Star.
London, England, 1821-06-29 00:00:00

ADDRESS OF MR. CURIVEN.

' Cavendish-square, Loodop, June-18, 1821.
....."
" TO ENT INDIVIDUALS OT .E COUNTV.OP COMPRRLAND, AND LISS-
*IMRE, ViNUIT PISTITIONS MEEK cone:Din TO air CALK 111 TIM
LAST AND ransom sesslows OF PARLIAMENT.
" Gentlemen—ln the last Session of Parliament, numerous
Petitions on the part of the Agriculturists of Great Britain,
stating their diminished resources and undiminished burden
were placed' on the table of the ds,
douse of Commons. To these
no attention was then paid. In the present, they have been re-
newed : the number and respectability of the Petitioners at length
compelled attention to them: they were referred to a Commit-,
tee, but under most inauspicious circumstances, Ministers deciar- '
ing that they bad no remedy to propos.t, and protesting against'
'any interfetence with the Revenue or the Currency.
" Before that Committee, investigations have taken place
equally tedious and fruitless; and bier conceive it my duty to
submit to my constituents, and to those who confided their Pe-
titions to my care, my reasons for dissenting from the Report

of that Comisittee.
" First, I must express my regret that so much valuable time
has been consumed in hearing evidence to establish that which
no one but his Majesty's Ministers appear% to doubt—the degra-
dation of eNery species of Agricultural produce, and the stagna-
tion of the home market consequent on it. The general dis-
tress being admitted, indeed proved beyond controversy, it did
seem, of course, that some remedial measures,• either as to the
present or future, would have been proposed by the Committee,
fur the-consideration of the Legislature ; and that Parliament
would not have been suffered to separate, without attempting
some alleviation of, or a future security against, the sufferings
of the Empire. Instead of this, it amnia the country is to find'
consolation in an ably prepared treatise on the alleged causes r.f
this distress ; on the advantages of an approximation to a free
trade in corn.
" We are told, too, of the existence of similar distress on the'
Cendient ; of the Farmer's complaint of low prices elsewhere,
aid of farming to a lots. From such statements I derive no
eepsolatism ; on the contrary, they must inspire fresh alarm; and,
oder such circuntstancza, it is difficult to ascertain what ought
be the amount of protecting ditty which the British farmer
should require. The unparalleled difficulties in which our cons-
aryls involved, his Majesty's Nlinisters have been pleased to at-
tribute to over-production, advance of rents, change of standard,
inadequate adjustment of price of wages and of materials, and
to large importations in 1817 and 1818, and in February, 1819,
of foreign grain; entirely overlooking the main and overwhelm-
ing source of our distress—taxation.
" That an extraordinary supply of wheat from Ireland, of the
crop 1820, has taken place, is indeed true. Had the prosperity
of Ireland kept pace with this increased export of grain, we must
all have rejoiced; but 1 verily believe that this has been one of
the results of her distress. The decline in the price of live stock
has led to the ploughing up some of the prime pastures. Instead
of an indication of wealth, this must be viewed as rather a proof
of her Increasing poverty, and of the necessity of adopting mea-
sures for the protection of her live stock as well as of corn. In
our own country we see that the augmented distress of the work-
ing classes has driven numbers to a sebssitanion of food of infe-
rior quality, which checks considerably the consumption of that
and of animal food.
" To the enormous Importations of Grain, during the period
when our ports remained open, Ido indeed ascribe, in a consi-
lerable degree, the present depressed state of our markets. At
the time of the harvest, 1819, we had on sale probably not less
than twelve hundred thousand quarters of foreign grain—not
less than an eighth of our consumption for twelve months : thus
the necessities of our country did not require then or since, a
'bushel of it. To this superabundance may justly be attributed a
peat part of the depreciation of corn,*and our consequent misery.
f effectual means be not taken to present the admission of such
overwheinthig quantities of foreign grain as have been accumu-
lated by our ports being closed—if ever admission be given to
foreign grain whilst our Agriculture remains burdened as it is at
present--the littlish farmer must give up all competition with
the iMporter, even if our rent were put out of the question—
and our system of Finance must necessarily and speedily come
to its end. I have little doubt, six months' supply might at this
moment be bad from tho-Coatinent, at less than half the price
necessary to remunerate the British power. Who, that has a
knowledge of the state of our own Agriculture, can contemplate
the ports being unlimitedly opened to the introduction of foreign
grain, without the apprehension,of the total ruin of the British
farmer—and with him, of every other class in society?
" The recurrence to Cash Payments has, I do sot doubt,
had great influence in augmenting our difficulties. I wish, how-
ever, that amongst those who have dedicated the most attention
to this difficult subject, and who have the reputation of under-
standing it best, there was a nearer approach to agreement. Sonia
estimate the depreciation at the moment of the highest issue of
Bank paper to have been 30 per cent. others 20, some but 10.
That the sudden curtailment of the circulating medium was a
precipitate measure, which ought not to have preceded but to
have followtd a reduction in taxation, seems generally admitted
by impartial persons. When the circulating medium was thus se.
duced in amount, the necessity of providing for the same weight
of taxation is, of itself, sufficient to account for no small part of
our distresses. The money price of our agricultural produce is
reduced seventy millions annually ; the transactions between all
- classes. of society have been consequently deranged, whilst the
State continues to make the very same, or even increased exac-
tions; and the general distress which has arisen, seems to have
been the inevitable result.
11 Such arc the bitter fruits of those wars in which this coun-
try was involved in the last quarter of the past century, and in
the beginning of the present ! For plunging ui into those wars,
their authors have received every species of adulation and re-
ward ; whilst those who attempted, vainly attempted, to ward
off or terminate the evil, have been assailed by every species of
obloquy and abuse. - But let me ask the admirers of that sys-
tem, so well imitated in the present day, have they, indeed,
weathered the storm r

" The Agricultuial Associations are by some persons loudly
condemned, and the country, it is said, has beenmiskd by than.
Prom these persons I completely differ—as I do front the Re-
port of the Committee. Instead of contemplating a regulated
trade in, grain as an advantage, I consider it an object to be
guarded against, an evil only to be tolerated from dire necessity,
sold against which every measure of prevention should be resorted
to to render Britain independent of foreign supply of every arti-
cle of internal produce,--:to the agricultural Associations, and to
the investigations ;et on foot by these Associations, we are in-
debted for the inquiry which has taken place.—For the appoint-
ment of a Committee. and the discussions which have ensued,
the country is indebted to Mr. Webb Hail and his associates. I
trust they will not relax la their laudable endeavours, but pro-
"eeed with increased energy. To them the enzintry owes much,
and will, 'lt is to be hoped, Incur fresh obligations. It would
appear that the Petitioners in behalf of the Agricultural Inte-
rests, have been viewed by the Committee rather as defendants
than as 'plaintlffs.—tefore adequate relief and security are ob-
tained by them, their sufferings will receive, I very much fear,
not &minutiae-but Increase. The people of England will do
well, therefore, to weigh these drown/tames, and join in reite-
rated Petitions,in "firm but temperate ;pm, for redress, which,
if muck Roger withheld, must lead to consequences I dread to
anticipate.
" The road to general wealth and prosperity in every cottony
is. by directing to useful employment every active and able hand.
To throw out of cultivation any portion of our territory, capa-
ble of improvement, must be earnestly deprecated, as pregnant
with the danger of more widely extending the sufferings of the
meritorious labourer, and of surnentieg pauperism. In eases
of dire necessity alone, when grain, in unfortunate seasons, at-
tains, or is likely to attain, a price oppressive to the consumer,
would I wish to see admission given to the produce of foreign
lands, and then on payment Of a duty adequate to the difference
of cost at which grain can be produced on the Continent and in
Great Britain. To suth a duty it has been objected, that the
consumer would imagine the amount was paid by him, and not
abstracted from the pocket of the importer. This I apprehend
to be as error. The price of foreign Main, sold for internal con-
sumption, is governed, as far as competition among the specu-
lators will permit, not by the cost of production or of importa-
tion, but wholly by that of our home-raised grain. At the time
of our greatest distress, in the commencement of the present
century, the King or Prumia imposed a duty of ten per cent. on
all grain exported from the territory under his controul. In
contemplating a foreign supply of grain. it should never be lost
*la of, that famine has no arguments to combat extortion ; ne-
cessity. in such a case 4 imperious, and submission unavoidable.
This ought to make us anxious to encourage our ono Agriculture,
though our grain may be produced at a cost greater than, in 'or-
dinary years it could be procured from the Continent. Home
produce will, I verily believe, be found, oe.a succession-of years,
the cheapest supply: if all eircunglauces be taken fairly into the

accounts During the war we had the monkipoly of trade; if
we required grain, there was no hesitation in taking our mauu-
factures in payment Circumstances are changed; and it by no
means follows, that those countries from which a supply of corn
is obtained rase receive our goods in exchange, if a cheaper or
better market can be found.
Legislation, with regard to the admission of foreign grain,
I should wish to be viewed as an expedient, not to be re-5 n-ted
to except in cases of pressing necessity. I cannot, therefore, '
concur in the views of the Committee; nor accede 'to such an
amount of countervailing duty as they seem to have in content-
plation when the prices arrive at a point requiring foreign aid.
I should require a protecting duty cf an amount th which the
whole tenor of their reasoning leaves no room for hope. I should
also require protection fur every article of domestic produce.
Tallow, for example, pays no more on importation than three
guineas a ton; whilst on exportation from Russia it is charged
with a duty of two pounds and amirrards. Russian tallow is
thus, to the injury of our own similar produoe, admitted on
terms so inadequately low, as even to furnish. on export from
the place of produce; an article of revenue approaching in amount
to our duty of import. How 'Slinisters recoucil.: the incongruity '
of charging butter with tea pounds a ton, and cheese with twenty
pounds, whilst an &tick of still greater import comes in on one-
third less duty than the lowest of these, j know not. If the
protection of one specks of agricultural production is sauctionid,
oo what parity of reasoning can it be withheld from all the reg.:
" In a different state of things, the principles of a free trade
are no doubt theoretically preferable; but situated as we are,
whilst every Government in Europe and in America, with
whom we are connected in commerce, fence themselves with
restrictive laws, it seems preposterous to refer to principles by
which none abide. In the period between 1774 and 1814, we
had something resembling a free intercourse in grain : during
this time, certainly, our Agriculture made rapid advances, and
it has be.,n inferred, therefore, that our country received no in-
jury by it. But this may be accounted for by the genersi state
of Europe, and the consequences of the war., which, during
that pericel, precluded our receiving a quantity exceeding our
real wants. Since the peace of 1815, Europe has become inure
agricultural. and has augniented her productions of all kinds
from the soil If our markets were, under any circumstance*,
open to the importation of foreign grain without limitation, I
should not doubt that, rather than not find a motet, tutmst isfdi
be disposed of at 255. a gecanter. When the T.,:t on foreign wool
was proposed, I objected to it, conceiving, as I then did, that
our manufacturers were able to deal with all the surplus wool.
in Europe without injury to our own produce. lam now satis-
fied that Spain and other countries have so greatly augmented
their flocks, that they could furnish us their wool at prices lower
than the home grower could puisibly afford, and thus leave Bri
tish fine wool Wholly without a market.
" I ask for no measures but such as are calculated to promote
the general welfare and prosperity of the community at large. I

. . .
am ready to sacrifice any individual interest that can be proved
for the general benefit. To attribute our miseries to our internal
increased productions, is to controvert one of the best established
principles of political economy—for it is abundance of food which
gives importance to every other description of wealth.
“ Rents have certainly risen since 1796: in many cases, corn-
petition may have carried them infinitely too high ; but it is in-
vidious, as it is unfounded, to- represent this as the principal
source of our own distress; great deductions have been made
since 1814, and are daily making. What was the state of the
country at the period of this rise? Our National Debt, in 1796,
was under SOO millions; total expenditure, 15 millions; amount
of Poor Duty, little above two millions. In 1821, the Debt
exceeds 800 tsullions ; expenditure, between 60 and 70 millions;
Poor Rates, eight millions and a half. If rents apd farmers pro-
fits are to be reduced, so as to support our Agriculture with
present prices, is any man sanguine enough to imagine that faith
can be kept with the public cr-tilitor ? One-third, nay, not much
short of one-half, of our whole produce is now absorbed by the
poor, tythes, and taxation. Can it be imagined that, by any
means, this more than a third can be permanently exacted?"
Theprice of materials employed by the Farmer, and the
amount of wages paid to the labourer and the mechanic, may
not yet be reduced to the standard which his profits will enable
him to pay. When that reduction takes place, it will not be of
less than one-fourth on the war prices. Such an arrangement
will break in still more on the comforts of the labouring and
middling classes, whilst it augments, relatively, the advantages
enjoyed by the Fundholder and the Servants of the &ate, their
dividends and salaries being reoeived without deduction.
ss From the Committee which has just finished its labours, I
did, indeed, expect a recommendation of some immediate *ilea-

sures to obviate the evils that might by possibility arise from an
inundation of foreign grain, in case the misfortune of bad seasons
should compel us to open our ports. I did look also for protec-
tion of all other articles of domestic produce.
0 The repeal of the Agricultural Horse Tax is not a Loon for
which the country has any obligations to the Committee: they
owe it to the feelings of Parliament for the distresses of Agri-
culture, to which Ministers have the credit, after being beaten,
of yielding with a good grace. Disappointed as the Farmers
will be in their expectation of relief and protection fur a,.:ricul-
total produce, all classes of the community are deeply interested
in the prosperity of Agriculture. Oh this, in my view, depends
the comfort and happiness of all persons in the United Empire.
" If protection to all agricultural produce is not to be granted,
the country must then direct its views to the only alternative,
which is, to cut down our establishments—contract the scale
of expense at home and abroad—demolish all useless places—
reduce the amount of salary paid, from the Crown to the lowest
Officer of the State—and call on the Funded Proprietor for his
contribution of a fair proportion to the exigencies of the State.
These sources of relief seem not to have been hitherto in the
very least in the contemplation of Ministers. Pertinaciously
they have clung to the F.stimates of the year, made under a
completely different aspect of our public affairs. To one or other
of these alternatives we must resort.
" All I have asked, on the part of. the Landed Proprietor,'
Farmer, and Labourer, is, that equal justice be dealt to all. If
our respective incomes are to be reduced or annihilated—if we
are to descend in our tank in society-4f we are to sacrifice re-
spectively our comforts—let not this depression, nor these suf-
ferings, be confined to this or that .peculiar-class, but let it be
common to all.
" Whether the views I have taken of these important sub-
jects are just or erroneous, you and the.Poblic must decide. Of
the honesty of the intention, I trust all who know me will not
doubt. " I have the honour to be„. Gentlemen,
" Your faithful and obedient servant,
"4. C. CURWEN."

LIBERAL LANDLORDS.--C. G. BLvirnm, Esq. of
Ince, near Liverpool, has reduced the rents of his
Agricultural tenantry from 25 to SO per cent. and
.acquitted them of all arrears ; Earl IVLtuvr.as, at the
late rent day at Hagworthingham, reduced the rents
of his Lincolnshire tenants 20 per cent ; Dr. WILLIS, at
his last rent day returned 15 per cent. to his tenanst.
The following interesting particulars, regarding
the family of a labouring man of the name of Alex-
ander Hodge, residing at Raploch, near Stirling, de-
serve to be recorded. He and his wife have been mar-
ried for the last 17 years, during which time they have
had 15 children, of whom there are 11 at present in
life. The mother has had twins four times, and
nursed all her family herself. What is chiefly worthy
of remark is, that this industrious and frugal coople
have brought up their children, and, to all appear-
ance, decently and comfortably, on the trifling pit-
tance of 7s. a week !—that being the utmost of the'
husband's wages for the last le years—with the ex-
ception of a cow's grass, which his managing and
economical helpmate endeavoured to turn to the best
account she could, without any assistance, notwith-
standing that, in her individual person, were vested
the various departments of the dairy, laundry, nursery,
•kitchen, &c.

Paacisrox.-111r. OLBERS has calculated, that once
only in a period of 8,800 years a comet will come as
near to the earth as the moon is. Once only in four
millions of years, a cornet will approach the earth
within 7,700 geographical miles; and if it be equal
in size to the earth, will raise the water. to,the height
14:
of 13,000 feet (a second deluge);
1 only in 120
millions of years will such a bodj come in contact
with the earth!!!