Star.
London, England, 1828-04-01 00:00:00

it should be one varying with the-tverage price of the
corn, was a part of the detail or question; and how-
ever divided ()Onion might be upon that branch of the
subject, that digision did not at all affect the solidity
and acknowledgement
.of the principle. He, indeed,
looked upon it as a matter of minor importance, and
might, together with the rest of the minutiE of the
measure, be discussed when the principle was fully
agreed upon. The great ground, therefore, upon which
he took his stand was, that the best and proper method
of giving protection to the agricultural interest was by
a duty on foreign corn, and not by the exclusion of it
—(Hear, hear). It had been proposed during the lase
Session that the Acts of 1815 and 1822 should be thrown
into one Bill, and modified as circumstances might have
appeared to have rendered necessary. 'I he .House,
however, rejected that measure, because iehad pledged
itself to the principle of duty, :and abandoned that of
exclusion, that one on which those Acts were founded.
At the close of the last Session, the late Mr. Canning
announced that it was Iris intention to introduce this
Session a Bill similar to the one which had been lost,
but with such modifications as should appear essential
to its success. What those modifications would have
been, it was impossible for him (Mr. Grant) to pretend
to assert. But looking at the causes of the failure of
the Bill of last session, although it was impossible for
him to speak with unrestricted confidence upon the sub-
ject, yet he thought he might fairly presume to say,
that the intended modifications would have had the
effect of giving further protection to the agricultural
interest—(Hear !) And there could be no difficulty in
discerning the reason which would have induced Mr.
Canning to pursue that course. The object of that
Right Hon. Gentleman bad been to give to the country
the best practical measure he could ; and when he found
the subject beset with insurmountable difficulties, when
be found there must be a bounding to particular in-
terests, he held fast to the great principle of improve-
ment in the system of legislation, and was willing to
introduce such modifications as should be found neces-
sary for the security of the.great and leading object.—
He (Mr. Grant) came forward, therefore, to ask the
Committee, in consistency, to support that principle to
which it had previously pledged itself ; and in propos-
ing modifications on the measure of last year, he acted
in conformity with the authority of Mr. Canning, who
bad expressly declared it to be his opinion that some'
were necessary. In that state, then, he found the ques-
tion; and if Mr. Canning had thought that some cons
cessions Were necessary, he (Mr. Grant) was confident
that the additions which the Committee had received to
its experience would only have tended to confirm him
more strongly in such an opinion—(Hear).—Then, in
what situation did he find the laws with respect to the
trade in Cone? The two Acts, those of 1815 and
1822, had been adopted for the purpose of giving a
steady and sure protection to the agriculturist; but they
had confessedly faled to attain so desirable an end. On
looking at what had been the consequences of those
Acts, he found that thefluctuations had been continual;
that the subject had been agitated and discussed year
after year ; and such was the inefficiency of the law,
that for the last seven years temporary measures had
continually been had recourse to—(Hear, hear).—One
year 500,000 quarters of corn were admitted; another
year the Canada corn was brought into the market;
and in another instance a discretionary power was
lodged in the hands of Government—(Bear)—"The
natural result of such tampering with the law upon a
great and important subject was doubt and discontent.
The transfer of property was embarrassed, all the deal-
ings between landlord and tenant .were carried on in
uncertainty, and the verb interest that most feared the
alteration was the most injured by the unsatisfactory
state of the law, and the t: mporary measures which
had been had recourse to. The country called upon
the Legislature to ion an end to such an imperfect sys-
tem, and he trussed that the Committee was prepared
to' come to a permanent decision upon the subject.
If he were ask'd what he considered it 41se duty of the
Committee to do, he should say' that it should fist de-
cide as so the repeal of she Acts of 1815 and 1822 ;
that it should then proceed to the adoption of some
more just system of legislation, a system in which those
principles that ought to regulate all commercial legis
lesion were not lost sight of —(lleat, hear). Atsci above
at., that by its decision it should put an end to thus
doubts and apprehensions which hid so long agitated
and injured the country.—Heat). It was Ills duty to
endeavour to propose to the Committee some measure
which was calculate.] to produce those effects, acid it
was a duty from which he should not shriek. If illness
vivid have excused him from striving to disch age that
duty, he night with justice h eve pleaded it ; but he,
left particularly desirous to be in his place wl en the
qu'istion came under the consideration of the House;
and he trusted, therefore, that if his efforts requited the
Inlislgence of the H. use, it mould not be u ithheld from
liird—(flear). He had already said that he thought if
bit:Caiiiiing had occupied the station which he (Mr.
giant) then, did, he would have been more than ever
etilignied, by whet had transpired since lest Session,
that; it was necessary to introduce some modifications
isitsr the last Bill which had been beim e that House.
tit 'House viould recollect, that at the close of the
laifftessicio a parti.,l measure was adopted, for the ad.
srassirin Of b. tided corn under certain provisions. %%hen
that ifirasute was proposed, it was contended by those
'litho' were oppined to any alteration in the then exist-
ing laws, that if it were carried into a law it would oc-
ea .nin the importation of an immerse quantity of foreign
earn, to the injury and depression of the English grower.
Ile hart ful.one.attacked those arguments, or rather a.-
seetions, and his opinions upon the subject had under'
ene no chauge. He still thought as he theta did.--
tvas of opinion that the depression in the price of
British corn's ai to be accounted for upon other grounds
thin' those to.whish it h .d been attributed. He thought
thafilziple reason for it was to be found in the quantity
and the quality of the crop. But whatever might be
his:oonion, it vies hiedut) at that time to look at the
pr.igitcabeiti of carrying bite execution any measure
beshlilld piwose, and to select that which, under all
ttte iliiiiiisslabtes, should appear whim to pe. the best.
11114'iriew that'feerr being entertained, and abet preju-
dices; long asTheeed to, did mit overthrow the claims of
treat and just principles to consideration ; but he knew
!Liu that when changes were to be proposed, it e as
t .
necessary to annuli those who were likely to be affect-
Ed; fie bad confessed that many just fears were enter-
ned aeto consequence which might result fro,i,
aiiy sudden or great alteraticia in the tern Lsws; butt
trorithaieveeeztent it might be just to regard any alarm'
ale'rehension on the subject, it was necessary for the
ale of all *nests, that the House should come to
Sion decisiiSh. Although he attributed the depression
alt tine lifiegbf British corn to other reasons ttiau the
Addiktria the bonded coin too the market, yeti
theft *s69oo):great Get, the io.auence of which. and
ibebe.desiii4 'l'hat feet was, that although, lire dot
lialtisfe4'4"litth as g2s. ancl44,s, gid. on the qua: -I
'l4+rin4il4/14tueali 'beets. cloth and Au- uses.
ibdotillie pat& tbOusand quarters of foreign corn''

introduced into the market, and that, on, at a time
when, from the price of British cern, the supply,
could not have beets necessary—(Hear, beat). And,
what use did he make of that tacr? He did not'
bring it forward to induce those who lea, opposed to
any new improved system to persevere in the opposition,
but to show those who were called upon to legislate on
the subject, that it in the time of Mr. -Canning some
modifications had been acknowledged to be necessary,
that position must now be still more evident. If it
were found impracticable to legislate on those pure
principles of commercial policy, which were in his mind
far superior to all others, they approached as near to
them as circumstances would permit. hitwe:f
maintained the same opinion as he did last year ; and
if an opportunity presented itself, he should be most
ready to act upon those opinions, for however impracti.
cable it might heat that moment to legislate upon them
strictly, he was convinced of their truth, and would ad-
here to them as nearly as night be—([teat). He found
it impossible tocarry into effect those principles rigidly,
in defiance of the difficulties and the tears which beset
la great and complex subject ; still he should be ready,
whenever occasion required it, to maintain the justice
of those principles to the uttermost. Ile did not imagine
that the measure which he should propose, or that the
Bill of last year, or that any Bill which, under existing
circumstances, could be brought forward, would be in
strict conformity with that system which he had and
was still prepared to advocate; but in the course he
had adopted he had endeavoured to chome the best
kft open to him—he had endeavoured to take that,
which, while it introduced a sounder system of legis-.
lation, might prepare the minds of those most in-,
terested to more decisive, and he believed more bone-•
ficial alterations (Hear, hear). Troceeding theist'
upon that plan, his first proposition would be for Wei
.Repeal of the Acts of 1815 and )1822 (Hear, hear).
To that measure he attached much importance. By
experience it would lead'to the adoption of more sound
principles, and although the full length to be desired
could not be gained at once, yet by that repeal
one great step would be achieved—(Hear, hear, heat).
He thought that by legislation, once and decidedly
I sanctioning the principle of .protect ion by duties, a great
advantage would be gained, and that any concession in
the minor details were hardly worthy of consideration,
if put at all in competition with tie success of the prin-
ciple. Inched, so much impottance did he attach to the
acknowledgment of the principle, that he almost :e
gretted the Bill of last Session, as altered by the House
of Lords, had not been persevered in; because if it had
passed into a law, a great advance would have been
made to that system which he considered as the
soundest and the best. A similar occurtence had taken
place with respect to a Bill upon the Catholic claims;
because a clause of a Bill a hich had received the assent
of that House was thrown out by the Lords, the mea•
sure had been given up, and that conduct had ever
since been regretted, for it had occasioned the loss of
the acknowledgment of an important principle—(Hear.)
Then, with respect to the additional protection which
circumstances had rendered it necessary for them to
bestow on the agrieultutists, it might be afforded in
taro ways. It might be bestowed either by augmenting
the scale of duties, or by some collateral regulations.—
With respect to the augmentation of the scale of duties,'
he would state to the Committee what appeared to him,
calculated to answer all the purposes. It would bet
remarked that the scale of duties last year had been ad.i
heted to as nearly as circumstances permitted. Whenj
wheat—and be spoke of wheat because it was the chief.
article—when wheat was 54.5. the quarter, the duty tol,
be SO,. and Bd. and so to decline Is. for every s. the;
quarter of wheat rose in price, until it reached 675. the
quarter, and then the duty to decline 2s. on the quarter;
so that when wheat was 565. the quarter, the duty
would be 28s. and then the duties of last year com-
menced. When wheat was from 67-4 to 695. the.quar-
ter, the duty would fall 2s. for every Is. the a heat rose
in price; and of er the quarter of wheat had reached
625. the duty would fall 3s. every Is. the quarter in-
creased in price until it reached 71s. So that the scales
agreed between 565. the quarter and 71s. the quarter.
But it would perhaps be better for him to read the
descending scale. It was calculated for the Imperial
measure:

When the price of Wheat shall be
From 585 to 59s a Quarter 28. 8d Duty
.59s 605 27. id
605 61s 26s 8d
61s 625 255 Sd
625 63s 24. id
635 64s • 23s ed.
64s 65s 22s Sd
65i 66s els id
663 675 20s 8d
67s 68s lis Sd
681 694 les 8d
695 70s 13% 8d
70s 71s lOs 81
71s 72s 6s id
72s 73s 2s 8.1
7ss 74s is 04
Such was the proposed scale witli respect to wheat,
calculated according to the Winchester measure, %when
the price of wheat was 541. the quarter, the duty would
be SO,. With respect to the-other species of grain he
should advAt to them particularly, because several ap •
•li. -ations had been received by his Majesty's Govern-
ment', with respect to them. That pat t of. the country
to which he belonged had taken much interest in the
subject, and with tesuect to oats especially, had applied
for an increased protection to what was proposed tut
year. The question had been much considered, and
alter mature deliberation and discussion, his Majesty's
Goves nnient had come to the conclusion that no change
whatever in the scale of duties of last year, in reference
to barley and oats, was nece-.s ity—.(Hear .1) He had said
that there was another mode of granting further protec-
tion required. to the agriculturists, besides an aug-
mentation of the scare of duties. And, he bad ad-
verted to the point in consequence of a variety of appli-
cations and suggestions having been received. They
had been submitted to his Majesty's Government, which,
after fully considering them, had come to the decision
that it was better to adopt at once the scale of duties—
(Hear, hear). The only alteration, therefore, in the Bill
of last Session, was in the scale of duties on wheat.—
If he were asked why in the scale the price of 60s. was
taken as that which was to be considered as the guide
for the rest, he could only answer in the same way that
Mr. Canning had done last Session—he could only say,
that in a scale of fluctuating duties, although it was im-
possible to give any very definite reason for the choice,
soma price naust be fixed upon. The state of .the cur-
rency, the quantity of foreign .corn introduced, the
nature of the harvest, and a variety of other reasons,
would tend to produce dunes in the price, and a .con-
sequent v 4riation in Abe duties. It was, therefore,
o bible to fix any precise peke upon any very explicit
reasoning. The Resolutions he should propose he cool&
ecummend to the favourable consideration of theHousee
in the
,sincere belief that they sere as well calculated stif
any that could be devised to meet the eiews,in as fie
as possible, of all interests—a. en, hear), Hi' though
that they were likely to Chiller a zeal benefit on iii
country, and to produce tit amendment in the

--

‘6...-............-.•.-

He thought also that the st-p proposed being one*
trogyi.. it would lead the minds of men to a•state whieb
-iseistiYar Ra them for the full neceptance of the great VW*
icipl•s of cesnmerce which he firmly believed the meet
sound and the most politic-s-(Hear). The adoption oT
the resolutions, and the passing them in the shape of a
' law, would likewise, he hoped, allay irritation, and
occasion that coufiJence between apparently conflicting
interests, s hich was so heartily to be desited—(Heall.
He had talked of the measure be should propose as a
settlement of the question, and also as a step to other
and great improvements in our legislation upon the
subject. In one point of view the measure was perma
neat, and in another point of view it was only prepa-
ratory. It was permanent as far as the Legislature
was concerned ; for it must continue in force and undis-
turbed until further experience should convince the
judgment of the community at large that a nearer
appsoach to the pure principles on which commerce
~could be conducted was desirable. It was permanent,
therefore, in as far as that House could investigate it,
and it must not be altered until new opinions govei ned
the minds of those who were especially interested in the,'
subject. In offering it, therefore, to the agriculturists;
for their acceptance, he presented it to them as a rest 4
ing place on which they might with security repose,
and not as a shifting and uncertain lodgment—(Hear,
hear).—But at the same time remarking, that he trusted
it would only prove the foundation of a richer soil,
which would in time produce and support those further
alterations, the value of which was evidenced by clear
and unalterable principles. He confessed that he
deemed the measr,re imperfect, especially in as far as
it fell short of the Bill of 14-t year; but he would not
have introduced it—nothing, no consideration should
have induced him to do so; bad he not felt a sincere
conviction that it would prove beneficial to the country
—(flego).—Had Mr. Canning been in his situation, he!
was convinced that he would have pursued the same!
course; and, to use the words of that Right Honour-,
able Gentleman, he might say that he brought forward
the measure as a •' peace-offering between contending
interests." He trusted that the House would receive it
in that spirit ; that it would regard it as a compromise
Le:ween two great interests for the benefit of the commu-
nity at large; and that those interests themselves would
not be found adverse to lending towards the wishes of
each other, when their mutual.prosperity was sl deeply
concerned—(Hear). Nor could be quit this part of
the sulject withrut recalling to the recollection of the;
House the tempered, chastened eloquence with which it
had been treated by Mi. Canning; and pf which stylei
that Right Hon. Gentleman was as much the texas i
ter as he was of the witty, the brilliant, and the imagi-I
native—(Hear, hear.). IHe was sure that that House,
would ,in with Minim paying a sincere tribute to the
admiration of one ovho had been so long its ornawsent
and its pride—,(Elear, hear). Jr was impossible for him
(Mr. Grant) to•touch upon any subject which had been
treated of koy that great and illustrious Statesman, with-
out exposing the deep and ardent eeverenoe he enter-
tained, and.ever must entertain, for his rare and extra-
ordinary talents—talents which excited the admiration
of those who were opposed to him, and actei as a de-
lightful spell over those who were so happy as to agree
with him and be directed by his powers—( Hear, hear).
And not only would that House sincerely join with him
in an expression of admiration of one of the greatest
Statesmen that country had ever produced, but he was
satisfied that the same sentiment would be breathed by
every intelligent mind and feeling heart throughout the
empire—(Hear). In the same spirit, then, that Mr. Can-
ning had recommended the measure to the favourable
consideration of the House, did he implore it to receive
it. He entreated the House not to judge of the merits
of the measure through the weakness of its advocate,
but to view it fairly and dispassionately; to remember
that there was more than one interest to conciliate, and
that all the interests of the country required that the
question should be set at rest by some decisive act of
cite whole L•gislature—(Hear, hear). He thanked the
!louse for its indulgence, and concluded admid.t cheers
by proposing a Resolution, in the following terms:

" That it is the opinion of this Committee, that any sort of corn,
grain, meal, and flour, which may now by law be imported into
the United Kingdom, shall be at all times admissible for home use
upon payment of the duties following, if imported from a foreign
country, whenever the average price of wheat, made up and pub-
lished in manner required by law, shall be "—(Here the Chairman
read the scale above quoted).
The Resolution having been read from the Chair,

Mr.W.WHITNIORE rose and said, it was not his in-
tention to trespass on the attention of the Committeefor
more than a few moments, as a future and a fitter op-
portunity would offer for the expression of his semi=
meats respecting the resolution that had just been read ;
but he seized the earliest possible oecasio3 to enter his
protest against tie n mute of the Right Honourable
Gentleman; because, it Ire d ffered fn m the measure of
last Session, this bcing so much infetior to it—so con-
trary to all the purposes (I-commercial legislation, that
he confessed he could not only not give it his support,
but that it w as also s ith a great degree of surprise that
he had heard the speech of the Right Hon. Gentle.
man, the President of the hoard of Trade. His Right
Hon. Friend had talked much of the advantage likely
to accrue to the country by the establishment of a diffe
tent principle from that which prevailed at present; but
it the protecting duty that was to be applied amounted
to absolute exclusion, it mattered very little to those
who suffered by it, whether that exclusion was produced
by duty or by law. He trusted therefore that the House
and the country would not submit to the delusion con-
tained in the Resolution of his Right Hon. Friend. II
(litre were to be a complete exclusion of foreign corn,
he knew not what could be said respecting the diffe-I
rence of exclusion by du y or exclusion by law. He.
denied that this was a compromise between two patties
in the country; it was only a compromise of the CAI- •
net—(Hear). He felt quite confident that if that great
man—the lame nted Mr. Canning—were now living, the'
changes that had occurred since the measure was last!
debated in that House would have no weight with him'
at all. Tr:e bonded corn that had accumulated between
1825 and 1828 on the duty of twelve shillings had been
so collected, under the impression that no higher duty
would be imposed, and it would have been better for',
the importers of it to bring it into the market even at
the duty of 11. 2s. or 11.45. fid. than leave it in
their warehouses, or export it again. And on .this'
grain he was authorised to say, that vent losses
had been suffered by the importers—in one case
alone, on three cargoes of wheat that had been im:
ported from Odessa, the result was a loss on 114
whole of 2,0004 There was no reason to think that a
great increase had taken place in the quantity of foreign
corn inrpoited ; for though these was much foreign corn
in bond list year, the quantity of wheat imported this
year did not exceed 150,000 quatters. The result of
the present measure would be to destroy the trade in
foreign corn altogether, and thus deprive the country
of a regular supply against a period of exigency. As
hi intended to detail more at large the reasons for his
.opposition to the proposed measure on another occasion
lie should consider that he would now but waste their
I tinsel if he said More on the subject than that he should

.give the measure his decided tipposition, as one mat
contrary to all the principles of !commercial 1egi514604,,
and more detrimental to the interests of the country, oft
any that had been laid befOre the Hotne for a long period,
'Sir T. 'OOOCH said he should out make many p,
marks on the subject before tie House, as that was mit
the time for the discussion of the measure,tut he hop'
the 'Right Hon.,Gentleman would not think that any
Member was pledged to the measure, or to any naeqif
'its principles, by•the mere circumstance .of thaVing,on
that occasion obrerved.a silence with respect to them,
it had always been his opinion, that of all thenniserret
to which the country svas• exposed, ,the .perpetual tam-
pering with the CornlLaws was the .most productive.o
Mischief. He trusted, therefore,ithat before.the present
Session drew to a close, something would be alone
towards a permanent arrangement upon that sulijcet,
—(Hear). He would confess that he was %non&
prejudiced in favour 'of •the law as it now -steal
because he felt that
,1$ was the best calculated to give
that security to the corn grower .which it was necestal
that he should have—because it was less liable it

those variations uhich constituted the great evil'of the
other systems, and because it v.assproved by experienet
that corn had been lower 'under 'its operation, on a
comparison with 'former averages, than was generally
admitted by its opponents. As, I.owever, in thescoo.
Sitting opinions of the House and of the country, the
present law could not be persevered in, the best thing
that he and those who agreed with him in opini.:e,
could do, was to endeavourrto give effect 'to 'the pre-
sent Bill ; but while he did .so, he must object :to the
mode of taking the averages. The Bill of last year here
out that.6os. was a'fair remunerating price. He wodla
agree that it War. (Hear, hear), but then the Houseshould
take care that the amount which it ,prolested to give
should, inpoint of fact, be securedto the agt icaltut in.
The way in which the averages were taken did ndt
effect that ; for out of the.6os. was to be deducted the
cost of commission and of cartage, which tadcen at In
each, would reducethe remunerating price to 58s. The
House need not manifest any impatience, for they mien
depend on it that it was as painful to him to say a tee
words in his place, as it would be to others tw told
their tongue'..-(A laugh.) Having staled se much, he
would take leave to say, that he lelt the wont perfect
confidence in the Noble Duke at the head of the Go.
vernenent that he would do nothing either to injure the
landed interest or the 'general consumer. In fact,
there was no Administration since the days 4 Mr. Pitt
on which he felt that he could rely usth so much con&
dente as on that which now directed the affairs of die
country under the auspices of the Noble Duke.
Mr. BENETT (Wilts) expressed the hope that there
would not be any attempt to take the opinion of de
House on these, or any counter-resolutions, in the ab.
sence of those Hon. Members who were more jinn*
diately connected with the landed interests.lf, however,
the present plans were to be proceeded with, he felt as.
sured that importations would be more and more en-
couraged. They wern,now at the rate of 1,000,000
yearly. By such course, we should become largely de.
pendent on foreign nations. In the last half year,
515.000 quarters had been imported ; and it had been
previously observed, if there were 400,000 quarters im•
potted in the course of a year, it would:he justly the
ground of alarm. Those large importations of foreiga
corn would not only be injurious to the landed interests,
but more especially to the agricultural labourers.
Mr. FERGUSON condemned the old laws, and said
that worse could not have been enacted. He was against
a fixed duty : he thought a varying duty would be mote
just. This was a question that ought not to be 'the
subject of' compromise with any party : the protectios
to be extended to the agriculturist ought to proceed oft
its general merits. In the new Bill the averages, the
warehousing system, and correspondingly increased
protection of barley and oats, ought to be particularly
considered. The latter point was of great consequence
to Scotland and Ireland.

Mr. ROBINSON expvcsed himself unfavourably to

the measure. He begged to remind the House that, in
proposing the measure of last Session, Mr. Canning said
the balance was given in favour of the landed interest.
Now, however, the Right Hon. Gentleman, the Piesi•
dent of the Board of Trade, came down and proposed
a measure still mote favourable to the landed interest.
The whole tenor of the Right Hon. Gentleman's speech
went to prove that liovernment considered it impos•
sible to carry a Bill through the House in opposition to
that interest. As a commercial man, and as a friend to
what he considered sound and just principles, he mut
,protest against any system which mended a fixed and
settled ptotection to the landed interest. The trade is
corn shr.uld be treated on the same footing as any other
branch of commerce. This, is fact, was not a quegics
between the landed interest and the commercial a
manufacturing; it was a question between landlords
and rents.

Lord MORPETH. said, he must object to the scale
of duty proposed. However small the addition might
be as comp tied to the measure of last Session, still it
was important, as tending to increa e the price of his
bread to every man in the country. Having been
of opinion last ye.tr that if any change one to be
made in the scale prop ised, it should be on the side
of diminution, and not of addition, he could not
approve of the Resolutions now proposed. The scale
last year wig fixed with releience to the then average
price. if the same principle were to be acted opus
now, the scale of duly should be lower. After
succession of favourable seasons, were they to be now
told that no reduction of price was to be the consequence?
The lion. Gentleman who spoke last did not appear to
him to have made fair use of the language employed by
Mr. Canning upon the occasion alluded to. What that
sight Hon. Gentleman said was, that the House d
Commons should not suffer itself to be prostrated u ti e
feet of the other House of Parliament, and lie admitted
that the measure then proposed was a a iei ifice made (4
the lani!ed interest. He was desirous to see the Janda
interest sufficiently protected, but not out /of due pra
portion to the other gaeat interests of the country,
Sir T. LETHBRIDGE observed, that as the fall d
paces since July last had taken place under the sew
porary measure, they had a right so argue that del
protection then was inadequate. The law had oxpikeei
on the Ist of May, and what was the average ehero
Wheat fell from ifils. t 0.525. and 535. in the course o
six months. Could any one be surprised at this who
they looked at the Tetuan' for which he :hail
moved? There they would .find a regular ,intro
ducsion of bonded corn, though the duty vatieb
between U. 2s. Bd. at the lowest, and .11. 18oi at the
highest. Even at 61s. the duty was 11.2 i. Bd. Thos:
fact: were sufficient to allay the apprehension that the
measure was calculated to produce high pr ices. Ttiellon.
Member for Worcester seemed so have forgotten that
when Mr. Canning had produced his measure last Seto
sion, an Honourable Friend of his (Sir T. Lethbridpievl
had proposed 645. and that he bad voted with him in s
minority. There was no ground for saying that the
landed interest was that which the Government most
attended to: on the contrary, he thought it was jut
the reverse—(A laugh).—lie hoped, bowel/tr., to sea

the day when a better feeling would
confident that there was no mole
making corn cheap than by protecti
temps. In confirmation of this opin
fer to the history of the last 150
old rules of protecting duties, an

bounties on exportation, were in foi
- - - -

no bounties included in the preset
omission was, in his judgment, a de
were then steady—they were now v
he thought the present Bill was bet'
some alteration should be made in
system, some improvement introduce
taking the averages, and a drawback
be afforded on exportation. The It
chided by declaring, that in his opi
barley and oats should ha►e been deci

the new law. As these would be fu

for discussion, he would not at the the
further upon the House; but the prop
was not one with which he could pro
lied, although he thought it better the
Session.

Colonel SISTHORPE concurred i
lion. Members for Wiltshire and So
Bench and Sir T. Lethbridge) that
crssary to keep up the price of bark
quantity of oats imported, he and
counts y from Ireland, in the short peri
the sth of January and the 22d of Ma
ear, had been more than 165,000 qu

was not much deceived, it would -.
-
greater, proportion of those oats had
I3r ught from foreign markets into 1
struction of the grower here at home.
protection was given by the new law t
a stagnation in the home production
ninst be the consequence.
Mr. Secretary HUSKISSON said,
course pursued by Honourable Gentle
tering so much at length into the su
what anomalous. He should not at p
sr ide field of discussion, nor should I
the House at all, were it not for the
Hon. Gentlemen, who said they woul
remark at all. With respect to what h
lion.. Gentleman who spoke-fast, he
that not a single bushel of foreign oat
posed, been smuggled into Ireland,
ound its way here. Any foreign oats.
he country were openly imported. The
or admitting the article, in censequ
dearth which prevailed. But, as he st
single bushel was imported in the man
was not probable that any thing of th
Occurred, or that any person, for a d
profit, would run the risk of making
on the f.ce of very severe penalties.
Somersetshire (Sir T. Lethbridge) co
ports having been opened to admit th
foreigkoats. Now he thought, if the
which received general assent towards
Session, it was the propriety, under
stances, of admitting foreign oats into
seemed to have been fully agreed on
such a step. Indeed this necessity wai
admission of the Hon. Baronet himself,
between two and three million quarters
found a market here. It would appe.
the Member for Somersetshire, they
all the regulations which existed in lb
Memf er said, that at one period of th
was as'high as '2f. Os. Bd. and that even
foreign corn found its way into the maxi

of duty paid at the period alluded to, di
corn alone. Was he not aware that bat
corn, and flour paid duty as well as cori
Ise. ks of February this year, the dut
bur it he looked to the returns for each
fiiid, that the amount of import was si
Iprice was 51s. the quarter, at this petia
there're proved the the lion. Member
of danger on this poilit were carried so
The Honourable Member concluded tf

price fell from 60s. to 525. that fall in
of the measure adopted last year. In cr
ever, that fall of price, there were otbe
that should be borne in mind. It most
that there was an abundant harvest wel
that, at former periods, experience pro,
new measures, when proposed, was too.
importation, from an apprehension tha
sole might prove unfavourable.
importation naturally produced a fal
however, the Honourable Member 100
in February last yeatr, would find th
the same as .la 4 Febtestry, and he e
doubt that in July next the price woo
much from what it was in July,. 1827
Learned Friend (Mt: Ferguson) seemed
seemed to feel sonfe elhtm, as thinking
of the growers of oats would be °verb.
sure now proplml. Did his Hon. Fri
last year a material alteration had
proposed scale, in favour of oats---t
amounted to the whole difference betty •
wiile no change took place with tespe.
The protection to oats appeared to hi
or proportion to that extended to' of
had been observed in the course of this
the plan now submitted to the fl .use
opect from the prop .sttion of the Membe
(Mr. Bankes) last Session. Ilis propos
the pivot, as it was called, on which
to tut is was 61s. The scale now propose
quite different in °Vier teapects. La
proposed was 225. the price being 61
whereas now the duty was 2Gs. Bd. at
The Member for Bs idgenorth (Mr. Whit
Hon. Gentlemen, professed to abstain
at mesint, but yet' took an oppottu
though concisely, what their opinions
to the house and t s the Governme
those Hoc. Gentlemen who had oche
iiropose, should bring them forward no
then have an opportunity of considering
and of judging which were most likely
sati.faction. If they had not the arg
Honourable Gentlemen, they should at
Resolutions. His Honourable Friend
said he would oppose the plan now pr
seemed to think that it was the very sa
terois, as the plan proposed last Sessi
one point, there certainly was no great
principle of both was to take the two
proposed scale, and to commence at t
ar rise or tall of duties. In the scale
pice, taken was 70.. at which the duty
nominal. The price being 60s. the dot
such as would effectually prevent or gra
admission of foreign corn. He was no
he stated last year, that he considered
protection; that at a price between 60s
corn should be admitted sparingly ; bu
every facility should be given. It was