134] ANNUAL REGISTER, 1800. 



grain, it is expedient to adopt such 

 measures as might be practicable, 

 for diminishing the consumption 

 thereof during the continuance of 

 the present pressure, and for intro- 

 ducing the use of such articles, as 

 might be conveniently substituted 

 in the place thereof. 



" In consequence of the high 

 price of grain, and the evils arising 

 therefrom, we, the undersigned, 

 agree, that, until the tenth day of 

 October next, we will not consume, 

 nor permit to be consumed, in any 

 week, within our respective fami- 

 lies, more wheaten bread than in the 

 proportion of one quartern loaf for 

 each of the individuals of whom our 

 said families may be composed; and 

 also that, during the said period, we 

 will discontinue, and cause to be 

 discontinued, within our said fami- 

 lies, all pastry." " Resolved, that 

 a message be sent to the house of 

 commons to acquaint them, that this 

 house has come to the said resolu- 

 tion and agreement." A message 

 to this purpose was accordingly, 

 on the next day, sent to the com- 

 mons, who ordered " That the said 

 resolution and agreement be re- 

 ferred to the consideration of the 

 whole house; to whom it was refer- 

 red to consider farther of the x-eport 

 which was made by the committee 

 appointed to consider of the most 

 etfectual means of remedying any 

 inconveniences that might arise 

 from the deficiency of the last crop 

 of grain." ^ 



In thehouse of lords, on the twen- 

 ty-seventh of February, the earl of 

 Darnley rose to confirm and illustrate 

 his position, on the twentieth, that 

 the scarcity of grain was greatly ex- 

 aggerated, and that the alarm, 

 thathad been given on that subject, 

 was not only unfounded, but highly 



detrimental to the public. His 

 lordship, after producing a variety 

 of authorities, from gentlemen far- 

 mers, stewards, and surveyors of 

 estates, and others, said, that ha- 

 ving, as he trusted, on the most un- 

 controvertible evidence, proved 

 that his former statement was nei- 

 ther made lightly, nor without foun- 

 dation, he now felt it his duty clearly 

 and strongly to express his disap- 

 probation of the exaggerated state- 

 ments of distress and approaching 

 famine, which had been conveyed 

 to the public by the report of the 

 committee of the house of com- 

 mons, on their false founded opi- 

 nion on that report, which though 

 calculated to do infinite mischief, 

 rested upon no better evidence, if it 

 deserved that name, than that of Mr. 

 Arthur Young,andMr.ClaudeScott : 

 for, however respectable these gen- 

 tlemen might be, their bare opinion, 

 for it was no more, and not on oath, 

 was a miserable foundation for such 

 an alarm as had been created in the 

 country. Instead of proclaiming to 

 the affrighted people of this coun- 

 try, that the stock of com, atpresent 

 on hand, was not sufficient to sup- 

 port them till the next harvest, with- 

 out, at the same time, being able to 

 point out to them, any effectual 

 means of obviating the evil, it would 

 have been more consistent with hu- 

 manity, as well as wisdom, to have 

 remained silent, at least, till such a 

 remedy could be found. What 

 their lordships had done, must in- 

 evitably increase the evil, inasmuch 

 as it must tempt all persons, who 

 had corn in their possession, to with- 

 hold it from market, in hopes of a 

 better price, which they had been 

 told, they had so much reason to ex- 

 pect. But if the great alarm, which 

 had been raised, was nut, as he 



