The Statesman.
London, England, 1820-06-09 00:00:00

The humble Petition of
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SHEIVE re!, •
That, whilst your petitioners deeply lanSelbt theAILL
r=state of the agrieultvre, commerce, and mann-
si of these kingdoms, and the consequent distress
In which the labourers in these several branches are
involved ; they feel convinced that nu relief can be
given to any one branch of industry at the esOense of
another, without increasing the sufferings even Of those
whose interest it is intended to promote: and that
every arrangement which directly benefits any one
class of the community, without injury to.any other,
must indirectly prove advantageous to all.
That your petitioners, therefore, cannot join in the
prayer of any petition, which, imploring freedom of
trade in all articles not connected with the public
revenue, may be construed into a prayer for keeping
up the duties by which manufactures are protected—
and repealing the protection afforded by the Legisla-
ture to agriculture, as corn is the only article which
is protected by regulation.
That, on the same principle, your petitioners are
precluded from co-operating with those who, in this
moment of distress, have very injudiciously petitioned
your Honourable House to adopt measures, which they
are wrong in thinking would, under all their bearings,
relieve the agricultural interest, even if they were
right in supposing that they would add to the prices
of the necessaries of life.

That your petitioners, convinced that perfect free-
dom from restraint is the means best caculated to give
the most advantageous direction to the capital and in-
dustry of every country, and to Iti•ctire 1.• it the good-
est possible state of prosperity.— !reply lament toe
long continued existence of that restrictive, protect
and prohibitory system, which has been for ages ss
tioned by the Legislature of this country.
That, nevertheless, your petioners feel that it is
under this system, these kingdoms attained au us-
paralleled state of prosperity ;—and as there are many
regimens under which the human [ramie isisjevs perfect"
health. w your petitioners are convinced that these
are many pelitirai and rounnerelal arrangements
under which a community may enjoy very great

prosperity.
That, n-hen they, therefor, reflect how much the
restrictive and prohibitory system is connected and'
interwoven by long habit with every branch of unr
industry, they mast deprecate any hasty and incon-
siderate derelictiou of these our ancient habits, by
hastily adopting a new system of commercial regula-
tions, however much it may be more consonant to the
sound principles by which the economical policy of a
country ought to be regulated.
For your petitioners feel it their duty humbly to
state to your Honourable House, that this, a time of
deep distress, does not appear to then' to be the mo-
ment for indulging in experiments, and must therefore
implore your Honourable House to make no alteration
in any part of our legislative code, which affects the
agriculture, manufactures, or 'commerce of the coun-
try, without a full investigati of the particular case,
and au ample consideration of the remote consequences
in relation to other branches of industry, which can-
not fail to ensue under our artificial and complicated
system.
That, convinced as your petitioners are of the ne-
cessity of extreme caution in the alteration of the
laws relative to any particular branch of industry.—
they nevertheless feel it their duty to implore the at-
tention of your Honourable House to one artificial,
legislative restraint, on the natural destination of the
property of the country, which they sincerely believe
is at this moment equally injurious to every class of
the community.
That the general distress now existing, appears to
your petitioners to arise from the low price of cumumo-
dities, which does not afford snlficient reumneraties for
the labour of those who are employed in producing
them ; and, as price depends on the proportion between
supply and demand, they are convinced your Hotour-
able House must perceive that this evil can only be re-
medied by an increase of demand for the commodities
produced. For your petitioners humbly conceive, that
the feelings of humanity, which in this country al-
ways predominate, must shrink back from the idea of
restoring the nee y remunerating value to our
commodities by a diminution of supply; an operation
that would Inevitably occasion the destruction of all
that portion of our population employed in the forma-
tion of what constitutes the existing extra supply.
That, as the most immediate and effectual means of
very greatly increasing the demand for commodities,
snd consequently the price thereof, your petitioners
humbly request to call the attention of your Honour-
able House to the salutary effects that would ensue
from a snspPnsion of that forced accumulation of ca-
pital, which the Legislature enacts by persevering, at
this moment, in the appropriation of a large portion
of our revenue towards a Sinking Fund. For your
Honourable House must be fully aware that there is uo
portion of the funds so appropriated, which Is not an-
nually raised by taxation, on a people who have been
subjected to an increase of taxes unparalleled in rapi-
dity : and that, by persevering in this system of accu-
mulation, you are transferring from the -hands of the
consumers a For ion of their revenues to commissioners,