The Sun. — London, England, 1842-01-14 00:00:00

r MORNING SUN EDINBURGH ANTI-CORN-LAW CONFERENCE. This important Conference commenced its sittings on Tuesday forenoon, at eleven o'clock, in South College street Church. The number of members present amounted to upwards of 700. John Wigham, jun., Esq..' was unanimously called to the Chair, and the meeting was opened with prayer by the Rev. Dr. Peddie. The CHAIRMAN said—lt was intended that my friend, Duncan M'Laren, should have been President at this first sederunt, but the death of a near relation has de prived this meeting of the presence of one of our most talented citizens. To Duncan M'Laren the friends of free trade and justice to all are indebted chiefly for the constitution and arrangements connected with this meet ing, and not less to the labour he has bestowed in carry ing them, so far, into effect. The following gentlemen had been invited to attend the sittings of this meeting:— Charles P. Villiers, Esq., M.P., Robert Wallace, Esq., M.P., Willi am E leart , E s q., M.P., R: Cobden, Esq., M.P., J. Hume, Esq.; Joseph Sturge. Esq., G: Thompson, Esq. These gentlemen are all well known to entertain de cided 'sentiment 3in favour of free trade in general, and opposed to all restrictions on the importation of corn in particular. 'While I regret three of these gentlemen have not been able to be present, from causes thatwtll be explained, yet it is cheering to find four of them are, or intend to be present.—(Cheers.) Gentlemen, I have, from the year 1815, when the first of these Corn-laws was passed, felt that they were oppressing the poor, and it has been truly heart-rending to think how the hand-loom weavers and other operatives have been ground down by them,' being obliged to make goods at prices, to compete with other countries, in all the mar . kets of the world, while they are obliged to pay more than one-third 'higher for their food. It is evident, also, how much these laws stand in the way of a free exchange of the various countries' products, thus rendering em ployment scarce. Every year has witnessed increased oppression from these laws, and matters appear to be drawing to a crisis—all parties begin to feel that something must be done.—(Hear, hear.) Even the robbers—of which I am one to a small ex tent—seem to be alarmed, probably under the idea. that, if they do not change their course, the time will come when there will be few persons left to eat their taxed food. Gentlemen, it appears to me that these laws are nothing short of legalised robbery; they are consequently immoral and sinful.—(Applause.) I am sick of sliding scales and all scales. There is a man of the name of Smith has been robbing the country of bills . to the amount of some 300,0001. in the course of five years—would you receive a proposition from him to the effect that, as the way he has been accustomed to live is expensive, you must not think of reducing his income all at once—that he will be satisfied with a fixed income at the rate of 100,0001. in five years, for the future?— (Cheers and laughter.) If these laws are what I have described them to be—as honest men—as Christians, we can enter into no compromise. We demand complete justice—we can give our consent to nothing short of this. . We may not obtain this from the present Parliament, but no one knows how soon there may be a dissolution ; let us, I implore you then, in the meantime, propagate sound views among our neighbours, and thus prepare them to make a general and firm stand .at all points and on every occasion " For justice—equal justice to all."—(Cheers.) Mr. JAMES PEDDLE, W.S., moved the appointment of a large Standing Committee, and said—Whatever credit was due to their conduct, he felt it but justice to say, that it belonged entirely . to Mr. Duncan M'Laren. The motion was unanimously agreed to. Letters from Mr. Cobden, M.P., Joseph Sturge, Esq., and the 'Rev. Dr. Wardlaw, were read, regretting their unavoidable absence, and expressing the most cordial wishes for the success of the Conference. The Rev. Mr. Mensuehn, Coupar-Angus, rose to move' the first resolution :—" That this meeting, com posed of persons belonging to different Dissenting deno . minations, from all parts of Scotland, not attending as the office-bearers or representatives of churches, but yet truly representing the sentiments and feelings of their brethren in the quarters from which they come—are of opinion that the Corn and Provision-laws are op posed to the benevolent designs of our merciful Creator, as manifested in those principles of our nature, which prompt men to engage in traffic—in those laws of social economics, which render of advantage a division of labour,—and in that varied distribution of the bounties of his Providence, arising from the diversity of climate, soil, and other things, which enable one nation to supply what is wanted by another, as well as opposed to the just and perfect precepts of his revealed Word, and are thus an offence. to Him, who shall break in pieces the oppressors,' and who bath said, "Whoso shutteth his ears at the cry of the poor, himself also shall cry, but shall not be heard.' " We do not attend here as the office-bearers or representatives of churches. But neither do we attend simply in the character of citizens. We appear as Christian men and Christian ministers to consider chiefly the moral and religious bearings of the question which has brought us together. A crisis in the history of the country has arrived to which the prudeneial maxims that ordinarily guide us as Christian men and Christian ministers will not apply. The exigencies of the times have constrained us to depart from th ese maxims, and, indeed, appear to us to pour contempt on all the ''. 1 , 14 . 1 '4 logic and casuistry by which adherents to them is sought " to be enforced. The state of the country is most critical and alarming. Every branch of her manufactures and commerce has suffered unexampled depression depres e sion which it has baffled the wisest State physician who has yet been " called in"—(A laugh)—to trace to tem porary causes. Many houses in what used to be our most busy and crowded villages and towns are already without inhabitants. Thousands upon thousands of our population unrivalled for skill and industry, are thrown out of employment—are famishing for bread, and are subsisting on charity. Their numbers are increasing from the ranks of those who are strive , filing hard, but in vain, to maintain an honourable, however poor an independence. Trade is fast leav ing our country for more hospitable shores. Ruin, in short, threatens us in our commercial and manufactur ing, and need I therefore say, in all our interests.' Such is the posture of affairs, and I submit, that if ever there was a time when the law of my adage Saluspopuli came into operation in all supremacy and force, the present is that time. On every one, be his station Or • profession what it may, our country has now paramount claims :or all the influence he can constitutionally exert to save it—claims which the maxims that may properly enough guide him in ordinary times would be a poor ex cuse, for resisting. We find that justice is foully violated ; we find that the violation amounts to an absolute perver sion of the design of Government ; we find that the in stitution of Government, which is meant for the equial advantage of all classes of the community, is made the instrument of oppressing and peeling the many for the benefit of the few.—(Hear, and loud cheers.) Justice says, " Let every man have his due.' sa - es e e says the British Statute-book. " No," say British land owners, who have too long had all but a monopoly of British legislation, as well as of some other things.— (Hear, hear.) But what do the Corn and Provision-laws, do ? They trample on the dictates of Justice.—(Hear.) They say to the millions of our countrymen—" Invent and toil as you may, you shall go to to market with your industry and enterprise, except what the landlords think it expedient for themselves to leave open to ybu ; • and farther, that be the produce of your industry and enterprise what it. may, you shall not eat, ay, you shall not give a morsel to a starving neighbour, till a share of the produce has been filched from you in the shape of a tax upon your bread to swell the landlords' rent-rolls." —(Cheers.) We have met to denounce a heinous national sin ; according to resolution first, and indeed according to the spirit and tenour of all the resolutions, by the Corn and Provision-laws we are as a nation fight ing against God. 'We are counteracting. his benevolent and merciful designs, as these are variously intimated to us. 'We are offending him by the transgression—the legalised transgression—of the jagt and perfect pree ept. of his Word. What these laws establish is iniquity i n is sight —iniquity the most wanton, oppressive, and cruel. The most wanton,. for if there be one class who have less shadow of claim than another to a monopoly in their favour at the expense of all other 'classes, they are cer tainly the lords of the soil--(flcar, hear)—iniquity tho most oppressive and cruel, ahhe wailing, and want, end woe, with which it has at present filled the land, sadly testify. We have met to denounce this sin, to expose its heinousness, to express our own sense of it, and to do et all we can to call the nation's attention to it, and to per sesen. .suade it to rise and wash it away.—(Hear and cheers.) ee v.: We have met to plead the cause of the poor. Wo ,• iledeeply sympathise with them. We fervently pray for them. As God has prospered us, "We deal our bread to the hungry, clothe the naked, and hide not ourselves from our own flesh." Our Christianity demands this; and I presume that all who are Christian—all who are humane thus far approve and • applaud us. Were we, as Christian men Christian ministers, to be silent ; nay, were we to decline active, energetic efforts in such a cause and for such an object, it were a scandal at once upon our Christian and ministerial profession. I say active and energetic effort—for, slightly to alter the just or eloquent words of another upon this point, " to pray for the famishing poor and not to act against the monopoly which tarnishes them, is to serve heaven in word and to insult in deed. On the ministers of reli gion it devolved to vindicate the name from this profa nity." I consider the peace of the country and the safety of our instjtutions to be in peril—in imminent peril—and that the worst of all rebellions—as my Lord Bacon termed it —" a rebellion in the belly" (Laugh-. ter)---if not soon and happily quelled—(Renewed laugh ter)—will inevitably lead to civil convulsion.—(Hear, " h ear-) And I ask, is it not humane, is it not Chris tian, i s it not the part of Christian patriotism—does it not become us—does it not devolve upon us, as Chris tian men, and Christian ministers, to seek to have such equitable and necessary changes constitutionally , effected a 3, in the rnlrcv of tiod, 'may avert the hor rors of such a prospect ?—(Cheers.) The Rev. JAB. R. el‘tievete of Dundee, seconded the motion. We quote only the following brief extract from his speech :—We cannot create acres, or extend the surface of our island-hone, or bid th e sea s ons' smile; but we can exchange the benefits of art, for the bounties of nature—sve can lighten the load of human labour by th e progress of mechanical discovery — we can mu l t i ply the comforts of mankind by the diffusion of our manufac tures —we desire thus to relieve the w an t s o f ot h er lands while we enrich our own. And who is the man that would forbid this mighty enterprise, or command these mighty pulsations of our community to cease? He must be reckless of consequences who would dare unduly do • compress an explosive princip le like this. The s p ir i t of commercial enterprise. that has become the mistress of natural law and is summoning the elements of nature to her purposes, it is not likely to be driven back by • feudal frowns, or foolish enough t o forge fetters for her Own destruction.—(Cheers.) Her voice is lifting through- . out out land, and there is an insolentness in her tones that will take no refusal, and a righteousness in her plea that will accept no compromise, when she demands• to walk a broad in the liberty of her activity, and to prove herself tee be the benefactor of the species.—(Applanse.) But there a higher view of this question, and a loft:Er authority to decide it. If it had been a mere subject of fiscal regulation and commercial codes, it would not have seduced so many of us from our homes, and we would have been content to leave it to the conflicts of faction, or the decision of enlightened discussion.—(Hear, hear.) But it is a question of truth—of justice—of humanity—of religion ; and God, the Sovereign Judge of nations, makes himself a party to its settlement. His Word speaks decisively upon it. Why are multitudes of our country not forward in this movement, but because they have overgrown it ? They have begun to search deeper than their grievances,, to their cause ; - they have learned habits of self-reliance, and are sternly applying the measure-line of justice to all our institutions, so that they look scornfully at secondary appliances, and breathe a purpose of extensive changes. I know the habits and feelings of these men well. I appreciate the noble virtue and piety of many of them; I deeply sympathise with their sufferings and their wrongs. I see their houses every year stripping of comfort, and themselves sinking from society into abasement and shame—(Cries of " Hear, hear")—and I have shuddered at the horrid truth, as I have heard them say, " We have struggled with po verty until hope has died within us, and we have learned to form friendship with despair. Starvation is scaring all religious sentiments within us. It is curdling the flame even of natural affection in our bosoms ; and chil dren are born to us with regret, and we bury them with a feeling of relief.—(Hear, hear.) What care we for the land of our fathers, when it will not provide bread for oar' industry, nor allow us even to purchase a tomb in it ?" But, I ask, is a country sate which contains smouldering elements like these ? Let oppressors be ware. They may trifle for awhile with hnman rights and feelings ; they may find it their interest to have demagogues who shall call off the attention of the multitudes for a moment from their more urgent op pressions ; but shall this tampering long continue ? I read but once that the blinded and bonda:ed Sampson was called in to make sport for the Lords of the Philis tines, but history can tell what was the frightful issue of these lordly oppressors.—(Loud and long-continued applause.) The cause of righteousness must triumph ; there may be a temporary recoil in the wave of the ad vancing tide, but we rest confident in his promise, "ye, shall eat and be satisfied, and praise the name of the Lord."—(Loud applause.) The Rev. JOHN KENNEDY of Aberdeen said, amongst other things—One of the first lessons which children re ceive in geography is, that there are certain divisions of the globe which are called zones, the torrid, the tem perate, the frozen. They soon learn that each zone pos sesses its characteristic productions—offers of its own to the others, and asks of theirs in return. Even countries in the same latitude have their distinctive soils and pro ductions, their distinctive blessings and privations. It is the same race that is spread over all lands, spring from the same origin, presssed with the same general wants, susceptible of the same comforts, and subject to the same Government. They are one family, though divided and scattered ; and it is the obvious design of their Great Father, not that each member should be limited to the products of his own location, but that, so far as the freest interchange can effect it, they should have all things common. We find, in addi tion to this, that the Creator has bestowed an immense variety of gifts and dispositions on men, to enable them to elicit the equally various means of support and enjoy ment with which his works are stored. And when the treasures of creation have been opened, we find the means of transferring them from land to land at our door. We read in prophecy of golden days to come— and what are their characteristics ? Swords shall be converted into ploughshares, and spears into pruning hooks—the implements of war into the implements of peace—war at an end, because the unholy passions from which it flows shall be dried up. But does the same destruction await manufactures and commerce ? Are they, too, doomed ? And shall men everywhere return to the simple labours of the field ? Far from it. The characteristic employments and resources of every land, the most various and the most dis tant, shall be converted to the service of the Church. The abundance of the sea, the forces of the Gentiles, the dromedaries of Midian and Ephah—yea, and the ships of Tarshish themselves, shall all minister to a renovated world.—(Cheers.) And in this certain prospect we have the proof of their legi timacy, their protection from the assaults of misguidd men. My resolution, Sir, describes the Corn-laws as opposed to the precepts of Revelation. And we con ceive that our Corn-laws, the fruit of unequal and selfish legislation, are as distinctly included beneath this ban as the conduct of the man who will not open his warehouses to a famishing- people till his own selfish ends can be most effectually secured.—(Cheers.) My resolution speaks, Sir, of oppression in general ; and if there be a book on earth which more copiously and unequivocally than another denounces oppression, it is the Bible. Let its voice be heard, let its principles be imbibed, and the oppressor will oppress no more—the tyrant will cast his rod away, and learn to do justly and love mercy. We are strong in the strength of these principles, and they must prevail.—(Applause.) The Rev. Mr. LowE of Forfar, moved the second re solution, "That this meeting, composed as it is, consider it both their right and their duty to express their opinion of the injustice, impolicy, and immoral tendency, of the Corn and Provision-laws : That in a free State the laws ought to be made for the equal advantage of all classes of the community, and that it is alike unjust and impolitic to legislate fur the benefit of the few to the detriment of the many : That this fundamental principle of legiela tion has been glaringly violated in these laws;, which are the more unjust ana oppressive, as they were imposed, and are continued, for the exclusive benefit of a small body of landowners, who are indebted mainly to the ma nufactures and commerce of the country for the prospe rity of agriculture, and the_ greatly enhanced value of their lands ; and that these laws have not even the apology that they are required for the protection, or benefit, of the farmers, or agricultural population ;" and made similar statements as to the condition of the people to those which the Rev. Gentleman made at Dundee, and which appeared in The Sun on Wednesday last. Bailie Muir, of Greenock ; Counsellor Bankier, of Glasgow ; and Mr. Dawson, Editor of the Kelso Chronicle, spoke in support of the resolution. The latter gentleman, in along and eloquent speech, quoted a number of instances of diminished trade and decay on the Borders, and in the purely agricultural districts. Mr. WILLIAM HOPE, farmer, East Lothian.—As a grower of grain, a feeder of sheep and oxen, I wish to proclaim to the public that I have no fear for the ruin of my order from the pale-faced working classes of our manufacturing towns being permitted their just rights, to exchange the produce of their industry for food raised in foreign lands. But even if it could be proved that we should at first suffer from the change, I am certain that in the end this case, as in all others, would still prove the truth of the old proverb, " Honesty is the best po licy."—(Cheers,) And I have yet to learn that it is in harmony with that blessed volume, the source of our happiness here and our hopes for an hereafter, or in unison with any rational interpretation of those precepts of our Heavenly Master where we are told it is our duty to feed the hungry and to clothe the naked, still sternly to forbid the exchange it may be o£ the broad cloth of the hungry manufacturer for the wheat grown by the skin-clad shivering Pole. And for what is this manifest injustice perpetrated ? Only to add an additional dish or bottle to the already overloaded table of the landowner, that he, and those connected with him, may fare more sumptuously ; however much they may aver that it is not so much for the landlord as for their tenants and labourers, that the system is kept up. But, Sir, how stands the case ? Does the foreigner really possess such a fertile land and genial Clime, as to be able to undersell the British farmer in his own market, notwithstanding all his skill and science and boasted ca pital? From all that ever I could learn, the crops on the Continent of rurope generally are seldom more than half tho'se raised in this country. But that they can raise more than is absolutely necessary for their own wants is cer t lin, while we, on the contrary; are unable to supply with food our rapidly increasing population—a population, which contains a large proportion of individuals engaged in manufacturing goods for the foreign markets ; but our legislators in their wisdom have decreed that we shall not receive for these goods the article most' of all wanted, food for starving people, while it so happens that that food is almost the only thing they have to offer us in exchange for the warm clothing which they so much require ; still the exchange is forbid. Our continental brethren are coolly told to warm them selves as they best may from the biting colds of their severe winter, for British broad-cloths they shall have no e, nor shall we admit a bushel of their wheat into the kingdom until the famine shall be sore in the land—ay, until the landowing legislators, like Joseph of old, might compel the 'manufacturers, like the Egyptians of old, to sell themselves to them for a mess of pottage, if personally they could be turned to profit.—(Great applause.) But leaving to others more able than I am to show how 'permanently lower prices for grain would affect the different classes of so ciety, I will proceed to show that it would have no effect in throwing out of cultivation large tracts of land, thus bringing ruin by depriving of employment both farmers and ploughmen, as has often been asserted by the advo cates of the present law. Now, of all the arguments i ever heard urged against the repeal of, the bread-tax this has always appeared to me the most futile. I ask, is there danger of any of the land running away ? Surely not. And if at present the produce is sufficient to give food for the labourer, and leave a surplus to the landlord, what is to prevent it doing so, even if the nominal money value of the produce should be lowered ? In the county of East Lothian, where I reside and farm, a' great deal of the land is only. once grass i n six years, and this is a rotation requiring a larger ex penditure in money and labour than if the grass were allowed to remain for more than one year. What do you think may be the actual outlay per acre in money in carrying on the necessary operations of an average farm, irrespective of the price of grain ? Why, not half a-guinea per imperial acre. All other charges and ex penses being regulated entirely and immediately by the prices of grain. The landlord is paid his rent generally iu wheat. The Labourers receive the bulk of their wages in the ,produce of the farm, grass for th e i r cows' and specified quantities 'of the different kinds of g ra i n . A n d it can make no difference to the farmer what may be the nominal value of the hay and oats raised by him self, and consumed by his horses and cattle. There are, it is true, the tolls and expenses in taking farm produce to market, some money-wages to labourers, the ac counts of the smith, the wright, and the saddler, besides the women and boys for hoeing and weeding, harvest wages, grass seeds, statute labour, and a trifling Poor rate. This is a goodly list ; but I say, take all these items together, they . do not, for ordinary management, exceed 10s. 6d. per imperial acre ; and many of them would be -materially modified were any permanent change to take place in the price of food. A tenant whe may be draining, purchasing foreign manure, and otherwise improving his farm, may, for an additional outlay of los s sd. per imperial acre, cut a very respect able figure in his profession. I speak this ex cathedra ; if actual experience is any guide to knowledge, I should possess it. Now, unless it is contended that the repeal of the Bread-tax would cause such a demand for labour THE SUN, LONDON,- F - 11 - 16AY, JANUA. - ItY 14, 1842. -'~ that the Itibourer's share of the produce must be greatly increased, how is it possible that a single acre can - be thrown out of cultivation?—(Hear, hear)—but if this ar gument is used, then I say, the sooner the whole empire is turned into pasturage the better. I think I have said enough to prove that high prices are not so very neces sary to the farmers as some are apt to imagine.— (Cheers.) But I tell you more, that in 1836, when wheat was selling at 365. per quarter, we did well ; but that since then—in 1839, for example—with wheat at 725. per quarter, just double what it was in 1836, farmers in East Lothian, myself amongst them, actually lost money. We did not grow grain sufficient for our rents and expenses ; the additional quantity wanted must be made up ; the higher the price the worse for the tenant. So much for the benefit of high prices to us tenant-farmers, who pay corn-rents. Steady markets are of far more importance to us, than high prices with violent fluctuations ; but which will never be obtained till the market of Britain is thrown open to the world. The resolution was unanimously agreed to. Mr. WALLACE, of Kelly, M.P. for Greenoek, next addressed the meeting, and concluded an able and elo quent speech, for which we cannot now find room, by exhorting the meeting to acknowledge themselves out and-out repealers—(Great cheering)—no compromise— 'no Bs. fixed duty.—(Hear, hear.) He did not say, as a Parliament man, that he would not take the best he could get, and look for more • but don't let those pre sent do that. (The lion. Member sat down amidst great EVENING SEDERUNT. On the motion of Mr. WIGILiM, Wm. Brodie, Esq., Glasgow, was called to the Chair. After prayer by the Rev. Mr. Muir, of Leith, The CHAIRMAN rose, and, after a few introductory remarks, introduced Mr. El% art, M.P., to the meeting. Mr. EWART, who spoke at considerable length, was received with great applause. The other speakers were Provost Henderson, of Pais ley ; Rev. Mr. M'Dougall, of Kilmarnock ; Mr. Mason, of Paisley ; and Mr. Samuel Bennett, City Missionary, Glasgow.—The meeting adjourned at ten o'clock. COURT CIRCULAR. Their Royal Highnesses the Duchess of Cambridge and the Princess Augusta of Cambridge, attended by Lady Augusta Somerset, arrived in town on Wednesday even ing from Kew. Their Royal Highnesses, honoured Co vent-garden Theatre with their presence, and afterwards returned to Kew. The Agent for Jamaica had an interview with Lord Stanley yesterday, at the Colonial-office, Downing-street The Earl of Haddington had an interview with Sir R. Peel yesterday. MEETING OF PARLIAMENT. The following is a copy of the Circular addressed to the Conservative Members : Whitehall, Jan. 3, 1842. " Sts--The meeting of Parliament being fixed for Thursday, the 3d of February, I. tike the liberty of in forming you that public business of importance will be immediately proceeded with. " Permit me to hope that it may be consistent with your convenience to give your attendance in the House of Commons on that day. " I have the honour to be, Sir, your most faithful and obedient servant, " ROBERT, PEEL:' SPORTING INTELLIGENCE. TATTERSALL'S—YESTERDAY. THE DERBY.—The only bets Mid were 1,000 to 25 agst air., G. Clark's Meteor, 1,000 to 25 agst Lord West minster's Auckland, 2,000 to 40 agst Lord Chesterfield's Joanna colt, and 2,500 to 50 agst Mr. Pettit's Espartero. No others mentioned. THE FRENCH COMPANY IN LONDON. Mr. Mitchell, of whom it was lately announced that he was busily engaged on the Continent, in enrolling a company for the French plays, which are to be per formed at the Prince's Theatre, King-street, St. James's, has now made known the result of his exertions in a neat little prospectus. In the list of artistes which it sets forth as having been engaged by Mr. Mitchell are several of the most distinguished names that adorn the stage of our neighbours. The chief names are—Mademoiselle Dejttzet, Made moiselle Plessy, Mademoiselle Forgeot, M. Bouffe, M. Cartigny, M. Perlet. The first of these has never before appeared in London, although few hare not heard of, if not seen, the finished and original actress of the Palais Royal, so distinguished for her exquisite naivete and dry humour. One of the pieces in her repertoire is Les Premieres- Armes de Richelieu—a piece which is known to us under the title of Foreign Affairs; and indeed many of eur soi-disant dramatic authors, thanks to Mr. Mitchell, will hare the pleasure of seeing the otioinals of their productions. Mademoiselle Plessy, from the Francais, has already visited us; she is the successor of Mademoiselle Mars, in whose parts no other actress has succeeded without suffering from the comparison. Iler handsome and expressive physiognomy, together with her graceful and imposing presence, lend themselves equally to the expression of tenderness or coquetry. The Directrice of the company is Mademoi selle Forp eot, a very pretty and interesting vaudeville actress. 71)to name will be read with more anticipated de light by the lovers of French plays than that of Bouffe, in every respect most accomplished, imbued with all the humour of a Potier. Of Cartigny, a solid old actor from the Froacais, and Perlet, we need say but little, as they are well known in this country. This engagement is re presented to be his (Perlet's) final one, ere he retires from the stage, and with him the season will commenee. The first bill will be the Bourgeoise Gentilhomme and CArnbasstadeur. NAVAL INTELLIGENCE. PORTISMOUTH, JAN. 12.—John Bates, Esq., Master, RN., azd Secretary to the Royal Yacht Squadron, is in vited to give his professional aid in piloting the King of Prussia. to England. He is an officer possessing a tho rough pr actical knowledge of the North Sea. A Sele ct Committee of Naval Officers is now sitting in London, of which Admiral Sir Byam Martin, G.C.8., is President, to determine on certain sn:gestions relative to the pu rsors of the Navy. Extensive changes are said to be in: 'contemplation by the Admiralty as to the emo luments. and designation of this class of officers. The title of Commissary is likely to be%ubstituted, and a fixed salary, instead of the present allowances. Ord, ors have been received at Chatham to expedite the Formi. fable, 84, and at Sheerness for the Alfred, 50, to proceed to Spithead immediately. The former will join the sqv tadron to proceed to Ostend for the King of Prus sia, acc:ompanied by the frigates Vindictive and War spite, a .nd the Firebrand steam-yacht. They are to be ready Tpy the 15th instant. The Winchester, 50, Captain Carter, and Racer, 16, Commander Harvey, are on their way home from the West Indies, to be paid off. The former will go to Chathiai, and dm latter to Plymouth. Tha ,steamer Rhadamanthus, Mr. Laen, master, is daily 100 ked for from Woolwich, on her way to Gibraltar with nay al and military stores, and a detachment of sap pers and miners for the garrison. The l Cambrian, 36, Captain Chads, C. 8., with Loisd Ellenbot rough, Governor-General of India, on board, ar rived ea, Teneriffe on the 22d November, according to letters received in this neighbourhood. The, Conway, 26, Captain Bethune, is in the harbour, from China and the East Indies, having brought home upwards of two millions and a half of dollars. Several invalidef I officers and seamen came passengers, and the ship wil 1 haul down the pendant on Friday. The . ..Lynx, 3, Lieutenant Burslem, is to go to the West It Idia station from Lisbon, to follow the Heroine, 10, Lim itenant Stewart. The. Volage, 26, Captain Sir W. Dickson, Bart., has sailed far Barbadoes and Jamaica, with despatches for Vice—Admiral Sir Charles Adam, Commander-in-Chief. Thm .America, 50, similar to the Warspite, is ordered to be. - prepared for commission at Plymouth, and the Ear, - te, .50, at Chatham. The Clueen, 110, Hag-ship of Sir Edward Owen, is at Spitheac 1, daily adding to her complement ; but it is not expect e, .1 that she will sail for the Mediterranean before the earl y part of February. The . Powerful, 84, i 5 to be docked forthwith for re eoramist ;lolling. Several of her crew have volunteered for ship sin the river. Ths.*Carysfort, 26, Captain Lord George Paulet, is in the b as in, getting on with her equipment for foreign servie c, • Tho President, 50, Captain Broughton, according to letters. of the 12th October, is expected to be in Eng land, with Rear-Admiral Ross, in the early part of Marc h.. Rear-Admiral Thomas had not reached Valpa raiso at that date. At Sp!lthead—Queen, 110 ; Warspite, 50. In Ha rbonr—St. Vincent, Victory, Excellent, Royal George yacht, Vindictive, Carysfort, Conway, Rapid, Nautilus, and Echo steamer.—Brighton Gazette. . , We hear that, among other things which are in conte%np lation at the Post-office, it is intended that all letters p: repaid by money, not by stamps, shall be charged double F postage. The object of this change is to diminish, if not I entirety suppress, accounts between the Post masters and the General Post-office.—Brighten Gazette. We hear that Mr. G. Finch will probably be the new Le rd Lieutenant of Rntlandshire, which office is now vacant; by the removal of the Alarquis of Exeter to Nort'aa. mptonshire.—Brighten Gazette. MU RDEROUS A/TRAT AT CROYDON.— Th.e tav 711 of Croydon has been thrown into a state of great ex citement in consequence of the life of one of the engine-4 lrivers, in the employ of the London and Croydon J Company, named Thomas Archer, having been ' nearly sacrificed to the passionate violence of another driver.. mimed Robert Jobson, in the employ of the same comp se The two - men were engaged on the engines attaeb:o4 to the trains running from the slip at New Cross to Croydon. Some disagreement took place about their c ut vines, and a scuffle ensued, when Jobson getting Archer to the bar of the engine, forced him back, and, grasie ig a heavy hammer, struck him several blows on the for eh ead, inflicting severe contusions, and the unfor tunate oat to was carried into a building, called the watch house, ad joining the terminus, in apparently a dying condition . Jobson, on Tuesday night underwent an ex with:tat:fa i at the house of the County Magistrates. Wm. dal bb, an assistant at the coal wharf of the termi nus at Cit oydon, and two other witnesses, gave evidence corrobor Ative of the particulars as above stated. It was stated Is 3 the surgeon that the condition of Archer would r to t admit of any depositions being taken, as any exeitsm at might prove fatal. He still lies in the place to whio ix he was first taken, the surgeons having directed that he . should not be removed. Upen being visited yestere ety by Mr. Gregory, 1i 3 pector Collier, and two other • per sons, he uttered t ) out six words, and then faintec L Jobson was admitted to bail by the Magis trate, ttiti Iself in 1001, and two sureties in 50/. each. ROYAL CHRISTENINGS. (FROM A CORRESPONDENT.) " What is this, That rises like the issue of a king,. And wears upon his baby-brow the round And top of sovereignty ?"—Macbeth. The approaching ceremony of the Christening of the Infant Prince of Wales being the all engrossing topic of conversation, and as such auspicious events do not frequently occur, it may not be uninteresting to many of your numerous readers, if I give a brief - detail of a Royal Christening that took place in the northern part of this island ; and, in many respects, as inter esting and important, as the forthcoming one. I mean the Christening of the infant Prince JaMes the Sixth, of the unfortunate Stuart race. On the 19th June, 1569, in a small room on the ground-floor, in the south-east corner of the Castle of Edinburgh, the unhappy Mary, Queen of Scots, was delivered of a Prince, in whose per son the crowns of both kingdoms were afterwards happily united.. ‘,‘ Uniting into one, both Crowns he claims, And then, conjunctively, Great Britain names?' The ceremony of christening the .young Prince was performed with all possible splendour. To meet - the extraordinary expenditure occasioned by entertaining so many Ambassadors as were assembled at the - Ceremony, the Queen levied an assessment of twelve thousand pounds. It was managed thus:--The Privy Council called a meeting, both of the Lords Spiritual and Tempo ral, and of the representatives of the burghs, and informed them that some of the greatest Princes in Christendom, had requested permission . to witness, through their Ambassadors, the baptism of the Prince. It was therefore moved, and unanimously carried, that their Majesties should be allowed to levy a tax for " the honourable expenses requisite." Still Mary 'was placed in great difficulty on the occasion, with regard to her own feelings and the innovations of the Reformers, now esta blishsd as the National Church of Scotland. This was natural enough, but it may perhap?..be by sonic considered that she went a step beyond the bounds of prudence, by inviting the Pope's Nuncio to be present, as she must have been aware that it would only excite the ire of a great majority of her own subjects, and of the English Ambassador, the Earl of Bedford, who had been specially deputed by Elizabeth on the occasion, how much soever it might have pleased the Catholic Ambassador of France and Savoy. Mary, however, perceived all the evil consequences of the Nuncio's pre sence, in sufficient time to countermand the in vitation, and prevent his untoward arrival. The baptismal ceremony was performed according to the rites of the Romish Church, within her own chapel, which neither the Earl of Bedford or any Protestant Lords entered. De Brienne, the French Ambassador Extraordinary, carried the Prince between two rows of nobility and oentry, to the chapel, where, at the door, the Archbi shop of St. Andrew's, assisted by the Bishops •of Dunblane,i Dunkeld, and Ross, received the infant. The Countess of Argyle. held the child at the font, and the Archbishop baptised him by the name of " Charles James, James Charles, Prince and Steward of Scotland, Duke of Rothsay, Earl of Carrick, Lord of the Isles, and Baron of Renfrew," and these names and titles were proclaimed .three times by heralds, with sound of trumpet. It was the Queen's pleasure that he should bear the name of James (after his father), together with Charles, after the King of France. Among the various presents that were made on this occasion, the Earl of Bedford brought from Elizabeth a pre sent of a magnificent font of pure gold, curiously wrought, and valued at 3,000 crowns. In her in structions to Bedford, she desired him to say, jo cularly, that it had been made as soon as she heard of the Prince's birth, and that it was large enough then, but that, as he had now, she sup posed, outgrown it, it might be kept for the next child. Along with the English Ambassador came Robert Cary, (afterwards created by this very Prince, Lord Falkland), and many of Elizabeth's gallant cavaliers, on whom Mary made a most favourable impression, as indeed she did on all who were admitted to the honour of her society. A succession of masques and banquets followed, but in none did Darnley, her consort, take a part. Subsequent events will inform the reader why lie took no share in them. Elizabeth was not wrong in supposing that her font had grown too small for the infant Prince. .He was a remarkably stout and healthy child, and " made his gossips feel his weight in their arms." Miry was very proud of her son, and from his . earliest infancy the establishment of his household was on the most princely scale. The Lady Mar was his governess; Margaret Little, the spouse of Alexander Gray, burgess of Edin burgh, ,was his " head-dresser," and for her .good services there was granted to her and her husband part of the lands of the King's-barns, in Fife, during their lives: the chief nurse had four or five women under her, " keeping,of the Prince's clothes," &c.; five ladies of distinction were appointed to the honourable office of " rockers" of the Prince's cradle. At the same early age the child had a master cook, a.fore man, and three other servants. He had three " chalmer-chields," one " furnisher of coals," and one pastry-cook. Five musicians completed the number of his household. Such was the christening of James Stuart, afterwards King of Great Britain. CORN-LAW PROTESTANTISM. TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN. SlR—The author, of a keen and trenchant " octavo of four pages," entitled A Letter to Esq., by a Member of the Wilbraham Arti.eorrii it Egerton, lvL eagu has forwarded to me as pabulum for our correspondence, a Letter to the same quarter in reply, which he 'informs me, I imagine upon public notoriety or report, is the production of a reverend orator of " over good Protestant" celebrity. As the reverend orator, about the period of the late elections, was- pleased to pick me out for less of marked civility than it would be my desire to bestow on an individual of opposite political opinions, there appears no powerful reason ,why anything like a self-denying ordi nance should be passed on the present occasion. And first, I feel taken with a fit of Protest antism, which forces tne to protest against a writer's signing himself "An incessant, labo rious, and withal a happily contented OPERA TIVE, in my lawful calling," ifthe fact is, that he is a vigorous ecclesiastic looking perhaps to lawn sleeves. Without contesting whether this was meant to deceive, it does deceive. Before being introduced to the reality, I had met with well-gleaning citizens, whose minds were racked with the idea that a letter of dreadful import had been written to Sir Wilbraham, which had caused the dumb to speak in the person of an operative torn by imperious patriotism from his loom. And small in comparison would probably have been the alarm, if the reverend person in ques tion had been known to be the trumpeter. The objector the reply, so far as it is compressi ble, appears to, be to confound bad laws and no laws, and make the first to pass under-the - terror of the other. "Tom, and Dick, and Harry," are lectured on the dreadful consequences of having no laws at all; and then they are expected to go home, and be heard praying for the preservation of the squires and the eorri-laws. Harry is touched also on the subject of his wife; in the hope that in some way he will identify her with a tax upon his bread. Law, we are assured, in volves Order; and the Infidel and the Anti-Corn law League desire Equality. From which it is presented to the Working Classes as a neces sary corollary, that the squires should have a duty on foreign corn to keep it out, and not the industrious classes have a bounty to bring it in. The French Revolution is referred to, both by the first letter-writer arid the second. By the first, as holding out a lesson to those who per severingly oppress; and by the second, to those whom any possible oppression shall drive into resistance. Certain unknown horrors to the wives and daughters of the French, over which " history draws a veil in trembling agony," are mainly relied on for the interest of the tragedy. Is not the real fact, that the ultimate conse quences of the Revolution, through many suf ferings, have been to raise the French people in the scale of comfort and happiness, to an extent of which the less is said the better, in countries where the power of the church and aristocracy is yet unchecked? If the Anti-Corn-law League have no "metal more attractive," they could not do better than publish both sides of the correspondence with which the lord of Tattoli Park has, malgre lui, been favoured. Yours very sincerely, T. PERRONET THOMPSON. Blackheath, Jan. 13, 1842. EXTENSIVE ROESERIE S OF W ATCHES, JEWELLERY, &C.—Wednesday information was received at the various s t a tion-houses of the Met ropo li tan and City Police, that on the night of Sunday last the pre mises of Mr. Thomas Wilson, silversmith, Hall-street, Spalding, Lincolnshire, was broken open, and robbed of thirty-six valuable silver watches, and three dozen of gold wedding rings. MR. JUSTICE BOSANQUET.—The Learned Judge, as we s t a t e d yesterday, has sent in hi s resig nation ; but as th e u sual forms on such occasi ons h ave not yet been gone through, no successor to his Lordship, as one of the judges of the Common Pleas, has at pre sent been appointed. :OYAL SURREY THEATRE. UNDER THE MANAGEMENT OF MR. DAVIDGE AND MR. WILLIS JONES. Upwards of 30,000 persons have witnessed the Pantomime at this Theatre, pronounced the beat of the Season. THIS EVENING, JAN. 14 Will be actedalsi;wlomestic Drama, entitled MADAME LAFFARGE, from Memoirs written by Herself; supported by the entire Company. After which, a Nautical Burletta, entitled JACK JUNK or, a SEAMAN'S FIRESIDE.—Jack Junk, with Two Songs Mr. Walton. _ To conclude with a Grand Christmas Pantomime, entitled HARLEQUIN AND THE ICE QUEEN; OR, JACK FROST AND KING SHAM.—With gorgeous and charac teristic Scenery, splendid Properties, ludicrous and Quaint Dresses, ingenious 'Tricks, magnificent Panorama by limn thug, &c. Hailequin, M. Huline ; Patch, M. Rochet ; Pan taloon, M. Lehman ; Flip, Signor Feliz Carlo ; Clown, Mr. Buckingham ; Columbine, Miss Sharpe. Private and Public Boxes can be had of Messrs. Sams, Ebers, Mitchell, Andrews, and Seguin, during the run of this pepu lar Pantomime. Just ready, in 3 vols. post 6v0., Ii A O R , T A " HE KOORD KISHACHPIEF.I4 A N; A ROMANCE of PERSIA and KOORDISTAN. By the Hon. CHARLES STUART SAVILLE. Richard Bentley, New Burlington-street. Now ready, in 2 vols. small Bve., with Portraits of Admiral Stopford and Commodore Napier, and other Illustrations, Trice 21s. bound, NARRATIVE OF THE LATE _ L:iIXPEDITION TO SYRIA, under the Command of Admiral Sir ROBERT STOP FORD, G. C. 8., &e. ; comprising an Account of the Capture of Gebail, Tripoli, and Tyre ; the Storming of Sidon, Battle of Calat Meidan, Bombardment and Capture of Saint Jean d'Aere, &c. By W. P. HUNTER, Esq. 4. A most interesting narrative of the events of the late cam paign in Syria. Few men could have been placed in a more advantageous position to beeome the narrator of what he saw than Mr. Hunter. and the pages before us afford ample testi mony that he availed himself of his opportunities.;His work forms a valuable account of some of the most interesting and important events of recent times."—Morning Chronicle. Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street. - THEATRE ROYAL, DRURY-LANE. THIS EVENING, JAN. 14, Will be performed the Play of THE TWO GENTLEMEN OF VERONA.—Duke •of Milan, Mr. Phelps ; Valentine, Mr. Macread7 ' • Proteus, Mr Anderson ; Thurio, Mr. Comp ton ; Launce, Mr. Keeley : Julia, Miss Fortescue ; Silvia, Miss Ellis ; Lucetta, Miss Turpin. After which will be repeated the New Christmas Pantomime, caned HARLEQUIN AND DUKE HUMPHREY'S DIN NER ; OR, JACK CADE, THE LORI) OF LONDON STONE. _ . Doors to be opened at Half• past Six, and the Performance to begin at Seven o'clock. Boxes 55., Second Price, Z. 6d. Pit 35., Second Price 23. Lower Gallery Is. 6d., Second Pr ce Is. Upper Gallery Is., Second Price 6d. THEATRE ROYAL, COVENT-UARDEs. UN:)ER the MANAGEMENT of MADAME VESTRI , . THIS EVENING, JAN. 14, Will be revived Mrs. Inchbald's Comedy of WIVES AS THEY WERE AND MAIDS AS THEY ARE.—Lord Priory, Mr. W. Farren ; Sir William Dorillon ' Mr. Cooper ; Sir George Evelyn, Mr. G. Vandenhoff ; Mr. Bronzely, Mr. Charles Mathews; Miss Dorrillon, Mrs. Nisbett ; Lady Mary Raffle, Mrs. Glover ; Lady Priory, Miss Faucit. After which will be repeated the New Grand Christmas Pantomime, entitled GUY EARL OF WARWICK ; OR, tIARLEQUIN AND THE DUN COW. Doors to to opened at half-past Six—the performances n commence at Seven. Dress Boxes, 7s. ; Second Price, 3s. 6d., First and Second Circles, ss. ; Second Price, 2s. 6d. ; Pit, 35.: Second Price- 25.; Gallery, Is. Tickets and places for the Boxes to be taken of Mr. Grogan at the Box-office, from Ter till Four, where Season Tickets may be had upon application. Private Boxes to be had solely of Mr. Andress, bookselle., t 7. New Bond-street. To-morrow, first time in this country, Elenil Überti, with the Pantomime. ROYAL VICTORIA THEATRE. UNDER THE DIRECTION OF MR. OSBALDISTON. Enormous success, and Second Grand Juvenile Week, in con sequence of the thousands of Children that have witnessed the performance of the Pantomime as Second Piece ; and First Week of "The Story of Geraldine !" THIS EVENING, JAN. 14, Will be performed, a New Domestic Drama, in Three Acts, entitled THE STORY OF GERALDINE ; OR, THE TWIN ORPHANS OF ST. PRE.—Henri, Mr. E. F. Sa ville ; Huntingdon, Mr. Dale ; Claud, Mr. Seaman ; Jemmy Cottle, Mr. Gardner ; Davy, Mr. Paul; Geraldine, Miss Vin cent, the acknowledged Heroine of Domestic Drama. After which, a New Grand Romantic Aerial Comic Pan.: tornime, entitled HARLEQUIN PETER WILKINS; OR, THE KING OF THE AIR. AND THE FLYING IN DIANS.--With new and extensive Scenery, Dresses, Decora tions, Tricks, Transformations, and Effects—A new Nautical Panorama, to be entitled " Our Native Sea-girt Isle 1" con sisting of Maritime Views along the Coast of England. Also, a new Grand Dissolving Diorama. by Childe, the Great Illu sionist ' - and the Opening of the Pantomime supported by the Comic Talent of this—the Popular Theatre of London. To conclude with THE ILLUSTRIOUS STRANGER.— Bowbcll, Mr. Gardner ; Gimbo, Mr. Howard; Aboulifan, Mr. James ; Irza, Mrs. Lee. Boxes, 2s.—rit, is.—Gallery, Eid.—Half-priee to the - Boxes only, at. Half-past Eight. NEW STRAND THEATRE OPEN EVERY EVENING. Combined Talent—Crowded Houses—Enraptured Audiences Those who wish to obtain comfortable seats to witness the extraordinary wonders accomplished at this neat little Theatre must not delay until a late period of the evening ; numbers during the past week have been unable to gain admittance. JACOBS !—MAGICIA N JACOBS ! has once more made his fame resound throughout the Metropolis. All Wizards and Magicians who have preceded this great Professor of the Ne cromantic Art may now hide their diminished heads, and re. turn to that oblivion from whence they came. His Ventrilo quism is astonishing : he imitates the voices of twelve persons, to the surprise of everybody. The following performances are also added :—Mons. ROUSSEAU, the FRENCH EQUILI BRIST ; the PATAGONIA N WONDERS, the DISSOLV ING PORTRAITS, and Mr. J. SCATES on WHEAT STONE'S PATENT CONCERTINA. Doors open at Half-past Six, commence at Seven. Boxes. 2s. 6d. ; Children, Is. 64. Pit, Is. 6d. ; Children, Is. Gal lery, 6tl. Clore Ten Minutes to Eleven. THE RAILWAY SUN IS NOW RE-PUBLISHING, PRICE SIXPENCE. THE CHINA SUN AND THE PARLIAMENTARY SUN ARE STILL ON SALE, PRICE SIXPENCE EACH. Sun Office, Jan. 14, 1842. THE WEATHER.—Noox, JANUARY 13. ROYAL GALLERY OP SCIENCE, ADELAIDE-STREET Thermometer... 30 ) Highest 4l ) Lowest 2B Barometer 29.70.—Wind S.E.—Freezing Point 22 Deg. HIGH WATER AT LONDON BRIDGE THIS DAY. Morning. 29 minutes after 3 Evening ... 44 minutes after 3 LONDON: FRIDAY, JANUARY 14, 1842. When Lord PALMERSTON said, that " a mer chantman could not exempt himself from being searched by merely hoisting a piece of bunting with the United States' emblems and colours upon it," he at once insulted a vain and powerful people, and ran counter to all the acknowledged codes of maritime law. Indeed, he admits, in the same sentence, that " British cruisers are not entitled, in time of peace, to search mer chant vessels sailing under the American flag;" but he insists on the right of Great Britain to ascertain by search whether a vessel is entitled or not to hoist the American flag. This claim is aper fectly new one, now made for the first time by the British Government; and as even those Journa lists who follow Lord PALMERSTON'S lead begin to express great anxiety lest that claim should lead to war, it is incumbent on them to examine its foundations, and see that they be laid in usage as well as justice. It may, in some cases, be true that the Ame rican flag is " nothing more than a bit of bunt ing hoisted in fraud to cover villainy," but in many 'other cases it is not so, and there is no means by which a naval officer can be quite sure, even after boarding a ship, much less be fore he has brought her to, whether that bit of bunting conceals a villain or designates a true man. In the great majority of cases—for there cannot be as many vessels which falsely as truly hoist the American flag—the bit of bunting will designate a true man, and, to stop him on the high seas is contrary to the law of nations. To act on Lord PALMERSTON'S rule must of necessity, therefore, make us, in our anxiety to catch the villains, injure and insult, in the majority of cases, the true American mer chantman. That will not be borne in America ; and we conclude that there is, as the Globe says, no way of avoiding war but to recede from the position taken up by Lords ABERDEEN and PALMERSTON. _ Even on the coast of Africa bona fide Arne rican vessels carry on a good deal of trade. Why are they to be interrupted by our cruisers? The Times is devoting a series of articles to the review of a pamphlet with the startlingly ludicrous title of " The Reign of Terror in Car low," evidently for the purpose of preparing the way for the revival of Lord STANLEY'S Registra tion Bill, and for a series of Crown prosecutions, in order to bring grist to the mills of the Crown lawyers in Ireland. The Times recounts the fabricated horrors of the pamphlet with as well feigned surprise as if our Contemporary never suspected them of being filched from his own high-spiced . columns. Now, why so much self denial? Wherefore should the Times not be alloWed to look back with real surprise upon the audacity of the fabricated Irish horrors to be found in its columns ? With regard to the state ments propounded by the Orange Pamphleteer, the Times says :—" If but one tithe of them can be substantiated, not an hour should be lost in giving a lesson of criminal law to the .mutinous priests and murderous. laymen, who blew the blast for the gatherings [in Carlow] of last June and July."" Is not this as true of the' statements . which appeared daily in the Times fOr' tWe , last two years as of any contained in the pamphlet ? If but a tithe of them were true, what Govern-: ment could refuse to 'prosecute the " surpliCed ruffians" whom the Times ,eharitably recom mends for Tory induction in the subjective part of the science of criminal laW? 'We begin to suspect the Toryism of the Times.' A, traitor is generally known among conspirators by ; ,the headlong desperation of his counsels, and the seeming superabundance of his zeal for the pro motion of the common cause ; and the very ear nestness with which the, Times labours to drive the Tory barque upon the quicksands of Irish politics ought to awaken the suspicions of Minis ters as to the real designs of that unscrupulous, veathercock4ournal. They cannot be too much la their guard. Were they to run aground to morrow, the Times would be among the first, not o desert them only. but to load them with the foulest abuse. The Latin proverb says, that it is Nell to be taught by an enemy; and whether or lot the Tory Cabinet regard The ,Sun in that fight, more true statesmanship will be shown in mending to our suggestions on this occasion than in following the Will-o'-the ! Wisp guidance )t the Times. On Tuesday the Corn-laW Conference assent - )led at Edinburgh, and a much abridged report ,f its proceedings will be found in another part ,f The Sun. We shall convey to our readers an adequate idea of the importance of the meeting, by copying from a provinfzial Contemporary an Account of the means which was taken to collect the meeting:— Printed queries, drawn up in the plainest phraseology which would suffice to elicit an unbiassed opinion, were sent, early in December, to every Dissenting clergyman in Scotland—Presbyterian, Independent, Catholic, Epis copal, and Methodist, so far as known. Theii were asked to state whether their own opinions, and the opi aions of their congregations, were or were not in favour of a free trade in corn: and the abolition of the present system of restrictions. A desire was also expressed hat, where the situation of the parties permitted it, the clergyman, with one or two members of the congrega tion, or either of them singl.:y, should attend the meeting. The number of circulars des patched was 976, of which a few went to congregations ix t the north of England, and they are thus classified : To the Ministers of the Secession, Relief, Independent, and Baptist Churches, 670 circulars were sent, and 494 answers were received. "It appears that 459 of these ministers express de cided opinions in favour or the total repeal of the Corn and Provision-laws, and the: establishment of an entirely free trade in corn ; about twelve are in favour either of a :mall fixed duty, or gradual abolition; and the remaining thirty-three do not answer this question. It is not a little remarkable, that not one minister out of the 494 expresses an opinion in favour of the present Corn-laws. With re gard to the opinions of the people, 431 of the ministers state that their congregations are nearly unanimous in approving of the total abolition of the Corn and Provi sion-laws and free trade ; arid only three state that their people are not nearly unaniraous. Of the remaining 60, about 15 state that _their people are either in favour of gradual abolition or of a fixed duty ; and the others omit to answer the question. Not one minister states that a majority of his congregation approves of these laws." There were 90 circulars sent to the Episcopalians, 85 to the Roman Catholics,. and 21 to the Wesleyan Me thodists. The general import of the answers was, that these bodies declined taking part in the proposed meet ing. The answers from the Roman Catholics generally stated, in very decided terms, that they and their people were strongly opposed to the Corn and Provision-laws, and in favour of free trade. The number of ministers and members who promised to attend was 712, from the following bodies :—Seces sion, 384 ; Relief, 130 ; Independent, 110 ; Baptist, 52 ; Smaller Sects, 36.—Total, 712. It would not be easy to find in Scotland a class of men who have equal means with the Dissenting Clergy of knowing the condition and sentiments of the great body of the people. In they we have an order of men pos sessing adequate intellig nice and excellent means of in formation, and whose int erests are identical with those of the great body of the people. Their congregations are almost entirely drawn from the more sober and con siderate part of the working: classes, and the class imme diately above them, consist ing of master-tradesmen, and retail s hopkeepers, with. a few small farmers ; they mingle with them daily, have an intimate knowledge of their modes of thinking ; they see the effect of the Corn-laws upon their means of living and comforts ; and if they are under any bias, it is one which leads them to follow the opinions of their flocks. Now that the read.er is acquainted with the character of the gen tlemen who compose the Conference, and the iaterests they represent, we beg him earnestly and *seriously to read the frag ments of their harangues, which we have pre served. Let him carefully mark the stern and solemn language used by these religious men, indicating in them that Covenanter spirit which overthrew thrones, and almost extirpated churches, to denounce the Corn-laws as a national sin—a great iniquity —a rebellion against GOD. Let him carefully lxxark, too, the language of despair which thes e m i n i sters sa y is used by the working 'classes, who only will not join the Anti- Corn-law movement} b ecaus e they have gone beyond it, and hxe become alienated from all Suppose one of them has started from Cape Coast our institutions. Scotchmen must have ml 1 Castle,with a cargo Of palm-t;il, elephants' teeth, changed their character if words be not Nvi" and gold-dust, for Nantucket; and suppose she is them most important things, and if they be, le t seen by one of her MAJESTY'S cruisers at a great the reader seriously reflect, whether such gl en distance, suspected to be a slaver, and pursued. , will long submit to be starved by a great 1 13.. Suppose the Yankee has a fair wind, and stea- tional sin, to sustain for a few year's longer th e dily pursues his course ; the cruiser may have doomed, the bankrupt, and worthless aristocracy to run a great distance, for a stern-chase is aof Ireland and England. There is, we repea t i, long chase, however great the superiority of for the tenth or twentieth time, great danger ° t sailing, before she overtakes the American. a commotion, which will prostrate in the du s f Conscious of no wrong, he will not stop be- all our institutions, even the present rig ht °f cause the other vessel chases him. He may property, should justice not be speedily done t ° think that she is a pirate, may crowd sail to the suffering and starving people. Having said so much to direct public atteat k : get out of her reach, and even refuse to n d / heave to till the cruiser's shots fall thick about to the general character of the meeting, a general indications, we must expressly direct thy him. All the time of the chase he may have dis attention of all Corn-law advocates to the aPP, e ,, c . b e played the American flag, but the English cruiser has been taught to disregard that as a of Mr. HOPE, a farmer of East Lothian.' 7 0 , ot° "bit of bunting," and she pursues the Yankee a pp rehend that he is a somewhat better a t he till she has compelled him to bring to. rity than my Lord WILLIAM RUSSELL, or Being brought to, the Yankee is then boarded; Editor of any London Journal, for the infili ence 6 and being in no pleasant humour at beim , de- of the abolition of the Corn-laws, particularlY is layed while he has a fair wind, receives the in- he gives the data on which his opinion i.tit founded ; and we learn with much pleasure, u truding officer with a great want of courtesy, i t bo without surprise, that he believes the cs , and blusters and vapours according to the wont of some ship captains. The boarding officer, lition would throw no land out of ealt l ,„, irritated in time by this want of courtesy, tion. We know that there are other I ", treats the Yankee with uncivil language, over- telligent agriculturists who take the say '° of this matter as Mr. HOPE, and rnajo l4 : et hauls his papers rudely, pretends to find sub- him, that competition is necessary t° jects of suspicion, opens Ica hold, examines his the English agriculturists out of very abov e cargo, sends the Yankee ptain on board the lie e ' and expensive habits of cultivation. We be ti a cruiser to explain to the English captain, and so too, that such opinions are gaining gr °u there is no little mutual annoyance. W The English captain may be vexed by having amongst intelligent men, and that a great I her aaree with him, that no clan of men Vot lw. been led far off the ground where he might pro- 1010 bably fall in with slavers, by the Yankee, and son much by the abolition of the Corn as the actual cultivators of the soil. may be as sharp and ill-tempered as the Yankee himself. There is a repetition of uncivil and insult ing language, and at length, after much irritation on both sides, the Yankee, after being detained and annoyed for several hours, is suffered to proceed on his voyage. Now, that such rencon tres with bona fide American vessels, under our new claim, will be frequent, we are morally certain; and they will excite so much irritation in the maritime population in America, that it will be as impossible for the PRESIDENT to pre serve the peace, as it was for Sir ROBERT WAL POLE, when Captain JENKINS appeared at the bar of the House of Commons exhibiting his ear, torn off by the Spanish guarda-costa, and declared that he relied on GOD and his country for redress. 'When it is ,proposed to revive a sort of Slave•trade for Trinidad, it is hardly worth while to go to war with America on the chance of preventing the Slave-trade, which may be carried on by the Brazilians and. Spaniards. We have received the very ( xtrAco dinar) telligence from Paris that Lord ABERDE' th e declared in favour of the claim set up hY bie French Ambassador at Madrid to e'e nt pr th e credentials to the young QUEENI-41It'l. not to . _ 5l REGENT, as the Spanish Constitution authoriscor and that the resignation of Mr. ASTON, our 3. c e bassador at Madrid, may in conseque's be hourly expected. Louis Pnii.irOY o appears, made a complete dupe o' i deaf Ambassador, Lord COWLEY, an d t he Lordship lost no time in prevailing uPon Noble Foreign Secretary to fall int o t V snare so adroitly laid for him by et` CITIZEN KING. Thus, by the force of ° stupidity, has our Government contrived t° , placed in the most offensive position respect to France. We had no lnisin e ` thi mix ourselves up in any way wit"' o of disputes of France and Spain about 3 of etiquette. Had circumstances, coMpel le ie d?' to interfere, it should only have been as l '" e io ators ; and above all, we should have 1: 011 , 1 i mind that Spain looked to us for suPlny o maintaining the inviolability of the Const itti te and the dignity of the REGENT. Tha t it ff ASTON will condescend to perform in yd' drid the part of an attachce of e td COWLEY'S Embassy is, not to be exP e ot ti and if the Government replace him by 3° Ambassador, it will be compelled to °ge t , ,0 cond insult to Spain, by taking prec is dc'' same ground with France as regards th e o f very of credentials. Altogether we Dee r e , with a more blundering, ill-considered P ie business. We have rece iNctl the whole of the 001 t v'. Papers. Their contents are not o f , political importance. The draft 01. 0, , Peers' answer. to the speech from the i i . , was read in the Chamber on Tuesday, Itij i ., , debate upon it was proceeding wi le ' mails left for London. The speaker!, ?,( , the Prince DE LA MOSKWA, son 49 ' o ft/ - slial isit'Ev, who denounced the'•Treati 4l' . 18th of July, and especiallY the allittoc'ol/ England ; and the Marquis DE B O ISSfI if only complaint against the Governm eil . t o il that it was not despotic enough. The 141- S only prosecuted the Press—M. DE iPos sl i, ' cl' crush it outright. The Noble Peer•next ]rite' the Spanish REGENT, whom he called g i a to cutioner,"- and who, he said, aspire° , t' , ' Throne expressions which M. GUI I % 0 pelled him to withdraw before descenaillV the tribune. From such a beginoitig, % l:o o' infer a rather interesting debate in the ij of Peers before the address is voted. PI The United Councils of Agricultur o w factures, and Commerce, met on 30 11 0 ? the discussion of the iron questidn. ft fo ci', other propositions which. were brough t el' was one for permitting Belgian iron t f) pi France, in competition with French iron/ i r construction of the great lines of railvittl i pif are . projected. On this occasion the system calculations were brought forward :—" t c l* syste of railroads now proposed to li e d: strutted in France is to extend to 40° oil; which will require 200,000 tons of wrongd. The constructing of these roads will ° Ce ti ti years, and therefore the annual consoT o olv iron, wrought and cast, will be only 07. v efj Belgium alon e can p ro d uce 200 , 000 te0:01, num ; and as the demand' in France T i° 1 11 1 " only 25,000, it results that Belgium, °l i e, the eighth part of what she produces, 1 0 C. pletely invade the French market, t° t e ol i r prejudice of French manufacturers. Se l oct‘,;' sons having pretended that French nuti lu fo tt"', were unable to furnish rails enough ~ oo h ' leagues per annum, it has been shov v "; of f other side, that from 1838 to the 31 ,, g t . 0 mouth, the. period at which the contril'ioii between the Companies. lately or eated,, e fe! principal manufactories expired, there 1 1 0 1 1 nished by the latter rails enough for 10 6 0 0 and this too with a fall of 20 per cent. i ii i of the iron." t 'o' j d . The Council-General of- Commerce, a 0"1.4y,i ting of Sunday, was engaged in the ° fl ew ' tion of the commercial treaty with YiVto: M. Ducos, Deputy, expressed a desir e ' 1 ' Government would, by every means il l l oc e, , favour the foreign commerce of Fi l lo oec enter into treaties, not with Belgiura t `ott P , with all the commercial and malt 1 0 :., States of the world. This propositionv i ' o . s t' supported by M. AR LES D UFOU R, De • 1 Lyons, and the members of the CO lll3 o f was opposed by M. Gouix,. BlinW tel. rolb ' • merce in the Cabinet of the Ist of 1 " -ii 1 a nd II , by M. BETHING DE LANCASTO , , 4 I ' (1,/, x ,, ' jetted, the votes being equallY.. divi de o',, and 13 against the proposition. T he i 0 ' voted a recommendation of a redact' 4 " pf postage of letters, but the majority , (:.„ The annnal increase in the number of Oldie the Rhine is a striking proof of the effect o .` I ts duction of more rapid means of communient i l;e ( the number of passengers on the Rhine ", ( 1 steamers was between 18,000 and 19,00 0 , thought considerable, but in 1839 the Wi n % 1151" creased to 487,020 ; in 1840 to 636,000; 9- of • has been estimated at 750,000. In the out" $ sent year there will be thirty-five s team Cov t 4 ,' Rhine, of which sixteen belong to the Coleee osji seven to the Company of the Netherlanns:o9r Dusseldorf Company, two to the Rhine un dl pany, two to the Company of the Aigle, Basle Company. ood, The number of passengers from Eng land ,.; at Ostend from the steam-packets in 1841 N" 1, the number of those who embarked, 5,38 5, c e In consequence of the treaty of eoran 3r ipt ° , 4 6 France and Holland, there were importen (VV. bourg, from 30th September last to the end c ' t y5l not less than 287,348 kilogramtnes (ahol l io dro" cotton, 49,265 bags of coffee, and 8, 031 Jo indigo. Do ,- It appears from a statement in the visitier„l that the materiel of the different Belgian 1 1 7 to moment consists of 122 locomotives, diligences, 179 char-a-banc, 235 waggon s i t : or 854 carriages for goods, and 202 wagg °ll " Ars of the roads, &c. o n a'AtiA "An instance of spontaneous combustl,oll,,,, says the Journal de Limbourg, "at Grottif t eti A I " Year's-day. A woman of 55, much ad"'" fi tb , a ing, having approached near fire, her Woe impregnated with alcohol, is supposed ib ternal ignition, and her body was found " w est' . li, The Marseilles papers state that t he oce• t (ltA k , usually cold and frosty in the south of Fr ri' to o i The funeral of the Archbishop of To l that city with great pomp, a few days ag'°' . of e S 0 and military authorities, the Arclibish o p, , t h the Bishops of Maus and Chalcedonium, " 01 1 e rou o , General, formed part of the cortege. 1 " c itsi ° , ments of troops were on duty upon this oc re pt l . 7 ,, The inhabitants of Toulon have been ga f e p el‘ by the following act of sacrilege corainitte ps ago. A man having learnt that two Pers eeo. 4i tt, • A ,ro 41 91 . 1 ! _„ 4! 4 ~oir4v4," " .60 .1.; 14 1 :e. k 4 • • ' D Z.!" - S. 44, 1 „ tlitt ,Atit4, MORNING SUN ;14I'l I)vj 1 4,,, 43i NEW HISTORICAL ROMANCE. Now ready at all the Libraries, in 3 vols., ANNE BOLEYN. AN HISTORICAL ROMANCE. By MRS. A. T. THOMSON. Author of " Memoirs of Henry VIII.," " Constance," Sc. Henry Colburn, Publisher, 13, Great Marlborough-street. I , _ 45 r _ 4 : 4 1%* Irt;