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wholly unsuited to the present condition of the country— that they never had a laudable object in view—that at times they had proved most injurious to the labouring classes—and that the sooner they were abolished the hetter. The object of them originally was to make land dear; and that object had been consistently pursued in all the legislation which had been adopted since. The farmer —who had been declared, on high agricultural authority, to be a man of very contracted views—had been deluded into the support of these laws by the fiction that price meant profit. He had, therefore, given his vote in support of those gentlemen who told him that high prices meant high profits, and against those who told him that if he trusted in such a fiction he would find himself wofully disappointed:

"They had heard lately from the honourable and gallant member for Sussex a description of the farmers of the country. That honourable and gallant member had told the House that the farmer was a man of narrow and contracted views, that his vision was singularly limited, and that he was wholly engrossed with the vegetables he grew and the cattle he fattened. (Hear, hear, and a laugh.) Further, that he judged of the affairs of the world by the prices he got at market. The honourable and gallant member had added that he would not be dictated to by such men. Was it to be wondered at that such persons could be deceived into the notion that high prices meant high profits, and be induced to support a law which secured them a high price? Many members now sat in that House through having persuaded the farmers that they were farmers' friends (Cheers and laughter.) His object in bringing forward the present motion was to let the farmer see who were his friends and who his enemies, The honourable member for Somerset had lately stated that, thanks to the League, the farmer was now much better informed than formerly. He (Mr. Villiers) hoped that was the case; perhaps his vision was now clearer that he had got his other eye open. (Hear, hear, and a laugh.) He wished to hear what the Protection Society had to say ou the subject. The farmer was now in a sorry position; he wished to hear the honourable member for North Northamptonshire, the chairman of the society, explain the causes of that position. (Hear, hear.) He wanted to hear that honourable member define the farmer's relation with his landlord; and how, by giving