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23 WBT MAIN STRiiT

WIBSTER,N.Y. 14SM

(716) •72-4903

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PROPOSED MBASUKE FOR ADMISSION

GRAIN,

FROM ALI^ COUNTRIES INTO

GREAT BRITAIN,

ADDRESSED TO

HIS GRACE THE DUKE OF WELLINGTON,

JAMES BUCHANAN, Esq.,

HBR majesty's CONSUL AT NEW- YORK.

NEW.YORK :

THOMAS R. MERCEIN, JR., PRINTER.
1841,

New-York, 1st August, 1841.

In the year eighteen hundred and twenty-two I was
induced to ^)ubli3h a pamphlet, developing a plan for throw-
ing open the ports of Great Britain for the importation of
grain from all countries. The circumstances of the present
day seem to me favorable for a reproduction of this project,
which is accordingly set forth in the following pages.

It is unquestionable that the prosperity of agriculture is
intimately connected with the stability of British greatness ;
yet the commercial relations of the kingdom are so immense
and important that they demand and must receive their
share of legislative attention, even when they come in
conflict with the agricultural ; and how to reconcile the
two, in the face of the extending demand for freedom of
trade, is one of the greatest problems for the solution of the
political economist. My conviction is that agriculture,
commerce and manufactures, may be made to support each
other ; and that a happy combination of their energies may
be devised, by which not only their own prosperity, but that
of the nation, may be raised to the highest point. The
question is how to accomplish that desirable object. An
attempt to answer it in part will be found in the succeeding
pages.

The plan set forth by me in eighteen hundred and twenty
two, was three-fold in its object.

First, to prevent foreign agricultural countries from im-
posing heavy duties on British manufactures.

Second, to make Great Britain an emporium for the de-
posite of grain in seasons of plenty, in exchange for British
manufactures ;* and,

Third, by the admission of grain at all times, to do away
all motive for that exclusion of British products, which is
unquestionably generated by our corn laws ; and, at the
same time, by imposing the same duties on foreign grain
that are imposed by the producing countries on British
manufactures, at once to silence all charges of exclusiveness
against Great Britain, and hold out an inducement to that
liberality of trade which will afford the greatest advantage
to both parties.

The idea developed in the second of the objects above
specified, originated with the Lord Wallace, by whom
I had the honor of being consulted in eighteen hundred
and twenty, when he was Vice-President of the Board of
Trade, on various interesting and important subjects per-
taining to the commercial relations of the kingdom, particu-
larly with Her Majesty's North American possessions.

The third object enumerated, although general in its
scope, had particular reference to Canada, which might be
made the great farming district for the supply of food for
England, to the exceeding profit and advantage of both.

The plan I would suggest is developed in the following
propositions.

FIRST MEASURE.

That wheat, rye, oats and barley shall be admitted into
Great Britain and Ireland, from all countries, for home

♦ See note at the end.

consumption, on tlie payment of the same duties ad valorem
that arc levied by those countries upon the manufactures of
the United Kingdom.

OBSERVATIONS.

I would prohibit the importation of flour into Groat Bri-
tarn, fur home consumption, in order to retain the manufac-
ture of that article for our own mills. Grain, if properly
secured and kept, may be preserved for years ; there would
be no dUficulty, therefore, in making England a great
emporium for the deposite of bread stuffs, to which other
countries might resort in times of scarcitv, while for home
consumption the price would seldom vary. Fluctuation in
the price of food is seldom or never beneficial to the pro.
ducer, while to the consumer it is always an injury, causin-
mischievous fluctuations in the rate of wages. I know it
IS a received axiom that dear food causes high wages, and
vice versa, but my experience has taught me otherwise
I have always found that when food was dear, men were
obliged to work at whatever wages they could get ; when
It was cheap, the necessity of working was less urgent, and
workmen being more in demand, wages of course were
higher.

SECOND MEASURE.

That grain, to be ware-housed, shall be admitted from all
countries, free of duty. If ground in England, to be
exported duty free, subject only to the expense of ware-
housing. Such grain if consumed in Great Britain, to pay
a duty of one shilling and three pence sterling per bushel.

OBSERVATIONS.

By this arrangement, an ample and certain supply of
flour for Her Majesty's West-India colonies would be se-
cured ; while British vessels bound for ports in Brazil and
other countries of South America could be loaded wholly
or in part with flour, an article always in demand in those
countries, and now supplied alm.ost wholly from the United
States. The supply of flour to the West-Indies, from Eng-
land, would relieve those colonics from the constant drain
of bullion now setting in from them to the United States,
and at the same time give increased employment to
British shipping. It is well known that flour, suitable
for the West-India and South American markets, cannot
be made from British wheat ; the supply therefore must
come, directly or indirectly, from other countries, and
chiefly from the United States. So long as our restrictive
system excludes the grain of those countries from England,
the supply to our West-India islands and to South America
must be directly from the producing countries, to their
advantage solely ; while by making England a great depot
of grain from all countries, the profit of grinding and of
conveyance at least, would belong to her, besides collateral
benefits of enlarged commerce and increased demand for
her manufactures.

I 1,;

■4

THIRD MEASURE.

That wheat, rye, oats, and barley, shall be admitted
from Her Majesty's North-American possessions free of
duty, and be exported also free of duty ; wheat taken for
consumption in England, to pay a duty of three pence per

bushel, rye and harley three half pence per bushel. Oat»
taken for consumption to be duty fiee. Wheat, the pro-
ducc of the United Slates, imported into Canada, at any
point west of Kingston on Lake Ontario, and paying there
a duty of eight pence per bushel, to be admitted into
England ns Canada-wheat. Flour from Canada to be ad-
mitted into EnglauQ at a duty of two shillings per barrel
of 106 pounds, without regard to the origin of the wheat
from which it is made.

OBSERVATIONS.

^ The great advantages of this measure to Her Majesty's
Canadian possessions are too obvious to require comment.
These possessions are the only parts of Her Majesty's do-
minions capable, under full cultivation, of supplying the
wants of Great Britain ; and they afford, also, the most
abundant and attractive outlet for the redundant laboring
population of the United Kingdom. An extensive natural,
not forced, emigration from Britain to Canada would be of
infinite service to both, if attended by the proposed system.
In Canada there is a prolific soil, requiring only agricul-
tural laborers to make it one of the greatest grain producing
countries in the world. England can supply those labor-
ers, and a market for the produce of their toil ; while
they, in turn, will consume her manufactures to an immense
amount. Thus an intercourse, of the highest mutual profit,
might be established between them— carried on, too, wholly
in British vessels.

The commercial prosperity of Canada is to be established
only by completing the navigation of the St. Lawrence

ond the Lakes. The proposed duty of eight pence per
bushel on United States wheat would assist in providing
the interest of the loan for the improvement of the naviga-
tion, and would sufficiently protect the Canadian farmer.

It would be better, I admit, that the trade with the United
States should be absolutely free through Canada ; and I
trust that a time will come when so it may be, but at present
such freedom is not attainable.

The proposed duty of two shillings per barrel on flour
from Canada, is designed for the security of the agricultural
interest in the United Kingdom.

Quebec might, with advantage, be erected into an aux-
iliary depot of grain ; for the preservation of which the
dryness of the climate is peculiarly favorable.

FOURTH MEASURE.

That in calculating the duties payable on grain imported
from foreign countries, the minimum price shall be taken at
one dollar, or four and sixpence sterling, per bushel, for
wheat ; for barley and rye, two shillings.

ifi

OBSERVATIONS.

The protection of the agricultural interests of Great
Britain and Canada requires the establishment of a mini-
mum price on which the duty shall be laid. The principle
I have derived from the practice adopted by the govern-
ment of the United States, in laying duties on the low-
priced cottons, and other manufactures of England ; and as
no people are more urgent for reciprocity, this part of the

proposed measure is in accordance with their policy.
What the iiuniinuiu should be on oats and other yrain from
the IJaltic, 1 cannot pretend to say, as .ny ideas are found-
ed upon my knowledge of trade in the United States.
The necessity lor a niiniiuum is larlher shewn by the fact,
that in soiue countries grain can be furnished so cheaply,
that duty upon the value, at the place of export, would af-
lord no protection, while these countries are but small
consumers of British manutaclures.

FIFTH measuup:.

That the duties arising from the importation of grain and
Hour imported into Great Britain shall be applied to the re-
lief of the agricultural interests, and to the promotion of
emigration, especially of such persons as form a charge
upon the landholders and farmers.

OBSERVATIONS.

It is very evident, from the increased burden of the poor
laws, which by many is charged upon the high price of
food, as well as from the overflowing population, that emi-
gration is at once the most humane and the most effectual
method of relief to the country. And I would suggest that
the removal of females is of more importance than that of
males, from considerations that must be obvious, while in
Canada females are as much, if not more, wanted, as must
always be the case in new countries, the result of sponta-
neous emigration being a much larger proportion of in-
crease to the male than the female population.

..■■■■• a , ^

i ,1

It is clearly both just and wise to employ the means
arising from the import of grain in relieving the agricul-
tural interest at home, by diminishing the number of
persons to be fed at its expense.

Note. — The increased, and increasing, population of the United Kingdom,
loudly calls for the providing graineries impervious to atmospheric air — as is the
case at Genoa, Odessa, and other places — to be supplied in years of plenty, and
to be so capacious as to retain three years' supply, to be erected not only in
England but at Cluebec, such to be under the direction of Her Majesty's
government ; proof is not required to show, that even in the way of profit,
such would prove beneficial. It is to be observed, that the wheat so imported
from the Baltic, &c., has been regarded as mcch inferior to the United States
wheat.

▼

GENERAL 0BSERV4T10NS.

It must be admitteJ that to counteract the present active
progress in the extension of manufactures in countries
heretofore supplied from Great Britain, which are greatly,
if not chiefly, improved by British workmen, who, for want
of employment at home, have removed to other countries,
some efficient and immediate measures must be adopted ;
yet it is not just that the burden should fall on the agricul-
tural interest alone, which, it was apprehended, would be
the effect of Lord John Russell's scheme ; and if it is con-
ceded that, to enable British workmen to compete with
other countries, daily becoming more formidable rivals, the
condition of the British workman must be meliorated,
justice demands that other classes than those connected
with lands should bear their share of the burden, and this
alone can be done, it is apprehended, by a property-tax, as
property has improved chiefly from the mercantile and
working classes ; thus, other property, as well as land,
should contribute ; in order to provide the working classes
with cheap bread, tea, and sugar, others besides the agri-
cultural and colonial proprietors should be called on for
their quota of the means.

In order to place the British mechanic upon a par with
those in other countries, who must immediately come in
competitioh with him, flour should be had at £1 10s, the bar-
rel of 190 lbs., sugar at 56?., and tea at 3s. Qd. per lb. The
revenue arising from these articles at the present rate of

I 1 1'

I ' I

duty may be ascertained. The reduction of revenue to
meet the above prices can be accurately ascertained, and
such reduction should be replaced by a tax on property
graduated on an ascending scale, whether arising from
lands, houses, and public or private securities, save invest-
ments by foreigners.

The landed interest should bear in mind that their
monopoly of provisions, for home consumption, is not
touched — a monopoly not subject to the vicissitudes of cli-
mate as agriculture — while all who examine t'le subject
will be led to the conclusion, that to render the production
of grain in England equally profitable with that of cattle
and sheep, bread should be kept at a price far beyond what
it bears in any other country, and such price must increase
with the population. Limited as lands, profitable for the
cultivation of grain, are, the supply of beef, mutton, butter,
&c., must be diminished, as the United Kingdom does not
increase in acres as in population. This consideration
brings to view the vast importance of Canada, which is the
only portion of the empire that can furnish the required
quantity of grain ; when brought into cultivation, and by
prudent measures, such cultivation will keep pace so as to
afford an ample supply, were the population of the United
Kingdom double what it is. But even aside from such im-
portant advantages, surely there should not be any re-
strictive measures to exclude Her Majesty's subjects in
Canada from feeling that they are regarded as members of
the empire; the policy that shall c'lerish such feeling will
alone render them the unconquerable subjects of Her
Majesty.

As immediately connected with this subject, I cannot
omit even here adverting to a measure, which I have for

above twenty years, on all occasions, advocated, as of more
importance to the upholding of British interests on the
American continent, than all others which have been urged
upon the consideration of Her Majesty's ministcrs,namely —
ihat the St. Lawrence, anH the position of Canada, should
be rendered available to the upholding of the power of the
crown and interests of the empire on this continent ; and
I am cheered with the knowledge that your grace has
been led to view Her Majesty's North American posses-
sions, particularly Canada, as essential to the sustaining of
the British empire. To promote this all-important national
object, the navigation of the St. Lawrence, and the navi-
gable communications of the great inland seas, should be
regarded as a great national wori\, and be prosecuted with
vigor, not leaving a young colony chargeable with works
so essential for the empire. Heavy, indeed, will be the
burden, but cheerfully it will be borne by Canada, to make
their rail-ways and roads to come in communication with
the navigable waters leading to the ocean. Let this noble
river, and those inland seas, be regarded as the navigable
waters of the empire, and not as private rivers. They are
too gigantic for a colony, and I fear not to maintain that
they will prove more efficacious than the most powerful
works which can be erected by the ordnance department,
in preserving peace with the United States. Afford
the citizens of that republic all the advantages the pro-
posed measures assuredly yield them, and they must
become a changed people before they will sacrifice them.
The navigable coast, which may be opened by the
measures adverted to, exceeds five thousand miles, while
the vast territories of Michigan, Iowa, Wisconsin, Ohio,
Indiana — yes, to the Rocky Mountains — may be drawn
above seven hundred miles nearer the Atlantic ; but I

xiiS^'

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deem it unnecessary to do more herein than to bring the
subject again to view, being prepared with facts to uphold
my statements. It may be out of place here, but as the
shipping interests are materially interested in the proposed
measures submitted for consideration, I am constrained to
advert to the state of the vessels principally engaged in the
timber trade to Canada. Those employed in carrying
merchandize are much better fitted out, but even some of
them are placed under masters, who, by their im-
perfect seamanship, but especially their want of moral
principles, are disgraceful to the British flag ; while in con-
nection with the interests of Canada, and the comfort of
emigrants proceeding thither, the subject is one of great
importance, and to which I have frequently called the at-
tention of the General Ship Owners* Society of London.

ing the
uphold
as the
oposed
ined to
in the
Trying
3me of
r im-
moral
n con-
fort of
great
be at-
ion.

That wheat and other grain has been repeatedly import-
ed into the United States from Europe, is not generally
known in England : in the year 1837, the following quanti-
ties were imported : —

Russia, . , 40,922

Prussia, . . 279,347

Sweden and Norway, 10,291

Denmark, . . 43,377

Holland, . . 453,036

Belgium, . . 75,576

England, . . 984,334

Scotland, . . 7

Br. North America, 317,170

Cape of Good -Hope, 25

Hanse towns, and other
ports of Germany, 1,405,783

Mediteranean ports, 68,231

French Atlantic Ports, 6,149

Italy, . . 228,113

Sicily, . . 4,961

Triest, and other Adri-
atic ports, . . 212,457— In all, 3,021,295 bushels,

valued at $4,154,325