Star.
London, England, 1830-10-07 00:00:00

CHAMBER OF DEPUTIES—OcT.S.

The President took the chair at half-past twelve, but the Chamber,
not being in sufficient number to deliberate, did not proceed to business
until &quarter past one, when the President read a letter from ALVassel,
Deputy of the Siene, informing the Chamber that unfortunate circum-
stances, against which he had contended in vain, did not allow him to
sit any longer in the Chamber, and that he consequently sent in his re.
aignation—(Sensation.) The discussion of the law on tubsistencea
then commenced. Al. Laborde spoke against the former regulations
concerning the importation of corn. " The revolution of 1789 (said
he) removed all the obstacles to this trade • the Emperor felt the
necessity of keeping it open, although he trade;
placed a bar
to it, and it was only in 1819, the proprietors began to complain
of the importation of that article. The Government, in order to satisfy
them, forbade it under certain restrictive conditions. Under N. de Vll-
hie a law of monopoly and privilege was formed, when corn could not
be introduced into our ports of the Mediterranean, until the price of
the hectolitre had reached 24 fr. This law, directed against our industry
and trade, inflicted a death-blow to the exterior commerce of France, and
sent all our capitals to foreign countries. At a moment when the want
of corn is again felt, we should favour the importation of grain of
foreign production. and regulate it by a good law. England, in
the year 1815, had adopted a system of corn laws as destructive
to her as our own was to France, because it favoured only the in-
terests of the territorial Aristocracy ; but since that epoch she
tilt the impolicy of her legislation, and in 1828 she had recourse
to wise measures. We should follow her example, and conse-
quently adopt Al. Cabanon's amendment to the first paragraph of the
Government project—viz. On the land frontier as well as on the sea-
coast, the maximum of the variable duty on the importation of corn
shall be one franclso centimes per hectolitre (instead of three,) and the
minimum 25 centimes. The intermediate degrees of one and two
franca is the rise of the legal price of corn, agreeably to the laws of the
16th of July, 1819, and 4th July 1821, shall determine for the future
the reduction in the duty, in the relative proportions of 50 centimes and
one franc. M. Anisson du Perron supported the project of
the Government, and entered into long developements. M.
Cabanon made some observations in support of his amend.
meat. General Demargay said that the question of the Corn
Laws being one of the highest importance, it should not be
lightly discussed, and begged the Chambers' indulgence for the imper-
fret statement he was about to make. In 1821, a great number of
Deputies, seated on the same benches with me, called for the unlimited
liberty of the importation of corn. I disagreed with them ; yet I sin.
cerely wish for the happiness and welfare of the population, the law
should favour the people, not the consumers alone, and to obtain this
end, severe restrictions must exist. If the trade were free, there are in
the world, and even in Europe countries whose political and territorial
situation admit of their sending their corn to our ports of the
Illediterranam for one-third less than our agriculturists can bring
it to market for. The corn from Odessa could be sold for less
than five francs the hectolitre, whilst that of home produce stands
~er farmers in 12 francs 50 centimes' to 13 francs. The high
price of corn. I repeat, is a blessing to any country ; the landbol&r
should always find a suitable price for his produce. We must favour
°lir trade as much as possible, without endeavouring to injure or tease
',reign commerce. The laws of July, 1819, and 1821, whkh regulate
the corn trade are so complicated and unintelligible that they are fatal to
.mmuiercial speculations. The government should consult persons
well acquainted with the matter, and thy are to be found in great
numbers ; and instead of a provisional measure, he might have sub-
mitted to our deliberation a complete and permanent regulation of
"!e corn trade. M. de St. Crieq opposed the reduction of the maxi.
um of the variable duty producers by M. de Cabana, and insisted
its being fixed at three francs. M. de la Horde supported the

amendment, which was resisted by M. Rambuteau. The reduction
was then rejected by the Chamber, and the maximum of three francs
adopted.