1822.j 
might not be forced to come, into, the. mar- 
her aimuitaeseeet,) and und thie Atdad 
vantage of excessive competition, but 
might be! €nabled to wait nntih the:supply, 
having approached nearerto,the wants, of 
the consumers, might afford, if not a\remu- 
nerating; lat, least. a price somewhat, less 
ruinons for theimproduee, 
With regard to the first of these propo- 
sals, the general objections against making 
the public, tlirough the executive govern- 
ment, a dealer and speculator in corn, the 
suspicions to which it: might give rise, and 
the uneasiness mthe public feeling which 
it might eventually excite, the danger of 
its being drawn into precedent, the claims 
which it might»be supposed to give to 
other important articles of domestic pro- 
duce, whenever they might be exposed to 
similar depression, and the universal rule of 
allowing all articles, as much as possibie, to 
find their own natural leyel, by leaving the 
supply to adjust itself to the demand, dis- 
courage your committee from recommend- 
ing it; even under this extraordinary emer- 
gency, and with all the guards and qualifi- 
cations of a temporary expedient. But, 
with regard to the second, although much 
less efficacious in its operation, the objec- 
tion of government becoming a purchaser 
does not apply, as individuals would in 
this case act for themselves, and according 
to their own discretion, the government 
interfering no otherwise than by making. 
advances upon the commodity deposited, 
which would be repaid, with a low rate of 
interest, as. soon as the article should be 
brought to market. 
For effecting this object, two different 
modes ‘have. been suggested; by one of 
which» it’ was proposed, that, when the 
weekly average price is under 58s, (the 
import scale remaining as at present) wheat 
should: be stored, subject to a monthly al- 
lowance of sixpence per quarter, until the 
average price should reach 65s. 
+ Phe’ whole, quantity not to exceed 
600,000 quaxters, and the time for which 
the allowance'should be.payable not to ex- 
ceed itwelve or eighteen months. 
Not more than a certain number of 
quavters, nor Jess than another specified 
number of, quarters, to be stored on the 
part of any individual or firm. 
The owner of the corn so deposited to 
be at liberty to withdraw it at any time, 
waving his. claim to allowance, or re- 
funding it. 
Phe other proposition, was, that for) the 
purpose of relieving the glut which at pre- 
sent presses upon the grain-market, the go- 
vernment, whenever. the average price of 
wheat shall be under 60s, should grant ad- 
vances of money upon such corn of the 
growth of the United Kingdom, as should 
be deposited in fit and proper warehouses 
upon, the river Thames, and in the ports 4o 
be hereafter specified, to an extent not ex- 
Political Affairs in April. 
365 
ceeding two-thirds of the market-value of 
such corn; the quality of the corn and the 
fitness of the warehouses to be approved of 
by officers. to,.be appointed by the go- 
vernment, 
The loan tobe at the rate of three per 
cent. andthe period of deposit not to ex- 
ceed twelve, months. 
The corn,.to, be withdrawn at the will of 
the depositor, upon payment of the in- 
terest, warehouse rent, and other charges. 
The.sum of one million so applied, would 
probably be fully adequate to giye a tem- 
porary check to, the excess which is con- 
tinually poured into the. already, over- 
stocked market. 3 
If the House should be inclined to agree 
with your committee in countenancing the 
latter of these propositions, itis evident 
that it ought to lead to some immediate 
proceeding ; and, although no very great 
effect can be contemplated from adopting 
it, its operation, as far as it may extend, 
can hardly. fail to afford some temporary 
relief. 
There is another measure also to which, 
it is fit to call the early attention of the 
house. 
The foreign grain and flour of all sorts in 
different warehouses under _ the .king’s 
lock, appears to have amounted, on the 
5th of January last, to 897,136 quarters; 
with ,egard to which, although there is 
little probability that it can soon come 
into competition with our home produce, 
yet it still hangs over tue market in a_for- 
midable mass, ready to be poured in) at 
ence, creating no small degree of panic as 
to its future operation, and invested with a 
sort of elaim (which is of the utmost:im- 
portance) to be brought out free from 
duty, whenever the ports shal] be opened 
under the.existing law, even supposing any. 
duty shall be imposed by parliament, under 
an alteration of that. law, upon, all corn 
hereafter to be imported from foreign 
arts. : 
P To relieve the market from, both these 
inconveniencies, it may be proper to, per- 
mitthe holders of such corn now in ware- 
honses, under certain adequate regulations 
aud restrictions, to have the same gronnd, 
into flonr forthe purpose of exportation ; 
and also jo provide, by. legislative, enact- 
ment, that in future any foreign corn 
warchoused in this kingdom shall be consi- 
dered as. corn coming from abrea|, and . 
subject toall such duties and regulations 
as are or may, from time to time, be-imy» 
posed upon corn coming directly from a 
foreign port. 
A proposition, which was submitted to 
your committee, for advancing loans to pa- 
rishes on the credit of the rates, appeared 
to be attended with so, many, dithculties, 
and to be so little applicable to the purpose 
of alleviating the distresses which are com- 
plained of, that they do not deem it neces- 
sal'y 
