The Americans are a very cautious, After receiving the agricultural far-seeing people, and every products of America for one who knows them knows that thirty-eight years, we find the they would never have tolerated Americans are as strong their protective tariff if we had protectionists as ever, and the met their advances by receiving presidential message, 4th their agricultural products in December 1883, recommends that exchange for our manufacturing America should retaliate on all products. (Cobden, 1842.) countries taxing American produce. I speak my unfeigned convictions After thirty-eight years of free when I say I believe there trade Prophet Bright admits that is no interest in the country that the agricultural classes, owners would receive so much benefit and occupiers of land have lost from the repeal of the Corn Laws more than £150,000,000. Numerous as the Farm-tenant interest in farm-tenants have emigrated this country. (Cobden, 1844.) to protectionist America. I believe when the future historian The true historian will have comes to write the history to record:-- of agriculture, he will have to state:--In such a year there was a “After the introduction of free stringent Corn law passed for the trade, although the general protection of agriculture. From advance of wealth due to that time agriculture slumbered improvements in science, steam in England, and it was not until, and electricity gave to England, by the aid of the Anti-Corn-Law- from time to time, the appearance League, the Corn Law was of agricultural prosperity, yet utterly abolished, that agriculture agriculture gradually decayed; and sprung up into the full in 1884 millions of acres had gone vigour of existence in England, out of tillage; land had become to become what it is now, like foul and was badly farmed; the manufactures, unrivalled in hundreds of farms were absolutely the world. (Cobden, 1844.) untenanted; farmers had emigrated to protectionist countries; landowners had sold their land at ruinous prices, and invested the residue in America. Never was ruin more complete.”