New-York daily tribune. [volume] (New-York [N.Y.]) 1842-1866, 1851-03-01
THE NEWS FROM THE OLD WORLD
BIZ THE EUROPA.

sOclated Rrets, nOWeNeti HAhA6eu W sO"o W. " u
a few English newspapers, so that we are enabled
to lay the following before our readers.
ENGLAND.
Free Trade and Taxation.
The debate on Agricultural distress as connect
ed with Free Trade, the result Of which we have
already given by telegraph, took place in the
House of Commons on Tuesday the 18th, and
Thursday the 18th inst. We condense the fol
lowing report of what was said on the occasion
Mr.. DIsraeli moved resolution to the effect,
that the severe distress which continues to exist
among the owners and occupiers Of land lamented
in her Maiesty's speech, renders it the duty OF
the Government 70 introduce without delay meas
ures for their elfectua relief He began by OBJ
serving that the fact, admitted 10 the speech from
the throne, that, concurrent with the genera pros
perity of the country, there was continued de-
preston of a particular class, well deserved not
only the consideration Of the Government, bat
tho deIiberation of Parliament in order 70 ascer-
tain the nature and sources OF that particular dis
tress He then referred 70 the anticipations
which had been formed five years ago as to the ia.
ture prices of agricultural produce, and the effects
of the change Of system upon landed property.
The result had been the reluctant recognition OF
continued distress among the agricultural classes,
after attempts in past years, on the part OF the
Government, to represent the depression OF
prices as exceptional and temporary and to prove
that what had happened could not possibly recur.
He did not mean TO build upon these results
propositon to retrace the steps taken butt all the
estimates upon which the changes Of system had
been founded were wrong, and all the cacula-
tons erroneous, and II a most important class con-
tnued depressed amid the general prosperity, 1t
was the duty of Parliament TO investigate the
subject in charitable spirit and 20 about the
course which reason ana policy dictated. He
A-s.r hn..t N,aa haN-
gated system of protection; II that system was
to be restored, it must be done by very prepon-
deratng opinion out of doors. What, then, was
the reason why the cultvat0r of our soil could
not compete with the foreign producer 1t was
the amount Of taxation 10 which he was liable,
and which had been allowed 70 press unequally
upon him in consequence of the artificial state In
which agriculture was formerly placed The
great mass of taxation was supplied from three
CONGREGATIONAL imposts, inland revenue, and
local contributions Nearly one half of the first
was raised by not permitting the cultivstors of
this soil to produce particular crop, or load.
ing it with a peculiar impost two thirds OF
the island revenue were raised by colossal
tax upon one crop of the British agricul
turists while of the fl2,00O,000 of local
contributions 47,000,000 was paid by them,
and the whole was levied upon very limited
class He urged in addition the severity with
which the 1.-THE fell upon owner and occupier, not
merely in the communication bat In the incidence
of the charge itself, which Mr. NJ Culloch thought
justified an adequate countervailing duty upon
foreign corn. All these facts proved that the Brit
ish farmer was overweghted Ii was only by
that powerful instrument, the property and income
tax, that the present financial system was upheld
and from the returns Of that tax 1t appeared that
at least one half was levied from the owners and
occupiers of land-from owners whose rents were
reduced, and from occupiers without profits. What
these classes required was only severe Justice
they did not shrink from competition, but they
asked not to be forced into it manacled. Mr.. DIS
raeli, in conclusion, reviewed the remedies sug-
gested by others, pointing out their intrinsic inet
fcency, or the impediments thrown In tneir way
treating even a fixed duty upon corn as no boon 70
the farmer, but merely compromise
The Chancellor Of the Exchequer was quite
ready TO discuss this subject with calmness and
temper, bat Mr.. Disraeh had asked no distinct
opinion of the House upon anything Inc ante
ipations Of the advocates OF free trade had not
proved more exaggerated than the gloomy lore
holdings of its opponents. The distress alleged to
exist among British agrculturalsts was paralleieo
in France, Notwithstanding its large exports OF
corn to England, and its importing none. The
diminished price of meat in England was the re-
suit of increased production, and cattle were pro-
duced at a cheaper rate. Mr.. Disraei had dealt
only with the owners and occupiers OF land but
though it might be very convenient to ignore that
important fact, the agricultural laoorers-Whose
condition was former occasion made
the point upon which the whole question
turned-were never in more prosperous clrcum-
stances than at present In Ireland as well as
England the numbers OF able bodied pauPers
were rapidly diminishing. Wages, in relation TO
prices, were higher than during the war In al
most al the articles Of poor mans consumption
the fall Of prices during the last ten years had
greatly exceeded the fall of wages. While the
laboring classes were thus benefited there had
baa no Of
the diminution Of prices The assertion that
seven.twelfths Of the local taxation were paid by
the agricultural classes was an error, and MIR.
D'Israeli had confused with the owners of agri-
cultural land other land owners who have no title
TO relief from such burdens. He next passed in
review the objections which Mr.. d Israeli had OF.
fered to other remedies than his own, and, assum-
ing that that gentleman, il he meant anything,
asked to be relieved from the Customs duty on to.
bacco and the excise duty malt hops and spirits,
asked him, how would be provide for the public
expenditure Ii could only be by relmposing those
duties which, with so much advantage TO the
country, had been repealed. Before that course
was pursued and our present policy reversed, let
the House consider what had been the result OF
that policy. Since ls4l the revenue had increased
447260 600; the taxes repealed amounted to
ElO,7 ,O0O, from which, if the taxes imposed
$685. OO0) were deducted, the balance Of relief
was upwards of t5,O0O,0 900, with an augmenta-
clOn OF revenue nearly 70 the same Atnouut' OH
Charles read statements Of the foreign trade,
showing, be said, an increase Of our exports per
fectly unexampled. and asked whether it was
possible that legislation which had produced
such results could be wrong No protected in
terest ever lost protection without transient SUI
feriDg agriculture had not been the only interest
protected the others had recovered from their
depression, and now hoarished beyond prece-
dent the application Of capital and improved
processes of cultivation would produce the same
result in agriculture and enable the British far
mer successfully to compete with foreigners.
he called upon the House, therefore, to reject this
motion.
The Marquis Of CRANKY argued that the poorer
classes had been more injured oy the reduction in
wages consequent upon Free Trade, than bene-
flied by the reduction !. had caused in the price
Of bread.