1S46.] European Agriculture. 249 



ments in cultivation, to bring into pioductive condition much land 

 which is now w^aste and profitless, and thus increasing the amount 

 of his crops by a more skilful cultivation, this excess will be very 

 much more than an equivalent for any diminution of price. The 

 saving of the expenses of transportation, incident to the importa- 

 tion of grain, from abroad, must be considered, in its very nature, 

 as virtually a considerable protection to the English farmer." 



The subject matter of the corn law is pursued under the heads, 

 Moral view of the question. Patriotism and philanthrophy. Proper 

 ends of national policy, Bread regarded in a peculiar light, Pecu- 

 liar condition of the English laboring population. On the last 

 head Mr. C. holds the following language. 



" Peculiar Condition of the English Laboring Population. — 

 But there are circumstances, connected W'ith the condition of Eng- 

 lish society, w^hich give peculiar severity to these laws. A large 

 portion of the laboring population depend wholly upon their labor 

 from day to day, for a supply. If wages were paid in kind, the 

 price of bread would not so much affect the laborer. If wages rose 

 or fell with the price of bread, the case would be different from 

 what it is. But this is not the case; labor is superabundant; the 

 competition for employment is severe; and constant employment 

 difficult to be procured. Land, for the purpose of growing bread 

 for themselves, is a matter wholly beyond the reach of the great- 

 er part of the laboring population. They might as well think of 

 getting possessions in the moon. The soil is locked up in com- 

 paratively few hands. It is stated confidently, that from the year 

 1775 to the year 1815, the number of landed proprietors in Eng- 

 land was reduced from 240,000 to 30,000, and that the process 

 of absorption has been continually going on from that to the pre- 

 sent time. Labor here, then, is wholly dependant upon capital. 

 Emigration, from the insular character of the country, is extreme- 

 ly difficult, and not as in the United States, where a man has only 

 to take his axe upon his shoulder, and find for himself a home. 

 Though the price of bread, therefore, should increase, the rate of 

 wages would not be affected; the laborer would get no more; and, 

 from the advance in the price of that which is indispensable to 

 his subsistence, his wages would virtually become of less value, 

 though the nominal amount remained the same. Add to this, 

 that the increase of the population of Great Britian is goino- on 

 at a rapid rate, the increase for the last year, as stated upon the 

 highest authority, being no less than 380,000. These considera- 

 tions, as connected with this subject, cannot fail to have their 

 weight upon reflecting and benevolent minds. Whether any re- 

 straint, therefore, should be put upon the supply of food to the 



