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 At this very moment, with respect to corn, the stock of supply in this country is unusually small; and I shall move, therefore, ''for an account of the quantity that is now in bond. It is unusually small in consequence of your own law; and let it not be forgotten, when gentlemen refer, as I have sometimes seen them do with great satisfaction, to the failure of speculations in the foreign corn trade, that the consequences of the failure of these speculations are very often injurious, not only to those immediately engaged in them but to the whole country—manufacturing, commercial, and agricultural; that the indisposition to get together & supply, to make a store of corn on which this country can rely in case of a sudden failure in the harvest, is a national misfortune, and therefore, everything which tends to make this trade gambling and uncertain'' is a loss to the agricultural interests as well as to all others, and that no law based upon such principles can be for the permanent advantage of the country."

No other than the tu-quoque argument in reply to this could be expected. Sir James Graham durst not deny the evil of speculation and gambling, at a period of great uncertainty and danger; but when charged with being indifferent to the welfare of millions the answer to be expected was, "Why, so were you when you were in office"; and such was the reply, not with the blush of shame, but with the effrontery of triumph. He said:

"There are at the present moment in bond of foreign corn, wheat, and barley, no less than 450,000 quarters. In the year 1839, when the noble lord was responsible for the conduct of affairs, what was the Position of the country in this respect? Was it similar to the present position of affairs, which the noble lord says is unexampled! Allow me to remind the noble lord, that on the 6th of August, 1839, there was in bond in this country, only 31,000 quarters of foreign corn, whereas, we have 450,000 quarters in bond now, and that further, on the same 6th of August, 1839, there was in the Bank of England, only £2,450,000 in specie, whereas, at this moment there are £16,000,000 of specie, in the coffers of the Bank of England. Did the noble lord in 1839, at the end of the session, such being the position of the country, come forward and propose any alteration of the corn laws? Did he come forward to do so at the end of the session of 18407 Did he at the end of the session of 1841? As a member of the government, and as a responsible minister of the crown, feeling deeply the situation of the country, with only 51,000 quarters of foreign corn in bond, and only £2,450,