FIFTY YEARS OF A SHOWMAN'S LIFE 



of antique habiliments, of the country-side type, 

 tail-coat and all, which revived memories of an 

 older time. A letter to my father, dated April 16th, 

 1849, and referring to certain resolutions passed 

 at a county meeting and forwarded to him by my 

 father, when the recent repeal of the Corn Laws 

 was agitating the agricultural breast, is, I think, 

 sufficiently interesting in these latter days to be 

 accorded a place here. It shows that his lordship 

 was not so far behind the times as his opponents 

 regarded him, inasmuch as we are now on the 

 highroad to " a sound system of moderate import 

 duties," whilst the malt tax has ceased to exist. 



" Batsford Park, April 16th, 1849. 



:c DEAR SIR, 



"I am convinced that the true policy 

 of this country is to be found in a sound 

 system of moderate import duties, which, without 

 excluding the foreigner from fair competition in 

 our markets, shall subject him to contribute from 

 the produce of his labour and land before it is 

 sold in our markets some taxation in aid of those 

 heavy burthens to which we in this country are 

 subject, and which necessarily increase the cost 

 of production. To effect this object all our 

 exertions should, in my opinion, be directed. The 

 only other expression in the second resolution 

 which I desire to guard myself against being 

 misunderstood upon is that which refers to the 

 necessity of a great reduction in the national 

 expenditure. I am in favour of every reduction 

 which can be made consistently with honour, 

 justice, and sound policy. I believe that no 



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