eminent agriculturist, that he could secure good 

 crops in spite of the seasons, and, I believe, this 

 remark requires very little limitation. I am not 

 inclined to think that the price of the produce of 

 the soil of our own islands will be quite so low as 

 Mr. Sanders anticipates, if the protecting power 

 of the present Corn Laws be not interfered with ; 

 because, I think, if it were understood there would 

 be no change if Ministers were openly and 

 boldly to declare that they would oppose any fur- 

 ther changes in the Corn Laws, while the same 

 amount of local and general taxation presses upon 

 the landed interest, the price of corn would then 

 rise, probably, 2s. or 3s. a quarter would fluctu- 

 ate from 48s. to 63s. a quarter according to the 

 seasons, in seasons of abundance the price would, 

 most likely, be about 48s. to 50s., in average sea- 

 sons about 54s., in seasons of scarcity 63s. a 

 quarter, and above the price of 63s. a quarter corn 

 will be prevented from rising, even in a season of 

 scarcity, by the introduction of foreign corn under 

 the operation of the present Corn Laws. With 

 the present standard of value, and even with the 

 present Corn Laws, which admits Colonial Corn 

 into our markets, paying a duty of 5s. a quarter, 

 higher prices than these we have no good reason 

 to expect; consequently the cultivator's outgoings 

 must fall to meet these low prices, in order, to use 

 the words of the Committee's Report, that 

 " farming capital may again receive its fair 

 return. 7 ' 



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