Star.
London, England, 1821-10-18 00:00:00

PRICE SE*. EN -I)V,NrE,

CORN TRADE.

RENFREWSIIIRE MICIIAELMAS HEAD COURT.
Tuesdafse'nnight, the Michaelmas Head Court was
herd at Renfrew, when James Oswald, Esq. of Shield..
ball, William Mure, Esq. younger, of Caldwell,
James Corbet Porterfield, Emq. of Porterfield, Cap-
tain James Stirling, R.N. the Honourable Richard
Westenra, the Hon. John Craven Westenra, John
Benny, Esq. John Napier, Esq. and Alex. M'Lean,
Esq. were admitted upon the Roll of Freeholders.
It was then enquired if any other business was be.
fore the Court ?

JOHN MAXWELL, Esq. M. P. said he had under-
stood that the Freeholders present were that day to
give their opinions upon the Corn Laws. He had
lately been consulting his friend Mr. Thomson, and
a number of commercial Gentlemen, and he found
that there was a considerable discrepancy of opinion
on this question. He knew it would be brought be-
fore Parliament during the ensuing Session, Where it
would undergo a warm and Interesting discussion.--
It was seldom disputed that the Corn Bill.operates to
the hurt of the commercial classes, and in his opinion
it operated materially to the injury of both the land-
lord and the manufacturer. Every three or four
years the ports were opened by a bad harvest, and
then there were such vast quantities of grain poured
into the country as reduced the fir-ices beneath their
natural level, and thereby rendered the farmers to-
tally unable to pay their rents. Some Gentlemen
were of opinion that it would be best to abandon the
restrictive system altogether•, and at once adopt the
principles of free trade; but when he considered that
the burden of the poor, the support of the Church,
Yeomanry Cavalry, &c. came chiefly upon the land-
lord, he thought it was evident that he should have
a little more than ordinary protection. He thought
that a protecting duty of ss. or 6s. lower upou•wheat
than the present prohibitory prices would ensure pros-
perity to the manufacturers, and would nit be so
prejudicial to the landed interest. Though he was
favourable to a protecting fluty, he could nut consent
to one so large as was advocated by Mr. Curwen,
and some other distinguished agriculturists ; because,
in his opinion, it would operate like a poll-tax upon
the People, and would be as bad as the Corn Bill.—
He was for a fair and moderate duty, which would
not operate to the prejudice of the manufacturers,
and would, at the same time, afford protection to the
landlords. He thought it would be highly proper
both for the landed Gentlemen and the commercial
classes to lay their opinions on this subject before the
House of Commons and his Majesty's Government,
and he should be very glad to hear the mind of any
of the Gentlemen present.
Mr. ALEXANDER said, he approved of what had
been said by Mr. Maxwell, and should be very glad
if the county would meet and give their opinions on
this interesting subject. Like Mr. Max% ell, he had
talked with a number of his friends, and he found that
they were all in favour of a protecting duty. For
his own part, he conceived that a protecting duty
would be more advantageous for both the agricultu-
ral and commercial classes.

Mr. &MRS said, there would be no prosperity in
the country till they got a protecting duty. He was
anxious to see a full meeting of the county to give
their opinions. Mr. Thomson was very well qua-
lified to give the minds of the commercial classes, and
Sir John Maxwell and Mr. Alexander could give the
opinions of the landed interest, and Committees of
the two classes should be appointed to correspond
with each other on the subject. The interests of the
two classes were inseparably connected. It was evi-
dent that their estates would not be half their value,
were it not for the manufacturing classes ; they were
all embarked in the same ship, and ought to coope-
rate to promote each other's prosperity. He consi-
dered that the Corn Bill was the greatest curse that
ever befell this country. He was in Parliament when
it was passed, and was accused•of voting for it, and
the people several times threatened to burn his house.
He did not then give his opinion, because he would
not be bullied into anything, but he never gave his
vote for this pernicious Bill.

Mr. THomsoN said, the Corn Bill was very unpo..
pular ; it had caused more misery and discontent than
any other measure of his Majesty's Government, and
those Gentlemen who were best informed upon the
subject were most against it.
After a short discussion about the most proper
mode of calling a Meeting of the County Gentlemen.
and how the opinion of the commercial classes could
be best obtained, as the Convener could not call a
Meeting of the respectable Manufacturers along with
the landed Gentlemen,

Mr. MAXWELL said, that if any Gentleman would
take the trouble to turn over the Roll of Freeholders,
he would see that it contained a body of most. respect-
able and intelligent commercial Gentlemen, and he
thought that by a full County Meeting the opinions of
both classes might be pretty acetic ately ascertained.
Mr. ALEXANDER said, he thought it would be best
to address a Requisition to the Convener in the usual
way. Sir JOHN MAXWELL and Mr. SPIERS approved
of.this suggestion, and Mr. BA Re wrote a Requisition
for the purpose of calling a Meeting of the Noblemen,
Gentlemen, Freeholders, Justices of the Peace, Com-
missioners of Supply, and Magistrates of Towns, at
Renfrew, on Tuesday the 29th inst. to take into con-
sideration the Corn Laws, which was signed by the
Gentlemen, and the Meeting broke up.

Norwich Corn Mai ket was on Saturday fully at-
teilded, but little alteration took place in pi it e ; bar-
ley was one shilling lower than I.►st week. A large
supply of lean cattle, both st..ts and homebred, were
driven on the Hill, and the turnip crop being very
abundant, many sales were made on low terms. The
pens also were numerous, and filled with sheep and
lambs, which continue to fetch but low prices.