Iowa territorial gazette and advertiser. [volume] (Burlington, Iowa Territory [Iowa]) 1840-1846, 1846-03-14

A short summary Of the history Of the
Corn Laws cannot fail at this moment to
prove interesting. The first act for regu-
latng the rates of duty was l3tl Geo. Ill,
C. 4S. Previous to the passing of this act,
statutes or orders in Council on the sub
ieet were rather dictated by circnn>ian-
ces, such as prosperous and deficient har-
vests, than any Ineligible ahd settled
principles. Usually greater quantity Of
corn was grown than was required for
our own consumption. When there was
scarcity the expectation OF all kinds of
grain was prohibited, and even bountles
offered for impor,ations from abroad.-
While on the other hand, there was glut
in the country, bouniies were offered for
lis expectation. From an early period,
certainly as early as the reign Of Henry VI,
the principle Of protection to home grown
corn has been invariably maintained by
our Legislature. In the reign Of Jane. |,
the importation Of foreign wheat was pro-
hibicd when the price III the English
market was below 32s per quarter; ami in
the reign of Charles IL, when the com
merce OF England became moe extended,
i, seems complete sliding scale was cs-
t blished, the duty on foreign wheat being
los, when the price here was DIS per
quarter or under; Ss.twhen between 53s.
and sos. and when above the last price All
imports 10 lie allowed free. The same
line Of policy may be traced pervading tie
whole Of the succeeding changes in tie
laws until I'LL. when they assumed a
more constant and regular shape. BY The
ACT OF l3 Geo. Ill, the duty was 5ls. 81.
when wheat was under 54s. per quarter,
and when the price was at or above 54s.
the duty was sd. These rates seethed 10
have been fixed with view OF keeping
the price of wheat as nearly as possible al
Sos. per quarter-which, regarding the
greater value Of money in those days,
would probably be about equal 70 COS. the
quarter at the present time. Shortly at
ter tie commencement Of the last great
war the pivot was raised, and when the
price was below sixty three shillihgs per
quarter, the duty on foreign wheat wa.
3 $. Sd. falling 10 7sd. when the price
reached Cos. These duties were advance
eu SoOil Httt WdtuS, anu ~ soic Aii =.
Robinson succeeded in passing an act alb
solutely prohibiting the importation of for
eign wheat until the price in our markets
had been for three consecutive months,
above sos. per quarter. Another law
was passed III 1922, prohibiting the i'm
por,a,ion Of foreign wheat when the prices
were under los. per quarter, admitting il
when between los. and so. at a duty OF
l2s; when between 80 and 50, at duty
of 5s; and when above S5s. at duty oil Is.
!! This law, however, never came into effect,
as il was provided that desperation should
lie delayed until wheat rose above sos.
per on, r,er, which did not occur before
another alteration took place. Early III
1877 Mr.. Canning brought forward q
4 resolution for the purpose Of forming them
into a corn law. He proposed sliding
scale, nearly similar 70 the one at forwards
1 carried B, HE Wellington Cabinet, aud
which remained in force until Sir Robert
Peels bill in 1912, which now regulates
the admission Of foreign corn.
s8t 49, p Ts Lo,don Times.