The Kalida venture. [volume] (Kalida, Ohio) 1841-1865, 1848-02-22
FREE TRADE NOT THE CAUSE OF
THE DISTRESS IN ENGDLAND.

There has been, Of late, many articles In
he Wing a,,ributng the present difficulsie,
IN England to ito recent Free Trade moss.
ares. The following reply Of the Leadss
Mercsry TO fayorite Argument otl George
Bentick, is appropriate 10 the snbject; air
There has been grea, famine, and there
famine yet, and the homes Of the people
are made desolate, aud their hears broken.
and the gravet filed; and this noble loId,
this statesman suddenly sprung gfom the ,uI(
ask, "is il not the syslem Vt fres in,poris hat
has drawn the gold ou. Of the coansry. and
Fought ON this dstressf" ltrwas not gold
la, Iutied in Ireland, ,bu, pota,oes; had there
been ten times % much gold, the people
must have starved il there were NO. bread 10
had; they might be to 'lher knees in gid
md d e for want Of a loaf Tho discovery
Of meun,i ias Of gold even in Ireland could
not have STAYED off farnine--nothing could
have done i, bu, free imports. Tho world
mu.t either have found feod OF graves fos
four millions ot people. d 1900
81, is not" says his lordship, "ths high
price of cora tina, has brought on this dis.
uessi Assured'y i, is very visible cause
fit. Blu, we have to ask what bEough, the
nigh price Of eornl
The potatoes rotted in Ireland.
The haryes,s OF the continent OF Europe
were below averages 7sssa is6, s,.a.s-.t
The harvest Of England scarce moro 'hss
average. v snif 5aa.93 "a aet,.
-Four millions of people, expected 10 hsvs
been fed on potatoes, must have bread. n
There was no bread prepared for thes.i il
must come from supply IN which they were
not counted upon. ,s -urs9 ,s.g
These four million eaters ofloaves, brought
suddenly INTO the bakers shops, raised the
price of bread all over the world.
The high price was the signal Of distress,
noi the cause ofu. t~s.t.s-3
Whatever made the scarcity made the
During the very list years Of prosperity
,ha, Lord George cites, TO prove his case
agans, free trade, tho corn law in full force
preve n,ed trade in corn and therefore giowih
Of corn abroad for the English market. A.
marica grew none for England, and Europe
grew none for England. The four millions
,fpeuple came f;,r bread their share had been
neither sown nor reaped. Famine calne up.
on them: the blingeIs Of thai, famine were
they who maintained the corn laws in is4l.
Had that law been abolished, their America
aud Europe would have sown flesh land with
crops for England, year BY year the growth
md import Of corn and the export Of goods
IN return would have been extended, thsro
would have been bread TO spare for the EIus
.nallons, The price even then, must have
advanced, bu, ii would have stopped Tar be.
low the famine prices that We have but juss
passed through. You my lord, and youspsl.
" have 10 answer for the high prices, fof The
famine, and for the distress. 1A as9st
"Bu, is il not the system Of lree impofss
thai has drawn the gold out Of the county
and bro, on this dsiressf ~
We ask another question. Did net thse
fee imports prevent four millions of people
fiom being starved out Of the world2
Which was the most important 70 keep
them alive or 10 keep the gold in Englandt
Did the free import cause England %
grow one quarter Of wheat less in lS45-6 o.
seven? ,.,.s.,'.,.... *
Never was there . greater breadth Of wheat
sown than in those very yearss W2sssA
England did her best, but cauld not feed
her population, The free imports isd them.
AMI that the imports wsfs not larger
and the people better fed lies up6s you,
Lord George Bentinck, sad your rsrty. We
canno, afford to have any moro lay made
famines. Go back, my lord. % your stud,
The stables and the rsee-course.' gou ARE
~ar ~ sruyy rKxy rrsrIsNnzS iraRs