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wheat can be grown for on the Continent on fluctuating 

 duties, and on fixed duties, &c. &c., that 1 mean to read 

 no more on such subjects. After thirty years practical 

 pursuit of agricultural affairs, accompanied by attentive 

 consideration of all matters relating to them after all I 

 have read after all the arguments I have heard I am 

 decidedly against any change in the present corn laws, 

 conscientiously believing them to be most just and fair, 

 between the growers and consumers of corn. British 

 occupiers of land, with less protection from foreign impor- 

 tation, could not support the labouring agricultural popu- 

 lation, pay taxes, and pay their landlords such moderate 

 and fair rents as they are justified in taking. \Vhy a 

 reduction of the duty on malt is to be mixed up with the 

 corn laws, I cannot comprehend. 'Tis true that farmers 

 (from the necessity of giving beer to their labourers), would 

 be more benefited by a reduction of the duty on mall than 

 shopkeepers and many others; but as the benefit which the 

 farmers might derive, would not be at the cost of any other 

 class of the people, I do nut see why any part of the 

 protection which the present corn laws afford, should be 

 taken from them, on account of any little extra advantage 

 which they might derive from a reduction of the duty on 

 malt. Air. Lefievre says, the present corn laws have been a 

 delusion. I cannot answer for what they may have been to 

 others, to me they have been no delusion. The Legisla- 

 ture, at the time of their enactment, contemplated 

 they would be a protection to 60s. per quarter, for 

 wheat ; I then told persons of distinction, that 1 calculated 

 they were only to 56s. The late very low price was no 

 proof of delusion ; for in all commodities, if the supply 

 exceeds the demand, as it did last year in wheat, prices 

 must fall. Many most ingenious attacks are continually 

 made on the corn laws by most able writers, employed to 

 fill up the pages of newspapers, and many apparently plau- 

 sible arguments are brought forward for their repeal. It is 

 said that our ports ought to be open, free of daty, to foreign 

 corn and manufactured foreign goods. I ask, in answer to 

 this, will foreign ports be thus open to British manufac- 

 tured goods ? It is well known that England possesses 

 euch vast resources within itself for the purposes of manu- 



