The Statesman.
London, England, 1815-03-16 00:00:00

tem adopted by this country, he had only to request
their Lordships to look at the Statute Books, and
see how numerous these exceptions were. The Le-
gislature had been in the constant habit of interfering,
and the plan had grown up and extended through so
many ramifications, that it often became absolutely
necessary to afford protectiob to one species of in-
dustry ist,.order to prevent its- falling a -sacrifice to
those descriptions of industry which otherwise would
be more favoured. Many of these enactments might
tint have been deemed proper at a more advanced
period ; cud if their Lordships were now to begin
on a new system, the course of legislation would in
all probability he materially different : but these
Statutes had long been acted upon, and the condi-
tion of the country had in a great measure adapted
itself to the system. Whatever might be their opi-
nion of these measures, if they had been for the first
time proposed, they must now take them as they
stood, and legislate with a proper regard to the exist-
ing system, considered in all its hearings and rela-
tions. The nature 'and object of that system evi-
dently had been. to bolster up particular descriptions
o' a industry by variety of protecting regulations.—
What was thistate of the legislatiott with respect to
their woollens, their cottons, their Silks, their pot-
teries, and a variety of other manufactures that
might be mentioned ? :Alt these had been encouraged
by high protecting duties, which in some cases
amounted elat'ott to a prohibition, so thit foreign
Commodities of tile same description were almost en-
tirely excluded from the home market. While such
had been the encouragement afforded- to these
branches of industry, their Lordships would consider
what would be the state of the agricultural interest if
it were to be left without similar encouragement.—
Under. such Circumstances, hot to protect the
agsicultursi interest would be in reality to dis-
courage it.--t ilear, hear, haw q---and 'tie one,, he
pl..sumed, would contend tha - this. 'Species of
industry ought to be direit'l iscoiiiaged
Sao
This - argument. 'as. to the 'cy' of red.'.
proms, protection slim", eer do o the ease of
commeiceand ag. rileditft a in connection
with each othir. It was a to considered, that
one branclrosf agrikaiteral produce was already
proteeted.• The importation of foreign cattle was
prohibited, and if protection was to. loe afforded to
any description of agricultural produce, he conceiv-
ed
that the chief encouragement ought to be given to
the production of grain. If their Lordships could
alter the whole system upon which the country had
hitherto acted, that was one view of the subject;
but if it was impossible to alter it, or if it was
thought expedient to continue rather than to encoan- '
t .6 the hazard and inconvenience of alteration now
that the plan had been so long acted upon, their '
Lordships, he apprehended, must in justice afford
protection to the agricultural industry of the coun-
try ; for he repeated that under such circumstances
not to protect was to discourage. Ile had' said that
the exceptions to the general principle ought to be as
few as possible; and there were some who thought
that whatever the exceptions might be, in other
cases, the contesters:lot grails ought to be free and
aurestrained : but so totally did he differ from that
opinion, that even if an entire new system were to '
be adopied, he should say, that as far as respected
the interests of the corn grower, and the navigation
of the country, some protection ought 10 be given.-1
Though every other species of industry 'were left free
and unrestrained, these, in his
.opinion, ought to
receive particular encouragement, if other countries
acted on the lame system. Then, in looking at this]
measure with a view to the commercial as well ssthe
agricultural interests of the nation, he had been se-
duced to examine what had been the effect of the pa.
!icy which had at different times been pursued by this ,
coltstry with respect to the subject now under consi-
deration.
For nearly a century up to 1766 this had i
been an exporting country, and from that time to
the present period it had been an importing country.
Their Lordships would keep in view, that during the
fist period there existed a high protecting duty,
amounting almost to a prohibltiOn of foreign impor-
tation. This bad been in a groat measure given up
during the second period, or at least adopted in a
very relaxed degree. He had looked at the conse-
quences which had followed from these different
plans, with a view to the argument that an exporting
country most be a poor country. He had examined '
as hailer, during the first period, our manufactures 1
and commerce had been declining; but, so far was
that from being the case, that he found that the ma-
nufactures and commerce of the country had been !.,‘
advancing at a progressive' rate fully proportioned to i
the progress and flourishing state of agricultural in- ..
clustry. ttlear, hear, hear 11 From the period of,
the Revolution to 1750 our commerce had trebled ;
and our exports of manufactures daring the same pe-
'
riod had increased from four millions to twelve mil- i
Boos ; and from 1750 to 1758, to fourteen millions. ;
The population, too, had greatly increased, as well
as our navigation and commerce ; and this, too,
&ring periods when the national debt, and taxes, in
proportion to the resources of the country, were,
perli.i; s, as heavy as tliet were at the time when he
was speaking. If, then, this system had had the
effect of discouraging our commerce and manufac-
tures, the question would have been, whether it was
a eke and proper line of policy to afford this pro.
tidiou to the agricultural industry of the country,'
at the expence of impoverishing the nation in other
respects. But, whets it appeared that in those times,
whet the strongest protection was given to the auk-
cultural interests of the country, all other descrip- 1
tit,us of industry were proportionally flourishing,
there was no longer room for the question, whether
nue description of industry ought to be encouraged 1
at the expence of another; for it clearly appeared,
that it was placed beyond a doubt, th;lt the protec-
tion of 'the agricultural interest was perfectly com-
patible with a due regard to the prosperity of the
manufacturing and commercial interests. If there
was one principle more authentic than another, it
wig that by .which eq,oel prices were sought for.---'-..
Fluctuation wet' the4reat mischief. 'Psicei at one'
tTine high, atenotherTow, were time Mint dishearten-
ing evil that timid occur to a comianntiy like that or
zsgiatiti... The great problem hid' arSysiJs been 'to
inthe ~
invislize prlces. 'aranariell wire among 'etre-
dieg : bet they were found inapplicable upon the.
I,Visi stale of modern wants and poPulition ; and It
Iced long beets decided, that the hest resource was in
toe regular industry of the country. Human sub.