The Statesman.
London, England, 1823-02-27 00:00:00

tHE NTATICSITAN.

take a tight view of thestihject, it wood be absolutely
owe/ to reparate it from that which hail been pre-
,doesly dismissed that evening. He world suppose a
he similar in principle was adopted in Holland. He
elected Holland, because it was a corn country, and in
that respect not very different from England. The
effect of such a law in Holland ;..otild be, be contended,
to tense the expenditure of great capital, in breaking
op old pasture, and bringing new land into cultivation,
till the quantity of terri.ory cultivated war sufficient to
grow an avenge crop for the consumption of the people.
He would suppose that the quantity had accumulated
for two years till it exceeded the demand for consump-
tion; the excess would then inevitably fall bath upon
the market and cause a glut, the result of which
would be disastrous to the farmers, would deteriorate
the soil, and throw a great quantity of land out
of cultivation. In that case such a measure, in-
s:cad of causing as abundance. would altimately
bring on a scarcity. He drew this parallel with re-
gard to Hol'aml, because every matt must acknowledge
such would he the result of such laws in Holland, and
from the similarity of both countries in this respect, the
some reasoning was precisely applicable to England.
The prise of corn in this country continued to rise up
so 1819, and then, in consequence of abundant crops, it
began to tle line, and now bad arrived at a term so low,
that it gave apprehension of considerable danger, because
the cw.ssittiption was going on at so rapid a rate, that no
speculation took ploce in the corn market, and the stock
of farmers wasconsiderably less than it ought to be. The
311. m. lientleman then'proceeded to read some extracts
from a work or letter of Mr. Cropper, of Liverpool. in
order to show that in consequence of the low price of
corn, consumption was going on at **inch more rapid
rate than the growth. In 1821, the consumption of
Ilrbeatvria 71 per cent, more than in the preceding Tear,
and in 1822 the consumption exceeded that of lel 27
rr cent., while the growth was in a dearen ling scale.
If the consomption were to go on thus inete ising for a
few years, it would he impossible to foresee the coast-
stoma". tie had no hesitation in stating that the gene-
Tel ecsult would be a deterioration of the soil, as was
shown by the much smailer quantity of manure which
was now pnrcliased. In Nottinghamshire where hones
were mach used as mature, there was a decrease of one
bait t emit in other places there was a decrease of one-hilf,
ono.dsivd, anti one-twentieth of the qn 'laity of lime used.
lie would take the liberty a referring to a uoik of his
own on lime, in which it sea stated that the quantity of
Mute sold for the his years preceding 1821, was averaged
at 42,681 bushels; the quantity sold in 1821 was 341,528
lioehels; and in 1822, 2400. This completely ',roved
that the result of the present measures was a general det
rioration of the land. He would ask if the law, as it at pre-
sent existed, wi re likely to prodece such an effect, was there
any ease of greater emergency. or which more immediately
-required the int. rference of Parliament! It was not now
y for him to dwell upon the distress of the farmers,
because every Gentleman in the House was aware of its ex-
latency, and yet the distress took place under what was
<Riled a protecting system ; but so far from having such an
effect, a more destructive measure was newer introduced.
He therefoie felt it necessary to press upon time Move a
measure which would tend in some measure to the removal
of this evil. This measure he would press still ,further, on
the ground tf the political interests of the country, because
the operation of the present laws was at variance with
every plinciple which would tend to a union between the
Aristocracy of the country and the other orders—it severed
the attachment which existed between these classes im this
inuatry, and which was looked for in vain in other coon-
tries. Whether they looked to the north, the south, the
. est, or the west. the:e was a general cry for liberty, and
if ever thare.was a time In which it was necessary to unite
sill interests, it was the present. Even with reference to the
trad4 of the country, it would be wise to adopt such mea-
sure as would enable the farmer to COllllOll3O more menu-
fitetAve, }ditch constitute the gtory end wealth of England.
' 111gb ppiceS alive)." tufted a greet milittity of capital to be
Arun from the country, which, while It remained, gave em-
yfloyment to the people, and placed England upon that end-
•Peiselt which she maintained among nations, but which,
-whoa once it left her shores, would place her In the same
nineties in which Italy is justly and elegantly described
to be by Goldsmith :
"'Till, more unt toady than the soutlain gale,
Commerce on other shores display'd her esti;
While nought remelted of all that riches gave,
But towns unmann'd and Lords without.a slave,
Anti lite the nation found, with fruitless skill,
it'n forin.r 'lrene!! was but pletht ric in."
bra object was to redact the importatioo pries from 80s.
to 60s. pl. quarter, by a gradual reduction of 2s. per
anonm. He was persuade] that foreign corn could not
be sold in any quantity in this country under 60s. per
quarter. He ass as anxious as any man to see the prin-
ciple of a free trade carried into effect in any branch of
our commerce; bet encumbered as agriculture was, it
was impossible, with justice, to apply this principle to the
article of corn. He, titer, fore. had resolved to fix the
maximum ultimately at 605., because he slit not deem it
mire, politic, or expedient to continue the importation
price at a more advanced rate, when Tore in this country
might rise to a scarcity price. He was fully convinced
that 12s. du'y would be found sufficient as a protecting
duty, whilst it did rot prohibit the security of an acces-
sible resource in rare of a scarcity. lie was of opinion
that corn could rot he sold in any country in the world
nntter.3Bs.; ani that being so, when he aided the amount
of freight, and the other expences 'mewling its impor'o-
liopi into this country, he considered that the imposition
of 12s. duty would fully answer all the reasonable exper-
t dim of protection to the agriculturists. The Hon. gent.
then moved for leave to bring io a Dill to amend the
Corn taws.

The question basing been put from the Chair,
Mr. CVRWEN rose, and said he regretted very much
that the Hon. Hentlernen felt it necessary to agitate the
present question at this moment. Whatever might be his
opinion of a late statesman upon general politics. he cer-
tainly was ever ready to do Min justice in this respect, that
he never showfd himself disposed to coosult the advantage
of one class of the country at the expense of another..—
(Hear.)—He (Mr. C.) begged to state, that he was not an
udvocate for great protecting prices. He was persuaded,
that the apprehensions entertained by some as to the enor-
-11101111 prices, were totally without foundation. Ilene. of
opinion that even with a failure of the harvest, the price
would never rise so as to open the ports. In no event did
Lie see roam for apprehension on the part of' the farmer, if
the law were suffered to remain as it at present stood. He
never dreaded that this country would be inundated by fo-
reign corn. It was douhte.l by the late Mr. Rose, who was
steeply acqusicted with the subject, doubted if all Europe
could afford to export as much corn as would be sufficient
for the consumption of England for six weeks, amount-
ing to I.3oo.titio quarters. When the interest of the
serictillutista was taken into consisteration, the great
disproportion of taxes •which they had to hear, seemed
to him not to receive that consideration which the pressure
of their care deserved. It wan not only the redaction of
rents which the lundi .r i had to make. but the dept..cia-
Co vi of soil was 1113.0 t, he calculated us sit item in the
eocouut of his 10,s. Fiximr the average et prodeetion in
lel4 at twenty-two, he tielieved he was not in error wile.,
he stared It. to I e now about eighteen --rertettly it was
11" S I ban u.net. en. s would give a &If retire of one
mil ion qtrace!s, or 1:alf tie intooi miens from iretand.•
lie was lot anK;olis fur any oneasorr by which the (armor
could acquit chore ''air lemur' ra ion. Ile shoold
hope 'hat due .0 would not confine tke
of 'aura to taco lint if they were re.-else I to
liwit the tl 1111,1 WI to that sitlgtllll, h • would then endea-
vour to it ;..013 Ihe 311110,r4 the ITIVSS; y of af-
living tho ineJsi.re of diminution to those 43x. a which
tell direcly on the lower class s. lit that even tit'. Isar er
would be i.etretl, because the po r t: an could girt:bini
the same 110ent:ty of labour at a laps Nice. Ile consi-
dered it abide all necesury 014 the caitair. r thoald
ex-
renre the saita beulat whi It the shopite ipt•rs acre

about to enjoy in a reduction of the Window Tax. The
poor men should also be exempted from paving the duty
on candles, and by the reduction of the duty on Malt,
he should be enabled to return to the good old whole-
some practice of blowing bia own beer—a measure which
alone could put a stop to the de•eriorating, demomising
habit of spirit-drinking, which became a coriseqoence
of his incapability to prepare a wholesome liquor fir
himself. He shoo' l certainly give his decided opp.wi-
lion to thi4 measure, but h• trusted that the Hon. lien-
_

tkinsn, romp vinz with the general feeling of the house,
would not go ?either with the measure, and would with-
draw his motion.—(Hear.) The Honourable Gentleman
dwelt on the necessity of relieving the land from the en-
tire burden of thelmor rates. The Candle Tax. ought
to be removed. The Cottager's Window Tax should
also be reduced. However injurious the measure of the
return to cash paym.nts might have proved to the coun-
try, yet it wont I be only adding increased calamity to
its former effects to attempt now to undo it. But then it
was the duty of the house to adopt some measure that
would meet the extraordinary change M hich that alter-
native had effected. The house should yield to the tem-
per of the times—they should not wait until an absolute
necessity made their acquiescence imperative. They
heard much about the influence which plausible and
eloquent stat.ments might make upon the popular mind,
but did any man suppose that the proposition which was
subjoined to the petitions from Surrey, pr sented that
evening, or that the petition adopted at Norfolk, wis
sanctioned inconsequence of the interference of any in-
vidual, whatever might be the power of his eloquence
and address i No, it was the pressure of their burdens'
that induced the people at these different places to concur
in an application to Parliam.ot, which th.ly were pe -
snatled would afford the o relief, and whisk Ise was con-
winced they were ready to sanction again. He thought
that in strict legal construction it was liable. Hut
there were several dicta of Judges in favor of the HAT-
ty of funded property, and under any circumstances he
was convinced that funded property must be made li-
able.

Mr. BENETT (of Wiltshire) expressed his decide I
opposition to tho measure now proposed by the Honour-
able Member for Bridgecorth (Mr. Whitmore). Our
Corn Trask was best protected at that period when we
had a lonmty on exported and a duty on imported corn.
It had been well observed by Adam Smith, aid the op:-
nion was subs vend>, supported by Mr. Malthus, "that
all States which depend upon others for any poritri of
their food, can have only an ephemeral existence. The
Honourable Member entered into a calculation, the ob-
ject of which was to chew the average pressure of taxa-
tion upon agriculture, but the occasional dropping of his
voice rendered him frequently inaudible in the Gallery.
We tinderstisoi him to state that the taxa.ion upon Agri-
mil' urists amounted to 67 per cent. His object was to
reduce taxation, lied thereby reduce the price of agrical-
-1 Viral produce. This, he maintained, could be dour, and
Ito a far greater extedt than many Gentlemen seemed so
!he aw ire of. The rate per cent. of relief afforded to the
Farmer by any reduction of taxation, might, perhaps, be
' considered so trifling as to he unworthy of consideration.
I Gut Gentlemen should consider that every saving, how-
-1 ever trifling, told in the aggregate. If no balance re-
-1 mainest in the hawk of the Farmer from the sale of his
I produce, after defraying the expense of cultivation, ler.
then there could be n, rent. The Honourable
Gentleman went on to chew that the reductions 1
in the malt, salt, loather, agricultural horse, and
other tame', amoanted to 18 per cmt. sot of the 67
per rent. under which that interest alone had been la-1
etiaring. This shelved what beneficial effects were to be
derived from a persevering reduction of taxation. lit
order to prove that the depreciation of prices did uot arise
from an importalon of corn, he obseived that, for 46
yearir of the .Is 4 gaga, wh;sig lag.lloo2,ltLigigt
period our exports of eons exceed ed oar imports, these
I b-ing a duty on the one and a bounty on the other. 1793,
when our imports increased, wheat rose to 455. per. qr.
Here was a rise, of 134. per quarter, notwithstanding that
the import of the commodity bail increased. The great
pressure under which ae,riculture laboured, was the im-
mense taxation midi which this, were horn down: in ad-
dition to this, they had the charge of the Poor's Itate.-1
For theprice of labour had fallen in proportion to the re-;
duction of the price ef wheat Co prove which the Hon.
Member entered into a variety of calculations), so that •
the hur hens of the farmer increased es his resources di-
minished
(hear, hear.) The farmer might receive • cer-
tain extent of relit f from the effect of tow prices, by a
reduction.ofhis rent, but be could !weeks no relief from
the injuries sustained in consequence of the late alter &-
ration is the currency, except through the interference of
that house. He did not wish to interfere improperly with
the right of the fnndhold-r, bat he contended that the
landholder was as much entitled to protection against
ruin and beggarrasthe fundholder could be (hear, bear,)
,I Bitt, lie again rejeated, that the only protection, the only
l' effectual relief to be afforded to either must be by meant
1 of.a reduction, of taxation not only directly but indirectly.
I Many gentlemen imagined that they would directly Ile-
! rive great advantages frod a redaction of certain taxes,
while they overlooked the much greater advantages to be
I derived indirectly from a reduction of others. One gen-
: tleman might seat, "Olt, I save shall 30L by a re Ne-
i t: oa of window tax, whereas, my boasekerper tells me
that a redu. tion of the salt tax woald aut make a differ-
ence of more than 51 or 101. a year." Whereas in point
of fact, the salt tax, if reduced, would make. directly and
indirectly, it saving of from 6001. to 8001. to that inilivi-
dash He also wish-d for the abolition of the taxes on
leather, beer, soap, end candles, by which an indirect re-
lief to a great extent would be afforded to the farmer.—
The Hon. member, in conclusion, expressed a hope that
the Noose wwtld not, under (-tieing circumstances,
give its assent to antalteratton in the present Corn laws
(ear. bear.)
Mr. WOIAHOUSE, while he was ready to give the
bor. member for Bridgisorth full credit for his sincerity;
could not go the length of agreeing with him up m this
present occesion. A few days ago' they were told that the
distresses of the country arose from a surfeit; they were
now told that they were tbreatme,l with starvation; so
that sinless sotietli:ng extrso.alinary washout., he feared
the country ran a great risk vf di ing of the Doctor. The
hon. gentleman (Mr. Whitusor.) might suppose, that
heitaose lie opposed this motion he bad a hankering after
the Corn Laws and the high prices which it was once
supposed they would insure. Ile neither thought that a
return to iliwe prices was either practicable or desirable.
In a conver.ation he had fornietly had with the present
President of the Board of Trade, who haul s lid he would
give the farmers an average of 645. a gearter for the next
ten years, lie (dlr. W,) hail said, " rushee that clear to us
and we tidal' have no ground of coaipleint." This her.
gain he was willing to rime" now, end to give the Wylie
Honantaisle Geod....man tart Maisday's niselz..t to start
1 with. ---(A !aegis.) The ifonourable Mover had argued,
that in an importing 10 :eery, the fluctuations of price
would be inconsiderable, but it was to be reinWited
that the years from 17J2 to 1805, which had hero great
importing years. bad been years of the greatest ductile-
lion. Thelluctuations, which it was impossible to avoid
perceiving in the war, were, indeed, attributed to the Ber-
lin and Milan Decer. s, bait these decrees slid not cone
into operation bet ire 1807. At ail times had there I
been great fluctuations is the price of coin, long he-'
iii• the present Cora Lew' existed. The Eton Register
shrived remarkable instances of there fluctuations, a a hoc
examliet —in 1597, wheat rag 3/. 9s, 6 L a (planer ; in
.1602, it was 11, Ils. 41.1 In 1648. it was 41. 5.. ; in 1654,
it nee V. 6e.; is 1706, IL Ga.; in 1709, it was 31. 161.
Jdal. lk (Mr. Wo,lebauss) had bees muck misrepresented
his having disparaged the talents of the Right Ronoura'Ae

:
Heath nius (Mr. Heslessons) the ant' or of the Report of
1841 : hut be had vo'ed against that Report on acrout s.f
ft. Aviles u to the peculiar burthens that messed upon
Agriculture. sad the uperficial view whirl' waft taken • f
the currency (peados, of the effects of which he tonne.'
perhaps as exaggerate' estimate. The Hono arable
Member proceeded to argue that any ralcula ions as to
the price which corn mold be imported must he f ilacioas,
and that the Honourable Mover had estimated it suu-li
tot high. Mr. Claude Senn. in his ev derve before the
Committee in 1814, hail stated that previously to the war
great quantities of corn Ore accumu'ating for export..
Lion in Flintier. and the Ralik, and that the price was
governed by the demand. He stared also that in 1759.
he bad purchased largequantities abroad for tile lioir•Tws
meet, to he delivered here at 40.. a quarter. According
to Mr. Molly's evi•lenee indeed, on the average of 49 years
from 1770 to 1819, the price ofwheat at Dantric had been
431. The natural average Me. Sully considered to be

355., and that the demand in England would raise it to
30s. and that at that price only AMMO par fen could be
produced for expatiation. In the opinion even of the
Howiorable &tem ier for Portarlinicton, all their calcula-
tions must be failic.ous, as the effect of price upon gulf:.
Lily would depend upon a va•iety of circumstances. As
he understood that the motion would be withdrawn, he

should not go further into arguments which the hou►e
would not be vtry willing. to Lear.

Mr. HUSKISSON said, that if he had not been point-
ally alluded to, he should not have interposed t.• preven.
at all, (And be should not now interpose lun& to prevet t)
the conclusion of the debate, which the h•tuse seemed

anxious to arrive at. lie never complailied of any re-
utarice4t thOleport of 1821,0 r of any remark. upon wli it
he himself had said, hut lie laid deemed it improper, wed
contrary to usage, that a Report which should he deemed
the opinion of the Coonnittee collectively, had been as-
cribed to himself, an individual Member of it. Many
alterations bad indeed been made in that Report, not
only by him but in opposition tohis opinion. lie would
sot follow the desul ury discussion which bad thateven.
log taken place as to pint of farming in varioes Coun-
ties, and as to the mode in which taxation shoo's' be
remitted. It war consolation enough for him that taxes
could be remitted without endangering public credit.
He was, however, a little at a loss to know how the Hon.
Member for Cumberland could account for the effects
which he ascribed to a tax which he pa toed out for
repeal, viz, the Tax on Candles. The Henoorat la :Rem-
isedh ail calculated that each poor family roneutued 40
lbs. of candle., and he edeutated that by the remission
of the tax, eat la f orally would save 10s. Now on looking
into the Duty he fooad that it was bat 11. per ltd ; and
how the Honourable Member amide 40 pence amount to
104. t Assisted to be explained, rap-cattily whets it was
known that the consumer seldom had the full headit of*
tag repealed—a fact of which they had fall repealence in
the care of the Leather Tax. As little was the Honour-
able Member well founded in his remarks on the advan-
tage which would arise to the labourer from the repeal
of the Window Tax. The Window Tax was only charge-
sib's on Pus+ houses as were rated 51. to the House Tax,
and certainly houses so rated were not inhabited say agri-
claw al labourer., at least in the Southern part of the
isle. I. As to the Candle Tax, it was one of which
the produce was rapidly increasing, on account of the
increase of consumption of the article tame I, and it
had exisaal ever satire the time of Kiog William.
The agriculturist had no right to claim compensation
for any general tax (hear.) As for those taxes width
pressed as well on the labourer who manufactured cloth,
as on the labonrer who raised corn, the agriculturist had
no right to claim 'a compensation in respect of them, be-
cause the foreigner paid them on every yard of cloth
which was sent abroad, to purchase the corn wMch was
imported into this country. Is asonch, too, as the maw
eamelitba.anidaeaper inthisaantuary than they
could be sold ohmic!. our agriculturist haul actually an
advantage in that respect over the foreign grower. He
begged pardon of the lion. Members for Wiltshire and
Cuinherleed if he did not exactly ceenprehend what
Corn Law they would wish to have established. He was
happy, iedeed, to find that they did not wish fur high
duties on foreign corn, but as they seemed to think that
no cora law con d be perfect under which a single quar-
ter of foreign corn was ever imported, the country siou'd
hardly resort to them for assistance [a laugh). He had
livened with the gegatest attention and pl. aaore to the
speech of his lionoUrillile Friend (Mr. Whitmire), and
fully agreed with hint, that it was alu ays imp artist to
entertain the discussion, whatever the issue of it might
be. But he could sot agree with his Honourable Friend
that this was the fittest time for improving the Corn
Laws, tiled he would tell why he thought so. In the
present state of the country, and in the distress of all
the agricultural interests of it, it was not to be expected
Chet any measure, reposed on a subject so closely afirc'-
ilig those inierests„edicad on which they had entertained
sorb prejudices, geoid meet with impartial and tempo-
kale consideration. 'ln the present state of uncertainty,
'lollttially as to bargains between the occupiers and the
stimers.of the soil,it would be impolitic to throw in their
way what certainly would be considered an obstacle to a
sidttfactory adjustment. If, indeed, he could flatter him-
self that these parties would concur in all his
Honourable Friend's principles, as he (Mr. 11.,)
untirel3r concurred in them, lie should say, that
the Bill proposed by his Honourable Friend
would be ani .st beneficial one. But at a time when the
most experieared surveyors were at a loss on what prin-
ciple to tit descent of land, it would be nnuise to press
a measure teisiali, however wise it was, would, in the
present sb.te of prejudices, strike (emcee and lant.lords
with dismay. He had said that discussion did good.—
The Ilepuit of WI, which bad been much decried, bad
opened the eyes of seaway gentlemen to the mischievous-
ness of the ar*lsystem of the Cora Laws ; it had shewn
the danger of oho-lounging, (as it was ealle I) agricultitre
licyouil a certain pole' ; it haul shown that monopoly I
was boast neat, and that restriction and prireetton
were' nut a nonvanous terms.—(Near.) It was made
evident lay t tat Report, that a strict monopoly up to SOs.
after which the ports opened without limitation or re-
at rictiou, was heneaciol to the hest interests of the coun-
try. Another principle too wog established by that Re-
port, tiz. t;iat the groove of aura in Englond was enti-
tled to protection to the full amount of the peculiar We-
aken that p.-essed upon toe grower of that commodity ;
ant that it it was attempted to carry protections further,
instead of 4oinr goo f, they would involve the fanner
himself in 'the greatest possible ilia:dies, because it
was impossible to force a fit!l supply for ordinary years,
without Btlll an excess in pro bietiee years as would
rose a ruinous depression of privet. The question then
arose, whether the corn trade should not be reduced to a
free trade, subject to a protective duty of the nature lie
hail oleserilold i liis Right iltnao.arahle Friend the Chan
cellor of the Excheipler ha I concurred iis this pr. po-
*Woo. A NiAbia., head woo had taken an active pert
i
in subseitylart disilasious (Lord Althorp) had also
COliZiterru let it ilthotigltt II toe majority of the
C llllatu mre • tator e was not nt far the applacatiOl of
the princplo 'Anobtiser Committee was appointed the
next Sinnott to carry the principles of the Report into
execution.. el t was not thoiight .r, however, to ga fur-
tlnw than 'hey could carry use feelings of the cowry
with The resent Corn Low as thus tram es,
an
woiltliets thopught generally that the prohibiter)
price was fixed too low rather than too high. He did not
tiring this.opinioa as a ea a- on for nut altering the Cori
Law, but fur not ontranning too hastily the Imbues of
the country. He was consumed that it was necessary
gradually to Piro to a system of Corn Laws founded on
sound principles, bat a time would soon arise when the
reviai not tine eystein would be better undert :ken. 'Ye

a had seen the worst of the low prices, sad as in eons,-
'
(pence of those low prices consumption had been in.
.41, and as farming capital had been greatly dimi-
nished (and this he considered the most serious evil to
ohp cowry), a deterioration of agriculture must take
place ; anti as this evil might coincide with bad harvests;
prices might v«ry materially rise. The evils of the sys-
tell would hr then distinctly exhibited by an alternation
of prices not remunerating with prices so high as to in-
dict the most serions ittjuly on the other classes. It would
then h.s,,eni that if the system were persisted in, the et-
foet wont I be the destruction at one turn of the capital
empl led in agriculture,and at another turn of capital
employe., in manufactures. A moderate import would
be the. best regulator of price. .Fully impressed as he
was with the justhess of the principles of his Honour-
s' le Friend, be entreated Lim tw the present to with-
draw hi. motion.

Mr. CU RW EN and Mr. BENETT explained.
Mr. RICARDO said, the Right Hon. Wu!denten (Mr..
Huskisson) in all the argiiment which he bad brought
forward for postponing the consideration of the Corn
Lan I. bad in reality given a reason for proceeding at
once to amend them. What was the danger his hon.
friers I (Mr. Whitmnre)apprelien led ? It was the clin-
ger of shose very high prices, to the recurrence of which
the Right lion. Gentleman looked forward as the con-
juncture when the Corn Laws might be amended. He
apprehended the danger of capital being again drain by
the temptation of high prices to t. c !and (and his Right.
Hon. Friend agreed that the danger existed), that there
would again he a succession of low prices, and another
loss of capital. This evil it was the object of th, pre-
sent proposition to prevent. yet his Right Hon. Friend
would wait till the evil came upon them before he would
provide the remedy. As to the motion of his hon. friend
he (Mr. Ricardo) would not oppose it, because he should
be gaol of any approach to a free trade in corn : but he
(Mr. Whitmore) did not go far enough; he left the
chief of a lite i price (hear.) Both his hon. friend (Mr.
Whitmore), 'and his hon. friend (Mr. Huskisson), load
laid the true principles of a corn law justly, viz.: ThaL
a protecting duty shoal be imposed on foreign corn
equal to the peculiar harshen, borne by the grower of
corn in this country; but when this was done a fixed
price stosuld lie sous sway 'hog. titer. In fact, Lis
hon. farm'. had seemed a little uncertain as to its fixed
price. He had taken it at 60s. ; but he had stated that
if foreign corn could be imported at Ms., he should have
reduced it to that. He had committed a great error in
taking any filed price at all. A duty should he imposed
on corn imported, equal to the peculiar burthens borne
by the grower of torn, and io his (Mr. R.'s) opinion, a
di airline': or bounty to nearly the same amonnt shonkl be
allowed on corn capered. Then, and then only would
corn be kept at a price nearly equal in this to other
countries. If there was an abundant harvest it would
tinil a vent by means of the bounty ; and, on the other
hand, if their was a deficient supply under the influence
of the duty, corn would he introduced as it was wanted.
and not in the enormous temntities poured in tinder the
the existing lisr, when the price rose to a certain height.
The Right Honourable Gentleman (Mr. Huski.sson)
id objected to the proposition because of the agita-
tion it would create out of doors. But his honourable
f,ieu,i's proposition did not interfere with the present
law till the price of corn was as high as SOs. in
also, lie dilfere I f outs his honourable friend, because,
before corn was so high, that encouragement might he
given to cultivati in, which it was his object to aver.
He (Mr. It.) should recommend that the law for amens!-
meta of the Corn Laws should come into operation long
before corn bad reached 80s.; and lie should then re-
°amend a sy-tern of ditties and bounties, at first in de-
ference to those pr'jndices of which he thought they
were too tender, higher than the amount of the peculiar
burthens of the agriculturists. and gradually diminish-
ing to an villainy with the computed amount a-those
berthens. He could not in any way agree aids Isis bon.
friend, the Member fur Cumberland, nor with the hoe.
member fur Wiltshire, who had entered into same
strange ralculations to shoo, that the agriculturists paid
taxa. to the amount of 67 per cent. But on what did he
reckon this p-r tentage ? Not on the expence of growing
corn, hut on the rent. This was • most unwarranted
made of caleulatio". They had it in evidence before the
uomusittee, that there was some land in
England which did not pay above 2s. an acre rent—yet,
no doubt, as the cultivation of that land was heavy, there
were in truth taxes on the producer which did not
affect the landlord, and taxes on the landlord which d'Ai
not . affect the produ tr. If a tax was imposed di-
rectly on the production of corn. the grower
would remunerate himself, not by a deduction from the
landlord's rent, but by getting snore from the consumer.
And as to the I,eneral taxes, they passed alike on all
classes; on the lahottrer who worked at the loom, as well
as on the labourer who worked at the plough. lie hoped
his lion. Friend would not withdraw his motion—(Hear,
hear !)—The greatest good was done by bringing the ques-
tion bef.,re the House. and his Hon. Friend's speech abound-
ed in excellent principles, which could not fail of producing
an effect even upon Gentlemen in that House, and removing-
the delusion which prevailed. lie should therefore ur.te his
lion. Friend to take the sense of the House on this most im-
portant question. The object of the approach to a free trade
which he r:.conimendell was to keep prices stendy and low.
Mr ATWOOD rcoiarked, that the case of Holland,
which had been lir Hight forward in the course of the
debate, had nrt hero covrectly stated, as prices never
had, and never mild (nitlioat starvation or emigration)
have tisen in ibillan 1 or any other country to such a
height that a quarter of corn could produce SOs. in re.d
money. In oils country, however, a state of thing.; had
been «xitilii.e I Seek as no other country had witnessed,
for prices bah risen, while at the same time the pro Me-
rity of the router}, and its consumption, as evidenced by
the produce of the taxes, had hero greater than at any
other period. The Honourable Gentleman then pro-
ceeded to say, that with respect to the price of foreign
corn, when imported into this country, lie thought that
the observation of the Honourable Mennor (Mr.
Whitmore) was not correct ; h-cause corn was imported
at a less price than be Mr. Whitmore bail stated. All the
items of expenc-• a tending corn, the English farmer
was liable to save fr. islet—an I even with respect to
freig' t, the freight froni France and Holland was nearly
the same as from L incashire to London.
Mr. MONCK said, lie would support the Bill, agreeing
RS lie dill with the II un.Moverit was kis (Mr. Monck's) opi-
nion, Nat the only way of relieviug the distress of the
Agricoltural heerests was by diminishing the expense of
cultivation, which could he only done by diminishing the
amount of taxes.
Colonel WOOD said, he did not know any thing which
was more likely, nt t r present moment, to unsettle the mind
of this country, thin to tamper with the Corn Laws, after
the d_ claims of the House last Session.
Mr. HUMS said, that he would divide the House on the
Dill.

dir T. LETHBRID3E said, he hoped the Homo would
not adopt the principle of tile Bill ; it was not sufficiently
comprehensive to affert to the egriculturists any relief. Ile
hoped that Ministers would vote against it.
Mr. WH rrmoam said. that he would not press the mo-
tion; but if any Hoc. Member s'iould it de the House
upon it, he world rote precisely as if he himself had called
for that diviaion. Toere was, in his opi..ion, no relief for
agricult Asti, unless the ports were kept open, and unless
there was a regulated duty.
Mr. LESTER said. that before the price of corn could be
reduced, the expen:e prod•icing it should also be reduced—
' en object watch coot I be only etteinei by the reduction of
tslcatiqn.
Tue House then did ,ed —For the motion, 2 ; Agaiust it,
78 —Majority against the motion, Si.
Ti. otter Ord-rs of the au were then disposed of, and
the liouse adjourded.