The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1841-12-24 00:00:00

CORRESPONDENCE

THE CORN LAWS

TO THE EDITOR OF THE LIVERPOOL STANDARD.

SlR,—ln explanation of the " plan for a modification of
the corn-laws," which you have been good enough to deem
worthy of a place in your columns, as well as an editorial
commentary, I would first observe, before I enter upon the
subject, that any plan on a question so complicated, and so
beset with difficulties as the subject of the corn-laws, requires
deep consideration before we can pronounce, definitely, upon
it. And all I ask of you is, that you will calmly view each
portion of the plan before you in its various bearings ; and
then, I feel assured, you will arrive at the conclusion to which
I inevitably come, namely, that, with an average price of
565. per quarter for English wheat, and an average duty of
Bs. per quarter, " the protection to the English agricultu_
rist " is 47 per cent.

The calculations which arc carried out, in reference
to the lower scales of prices and duties, are relative,
and are not intended to convey any inference detrimental,
or otherwise, to the agriculturist. Having given the facts,
and carried out the calculations, I leave in a higher quarter
the propriety of adopting or rejecting them.

I put forward no opinion—l propound no new principle.
But, presuming on the double hypothesis, that the agricul-
turist requires protection and the government revenue, there
seems nothing for it but a range of prices that affords the
one, and a scale of duty that effects the other.

But, to meet your remarks, suppose, for the sake of sim-
plicity, that we leave out the two lower scales of duty, as
suggested in the plan, and the two lower scales of prices,
as well as the calculations on them ; we have thus the nucleus
of the scheme laid bare, namely, an average of prices (565.
Ist scale), and an average of duties (Bs. Ist scale), giving an
ample revenue, and a protection to the agriculturist of 47 per
cent.

I do not offer any opinion whether this is sufficient,
too much, or not enough of protection ; nor yet, whether
the above-named scales of prices and of duty be the
best that can be selected ; (this, as is mentioned in the
" plan," being left to others to determine,)—my object
being simply to show the working of the plan, for the
information and guidance, alike, of the agriculturist and
manufacturer, by giving certain scales of prices and duties,
and carrying out the calculations arising out of them.
Neither do I believe that the system I am suggesting will,
in its operation, be very different from that of a fixed duty,
whether as it regards revenue, protection, or the interests.of
the manufacturer.

This explanation will, I think, meet your first observa-
tions.

The other portion of the plan which you deem open to re-
mark is the mode of taking the averages. The mode of car-
rying out its working details, which you consider as not quite
oe, as there stated, by " persons ap-
avernment in the several towns and districts ;
,s, weekly, of the snorkel price,
y growers as well as by factors or dealers, (if
pr then the exact market price last paid.)

clear in 0:

plan, would b,

these should send retur
" obtained '

" of good, sound, merchantable wheat (no other quality),
without rtlerence to quantity, to a board in London,
ould be to collate the returns, draw the

Ise duty i

" averages, and fix the duty—then to transmit it on a certain
" day in each week to the collector of the Customs, in every
" port of the united kingdom."

In carry

rangement, tl

be nothing

complicated,

t, or c

Toper" pers
ould then re

1), who
rn the '

u returns, weekly,
arket price," and

same board which sits now would be employed then,
that their labour would be much situ-
as they would not have to do with the damaged or
• that now forms part of the averages, nor to draw.