Star.
London, England, 1821-02-22 00:00:00

brought forward this statement as a consoling fa
to slew how impossible it was that the comforts
the labouring classes could have been diminished, if
consumption had increased. He fully agreed with
the Noble Marquis, that there ought to be no altera-
tion in the Corn Lairs; and that such a measure
could have no effect in relieving the distresses of the
country ; but he could not agree with those who re-
commended alterations in the-laws relating to trate.
Other countries might be superior to us in some com-
mercial regulations ; but there was no dependence
on their permanency ; and the great advantage which
this country enjoyed above others was, that the peo-
ple knew what the laws were, whether good or bad;
and he thought that frequent fluctuations in the laws
of commerce were worse than long existing restric-
tions. With respect to agriculture, he believed that
it was in a great measure caused by the circumstance
of persons having, during the last years of the war,
brought into cultivation great tracts of land which
had never been destined for it ; and that, too, at
a great expense. • There was another circumstance
which .contributed to the distress of our agriculture,
but it was one which ought to excite congratulation
instead of regret—he alluded to the improved agri-
culture of Ireland. Some years ago, a very small
portion of corn was imported from that country—
among thiieorn there was scakely any wheat. In
one year, 58,000 quatters of` wheat were imported ;
but 144 year the quantity Wat'nti less than 351,875
quartera!t, M to the collection of taxes, the effect of
an alteration in the mode of collecting any tax, would
be a diminution of proditce. and an increase of diffi-
culty ; and an attempt Walter the taxation on a large
scale, would incieiselhe general distress of the coun-
try. Therefore, it would be unwise to adopt any
course that should altei the general state of taxation,
and produce that confusion which must be produc-
tive of a derangement in the Revenue.—
He concluded with'moving fur the Papers to which
be referred.
The Marquis of LANSDOWN replied. lie assured
the House that at Birmingham and Glasgow, and
other manufacturing places, there had been a great
decrease in the consumption of meat and bread.
The Earl of LIVERPOOL maintained that it was
impossible to ascertain the precise state of the con-
sumption in any other way than by regular returns,
such as he then moved for; and from the statements
he had just made, he had a right to conclude that as
these material articles had increased, the consump-
tion in general of other things had also increased.
Lord ERSKINE contended, that the real cause of
all the distresses of the country was the destructive
system of war carried on for the last thirty 'years,
which had created overgrown capitalists, who were
now enjoying vast advantages on the distresses of
others. But the Noble Earl, like certain doctors,
who would recommend to their patients, when in the
last stage of life, to persevere in the use of the me-
dicines which they had long and ineffectually pre-
scribed, seemed determined to adopt no remedy, but
let the same system go on under which all our cala-
mities had grown up. His Lordship next adverted
to the distressed state of our agriculture, and the
enormous amount of the Poor-rates, to remedy which
the Legislature never thought of devising
.any mea-
sure. These pernicious laws were swallowing up the
whole agricultural interests of the country. It was
absolutely necessary to fix on some early day to take
all the petitions on the subject of agricultural dis-
tress into consideration, with a view of adopting
some general systeni of relief.
Lord KING.—The Noble Earl opposite had Stated
various causes, from time to time, for the distress
which affected the country. But now came the most
extraordinary cause of all, that of excessive produc-
tion. Among the numerous follies of mankind which
Swift had held up to ridicule, he had never touched
on that of excessive production. This was a folly
which no Gulliver was ever found to expose. No such
attempt as this was ever made before to impose on
the credulity of mankind. If the Noble Lord had
stated that there was a deficiency in the supply, he
would have stated a true and proper cause of the dis-
tress, and a proposition to that effect would be per-
fectly. intelligible. But to say that excessive produc-
tion caused the distress, was altogether a paradox.—
Now, there were some things which admittCd of an
easy explanation; for instance, in the cases of beer
and malt. More malt was used, because more beer
had been drank. In tea also, it was well known that
a very extensive speculation ad taken place among
private traders. The prices were lowered in conse-
quence, and the loss was not to the traders, but the
importer. The Noble Earl said that there 'was an
excess of produce. It was well known that the quan-
tity of produce depended on the amount of capital,
and that the increase of capital' necessarily caused au
increase of supply. But it was also well known that
there had been a very considerable decrease of capi-
tal ; and from that fact he reasoned, without any fear
of contradiction, that there must also be a decrease
of supply. In the common article of liMe, he could
assure the House, that the decrease of the use of lime
in agriculture was inconceivable—(licar, hear).—lf
it were true that there had been an excessive produce,
how could it be reconciled with that fact? Again,
an excessive produce would have caused an increase
of labour. Now if there had been an increase of la-
bour, why was it that the poor-rates had been in-
creased to their present enormous amount? If there
had been such an abundance of produce as had been
stated, was it enough to compensate fcr the decrease
of price? If that had been the case, agriculture
would not have suffered as it had. Excessive pro
duce was not the.cause of the distress. The real cause
of it was to be bond in the twenty-five years war—
(Hear, hear)—and now they must pay for it. During
the war they did not feel it, because then the Noble,
Earl gave a false spirit to the country by his paper
currency—(Hear, hear).—The Noble Lord, in truth,
did not understand what he was doing, or if he did,
he must have known it to have been a complete delu-
tioa—(llear, hear).—lt was an acknowledgedmaxim,
that the prosperity of the country depended on the
proportion of the population to the capital; but when
be saw an increased population and a diminished ca-
pital, he concluded that the disproportion was natu-
rally followed by a diminution of general happiness.
The only cure for the distress existing was to be
found in a rigid economy. There was a want of pro-
per contrail in the Treasury. Reductions had not
been made where they might and ought to have beeti
made. The %remedy alone was the only one which

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