Lowe on the State of England. 
But when, in the early part of 1819, the 
effect of ‘scarcity was past, our market 
fell, and. in the autumn of 1820, an 
abundant harvest brought it to the state 
of depression under which it has ever 
since remained. 
CAUSES OF THE FALL OF PRICES SINCE 
Ba 2a THE PEACE. ; 
These have been partly peculiar to this 
country, partly common to it with the 
Continent of Europe. Of the latter’ de- 
scription were— 
- The application, in a great degree, of 
labour, in a smaller, of capital, to tillage, 
since the reduction of military establish- 
ments, 
A succession of seasons more favourable 
than during the war; the Continent, like 
England, having had, since the peace, 
enly one bad summer (1816); and if, 
from the magnitude of the failure on that 
occasion, we consider it equivalent to two 
seasons of ordinary deficiency, the propor- 
tion is still considerably more favourable 
than during the war. ~ 
' Next, as to the causes of decline pecu- 
liar'to this country, we have 
The re-instatement of our paper curren- 
cy; and 
- The great reduction of freight and other 
charges of transport; a principal cause of 
sa Te oa of the import in 1817 and 
818.* : 
Expence of cultivating 100 acres of Arable 
/ Land in England, at three distinct 
periods. 
410 
11 1 
Nore. The article manure is under- 
rated in the last column; were it fully 
‘stated, the aggregate of 1813 would have 
exceeded £800. 
‘This document presents materials for 
reasoning of equal importance to the agri- 
-culturist and political economist, exhibit- 
ing all the constituent parts of the cost of 
corn, and enabling us to explain both the 
* Once more we must remark, on the 
short-sightedness of Mr. Lowe, and of the 
whole tribe of economists. —Epb. 
623 
high prices of a state of war, and the fall 
attendant on peace, ‘To: begin with the 
rise in a state of war, its effects are first felt 
in the price of labour, the interest of mo- 
ney, and the direct taxes: an enhancement 
of these is soon followed by enhancement of 
the important articles of team and manure: 
an increase in the price of seed is necessa- 
rily identified with a rise of corn: an in- 
crease of tithe, as expressed in money, is.a 
consequence almost equally direct; while 
an advance of poor-rate has, ever since the 
days of Queen Elizabeth, followed, at no 
distant date, an augmented price of bread. 
ORIGIN OF OUR POOR LAWS. 
The origin of the English poor laws, a 
system so different from that of neighbour- 
ing countries, isto be traced to two causes, 
—the call, at the time of the Reformation, 
for a provision for the poor, when deprived 
of charitable aid from monasteries; and 
the enhancement, both progressive and 
rapid, which, as we have seen in the pre- 
ceding chapter, took place in provisions 
during the 16th century. The former may 
perhaps be termed the ostensible, the latter 
the real cause. Be this as it may, their 
conjunct operation led to various enact- 
ments in favour of the poor, which were 
definitely consolidated in the act of 1601, 
—an act prepared with all the care and de- 
liberation characteristic of the ministers of 
Elizabeth, and which would never. have 
received: a pernicious extension had its ex- 
ecution fallen into proper hands. Its pro- 
visions were intended at first forthe relief 
of merely the aged and infirm, and led to 
little beyond the degree of aid afforded. at 
present to the poor in Scotland or in 
France; but, from unfitness on the part 
of annually changed overseers, and, from 
the remissness always attendant on the un- 
checked disposal of public property, the 
act was in time construed into. an. obliga- 
tion to find work forthe-unemployed gene- 
rally, as well as to make up to those who 
had children the disproportion which in 
dear seasons took place between the price 
of bread and the rate of wages, 
_ Our poor-rate became thus a fund, not 
merely for charitable purposes, but for the 
equalization of wages; a counterpoise to the 
fluctuations arising from inclement seasons, 
or from any cause productive of a pepe fall 
in the value of money. ‘This result, cer- 
tainly well intended, and which at first 
sight seems of beneficial operation, is 
found, on, trial, to be replete with all that 
irregularity and abuse which is so difficult 
to avoid in any interference with the natu- 
ral course of productive industry. Of. this, 
a striking proof is given not, only in this 
country, but in the New England sagt, 
an 
