39 



there was more or less facility for landing goods in a secret 

 inaiincr: the question of smuggling did not turn so miu-li 

 upon the illicit landing as upon the frauds of those employed 

 to prevent it. Me believed that if a Committee had been 

 appointed to enquire into the matter ample evidence would 

 h.jve been obtained to show tho facility there would be for 

 smuggling. Mr. Labouchere said it might be for the interest 

 of the Canadian far.iiers to prevent smuggling (though he 

 was not quite sure even of that), but he wished to know 

 whether it would also be for the interest of the corn factors 

 or millers, v.ho were genv'rally Americans or persons con- 

 nected with the United States ? 



It is often asked why should there be any greater quantify 

 of American Wheat poured into Canada from America 

 when there is a duty of 3s. upon it than when it was duty 

 free. This question is in a great measure answered by the 

 following obsprvr .ions. 



iyr. Hubback, in his pamphlet, published in 1843, after 

 touchinij: on the large quanties of Wheat that may be raised 

 in the Western States of America, says " Should it be asked 

 if Wheat can be grown in such quantities in the Western 

 States of America, and at so low a price, how is it that such 

 insignificant i:nportations have hitherto taken place from 

 thence compared with those from other countries i My 

 reply is that the Corn Trade in America being yet in its 

 infancy, is not a distinct branch of business as it is in 

 Europe. In New Orleans there are neither corn merchants 

 nor granaries; shipments of either Wheat or Flour are, there- 

 fore, seldom or never made on American account; and British 

 importers prefer sending tlieir orders to whr-re the trade is 

 thoroughly known, to trusting their shijitnents, especially of 

 so delicate an article as Vv heat, to inexperienced parties." 

 Mr. Buckingham (in his "America" v. 1 p. I(i0)who wasat 

 New York in 18;)8, mentions a ciicumstance which may 

 be taken as a cause for the United States havin^ been for 

 some years not in a situation toexportmuch corn. He says 

 •In the late nmnia for speculation the cultivators oftlie 

 soil, instead of following up their agricultural pursuits, left 

 ofT farming to become speculators in stock, buyers of shares 

 in railroads never begun and canals never opened, as well 

 as purchasers of lots of land on which towns were intended 

 to be built; in which extravaga:it schemes they spent all 

 their time and money ; so that agriculture, the great basis 

 of national wealth and the surest and steadiest security 

 of individual prosperit)/ in these fertile States was so 

 neglected that the country was obliged to import grain 



