10 The HISTORY of the laft Seffion of Parliament. Letters, has furnished us with a fort of demonftration that there can be no foundation for apprehending any fuch confequence. That author has given us, not an imaginary calculation, but an actual account, of the expence of cultivating twenty acres of arable land for nine years, and alfo an account of the money he received for their produce within that time. He, 'tis true, fupposes the husbandman to be a farmer, and confequently reckons the rent as a part of the expence of cultivation; but I fhall fuppofe him to be himfelf the proprietor of these twenty acres, and confequent, ly that he pays no rent. In this cafe the account, without reckoning the fractions, will stand thus: Money received for the produce of thefe nine years, 459. Expence of cultivation in thefe nine years, 2361. Net profit in nine years. 2234 Net profit per annum, 241. Net profit per ann. per acre, 17. 45. Can we fuppofe that any farmer will be fo difheartened by withdrawing the bounty or lowering the price at which it begins to be payable, as to neglect cultivating his lands, when he is certain, barring accidents, that if he can fell his wheat at 30 s. per quarter and his barley at 16s. per quarter (the prices received by the author of this account) he will receive a net profit of 24 s. per ann. for every acre of arable land he cultivates? It is true, that, if the farmer should by his leafe be obliged to pay his landlord a rent of 15 s. per acre, this may dishearten him, unlefs he can fell both his wheat and his. barley at a much higher price; for we cannot wonder that any man hould grudge paying his landlord 15 s. per acre, when he can have but 9 s. to himself, for recompencing his care and Labour, for anfwering all accidental loffes, and for paying him a moderate intereft for his money imployed in ftocking his farm. For this reafon if the prices of our corn be not kept up at a much higher rate than 308. for wheat, and 16 s. for barley per quarter, no man in his right fenfes would engage to pay fo high a rent for a farm confifting moftly of arable lands, unlefs it be fituated within a few miles of fome populous city or market town, for in that cafe he could turn moft of it into grafs lands for the fattening of Jan. fheep or black cattle, as the fame author has likewife from his own experience, fhewn, that in fuch a fituation grafs lands are much more profit able than arable lands. But to conclude, I believe there was never of late years any defign in our legiflature to withdraw the bounty entirely, and it would certainly be wrong to do fo; for it ought to be in all countries an established maxim, to keep the neceflaries of life always as nearly as poffible about the fame price; becaufe there is in all countries a number of labouring people who have nothing of the bee quality of being providus futuri. They always live, as it is called from hand to mouth, and if they can earn as much in four days of the week as can fublift them for feven, they spend the other three in idleness, or in idle amufements. Of fuch labouring people, I fay, there is a number in every country; but fewer I believe in this than in any other, because our labouring poor have for ages been habituated to live better than fuch people do in moft countries of Europe, and therefore have been obliged, and long accuftomed to do more work than is done in any other country in the fame time; for in all countries there is fuch a certain juft proportion between the price of labour and of the neceffaries of life imperceptibly established, that every labouring man mut labourat least fix days in the week in order to provide that fort of food, raiment, and lodging which is customary among thofe of his trade, in the country where he lives; unless he be fuch an extraordinary workman as to be able to do as much in four days as is ufually done by thofe of the fame profeffion in fix, and fuch, men, if they are provident, generally foon grow rich. Generally fpeaking, therefore, every labouring man is obliged to labour fix days in every week, in order to provide for his family, except ft. when by any accident, the price of labour has been raifed in fome particular fort of bufinefs far above the ufual; and fecondly when, by a run of plentiful years, the price of the neceffaries of life has fallen much below its ufual. The caufes of the first are fo various, that it is impoffible to prevent it by a general law, any otherwife than by a law for preventing a combination, either among the journeymen, or among the makers, for it would be unjuft to pre 1768. The HISTORY of the laft Seffion of Parliament. vent it among the former, without taking care to prevent it effectually among the atter. But as to the fecond, I humbly think, it may be in a great measure prevented by one general law for eftablishing and exprefsly diftinguishing three feveral prices of corn, which in all countries is the chief neceffary of life: The first and lowest of thefe prices ought to be fettled at that at which a bounty fhall begin to be payable, and fhould be that which is the ufual price of Polish or German wheat, and the other forts of corn in proportion, becaule as our wheat is better than theirs, it would induce the Dutch to keep their magazines always ftored with British rather than Polish corn, and thereby enable them to fupply this nation in a time of great fearcity; for I doubt if any magazines can ever be established in this kingdom, because to do it at the public charge would be vastly expensive, and private men will never undertake it, as they can make more of their money in our public funds, than they can expect by imploying it in fuch a trade. The fecond of these prices ought to be fettled at that above which no exportation fhall be admitted, and should be two or three fhillings per quarter above the common price of Sicilian or African wheat, because as their wheat is better than ours, whilft they can have in Portugal, Spain, or Italy, a fufficient supply from thence, we could not expect to fell any of ours, unless we fell it at a cheaper rate than the wheat of either of thofe countries, but when they cannot have a fufficient fupply from thence, and are ready to pay any price for ours, if we were to admit an unlimited exportation, we fhould foon be in danger of a famine amongst ourfelves. always lodged in the crown to prohibit the exportation of our own corn. or admit the free importation of foreign, upon any extraordinary emergency, fuch a juft and certain proportion between the wages of our labouring poor and the price of the neceffaries of life would by degrees be established, that we could never lofe the labour of our poor for many days in the year, by the low price of corn, nor would any frugal industrious family be ever brought into diftrefs, by the price being fo high as to be entirely out of the reach of their ufual wages. I have already mentioned the debate that happened the first day of the feffion, with respect to the embargo upon the exportation of wheat and wheat flour, iffued the 26th of September 1766, by the king's fole authority *. This question was not then thought neceffary to determine. However in both houfes the members continued to be divided upon this question, and as those who were of the negative fide, were likewife of opinion, that the paffing of fuch a bill at that time could feldom if ever be attended with any bad confequences, therefore on the 18th of November they made no great oppofition to a motion then made, for leave to bring in a bill for the better protection and fecurity of all perfons who have.acted in pursuance of, or obedience to, the late order of council, laying an embargo on wheat and wheat flour; and the motion being thus agreed to, Mr. Secretary Conway and Mr. Onflow were ordered to prepare, and bring in the fame. On the 24th an inftruction was ordered nem. con. to the gentlemen appointed to bring in this bill, that they do make provifion in the faid bill, for difcharging all proceedings, against any perfons, for or on account of the faid embargo; and on the fame day Mr. Secretary Conway prefented the bill to the house, when it was read a first time, and ordered to be read a fecond time, and to be printed, which it was on the third of December, and committed to a committee of the whole boufe. In the mean time, vz. November the 25th a motion was made for addreffing his majefty to give directions, that there be laid before this house, full acounts and perfect copies of all applications, informations, and eviSee our last vol. p. 445. The third and highest of these prices ought to be fettled at that at which a free importation of corn from all countries is to be admitted. I fay a free importation, without paying even that duty which at all other times ought to be payable upon the importation of foreign neceffaries for the encouragement of our own produce; and this price, in my humble opinion, fhould be fettled at 36 s. per quarter of wheat, and for other forts of grain in proportion. By fuch a law as this, with a power B 2 dences, 1 10 The History of the last Sesion of Parliament. Jan. earn as much in four days of the week Money received for the produce of as can sublift them for seven, they spend these nine years, 4591. the other three in idleness, or in idle Expence of cultivation in these nine amusements. Of such labouring people, Years, 2361. I say, there is a number in every counisys Net profit in nine years. 223 %. but fewer I believe in this than in any Net profit per annum, 241. other, because our labouring poor have Net profit per ann. per acre, 11. 45. for ages been habituated to live betier Can we suppose that any farmer will than Tuch people do in most countries of be so dishcartened by withdrawing the Europe, and therefore have been obliged, bounty or lowering the price at which and long accustomed to do more work it begins to be payable, as to neglect than is done in any other country in the cultivating his lands, when he is cer- same time; for in all countries there is tain, barring accidents, that if he can such a certain just proportion between fell his wheat at 30 s. per quarter and the price of labour and of the necesiaries his barley at 16s. per quarter (the pri- of life imperceptibly established, that ev. ces received by the author of this ac- ery labouring man mut labourat least six count) he will receive a net profit of days in the week in order to provide 24 s. per ann. for every acre of arable that sort of food, raiment, and lodging land he cultivates ? It is true, that, if which is customary among those of his the farmer should by his lease be oblig- trade, in the country where he lives; ed to pay his landlord a rent of 15 s. unless he be fich an extraordinary per acre, this may dishearten him, un- workman as to be able to do as much Tefs he can sell both his wheat and his in four days as is usually done by those barley at a much higher price ; for we of the same profesion in fix, and fuch, cannot wonder that any man hould men, if they are provident, generally grudge paying his landlord 15 s. per foon grow rich. acre, when he can have but 9 s. to Generally speaking, therefore, every himself, for recompencing his care and labouring man is obliged to labour fix Labour, for answering all accidental days in every week, in order to provide losses, and for paying him a moderate for his family, except ift. when by interest for bis money imployed in any accident, the price of labour has stocking his farm. For this reason if been raised in some particular sort of the prices of our corn be not kept up business far above the usual; and see at a much higher rate than 308. for condly when, by a run of plentiful wheat, and 16 s. for barley per quarter, years, the price of the necessaries of no man in his right senses would en- life has fallen much below its usual. gage to pay so high a rent for a farm The causes of the first are so various, consisting mostly of arable lands, un- that it is impossible to prevent it by a less it be fituated within a few miles of general law, any otherwise than by a some populous city or market town, law for preventing a combination, either for in that case he could turn most of among the journeymen, or among the it into grass lands for the fattening of masters, for it would be unjust to pre among the atter. 1768. The HISTORY of the last Session of Parliament. 11 vent it among the former, without tak. always lodged in the crown to prohiing care to prevent it effectually bit the exportation of our own corn. But as to the or admit the free importation of fosecond, I humbly think, it may be reign, upon any extraordinary emerin a great measure prevented by one gency, such a juft and certain progeneral law for establishing and ex- portion between the wages of our lapressly distinguishing three several prices bouring poor and the price of the of corn, which in all countries is the necesaries of life would by degrees chief necessary of life: The first and he established, that we could never lowest of these prices ought to be settled lose the labour of our poor for many at that at which a bounty shall begin to days in the year, by the low price of be payable, and should be that which corn, nor would any frugal industrious is the usual price of Polish or German family be ever brought into distress, by wheat, and the other sorts of corn in the price being fo high as to be entirely proportion, because as our wheat is out of the reach of their usual wages. better than theirs, it would induce the I have already mentioned the debate Dutch to keep their magazines always that happened the first day of the selftored with British rather than Polish fion, with respect to the embargo upon corn, and thereby enable them to lup- the exportation of wheat and wheat ply this nation in a time of great (car- flour, issued the 26th of September city; for I doubt if any magazines 1766, by the king's sole authority can erer be established in this king- This question was not then thought dom, because to do it at the public necessary to determine. However in charge would be vastly expensive, and both houses the members continued to private men will never undertake it, as be divided upon this question, and as they can make more of their money in those who were of the negative side, our public funds, than they can expect were likewise of opinion, that the pallby imploying it in such a trade. ing of such a bill at that time could fele The second of these prices ought to dom if ever be attended with any bad be settled at that above which no expor- consequences, therefore on the 18th of tation thall be admitted, and Mould be November they made no great oppofitwo or three shillings per quarter above tion to a motion then made, for leave the common price of Sicilian or Afri- to bring in a bill for the better procan wheat, because as their wheat is tection and security of all persons who better than ours, whilst they can have have acted in pursuance of, or obediin Portugal, Spain, or Italy, a suffi- ence to, the late order of council, laycient supply from thence, we could not ing an embargo on wheat and wheat expect to sell any of ours, unless we four; and the motion being thus sell it at a cheaper rate than the wheat agreed to, Mr. Secretary Conway and of either of those countries, but when Mr. Onllow were ordered to prethey cannot have a sufficient supply pare, and bring in the same. from thence, and are ready to pay any On the 24th an inftruction was orprice for ours, if we were to admit an dered nem. con. to the gentlemen apunlimited exportation, we should soon pointed to bring in this bill, that they be in danger of a famine amongst our- do make provision in the said bill, for selves, discharging all proceedings, against The third and highest of these prices any persons, for or on account of the ought to be settled at that at which a said embargo, and on the same day free importation of corn from all coun- Mr. Secretary Conway presented the tries is to be admitted. I say a free bill to the house, when it was read a importation, without paying even that first time, and ordered to be read a duty which at all other times ought second time, and to be printed, which to be payable upon the importation of it was on the third of December, and foreign necessaries for the encourage- committed to a committee of the ment of our own produce; and this whole bouse. In the mean time, vz. price, in my humble opinion, Ihould November the 25th a motion was made be settled at 36 s. per quarter of wheat, for addressing his majesty to give diand for other forts of grain in propor- sections, that there be laid before this tion. house, full acounts and perfect copies of By such a law as this, with a power all applications, informations, and evi dences, See cur last vol. p. 445. Ba |