The Sun.
London, England, 1852-03-15 00:00:00

FOREIGN REFUGEES.

Iu answer to a question from Mr. M. MILNES,
The CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER said that
until the correspondence between her Majesty's Govern-
ment and foreign Governments now proceeding was
finished, her Majesty's Ministers did not think it proper
!o lay any part of that correspondence on the table.
EAST INDIA. COMPANY'S CHARTER.

In reply to Mr. ANSTEY,
Mr. HERRIES said that ho would take the earliest
opportunity of axing the day when ho would move for
the appointment of a Select Committee to inquire into
this 2ubject.
Mr. ANSTEY gave notice that on that occasion he
should move that an address be presented to her Ma-
jesty, praying her to send out a commission to take the
evidence of natives of India on this subject.
IMMEDIATE DISSOLUTION OF
Ou theMmlNotlioBnTEfoßr
PARLIAMENT.
IgAoLingEXinPzoLCAoNmAraTitlteoeNoSf.supply,
Mr. C. VILLIERS rose and said, that in accordance
with an intimatioin the hope of obtaoinilag from some inquiry fromn
her
given, he wished to make
f Majesty's Government,
them some information of
their intentions
subject of vital importance
which
which the
He referred to
to every one of her MajeaCyu,baj
rthegeuplaritnecitphleesfoarnedigpnoicilumpeorne
c of this they intended to
was engaged in the
country, end es-
' y that branch of it
peciall
fteeleact question, nor a
speculative twitter, but so intimately .
supply of corn. This was no ,
connected with
the realities of English life that it affected the
whole social and domestic economy of
the country.
The public wanted information on this subject, and it
would, perhaps, he incorrect to say that they had had
none; but it certainly was not incorrect to say that what
it-. had had was of the most perplexing nature.
For three weeks past they had had a Protectionist Mi-
nistry in power with a
free-trade policy in force,
but what that Protectionist Ministry was gng gong
to do was one of these mysteries which might
be revealed to night, but of which, up to that moment,
not one single s Autioa had been put forth before. Ho
b,gged that if he appeared to be forward in this mutter
that if he pressed upon the Government to
make some clear avowal upon the subject, 1-is
motives might not be mistaken, for he could assure
them that he was actuated by no factious motives.—
(Laughter on the Ministerial side. followed by cheers
from the Opposition.) Re thought he had reason to
ears in Parliament
expect that, after being eighteen
where he had always been one of the most forward in
this particular matter, it certainly would be strange if 1
weie e
he were now to draw back and
object to remain silent. I
He had no re--- uy. embarrassing '
her Majesty's Government. She did not regret to see
reckless agitation which they had
them is the position they now uccupied, for ha thought
they had as much right to be there es any other of
her Majesty's subjects, and he certainly would much
rather see them there than engaged in the,
been carrying on for

the last four or five years. There was one circumstance
which made him rejoice to see them there,
and that was that they had obtained that position em-
phatically as a Free-trade Government.—(Hear.)
He wanted to know what was intended to be done in re-
ference to our maratime code. According to the Right
Hon. the President of the Board of Trade, the evils
which had resulted from the recent changes which had
been made in that code were far greater than he origi-
nally anticipated. Well, then, what did the Right Hero
Gentleman propose to do now that he was in office?
The Earl of Derby was no doubt a great man. The
Noble Earl retired from Sir Robert Peel's Government,
fully aware of the circumstances which had induced
that Administration to alter its policy, and the
Noble Earl thereafter set about forming his present
party, and many of his followers, in the hope that he
intended to restore Protection, had given him their
blind confidence.—(Hear, hear.) The Noble Earl had
done all in his power to cultivate that confidence, and he
wanted to know whether the Noble Earl wished now to
make an effort to realize the hopes which he had created
He said a man of that sort acted with the greatest re-
sponsibility in this country. The Noble Earl had rank,
had fortune, and from his position he, above all men,
ought to be prepared to announce the course which he
intended to follow. According to the public prints the
Noble Earl seemed to have likened himself to a general
and he had held out to his followers that the time would
come when he should lead them on to victory.—(Hear,
hear.) Now, had that time arrived? He had a right to
call for an explicit answer to that question.—(Hear.)
The Noble Earl had openly declared in public that
when the time arrived there would be no flinching or
hesitation in him, but his cry would be that which Wel-
lington adopted on the field of Waterloo, and which
was, "Up, Guards, and at them."—(Hear, hear, and
a laugh.) Well, now, that was stated in public
and he now wanted to know when the mo-
ment was likely to arrive when the Noble Lord
and his followers would be up and at them.—(Hear,
hear, and laughter.) The Government was bound
to relieve the country from its present state of suspense.
—(Hear, hear.) What, in fact, was the condition of
the country at this hour ?—(Hear, hear.) At no
farmer period had there been so much peace and
contentment as prevailed at the opening of the present
year? The history of the country presented no happier
picture. Trade was good; commerce was flourishing; labour
found ample employment, while capital never was more
abundant, or the population of this country never was more
employed or better fed than they were at this moment.
what had produced this happy auto of things ? Why,
it was the free-trade policy which they had recently
adopted. Nor was this flourishing picture peculiar to
one class alone. It applied to all, even the agricul-
tural class, for according to all accounts the
farm labourer was never better off, nor
the land in better cultivation than it was at the
present moment.—(Hear.) Well, then, what was to be
done? What did her Majesty's Government propose to
do ? Did they propose to reverse the policy
which had produced so much prosperity ? But
thee, again, with regard to our mari-
time code, was it prepared to make any
change in that? In spite of the recent changes our
shipping interest was flourishing and was still able to
defy competion.—(Hear, hear.) What, then, was pro-
posed to be done here?—(Hear, hear.) According to
speeches of some Members of the Government some of
them were of opinion still that the change had produced
great evils;—(Hear, hear)—but he defied them to prove
it.—(llear, hear.) Next, with regard to our colonies,
it appeared to him that what the Member of
the present. Government found fault with was the
abolition of slavery, for if he looked to the
returns and papers on the table ho found
that even the colonies under a free trade policy
were improving and not declining, while upon the
continent since free trade had come into existence
there was a much kindlier feeling felt there towards
this country than prevailed before.—(Hear, hear.)
Well, then, whence came that fear and distrust
that was felt from one end of the country to
the. other? Why, it was a dread that the gentlemen
now in power were pledged to revise this free-trade
policy, and the struggle which was coming upon
this subject was anticipated with alarm by all classes.
The tenant farmers did not require a return to a
system of Protection, because they had at length arrived
ae the conviction that the sliding scale was devised for no
other purpose than to keep up rents.—(Hear, hear.)
He repeated then, that the present uncertainty
re a
threesa
would be ruinous to the oountry trade.
was coming to a stand still, while abroad merchants
were accepting the ch(Hane!,er,
Ministers
ofhea.)Fr
reversal of policy.
weeks the country had been reduced to a state of
paralysis, it appeared to labour under the dread
of some coming evil and wanted the House
to strike the blow at once, and insist that this terrible
state of uncertainty and fear should be put a stop to.
Mr. DISRAELI said the House had just been told
that the condition of the country at this moment was
one of uncertainty and distrust, and the Hon. and
Learned Gentleman who told them that, warming with
hie subject, followed that statement up with the decla-
ration that the commercial community of England was
in a state of paralysis.—(Hear, hear.) Now he was in
constant communication with numbers of this class,
and he had heard nothing from them to support
the statement—nor, indeed, could they find any
foundation for it in the price of our publics
securities.—(Hear, hear.) The country was in a state
of great prosperity. He admitted. that freely—(Cheers)—
and he had, therefore, no hesitation in responding to the
challenge of the Hon. and Learned Gentleman.—(Hear,
hear.) He would fairly, frankly, and without reserve,
express the policy which her Majesty's Government
wished to follow.—(Cheers.) The first thing, then, to
be considered was the situation in which they now
found themselves, and the manner in which they
had been forced into office.—(Hear, hear.) The House
would remember that immediately after the last general
election the Noble Lord at the head of the present
Government announced his wish that the question of
Protection should be settled by another Parliament,
that declaration was made in the other House, and he
re-echoed it in this.—(Hear, hear.) Well, that being
the real state of the abstract question, standing as it
were in abeyance, at the opening of this session
a change of Government suddenly took plane, and
those who thought the existing Parlia-
ment ought not to be called upon to alter the free trade
policy, were new, t disposed to change their opinion now
that they we're in office.—(Cries of "Hear, hear.")
That being title case, it was preposterous to sup-
pose that at, this early period after coming into
office they ce eild be called upon to announce the
measures whie.h they wished hereafter to propose.
Until the verdict of a general election had been taken,
the Goverunetn it would not be prepared to expound any
policy; and so far they intend to act for the future.—
(Hear.) It wets not intended before going to a general
election to
.propound any fiscal or commercial
echeme. They thought the injustice which had been
inflicted upon 'the agricultural interest ought to be re-
medied, but t:U,ey were not prepared now to propose the
remedy, or pledge themselves to any schema.—(Hear,
hear.) What they intended to do was to consider,
and if possible remove, the evils which pressed upon
agriculture, birt they reserved to themselves the right
of hereafter lee letting the means which they should
think best acii: opted fur attaining that great end.—
(Cheers.) So :far he hoped he had answered the main
question of th a Hon. and Learned Gentlemen opposite.
—(oh, oh !) conclusion, he expressed a hope that
the dissolution v could be allowed to take place as speedily
as possible.—(l:iiear, hear.)
(MOT SITTING.)

ATTER ::;ALL'S.-THIS EVENING.
Six O'CLOCK.

WARWICK HANDICAP.
5 ) 1 agst Cuseus—taken
'WARWICK TRIAL STAKES.
2 to I agst Koh•i-poor
L EAMINGTON STEEPLECHASE.
4 1.0 1 Ogst Oscar
'WARWICK ,TWO YRil OLD.
6 to 4 ugst Catheriue Hayes
w).RTIIAMPTONSIIIRE STAKES.
6 to 1 agst Chief Justice
12 o 1 agst Storytaler
12 t o 1 agst Cariboo
14 t 0 1 agst Teddington

3LETROPOLITAN ZIANBICA P.
10 'to 1 agst Liackbiter
20 'to 1 agst Captain Flash
33 'to 1 apt Haresfoot
any odds agst Hesse Homburg
CHESTER CUP.
18 'to 1 agst Scarecrow
20 •to 1 agst High Sheriff
33 'to 1 agst Hesse Homburg
40 'to 1 agst Cossack
45 Yo 1 agst Yoh-i•noor

DERBY.
5 Lo 1 agst Robbie Noblo
15 'to 1 sgst Augur
lil 'co 1 agst ClaYerhouse
18 `to 1 agst Kingston
33 :to 1 agst Little Harry

IMPORTANr director of THEATRICAL CASE.—The
with the condition
Mon-
temerli at Paris, .as primo basso cantaxte,
the Italian Theatre, Mr. Lumley, having engaged M. Byna-
that he Should. not refuse any other part that might bo
offered him, Mr...Lumley required him to sing apart in the
opera of Fidelio not belon in to a primo basso, but M.
Montemerli ref a sed, on theggrgound that, by the usages of
the profession, h e was entitled first of all to make his debit
as a prim. ba s.lo, to enable the public to judge of his
talents. In con a equence of this, Mr. Lumley refused to pay
his salary, or the, expenses of his
journey from London to
Paris. M. Mc rctemerli accordingly brought an action be-
fore the Tribun at of Commerce, and it was argued two days 1
I ago. The tribu =al decided that Mr. Lumley
was not justi-
fled in requiring . Montemerli to sing a secondary part before
he had appeare. 1 as primo basso, as, otherwise, "the existence
and reputation of an artiste would be completely at the
discretion of a director," and ordered the payment of the
salary due and the journey from London. Montemerli is
also to have AI 1 opportunity of appearing in a principal role.
The plaintiff likewise demanded damages, but thus were
refused by the court.

THE ONE SHILLIN'G DUTY ON

CORN.
(From the Manchester Examiner.)
" I see no ground why, if there h.) a general system
of imposing duties upon foreign imports, the single arti-
cle cf corn should be made a solitary exception."— The
Earl of Derby's Speech in the House of Lords, on Friday,
27th February, 1852.

"He then proceeded to argue, that however small
might be the duty which the Protectionists sought to
impose under the delusion that it was only for revenue,
it would pro tanto be a duty imposed for protection. If
they admitted of even a Is. duty on corn—(' No, no,
and cries of We'll have none')—if they admitted this,
away went the whole system at once.—(Hear, hear.")
Mr. Curbutt's Speech at Leeds, on Thursday, 4th March,
1852.

A somewhat extraordinary error has lately been pro-
mulgated at Leeds and at Westminster. Mr. Carbutt
may be excused, perhaps, for saying at the former, on
Thursday, that there would be danger "if they admit-
ted of even a one shilling duty on corn," because he
only repeated what Lord Derby said in the House of
Lords on Friday week. The Noble Lord's error indeed
is much more glaring than the error of Mr. Carbutt,
and being positively greater, is in him much more in-
excusable. Tha one fact which Lord Derby and Mr.
Carbutt seem equally to forget is, that corn is
actually subject to a " one shilling duty," and
the other fact of which only Lord Derby, the Prime
i
Minister, s ignorant, is, that about 460 articles cl:.1-
tinually imported are exempt from all customs duties.
Quite contrary to Lord Derby's two assertions, corn is
not an exception; it is subject to customs duties, and a
great many articles habitually imported and used are not
subject to any cdstoms duties. Such assertions betray
astonishing ignorance in the man who has taken office
to alter and revise our system of custom-house duties.
The Chancellor of the Exchequer is a profound finan-
cier, and has been closely studying the question of the
public burdens for several years, yet he leaves the Noble
Lord profoundly ignorant of the sources of the revenue
he has taken office to administer, and, if his views be
acted on, most probably to dry up. In the year 1849
corn wheat, the Noble Lord says, as the solitary article
exempt from custom duties, yielded to the customs a re-
venue of 549,1281. 17s. sd. We have not yet seen the
official return of the revenue for 1851, but,according to
the quantity of corn imported, the duties levied on it
must have amounted t 0484,3051. 18a. Thus in the three
years the duties paid on corn have been in-
-1849 £546,128 17 5
1850 le. ••• ••• 473,169 4 5
1851
••• ••• •.• ••• 484,305 18 0

Total duties levied in three yews 1,506,703 19 10
Of these
and published in half the newspapers of the kingdom,
facts, printed in the Parliamentary papers,
our new Prime Minister has no knowledge whatever.
As the
i question of imposing duties on corn, or ex-
empting t from them altogether, is again forced on public
attention by
duties ought to be taken into serious consideration. Mr.
our new Minister, the effects of the existing
Garbutt, expressing, we believe, a very general opinion,
thinks it alike dangerous and disagreeable that any
duty—any rag or remnant of the old feudal tyranny,
should still flutter in spiteful triumph over our food.
It is a nucleus for increase. It serves as a precedent, and
as long as it continues, broad is not sacred from the
extending grasp
of the tax-gatherer. It raises and keeps
up rent to a considerable degree. Carried on as trade now
is, on very narrow profits, a shilling a quarter often
making it profitable or not profitable to import wheat
or Sour from New York or New Orleans, this shilling
duty doe....praetically and considarably narrow our sup-
plies. It
must be advanced by the importer to the state
before ho sells the corn, and, consequently, it enhances
the price something more than its amount, of all the
foreign corn and flour sold in our markets. It raises
rent pro Canto,
and bestows on the landowners—who are,
Thefo c
according to report, to corrupt and bribe the constituen-
cies,
and colonial corn
entered
°le% to increase this tax—a very large sum annually.
Let us state exactly, from the words of a corn circular
lying before us, what is the tax:—
‘
ru shtoommes
consumptionduty upon i
foreign:,every quarter, oho
shilling. And upon meal and flour, for every tevt. four-
pence halfpenny; and so on in proportion for a lets
quantity; and the duty must be paid on importation, as
corn is not allowed to be warehoused in bond."

maise, or Indian
abeedanms'a lt; and the words
aa t n
ee
ar not oe nml ye
awl
,pe ae ht,
a
But this has in the customs a very wide
and buckwheat meal.
‘cm'omeranet:ailn''ga, buckwheat,nda ‘rdflo urbc'eumrcl'eeoasiar Pbieni gamslgi,:kael
meal, and flour, but barley
meal, bean meal, Indian meal,
Thus, every species of grain and pulse, and of flour and
meal, is still taxed when imported, at the rate of Is. per
quarter, or 40. per cwt. Now, according to Dar. NrCul-
loch'a latest' estimate, the total average quantity of corn
and pulse produced in the empire is 58,020,000 quarters,
which at 13. per quarter, making no allowance for any
but the duty, gives 2,901,0001. as the sum for which the
corn grown at home is sold in our markets above its
just value in consequence of the Is. duty. No doubt the
whole of that, and more than that, is put by this tax into
the packets of the landlords, who thus, in fact, are still
enabled to levy on the people's food, by taxation, about
3,000,0001. a year.
This tax was not levied for revenue, nor yet for pro-
tection; it was levied &tele suggestion of statisticians and
philosophers, merely as a means of obtaining an account
of all the corn brought in. A farthing per quarter, on
merely requiring the quantities imported to be announced
at the-Custom-house, as, in fact, they are, would have
answered the purpose quite as well. But we have been
so accustomed to plunder the multitude by taxation, that
the minds of the most intelligent and most conscientious
men are on this point completely perverted, and they
unthinkingly recommended a measure which is practi-
callyfraught with impediments to commerce, and injus-
ticelt will be seen, by the above enumeration, that the
coarsest meal, oatmeal, or Indian meal, pays the same
duty per cwt. as the very finest French dour, and that the
tothe people.
cheapest grain pays as much per quarter as the finest
wheat. Confining our attention only to grain, the
wholesale and import prices of which are better
in
ns
tthhea
price those
ooats imported from Archangel,
f of flour and meal, there is a
selling at 20s. per quarter, and wheat imported from
Denude selling at 625. per quarter, of no less than 325.
On the value of the former the duty is five, and on the
difference known
t
latter less than two per cent. A similar proportion, but
exaggerated, exists between the finest French. flour and
Indian meal, and thus the food of the lower classes i 3
taxed by this shilling duty, at the very least three per
cent. more than the tour for the pastry, or luxuries of
the opulent classes. At the same time, those who re-
commended the tax, never supposed that corn would fall
as low in rrice as it has fallen, and that a shilling duty
would be such a large proportion as five per cent. Le-
gislators, philosophers, and statesmen, are as much
cheated by words as the humblest of mankind; and se-
veral different articles being indiscriminately classed to-
gether, as corn or meal, have a uniform duty imposed on
them, which for the rich is a perfect frifls, while for the
poor it is a heavy burden.
This tax must be paid, to on importation, not fike
duties on sugar and coffee, when the article goes into
consumption ; and the consequences of this, never dreamt
of by our statisticians, philosopto rs, and legislators, are
remarkable. It much
impedes, if it do not entirely
prevent, tho transhipments of grain. It has of late hap-
pened very repeatedly that there has been a demand for
low-priced wheats from the continent, and it has hap-
pened that the owners of mixed cargoes would have be en
very glad to have retained a portion of them here, and
shipped another portion for Holland or Belgium, but the
ls.duty prevented them. It destroyed all the profit they
could make in the transaction. In consequence the cargoes
of foreign grain that happen to be fitted for the markets
of Germany or Holland instead of coming into our
ports, though belonging to our merchants, are sold afloat,
or ordered directly to other markets. The tax, there-
fore, hinders England from becoming, as she otherwise
would, the great entreises of corn for all Europe. It is a
great impediment to free trade in grain, as well as a
great injustice, an we ought to take advantage of the
subject being mooted by the Protectionists, to compel
Lord Derby, who professes obedience to public opinion,
to abolish the one shilling duty.
We shall not now dwell on the Noble Lord's igno-
rance, that such articles as alkali, barilla, East India
piece goods, cotton yarn, unwrought steel, gause, fish
oils, &c., that come into competition with our oen
manufactures; and such articles as animals, provisions,
bides, hemp, flax, ese., that come into competition with
the products of the soil, are amongst the 460 distinct
articles exempt from, all customs duties. We have said
enough, we think, to show that he has very imprudently
taken on himself the Government of the country for the
very purpose, if the public will permit him, of imposing
additional taxes. on food. So thoroughly unacquainted
is be with the system he would rudely and rashly de-
stroy, that he totally mistakes its principles; and iu the
House of Peers, on Friday week, he solemnly represented
the measures of 1842, which ho cordially supported and
approved of, as imposing customs duties, while the world
knows, except Lord Derby, that their essence was to
relieve commerce, by reducing, or wholly abolishing,
more than one-third of the duties of which our trade had
previously been the victim.

FRENCH
RAILWAY TRAFFIC.
The following are thb last returns of the gross re-
ceipts of the principal French Railways:—
NORTHERN.—From Feb. 26 to March 3 : Passengers,
198,175 f.; goods, 261,273 f.; total, 459,448 f.
ROUEN.—From Feb. 29 to Marsh 6 : Passengers,
61,5321.; goods, 87,5601.; total, 149,0921.
HATRE.—From Feb. 29 to March 6 : Passengers,
DiE..
EA;
AN iox—o. . . . .
..dFB r, olre46M,
9a9roc
fh. ;
20,796 k; goods, 38,307 f. ; total 59,103 f.
7113,(3)0,411:1
2arlcBll,374l:l.Passengers,
40,6691.; goods,
_ 70,9431.; total, 111,6421.
itottoalM,
ViEusom—From March Ito March 7: Passengers,
From Feb. 24 to March I : Passengers,
30,956 f.; goods, 54,379 E ; total, 85,335 f.
NANTES.—From Feb. 26 to March 3 : Passengers,
25,0981.; goods,
Fr 27 7331.;
Feb. 26 to March 3: Passengers,
total, 52,831 f.
ST2ASBURG.—
90,018 E; goods, 129,0521.; total, 212,070 f.
M ONTEREAU. Feb. 26 to From
March 3: Passengers,
8,49 If.; goods, 16,6681.; total, 25,159 f.
LYONS.—From Feb. 22 to Feb. 28 :
166,230 f.; goods, 96,9661.; total, 203,1961.
20,272 f.; goods, 26.128 f.; total, 46,400.
CHARTRES.—Froin March 1 to March 7: Passengers,

Passengers,

-- ---
EXTENSIVE DEPREDATIONS.—The particulars have
been given of a . 'VOLY extensive robbery of jewellery and
plate, committed on the 28th ult., at 36, Portland-place, and
a description has been given of a
female who had absconded
from No. 4, Catherine-street, St. George's-in-the-East, car-
rying off a quantity of plate, jewellery, apparel, and other
property.
The Rev. W. Von Dadelzen ig appointed colonial
chaplain of Trinity Church, Colombo, in the island of Ce 310,,
.
The Rev. W. N. Simmonds is appointed colonial chaplain at
Kandy.