The Liverpool Standard and General Commercial Advertiser.
Liverpool, Merseyside, England, 1843-03-28 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS

We are compelled to postpone even the acknowledgment of
several communications.

A correspondent states that the Leeds and Manchester Rail-
way Company have taken on lease, for a term of years,
the Calder and Hebble Navigation.
The Mercury has, in its wisdom, thought fit to discharge his
little double barrelled pop-gun simultaneously at our de-
voted head, and that of our contemporary, the Mail, his
ire having been strongly excited by our respective notices
of Miss Stott's concert. Happily the report failed to
fright the country into another " quake," or the pellets to
ruffle even a pinion of the assailed. "He had," he says,
" received a letter from a correspondent, whose writing he
recognised, complaining of the notices alluded to ;" and he,
therefore, forthwith, sets about comparing (odious task !)
the two accounts; and finding in them some differences of
opinion, arrives at the very courteous and logical conclu-
sion, that " little reliance can be placed in the discrimina-
tion, faithfulness, or impartiality, in either of the critics !"
We must certainly succumb to the musical acumen of the
Mercury, who probably considers himself par excel-
lence the only legitimate judge in such matters, inas-
much as his head has, time out of mind, been filled with
all kinds of crotchets—not omitting wind-mills, kites,
spinning-tops, cork-collars, and the like. Nor must wP
forget his extensive practice and proficiency on his own
trumpet. Nevertheless, we do think we may now and
then adventure an opinion of our own in this land of free
discussion, without provoking the jealousy of his godship,
or the ire of his correspondent, who is evidently an inte-
rested party, labouring under the soreness of finding his
merits not so highly appreciated by others as by himself.
We are accused of stating that " the audience was nume-
rous and fashionable, and that the performances were re-
ceived with repeated plaudits ;" and to this remark we
firmly adhere, without fear of contradiction from any one
who was present. On entering the room, we found the
back seats so far occupied chiefly by ladies, that until the
conclusion of the "First part" we were constrained to re-
main, with a few others, in the recess, or ante-room, under
the gallery. The room had certainly the appearance of
being generally filled ; and the assertion of the Mail,
that there was a comparatively slender attendance, had re-
ference, we presume, to former occasions when the assem-
bly was crowded to excess. We are next accused of stating
that a song was sung by Mr. Lewis, while that gentleman
did not sing at all during the evening. On this point we
may have fallen into a mistake. The song in question was
announced in the bill as to be sung by Mr. Lewis, and as
we did not know that individual personally, we naturally
concluded that it was he—a mighty venal offence truly !
The Mercury's correspondent also " complains " (poor
fellow!) that some of the pieces which were actually en-
cored were not noticed by the critics at all. Perhaps so ;
but as we do not always consider an encore a proof of ex-
cellence, it is arrant impertinence to expect us, within the
narrow limits ofa paragraph, to notice every such expression
of popular approbation. Does the Mercury never omit,
in his brief and bald notices of concerts, a single encore?
Bah ! He did not even condescend to attend or to notice
this concert at all ; yet he assumes to be perfectly compe-
tent to criticise the remarks made upon it by others ! We
differed from the Mail, too, it appears, as to the song of
" Sandy and Jenny." Our " critic " considered it
" prettily sung ;" the Mail (shocking discrepancy !) re-
marks, without reference to the music, that " the singer's
attempt to imitate the Scottish dialect would have been far
from gratifying to southeirn eats." For ourselves, we never
expect from an English singer either the perfection of the
Scottish dialect, or the peculiar expression and character
of the Scottish music, which no score can convey. The
song, nevertheless, was prettily sung, and the Mercury
will perhaps allow us to go " Scot free " in this particular,
when we remind him that we did say that it was " warmly
encored." The opinion we expressed of the clarionet ob-
ligato, was also entertained by parties in the room, quite
as competent to judge as the correspondent of the Mercury.
Our paragraph in fine was written in a friendly spirit, for
the encouragement of a talented and deserving young lady ;
and we marvel that the Mercury, who professes to be the
friend of rising genius, should, in his attack upon his con-
temporaries, display an animus calculated to injure her and
her musical friends in their future appeals for public patro-
nage, and which is as little creditable to his "discrimina-
tion" as to his gallantry. But he is a " liberal," and what
have we to expect! He would do well to remember,however,
that those who live in glass houses should not throw stones.
We could point out in any one of his publications numerous
misrepresentations of facts, and his eternal puffing of him-
self and those connected with him would be intolerable,
were it not so palpably ridiculous that all feeling of in-
dignation at such assumption is merged in irresistible
laughter. It is remarkable, too, that though he would
fain persuade the public that " no reliance is to be placed
upon us for discrimination, faithfulness, or impartiality,"
he daily appropriates portions of original articles, and whole
paragraphs, from our coluinns,withsuch apparent implicit
reliance on their accuracy, that he deems it quite unneces-
sary to acknowledge the source from which they are
detived. We think this has unplatted the Mercury's
tissue of misrepresentations.

ktberpool Atanbarb.

TUESDAY MORNING, MARCH 28, 1843

Our contemporary, the Manchester Guardian, af-
fects, on Wednesday last, to have discovered—and the
same discovery was announced, on the same evening,
at a meeting of the League, at Drury Lane, by the
chairman of that body—that the objections urged
against the existing corn-law are, by Conservative
journalists, " more and more feebly repelled ;" thus,
according to the Guardian," shewing the conscious-
ness of the writers that, even amongst their own
friends, the sliding scale is becoming exceedingly un-
popular." As an evidence of this assumed defection
of the Conservative press, our contemporary quotes
largely from a recent-article of the LIVERPOOL STAN-
DARD—and quotes somewhat unfairly, inasmuch as he
leaves out of view the fact, that the article in question
was not at all an article upon the broad subject of
the corn-law; but merely professed to point out the
defect of the speech of Lord Monteagle, as one calcu-
lated, or directed, to throw light, upon the main ques-
tion at issue, as between a fixed duty and the existing
sliding scale)—, from which he derives the conclusion
that the STANDARD, taking its cue from, and ex-
pressing the opinions of, the merchants of Liverpool,
is becoming more and nier.e dissatisfied with the prin-
ciple and working of the present law. We have
already disposed of the inference made, that we watch
the opinions of any man, or any set of men, before ex-
pressing publicly our own sentiments with respect to
public questions. If the press of this, or any other
country, is to be of use--and to be of use it must be
respected—that powerful organ should lead, not follow
in the wake,of public opinion, still less follow in the
wake of particular bodies of the community. We, for
our own part, throw behind us the notion of consti-
tuting ourselves either " farmer's friends," or " friends
of the mercantile interest," peculiarly, convinced as
we are that no man is entitled to either term who is
not the friend of both. Passing by, then, the Guar-
dian's misinterpretation of our position and feelings,
let us come to the points at issue.

In the article referred to, we admitted that, under
the operation of the act of last session, " vast losses
had been sustained by the importers ;" that the intro-
duction of foreign corn into the British market, last
year, had been " very similar to its introduction under
the act of 1828—viz. a simultaneous introduction of
nearly a year's importation in one month, and that the
month of harvest." 'We maintained, however, that
" a fair and dispassionate enquiry into the working of
the act of 1842"—which Lord Monteagle's was not—
would establish the following facts, palliatory of the
admitted mal-operation of the present act; viz.—first,
" that the importer last year bought under the appre-
hension of a deficient harvest ;" secondly, that "he
bought part of his stock amid uncertainty as to what
would he the corn-law determined upon ;" thirdly,
that " he bought under the impression that combina-
tion could still work up the averages ;" and fourthly,
that " in addition to these circumstances, and as a con-
sequence of some of them, he bought in a dear market."
The whole drift of our remarks tended to this—viz.
that the existing law had not as vet received a fair
trial—one by which its legitimate future operation
could be determined upon.
The Guardian's reply to these positions is as
follows :

" That parties who bought wheat for import did so under
the apprehension of a deficient harvest, there can be no
doubt; and there is just as little doubt that under a fixed
duty, or a free trade, the same apprehension would also cause
purchases for the same purpose. The amount of these latter
purchases, however,—the manner in which they would be
made, and the consequences resulting from a miscalculation
of the produce of the harvest,—would be entirely different.
Under the existing law, or any law imposing a greatly fluc-
tuating duty, the purchases of corn for import, whenever
there is a probability of considerable foreign supplies being

needed, will almost of necessity be made, as they were made
last year ;—that is to say, suddenly and hastily, when the
apprehensions of a late and deficient harvest begin to be
entertained. Every importer is well aware that the best
chance. f meeting a low duty will be just before the harvest
is reaped; and each, consequently, will rush into the nearer
foreign markets, buying every parcel that is ready for imme-
diate shipment, and caring less about the prime cost than
the prospect of avoiding the duty. No doubt the temptation
to do this has been diminished, but it has not been removed,
by the modification of the scale, introduced by Sir Robert
Peel; and a slide' in the duty from 20s. per quarter to ls.
per quarter is quite sufficient, as the events of last year
proved, to induce the merchants to buy in the same manner
as they have previously done."

Our contemporary proceeds, in continuation, to re-
mark upon the course of business last year; and
maintains that nothing but " the sudden and glorious
change in the weather" prevented the importers intro-
ducing their stocks, as under the old law, at the lowest
duty.

There is a singular indecision, apparent in the mind
of the writer of the above passage, as to how many of
the imperfections of the act of 1828 het iswilladm
it to bine
I
applicable to the act of last session.conceded,
the lines printed in italics, that, by the new law, " the
temptation" to rush into the foreign market on every
apprehension of a deficient harvest " has been dimi-
nished." It is admitted, too, at the outset, that " un-
der a fixed duty or a free trade, the same apprehension
will also cause purchases for import,"—of course, to
some extent, the same " rush "to purchase. But
we must profess we cannot see how it follows, "ex ne-
cessitate" that the purchases, under the present law,
must continue to be made " as they were last year," or
that the same results must follow. We maintained, in
the article to which the Guardian's remarks are put
forward as a reply, that the stocks of importers last
year were laid in under peculiar circumstances, and this
position the Guardian has not denied. We stated, too
that importers had mistaken their power over the ave-
rages. As an answer to this the Guardian only gives
us his opinion that it was solely the early and abundant
harvest which rendered that power insufficient for the
object—the introduction of stocks at a nominal duty.
It is proof that we want, upon these points, not mere
speculative opinions or assertions—proof, how far the
present scale combines the mercantile facilities af-
forded, or said to be affOrded, by a fixed duty, with the
protective operation of a sliding scale; and for this
proof, which can only be afforded by a fair experience
of the working of the present act, we wait.
The Guardian, as we have shewn in the above quo-
tation, admits that the present law has " diminished
the temptation" to operate suddenly in foreign markets,
with a view to the introduction of corn at nominal
duties at the month of harvest. And yet, whilst ad-
mitting also that a fixed duty would, to some extent,
involve in practice the same simultaneous, and conse-
quently disadvantageous, purchases, he proceeds to
state that, "as the same circumstances"—an improvi-
dent rush into these markets, and the risk of subse-
quent glut and losses in the home market—" would
have equally defeated a speculation under the law of
1828, its failure (last year) will not deter parties from
engaging in similar speculations hereafter." Here he
assumes one of the very things which have to be
proved, and moreover contradicts his own admission.
The cases of last year, and any other year under the
operation of the act of 1828, were not parallel. The
same circumstances which occurred last year would
not have " defeated the speculations of our corn mer-
chants, if those speculations had been made under the
operation of the old " jumping" scale. Every man
familiar with the trade in past years knows that the
minimum duty has been attained under more disad-
vantageous circumstances (the provisions of the law
itself excepted) than any which occurred last year;
and we believe we are correct in maintaining that, had
the old law been in operation last autumn, we should
have had every quarter of foreign corn in the country
released at the duty of is. a quarter ! Nor will " simi-
lar speculations" to those of last year be readily en-
gaged in again hereafter, for the Guardian's own
reason that " the temptation is diminished" to run
risks which the experience of last y ear has proved to be
so hazardous; and because the trade has learnt, from
that experience, that the effect of the present scale is to
paralize the efforts of combination.
Let us see how the act worked last year, as some
test to judge by with respect to its operation hereafter.
Every one knows that, under the operation of the old
law, with its sudden leaps downwards from 13s. 4d. to
the shilling duty, the efforts of speculators, once corn.
menced, were persisted in, and ( we rather think) were
invariably successful. The stocks were herenzeticvlly
sealed in the warehouses until the issue of the adventure.
Last year, however, under the new law,—and this will
take place more generally hereafter--importers came,
week after week, at every reduction of a shilling in the
duty, to market with their stocks. The pressing de-
mand for consumption was met, sparingly as the duty
approached 12s. ; more freely at 11s. ; more fully still
at 10s. and 95., until at Bs. the market was supplied
and the average commenced a retrograde movement,
thus indicating that the most favourable moment for
paying duty had arrived. The Guardian says it was
the early and abundant harvest which checked prices;
and to some extent, no doubt, such was the case.
Such a circumstance, as an unexpected good harvest,
will operate upon speculations made even under a fixed
duty. But the working of the act itself—the gradual
oozing out of stocks, in sufficient quantity to meet im-
mediate demand, and sustain it, if necessary, until the
event of the harvest was decided--was, we contend, the
main obstacle interposed, to prevent the success of
speculation being complete ; and the past experience of
its tendency thus to interpose will, we venture to say,
retard, most effectually, any rash and headlong specu-
lation in years to come.
We have confined ourselves thus far to aneenxmampairnead-
tion of the operation of the present law,
as
with that of the law of 1828. This point must be
cleared up first, before we can arrive at a correct judg-
ment with respect to its merits as compared with a
fixed duty. It is obviously unfair to argue the ques-
tion as between a fixed duty and the old law; and,
from such premises, condemn the present law. It is
unfair to assume, without proof, that the defects of the
old law are the defects of the present; and deduce
therefrom the conclusion that we must come to a fixed
duty or free trade as the only safe and valuable prin-
ciple. The question to be decided, now, is one as to
the comparative advantages of the present law and of a
fixed duty; and this question we shall be able to ap-
proach in our next, our remarks having already run to
an inconvenient length. In the meantime, we trust
we have disposed of some of the objections of the
Guardian—such of them, at least, as are created by the
use made, by reckless speculators, of the facilities af-
forded to their wild and hazardous operations to defeat
the law, by the act of 1828; and presume that we may
now argue the matter without reference to any more
"rushes to purchase" or " clearing out of markets at
any price" than are fairly traceable to the two measures
which, alone, are under discussion.

When we consider that the movement in our Church
to which the names " tractarianism " and "puseyite "
are applied, has been the work of a body of " learned,
pious, and exemplary men, residing in Oxford," and
devoting themselves, in the seclusion of that university,
to the task—whether judiciously or not, we have not
now to decide—of strengthening the fabric and illus-
trating the doctrines of our venerated establishment;
when we consider that one of the assumed objects of
that movement is to infuse more zeal, more vitality of
religion, into the practice of her clergy, and a greater
amount of sacred interest and rigid decorum into her
practices and formularies; it would have been only
reasonable to expect, in those advocating that move-
ment, a tone somewhat in accordance with the charac-
ter of the design which they profess to have in view.
From men sincerely labouring in what they believe to
be a righteous cause, the evidence of a feeling of
Christian charity, towards those who conscientiously
differed from them, might have been looked for ;
ac-
companied by an earnestness for truth, .a disposition to
" set down naught hi. malice," and, above all, language
tempered and restrained by the consciousness of a
holy purpose. But, alas ! we look for these qualities
in the organs of the Tractarian party in vain. We
look for charity of feeling, for candid and careful truth-
fulness of statement, for unembittered language; and
find only rancorous enmity displayed towards that
portion of the Church which has not bowed the knee
to Oxford, accompanied with disregard and perversion
of the truth, conveyed in language which, always be-