30 



prices, under such circumstances, would occasion 

 the cultivation of the poor and inferior soils to be 

 abandoned, and would greatly reduce the rent also 

 of pasture land, and the best arable land. Though 

 the present Corn Laws admit the introduction of 

 Colonial Corn at a very low duty, the art of colo- 

 nization must, notwithstanding, be improved to 

 encourage British and Irish capital and labour to 

 enter upon the cultivation of the extensive and 

 fertile field of our Colonies, and thereby enable 

 us to procure from thence an abundant supply of 

 cheap corn for the Mother Country. This im- 

 provement cannot be effected in a moment, it 

 must be the work of years of steady perseverance 

 in a wise system of colonial policy ; and the im- 

 provement should first be accomplished before any 

 laws which promote it are rescinded. The imme- 

 diate alteration of the existing Com Laws, such an 

 alteration as would admit the competition of 

 foreign corn the growth of foreign independent 

 countries at a duty of 10s. a quarter, would not 

 only retard, but, probably, prevent any exten- 

 sive employment of British and Irish capital 

 and labour in colonial agriculture ; and such 

 an alteration would also throw out of cultiva- 

 tion as much inferior land as would produce 

 twice as much value of produce as the amount 

 of the value of the corn imported ; and the loss 

 sustained thereby would extend to all persons 

 connected with landed property of this description. 



