Welsh Newspapers

Search 15 million Welsh newspaper articles

Hide Articles List

12 articles on this Page

EXHUMATIONS OF THE DEAD* I

T II E C H, Y OF F A MINE.…

News
Cite
Share

T II E C H, Y OF F A MINE. I [From the Momi/ig Post.] I No language we could use would be too strong to express the iiial" I icli every just man—which ever'y man who loves truth-—ouf*ht to ieel, 'at the pre- sentmoment, against those who arc labouring in the public press to excite an alarm of famine. That this iniquitous project is undertaken solely for a party pur- pose is evident. The enemies of the law which gives protection to the British agriculturist, hope, by exciting a public clamour, and producing a pressure from with- out, to cause the Government to open the ports for the reduction of foreign corn free of duty. They further hope that this grand object having been accomplished, they will have influence enough to obstruct for ever the revival of the law which restricts and regulates the im- port of foreign grain. It is the grossest hypocrisy to pretend that the exaggeration and violent declamation about impending famine, to which we allude, arises out of a real concern for the British consumers. They who are acquainted with the subject know very well, that the real operation of the opcnin of the ports would be an immediate rise of the price abroad, and, in fact, a putting into the pockets of the foreign holders the dif- ference which now exists between the price of free corn and foreign corn in bond, .od liable to duty. The ioreign holders are closely watching our proceedings, and the moment they have reason to believe that we must buy from them at any price, they will make us pay accordingly. During the short time that an influ- ential paper led the world to believe that the ports were about to be opened, wheat in foreign ports rose some seven shillings a quarter, and it has fallen again since events have proved that the journal in question had been misled, and had consequently misled the public. It is difficult to say whether the falsehood or the non- sense promulgated on the foreign corn question by the alarmists is the more conspicuous. We look on, say they, and we see other nations supplying themselves in the foreign ports which we refuse to enter. Refuse to enter What outrageous absurdity is this Does any one suppose that the duty imposed upon foreign corn, when brought to market for consumption in England, prevents ou.r merchants from purchasing foreign corn ? The very reverse is the truth. Our merchants are now steadily and leisurely supplying themselves with foreign corn at every port in the world where it can be bought. They are carrying on their operations subject to the gradual effects of the sliding-scale, upon which they can calculate, and beyond all question our chance of foreign supply is infinitely better under this system than if all were thrown into a state of confusion and chaos by the opening of the ports. Then, indeed, a helter- skelter scramble would take place, and all the well- planned operations of trade would be rendered of no avail. There is no nation in the wcrld supplying itself in foreign ports as England is at this moment. At this moment offers of cargoes of wheat from the Medi- terranean are daily arriving to our merchants. It would not be so, if, in a paroxysm of madness or of fear, the Ministers were to open the ports. This would be hoisting a signal of distress which, far from bringing succour, would make the foreigner hold off till we paid double for assistance. It is said we are looking on while our neighbours lay by stores which they will be prevented by restrictive duties from sharing with us. Another most absurd untruth. It is we who are laying in the stores. Our merchants, and not foreign mer- chants, are buying up the surplus corn of foreign coun- tries, for our merchants can afford to pay, while others cannot. Why then should we derange that which is going on steadily, as business ought to go on? If there be an insufficient supply, the price thereby pro- duced will open the ports. The sliding scale will open the ports, and by that time (though not before) some- thing will have been provided by our merchants worth opening the ports for. To open them now, would serve no purpose but that of gratifying the factious views of the Anti-Corn-law League. It is said that we know- ingly postpone our demand for foreign wheat till the time when the supply will be most costly. Another absurdity—another falsehood. We do not postpone our demand. Our demand is now steadily proceeding, and we are acquiring foreign corn at less cost, because we are acquiring it while a considerable barrier exists between the foreign produce and the British consumer. The propagators of lies on the subject of the supply of foreign corn leave entirely out of account the operations of our merchants in anticipation of the future demand. They assume what they must be ignorant, indeed, if they do not know to be false, that until our ports are open, no purchase, or no important purchase, of foreign grain takes place. It is strange that any portion of the public should be gulled by nonsense such as this. We believe the sliding-scale to be right in principle, but whether it be right or wrong, the operation of those whose business it is to watch and calculate upon the facts which they are at the utmost pains to ascertain— the operations of the great dealers in corn, have been adapted to the machinery of the sliding-scale. In con- formity with what may be expected from it, they are making their preparations, and to open their ports sud- denly, while their measures are in progress, would be to ruin them, and to destroy our means of safety, if, in- deed, it be true that we shall require considerable aid from foreign supply. If, again, it be true that our own produce is considerably short of our ordinary con- sumption, what palpable madness it is to be clamouring for cheapness of price Dues not every one know that a rise in price is the natural remedy which the habits and the reason of mankind supply to induce economy in the use of the commodity of which a scarcity is appre- hended? Shall we by any desperate measure seek a momentary depression of the price of home-grown corn, and thus induce a greater consumption at the very mo- ment that we say we have not enough to sustain the present rate of consumption till next harvest? Really, such representations are too preposterous to be borne with common patience. We have the satisfaction, how- ever, of believing that the Government is not misled by the lies which are pelted about town and country with such vehemence; and we hope Government will have manliness enough not to give way before clamour, which it well knows to be dishonest.

THE LATE AFFRAY AT KOUNSLOW…

THE CONDITION OF ENGLAND.

[No title]

REPEAL USES OF RAILWAYS. I

THE HEALTH OF THE LORD CHANCELLOR.

[No title]

LORD JOHN RUSSELL TO THE ELECTORS…

[From the Standard.]

[No title]

LOCAL MARKETS.