?—,
Another Gentleman was surprised that the small
quantity of French corn imported during the year
could have such an effect on the price of grain. But
the quality of the French corn was so much superior
to ours, that hi his neighbourhood millers would nog
buy the latter unless they could get it for almost no;
thing. He had asked farmers themselves what theyi
would have got for their wheat if there had been not
importation from France, and they hardly knew;;
but they acknowledged, that, on account of the state
of the harvest this year, it had proved a most seine
tart' supply. He thought that neither the Legisla.
sure nor the Government of any country should be
permitted to interfere in support of any branch of
trade, except on the principle that their interference
would be for the benefit of the community at large.
• He had received the thanks of all his neighbours,:
famers as well as others, for the part which he had!
.taken in opposing a similar measure-last-year. The;
present; however, was better timed, as the distreesesl
of tamers culiivating only arable lands were really;
great. It had alsoheen discussed with more temper;
and coldt,ur ; but 'the information of which thel
liousc we% in potseesien was not yet sufficient. lirsNe
stood in a new order of things ; peace was buejusti
•arrived, and scarcely completely 'established;
. above all, the farmers were tecured against impolite-1
riot for three months to come, he should byre *N.
famed seeing the operation of peace, of decreased;
creation, mod the removal of the Property Tale rent
as It affected farmers in one {wart only, bat through!
-every article in which it most be felt before,gerne
into the question. A .delay of six-or eeveneweeks tel
ascertain the effect of all these alter:Wars On The;
price of torn wduldluive been •highly beneficial be-i
free taking the step which had been proposed ,o-
;night. He Was so hr.:from Wishlageto irtflerne the
public, however, or throw obstacles the .way Of
the discussion, 'that Ire would Like it ere 'it was. He
• keel thought at, first, !that utetopncarywreasuro Would
Le The best; but tin lurthrt seonskterution, he 'had
considered that it was a matter nepeefeet indifference
&Stet sheald 41e made permaftern. Frtek iris expe-
rience of the Hen*, he was drtdl 4i9slate that ehisesere
eminent 'measure would Roar/mut ft:south, pro•
duce treat public inconvenient*, than k irotdd 'be-
come temporary Ur' the 14Ouse would 'hasten to
pat au owl 'to Its operation. Quthie ground' !he thief
sot this* he sbould•vdte for the,amendrheut. Al
to the protettiuts prime, provided 'the timer ehdtild
be seppmed, 40.11/eris sta4l4l:lmutelibliaillrbe