THE agricultural distress of

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the present year, was not inferior to that of 1820. No new causes of embarrassment had sprung up: but the price of corn still continued low, landlords were still reluctant to reduce their rents within natural limits, and farmers still laboured under all the difficulties arising from that diminution or destruction of their capital, which the change in the price of their commodities had occasioned. Numerous petitions for relief were presented to parliament; but it was easier to demand than to discover a remedy. Some wished the government to alter the standard of the currency; some suggested the propriety of expunging part of the national debt; some placed their hopes in the removal of taxes; and some had a perfect faith in the omnipotence of high protecting duties. All called for inquiry; and the ministers thought, that inquiry ought not to be refused to those who suffered. On the 7th of March, Mr. Gooch moved, that a select committee should be appointed, to take into consi

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deration the petitions relative to the distress of the agricultural interest. Sir Edward Knatchbull seconded the motion. of these gentlemen, at the same time that they exhibited in very strong colours the difficulties under which the landlord and farmer laboured, disavowed any wish to tamper with the currency, or the national debt; but they were of opinion, that something might be done in the way of diminishing our expenditure, and that the necessary taxes ought to be so modified, as not to lay an undue share of the burthen on the cultivators of the soil. Sir Edward Knatchbull thought also, that some benefit might be de rived from a better system of taking the averages, from making a small addition to the duty on imported oats, and from the adoption of a graduated scale of protecting duties.

Mr. F. Robinson stated, that, when a proposition similar to the present was introduced in the former year, he had opposed it; because he was convinced, that the existing distress was not at

tributable to any defect of the law, and that, when no specific remedy was proposed, it was unwise to agitate so delicate a subject. He thought, however, that the feelings of the most important part of the community were entitled to sympathy and respect; and, therefore, in agreeing to the present motion, although he was pursuing a course inconsistent with that which he had before adopted, he did not conceive that he was subjecting himself to reproach, or doing that for which he ought to feel any shame. With regard to the objects to which the attention of the committee should be directed, he had the satisfaction to find, from the speeches of the mover and seconder, that it was not in contemplation to disturb the laws relative to our currency, or to look for relief through the medium of any operation on the public debt. On the subject of taxation, he did not object to this being brought within the scope of the intended inquiry. Before the committee decided, however, that the principal or the only relief was to be derived from this source, he hoped they would consider how far this decision might affect public credit; and whether, if savings should be made by means of retrenchment, the amount of those savings ought not rather to be applied to a reduction of the debt than to an immediate diminution of the taxes. There were still many persons who maintained, that the only permanent relief was to be derived from the establishment of high protecting duties on every species of agricultural produce. Indeed it could not be doubted that this was the direct object of the petitioners; it was almost in

plain terms avowed to be so; and great pains had been taken to persuade them, that it was the only system under which the interests of agriculture could be promoted. They seemed to believe, that every species of agricultural produce might be imported duty free. The case was not so. Various kinds of agricultural produce had been subjected to duty since the year 1812, and now yielded a considerable revenue. It was so with foreign sheep and other live stock, cheese, butter, seeds, and a great variety of articles, on which a duty was imposed, that, without prohibiting their importation, rendered it highly advantageous to the revenue. If all these were to be excluded, the revenue would sustain a loss of about 600,000l., raised from what was generally supposed to pay no tax at all. He concluded with congratulating the House on the temperate manner in which the gentlemen who espoused the agricultural cause, had brought the matter forward. Entering upon the inquiry in this spirit, they might be enabled to accomplish much that would be useful; and should their endeayours fail of realizing any great improvement, they would at least be attended with the good effect of showing, that the grand specifics, which were sometimes so loudly vaunted, were either impracticable, or, if practicable, inexpedient. Perhaps if this conviction were spread (and there were no means so effectual for spreading it as that of showing that it resulted from the inquiries of a parliamentary committee), an object of no small value would be attained.

upon the average of each of the towns comprehended in each district; and hence it was clear, that the price of corn, in a particular town of any district, might have a very undue influence upon the general average. This influence was found, in some instances, to operate very unjustly; where speculators had gone to particular towns to purchase corn on such terms as to produce a fictitious price. Such cases had, indeed, occurred not unfrequently. Hence, it was perfectly evident, that the object of the law as to averages was defeated; that object being, to ascertain the general bona fide price of the article. He proposed, therefore, to abolish the plan of taking the averages from the twelve maritime districts, and to substitute that of taking them from maritime counties and towns, fixing the general average from the aggregate of the corn sold in the whole, divided by the total of the price paid for it. The object of this arrangement was, to defeat such speculations as had been entered into within the last year for the purpose of unduly influencing the settlement of the average. It was proposed also to include Ireland, and the Isle of Man in the returns. Many other minor alterations were made. The general object of the measure clearly was, to calculate the averages, so as to diminish them in apparent amount-in other words, to raise the importation price.

The improvement which had begun, in the course of the preceding year, to show itself in the state of our manufactures, still continued. In Yorkshire and Lancashire, the seats of the

woollen and cotton manufactures, the working classes found regular employment, and received a liberal remuneration for their labour. Other branches of internal industry were not equally prosperous. The iron trade was still in a very depressed state; and petitions setting forth the decay of the principal branches of industry in Birmingham, were, at an early period of the session, laid on the tables of both Houses. These petitions excited considerable discussion, of which one remarkable feature was—that many of the country gentlemen insisted on the necessity of laying exclusive burthens on the fundholders; and several of them did not hesitate to say, that the public faith should be broken, and the interest of the debt reduced. The ministers always avowed an open hostility to these desperate schemes; as well as to every project of tampering with the currency.

On the 5th of March, Mr. Curwen made a motion, which he avowed as preparatory to the imposition of a duty on the transfer of stock. The Chancellor of the Exchequer opposed it; describing it as a scheme for the destruction of public faith, and the ruin of individuals. From the common burthen the stockholder claimed no exemption; for twenty years he had submitted to the property tax without complaint; but to a specific tax he did, and fairly did, object. It was said, that the stock-holder had in fact bought in considerable sums under a depreciated currency, which he now claimed to be repaid in gold. Certainly, during those years of depreciated currency nearly one-fourth of