SCOTLAND.
The bankers, merchants, manufacturers, and mill-spinners of Dun- dee, assembled last week and passed resolutions for the repeal of the Corn-laws, and all protective duties on British manufactures ; and they adopted a petition to Parliament to be heard by counsel at the bar against the Corn-laws. Some of the statements made by gentlemen who spoke at the meeting merit attention.
Mr. David Baxter referred to the progress of manufactures abroad— From having been, in course of the last two years, in France and Belgium, be had had an opportunity of judging fur himself; and be could assure the meeting that there was a great movement at present in those countries for the establishment of manufactories. He should confine himself solely to the linen manufacture, although operations were carried on very spiritedly in the erec- tion of cotton-manufactormes. There were six or eight large establishments now in the progress of erection in these countries for spinning linen-yarns and weaving them- by steam-power. They might have heard of manufactories being established on the Continent ; but, as he had seen them himself, he could speak with more confidence on the subject. He had seen manufacturers in Bel- gium who would not disgrace the town of Dundee; and he could assure them that they would find it a very hard struggle to compete with them. He could state also that there was a good diposition on the part of the people of France and. Belgium to deal with this country on fair and liberal principles. The Corn-laws were not the only thing that would require to be repealed in order to restore our trade. * • * A great number of the maaufaoteries on the Continent had been got up by British capital; they were mostly- constructed by British artisans, some of them even by people from this town. An indivi- dual belonging to this place was setting -up a large work for making machinery at Wages, and there was a similar work erecting by an eminent mechanic who was connected' with a respectable firm at Leeds. That individual was con- .riected'altio With nil establishment in Manchester eminent for the construction of steam-engines. • He should now lay .before them a statement of the portation of machinery from this country for several years past, by which they would -see AM it was rapidly increasing. In 1834, the machinery exported amounted to 149,200/.; in 1835 and 1836, to 307,000/. ; iii 1837, to 493,4681.; and he had no doubt but, were the returns.for last year made out, it would be seen that the quantity of machinery exported would amount to 600,000/. All this proved that a movement was going on calculated to destroy the trade of Britain.
Mr. Sturrock showed how the nation prospered when provisions were cheap ; referring for his proofs to the improvement of the country from 1715 1765— This long period of great abundance, and consequent cheapness of provisions, was attended with a great improvement in the condition and habits of the great bulk of the population. Hallam describes the reign of George the Second as the most prosperous period that England had ever experienced. Another writer, in 1765, says, that " bread made of wheat is become more generally the food of the labouring people." Malthus also states, that " during the last forty years of the seventeenth century and the first twenty of the eighteenth, the average price of corn was such as would enable the labourer to purchase with a day-'s earning two-thirds of a peck of wheat. From 1720 to 1750, the price of wheat had so fallen, while wages had risen that, instead of two-thirds, the labourer could purchase the whole of a peck Of wheat with a day's labour." This is a most Important fact, as it shows that the price of labour does not altogether depend upon the price of grain, but arises from a variety of circumstances.
Mr. Edward Baxter asked if the meeting were prepared to act upon the golden rule, "Whatsoever ye would that men should do to you, do ye even so to them "—
" Whilst we say to the landowner of Great Britain, remove restriction OR the importation of' corn, arc we ready to let the cambric and lace of Belgium and France, and the dowlas and duck of Germany and Russia, to come into our own markets duty-free ? My resolution says yes. It has been prepared by a committee of men who have invested large capitals in the linen trade ; and I rejoice they show thus decidedly that they wish no advantage at the ex- pense of the community. They repudiate the idea of protective duties on their manufactures whilst they demand a free trade in corn. They consider it unjust to put their own trade and that in corn on a different footing. But, though the justice of this step is evident, no less so is its wisdom. A system of restrictions, duties, and prohibitions, prevents the free interchange of com- modities, and impoverishes every country which regulates its foreign trade on such a basis ; whereas the system of free trade supplies the people with com- modities of the best description, at the lowest possible price of production. Every country can produce some commodities cheaper smut better than others; and hence the comforts of every country are increased by a free interchange of the superfluities of other climates and soils. National wealth is the result. It is remarkable that other countries prospered and became great in proportion to the freedom of their trade. The republic of Holland, until the year 1709, car- ried on nearly half the foreign trade of Europe. Their wise policy of en- couraging the importation of cornwas a great means of maintaining this ex- tensive trade. During the last century, the necessities of that country Compelled them to levy heavy duties on corn and flour, which, with the in- creased competition of England and France, have nearly driven manuthetures out of Holland. It' we wish to avoid a like calamity, let us adopt the ancient policy of Holland, and encourage the free importation of corn from all coun- tries. I believe also, that a return to a sound state of free trade will be found to be safe. The linen trade was for nearly a century fostered by bounties on the exportation of the manufitetured goods : these were given to compensate for the expense of bringing the raw material from Russia and Germany'. Fourteen years ago, these bounties, amounting to from 15 to 25 per cent., were
Not by a graduated scale of reduction. ot on only was no injury felt, but the linen trade has increased in prosperity fully more since that period than i before. The production of corn n this country is subject to no such disad- vantages ; and the opening of' the trade will likely lead, as in the linen trade, on the removal of the bounties, to improvement in the cultivation of the soil." (Great cheering.)
Mr. Thomas Neish said that the manufacturers of Dundee went to Parliament with a good grace— They asked for no more than they were willing to give : they wished for no protection, and therefore were unwilling to give it to others. The golden rule mentioned by Mr. Baxter was the true vi./J-gajr principle which guided them, and therethre they had nothing to fear by free trade. In addition to the reso- lutions already proposed, it ought be well to consider what was suggested in the letter from Glasgow (front Mr. Weir) read by their worthy Chairman. Be certainly considered it a good one ; and that they should also pray to be heard at the bar of the House of Commons.
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