Star.
London, England, 1815-01-30 00:00:00

Cd2UNTY OF BEDFORD MEETING, ON ?NZ
PRASENT STATE OF AGRICULTURE. '


•11,

At a numerous Meeting of Proprietors of Laud. In
the county of Bedford. held on Saturday se'nnight a.
the Severn Inn, in Bedford, to take into consideration
the distressed state of agriculture ; the Earl of UPPER
OSSORY was called to the chair, and stated the object
of the meeting.
Lord ST. Joao said, that nothing was so painful
to him as to see honest industry in distress; nothing
was so heart-rending as to see the industry and pro.
spects of so great abulk of the community going in-
to the pockets of others. He trusted there was no
one in the room but would agree as to the necessity
of petitioning Parliament; corn bad not been regu-
lated by the necessity of the markets, but by the ne.
`cessity of the growers. It was a circumstance welt.
worthy the reflection of every one present. ahat
now received cern from France ; the result was, tiny
France was a nation of farmers ; they support no-
only Great Britain, but Spain and Portugal. He
then proposed the resolptions.
Mr. FOSTfI said, the present system made us de.
pendent upnn foreign countries in two ways depen-
dent upon them for feeding us, and derails:Lt. in
finding money to pay hos it, sad we woo putting
power into the haads of our enemies. If the present
system is continued, agriculture will no more fturisti
here ; it may flourish on the basks of the Vistula, cut
the plains of Normandy and Picardy, but no more if
the country of Great Britain. When corn is sold at
a price that will not pay cultivation. how are Lust.
lords, taxes, tythes, &c. to be paid ? This year he
knew good would not produce IS bushels
.per
acre, for which the farmer sowed three bushels of ego,
pical grain, worth double the price of that produced.
which, with harvesting and threshing. this year would
about balance the account. Mr. Foster concluded by
seconding the resolutions.
Mr. Warname was at all times open to tonic
don, and he was sorry nothing had been said to on-
vince him that the steps they were about to take
would bring them to the desired goal. He was of
opinion, every encouragement ought to be given to
agriculture, and we ought not to be dependent on
any but ourselves ; be wished again to see us an ex-
porting country. Mr. Foster and Lord St. John had
said, if we allow France to import, we me encourag-
ing France to the injury of British agriculture ; and
we are told, France has so improved the culture of
its soil, that she is enabled to overwhelm the English
market. Now give me leave to ask my Noble Friend,
whether France has not been blessed with a most
bountiful harvest, and whether we are not caking
that as the work of man, which is, in fact. the we!
of GOD? We have not in England wheat enoug':
to keep the country; and if the average of 20,000
quarters had not been brought in weekly, the metro-
polis could not have been supported. Are we, there-
fore, to look up to the Legislature for redress; They
are always ready to assist, but sometimes they are
improperly led to interfere, and then they do miss
chiel. If you go to Parliament, and importation is
prevented, would that make the lean corn plump ?
Would it be put in competition with the plump fo-
reign corn in the market ? It is a delusion that you
can have redress in that way from what at present
overwhelms you. How long, Gentlemen, has this
existed ? finer long have we fallen back in agricul-
ture? We have not long lost that great friend to
agriculture, Francis, Duke of Bedford. Since 1804
has there bees no improvement ? Has not the im-
provement kept pace with the times, and the produce
with the improvements ? Every one who has crossed
the water must have witnessed the abundant crops
in France, and, on his return, must have bad the
most poignant feelings of regret at seeing the blighted
date of the crops in his own country ; but how can
the Legislature relieve this distress ? There have
been times, when experiments have been made to
starve countries at war with each other. but, by the
blessing of Goa, it had never succeeded. In the be-
ginning of the war it was a measure of this Govern-
ment that corn should not go to France ; and when
afterwards Bonaparte, with the iron hand of pewere
was endeavouring to shut us out from every quarter,
no less than 30,000 quarters came every week from
France, and we supplied him with money, which he
as much wanted. There is no power on earth can
prevent it. It is like the wind which bloweth where
it ninth. Mr.Whitbtead denied that agriculture had
improved is France so much as in England; it was
Dot from France alone we received our supplies, but
from Poland and the Baltic. We are told these
countries can supply us, because they are not bar.
thened with tythes and taxes ; but what are the bur.
then laid on by the landlords there ? Those who
tin it in Poland are slaves, who till it for their Lord;
slaves, without a bed to lie on, without covering tot
their nakedness, or shelter for their wretchedness...
He- was sure there was no agriculturists in this
country who would exchange their situation for any
other in the globe. Suppose, says Mr. Whitbread,
there are two-farms adjoining each other, equally
well cultivated. with the same industry, same care,
and the same skill, one may be blighted and the
other good. can any thing that the King. Lords sad
Commons can enact, prevent this ? Can any legida-
tive Interference snake the bad grain plump ? This,
Genders's, is a short view of the case. I would not
advise you to go to Parliament now. I am of opinion
if the Corn 818 bad been passed list year the tfistten
would have been the same, for it could not have re-
vealed the blight ; nor will you be beee€ted if it now
takes place. Next year PNOTIDVICK may bless you
with good crops, which will exclude the foreigner.;
if it was not for him* now, distress would be inevi-
table. These reverses, however, ought not to mislead
us t If I thought there was a possibility to remedy
your present_srievances, no man would be more
ready. Mr. Whitbread hoped they would do him
credit to believe that be felt regret at sanding in op-
panda& to so large a body of the respectable part of
the county ; but -he knew if he went to Paltament
he should only mislead them.
Lord Br. Joni and Mr. Foam replied very for-
cibly to the arguments of Mr. Whitbread, and the
letter Gentbmats, is conclusion, Inside the following
assertion :..that it was aseasy to chango the course
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