Constitutional Whig. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1824-1832, 1829-07-21

erdeen rational and iustifiable.
MIR. Woodhouse deemed The free trade principle a
gross defusion and he denied that our
would be sent Ill exchange for increased import
but our gold. The present distress was caused by
tie tampering with the currency which had put our
eet III TIC stocks and rendered US incapable ofdong
any good-any thing at all, in Neutrality-suspicious.
Sir u. Philips contended, that fla free trade in
corn were sanctioned, the consequent increased de-
mand Tor our manufactures would so raise the waues
OF labor while it lowered the price of bread that il
would pnt an end to the periodical distresses
MIR. WLtmore was most anxious 20 sec an alter
Iteration IN the existing system of corn laws; but he
considered impossible circumsanced as the country
was, to establish such a thing even were it des
fable, as Il permanent fixed duty uTon the inporta-
ton OF corn
MIR. lioudsworth was of opinion, that the corn
laws were not the chief causes of the present dis
tIcSscs
lord Althrop conceived that graduated scale
OF duties upon the principles vf the existing law was
he best. The present law deserved IL longer trial
MIR. lluskisson considered the proposition imprac-
tlcapc and iii timed. he pFeren. system the
best dat c0ud be 0dopted for The circumstances of
Mts eount'y. 1T afforded protection to the farmer
when the price of coru was low, AMI it protected
the manufacturers by admitting the Importation of
fiorelgn corn when the price of at home was
nigh Mr. Hume cuntendcd that the right hon. gen
ti'man had not answered any of the facts adduced
III support of his view the subject The average
wages of the agricultural abourer between l1l2 and
i'eo was 6S per week, while the price of
geo from 21s. to 3Os whereas now the average
price had risen high RS. while the wages of the
iabourer amounted to from Is. to 9s. weekly. lie
iad never intended to establish IL permanent fixed
uutV but proposed to commence with certain duty
and to descend gradually in the establishment of Il
free trade His only object to engage govern
ment to consider the operation OF these laws; but
ne should press has motion to division, in order
that he might ascerta ain how few there were OF his
own opinion.-(A laugh.)
The house then divided. For the melton IL,
Against 1t ia. Majority against the motion, AZ.
is it to be supposed, that England is going to yield
that to ny, which her statesmen have denied 10 the
cries N her own half starved millions? Can we of
Ter her any thing valuable for the repeal Of the
corn laws, than the advantages which would mani
lies'iy accrue to her own manufactures III the reu-
Icod price of brcadadvantages which she has weigh
ed IN the balance, and found wanting? The undu
tied reception of her manufactures by the U. Sta ties
would unqnestionablv be to her object of the first
magnitude but sill inferior 90 the necessity of pro.
tecting her agriculture from ruin. She would do
much to have our tariff repealed, but she u-i not and
cannot sacrifice her agriculture, the pillar of her
State, TO her manufactures.
Bnt, il the duties were taken oil, and our wheat
land tobacco, admitted duty free, or upon merely
port dntics 1t would profit agri:uturiss but lit
ptlc or no hing. Let us ok for moment at what
would be the effects: /. OF Wheat. Great Brit
ain year with another raises corn enough for her
own consumption. She has M need to look TO other
tcounrles ford1. and the object ofher corn laws is
10 keep up the price of grain to point which enables
agriculture to boar It's burshcas. This is do-io bv
giving 1t her whole mar ket aud kcepiIfg~ou tnreg.s
competition. If the laws then we're repealed,
what would be the effect? Neither more NOR less
than to bring down the price of English grown corn,
to the Il which corld e.,
her. We might send our wheat thither. but aGter
getting it there, should find 10 market for it -
We are cartivated by the present prices, and think
what fine thing it would be to get 7Os. sterling a
quarter for wheat. But this is utterly iusory.
As long as England raises corn enough for her own
consumption, foreign nations can never supply her
for her agricunrists, we're the corn laws repealed
must and would sell their corn as low as foreign
nations. In years OF famine indeed, the market OF
England might prove lucrative one. But who has
heard of any famine. since the time of Joseph and
Pharaoh' at least in any modern timeo Modern
ages know nothing of famine, but from history. We
read ofstarva,ion in England and Ireland but is not
from the want of plenty Of bread in tie country but
because the poor unable to purchase IL. In
Years Of scarcity the Baltic countries and the Pcnisli-
In, from iuXta position must anticipate us, as
they did last year and this, when VIC expected golden
prices from the acknowledged shortness Of the En-
ghsh crop, and when the ports partially thrown
open to us. The hopes of our farmers ought to be
directed to home-towards creating in the u. States
market THAT will fail then-a market not de-
pendcpt upon the seasons in England, upon the
tingeuciss Of war and peace. Instead of asking the
favor of England TO admit our wheat, ought to
initiate her example, and by nursing own manu-
features, create great class amongr who will at all
times be dependent on the farmer for bread. This
j t'a way and the only way, TO secure constant
market.
2nd. Tobnoro No. we able 10 sec. how the
reduction % th' duty ~ toaacco, its entire aboIi,
ton. is TO benefit uolass it can be proved, which
we have never seen done. that England would then