Page:History of the Anti corn law league - Volume 2.pdf/360

 of 46 per cent on the ordinary and common food of the country, were not satisfied with their position. He maintained that the argument of the rate of wages being dependent on the price of corn was entirely erroneous, and he felt satisfied that the Corn Laws could not be continued in their present shape. The only suggestion he could make would be for a low fixed duty, but he did not think that corn should be taxed at all. At present he should be in favour of a fixed duty of 4s., 5s., or 6s., as being preferable to a vanishing scale, commencing at 10s., and abating annually, until they arrived at total repeal. The noble lord then referred to the existing poor law, and strongly urged the necessity of a more equitable adjustment of the law of settlement, and recommended a well considered scheme of emigration and a more general diffusion of education. While pious men were in the present month meeting day after day to send missionaries to China and the South Seas, there were masses of our own population utterly ignorant of the common elements of the Christian faith; and suggested the voting a sum of 050,000 in the present parliament to place our national system of education on a more extended and effective footing. The noble lord concluded by moving the first of his series of resolutions.

Mr. S. Crawford moved an amendment to the effect that the present time of tranquility afforded a favourable opportunity for giving immediate attention to the claims so repeatedly urged in the petitions of the people for an extension of parliamentary suffrage.

Sir James Graham admitted that Lord John Russell had referred to the various matters comprised in his comprehensive speech with fairness and good temper, but he complained of the unspecific nature of the resolutions. The great object of Mr. Huskisson had been the substitution of protective for prohibitive legislation, and such was the policy of the present government. He contended