Lords Sitting of 2 May 1826

CORN LAWS.
The Earl of Malmesbury The Earl of Malmesbury moved for returns of the average prices of wheat for the years 1823, 1824, and 1825, and for the first four months of the year 1826. The noble earl afterwards repeated the remark which he had before made, on the extraordinary circumstance of Mr. Jacob's report not yet being laid on the table. The report had been read by every body. It had appeared in a newspaper ten days ago, and yet not a single copy was yet regularly before their lordships. As the case now stood, it was necessary that their lordships should have this report as soon as possible. It had before been understood, that they would have no occasion to consider the corn

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question until next session; but, as their lordships' attention was about to be immediately called to it, they ought to have the report before them. He had already intimated his assent to the first of the two measures proposed by the noble lord at the head of his majesty's Treasury. He should have wished, before going into either of these measures, that their necessity had been proved. Agreeing, however, as he did to the first measure—the bringing into consumption the corn now bonded—he did not think that the House ought to agree to the second proposition of the noble lord without inquiry; for he believed it would be found that there was no necessity for granting the required power of authorizing the importation of foreign corn; and certainly the present distress was not at all owing to the price of corn. This second proposition was indeed connected with so many matters of great importance, that before taking any step to carry it into effect, an inquiry seemed absolutely necessary. He therefore gave notice, that he would on Monday move a resolution, which, admitting that it might be proper at the present moment to agree to the release of the bonded corn, at a certain duty—and, when wheat had fallen yesterday, before the minister gave his notice, 10 s. the load, it would be for their lordships well to consider what that duty should be—would declare against any farther change until after an inquiry. The resolution would be to the following effect:—"That though it may at present be expedient to admit into the market, for home consumption, the corn now bonded, at such duty as may be determined upon, yet it is the opinion of this House that no further alteration should be made in the Corn-laws, without a previous inquiry into the effects which may thereby be produced on the interests of the growers and the consumers of corn."
The Earl of Limerickstated, that the price of the best wheat at Cork was not above 43 s. a quarter. He felt as much as any one of their lordships for the distress of the people; but it was playing a sort of trick quite unworthy of their lordships, a sort of humbug, to say that their distress was caused by the Corn-laws. He cautioned their lordships how they proceeded; for already the price of corn had fallen, and they might bring on the landed interest the same distress as the manufacturing interest now felt.
Lord Ellenboroughsaid, he should not
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enter into the discussion of any part of the main question which was to come under consideration on Monday, but he wished to warn the noble lord opposite that he was very likely to fall into the trap laid by the enemies of the Corn-laws, if he trusted too much to Mr. Jacob's report. That report was a very entertaining book of travels, but not a sufficient authority to enable their lordships to legislate on the Corn-laws. Whatever might be the character of the information it afforded respecting the countries on the borders of the Baltic, something more was wanted to enable their lordships to come to a decision. It was impossible for any one to look into the history of the Corn-laws, without knowing that the countries on the Baltic afforded only a small part of the supply of corn introduced into this country when importation was permitted. He had heard it stated, that the stores collected there would not supply more than ten or twelve days' consumption for this country. But their lordships must know that corn could be equally imported from France, the Netherlands, Portugal, the shores of the Mediterranean, America, the countries on the Black Sea, and other quarters. What reliance, then, was to be placed on a document, the whole information in which was confined to Poland and Pomerania. He wished the noble lord also to consider, that by agreeing to the first of the two measures proposed by ministers, the second was likely to be with more certainty called into operation. This would be obvious, when it was considered that allowing the bonded corn to come into the market would occasion a considerable fall in the price, which would again cause an increased consumption. Now, if there should happen to be an unfavourable harvest, the consequence of the increased consumption would be to render that importation indispensable which might otherwise be avoided.
The Earl of Malmesburysuggested the propriety of examining Mr. Jacob before a committee of their lordships. It had been said, that much of the corn in bond was old and musty, and unfit to make bread; but he found, from returns which had been laid on their lordships' table, that 275,000 quarters of the wheat in bond had been imported in 1825.
Lord Teynhamobserved, that the depression of the agricultural interest would take away the only means that remained of giving employment to the labouring

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poor. The consequence would be, that two millions of the most laborious class of the population would be thrown out of employment. He agreed with a noble lord, that the adopting of the first measure proposed by ministers would tend to bring on the other.
The Earl of Carnarvonsaid, he did not see why, in the resolution by which it was proposed that a committee should be appointed, their lordships should be called upon to approve of one part of the measure suggested by ministers. He did not know whether, after inquiry, he might not object to the second measure, if it were proposed to be a permanent power; but as temporary measures, he saw no reason for preferring the one to the other. It appeared to him, that if there was to be an inquiry, it ought not to be a partial one, but that the subject ought to be completely investigated, and every formation obtained.