The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1838-09-25 00:00:00

THE CORN LAWS.

•
(From the Morning Herald.)
The ministerial journalists, of all shades of opinion, are
busied in the attempt to unite the labouring classes, in sup-
port of that movement on the corn laws, which is contem-
plated by the free-traders. Many of the more intelligent
workmen are fully aware, that the corn laws operate as a pro-
tection—almost the only protection now left—to native in-
dustry. They know that cheap bread must, in the nature of
things, lead to cheap labour;—and that the rejection of home
grown corn must, necessarily, lessen the home trade, to a
much greater extent than it can increase our trade, with
foreigners. Such convictions in the minds of intelligent
labourers are stumbling-blocks in the course of the ministe-
rial anti-corn law agitators.. To remove these impediments,
all the small sophistries which the economists can weave on
the subject, are in daily and weekly requisition by the ene-
mies of native industry.
We replied, on Tuesday, to the arguments on this question,
adduced by a weekly contemporary—arguments professing to
show, that wages are not regulated by the price of food—and
that the corn Iwo, therefore, do not avail to sustain the
market value of labour. We find the same strain of rea-
soning in opposition to the corn laws, has been adopted by
the Leeds Mercury—a paper devoted to the cause of whiggery,
and of free-trade—and not less distinguished by its enmity to
the Established Church.

Our provincial contemporary shapes his argument thus:—
" But," say the agricultural writers, " if bread were to be
cheaper, wages would fall in the same proportion, and there-
fore the working classes would be no gainers.
" Now, let it be observed bow important a concession this
argument necessarily involves. It implies, of necssity, that
the working classes would, in the first ,instance at least, re-
ceive a larger supply of food in return for their la! our than
they do at present. This is admitted; and, if we mistake not,
the working classes will think this a very substantial ad-
vantage. Their prevent wages would, with a lower price of
corn, purchase a considerably larger quantity of bread. And
why should wages a fterwards be lowered ? If the profits of
the masters should increase, as they would by an extended
trade, there would be no necessity for lowering wages. Nay,
the extension of the trade, by incteasiny the demand for la-
bour, would keep up the price; so that the masters could not
lower wages if they would. There are always two parties to
the reduction of wages; the workmen are one of those parties,
and we scarcely need say that they would not submit to a re-
duction unless they found it necessary. Now, an increasing
trade would prevent this necessity. It would improve the
profits of the masters, and better enable them to pay fair
wages."
__

The shallow, and contradictory nonsense embodied in this
passage may be disposed of without much difficulty.
A repeal of the corn laws would ensure, we are told, " to
the working classes, in the first instance, at least, a larger
supply of food in return for their labour, than at present."
We deny the accuracy of this assumption.
The assumption might be true, providing, that,—concur-
rently with the repeal of the corn laws—no new distribution
of labour should take place throughout England. But a
new distribution of labour would, in the circumstances, be
inevitable.

Entelligcnce.

FRIDAY, SEPTEMBER 21.—Wind N.W. light.

ARRIVED.—John Taylor, late M'Queen, from Maranham ; sailed
6th August—Broad Axe, Gavey, from Grenada; sailed nth August
—Witehaven„ Benn, from Antigua; sailed Ist August—Henry
Hoyle, Ferguson, from Oporto—Oscar, Sheilds, from Archangel—
Eagle, Barnes, from Hambro'—Anna Maria, Haase, from Bremen
—Gretry, Dam, from Antwerp—Tom Tough, Williamson, from
Charente—Maria Louise, Geelvink, from Embden—and Cintra,
Brahms, from Leer.

SAILED —Admittance, Smith, for Savannah—Limena, Edington,
for St. Vincent, Sac.—Ann, Brown, for St. Lucia, &c.—Oporto,
Smith, for Oporto—Frances, Delp 'are, for Ostend—Britannia,
Cook, for New York—Anne, Sem ~ for Newfoundland—Superb,
Boult, for Pernambuco—and Chevalier, Kenney, for New Orleans,

Fanny Anne Garrigues, Sullivan, from Jamaica, at this port. On
the 6th August, in lat. 24, long. 74. spoke the Frances, from St.
Domingo for Falmouth On the 12th Sept. in lat. 49 32, long. 19,
spoke the United States, hence for Philadelphia On the 14th Sept.
in lat. 50 3'7, long. 14, spoke the Ganges, hence for Quebec
Beiram, Woolner, from Odessa, at this port. On the 3rd Sept.
off Gibraltar, spoke the Courier, from Malta for this port. On
the 6th Sept. off Cape St. Vincent, spoke the Swift, from Alexan-
andria for this
Hankinson, -, hence at Africa
Warsaw, -, hence for New York, was spoken sth Sept. in
lat. 48, long. 26 •
Bee, -, hence for Valparaiso, was spoken 9th Sept. in lat.
51, long. 7
Treasurer, Farrago, from Odessa, at Constantinople
Frederick, Gimie, sailed from Marseilles for Liverpool 13th Sept.
Clementina, Wotton, hence at Alicant, and sailed 7th Sept. for
Denia

Adelaide, Swaffiu, hence at Alicant, and sailed 7th Sept. for
Denia

Cintra, Renfree, from Gibraltar, at Alicant
Trinity Yacht, Johnson, sailed from Alicant for Liverpool Ist
Sept.
Fairy Queen, Bell, hence at Bourdeaux
Valeria, Collis, hence at Belvnet
Jeannette, Lecliere, hence at Antwerp
Marie Antoinette, Brabadder, hence at Antwerp
Clio, Dinys, hence at the Scheldt
Alpha, Turner, fiom Rotterdam for Liverpool, off Deal, 19th
Sept.

superior, Louttitt, frcm St. Petersburg for Liverpool, at Pentland
Frith, 14th Sept.
MARGATE, Sept. 19.—The Wye, Fleal, from Liverpool to Yar-
mouth, got on the Kentish Knock last night, was assisted off, but
afterwards sunk. Crew saved.

SATURDAY, SEPTEMBER 22.—Wind S.S.E. to S.S.W. n.oderate.
AKRlTED.—Strathinore, Dick, from Cameroons—Woodstock.
Cook, from Jamaica—Dale, Burton, and Huron, Boardman, from
New Orleans—Sea, Fisher, from Virginia—Enterprise, —,
from Newfoundiand—Albion, Ball, from Malaga—Trinity Yacht,
Johnson, from Alicant—St. Augustin, —, from Bourdeaux—
Stirlingshire, Cargill; Commerce, Primrose ; Countess Lonsdale,
Groom; Mary, Fell, and Rapid, Phillips, from St. Petersburg—
Kleine Angelina, Roskamp, from Leer—Herman, Wrenneberg,
from Bremen—Neptunts, Bakker, from Rotterdam—Anna Her-
mina, Bakker, and Gezina, Postema, from Dordt.
SAILED.—Walter, Foulk, for Philadelphia—Albion, Cross, for
Maranhain—Adventure, Catto, for Lisbon, &c.—Smyrna. Cornish,
for Constantinople—Ceres, Blanchard, for Charleston—Statesman,
Quiller, for Hobart Town, &c.—Byker, Bruce, for Trieste—Capri-
corn, M'Mellan, for Santa Martha, &c.—Le N Dey N Doma, Rabot,
for Senegal—Magdalina, Motter, fur Kiel—Hannah, Berrill, fur
Rotterdam—Mariner, M`Geachie, for Barcadoes.