the receipt of the proper certifi- incomparably lower; that the plan cates of such average prices at such was only experimental in its own ports respectively."

nature, in a matter where all exNo vote was taken upon the periment was mischievous ; that resolutions, when they were thus its effect would be, to reduce prices introduced. The debate upon much below what could be consithem was postponed for a week, dered a fair remunerating price to that every appearance of precipita- the grower; and that, while it thus tion in a measure of such high im- deprived the agriculturist even of portance might be avoided. The the imperfeet protection which he at plan itself did not meet the views present enjoyed, it would ultimately of the zealots of either party. prove injurious to the public welThere were, indeed, only a very fare, by throwing out of cultivasmall number who gave an open tion those poorer soils which could preference to absolute prohibition; be profitably laboured only at high but there were many of the agri- prices, thus leaving the counculturists who thought that the try at every moment dependant average price and the duty had upon foreigners for its food. It been pitched too low, while others, was, they said, a sacrifice of the who affected to cherish more popu- landholder to other interests which lar views, accused the government were not a whit more deserving of having pitched them too high, of encouragement ; for, who could to gratify the partial interests of look at the duties upon the imthe landholders in opposition both portation of wool, timber, and to sound principle, and to their iron, and say, that equal protecown convictions. The latter at- tion was extended to the corn tempted, therefore, to amend the trade? A greater quantity of resolutions by bringing down the wheat had been sown in this counprices; and the former, when they try last autumn than for some failed to stop the progress of the years past, and, if the harvest measure altogether, by raising them. should turn out well, the produce On the 8th of March, when the would consequently be greater. discussion was resumed, or rather The quantity of corn laid up in was begun, the motion for the warehouses was nearly a million of House going into committee was quarters ; and, if the price were opposed by lord Clive, sir E. Knatch- to rise, what protection would be bull, sir Thomas Lethbridge, and afforded to the home-grower, and other leading members of the landed how would a remunerating price interest. Their opposition rested be secured to him, under such ciron the general ground, that domes- cumstances, by the present resolutic agriculture was entitled to all tions? The practical operation of the protection which parliament the measure, notwithstanding the could give it, even in the shape of pretended accuracy of its ascending a prohibition ; that it was most and descending scale, would be to unjust to expose the home-grower, keep corn permanently from rising oppressed with taxes, and obliged above fifty-four or fifty-five shilto purchase costly labour, to a lings. It would place in the hands competition with the farmers of of a few great commercial speculaforeign countries where taxation tors the command of the market, was light, and the price of labour and enable them to introduce fo

reign corn in such abundance as to per footing, the injury to the keep it always down to these low agriculturist would be much less. prices; prices at which it was utterly At all events, the House ought not impossible that the home-grower to legislate in the dark; and yet, conld go on under the weight of while the efficacy of the proposed taxation which pressed upon him. duties to secure a remunerating No man could say that the present price for home-grown corn eviprice of corn was too high, who dently depended upon what might refleeted that, within the last thirty be the prices in the foreign market years, it had not increased more to which they were to form an than thirty per cent, while, during addition, the House did not know the same period, the taxes, the poor- precisely at what price continental rates, and the price of labour, had corn could be imported into this increased two hundred per cent country; and there ought at least When the bill of 1815 was before to be an investigation by a comthe House, the president of the mittee, before adopting an innovaBoard of Trade had stated in sup- tion which went to alter the whole port of it, that taxation could not system on which the country had be expected to be reduced much hitherto proceeded. below sixty millions; and that, as The Chancellor of the Exche. the amount before the war had not quer and Mr. Peel answered, that exceeded seventeen millions, the there was no inconsistency in those larger amount could not possibly who had supported the bill of 1815 be paid unless corn were much now lending their aid to a measure higher than it had been before of a different kind; for, even at 1793. That bill had been warmly the time that bill had been held supported by ministers in both out only as a choice of evils, and Houses, on the ground that it was the change of cireumstances, parequally advantageous to the manu- ticularly the alterations in the curfacturing and to the agricultural rency, had both justified and reclasses, and was necessary as a quired a change of measures. Insecurity to the public creditor. consistency was to be found, if any Every thing which had then been where, in the conduct of the friends a cause why it should be adopted, of restriction and prohibition. was now a cause why it should be When the importation price was retained. Fluctuations in price fixed in 1815 at 80s., it was not were, no doubt, bad; but the pro- anticipated that the operation of posed measure would not prevent the law would be, to raise corn to them from occurring, and they were that point; but it so happened, not greater, nay, perhaps they were that this effect did follow from two less, in England than they often successive bad harvests in 1816 were in Poland and the north of and 1817. In 1818, however, the Germany. Above all, it was pre- harvest promising abundance, grain mature to intermeddle with corn, fell just as rapidly as it had risen: to the certain effect, and almost the farmers became alarmed, and with the avowed intention, of low- exclaimed, as they often did, that ering its price, until the question their ruin was at hand. They of the currency had been perma- placed their interests in the hands nently revised and settled. If the of a committee of their own body, currency were placed upon a pro- and this agricultural parliament

a

sat in the immediate neighbour- be beneficial. From 1774 to
hood, gravely deliberating, and is- 1815, the importation of foreign
suing their orders and manifestos, corn had been allowed; and an
calling upon the landed interest to examination of what had occurred
join them in objecting to the law before and after that period would
of 1815. The consequence was, show, that there could be no greater
that the table of the House had fallacy than to suppose that the
been soon covered with, at least, importation of corn was fatal to :
five hundred petitions, attacking as agriculture. If its effects had been
strongly as language could attack, prejudicial, they were most likely
that very measure, the principles to show themselves in the diminu-,
of which the landed interest bad tion of inclosure bills. Now, from
lauded but a short time before. the Revolution till 1770, there had
Surely those who yielded to these been six hundred and ninety in-
manifestos, petitioning against closure bills; and from 1771 to
that for which they had before 1815, the number had been two
prayed, were at least no less liable thousand eight hundred and fifty-
to the charge of inconsistency than two. This was sufficient proof,
those who, supporting the law of that the importation of foreign
1815, as the least mischievous in grain was not injurious to the home-
the circumstances in which it had grower; and, in fact, the imagi-
been adopted, had yet given their nary fears of ruin from a competi-
labour to the devising of a better tion with foreign markets, could
system, and, having devised it, now arise only from not attending to
wished to see it established. The the real difference in price between
law of 1815 had met with a foreign and home-grown corn.
parliamentary condemnation. In That difference was by no means
1821, on the representations of the so great, as seemed to be taken for
landed proprietors, government had granted. On examining the average
acquiesced in the propriety of tak- price of grain in Mark-lane and at
ing the corn laws into considera- Dantzic from 1770 to 1795, the
tion. A committee was appointed, difference would be found to be
and the result of their deliberations about 20s. When to this were
was, a very elaborate and able re added the expenses of transport,
port, in which the principle of thc and the duty imposed by the in-
law of 1815 had been condemned tended resolutions, it was impos-
in toto. The opinion, too, of this sible to anticipate from these reso- ,
committee had been adopted by lutions an effect detrimental to
another committee which sat in British agriculture. There was a
the following year. Further in- practical example perfectly in point;
vestigation, therefore, seemed to viz. the importation of grain from
be superfluous. For to represent Ireland. Before 1807, the impor-
the spirit of the proposed measures tation of grain from Ireland had
as being a spirit of innovation was been prohibited; in that year the
to betray gross ignorance, or, at prohibition had been removed. The
least, to fall into a very gross mis- price of labour was much lower,
take. So far from being the trial and the land was much richer, in
of a new experiment, it was only Ireland than here. Yet the re-
a return to a system which had moval of that prohibition had not
been long tried, and been found to beeninjuriousto the British grower,