"Destroy or take away the employment and wages of those artisans - which the corn laws in a great measure do - and you will, ere long, render the land in Great Britain of as little value as it is in other countries"

This quote by Joseph Hume is describing the Corn Laws in Great Britain, which were laws that managed the import and export of grain. Hume is recommending that if the Corn Laws are not repealed, they will have a destructive effect on the craftsmens of Great Britain. He is cautioning that if the work and wages of these artisans are removed, the land in Great Britain will end up being of little value, just like it remains in other countries. This is due to the fact that the craftsmens are the ones who develop the worth of the land through their labour. Without them, the land will become worthless. Hume is hence promoting for the repeal of the Corn Laws in order to secure the artisans and the value of the land in Great Britain.