The agriculturists of the Southern division of Shropshire gave their
Member, the Earl of Darlington, a dinner at Bridgenorth on Saturday. His Lordship told the company, that
There was a time, and not a very distant one, when he hoped that he might now have stood in a situation to congratulate them on better days, or at least on the eatly prospect of an improvement. He was sorry to say, however, that his expectations had not been realized ; and he regretted it so much the more, as the manufacturing, commercial, shipping, and every other interest except the agricultural, was thriving and prospetons, whereas the agricul-
tural interest was alone in a st:tte of suffering and depression. ‘Vas
not this a most lament tide circumstance ? thr agriculture was, after all, the source of all wealth—the f ;amain front which all e!st. sprung. This noulit appear more extraordimry, when he assured the meeting that, at the present time—he spoke front authority—there was a most decided majority ia the House of Commons of friends to the protection of agrieulture. He said thus w-ahl astonish them, inasmuch as they would naturally a why, if this were the ease, something had not been done for their relief ?liewould fairly
state hat, in his opinion, was the only reason why this had not takeo place,
viz. th :t although there was a ilacided majority for agricultural protection, and ;d: hough that majority was firmly united against any competition of fo- reiga corn, ihi v were not tinittd as to what teas the real cause of agricultural distre.s, ait:1 still more Wert! tltuv 111,11nit.ql as to what were Iiproper remedies for lit-it Ile wls warranted its saying that, front wl at had taken place
this vei: se,si:io in the I louse A:f Commons. As ti:r as lie i.vas concerned, and
those v o took the deepest interest in, nay, were entirely dev,,ted to agricul- tural questions, he could state front a great MPliber of consultations which he had had with those gentlemen, at private individual meetings of Members during that period, that they had not been enabled to agree upon anv one Ilk- tinct time isure of agricultural relief on which they could unite all their forces. - Lord Darlington seems to look to an alteration in the currency as the most effectual means of relieving the farmer.
He was convinced that almost all the causes of agricultural distress pro• teethed float the existing state of the en rreney. It was, however, a complicated subject-, nue on which a great variety of opinions existed, and one in which it would be very difficult to effect any alteration. At the same time, necessity knew no late; and it could not be denied that Mr. Peel's Bill of 1819 had made a much greater change in the prospects of every interest, espvially the agricultural, than had ever been anticipated by the warmest promoters of it. The time had indeed now arrived when every landlord and landed occupier in in the country would be totally ruined unless some alteration took place. That was the state of the ease at the present moment. His ohject hail been not to advert to general politics, but to set before them the existing state of the agri- cultural interest, and to suggest for their more mature consideration those mea- sures which, in his opinion, were calculated to remedy the evil 7 nail he would in conclusion assure them, that, so long as he continued a Member of the House of Commons, his unabating, zealous, anti individual attention, should be given to their service. He would in every respect devote himself to their cause, and never sleep on his post, but diligently watch every measure affecting them.
There was some more oratory at this meeting, but mane that requires quoting.
Lord Darlington has also been entertained by the agriculturists of Wenlock and the vicinity.
Previous page
