The Statesman.
London, England, 1821-06-23 00:00:00

X EPDRI' of the di ciur u RA L COM MI T7'E E.'
The Report of the Select Committee of the Rouse of
Commons upon the petitions complaining of the dis-
tressed state of the Agriculture of the United Kingdom
Sias been printed. It is of great length. but the follow-
i.ur may suffice at present to give some ideas of its sub-
•tance :---

4' It is with deep regret that the Committee have to
ejiumenee their Report by stating that, in their judg-
ment, the complaints of the Petitioners are founded on
I.cf, in so far es they iepresent that at the present price
ie. corn the el-Netts to 'the occupier of an arable farm,
zier allowing for the interest of his investment, are by
uo inane adequate to the charges and out-goings, of
which a considerable proportion can be paid only out
fit the capitals, and not from the profits of the tenantry.
This pressure upon the farmer is stated by some of the
witnesses to have tuaterially affected the retail business
of shop-keepers in country towns connected with the
agricultural districts. But notwithstanding this dimi-
nution of demand in particular parts of the country, it
appears, by official returns, that the total consumption
of the principle articles subject to duties of excise and
customs have increase.' in the last year, compared with
the average of the three preceeding years; and also
that the quantity of cotton wool used for home con-
sumption, and of cloth manufactured in Yorkshire, was
greater last year than in the year preceding, although
the export of woollens in 1t4211 appears to have dimi-
nished. Your Committee have not the same authentic
means of ascertaining the consumption of iron, but
there appears every reason to believe that it has also in-
creased. This revulsion is of the same nature as many
which have occurred in different periods of our history,
and the pressure has in many instances led to a diminu-
lion of rents." • • • •
The report then proceeds to notice the operation of
the various causes that have been assigned for the
avowed depression of the Agricultural Interests, and the
remedies that are suggested for their revival. On nei-
ther of these heads will our limits at present allow us to
extend our extracts. We cannot, however, avoid ob-
serving the manner in which the tountlictre have
treated that which the Farmers have looked up to as a
sovereign remedy—a protection for all the productions of
our agriculture, equal to the protection given to the ma-
nufactures of the coantry. On this point the Commit-
tee appear to have been decidedly in the negative, and
corn to recommend a directly opposite course. t, They
suggest to Parliament, as a matter highly deserving of
their !Store consideration, whether a trade in corn, con-
stantly open to all nations of the world, and subject only
to such a fixed duty as might compensate to the grower
the loss of that encouragement which he received during
the late war from the obstacles thrown in the way of
free importation, and thereby protect the cap;tals now

vested in agriculture (ruin an unequal competition is the
*one market—is not, as a permanent system, prefer.
tble to that state of law by which the corn trade is now
regulated ; but in suggesting this change of system
for iurther consideration, as a possible improvement
of the Corn Laws at some future time, tbe Com-
mittee are fully aware of the unfitness of the
present moment for attempting such a change,
.when a great accumulation has taken place in
the shipping ports on the Continent, and in the ware-
houses of foreign corn in this country."—" But though
Tarliment would not now deem it expedient to abandon
entirely the principle of the existing i.iw, the Committee
conceive that they might modify its operation, by impos-
ing a fixed duty non corn, whenever upon the opening
u( the ports it should become adniissible for home con-
sumption ; in which case, however, if adopted, it would
he necessary that the present import price should be fixed
it a lower rate, because it is obvious that the duty would
otherwise not only check the sudden and overwhelming
amount of import, but also enhance the price be-
yuiid what it might reach under the present law ;
Al effect which the Committee are so far from de-
:roes of producing, that they think it would be pro-
hablv expedient to guard additionally against it by pro-
that after corn should have reached a certain
heh price, the duty should cease altogether." The
-t mince further recommend, that '• every opportunity
st.ontil be watched, and every practical measure adopted
• ftr reducing the amount of the public expenditure. '—
'nos Committee " are desirous, however, to correct the
mistaken opinion that the depression under which our
exricultiire now labooirs, is either exclusively or princi-
rally to he attributed to taxation."
• • After some further observations, which we must post-
trine till our next, the Report concludes thus:—
. t" Instead of expressing doubts with respect to the
•th.inedies which have been suggested by others, it would
hive been far more satisfactory to your Committee, to
hove been enabled to conclude their labours by pointing
eat some immediate measure of alleviation which would
iipe been Oieacioos at once to mitigate the distreol,
1:74 to allay the alarm which prevails among the agri-
r!'nral classes of the community. If such an expe.
emft could have been found, even In a temporary de-
'smote from any 'anent and recognised principles of
vtntral policy on this subject, or in any modification of
tar .listing law which could now be attempted, they
1041:have been disposed to submit it to the favourable
i (411:41.,Irr.ation of the ilon4e; hut when, after a long and
alikloos ittquiry, they hare rot been able to discor.r any
means, which, in their estimation, are calculated imme-
!NWT td remove the present pressure, they know too
well their own duty to the (louse, and feel too much
newel for the manly character of that class of the coin-
gin.sity, whose difficulties hive been- the object of their
iwestigation, either to attempt to disguise the view
• UV) they have taken of the origin and nature of those
illitlealties, or to recommend that specific plan of relief
piiiifesi out by tie suffering parties, which, however
sie emiened by the arguments gml prayer of their Peti-
beim* appears to be founded in delusion, and likely
therefore to Lead only to disappointment.
4t.So far as the present depression in the markets of
cultural produce is the effect of abundance from our
growth, the inconvenience arises from a cause
vihich no legislative provisions can alleviate ; so far as
ittifilioreealt Of the sate aied value of tsar motley, A is
onllndoc peculiar to the farmer, but which has been &id
sttli Is experienced by many other classes of.societe.—
That Kiosk, however, is the more severely felt by the
Ma*, in consequence of its coincident* with an &qr.
serl market, especially if he be farming with a borrow-
e pital and under the engagements of -a
lease; and it
latt&hitherto been further aggravated by the eotrekrative
s• 'tress with which priers generally, and pottecularly
the, of labour, accommodate thiutselves to a change
iee=lue of money. From this circumstance, mow
Li 44 with other causes, the departure from ear ancient
Irsodsitd, In proportion as it was prejudicial to all cre-
ditors of money and persom dependent unfitted incomes,
was *benefit to the active capitalieseof the country and
cannot be denied that die maturation of that standard
Ilia. in its tarn, been proportionally ditadvantageons to