Staunton spectator, and general advertiser. [volume] (Staunton, Va.) 183?-1849, 1841-06-03
BRITISH CORN LAws.-Tho intelli-

BRITISH CORN LAWS.-The intelli-
gence by the Caledonia that:the British Min
istry intend to propose modification of the
Corn Laws is the most important item of
News that has lately come to as from abroad.
The proposition is to substitute i'm place of
the present huctuating scale Il moderate duty
on the Importation Of foreign corn. The an
nounccment of this intention was received, as
might have been expected, with eXultation
by one party and with deep murmurs OF in
dignatiOn by the other.
If the motion of the Ministers prevails a
greater change will be wrought in tho Brit
ish Constitution than was effected by the
passage of the Reform Bill. The landed in
ferest of the Kingdom on which the aristoc-
racy is based, must receive blow the con-
sequences of which may be fatal to its con-
tinued supremacy. The real struggle be-
tween the people and the arstocracy of En-
gland never came until now for in the Corn
Law system the whole question is involved.
1t is system created and sustained for the
benefit of landed proprietors, and it tends to
bring millions OF labouring men to the verge
of starvation for the sake of keeping up high
prices Tor corn that the purses OF the nobility
and gentry may be we'll filled.
1t is plain, therefore, that all questions of
reform and conservatism-all disputes be-
tween the friends of liberty on the one hand
and the advocates of privilege on the other
all notions, ideas, theories of social and poll
teal progress or linality which divide parties
in England-must be concentrated and bro't
to an ultimatum in this great PRACTICAL issue
which comes directly home to the vital inter-
ests Of all classes. The result of an over
throw Of the Corn Law monopoly will not
terminate in giving the labouring people of
England bread in greater plenty-for if that
were all no aristocracy could be so selfish as
to object to the change. But with reduc-
ton in the price of corn every landed propri-
etor will find his rent roll shrinking like
punctured bladder or a split balloon; and with
the loss of wealth viii go power, influence
and supremacy.
For years the popular leaders in Great Bril-
tain have been urging on the repeal of the
Corn Laws. Every means short of actual
rebellion-and even that was partially resort
ed to-have been tried to Shake down the
strong citadel OF monopoly. Petitions, re-
monstrances, tbreatenings, mass meetings,
agitations-the power Of the press and the
stirring appeals of orators--the outcry of null
titudes suffering for bread-the voice IF rea-
son and the EXPLANATIONS of passion-.have
not ceased to plead at the footstool of power
for some ameioration of system which
grew more oppressive the longer it was en-
dured.
The concessions long demanded and long
refused are now about to be made. Yet
what an illustration is hereby exhibited of
the honesty of politicians 1t was not many
months ago that LORD MELBOURNE declared
the Corn Law question to be one that must
not be meddled with. Whence so sudden a
change of mind! The mystery may DO en-
planned perhaps by the fact that Sir ROBERT
PEEL intimated lately his Willingness to adj
init the question and to modify the system,
IT he should come into power. This intima-
ton coupled with the recent defeat of the
Ministry, ON the Irish Registration bill.
has probably induced the cabinet to change
ground in order to keep their places
The concessions about to be made are not
yielded from convictions of Justice or from a
regard to the national interest, or from sym-
Pathy with an oppressed peoplc--but from
that sincere love of office and power which so
eminently distinguishes the ordinary run OF
patriots in this our day.
The proposed modification of the British
Corn Laws IS matter of much interest to
the United States. 1t is now highly impor-
tant that we should have an able man at the
Court of st. James, since the occasion seems
to be altogether favorable for the establish
ment of new commercial relations between
this country and Great Britain. We can
supply the British market with breadstuffs
to any extent, and it will be to the interest
of England to purchase from us rather than
from Continental Europe-becausei in the for
mer case she would not have to make paw
ment in specie. A trade mutually advanta-
geous to the two countries might now be o.
pened which would do more to strengthen
friendly relations and promote good under
standing between them than any expedient
which diplomacy would suggest for twelve
'"oh'h'-bALr' AMER ~.;
The proposition of the. British Ministry re-
speeding the modification of the Corn La ws
isnot to be brought up in Parliament until af-
ter weeks from the time Of the announce
ment. When some one in the House COM
planned that Ministers were going to leave the
duties on corn uncertain for that space, it was
well answered by Lord HowICK that under
the present system they were uncertain from
one end of the year to the other. According
to the arrangement of the Corn Law duties
there could not in fact be any certainty about
them-since they were continually rising and
falling according to the prices of grain.
An article in the Liverpool Times adverts
to this tuctuation as utterly preventing any
regularity oftradc; and it adds that until some
regularity can be had under system of fix
ed, moderate duty on conn., the country scan
never receive its supplies from abroad without
having the whole monetary system thrown
into confusion, and without being compelled
to see the Bank of England, striving not to
extend and uphold, but to limit and depress
the trade of the country, as the only means oil
saving itself from bankruptcy" The efforts
ofthe Bank of England must be so directed,
if the supplies of corn rendered necessary BIZ
the deficiency of the English crops are drawn
from the Bank-since specie and bullion must
be exported in payment. Even if the duty
on corn were fixed as proposed now by the