Gambar halaman
PDF
ePub

the ufual contracts. That agents
had been employed to fupply our
markets with foreign corn, he ac-
knowledged; but he doubted whe
ther this tended to check the spe
culations of individuals. After a
converfation upon thefe fubjects,
Mr. Ryder moved for leave to bring
in a bill to alter the exifting laws
relative to the price of bread, to
prohibit the manufacture of starch
from wheat or other articles of pro-
vifion, and to lower the duties
upon its importation; for continu.
ing the prohibition of diftilling.
from articles of grain; and for re-
moving all obftructions to the free
paffage of grain within the king-
dom, which were carried nem. con.

ought alfo to be nutritious. Another important point to be confidered, was the nature of the fcarcity. This certainly did not entirely arife from the fmallness of the produce. Thofe articles in which no defect of produce could be pleaded, as the product of dairies, barley, &c. were still extravagantly dear. He mentioned this, to prove that the caufe of the fcarcity was a complicated one, and therefore the remedy to be applied ought to be apHe plied with extreme caution. ftrongly recommended the continuance of the prohibition upon diftilleries. Many fpeculations had, he obferved, arifen upon the fact of the increased price of all articles of provifion. Many thought the price of labour too low; he was himself of that opinion, and had long been fo. Such was, at prefent, the proportion between the price of labour and the price of provifions, that the poor were compelled, if they fubfifted, to fubfift on charity. He feared, however, that no legiflative remedy could be applied to this evil. He did not believe it poffible to raise the price of labour equal to the prefent price of provifions, and that it was equally impoffible to reduce the price of corn to an equality with the prefent price of labour. Mr. Pitt fully agreed that the causes of the fcarcity were va rious and complicated, and that the fubject required proportionate ferious investigation. The fcarcity, he agreed, was not folely attributable to the deficiency of the crop. With respect to the interference of government in the importation of corn, which had been objected to in the course of the debate, no agents had, he afferted, been employed at home; and the only grounds for fuch a charge were the purchases made for the fupply of

Upon bringing up the report of the
felect committee refpecting the high
price of corn by Mr. Ryder, it ap-
peared, from the fullest information
which the committee had been able
to procure, that, except in the ar-
ticle of wheat, the crops had been
abundant; fo that, by the proper
mixture of different grains, a con-
fiderable alleviation of the evils of
the prefent fcarcity might be made;
and this was the more neceffary, as,
from different caufes, the price of
grain in America, the Mediterra-
nean, and the northern parts of
Europe, was exorbitantly dear, and
an adequate fupply could not be
After full confi-
depended upon.
deration on the best means of ob-
taining a fupply, the committee
thought it beft to leave the trade
perfectly open, and to grant a
bounty upon the importation. This
bounty was twenty fhillings upon
every quarter, and fifteen fhillings
upon every barrel, imported from
the Mediterranean, till 300,000
quarters fhould be imported. The
bounty upon corn imported from
America was fixed at fifteen fhil-
E 3
lings the quarter, and ten shillings

the

1

the barrel, till 500,000 quarters fhould be imported. A bounty of five fhillings a quarter, and three fhillings a barrel, upon Indian corn or meal, till 500,000 quarters fhould be imported. Motions, founded upon these refolutions of the committee, were afterwards put by the chancellor of the exchequer, and carried.

reflect what remedy might be ad opted, more comprehenfive in its object, lefs exceptionable in its example, and lefs dangerous in its application. They fhould look to the inftances where interference had fhackled induftry, and where the beft intentions had often produced the moft pernicious effects. It was, he observed, the moft abfurd bigotry, in afferting the general principle, to conclude the exception; but trade, industry, and barter, would always find their own level, and be impeded by regulations which violate their natural operation, and derange their proper effeet. Mr. Pitt then adduced the poor laws and the law of fettlement, as proofs of regulations, which, however wife in their original inftitution, had contributed to the evils they were defigned to remedy. Much of the evils complained of might, he thought, be remedied by an extenfion in the reformation of the poor laws, which had been lately begun. He wished for an opportunity of restoring the original purity of the poor laws, and of removing the corruptions by which they were obfcured. The great defect of the poor laws was, that they did not diftinguish between thofe, who, from misfortunes, were unable to fupport their families, and thofe whofe poverty was the confequence of diffipation; whereas, the aid beftowed fhould be an honourable diftinction, a matter of right, which the perfon could claim when he was unable to provide for all his children. But whatever was done was infufficient, if, at the fame time, all applications for relief were not difcouraged if unneceffary. If the neceffities of those who required relief could be remedied by a fupply of labour, the most important advantages would

As a further remedy for the grievance fo univerfally fuffered, and fo afflictive to the poor, fir W. Young brought in a bill for enabling overfeers of parishes to extend relief to the poor at their own houses. On the 27th of November, Mr. Whitbread pointedly animadverted upon the peculiar hardships fuffered by labourers in the prefent feafon of fcarcity. Manufacturers, artifans, &c. frequently obliged their employers to make an advance of wages proportionate to the price of the neceffaries of life; but the maximum of wages to the husbandman, by an exifting ftatute, was appointed to be regulated by the magiftrate, but not the minimum. This act was alfo fo defective, that it could not be enforced. On the 9th December, the fame gentleman brought in a bill to enable juftices, at the quarter feffions, to regulate the price of labour. The arguments for this meafure he urged with his ufual humanity. The bill was alfo fupported by Mr. Fox, Mr. Jekyll, Mr. Honywood, Mr. Lechmere, Mr. Noel Edwards, Mr. Martin, gen. Smith, and Mr. Huffey; and oppofed by Mr. Burdon, Mr. Buxton, Mr. Vanfittart, and the chancellor of the exchequer who entered, in a very profix, but unfatisfactory manner, into the expediency and policy of the meafure. He thought it much better for the house to confider the operation of general principles; to

be

be gained. He recommended giv- lay up, in the days of youth and health, a fupply for their latter years; whereas, in the prefent ftate of things, it is evident that the labouring poor cannot gain a healthy fubfiftence, much lefs can they lay up any thing for age or adverfity.

ing effect to the operation of friendly focieties, granting relief according to the number of children, pre venting removals at the caprice of parish officers, and the advancing of fmall capitals, which might be repaid in two or three years; and pointed out feveral means by which the object fo much wanted, a pure execution of the laws, might be obtained. After a long converfation, in which many important arguments were adduced on both fides of the question, Mr. Whitbread's motion passed in the nega tive.

A fimilar fate attended the repeated efforts made by Mr. Lechmere to alleviate the prefent diftreffes of the poor.

The arguments of the chancellor of the exchequer on this subject (if arguments they may be called) were evidently intended merely to get rid of a question which muft intereft every man who has any feeling of justice and humanity. That the wages of the labourer thould bear a proper proportion to the price of the neceffaries of life, is a matter of right, a principle of juftice, and in no refpect connected with the confideration of the poor laws, except in this, that if the wages of labourers were what they ought to be, the poor's rates would be diminished to almost a cipher. Indeed, in fuch a ftate, none would have a claim on the benevolence of the public but the aged and infirm; and even of thefe, many would be enabled to

The committee to confider of the high price of corn, in the mean time, entered into an engagement to reduce the confumption of wheat in their families one third, by every poffible expedient. This meafure, which provided no legiflative remedy for an evil of fuch magnitude, was pointedly animadverted upon by lords Lauderdale, Lanfdowne, and Thurlow, as "filly, futile, and even ridiculous." The engagement was, however, figned not only by the committee, but by feveral meinbers of both houses.

Several important regulations.. were, however, made by the committee refpecting weights and fcales, the tolls of millers, &c. which formed the bafis of fucceeding acts of parliament. About the fame time fir John Sinclair brought forward a motion, founded upon the refolutions of the board of agriculture, for the cultivation of the wafte lands. This was intended to prevent a recurrence of the diftrefs at prefent experienced, and the ne? ceffity of fuch measures as had been lately adopted. In confequence, therefore, it is fuppofed, of the recommendation from the board, a, confiderable number of inclosure bills paffed the house in the course of the feffion.

CHAP. III.

General M'Leod's Motion refpecting the Military Force of the Country. Army Estimates. Debate on that Subject. General Smith's Motion for recommitting the Report of the Army Eftimates. Difcuffion on the Weft-India Expedition and the Barrack Syftem. General Smith's Motion relative to Barracks. Negatived.

Committee of Supply. Seamen and Marines voted.

Ο

N the 4th of November lord Arden moved, in the committee of fupply, that one hundred and ten thoufand feamen fhould be employed for the fea fervice of the year 1796, including eighteen thoufand marines; and that four pounds a man fer month, for thirteen months, fhould be allowed; both of which were accordingly voted. On the 4th of December, the committee granted a fum not exceeding 624,1521. 1s. old. for the ordinary pay of the navy, including the marines, and 708,400l. for building and repairing flips of war.

Previous to the production of the army eftimates, general M'Leod moved for returns of all the military force of the country. Before the houfe voted away the money of their conflituents, it was, he obferved, their duty to inquire into its purpofes, its application, the number of men paid, and the allowance granted to each. It was, befides, the duty of the houfe to watch the conduct of minifters, and to fee their projects and powers for their execution; to know alfo the means employed for the protection of the country, and the manner in which the levies had been conducted. The houfe ought likewife to fee how gallant and experienced officers had been neglected, and the truft committed to thofe who had neither age Hor military kill to difcharge it properly. This return the general

wished to come up as far as September, but was induced to change that part of his motion to August, at the defire of the secretary at war, who thought it highly improper to make public the actual state of the force to the prefent time. Of the yeomanry, he stated, there could be no return, as they had never received pay; but this part of his argument was oppofed by general M'Leod, as this defcription of perfons had been furnished with arms, and therefore the returns might be made at the ordnance, or fome other office. This motion being agreed to, the general proceeded to make two others, first, for a return of all the general and ftaff officers, whether British or foreign, who had been employed under the earl of Moira, with their pay, &c. and of thofe employed in the fervice of his majefty under the count d'Artois, prince of Condé, or any French general, with an account of their feveral allowances: both of which were agreed to.

The army eftimates were referred to the committee of fupply, in which the fecretary at war obferv. ed that the whole fand force of the kingdom was comprehended under two articles, that of guards and garrifons, and that of colonies and plantations. The amount of the firft was, he faid, by withdrawing the army from the continent, reduced to 49,219. In the colonies

there

there was an increase from 35,000 to 77,868, owing to the augmentation of the army in the Weft Indies. Upon the whole, there was a reduction to the amount of 28,000 upon the establishment of regular troops. The troops of every defcription, with the regular forces, amounted to 207,000. The Weft India ftaff was increased; but it comprehended the medical staff.

*The militia amounted to

The general refult was, that the army, which was equal to every purpose of defence, had been reduced by 25,000, and formed a faving to the public of 800,000l. After recapitulating the feveral articles of force *, Mr. Windham moved his first refolution, "that 207,000 men be employed for the fervice of the current year."

Several of the articles ftated by

In the fencible infantry there had been a reduction of 1700 men.

the

42,000

The whole amounted now to

[ocr errors]

13,000

The fencible cavalry had received an augmentation of 4000 men, and amount

ed to

10,000

[blocks in formation]

Or, taking it in round numbers,

The other article of importance was the Weft India staff, in which was included the medical staff.

The general refult of the whole was, that the army to be kept on foot, in the enfuing year, was lefs than it had been last year by 25,369 men; the faving that accrued in confequence, was £.817,091, as would appear in the following ftatemcat,

For 49,219 land forces for 1790, £.11,358,624. 2s. 9d. for their charge and cloathing. £1,666,900 for maintaining the forces in the plantations, Gibraltar, Corfica, and New South Wales, from the 25th of December, 1795, to 25th December, 1796.

£.40,195. 4s. 94. for difference between the English and Irish establishment of fix regiments of foot, from December 25, 1795, to December 25, 1796.

£360,000 for recruiting and contingencies for 1796.

£120,000 for innkeepers, for increafed fubfiftence on quartering for 1796.

.103,640. 15. 3d. for general and staff officers for 1796.

£.9,259. 185. Gul, for pay of general and staff officers on an expedition under general Clark, for 1796.

£.127,779. 14s. 11d. to fupernumerary officers and others, from December 25, 1795, to December 25, 1796.

£113,490. 13.. bd. for paymafter-general, fecretary at war, &c. for 1796.

.118,873. 18.. 6d. for reduced officers of land forces and marines, for 1796.

L.126. 15. 64. for reduced troops of horfe guards, for 1796.

£1000 for officers late of the states-general, for 1796.

£52,500 on account of reduced officers of British American forces, for 1796.
£7,500 for allowance to ditto, for 1796.

.917,294. 14s. Id. for militia and fencible infantry, for 1796.

£210,000 for contingencies for ditto, for 1796.

£103,538. 17s. 1d. for cloathing militia for 1796

£476,636.

« SebelumnyaLanjutkan »