?a4 Refyo-fpective View of British Hushandry for loo J, 



crs, and Hqiiidate taxes. Still, notwithftandingthe regular fup-- 

 plies furnillied, confiderable importations have been made fron* 

 forei'TD countries, which praftically demonftrates, that the ex- 

 tent of home-railed produce i^ below that of the aftual demand. 

 The corn-laws continue to be but a dead letter, and their inef- 

 ficiency is fufficiently ihewu by daily experience. . If the crops 

 of grai , raif<;d in Britain, exceeded the confumption, all the art 

 of man could not raife prices, nor would any bounty, hitherto 

 paid, equalize the rate oi rents, labour, and public burdens, 

 with thofe paid by the tenantry on the continent ; of courfc, one 

 of two things wouM necelTarily happen, either the rate of rents 

 would be materially reduced, or the farmer would be ruined. 

 On the other hand, we have had a trial of free importation from 

 foreign countries for five years, and yet prices have not been re- 

 duced f6"much as to admit of exportation. All thefe things effec- 

 tually prove, that the fyftem of corn-laws, eilablifhed in JBritaia 

 for more than a century paft, have not governed the markets, 

 hut that the extent of the crop^ at home, when oppofed to the in- 

 creafed confumption, has entirely regulated the rile or fall of the 

 prices. In fa£l, the corn-laws, under the prefenS ftate of Bri- 

 tain, injure, inftead of benefiting, the pracl'cal agriculturift. 

 They leclude him from foreign markets, without rellraining fo- 

 reigners, unlefs when prices are very low, from interfering in the 

 home fale. We have often faid, that a free and open trade, ex- 

 cept in cafes of dearth, would be preferable ; and every day's ex- 

 perience corroborates the opinions we have given. By a- 

 dopting fuch a liberal fyftem, perhaps the rate of rents might 

 for a riiort time be partially deprefied, but matters would foon 

 run into their juft and proper channel. According to the prin- 

 ciples upon which corn-laws are ufually fupported, heavy pro- 

 te«Sling duties ought to be impofed, in order that the increafed 

 value of rent, labour, and taxes in Britain might be counter- 

 a^led ; but, as the manufacluring intereft, will always oppose, 

 and that fuccefsfully, every attempt to lay on fuch equitable 

 duties, the bed alternative that can be chofen, is,- to meet 

 them on their own ground, and throw open the trade altoge- 

 ther. This, we are almoft fure, would prove highly beneficial 

 to every per fon concerned in the growth or fale of corn. It 

 wguid put the trade upon a ft able footing, whereas, at prefent, 

 St is the moil uncertain and fluctuating one tliat can be fol- 

 lowed. 



Rent of Lund, 



It does not appear that land-rent has experienced any altera- 

 tion during this year, unlefs fo far as the legal impofition, by 

 acl of Parliament, is to be coDfidered in that light. Whether 



ren? 



