Star.
London, England, 1828-04-26 00:00:00

terdun, which received corn from all places, and at which the'
minimum pike of wheat was 32c —a price which would necessarily
be hlgber if the Thames were equally open to foreign importation.
Mr. HUSKISSON thought that his flight lion. Friend had
triumphantly tefuted the inference from Sir C. Scott's evidence.—
He (Mr. H.) maintained that Mr. Jacob's Report was equal►y deci-
sive as far as that Gentleman's evidence was coned' tied. Mr. Jacob
stated that the average price at Alecklenburgh (in that calculatiog
the profits to grower and merchant) was hut Bs. les% than .-f
corn. There might have been a single cargo at a less—but that was
consequent upon a Continental glut—and could not weigh in the
general que,rion. lie was happy to hear from so diginguished a
Representative of the Agricultural Interests as the Hon. Member
for Wiltshire, that 60s. was considered to he a remunerating price,
for he remembered that Lord Liverpool was called a visionary
theorist when he fixed 80s. as the minimum.

Nr. WARD said, the uriee of wheat on the ComMent was
always regulated by the demand of England. The warehoused
corn sold last year was sold at a loss. He thought the present pro-
tection was too high, but still he should support the resolution, in
the expectation that experience would throw farther light on the
subject, and enable the House to come to a better conclusion.
Sir THONIAS GOOCH thought the protection rather too low
for the agriculturist, but still would support the measure, in the
hope that it would set the question at rest—(llear, hear).
Ale. BA 111 N G thought the scale of duty oil not fall sufficiently
with the advance of price; but still he did not like to trust himselt
with those Gentlemen who would take half the present scale and
:eject the other half. The agriculturists of this country ought to
take wanting by the Low Countries, which lost their manufactures
and their wealth by taxing corn, which would inevitably be the
fate of this country if corn wal taxed too high. Ile was astonished
to hear persons capable of making one conclusion follow another,
come to the House and demand a protection for their corn and
their wool, and their oak hark. and not ask themselves, not how
they were to get their rents the next year, but how the country was
to go on for a century as a great exporting country, with all the
necessaries of life, and the material of manufactures dm we pro-
,
duced at double the price they were on the Continent. Ile hoped
Government would stand by their own measure, and not sufilt it
to be broken in ou.by persons who did not sufficiently consider how
much their own interest was dependent on the general prosperity
of the country—(Hear, hear).
Sir M. W. RI DLEY thought the present Resolutions afforded a
sufficient protection to agriculture, but tba• no measure on the
subject could he permanent while the great question of Currency
remained.unsettled—( fear).

Mr. BEN ETT
Mr. WODEHOUSE expressed a hope that the Member for
Wiltshire would withdraw his opposition. The measure now pro-
posed was materially better than that dint year—it did the agricul-
turist justice, and they ought to be contented—(clear, hear).
The House divided—
Ayes for the Amendment
Noes

32
. 230
Majority . —l9B
On the Resolution, fixing 1/. ss. 84. as the duty when the price
was 625. being read, with a descending scale of shillings,
Mr. I'ORTM A N proposed, as an amendment, that 2s. be the
descending duty,, instead of Is.
Mr. WESTERN had heard no ground for the abandoning by
Ministers of the proposed descending scale of last year—indeed he
was convinced no feasible ground could be advanced by them. The
impression of the country was—notwithstanding its confidence in
the present head of the Government—that visionary views actuated
it with respect to the agricultural interest. Ile wished to bear
wby the Government abandoned the scale of last year.
Mr. HUMUS/lON replied, that the alarm appealed to by the
lion. Gentleman, would, if it taistefi, furnish the lion. Gentleman
with an answer to his question. But the division that had just taken
place proved that uo such alarm did exist, and that the present scale
was that most agreeable to all classes. It was found that a shilling
descending duty would be most advantageous, as well as to guard
against fluctuations as to insure a sound condition of the corn trade ;
and therefore, without any charge of inconsistency being well
founded, a shilling duty was adopted—ls. was also the duty on the
ascending scale. The proposed amendment was virtually involved
in the proposition just disposed of, of the Henn Member for Dur.
setshire.

Colonel WOOD considered that the rate of duty would
merely clog the scale, and tend to give it an ill odour, without
conferring any additional protection to agriculture.
Sir T. ACLAND exptessed a hope that his lion. Friend would
not press his Amendment. If there was any reason to dread dan-
ger Irons a departure from the descending scale of last year, it
would be wise to avoid that danger; but when they found that no
corn could come in as it did with the protecting duties of last year,
they ought to be satisfied. The Hon. Baronet was unwilling to
quarrel with the measure, after the division which had just occur-
red. Persons of all opinions concurred in considering this measure
a boon to the aviculturists; and he was unwilling to risk the cha-
racter it had obtained by making the alteration required by the
lion. Member in his Amendment. _ _

Mr. PORTMAN was desirous of taking the sense of the House.
If a majority should be against him it was his intention to give up
further orposition.
Mr. Secretary PEEL said, this measure had been a considerable
time before Parliament, and its adoption had been secured by a
large majority. If there was not an absolute necesssity for the in-
crease of the scale, it would be improper to alter the character of
the measure, which afforded protection to agriculture.
Sir K KNATCHIJULL thought it would be useless for his
Hon. Friend to divide on the amendment, but if he went to a divi-
sion, be should give his vote for the amendment.
After a few remarks from Mr. CURTI/3 and Mr. C. Warn, the
Committee dividcd—

50
• . 140
Majority against the Amendment ——9 O
The Chairman then reported progress, rind obtained leave to sit
again on Monday.
%Ir. GORDON gave notice that he should move the second
reading of the Royal Clarence Bridge 13111 on Monday.
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of, and the Houle
Adjourned at a QUA Rtzs to ONE O'CLOCK.

Ayts
Noes