On lite Corn Laws. 155 



portation of which, if a metallic currency is persevered in, would 

 cramp our circulation, injure all our branches of industry, and ma- 

 terially diminish our revenue; 



IV. On the System of protecting averages, as indispensable for the 

 Safety of the British Farmer. 



THE only rule by which agriculture can be adequately protected 

 is this, " That foreign grain shall not, at any time, or under any 

 " circumstances, be admitted for sale, into any part of his Majesty's 

 " European dominions, until the price rises beyond what the Le 

 " gislature shall deem to be a reasonable standard of remuneration to 

 " the British farmer." Without such protection, no country, burden- 

 ed with a load of taxes, can stand a competition with poor nations, 

 nearly untaxed, who live scantily on homely fare, whose rents are 

 paid in produce, and whose cattle or horses employed in labour, cost 

 but a trifle, and are cheaply maintained. The plan of exclusion there- 

 fore, until symptoms of scarcity appear, is essential ; and no encou- 

 ragement ought to be given, to the culture of foreign countries, with 

 British capital, unless from necessity. 



Objections have been made to the average system, which are entire- 

 ly founded on defects in the law, and which can easily be remedied. 

 No corn return ought to be admissible, unless of real sales between 

 the growers of corn, and their accredited agents, on the one part, and 

 licensed dealers on the other. All false returns ought to be severely 

 punished ; and the privilege of sending returns, ought to be restricted 

 to the twelve greatest markets in the united kingdom. Under these 

 regulations, the fluctuations so much complained of, would be effec- 

 tually prevented. 



It is a most unfortunate circumstance, that any individual, friendly 

 to agriculture, should be inclined to give up the protection by averages, 

 " which is the only one that can be safely relied on." Importation on 

 a fixed duty, without reference to the average price of home produce, 

 may suit the speculative merchant, but would ruin agriculture. The 

 farmer must be enabled to form some general idea, of the price he is 

 likely to receive for the grain he raises, otherwise he cannot calculate, 

 what rent he ought to agree to pay, what quantity of land to culti- 

 vate for grain, what number of labourers to hire, and whether it 

 would be advisable for him to engage in expensive improvements. 

 How is it possible that any calculation of the probable prices of grain 

 can be formed, if the whole world is opened to the efforts of spemtla- 

 tioii ? Dependence on a fixed duty therefore, unless at a rate higher than 

 ever could be enforced, would discourage the British farmer, whom 

 it affects to protect ; would expose him to that uncertainty which he 

 most deprecates ; and is far from securing to him the command of the 

 home market, to which he has so just a claim, for it is impossible to 

 know, how cheap corn may be grown in other countries, or what may 

 be the rashness of speculators, in importing quantities of foreign corn, 

 which they may be compelled to sell, even with a loss. The dealers 

 in foreign corn say, " that abroad, the price of wheat is so high, 

 " that a duty of 12s. per quarter would be sufficient." But even 20s. 

 on what may be bought at Odessa for Hs. or 15s., and in Sicily also 



