House of Commons
Wednesday, July 25 1804
Minutes
A person from the office of the remembrancer of the city of London presented certain accounts, showing the progress of the works at the London docks in Blackwall. Ordered to lie on the table.—On the motion of the Attorney General, a new writ was ordered to be issued for Tiverton, in Devonshire, in room of the Hon. R. Ryder, who has accepted the office of one of his Majesty's justices in Wales.—On the motion of Mr. S. Bourne, a new writ was ordered for Christchurch, in the room of G. Rose, Esq. who has accepted the office of joint paymaster.—Mr. Patteson presented a petition from the mayor and magistrates of Norwich, praying that no alteration should take place in the corn laws. Ordered to lie on the table.—Mr. Huskisson presented an account or estimate of all duties on customs charged or due on bond in G. Britain. Ordered to lie on the table.—A message from the Lords announced their lordships' assent to the Irish Revenue Regulation bill, the Irish Warehousing bill, and the Irish Customs and Excise Regulation bill.
Corn Trade Bill
On the motion of Mr. Western, the house went into a committee on this bill.
rose to oppose it. He said, he had hoped the hon. gent. would not have persisted in pushing forward this bill at so late a period of the session. For his own part, he could not but consider the bill as tending, and calculated to perpetuate the price of corn, so that it should never fall below a certain sum per quarter, or bushel. It had already been productive of very serious effects to the public, and particularly to the lower classes of the people, by raising the price of corn 10s. a bushel, during the progress of the last bill through the two houses; and it would, in all likelihood, have a still further tendency, if the present bill was persisted in. The present alteration, no doubt, made the bill less extendable than the former one; but still he disliked the measure altogether; and, as such, he could wish the house to forego it till the next session of parliament, when the bill would have the advantage of receiving a more general and ample discussion. He therefore moved, that instead of the word "now," the words "this day 6 months" be added.
suggested several amendments relative to Scotland, so as to separate it from the provisions as to England and Wales, and to regulate the average price of corn imported, by the prices of that article in the four maritime districts of Scotland; which amendments were adopted.—The report was brought up, the amendments ordered to be engrossed, and the bill to be read a 3d time to-morrow.—Adjourned.