The Sun. — London, England, 1832-04-04 00:00:00

PIBIT OF THE PUBLIC JOURNALS A correspondent, under the signature of " R. whose letter is unfortunately too long, :o-- raigns, with just indignation, the attempt n bully down the King's prerogative of makiop Peers, which has for some time tigklalized th( constitutional industry of the l'oq faction. In deed, we have seldom read ''s heard of any thin s more offensive to the niind of an educated Eog lishman than the pretext by which this outrage upon the known prerogatives of the King 0 1 Englend is defendeci—vito that he has no right o temtrol the deiiherative will of either house of Parliament. What then ? Has the King no right t o di sso l ve t h e H ouse o f C ommons ? The proposition alluded to asserts that he has not ; for if he should at any time exercise that right, it may so happen—and in three cases out of four, it has actually so happened—that the prevailing will of the then existing House of Commons, has not been merely controlled, but severely rebuked, and intentionally super seded, by the Crown, which has, for the most part, grounded the dissolution on an express desire to destroy the influence of that House, as tompased at the time, upon the policy of the Government, an d th ere f ore e ff ectua ll y to inter fere with its deliberations, With respect to the Upper House of Parliament, the doctrine con tended for goes to no less extent than this,— that the King must riot, at any time, venture to create new Peers, because, at till times, an addi tion to the House of Lords must, of necessity, act as in some degree a control upon the votes of the pre-existing Peerage. If it be asserted that the Crown cannot control the deliberations of either House of Parliament, " for any object whatever," and if it be not designed to cover, un der such an allegation, the denial of all right whatever to make Peers, then it follows that, on every occasion on which Peers are made by virtue of the King's nominal prerogative, his Majesty is bound to select the new Lords from among those of his subjects who are pledged to the tenets of that faction which constitutes the previous majority. Parties may be so balanced in the House of Lords, that the addition of only two Peers may turn the minority of one into a majority of one ; and yet the Sovereign, wishing to call up to that House men distinguished by talents, services, or virtues, and without the least reference to any given question, must not dare to employ his power for fear the new Lords should oppose the will of a bare majority, and control it. The argument resorted to stops not short of that atrocious inference. Et has been stated, and undeniably, that an hereditary succes sion of Tory Ministers has for seventy .years been making enormous additions to the House of Lords, for no purpose under heaven but to strengthen the Tory interest, and to secure the success of that particular policy, of which it was the sole aim and object to destroy the freedom of Parliament. Yet with singular effrontery is it now asserted that the Crown cannot justly exert the same privilege for the restoration of popular rights, which had hitherto been so profusely drawn upon for their destruction! The crea tion of Peers is, it seems, a prerogative, lawful only when directed against the people : when enforced in favour of liberty, the Minister is guilty of high treason ! Will it be assumed that successive additions to the Peerage for the sup port of a long series of party measures carry their own justification along with them, but that a single creation, for the sake of a measure em bracing within itself an entire system of policy in its nature comprehensive, permanent, and fundamental, must be stigmatized an an abuse of the prerogative ? A contemporary journal has been instructed to say, that Peers will not he made until after the second reading:. The Minister who has taken upon himself such a delay, incurs a responsibility which, thank God, we share not with him. If he waits to be once beaten, on the score of being then enabled to exhibit a practical and proved necessity tOr an infusion of fresh blood into the peerage, he waits for a mischief which mav turn out to be irre trievable, except at a cost incalculably greater than that which he now shuns to encounter.— Times, Our readers will recollect the asseition of Lord Tenterden, in the debate of the 28th ult., sanctioned and supported by the authority of the Archbishop of Canterbury,—hoth, we be lieve (but certainly the former), distinguished for success in University competition,—that " no worse criterion could be selected of general competency, or fitness for the office of pastor, than the circumstance of a candidate's having obtained honours at the University." We re spect the above-named eminent persons most sincerely ; but still we are sure we speak the sense of all men connected with either University, when we say that we can see no grounds upon which an opinion thus damnatory of the systems of edu cation pursued at both Universities is founded ; for it will be observed that the major part of the students educated at the Universities is intended for the Church. If, therefore, the prizes are of a cha racter which has no reference to the future des tination of those who obtain them, they are ill . selected, and a change ought to take place. But we do not think that there is this discrepancy between the object sought and the means used fur attaining it, nor can we see why a first-class man or an high wrangler may not make an useful parish priest. The chief advantage, probably, which he will possess over the itinerant preacher ' or non-conformist minister, will be derived from his University education ; and academic honours, unless tarnished by an immoral life, will not be lost upon his hearers. Disappointment in pro fessional pursuits has plunged many a well instructed person in vicious courses ; and even the late Bishop Watson,— a man, it will be al lowed, of some strength of head,—says, in the Memoirs of his own life published by his son, that finding advancement was not given to learning under Pitt, he turned his thoughts to other pursuits. Our columns have t eeme d l ate l y w i t h cumulative pre ferments given on family or parliamentary in terests : let us know what has been done for claimants of another caste. Lord King moved that pluralities should only be assigned to men distinguish e d at t h e U n i versities. We will not go so far ; but let a motion be made for a return of the clergymen in every diocese above 32 years of age possessing only curacies, or benefices be low 3001. per annum, and who had previously obtained University distinction s as first-clasships, wranglerships, prize poems, medals, Sec., and then it will be clearly seen whether what has been called the working clergy are men of distinguished character for intellect ind attainment, who have been suffered to pine in want and obscurity, while high connexion and noble dulness hate been suffered to monopolize all the prizes of the profession.— Timm After the failure in Yorkshire and Lanca shire, and the display yesterday in Exeter Hall, we presume we shall not be much furth(r troubled with attempts to mislead the people on the subject of the Government system of educa- ' /Fiore in Ireland. It required, indeed, a large and of gullibility t o h e t h e , Inp6s of the oppo. tents of education in treiand who t oo k f or t h e i r notto, " tine whol e Bibl e ." W e l earn t h at, titer all the su mmonses to I re l an d, and c.ll tin riumphings, the number of gentlemen present iesides those on the platform, did not exceed 100, and that, including those on the platform, the number present did nOt exceed 200. The I meeting was a decided failure. The fanatical Lords, Parsons, &c. had it nearly all to them , :elves. After a twaddling speech from Lord Bexley, the Chairman, Mr. Shaw—the gentle inan who at the laat meeting announced to the astonished Saxons, that the Irish Protestants . were ready to rebel, if Government did not, to oblig e th em , Lome the nible on the Ca tholics—began 'oy lamenting the thinness of the meeting, to which cause we a'fe no doubt indebted for the more sobercharacter of his yesterday's ad dress. "At their last meeting," he said, " he . had offered proofs to their notice of the opposi- ' tion in Ireland to the new plan of the Govern ment. Since th.lnf, a protest against it—firm, but temper a t e —h a d b een made by eighteen of' the twenty-three Irish Bish-.Ts—(Cheers)—an example that had Ern followed by the Bishops of this country ; for, upon a recent division in the House of Lords upon this, not an English Bishop had voted against the Bible."—( Hear.) Only one English Bishop had refused to vote against the only plan by which it is possible to establish a National System of Education in Ireland ! It was, no doubt, the remembrance of the zeal of tflt , English Hierarchy on this and all forme; occasions, to prevent the education of the people, that led Earl Grey to bear testimony to the affection in which they were so deservedly held by the people of England. The object of the Meeting was stated by the Rev. Mr. Cun ningham, of Harrow, who entreated the Meeting to come liberally forward with their subscriptions, and informed them that 25,000/. per annum would he very acceptable to those who were about to tight the Bible-battle in Ireland. The Rev. Mr. Daly, one of the Irish Deputa tion, seeing there were but small hopes of extracting a sum of this magnitude from John Bull, lowered hi; demand to 15,000/. per annum. We would not have Mr. Daly to be over sanguine as to this sum. There is, indeed, no saying what a few rich individuals fanatically disposed may do ; but sure they are that the attempt to reach the pockets of the British public in ge neral will fail. In the House of Lords, Lord Montague took it upon him to contradict the Bishop of Chichester, who stated that he had been informed that in Scotland instruction in re ligion was generally left to the parents. We do not believe that Lord Montague ever was in a parish school in Scotland in his life, though he was ready to contradict the Bishop of Chiches ter. The Bishop is fully borne out by the fol lowing statement in the Scotsman of Saturday Fast : " The Irish children," says our Northern contemporary, under the proposed system, will receive a larger amount of teligious instruction than is dispensed at this moment to the youth of Scotland, where religion is suppo.ed to be in a more flourishing condition than in either of the sister kingdoms. Are the bigots and hypocrites who are raising the present outcry aware of this ? Do they know that h dh the Old and New Testament have ceased to be the school-books in this city ? We have made inquiry, and we know the fact en good authority. The Scriptures are still used, we grant, in a few schools, but these are exceptions to the general rule, certainly not forming a tithe of the whole. Even a book of extracts is but partially em ployed ; and nobody dreams of calling in the clergyman twice a week to complete the schoolmaster's task ! How is this? Are our people immoral ? Do our children grow op ignorant of religion ? No ; it is taught by fathers and mothers to their families, or by teaciaers in Sunday schools where the parents neglect their dtry ; and the seeds of virtue and piety are much more effectually sown in this way than by making a thousand chapters run through a child's mind, like water through a sieve. The middle classes of Edinburgh, a body of men as regular in their conduct and as truly pious as are to be found in the three kingdoms, are educated in this manrer. It will be flaws to us to bear that the blustering, higntted, intolerant Orangemen, who will not hear of any school-book but the whole Bible, are half as moral and exemplary in their lives. The mode of teaching is nearly the same in all the large towns of Scotland ; and even i❑ the country pa rishes, though the exceptions there are more numerous. Religion is not taught in our schools, and yet who says that Scotland is behind its neighbours in virtue and piety?" Our own recollections are quite in accordance with the above statement. In the part of Scot land with which we were acquainted, the Bible was only read in the schools in very remote mountainous districts, and that not from prefe rence, but because it was the only book which all could command. In nineteen out of twenty of the schools a Bible was never seen. Collections, as they were called, of extracts from the best English writers, in prose and verse, by Mason, Barry, &c., some of which had gone through nearly half a hundred editions, were universal. It never seemed to occur to any one that the parents would not themselves attend to the reli gious instruction of their children. We agree with the writer in the Scotsman, that— " The truth is, th it the Irish Episcopalians insist for the Bible as a class-book, not in the remotest degree from a love of the sacred volume, but solely as a means of driving the Catholics from the schools, and excluding them as far as possible from the benefits of education. Some thirty years ago the Church of England would ■ot hear of the Bib'e being put into the hands of young or old, without the Prayer-book as an accompaniment Its adherents have been beaten from this ground ; and now find that they can obstruct education as effectually in Ireland, by insisting for the whole Bible being used as s class-book—because the Bible so used must necessarily be the Protestant version, which the C ttholics will not read !"—Morning ( hronicle. As the day fixed for the second reading of the Reform Bill approaches, the anxiety of the people becomes fearfully intense. The general belief is, that it will be carried, though only by a small ma jority. One circumstance must strike the least attentive observer—the almost total cessation of petitions to the House of Lords. Their Lord ships will hardly, we think, draw from this the conclusion that the people are less anxious than they were last year for the measure. They may, however, draw another conclusion from it, which it is hardly necessary for us to state. The Council of the Edinburgh Political Union have, indeed, in their Address to the People of Scot land, distinctly stated, that they have " learned, by sad experience, the little effect which the petitions of the people produce upon the present House of Peers. They have no sympathy with the people—nothing but necessity will induce them to support a measure, the object of which is to overthrow a system which so many of them have a selfish interest in upholding." This is plain language. But with the second reading of the Bill, the cause of the people is far from be ing gained. The waverers, 1. e. those who love the system of governing by corruption, but would rather gain their object by fraud than too open an insult to the nation, will stir heaven and earth in the Committee, and afterwards, to deprive the Bill of its character of efficiency. They will strive so to mutilate the Bill as to allow a ma jority of the Representatives to be returned by those who have interests opposed to thei nterests of the people. If the balance is given to the enemies of the people, they conceive that corrup tion will succeed ere long in regaining what it has lost. We may be assured that the efforts of I these enemies of the people will be incessant and vigorous. The Lords are judging in their ow n cause ; and if the judges remain the same, we can be at no loss in anticipating the decision. There is but one course by which the decision of the House can be made to accord with the interests of the nation—a liberal creation of Peers identified in principles with the Reformers. 'Fill such a creation is announced, the people will do well not to be sanguine in their expecta• tions. Let them make up their minds to the consequences of a second rejection-, or, what is tantamount, such a mutilation of the measure as to render it utterly worthless. The Council of the Edinburgh Political Union appear to be prepared for the worst. " With the Ministry," they declare, " does the responsibility now lie. Let us continue our confidence in them, until they have proved themselves unworthy of it. But if they allow themselves to be defeated a second time, the people must re-assemble. Such a display of popular feeling and popular deter mination, must then be made, as will convince both Ministers and the House, that a resolute and united people are not to be trifled with." A heavy responsibility does, indeed, rest on Ministers, if, after exciting the hopes of this nation ; if after calling on the people to rally round their patriotic King, that by one grand simultaneous movement, the organical Reform, which had been so long the work of every sin cere lover of his country, might be effected without disorder and without bloodshed—if, after the people have so nobly responded to the summons of Ministers—the boon should be once more withheld from a fastidious regard for the feelings of the order to which the Premier himself belongs. We trust his Lordship is sufficiently sensible of the weight of his respon sibility—that he will shrink from none of the means which are necessary to the general end of efficient Reform. A nation ought not to be lightly invited by a Goverument to a par ticipation in the work of organical Re form. The problem on which Earl Grey entered, is one of tremendous difficulty. When did ever yet the possessors of political power in any country consent to be dispossessed of it without a struggle ? An abstract love of justice may influence individuals ; hut it is a weak illusion to suppose that bodies of men are ever influenced by other considerations than the dread of the masses of the nation retained by them in thraldom. He, then, who enters on the task of otganical Reform, without following it up by the adequate means at his command, is one of the weakest or most wicked of mortals. The masses of a nation cannot be agitated as England has been agitated without imminent peril to all that is valuable, should the nation be disappointed in its hopes. As to the ultimate. success of the measure, we never fir a mom e nt doubted it. No Government can ever hope to coerce this nation, if united in demanding any object. The soldiers never would forget that they are Englishmen —never, at the bidding of any Oligarchs, would they plunge their swords into the bosoms of their countrymen. But, good God what distress must ensue before things come to this pass. We stand on the edge of a precipice. It depends on Earl Grey whether we shall keep our footing, or be preci pitated into a gulf of revolutionary disorders and excesses.—Morning Chronicle. A meeting of the colonial and commercial interests, to consider the best means of protec tion against the ignorance and injustice of the Government, is appointed for to-morrow. This meeting, to which we made allusion yesterday, will be one of the most important that has oc curred since the period when merchants, bankers, and traders carried to the foot of the Throne resolutions declaratory of their determination to act promptly against a foreign foe. Merchants, bankers, and traders are now compelled to unite and act as in a common cause, not indeed against an enemy in an other land, but against a system adopted on the part of the servants of the Crown de structive of the b e st i n t erests o f th e empire; which breaks down the national spirit, blights the enterprise of her merchants, and renders property insecure in all departments of the state. The circumstances under which this meeting is called, the station of the individuals who have signed the advertisement for convening it, the number and respectability of those who have already announced their determination to attend it, are creating an interest that is duly appreciated by the friends and enemies of conservative prin ciples; the former hailing it as a declaration of the opinions of intelligent men, and the latter writhing under the anticipation of it as an event that of itself proves the want of confidence to wards Ministers on the part of the colonial and commercial bodies, And when, as must be the case in such an assemblage, collected for such a purpose, a free discussion takes place of all the trickery, jobbing, and igno rance, petty jealousies, party feeling, and gene ral mismanagement of the Government, it will lead to an exposure that no public servants were before subjected to, and will deprive them, not of the confidence of the great interests of the c,mntry, for that they have never possessed, but of the support of every individual in the three kingdoms not warped by the most violent poli tical predilections, who is capable of reflecting upon the circumstances that will be brought under consideration. The multiplied evils that now afflict the country can be surmounted only by property and intelligence and integrity, set ting themselves in array against the power of the mob, which, in consequence of the deference paid to it by those who ought to control it, in. sinuates itself into all the ramifications of the Government, and it as clearly perceived in the insurrection in Jamaica, and in the recent excite ment in the Crown Colonies, as in the insolence of Political Unionists, whether bearding the Home Secretary in his office, or riotin g in Fins bury-square on a day set apart f or nat i onal humi liation. It is not theimmediate object of the Meeting, important as that is, which excites so great a sensation ; it is the high principl e t h at it involves which produces the effect, for it brings in a close bond of union all the great interests of the State to declare their opinion of and point out a remedy for, if that be possible, the aggres sions committed by the most heartles s and inca pable Administration with which a great country was ever afflicted ; and which has nothing to offer to starving manufacturers, bankrupt colo nists, and embarrassed merchants, but a Bill for the oveethrow of the British Constitution.— Morning Post. It seems that 128 members o f t h e U niversity of Oxford have, in convocation assembled, agreed to petition the House of Lords against the Re form Bill. This they, no doubt, had a right to do ; though there are thoie, perhap s , who will think that they would hive been better em ployed in attending to the morals and education of the youth intrusted to their c are , t h an in thus becoming professors in a science whi c h, f rom this proof of their political wisdom, it is clear I they do not understand. At any rate they would have act e d more w i se ly h a d they adhc:ed ! to Falstaff's rule, and declined giving their . reasons, and, in effect, had adopted the well known distich of one of their own body— " I do not like thee, Dr. F e ll ; The reason why I cannot tell." The 128 persons who take upon themselves to speak in the name of the University of Oxford have, however, given us their reasons against the Reform Bill, and which may be summed up in this sentence—that it is " calculated to create a restless spirit of innovation, to destroy the balance • of power in our mixed form of Government, and to convert afirnz and reason ale course oflegislation into a succession of rash and dangerous experi ments." Now here we have not only a sweep ing condemnation of the new measure, but the apotheosis of the present system. Surely the very stocks and stones of Gatron and Old Sa rum must start into life at being pronounced by the sages of the University of Oxford part of a " firm and reasonable course of legislation." That the rotten-borough system has been " firm" enough must be well known to those who have been enjoying, or who may be looking to enjoy a share of the lay or Church patronage which it has dispensed ; but of its " reasonableness" it requires all the modest assurance of a seat of learning, so much, we should think, as to make mention. "Reasonable," indeed ! Never was reason so perverted as this, when that which the most ardent of its defenders has never ventured in theory to pronounce as reasonable, shall be, at the eleventh hour—now at the very point of its dissolution, so characterised by the teachers of reason to the rising generation. Ha ving set out with asserting, as we think we have proved, that these learned Thebans have given a sort of " ex-cathedra" opinion upon a subject which they do not at all understand, we are not entitled ourselves to turn round and attach any importance to that opinion. But there are, doubt less, those who do, or will affect to do so ; and we should not be at all surprised, in the course of the forthcoming debates in the Lords, to find a pompous reference made to this Oxford Anti- Reform petition. To persons who do, or are inclined to do this, we would simply reply, " read it ;'' and if there is a man, or woman, or child, who ever be'towed a thought upon the subject, who could be found to put together worse reasons against the measure than are there concocted, we should say that the latter ought to be whipped, and the former schooled into a more ra tional kind of argument. In short, of all the Anti-Reform productions, this seems at once the most jejune and imbecile. Coining at the end of long and tedious discussion, one might have supposed that, as the production of a learned body, it would have comprised the cream of the whole argument—instead of which it is mere milk-and -water, deprived of its lair proportion of milk.— Morning Herald. CORN LAWS IN FRANCE. PARIS, APRIL 1. In the latter part of the sitting of yesterday, the new corn law was definitively voted in the Cham ber of Deputies by a majority of 218 to 24. In several of the details, and particularly on the clause which regulates the amount of surplus duty on im portations in foreign bottoms, th e Ch am b er was much more equ a lly divided. There was also a con siderable proportion of the Deputies who were willing to support the proposition of M. Laurence for the enactment of a temporary law, and the post ponement of tl'e definitive metsure till another Ses sion, but when the et:warble came to be voted by secret scrutiny, the d ss,rnients were reduced to the modest fraction of one in nine. Having followed the debate with some attention, I may venture to anticipate the appearance in an authentic form of the new law as it has issued from the Parliamentary crucible, after being subjected to the somewhat intemperate observations of those who thought their personal interests affected by it, arid to the white heat of General Lamarque's oppo sition to any further facilities in favour of foreign shipping, arid especially in favour of the shipping of Great Britain. The following, then, are its leading provisions:— The first clause abolishes the absolute prohibition which formerly existed against the importation of foreign corn, when the price fell below 24f. the lice. tolitre, or about 60s. the English quarter, in the first of the four corn districts into which France was di vided by the law of the year 1821. This district in cludes the port of Marseilles, which is one of the regulating markets from which the averages are taken which govern the importation fur the whole district, and it extends over the whole of the mari time departments on the Mediterranean shore of the kingdom. In this district corn always bears a higher price than in the northern or western pro vinces, although, if importation were absolutely without restriction, the inhabitants of the south could probably eat their bread cheaper than those of the inland or Atlantic departments. As the law has hitherto stood, however, the proportions between the four corn districts are in the ratio of 24, 22, 20, and 18, respectively. These figures represent, in francs per hectolitre, the point at which prohibition formerly beg in in each of the four districts, and which, if reduced into sterling money per quarter, would be represented as nearly as may be by 60s. 555. 50s. and 455. By the next clause it is declared, that till the lst of July. 1833, the duties to be levied on foreign corn shall not be liable to any distinction or discri• initiation in regard to the country of which it is the produce. As to the corn and flour imported under the law of 1821, the duties payable on their being taken out of bond are to be those already fixed by that law. These duties are as follows : Districts Ist 2.1 3d 4th 2fi 24 22 t) lf. 23c. per hectolitre. 25 23 21 19 2 25 ditto. 24 22 20 18 3 25 ditto. On corn imported under the new law, after the averages have fallen in the respective districts below the points at which prohibition formerly rook effect, a surplus tax is now imposed of one franc and a half per hectolitre on each fianc of fall in the price of indigenous corn, as ver.fied by the averages of the regulating markets. As no attempt was made in the course of the discussion to alter the starting point adopted by the law of 1821, which may be held as fixing the remunerating price to the pro ducer, in each of the four districts, the principle adopted in the clause 1 have just quoted was ot h uat t o ‘h f v d ich oors ex a c s ited the withint liveliest the walls interest, llsof as the ‘l vel Cham ber. The Government had proposed that the protecting duty should increase at the same r a te a t which the Corn averages diminish—that is, that an additional franc of duty per hectolitre should be im imposed for each franc of fall in price. The Commit tee of the Chamber, however, as you will see from the report of M. C. Dupin, proposed that the increase of duty should take place in a duplicate ratio—th at is to say, that there should be two francs of rise in the duty for every one franc of fall in the price. This proposal,. however, was so strenu ous l y oppo. , ed by the public Journals, and was besides so obviously unjust to the great class of consumers; that it was ultimately abandoned, and a mezzo termilie was adopted, by which, as you have seen, the increase of duty is to decrease in price, as three are to two, instead of two to one, as proposed by M. Dupin and his Committee, or one to one, as originally recom mended, and all along maintained by the Go. vernment. By way of reconciling M. d'Argout to this compromise between the two extremes, th, more moderate supporters of the agricultural in terest, as opposed to th a t o f t h e consumers, very gra vely told him, that as they had adopted the juste milieu between the two points, at issue, they were entitled to the support of a Governtri n who professed in all things to adopt as their m,,0, " In medio tutissinms• This reasoning, hat,- ever, had no effect on M. d'Argnut, who with his colleagues remained inflexible, throwing the respon sibility of this unpopular enactment on the majority of the Chamber, as at present constituted. I . another bad harvest should follow the two which have already taken place the price to which cora will rise in the districts of France will be such as to excite a clamour against the present Cham ber, which nothing will satisfy but the est4bls l - ment of the electoral qualification on a broader an i more popular basis. The next clause of the new law is that wh'et• imposes a surplus duty on corn imprted in fore;go bottoms. By the temporary law which was passed on this subject in the session of 1830, immediately after the revolution, the surplus duty was fixed at one franc per hectolitre, or half-a-crown per quarter, and Ministers on this occasion supported the expe diency of maintaining this branch of the duty, which is in fact a premium in favour of the shipping interest at the expense of the consumer, at the rate at which it formerly stood. On this point, however, although ably seconded by M. de la Roche, the intelligent representative of the princi pal seaport on the Atlantic side of the kingdom, the Ministry were again outvoted by the overwhelm• ing influence of the agricultural interest, who, it they could include importation in foreign bottoms by means of a prohibitory surplus duty, would virtually exclude 9-10ths of all the corn required to supply the deficiency of home production, for not only is the French tonnage inadequate in quantity to meet the wants of a season like the present, but the French built ships are in general so constructed as to be un fit for the navigation of the North Sea, from which the supplementary supplies of corn are chiefly de rived. In spite of Ministerial remonstrance, this branch of the duty was definitively fixed at one franc 25 centimes per hectolitre, or as near as possible per quarter—an amount of protection which will go far to discourage all foreign competition, and which will of course aggravate the calamity with which France is now threatened. When the last almanack of Matthew Laensberg made its appearance, the French made themselves merry with the solemn prediction of this formidable rival of our own Mr. Moore, the erudite editor of the Vox Stellarum, that the country would be visi ted in the year 1832 with the three great calamities of war, pestilence, and famine. In sober serious ness, however, we are already more than threatened with two of the three; and whether the disturbances in the west, or the expedition to Ancona, be suffi cient to save M. Laensberg's credit as an immaculate soothsayer, the opening of the ports wid the advent of the cholera morhus afford a greater proportion of confirmation to the star-gazer's prophecy, than, per haps he expected, orat least than he is accustomed to. . - But to proceed with my analysis. The surplus duties imposed by the general custom-house law, on the importation of corn and flour by land, are abolished, The duties on the importation of corn, flour, and meal, of species inferior to wheat, ate henceforth to be fixed with reference to the duties on wheat corn, and wheat flour, according to the following propor tion :—Wheat, 1 franc ; rye, 60 centime, ; Indian corn, 55 centitnes; barley, 50 centimes; buck wheat or French corn, 40 centimes; oats, 35 cen. times. An attempt was made by General Demarcay, for the most violent of the liberal party are the loudest in their outcry for protection to agriculture, to rain• :he relative proportion of oats from 35 to 50 cen :itnes; but, on being stoutly resisted, this proposi ion fell to the ground. Ot► rice, the duty per 100 kilogrammes, which is rather more than two hundred weight, if imported in French bottoms, from countries out of Europe, is fixed at 2 francs 50 centimes; if in French bottoms, from European states, from the bonded warehouses, or by land from Piedmont, 6 francs; but if imported in foreign bottoms, no matter from what part of the world, the duty is raised to 9 francs. The duty on rce exported is fixed at 25 francs per 100 kilo grammes ; but, on the motion of M. Salverte, the duties on the exportation of other species of grain is regulated by the same scale which fixes the impor tation. In talking over this subject with an intelligent friend of mine, a Frenchman, well acquainted with the cir cumsta►ices of the country, an the habits and con dition of the people, he suggested a consideration, t r rather stated a fact, which ought to have had greet weight ►n the settlement of a measure of such vital , mportatice as the corn laws. In consequence of the excessive subdivision of property, a very large pro portion of the small proprietors, who in good years are able to do little more than raise a scanty subsist ence for themselves and their families, are obliged, in a season ot scarcity like the present,after exhaust ing their means, to hire themselves out as labourers to their more wealthy neighbours. In this way the amount of labour brought to market so greatly ex ceeds the demand, that the positive evil arising from the high price of corn is materially aggravated to the working classes, for, after a certain point, as corn rises wages fall. MARKET INTELLIGENCE. LONDON MARKETS. (From the London New Price Current of yesterday.) Sli GAR,—The Sugar market was heavy till towards the close of last week, when the very favourable accounts from Flanders, the Hanse Towns, &c., produced a great revival in the demand for Sugars generally, and the Market prices nearly recovered the depression submitted to on Tuesday ; the estimated sales for the week were only 1,500 hhds. and trs., owing to the very small supplies at market; but as the wi nd has now changed to we may expect considerable arrivals. The s t oc k Sugar is now 8,276 hhds. and trcs., which is '2,316 l ot e hf s e s Ww thi eett n wlna la dr s di t a, year. The stock of Mauritius 43,5 Z bags, being 8,995 snore than last year. The delivery of West India Sugar last week 1,787 hhds. and trs., being 401 less than last year. The delivery of Mauritius 3,849 bags, being '2,389 more than the corresponding week of 1831. The stock of Muscovadoes is now reduced to about 8,000 hhds., two weeks' consumption ; such is, in consequence, the scarcity, that many of the most eminent houses have not a board on sale. There is much inquiry after good qualities, but few or no parcels are on sale. The sales to day are estimated at 700 hhds. and trcs., the market being again cleared of all the newly-arrived Sugars; there is no alteration in the prices. The letters from Jamaica are dated the llth of February; the island was tranquil; martial law was suspended on the 6th of February. In the Refined Market there was a great improvement in the demand towards the close of last week, and the prices were is. higher than on the Tuesday. The accounts from Hambro' this morning are very favourable to trade generally, but parti. cularly for all descriptions of Sugar ; Brown Lumps, last week 635., are to-day 655„ and very few parcels at market. Grocery goods are also held for higher prices. Molasses 265. 6,1. EAST INDIA SUGARS.—In East India no sales of any consequence were reported last week ; 7,449 bags Mauritius were of red last week ; the brown supported prices, all other descriptions were Is. lower. This day's sale 7,747 bags Mauritius, the whole sold ; the coloury, about 535. a 535., are Is. lower; other qualities fully as high as last week. FOREIGN SUGARS.—Last week 1;4)7 bxs. white Haven. nah were offered at public sale; low to good white were all taken in at 325. Gd. a 365. but offers have been made within 6d. the withdrawing prices, which were about Is. above the previous market currency ; the Brazil sold were all damaged Sugars. Average price of Sugar It 10s. 11 per cwt. COFFEE.—The accounts from the Continent last week were so favourable as to Coffee, that we had a most animated Market, and the prices generally were about 26. per cwt. higher; all descriptions selling with briskness at prices equal to the late highest state of the Market; Brazil in large parcels, the coloury at GO6. good 58s. a 595., and very ord. 545. a 575. ; St. Domingo extensively at 585., 5Ss. Gd a 595. ; Ceylon As. a 553. and fine 575. 6d. ; other East India at a similar improvement, and about 10,000 bags changed hands, good ord. Jamaica, S4s. a Sss., a fine ord. 87s. a H9s. This day by public sale 656 bags Brazil, the whole went heavily at last week's prices, and some part taken in ; fine ord. 595. a 60s, 6d., a good ord. 565. 6d. a 575. ord. at 545., at which prices a considerable proportion was dis posed of after the public sale. RUM, BRANDY, AND HOLLANDS.—The demand for Rum revived towards the close of last week, owing to the large export orders; proof Lewards Is. 7d., and 8 over Is. Sd. Brandy is still held with firmness for higher prices. Geneva is without alteration, HEMP DUTY—The Ministers last Friday positively re. fused all the applications for a reduction of the Import Duty ; the state of the revenue is given as the reason for the refusal. The Import has lately fallen off from 40,000 tons to 17,000 tons ; the revenue is about 68,0001. HEMP, FLAX, AND TALLOW.—The Tallow Market is heavy and lower. Hemp and Flax unvaried. INDIGO.—The Market looks firm. The India sale will consist of 3,000 chests. COTTON.—There is no alteration in the Cotton Market The sales this week are 1,:300 Surat, Middling 4gd., good Sid 70 Bowed, fair 6d., good 6id.; 30 Pernanis, fair 70.; Para, fair 50, ; 469 West India, fair bid. SPlCES.—Pepper is rather higher, parcels sifted 3id. ; P mento lower 6dcl. a qd. ; there are more inquiries after oth Spices. RlCE—Rice is heavy at the last reduction. SALTPETRE.—SaItpetre is dull. SILK.—The trade remains in the same stagnant state, owil principally to the sitting of the Committee. Prices are non nally the same; e'F'.cepting in China Haws, which are full lower, as a large importation is expected. OlLS.—Oils are very heavy ; it is thought the late extensi purchases in Linseed Oil for exportation must advance that a tide shortly. TURPENTINE—AII the late arrivals of Rough taken 1 the drawers at Us. 6(1. not any except some very old stores tic in first hands ; the Liverpool market is also without any i importers' hands, and the drawers only scantily supplied. DRUGS.—The drugs at market are all old ; cholera articb completely neglected ; Cajeputa oil selling at 10d. formerly th value of I Is. ASHES.—Ashes without demand or alteration in price. TOBACCO.—The inquiries after Tobt.cco are continued, bt there are no purchases to any extent reported. TEA. —The Market is without much activity, but the at Vance on Boheas and Common Congous may be quoted as i our last. COUNTRY CORN MARKETS DURING THE WEEK Per Quarter. Boston ...—..*.. Gainsborough • Granthatn Grimsby Horricastle Lincoln Spilsby Stamford York— 8. to 8. 8. to 57 - 61 57 64 38 50 64 20 55 58 3‘) 56 61 39 54 18 30 48 61 31 5 ' 2 64130 Wheat. Barley. Oats. I Beans. s. to s. s. to 8. 34 19 33 40 18 —3! 45 18 25 35 3/ 34 17 20 28 3 35 16 22 30 34 41 16 22 32 36 36 19 22 30 34 2) 24 28 31 42 15 2.5 32 42 NORWICH, March 31. Barle Wheat y (per qr.) rA3 s 625. &is. Beans (per qr.) 925. 345. thits 255. 355. 365. P ease, G rey .335. 373. 20s. 245. 265. Flour, fine (per sack) 465. 4*. Wheat, white. --- red,.,,.. Barley, Malting Oats Beans --- Pease --- CAN'I'ERBU RI, March 31. 555. to fss. —s. to —s. 508. to co 4 Old--- —s. to —B. 325. to 375. Grinding.. 248. to 30s. 20s. to 285....,,.,, Old--- —B. to —s. 345. to 38s 38.5. to 40s. 388. to 405..,,,.,, Grey...—. 335. to 378. MANCHESTER, March 31. Wheat, per 701 b. 9s. 3d. to 98.6 d. Red 9s. 01. to Os. 3d. Barley, per 601 b 5 0 5 3 Oats 3 9 4 0 Beans, per Imperial quarter ......... . Pease, White, per Imperial bu5he1..........."" 5 0 6 6 Malt, per 6 Imperial bushels 42 0 47 0 Hour, per Sack of 280 lb 45 0 5'2, 0 EXETER MARI Beef (score) -Bs. 11d. 9,•. 6(1. Mutton (Ib.)--0 5i 0 6 Vett and I amb--0 6 0 7 Pt rk 0 4 0 6 Gee,e (each) --4 0 5 6 Ducks 'couu e\--..4 0 5 0 Fowls 0 4 0 :ETS.—March 30. Wheat (bushel) —Bs. Od. 13s. 61, Barley —-4 6 4 9 Oats 2 3 2 5 Beans ----. 5 6 6 0 B .tier (Ib.)—.---.1 0 1 3 Eggs (12) 0 0 1 0 Potatoes (peck) ...0 6 0 7 SCOTCH MARKETS. EDINBURGH CORN MARKET.—March 28. We had only a middling supply of all kinds of Grain to-day, and sales rather better, except for Pease and Beans. Barley for seed brought 41s; Hopetoun Oats 345. ; and Potato Oats 30s. Wheat down Is. on the top, and up Is. 2d. on the average. Bar ley 133 quarters; up Is. on the top, and down Is. 6d. on the ave rage. Oats :. 3 28 quarters; tip Is. on the top, and 2d. on the ave rage. Pease and Beans 28 quarters; down 4s. on the top, and Is. 4d. on the average. Wheat. Barley. I Oats. Pease. First 64's Od 4ls Od I 30s Od I 32s Od Second 64s Od 38s Od 25s Od 3ls 04 Third s2s Od 33s Od 21s Od 30s 61/41 Beans. 32s Od 31s Od 30s Od PR Beef, per lb. Os. :%lutton-----.. 0 Veal 0 Pork---.. 0 Lamb, per qr. 1 Fallow, cwt.... 0 Quarters Loaf 0 Potatoes, I7llb. 0 • .IFES OF PROVISIONS, &C. 3d. to Os . 6(1. Fresh Butter, lb. 5.10,1, to Is. 2 , 3 4 0 6 Salt Ditto-- 010 1 0 5 010 Ditto, per esst. SO 0 90 0 4 0 6 Eggs, per dos. 0 9 0 0 6 3 0 OatStraw(kp'.)l3 0 14 0 0 40 0 Wheat I)itto-13 0 14 0 0 0 9 Harley Ditto —l2 0 13 0 31 0 0 Hay, per I '2 I 4 EDI NBURG H MEA I, The supply of Oatmeal at this than last week's, but sold heav meal sold Is. higher on the sack Per Sack ot 250113. Imp. First Oatmeal Second ditto 1 16 0 Barleymeal 1 12 0 Peasenteal 1 8 0 Pot Barley—No. 1, per cwt. 13 M A It K ET. —March 27. day's market was rather larger Ily a at the same prices. Barley . Per Stone of 141 b. Imp. First Oatmeal £0 2 0 Second ditto Barleymeal 0 1 8 Peasemeal 1.3.-2,1. 151.-3 d. 20s.—Poat 1245. GLASGOW CORN The arrivals of Grain are vei with very little change in price., Wheat, per 2401 b. s. d. s.(l. Oats, per 2641 b. a. d. s. d. British, old 26 oto2B 0 Irish l6 oto 186 new 26 0 29 0 British — 0 —0 Canada, free 2B 0 29 0 Beans, per 2601 b. Irish Barley, per 3261 b. Scottish English — 0 C Pease, Scottish ... 16 0 17 0 Scottish 24 0 '26 0 Oatmeal, per 140Ib. 16 0 17 0 Irish MARKET.—March 28. - y small. Sales in general dull, IRISH MA DUBLIN MARKET NO.! 716 Wheat, per barrel 20 stone 90 Bele ... l6 stone ;1 Barley l6 stone 3,212 Oats. w, M , I 2 stone 12,181 Cwt. 9 stone 862 Oatmeal 8 stone Sold to Uakers only. 96 Cwt. Flour Average price of Wheat am Receipts of Flour, B,oill s _ Firsts`-h sales of Do. 12,181 f, hi ' r " ds, PRICE OF --.814d. .RKETS rE.—Fati From 27 0 13 0 16 6 9 0 7 0 10 0 SAY, March 30. 33 To 0 Average. 29 2 14 0 13 6 —0 0 13 0 10 4 22 0 0 0 14 6 11 9 SI Bi It 3 I 9:2 0 d Flour 43, 4d. per from 193. Od. from 15 , 4. Od. from 5-3. Od. EttEAD. Half Quartern 17 436 ,ack. to Ws. Od. to 181. Od. to lOs Od. Quartern Loaf Wheat, Barley. Oats. Flour, per cwt. per barrel per barrel per barrel ~..---.......____, 20 stone. 16 stone. 14 stone. Ist. 2d. s. d. as. d. s. d. as. d. s. d. as.d. s. d. as. d. s. d.as. d. Cork ..—.. 27 0 29 013 0 14 6 96 10 8 15 0 18 6 50 15 0 Limerick 127 6 34. 013 0 14 12 0 13 616 0 19 0 0 0 15 0 Waterfordl26 0 28 013 0 150 90 10 0 17 0 19 010 0 160 m Clonel —2...14 300 12 0 160 136 139 17 0 19 013 0 16 0 Carlow —.. 27 0 29 014 0 15 B . 9 0 10 020 6 21 0 0 0 0 .- ------ ____ i Beef, Mutton,' Porkßutter. ' per lb. per lb. per cwt. let. id. :id. 4th. th ----- -- ------. d. ad. d. a d. s. d. as. d. s. d. s. d. s. rl. s. d. s. d. Cork ,M,,,,,.,, 4# 63f 5'29 0 32 084 080 0 6 8 059 : 48 0 Limerick— 3 431 434 0 15 0,80 072 064 056 048 0 Waterford :3 6 3 532 0 38 099080070 0 W 0 60 0 Clonmel 4 5 5 6 330 3fi 6780750 I , 0 0 Carlow— 4 560 0 00 0086074064 0 0 0 15 .._ __ 1 . - KILKIINNY.—Butter —s to —s. per cwt. ; Wheat :?5,. to 28.. per barrel ; Flour 2Us. to 345. per bag; Oats 9s. to I Is. NI. bar rel ; Barley 13e. to 15s. ; •Beef 4d. to 54. per lb. ; Mutton 441. to sd. ; Potatoes 2d. per stone; Coals Is. 2d. per cwt.; Bacon, Pigs 3•2.5. to 335. per cwt. . RIVER FISHINGS.—The salmon fishing m the Nith opened on Saturday the 10th current; but for several days not a fin was got, owing to the flooded state of the river, and consequent impossibility of working the common net and coble. But the river, of late, has fallen considerably, and now, or at least occasionally, a little good is done—a few fish caught. The grilse tribe rarely appear before Whitsunday, and thus far the take has been confined to salmon and sea-trout. Last week a beautiful salmon was caught and sent direct to Edin burgh, weighing 14 3. lbs.—a very rare occurrence so early in the season. The prices demanded at present are 2s. per lb. for salmon, and 204. do. for sea trout. In Edinburgh, we under. stand, the charge for salmon is from 2s. Qt. to 38. per lb. And hence the export trade.--Scots Times. On the 31st ult. Lady Elizabeth Drummond, of a son. On the '..ld 111 , 4. Mrs. Richard Lloyd, of Holborn-hill, of a son MARRIED, - ----- --- On the 14th December last, at St. George's, Bloomsbury, Ed ward Fitzgerald, Esq., to Charlotte, daughter of the late and sister to the present Sir Richard Jep , son, Bart. On the 2d inst. at St. George's, Hanover-square, the Hon. 0 n the ~ 23dd C.B. l i n n sstt..aatt Colonel c A h l al rsi di:sut the ,,, k s ' ut i i ii m e t i i t i n g h rga e yd l i countyoebohtliere Artillery, :%f pfr Dorset,e Samuel Hay, brother of the Eta of Erroll, to auisa, only daughter of the Hon. Captain Pleydell Bouverie, R.N. On the od inst. at Fareham, Captain Richard Kirwan Hill, 52d Light Infantry, to Jane Margaret. eldest daughter of Vice- Admiral Halkett. Landon, eldest daughter of Will.tia.mchLoariitrtied.gseitiqd, odatirghar:r:,et Lodge, in the same county. Hetzler, of Guildford, Surrey, to Louisa, fifth daughter of Mr. John Bad: late 0,0, t t l i ,l f e, r t . : 3.( i ) t it fi y : r u d j i l. laetgel t ,, , aox L xi o ef n ,o_ , , l , ,London. , .., Robert Hanslip, Esq., of Norman-cross. James etaors:e 1 si}.ll7o°ll,3::::trht DIED. On the 31st ult. at Hatfield Manor, near Donc a st er, M ary, wife of Lieut.-Colonel Hugh Massey, and only surviving sister of the late C. H. Roder, Esq., of Barlbro' Hall, Derbyshire. On the 22d ult. at Streattatn Castle, in the county of Durham, in the 6'2d year of her age, the Right Hon. Lady Anna Maria Jessup, last surviving daughter of John, ninth Earl of Strath more, and Mary Eleanor Bowes, of Gibsule. On the 31st ult. at Brighton, Mrs. Thos. Wainwright, aged 69. On the 3d inst. at Upper Clapton, Christopher Richmond, Esq., of the Middle-Temple, b arrister-at -law. On the 30th ult. Mr. William Maughan, son of Mr. Nicholas Maughan, distiller, of Little Distatf-lane, in the 23d year of his age ChaOn the 31st ult. Emily Maria Elizabeth, the infant daughter of rles harles Lewis, E sq , of Bernard -street, Russell-square, aged 14 ont. On the 2d inst. at the house of his son, in Shepperton-street, Islington, Mr. William Watkins, aged 85. On the Ist inst. in Parliament -street, Westminster, Elizabeth, the wife of E. W. Langford, Esq., late of Charing-cross, aged 34. On the tath ult. of a third paralytic attack, Sarah Alexander, wife of Joseph Wooler, Esq ,of Whitfield-house, Wolsingham, Durham, aged 51. tglLately, at Antigonish, Mrs. Ann Chisholm, aged 98 years, a vj gr o a f fld. S c tr h a i t id lig re la n s . s io r worhtohni taaitne,ofletahventilgainlel2ofgcrahnisdhoalmnd all living.) On the 29th u lt . Jane, the wife of Mr • . J. T. Wells, of F ea th er stone-buildings, aged 60. On t t h h e e 22 ls t t h in u s i t t. . jaotselipihs hilooubslee),',4lEigy.ve, Islington, M r . t h ' b a u g r ed43 al William Flint, aged 71. On the 31st ult. at G.ay's.inn-terrace. Mrs. Elizabeth Savage, aged 82. aftOetuathloenlgstililnnsetisMr. Timothy Yeates, of the Strand, aged 50, PRINTED AND PLIKILIIIED ET MURDO YOUNG AT THE SUN OFFICE, 112, STRAND, I;ONDOIV.