ten for his one. There was one burden referred to by the honourable member for Renfrewshire, which is the land tax. I am surprised we have not yet got the returns, moved for many months since, relative to the land tax of other countries.(Hear.) M. Humann, the finance minister of France, states that the land-tax in that country is forty per cent, on the whole revenue, and twenty-five per cent on the revenue of the proprietors of the soil; so, that in France, the landowner pays five shillings in the pound, while, in this country, you have a land tax of nineteen hundred thousand pounds, half of which tax is paid by the poor man; and after having paid this enormous tax, you call for a fresh one on his loaf to compensate you for the heavy burden you bear. Ought we not to know what those burdens were when this Corn Law was passed? Let us only legislate, if you please, for the introduction of corn when it is wanted. Exclude it as much as possible when it is not wanted. But all I supplicate for, on the part of the starving people is, that they, and not you, shall be the judge of when corn is wanted.(Cheers.) By what right do you pretend to guage the appetites and admeasure the wants of millions of people? Why, there is no despotism that ever dreamed of doing anything so monstrous as this; yet you sit here and presume to judge when people want food, dole out your supply when you condescend to think they want it, and stop it when you choose to consider they have had enough.(Hear, hear.) Are you in a position to judge of the wants of artizans—of hand-loom weavers—you, who never knew the want of a meal in your lives, do you presume to know when the people want bread? The right honourable baronet is the cause—yes, I say he is the cause of our present position, and, upon his shoulders will the people rest the the whole of the responsibility."
The opposition manifested much delight at hearing the responsibility thrown on the minister, who was assumed to have the power, if he had the will, to give the people bread. Cobden's quick eye had, no doubt, observed some of those who had lately held office joining in the manifestation, for, turning to them, he said:—
