Page:Speech of Sir Hussey Vivian, Bart. M.P. on the Corn Laws, Thursday March 14, 1839.djvu/25

21 been increased tenfold, and the same has been the result in every instance where a greater facility of consumption has been afforded; and so will it undoubtedly be the case with regard to the consumption of corn, that most necessary of all articles for the supply of man. Encourage your manufactures, promote the prosperity of your commercial interests, by permitting the importation of foreign corn, and have no fears of the consequences. One argument I constantly hear, and it was advanced by a noble friend of mine who spoke last night, the member for Shropshire: it is, I must say, an argument, although a most favourite one with the agriculturists, that appears to me to be a very narrow one, and little applicable to these days of extended communication and commerce between the different nations of the globe, and still less to be expected in these days when political economy is so much studied, and its true principles advanced;—I mean the reliance placed on the admitted fact that the home market is the manufacturer's best market; that is, that the larger portion of our manufactured goods are consumed in our own country, therefore it is asserted that the prices of corn must be kept up in order to enable the farmer to continue to buy from the manufacturer. I think the Noble Lord said, that out of 150,000,000l., being the