The daily Madisonian. [volume] (Washington City [i.e. Washington, D.C.]) 1841-1845, 1842-02-07
FROM OUR LONDON CORRESPONDENT.

MIR. Thomson whose speech enclose you is the
same who was sent to the United States by the Anti
Slavery Society of England. He has been employed
by the anti-corn law league and is traversine
the Kingdom making similar speeches. All parties
seem to admit that some modification of the corn
laws must follow, and the only questions are between
the sliding scale, as it is termed fixed duty, and an
entire repeal. 1t is understood that Mr. Peel is in
favor of fixed duty of two shillings sterling, OF
about fifty cents per bushel While many of those
who, six months ago, would have compromised for a
fixed duty of shilling per bushel now insist upon
an entire repeal.
You will see that Mr. Thompson calls the duty a
tar All parties in this country understand that what
is collected through the customs is tar on
the people and this tax is the more odious because
it is understood to be tax upon the bread of the
starving poor for the advantage of the rich andhod-
err not so much for the benefit of the farmer or the
middle classes, for the land-hoder who is thereby
enabled to demand high rent for his land which is
paid in money.
The wealthy manufacturers say that in conse-
quence of the high duty they cannot sell their manu-
features to other countries who would give them
bread in exchange and that therefore, as the search
y increases the price Of bread it increases the cost
of their manufactures, and they compelled to dis
charge their operatives when the price of bread is
highest The consequence is starvation
1t is greatly to be regretted that, at this moment
the prejudice against the United States is greater than
it has ever been at any previous period of history
The failure of the Bank of the United States the
reputation of the State bonds by Mississippi and the
declaration of your Wing presses, that the Demo-
cratic party are destructives used by large and
influential class to create an impression that Amer-
cans are swinders y and hence there are few who
dare speak of the Importance of the American trade
and thus while England is endeavoring to open new
channels for her commemorative she is making war
upon China, AND SEEING ON THE IsrHMus OF DA-
RIEN that she may find new markets in the East-she
seems disposed to make war on her best customer,
the United States! And be not surprised if in the
infauation of the moment, the corn trade should be
so regulated that the supply of bread for England
purchased with specie from the Continent instead
OF purchasing it with manufactures from America
although IN the one case her starving operatives must
live in dleness, and in the other they would be ena-
bled to earn the means of subsistence.
This nation is now in worse than Egyptian dark
ness as to all that concerns America its character,
government and resources and repeat that the Wing
presses have done than all the world besides to
produce the present state of things.
Our only hope of putin things on right basis
of renstatng character and credit is for demo-
cratic statesmen democratic presses and democratic
legislatures to put the democratic party and its prin-
cipes in proper position before the world. The
agricultural States democratic and they are most
deeply interested in placing commercial relations
with this country on the best footing. 1t is their
interest to create public opinion which will incline
the people of this country to look to them for sup
ply of those agricultural products, which they can
furnish on better terms than they can be obtained
elsewhere, yet it is melancholy fact that although
there many persons here who see that is to the
interest of Great Britain to receive her supplies from
the United States because she could pay for them in
manufactures, Of which she has abundance and to
spare yet such is the peudice against us, that there
great to apprehend the interests of both
tries will be sacrificed to the prejudice which weighs
down the official intellect Of this mighty empire.