Daily Prices of STOCKS, from 21st SEPTEMBER to 20th OCTOBER, 1814.

THE

LITERARY PANORAMA,

AND

National Register:

For DECEMBER, 1814.

NATIONAL and PARLIAMENTARY may be declared by statute, and rendered

Notices,

BRITISH and FOREIGN.

ΤΟ THE

REPORT FROM
THE SELECT COM-
MITTEE OF THE HOUSE OF COMMONS,
ON PETITIONS RELATING
CORN LAWS OF THIS KINGDOM.
[Ordered, by The House of Commons, to be

printed, 26 July, 1814]

THE labours of the British Parliament are so multifarious at the present period, that no wonder can arise if some of them be only in progress. Political movements of merely local effect, or matters of frequent recurrence and form, may be allowed to pass after less critical examination, than others, on which the welfare of the whole community depends. An error in a Turnpike bill is of less moment to the public, though of vexatious operation in its neighbourhood, than enactments affecting all parts of the United Kingdom, and reaching the person or pocket of every "good man and true" throughout the population.

binding on the good subjects of the realm by legal sanction.

The great error in the public assemblies of a neighbouring nation was, doing too much at once: laws were voted by acclamation! as if it were possible to introduce a proposition, which, at its first suggestion should merit the concurrence of a deliberative body; and be so perfect as to be susceptible of no improvement from additional discussion by the associated members. In general, those have proved the most beneficial laws which have been most earnestly and repeatedly canvassed with all the coolness, yet shrewdness, ascribed to our national character. Hurried laws shew vacillating politics: vacillating politics have often led their authors to the brink of ruin; but never have led the country to real, acknowledged, and permanent dignity, or prosperity.

But, if any law demand, more than another, the most persevering and steady scrutiny of the Legislature; it is that which affects the support and provision of the community considered as a body. The necessity for food is an im

When we reflect that the last Session of Parliament, besides witnessing-position on man by nature: it is not and awaiting one of the most astonishing revolutions in the affairs of nations that ever the sun shone on, was enabled to perfect at least one hundred and ninety Public General Acts; upwards of two hundred and thirty local and personal acts,―besides sixty five private acts, we cannot be surprised that some things should only have been sketched out, as it were; that others should have made progress in some branches, not in all; while others have been advanced almost to that point of maturity, at which the conviction of the legislature

VOL. I. Lit. Pan. New Series. Dec. 1.

a craving of caprice, or a dictate of fashion, but of necessity. To cease to eat, is to cease to live. Nevertheless, in a state of society where each professes a distinct employment, to procure food is not the proper business of every individual; but to proffer articles sufficiently estimable to be exchanged against that supply which nature exacts. In the hunting state of man, all follow the chace, and each feeds himself and family; in the social state, a part only of the commuuity follow the plough, while the other parts contribute, by *N

other means to the general stock. It is easy to conceive on what feelings either of these may put on its productions a price relatively too high for the welfare of the whole and hence the necessity of a government, which, by its preponderating influence, shall regulate all for the good of each, and each for the good of all. This is one of the duties of government, but not at all times a duty easily discharged: occasions may arise, on which the path to be taken may produce diversity of opinion among the wisest, without the smallest imputation on the rectitude of their judgment, or on the extent of their understanding.

[*372

tuted one Committee (to whose Report this is an Introduction,) the House of Lords instituted another Committee, whose labours were only advanced, and will, no doubt, be re-considered. The subject will be again investigated and occupy the attention of the public, and of Parliament :-we can, therefore, only present our readers with a slight view of it;-when closed, it may afford more general principles on which to argue, than at present appear in either of the legislative documents.

penses incurred in other countries, by the same professions, have remained stationary, is to manifest an ignorance of

secution of every profession in Britain, That the expences attending the prohave encreased, very rapidly, and very The late projected alteration of the heavily, during late years, admits of no laws for regulating the import and ex-dispute: but, to suppose that the export of Corn, was a distinguished instance of such an occasion. The suddenness of the revolution in political affairs; the advantage taken of that sud-foreign affairs, which demonstrates the denness, when it issued in peace; the necessity for a work like our own, in unfavourable condition of the products which better information meets the eye of our own harvest in many places, of the British Public. lowing to the unusual severity and length of the last winter, and its encroachment bandry have risen in countries situated If, for instance, the expenses on huson the spring season; the expectation, on the Baltic, in the same proportion to rivetted, as it were, on the minds of our the value of the commodity produced Agriculturists, that they should continue as they have risen in our own island, to enjoy the profitable markets they had then is the relative situation of the dong monopolized, all contributed to ducers in each country, much the same prorender the change more sensible, more as it formerly was. alarming. The farmer dreaded a con- ing corn in each country be doubled, If the cost of growpetitor in every vessel that arrived from suppose; then are both countries where a distant quarter: he contemplated his they were, considered in relation to each own expences, and, without estimating other; and until this be ascertained, no those of foreign husbandmen, he con- satisfactory conclusion can be drawn. sidered all as lost: he felt the effects of Add to this, that independent of the a favourable harvest, mercifully granted actual and bare cost of producing corn, to France by the benignity of Provi- there may be other circumstances, favourdence, by way, as it were, of compen-able to one party, or unfavourable to the sation for a portion of the miseries she had endured from the rigour of imposts, and from the horrors of war,-and he drew the conclusion, that in every year, at least an equal.concurrence of circumstances would work his prejudice-in short, his ruin.

other, which may contribute essentially to equalize their relative condition; and these, if likely to be permanent, ought by all means to enter into the calculation, although not generally adverted to, on a prima facie view of the subject.

The farmer besought the Legislature: the manufacturer took the alarm: each much cause of apprehension without Nor are those who have given us so wished his own estimate should obtain their anticipations of evil the preference: each desired to find his are abundant this year: they may be Their crops advantage in events. Happily, the Le-scanty next year; they can export this gislature demanded time for further exa- year, with safety: next year they may mination the House of Commons insti- be obliged to import, for the sustenance

of their population; while we after sustaining our population, may become exporters.

We have said enough to justify our desire for further information, and to advise, in the strongest terms, against perturbation and hurry. Duty determines our efforts in the first place to obtain what insight we can into the relative powers and condition of foreign agriculturists; were this complete, we might derive much gratification from the comparison.

but I had not finished them. There is one circumstance which this fact seems to lead to, which might be worthy the attention of this honourable Committee,- if, upon enquiry, in various foreign countries, the same fact should be found to have taken place, it would lead to a great many reflections upon the subject, equally curious and important; if by writing to consuls, or any other means, in the disposition of this Committee, if it should be thought worthy of their attention; I should suppose that they might afford information truly important.

This is a curious coincidence :-but,

prowess or arms. It is well known, that this subject has been under the consideration of the French Legislative Assembly, with a view to the establishment of a code of laws on the subject. We quote part of a speech of M. Laur, one of the deputies; addressed to that assembly.

He is endeavouring to shew that in a certain class of Departments, exportation should stop only when the price of wheat reached twenty-five francs per hectolitre, and not twenty-three francs, as proposed in the plan of the law. With this view he asserts,

it may be thought singular, by We avail ourselves, in this part of our sketch, of the evidence given by Mr. Some; and rather the effect of accident, than of permanent natural causes. We Arthur Young, in reference to what is now, therefore, introduce the case of e present cost of corn-farming in French cultivators, whose industry and asia. good fortune have been extremely dreaded ave you had any opportunity of ascer-by-those who have not dreaded their taining the price of grain in foreign counties, either at the present period or at former periods?My son has lately arrived from Russia, where he resided nine years, and he brought over with him various documents relative to the price of Corn and all sorts of provisions, which I thought extremely curious; they are collected by a district officer, and reported to the governor of the province, who sends them regularly to Petersburgh. The governor of the province of Reazon favoured him with a copy of the return for that province; and from 1781 to 1789, nine years, compared with fourteen years, from 1790 to 1803, the rise "that twenty-three francs per hectolitre in the price of wheat was just FORTY per cent. comparing the average of the other. was nearly the price at which wheat was I had the curiosity to compare those prices sold in 1789, in most of the departments to with those of the same period in England; which he alluded." He could almost affirm and I thought it extremely curious that the this with certainty, in regard to the derise in the price of wheat in England should partments of the Var, the Lower Alps, the turn out just forly-one per cent that it mouths of the Rhone, the Gard, and the should be within one in forty-one, exactly Herault. If the landholders of those dethe same rise as in Russia. It should also partments were now similarly circumbe noted, that at the commencement and stanced to what they were in 1789, then throughout the whole period to its termina- he should have nothing to object to the tion, the course of exchange remained price at which it was proposed that expor pretty nearly the same: it began with thirtylation should cease. This, however, he pence English, and within two or three years of 1800, 1800 and 1801, or 1802, the ruble was at thirteen pence, since that the ruble is now at thirteen pence three farthings, and for a few years has been exceedingly low; the Russia silver ruble is worth four paper ones. And had an issue of paper taken place in the years mentioned, it would be said it was owing to that; but this rise is entirely clear of the issue of paper money, and therefore the more curious. I was examining other prices in the same documents which he brought over,

should shew was by no means the case; and if he advanced any thing exaggerated, he hoped it would be corrected.

In 1789, the daily wages of a man employed in agriculture were, in winter, seventy-five cents. and in the longest days he might gain one franc (one hundred centimes make a franc.) At present, the same man is paid twenty three sous per day (124d. or one hundred and twenty cents.) in winter, and from forty to fifty sous, [or two hundred to two hundred forty and cents.] in A farm servant in the house summer.

*N 2

[*376

24 francs (27. 16s. per quarter); but to "In 1806, exportation was allowed up to modify the effects which might result from that latitude, exportation was subjected to a progressive duty, according to the price of wheat. This duty began with 2 francs, when the wheat was at 18 francs the hectolitre (21. 2s. per quarter) and under; wheat was at 22 francs. This graduated and the highest rate was 8 francs, when the

received in 1789 an annual salary of about sixty fr.; [say 3.] now, none is to be got for less than ninety fr.; [say 41. 10s.;] if they are expert, their wages increase in proportion; and there are some ploughmen whose wages are as high as two hundred, and two hundred and fifty fr.; [say 10l. or 124] The price of oxen for the plough, for which these departments depend on Brittany and Poitou, has doubled since 1789. The price of agricultural imple-scale, calculated to introduce complexity ments has increased in the same proportion. and uncertainty into the operations of The direct taxes have also been nearly commerce, could not fail to be unfavour doubled. All the objects of utility and able to our relations with foreigners, as no luxury furnished by manufactures had in-person could foresee to what duty his excreased in proportion to the price of the portations would be subjected, and as the articles of the first necessity. of a rise in the commodity, and an increase foreign speculator run double the chance in duty.

"If, then, in the departments he had named, the average price of the hectolitre of wheat had been for the last twelve years at thirty fr.; if the habit of paying this price had been introduced without shock; if the price of labour, of articles of utility, and luxury,-if, in short, the taxes and every thing else had augmented in proportion to the price of grain; if the farmer, the manufacturer, the artist, the labourer had formed habits and a mode of living analo gous to these prices; and if, in fact, their comforts, instead of being diminished, had sensibly increased, then we should take care not to discourage agriculture, and with it manufactures and the arts, by establishing a price, regulating the temporary export or prohibition, so very far removed from the usual medium price."

If there be no fallacy in this gentle'man's statements, it is a fair inference that agriculture in France is carried on at an encreased expense of more than FORTY per cent.—perhaps, from fifty to sixty per cent. above what it was twenty years ago. Further, the difference is so great between the northern and the southern, the eastern and the western provinces of France, that the Minister in proposing the law, is obliged to divide the kingdom into three distinctions; and to allow twenty-three francs, in one province, to be equal to twentyfive francs in another province. In fact, the difference is much greater than this, especially under certain circumstances; our pages record differences of thirty or forty per cent. while the French coasting trade was suspended, during the

war.

We borrow the following information from the French Minister's speech.

sideration were again brought under exa
"In 1810, the questions now under
mination. It was then ascertained, that to
keep the bread of the best quality, weighing
two killogrammes, at 75 cents. (the loaf of
four pounds at 15 sous: sterling 74d.) grain
should not rise above 21 francs 67 cents.
(2. 10s. 6d. per quarter.)

in the projet 21 francs (21. 9s. per quarter,) Setting out from this basis, we propose as the price at which exportation shall cease in the departments of the second class; consequently 23 francs (2l. 13s. 8d. per quarter,) in the first; and 19 francs (2l. 4s. 5d. per quarter,) in the third.

...

"The produce of this duty will be employed in the encouragement of agricul

ture.

francs below the price at which exporta"When wheat shall be more than two weighing duty (droit de balance), a small tion stops, it will only then pay the simple duty which is not an object of receipt to ascertain the quantity exported, in order the Treasury, and of which the object is to to have every moment an eye over this empted from the duty of one franc fifty commerce. In all cases, flour to be excents.

be due to a commodity which pays an We have conceived this favour to additional tribute to French industry.

"Barleys and inferior grains to pay the half of the duty on wheat.

its exportation, we think that the exporta"When the rise in wheat has suspended tion of flour and inferior grain, ought by a necessary consequence to be also sur pended.*"

The proposed law was at length chief enactments of it, by which the corn adopted, after some modifications: the trade of France is now regulated, may be