Richmond enquirer. [volume] (Richmond, Va.) 1815-1867, 1843-06-13

towards the endowment of new beneices
The great and all pervading question of the Corn
Laws, by which England virtually declares, that her
overgrown population shall subsist only upon the pro
duets OF her own soil, matter how Limited or IN.
adequate those products may be, has been again be
fore Parliament, upon motion for aboshng radically
and at once, all duties foreign grain The debate
lasted five nights, great portion OF which | heard
OF course, it was not expected that the advocates Of
free trade would in this instance succeed The debuie
was intended tor the Country, or, we would say,
for Buncombe. At the DIVISION there appeared 10 be
l25 in favor of the motion iur foat and immediate
peal and 35l against IL Illus exhibiting increased
bers those at the last discussion The desire to
have these odious restrictions swept away is daily On
The increase As an American and foreigner IN
England, | may not be capable, and probably ought
not II | were, to speak Of, and discriminate between
the relative merits OF the political parties that may d.
vide The realm but this is not question Identical with
The views CT party, narrowed down to the limits Of
Great Britain only II belongs 10 humanity at large,
and it may be solved by principles common 10 all
tons therefore, venture to be bold in expressing
the opinion which have formed. The question of the
corn laws IS question OF The happiness Of the
"a question between them and the few who both own
the soil and govern the country. They founded
upon the notion, that the same lands which formerly
supplied food for less than 90 900 900 Of inhabitants
must supply it FOR 81 600 0UO The corn law
advocates say, that the prosperity of the agricultural
classes depends upon the existence of these heavy du
ties foreign grain and it is in this way that the
farmers of England, who rent their grounds Of land.
lords, are gulled and deceived. The farmer finds that
he il doing but bare living business The lordy
proprietor tells him, that for the corn laws
he could mol live ut all. The advocate OF repeal
of these laws asserts 10 him, that his rents are
high, and ought TO come down. The landlord replies
that It IS but ) or 3! per centum upon the value OF
his lands, and therefore, as money invested in the
fnnds would bring that, il is just. What is the true
difficulty The price Of land is too high in Eng.
land. Bring that down, reduce the assessments and
then the rent, calculated according to the usual rate
Of interest," would be reasonable. Ii would fall Iqhter
upon the farmer; and whilst it enabled him to en-
ploy more capital filling the SOIL it would also allow
hirI TO dispose Of his productions at reduced prices
and thereby benefit millions who are now craving
after their due complement of food. This con.um
nation is daily prayed for by vast majority of the
nation, and could it be brought about, would send
JOY 10 the hearts Of many who have long sighed in
sorrow. But there objections in the way and
large portion Of the moneyed arstocracy the kingdom
interested in those objections. There are church
vings, and marriage settlements, and charity endow.
menls, and annuites of all kinds and descriptions lie
pendant upon the existence of the Corn Laws and the
continuance OF the high rents pnid for land All
these would be- IN measure, disturbed, should the
rent derived from the soil be dimnshed MANY we'll
fed PERSONS who receive IL 900 year. would be
compelled to take 500 1000 in future; aud no, fe "
aides who married with the prospect of E5 600 wear
would have 10 put up with e 900. Thus, although
he multitude clamor loudly for breadthe very bread
OF pare exStence-lne proprietary arlslocTacy have
made prospective arrangement to spend SO much for
years 10 come and it would do for The re ntry
10 break their engagements, permit the tees Of one
year 10 be eclipsed by those Of former years.
in the possession OF various statistics upon this
subject, but my limits would not allow me 10 give
them, if thought the detail would be sufficiently
interesting 10 you. When ] left the United States
wheat was there worth but 20 cents the bushel. la
England 1 found it selling for about 81 so the
bushel. What an unnatural state of things on the
| - a. 49,.
amity, and are purporng 10 be engaged in carrying
on mutual commerce with each other. Should the
duty on foreign grain he reduced 10 five six sinys
the quarter as was proposed in Parliament by way
OF compromise the United States could we'll afford to
supply Great Britain with wheat, and thereby hello 10
reduce The foreign debt. Especially would such an
arrangement benefit several Of the heavily indebted
States, which are large growers of wheat.
But, let the present ministry decide as they may
upon adherng to the Corn Laws, am led TO believe
after observation and comparison of events that
the existence Of these laws cannot much longer
tInue. 1t IS too much TO expect their repeal by the
present Parliament, but, that il will be accomplished
there cannot be much reason TO doubt The modifca-
ton of las, year by Peel has faed 10 produce hene.
G II has only operated 10 spread doubt in the minds
Of many farmers, who have hitherto been the fast
friends of high duties. The Minister, in attempting
10 satisfy both parties, has satisfied neither. The
reduced duties have percepbly lowered The price
Of bread and, matter Of course, have not pleased
motion for the admission Of Canadian grain, duty free.
His health has been such, as not to permit him press
it hitherto-that once adopted, an important step
would be gained The opening Of the British ports to
Canada would, it seems 10 me, be in effect to open
them TO the United States. Under the influence of
present Tariff, portion Of the manufactured goods
Of England would be struggled into the United States,
10 buy bread for the operatives who fabricated them.
In the course of the recent debate in the House of
Commons heard frequent illusions TO the probability
of large mporations of grain from the United States.
Some Of The speakers pointed 10 the immense quant
ties Of grain which lay almost rottiug upon the Misss
sppi and drew between the picture Of plenty
there exhibited and That of protracted famine, apparent
in England. Others dreaded the idea Of being sup
Piled BY the United States whilst two commended
that the United States could not afford TO supply Eng
land with grain, since importations could be more
cheapy made from the Baltic.
Oar country and this, present remarkable differ
ence in the character of those who the lands in
each With US, the owners of the soil the freest
most LIBERAL and least dependant class upon the bounty
and protection of the Government Notwithstanding
all the artificial contrivances for "proecton, which
have been introduced amongst u.s. one yet pro-
posed such thing for agriculture. Here, however,
the laws shaped, and the appees Of the people
made TO succumb in order TO protection 10 the
land owner But, mark you our land owner treads
his own Sod ills The soil himself, and eseems il as
honorable vacation as any in the Republic Here,
in England, the land is different being from
the land tlleFa separate existence, Whoy ABOVE, anu
holding no sympahies with him Here, the same tract /
of land made to pay its owner full interest upon its
value ESTIMATED according to the exorbitan English
slandard,) besides supporting the farmer and family
who live on it, remuneuting him for his labor and CAPT
tai employed, and, also, enabling him to pay the taxes
and tilhes, which everywhere levied with SO little
mercy What farm amongst us does the half Of this
viii you not come to the conclusion with me, that
these corn laws operate, by prohibiting in effect the
introduction of foreign grain, TO make the rich richer
and the poor poorer, TO increase paupersm and to
cumuiate Distress and that therefore it belongs hu.
mapity 10 desire their repenR
You are aware tbatthe agitation of the question Of
repeal of the Union between Great Britain and Ire
land, under the auspices of Daniel OConne has heen
lately progressing with more than ordinary activity
The continued and general agitation in Ireland has
induced several members of Parliament to nterrogate
The Ministry as 10 their intentions the subject OF
quoting suffering these movements. These CUES
tons gave the Duke of Wellington and Sir R. Peel
an opportunity make concerted declarations in each
House Of the intention of the Government 10 resist all
attempts separation the part OF Ireland. when
ever such should be made. These declarations have
aroused the Repeslers, and made them more uciive