TH

HE distresses of the agricultural interest continued to occupy the attention of parliament, and in a greater degree than in any preceding year. Scarcely had the session commenced, when, with a view to ascertain how far the country gentlemen were likely to abandon the government, Mr. Brougham moved, "that it is the bounden duty of this House, wellconsidering the pressure of public burthens upon all, but especially the agricultural classes, to obtain for the suffering people of these realms such a reduction of taxation, as may be suited to the change in the value of money, and may afford an immediate relief to the distresses of the country." The speech, with which he introduced this motion, was very long and very desultory. It contained little argument, and no sound general views. The two cardinal points, on which the mover rested his proposition, were, that taxes were the cause of the existing dis

tresses, and that the agricultural

classes were loaded with more than their due share of taxation. Many of the doctrines advanced by Mr. Brougham on this occasion, were such as might have been expected from Mr. Curwen, or Mr. Western, or sir Thomas Lethbridge, or any other of the class of philosophers, the prime article in whose creed is, that government exists only to enable landlords to obtain the greatest possible rents; but in the views propounded in the speech, there was no trace of the clear and forcible understanding, which usually shines in Mr. Brougham's parliamentary exhibitions; and indeed had it not been for some strains of bitter sarcasm, one could scarcely have believed, that it was the member for Winchelsea, who was labouring with such rasitical zeal, to flatter all the prejudices of the country gentlemen, and who was even bold enough to hint, that, if the comfort of full purses could not be otherwise ob

pa

tained for them, the true line of policy would be, to plunder the public creditor, that they might be enriched.

The marquis of Londonderry opposed the resolution, as containing no specific proposition of retrenchment, and as leading to no practical purpose. Its object was only to entrap the House into a censure of ministers, who were of themselves disposed to carry reduction to the utmost extent, compatible with the safety of the state. He added, that he had to propose a remedy of his own, from which he entertained considerable hopes of relief; and he called on the House to suspend their judgment, till ministers brought forward their intended measure. Mr. Brougham's motion was negatived by a majority of 212 to 108. None of the country gentlemen, who had hitherto been in the habit of supporting ministers, voted with Mr. Brougham. The learned gentleman's witcheries had been without effect.

On the 15th of February, lord Londonderry brought forward his promised remedies, which were, the repeal of the annual malt-tax, and a loan to the agricultural interest, by means of Exchequer bills. He calculated, that the combined effect of the improving state of the revenue, and of the retrenchments already effected by ministers (which last he rated at two millions), would leave a surplus revenue of five millions; and that the saving of interest, to be effected by the intended paying off of the five per cents., would give a further surplus of a million and a half-a sum which, in his opinion, allowed ministers to repeal the annual malt tax, without injustice to the public creditor. The noble marquis, having rated the farmers' taxes at

one-seventh, or, including the taxes which affected him as a consumer, at one-fifth of his rent, proceeded to reason from this datum, that the diminution of taxation to any practicable extent could afford no adequate relief; and he recommended a loan of four millions, to be advanced partly to the landholders on the security of their crops, to enable them to withhold them for a time from the market, and so effect an advance in the price of grain, and partly to parishes on the security of their rates. The resolutions, with which his lordship concluded his speech, relating merely to the production of some financial documents, were carried without a division, though not without considerable discussion.

On the 18th of February, lord Londonderry moved for the revival of the agricultural committee. His lordship deprecated any discussion of the general question at that moment, but with very little success; for a long debate followed, which, though it did not possess much of the unity of consecutive reasoning, gave to a number of members an opportunity of avowing their opinions upon various subjects immediately or remotely connected with the agricultural question; or of animadverting upon the topics, which had been touched upon in the speeches of Mr. Brougham and the marquis of Londonderry.

On the 21st of February, lord Althorp brought forward a motion avowedly in opposition to the plans, which had been mentioned by the marquis of Londonderry. His lordship's proposition, in terms, went no farther than a declaration that the reduction of taxation, proposed by the ministers, was not sufficient to satisfy the just expecta[H]

tions of the people; but in the speech, with which his lordship introduced it, he strongly urged the policy of diverting the surplus of the year from the sinking fund to the diminution of taxation. Mr. Robinson moved, by way of amendment, two resolutions; the first of which declared, that the surplus revenue of the current year amounted to 5,260,000l.; and the second, that, by the operation of this surplus, connected with the reduction of the interest of the 5 per cent stock, a diminution of taxes might be effected, from which the people would derive immediate relief. The amendment was carried by a great majority.

On the 1st of April, the report of the agricultural committee was laid before parliament [See Public Documents, p. 438]; and, on the 29th of the same month, the House resolved itself into a committee to take the report into consideration. On that day, three different schemes were proposed for the relief and protection of farmers and landlords; one by the marquis of Londonderry, the second by Mr. Ricardo, and the third by Mr. Huskisson. His lordship's plan was comprised in thirteen resolutions, which were to the following effect:

1. That his majesty be enabled to direct Exchequer bills, to an amount not exceeding one million, to be issued to commissioners in Great Britain, to be by them advanced under certain regulations and restrictions, whenever the average price of wheat shall be under 60s. per quarter, upon such corn, the growth of the United Kingdom, as shall be deposited in fit and proper warehouses.

2. That it is expedient to per

mit the holders of foreign corn now in warehouses, to have the same ground into flour, for the purpose of exportation, under such regulations as may guard against the fraudulent introduction of any part of the said corn for home consumption.

3. & 4. That whenever foreign wheat shall have been admitted for home consumption, under the provisions of an act made in the 55th year of his late majesty, the scale of prices at which the home consump tion of foreign corn, meal, or flour, is permitted by the said act, shall cease and determine; and that foreign corn, meal, or flour, shall thereafter be permitted to be imported into the United Kingdom for home consumption, whenever the average prices of British corn shall be at or above the following prices; viz. whenever wheat shall be at or above 70s. per quarter; whenever rye, peas, or beans, shall be at or above 46s. per quarter ; whenever barley, bear, or bigg, shall be at or above 35s. per quarter; whenever oats shall be at or above 25s. per quarter.

5. That whenever foreign corn, meal, or flour, shall be admissible, there shall be levied and paid upon it certain specified duties. When wheat was under 80s. per quarter, the duty was to be 12s.; when it was at or above 80s. but under 85s., the duty was to be 5s.; and in both cases, there was to be an additional duty of 5s. in force, for the first three months after the opening of the ports. When the

price rose to 85s. the duty was to be only 1s. per quarter. Similar scales were fixed for the other species of grain.*

Kingdom, for home consumption, whenever the average prices of British corn shall be at or above the following prices; viz. whenever wheat shall be at or above 59s. per quarter; whenever rye, peas, and beans, shall be at or

above 39s. per quarter; whenever barley, bear, or biggs, shall be at or above 30s. per quarter; whenever oats shall be at or above 20s. per quarter; subject, however, to certain specified rates of duty.* Mr. Ricardo's scheme for the