On the Corn Laws. 149 



No. XV. 



ON THE CORN LAWS 

 By the Right Honourable Sir John Sinclair, Bart. 



Introduction. 



THE celebrated Sully, calls agriculture one of the breasts from 

 which the state must draw its nourishment. That great man, could 

 not possibly have given us a more happy simile. Instructing by pre- 

 cepts, and stimulating by rewards, he prevailed upon his countrymen 

 to cultivate the art. But their attention to this branch of industry was 

 of short duration. Public troubles arose, which soon put an end to 

 arts, agriculture, and commerce. 



Colbert adopted a different notion of policy. Esteeming manufac- 

 tures and commerce as the sinews of the state, he gave all possible 

 encouragement to the artizan and the merchant. 



The farmer being discouraged, the necessaries of life became dear ; 

 the public granaries became ill stored ; manufactures languished ; 

 commerce drooped ; the harvest became scanty ; and in a short 

 time, industry fell a sacrifice to the ill-judged policy of the minister. 



Two systems are therefore recommended to our adoption, the agri- 

 cultural, and the commercial. 



Let us consider the principles of both, and we shall soon be able to 

 judge which is entitled to a preference. 



I. Principle of the Agricultural System. 



" That the country shall not become too habitually or extensively 

 " dependent, for the subsistence of its people, on foreign supply : That 

 " as a check on such a ruinous dependence, no foreign corn shall be 

 " admissible into the British market, until the price of grain shall 

 " denote a risk of scarcity, and then, that such foreign corn shall be 

 " liable to such duties as may secure the British farmer from ruin, by 

 " his receiving a price for the produce he has reaped, that will in 

 " some degree compensate for the deficiency of his crop. Hence, 

 " that to a certain point, (say 60s. per quarter), he ought to enjoy a mo- 

 " nopoly, and to a second point, (say from 60s. to 74s. per quarter), 

 " he shall receive protection." 



This has for many years been the principle of the corn laws of 

 England, and, after much deliberation, has been adopted in France. 



other farmers. But unfortunately, from the seclusion connected with a life, 

 entirely devoted to the pursuits of agriculture, individuals are not led, by the 

 great impetus of self-interest, to make their improvements public ; on the con- 

 trary, they are frequently inclined to conceal them. This great deficiency can 

 best be supplied, by means of agricultural associations making a diligent col- 

 lection of facts, and communicating them for the public benefit. Seethe valu- 

 able Report of the Doncaster Association, p. 32. 



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