There was "a combination of causes acting concurrently," which had produced the distress. There had been too much facility of credit in 1837 and 1838; an interruption of our amicable relations with China; monetary affairs in the United States had lessened the demand for our manufactures; and over-production at home. The question he said was not what was the price of bread, but what was the command over it. The consumption of food in Prussia was in England; the consumption of sugar in France was less than it was in England wages; were less on the continent than they was less than it were in England; there was distress in England, but still England consumed more than other countries on the continent. A total repeal of the Corn Laws, he said, would add agricultural to manufacturing distress. It would be well to be independent of foreign countries for bread. "What is coming?" thought the listening free traders. He did not mean an absolute independence. There should be a supply when there was a scarcity. He wished to have the price of wheat to oscillate between 54s. and 58s. He thought the agriculturists ought not to expect more. He would have a return of averages from an increased number of places, and he would reduce the scale of duties. The highest duty at that time was 38s. 8d. he would reduce it to 20s. Here was a change! The 38 feet 8 inches wall of exclusion was to be pulled down till it was only 20 feet high! The whigs exchanged significant glances. Sir Robert proceeded to read his new scale. When wheat was at 51s. the duty should be 20s. at 52s. and under 55s., 18s.; at 55s. and under 56s., 17s.; and for each shilling of rise of price there should be a diminution of duty, till at 65s. there should be a duty of 7s. Then from 66s. to 69s. the duty should be 6s. and then a reduction of one shilling of duty for every shilling of rise until at 73s. to 74s. the duty should be one shilling. The dead silence which prevailed while Sir Robert was reading his scale was followed, when
