663 Reduction of Taxes [JUNE, 



Indies ? yet these orators of the Irish agriculturists join in the cry 

 against the West Indians ! ! 



We would ask the agriculturists of Ireland, whether their interests 

 would suffer more by the introduction of a few thousand gallons of rum 

 in opposition to corn spirits, or by the cessation of .demand from the 

 West Indies, for the beef, pork, butter, and linen of Ireland ? 



The conduct of the Irish agriculturists, as manifested in their petitions 

 and orations, is too absurd for serious discussion ; and we certainly think 

 their Scotch coadjutors must laugh at their ignorance ; and that govern- 

 ment, from these specimens, must entertain a very poor opinion of either 

 their sincerity, or political discernment. 



We have heard that an increased consumption of raw sugar has been, 

 by some of the refiners, considered contrary to their interests, as tending 

 to lessen that choice of sugars which a dull overstocked market affords 

 to them. But, this appears to us to be taking a very narrow view of the 

 question. To lower the duties would not only increase the consumption 

 of raw, but also of refined sugars, and, consequently, would serve to 

 extend very considerably their home trade. These gentlemen cannot 

 but know that the continental refiners, protected by fiscal regulations, 

 are gradually excluding them from the continental markets ; and that 

 many of their best workmen are emigrating to the United States of 

 America. 'Tis true that, occasionally, they may profit by purchasing 

 sugars in an extremely depressed market, but on the whole their true 

 interests cannot be for one moment separated from those of the British 

 sugar grower ; besides, every measure calculated to render the British 

 market more attractive must give them an additional choice of sugars 

 for refining. 



With regard to the admission of foreign sugar for home consumption, 

 without any distinctive duty between it and British plantation sugar, 

 we have to remark, that putting aside the sound principle hitherto uni- 

 formly acted upon, namely, that of giving a preference to the produce 

 of our own possessions if the West Indians can show that by restrictive 

 regulations imposed by the legislative enactments of the mother country, 

 the expense of producing sugar in the British colonies is greater by 8-y. 

 or lO.y. the cwt., or any other sum than in the foreign colonies, it is 

 necessary, in common justice, that either these restrictions be removed, or 

 some other countervailing advantages be given, to place the British 

 planter on a fair footing of equality, to meet his competitors in the home 

 market and elsewhere. 



This proposition surely cannot for one moment be disputed ; and it only 

 remains for the West Indians to establish, clearly, the average extent of 

 additional costs to which they are subjected, to entitle them to a counter- 

 vailing advantage, either in the shape of a bounty on sugars exported, 

 or in some other form. 



We trust in the meantime that His Majesty's ministers will give some 

 immediate relief by at least a partial reduction of the sugar duties, until 

 they are able to decide upon general measures for redressing the grievances 

 of our suffering colonists. The uncertainty in which the government is 

 at present unhappily placed should rather induce ministers to hasten all 

 measures calculated to benefit the community, than by a shuffling policy 

 to omit the good they can do, and leave it to be inferred that they want 

 wisdom to discern, and firmness to decide, points which involve the pre- 

 sent ruin, or future prosperity, of our, West India possessions, and the 

 many millions of property which they contain. 



