The Sun.
London, England, 1852-05-26 00:00:00

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[PRICE SD.

ec it
r.a "—(Cheerstioninthe slightestlro m the
corn that extensive majority, without which, as I stated
to your Lordships at the beginning of the session, it
ow
pojEupnlodswinhtioaotzkolbeeetdnecushsi
er
able, 11 e:
itso
this proposed degree inconsistent with the often rEpeated statement of
the Noble L.)rd, that unless a large majority in the new
Parliament declared for a duty on corn, he would not
propose it? That statement is not new. It was made
in opposition—it was made on accepting office. We
think no true friend of the agricultural interest should
ask for more. But be this opinion right or wrong, we
have known for the last two years exactly what we
i have to expect from Lord Derby. We were not to find
in him a minister who would stake his existence, as a
minister, upon the re-imposition of a duty on corn. He
never said that this was a measure of such necessity as
to justify a public man in declining office .unless he
could carry it. But he did say then, and he says so
still, that his own individual opinion is in favour of it,—
nay, more, he says that he is ready to advise Parlia-
ment and the Sovereign to adopt it, if the
next general election shall return such a ma-
jority of Protectionists as will justify that course.
It is quite true—let our enemies make the most
of it—that he-added that he now believed that there
would not be . such a. majority. Well; this is a
matter of individual opinion. If it ,be an, error incal-
culatioo, it implies no unfaithfulness. The greedy haste
with which the Opposition eels 11 upon the statement
proves nothing but the terror which in their heart of
hearts haunts them of the protective system which they
profess to believe dead. - It was, perhaps, well for the
country' that their misrepresentations again called up
the Noble Earl. Words cannot be clearer, more ex-
plicit, nor, we repeat, declaration more explicit than that
which their ill-timed boasting elicited from the Pre-
mier:—

" When the Noble Marquis opposite says that I have
abandoned all wish or intention to make such a propcei-
tion, Z must take the liberty of saying that the Noble
Marquis has gone one step too far.—( Hear, hear.) I have
said that I wU,Lnotiabtriit the_ without tafititt
majority. I have intimated that we are not likely to
have such a majority, as far as I can judge from pre-
sent appearances. But if the sense of the people be
different from what I anticipate, then I hold to my
former opinion—namely, that there is no other
mode in dealing with the finances of the country so ad-
vantageous for providing for the exigencies of the coun-
try as that which I have so often enunciated. Bat, my
Lords, the Noble Earl said (addressing me), Having
abandoned all idea of at any time re-imposing a duty on
corn, will you not go a step further, and declare you will
do nothing whatever for the purpose of what some Noble
Lords please to call tampering' with the existing sys-
tem?' Now, my Lords, if the Noble Earl means to
ask me whether, as Minister—if I am unable to afford
relief to the suffering agricultural interests one way (in
the way in which I believe it can be most advantageously
afforded), I can therefore propose to abandon them
altogether, and seek no other mode of relieving them—
my Lords, not only have I not said that, not only will I
not say that, but it is the very opposite of what I have
said, and which I will repeat now. I declare, whatever
may be the 'consequence as to the support or oppo-
sition of Right Hon. Gentlemen or Noble Lords,
here or elsewhere, that it is the purpose of the Govern-
ment to seek to afford a just and equitable relief to those
classes, who, even if for the benefit of the community
at large, have been made victims and sufferers. And
I believe that in the English people there is such a sense
of justice that they will not see one class, or two or
three classes, deprived of advantages which they have
hitherto enjoyed. I say, therefore, my Lords, distinctly,
that it is my intention, and it is the wish of the Govern-
ment and the determination of the Government, to direct
their attention to the best mode they can.devise of re-
lieving those suffering interests. The extent of the
nature of that relief may not be within our command or
control, but to the affording that relief, and at the same
time with full justice to all classes of the community I
declare now, and I have declared before, the attentioa tof.
of the Government will be directed; and we shall hold
it to be our paramount duty, in some shape or other, to'
afford that relief to those classes who have been suffer-
ing for the good, if it be for the good, of the rest of
the community." .
We have quoted this passage at length, because we
believe it puts our true position fairly, clearly, and un-
mistakeably. We have now a Minister in office who
does not consider the re-imposition of a duty on corn a
matter of such necessity as to oblige him to stake the
existence of his Ministry upon it. But who believes
that duty ought to be reimposed, and is therefore ready
and willing to propose it if the persons who agree with
him in the country will give him a majority in the new
Parliament that will justify it. But, if such a declara-
tion of the opinion of the country be not made, then
he is pledged to this, that in some otber mode he will
still attempt to alleviate the injustice that is now done
to the agricultural interest. We protest we conceive
this declaration is all that the most ardent friend of the
agricultural interest can ever either expect or desire.
Saying en, of course we imply that it is utterly false to
represent the Noble Earl as having, by this statement,
abandoned, retracted, or qualified his opinions on the
subject of protection ; and with this brief explanation
we confidently submit the matter to the calm judgment
and common sense of Englishmen.
CHRONL.:LE.—We have not the heart to inflict a
homily on our readers, considering the circumstances
under which many of them will peruse these lines. The
Derby day is hardly the occasion for discanting on
fashionable dissipation, or for lecturing London on the
profanity of amusements. An anthem in a ball-room
would be scarcely less incongruous: We once fell in
with the book of a choice Amerioan divine who had
the weakness or audacity to tell the world in print that
he found himself by accident—"quite promiscuous-like"
—at Epsom on the Darby day. His Transatlantic re-
verence, who had gone down, as he assures us, to hold
evangelical intercourse with a serious and pious brother
—one Mr. (or was it Mrs.?) Harris, residing at Epsom
—avers that he never learned the day and occasion which
he 'had fixed upon for this purely professional journey,
until he discovered himself on the downs. So we find it
Glimpses of the Old World."
written in Dr. Clark's
Nevertheless, though the doctor inveighs against
the races as befits a writer of the strattest
sect, he gives a very graphic account of
them lingering over the sinful scene with
liquorish satisfaction which we do not wish to
imitate. We are not going to quarrel with the glories
of Epsom on the Derby Day. The race, however, is
the least part of the attraction to most of those who will
this morning tread the breezy Surrey heath. It is the
chosen holiday of half London—the day of family par-
ties, of alfresco dinners, of flirting and fatigue, of bad
jokes and worse champagne. We have no desire to be
severe upon it. Nor do we care to look . too austerely at
the conventional characteritic of the Derby. The lob-
ster salads and the lung-necked b )ttles aro not more
iuscparahle from the affair than gambling, in some form
or other, down to the customary bet of a pair of gloves.
We propose not to interfere with Jovin's spring profits.
But a great horse-race is much more than this. EP'
som, Ascot, the Chester Cup, and the St. Leger present
a far more serious aspect than the
gaiety, the festivity,
and the frolic of the long summer holiday. These
things too dam Ede an amount of robbery, dishonesitl,
ity,
crime, and sorrow, which isdaily
is
en the
crease, and to which we are forced
the oldest
attention. To bet and gamble perhaps_
it. Det• queation whether,
characteristics of the Saxon race.
these days, we have
e.acitus wonders at
made much advance utic .
and sarcas
fore
p
o
n
thearbarous perversity which
seventeen centuries ago attractedin
the contemptuous
criticism of the refinedwho g
ancestors in the Heroynian ahistorian mbled away
were not much
bt
themselves and their personal ler y,
i the ranks of humanity or common sense than
.s, t
lower n
the fools who risk their all on the event of the Derby.
The multiplication of Batting Offices has become an
evil, at least as regards the population of this metropolis,
of the gravest and most menacing aspect. 'Race;
have always been the occasion of betting. A man
on the turf is, in his way, a recognised member of
society. To make a book is a regular call-
ing. Tattersall 's is part of the floating, traditionary
g,
British Constitution itself. To have missed the " bluey
ribbon of the turf " is historically a legitimate
subject for a statesman's " superb regret." It were
of prohibiting at least as hopeless to think b etun on
horse races as to propose to
put down • horses, o
_the
Pre-
miers, actual or expectant. We are aware, then, of ,of
delicate ground upon which we are getting. t
Lordt
not for one law for the rich and another forthe
a We askpoo
poor.
right Lord Ft
or erdueirhi c 'a
himselflackey
anhda shijsaws aswife
and much,fam or
y aas
le,
f.
imsel
we practisecannotWe
in h
makete do
illegaldining room. n in the ser-
vants' Frederic
hall
what
No-
thing snore natural than that poor men should sport
their shillings, or their pots ofmaolete,
owvhere those above
them venture their thousands.
has use and wont on its side. The odedr, the
practiee
have, for many a year, been as universally e
on the Derby
that
ohne
price of Consols. But it is undeniable
horse-races has of late enormously increased among the
middle and poorer classes. It has penetrated into circles
of; and the excessive increase
theo
where, a few years ago, betting ast, a thing unthought
fostered, and indeed produced, by
bet-
ting houses. Historically, we believe that theseo cases,
ash;oast numbehre.trace
tihniTsevnitcieofthaosf been
in
blinz marts—which are,
nothing better than swindling to
what were called " Derby sweere InTaiyie inner were
of a particular horse entered fOrecti a ogrreat stakes,
mere lotteries, in which each sp t drew the name
won or lost his venture aeord. elny -They ware held
ing y.
generally at public-houses, attracted ads.
tike to which they at
tw and togv • e ts; dl rds
-re emefly encouraged by the lan ° •
y are course illegal, awl have been more or less
put down by the n
ro“Ce and the magistrates. Out of
and
them has grown the more formidable and more exciting
system of betting houses. In the
sweeps
In a betting house, however, the odds aro car loettery.
take—the thing "5
a simple " no odds
were given or
registered and announced; and the owner of the
establishment takes or gives odds against all comers.
fully
Infact, ),
d he has all the chances
e - • and leg by profession,
is
he keeps the bank against all gam s.
lie
of his position in his favour. Ile is all but certain to
oncrrn at en expense of
Win'
anY"w" lie startsl hisea single desk and pant-
' a,hollt ;WO ounas,
• tlOll, like those at savings
f the " office "aro corered
Ululating paper. The walls of db in
bake, and in a few yeses of

,Ef

-~ ;

with lists and states of rthe odds. Every person who
bets_ with the office-keeper deposits his money—his
and the ffi
half-crown, crown, or sovereign—
on twl7e,:e'vepayclif
k Unless " unavoidably absent from to
es after the race. These houses, o ce-
his
in Exeter 'Change.
a great race, spring up with the fatal fecundit • fungi.
Within a circle of a quarter of a mile radius3'foo
ownnffide, we enumerated, yesterday afternoon, rthme Zalr-
Oxford-
lowing betting-offices:—ln the Strand, between St.
Mary's Church and Temple-bar, 4;
1; in. Catherine-street, 1; in Bow-street, 2; in Endell:
street, 2; in Great Russell-street, 4; in New
street, 4; .in Bloomsbury-street, 1; in St. Giles's,
2; in Great Queen-street, 1; in Long-acre, 3; in St.
Martin's-lane, 1 ; and in Chandos-streete 2.
We confined our examination to these streets; At the
dinner hour yesterday, every ono of these planes was
crowded, not only by specimens of the low, greasy, tat-
tered, professional gambler class, but by clerks
bearing bags, sober-seeming mechanics shouldering
their tools, shopmen, errand-boys, and tidy tradesmen.
The statistics of this sort of betting may be further illus.,
trated as follows :—A betting price-current, the Odds,
is published daily in time for post; the Racing Times
claims a circulation of 16,000 weekly, at 3d.; and the
Penny Racing Times is not likely to be behind it. We
are informed by a credible person, who himself keeps
one of these houses, that, after the races, nine out of
ten of them will be closed; and that vast numbers of de-
luded victims who have already staked and paid their
money, will find on Friday morning, the office shut, and
the office-keeper a " 'minter " with all lris receipts.
Add to all this the facilities given by tel. graphic com-
munication for " cooking" or falsifying the odds—add '
also the very refined and elaborate calculations which
are
_necessary to enable even a professional " turfite" to
" make a safe book" and the chances against the artizan
and mechanic, even supposing the thing to be fairly
conducted, may be in some degree estimated. The
police reports and the bankruptcy courts tell • the
tearful sequel. Pilfering, caste. zzlement, the ruin of ap-
prentices
and shop boys, domestic misery, the prison-
van, and the hulks—these are the certain results of bet- -
ling hou:es. Tnis evil is so enormous, and so largely
on the increase, that it is absolutely necessary to call
'attention to its extent and magnitude. It infeets a class
of eociety whose honesty is everybody's concern. Po- .
metal() servants, youths, shop assistants, collecting olerks -
-these are the classes which betting houses entrap.
Viewed under this aspect, the misery, degradation,
crime, and corruption which the Derby Day, with all its _
picturesque
amount
hetoreaffwecgtraioni
splendour and social enjoyment, involves,
gosrdizausdeosfmpeono,lio spomeernso
atriatl
nel
In.
those
morality,
pestilence. ,
w.
whoea We
magistrates,
will
commendu ,
merchants,hithis
ayt h b
ei a n 2
prospe-
roust- . .
atenefa- great annual holido-fa Epsom, and official
Con-
gregated on the Downs
to -
which are lost by their dependants
put the question ----Y- `Let them remember—
to enjoy the Lon-
or the tens of thousands -
in betting houses.
social. lowest
infinence
sooner or later, they pay f very ground—that
Something must be done, by
if 'not by
legislative authority, to checyk
nuisance. this formidable and deadly
DAILY NEWS.—Amongst other i
done at the meeting of delegates from kechanice mportant things
Insti-
tutions at tile Society of Arts laseweesuggested the propriety of copies oft.a.Mr. Tufnell
papers being given by Parliament to the various
literary institutions. This suggestion, as might
tthiss local
sup-
posed, was very cordially received, and certainly deserves
support. de
support. Several petitions have been presented to the
Legislature on the subject, and these we published yes-
terday not only to show what has been already done, '
but to point out the way which others should follow.
The Mechanics' Institute at Gateshead, the Cheltenham '
Literary and Philosophical Institution, the Derby Mechaa
nits' Institution, the Macclesfield Society for the Ac-
quirement of Useful Knowledge, the Literary and Scien-
tific Institution in Tiverton have petitioned thejlouse
of Commons to supply them with these sessional
papers and Acts of Parliament free of expense. The
Gateshead petitioners intimate their willingness
to have all such documents thrown open to the in-
spection of resident nonmembers free of expense.
With respect to Acts of Parliament, it may be remarked
that one great difficulty in modern English legislation is
to devise efficient means of promulgating new laws.
Nemini licet ignorari is the maxim of the law courts when
any luckless Wight pleads ignorance of any special law;
but how is any man to acquire a knowledge of all the
multiform statutes that are annually hatched by Parlia-
ment? It is vain to think of having these bulky and
innumerable documents proclaimed, as in simpler times,
by beat of drum at the market cross, or stuck up on the
c,leurchelpor; how are Englishmen to be informed of
what tthey are held bound under penalties to do or eh-
in z,froin? . The Legislature culpably neglects its
daty,:aodni as it takes no measures to have all English-
men testae cognisant of all laws. An important step
williaerteken. towards this desirable end, by adopting
measures enabling all Englishmen to read with intelli-
gence and plainly all new laws within their reach. For
this the establishment of elementary secular schools in
every district of moderate extent is one requisite, but
not of itself sufficient. The encouragement of local free
libraries is necessary to enable men to turn to practical
account the art of reading acquired in elementary
schools. And wherever such local free libraries aro
established, there ought Acts of Parliament to be sent,
for deposit and preservation, in order that the general
public may have access to know their contents. The
sessional papers of Parliament are only second in import-
ance to its acts. Absurd, redundant, and often silly
though these documents be, they contain an immense
quantity of valuable information, that is nowhere else to
be found. The mass of the population—even of the more
easy and wealthy classes—have not only no means of ob-
taining access to these sources of information, but to
means of learning what they contain. To enable the public
to form a sound judgment on the great political and econo-
mical questions now at issue, it is indispensable that they
should at least have in their power to learn what the
sessional papers contain, and to consult them occa-
sionally. With proper precaution and judicious selec-
tion,
compliance with the petitions of the institutions
above alluded to, might be made instrumental in pro-
moting the great objects of national education, and a
sufficient promulgation of the laws. Let copies of the
sessional papers and Acts of Parliament be transmitted,
free of expense, to every such institution as is favour-
ably situated for being the centre of a district, and has
taken Efficient measures to establish, in connexion with
it, a local free library. These institutions would thus
be rendered accessible local public archives, and schools
for the study of contemporary history and practical
politics. The object cL ntemplated by these peti-
tioners is intimately connected with the movement
hich aims at inducing the Commissioners for the In-
dustrial Exhibition to redistribute the contributions to
the Exhbion guarantee fund, for the purpose of fund applied in aid of the establishsnent of local
ins that
tree libraries and museums.
Of the five places from
which the petitions named have_ been - forwarded, four
have contributed to this guarantee fund. The value and
of local free libraries would be materially in-
creased by their being
utility
made places for the deposit
and preservation of the sessional papers and Acts of
Parliament for the inspection of the general public-,
' thus been invested with kind of offieial
and having
Government
character, Parliament and the
h. would ac-
quire a right to watch. over t eirf . proceeriings, and
insist that the public were airly dealt with.
The important step recently taken by the Society
of Arts enhances the practical importance of these
considerations at the present moment. An us z
ganaed
has been effected between Cue sneifq
union .y and n-arly
two hundred local literary and scientific in.,: :
"Of the particular modes hi which the . • b,,tutiois.
lusty utes
to take advantsge of the union to brought- propose
serves the Atienceum of lest &turd about ob-
the
opi-
nion of the delega:ts appeared to be,l) general
airers should be tormed, with the ' that a corps of lie-
of lectures partaking somewhat of view
to giving courses
classes—that the institutions h the nature of college
such books us they wish
to sould make out lists of
obtain, in order that ex-
changes may be effected between
o3ent, made with publishers llthemselves, and arrange-
ment:
a large Alan_
..i fort reduction of price on
ex-
pensive Looks`sand in"sYtruttl at a eirculetine Lbrary of
In:l'as should be formed—tha
a moveable exhibition of inventions and improvements
in machinery and rn
I.leutactutes should be got toge-
ther—and that the ---
flle of men great attaunnants
should be sought in establ eh' of
g .a circuits with
tae object of giving greater educational eedluacsasetisoinal scope and
power to the inatitutio g"
r spirit appears to be at
al. A spirit qv
this moment awaking throughout the country to renew
'he enthueikm felt for Mechanics' Institutions at their
first estabitshrneut; to extend and perfect their
inachinet ; and to stimulate all the various districts of
the country to emulation and combined action. In
short, the first faint outlines of a real university for the
people have been dimly shadowed out. Now is the
time for any one who has national education really at
heart to bestir himself in his own locality, and according
to his own lights; and certainly every existing
Mechanics' Literary Institution should support Mr.
Tufnell's suggestion,
petitioning Parliament for
documents.
gra-
tuitous copies of ParliamentarybY

RAILWAY SHARE MARKETS.
—South
STOCK EcivaiGx.--Vire had9al
The only sales m-
a downward Bit
Western,lST 0 -
BRISTOL,
tendency.
ea:
y 2.5
GretIVERPOOL, MAY 25.
srom ExciaraNGE.—The share market opened heavily
this morning,
anpodrtepdri"wserhea—d
but afterwards improved, and a fair amount
of business was done at firm prices. The transactions
were as follow:—Eastern Counties, BX—Lancashire and
Yorkshire, 71U—London and North-Western, 122% Ditto,
New Quarters, 5 p.—Midland, 675,e—Sonth-Eastern and
Dover,2os4—York and North Midland, 233 i— Midland Great
Western, 8% dis.—Western of France, 134 P•
MANCHESTER.MAY 25.
STOCK EXCHANOII.—A considerable amount of business
was transacted in our share market to-day, willout ma-
terial alteration in prices. The sales were—Birkenhead,
Lancashire, and Cheshire Junction, 10778 dis.—Eastern Coun-
ties, 8 15-16—East Lancashire, 16 16-16—Lancashire and
Yorkshire, 711.i—Ditto, Fifths, 6% dis.—Midland,
Manchester, bneffield. and Lincolnshire, 32—Ditto, New
Preference, 13.16 p.—South-Eastern and Dover, 20 13-16
London and North-Western, 1223A—North British 75
Great A orthern, Preference, 15-16 —East Lancashire, Pre-
ference, Quarters, 9%.
.3.I.IiMINGHAM, MAY 25.
STOCK EXCITANGE.—There was little or nothing done in
the share market to-day. The only sale reported
London and 'North-Western, 1233/4.

PROPERTY FOUND IN CAB,.—yesterday a Parlia-
mentary return was issued, from which it appears that, from
the Ist September, 1800, to the Ist September, 1851, the
number of articles found in hackney carriages (cabs), by
drivers, and deposited at the proper office, was 2,182. The
number claimed by the owners was 1,154. No account. was
kept of the value of the articles found.
DRIVERS OF HACKNEY CARRIAGES:—From a
ret,Arn to the House of k_.ummons (printed on Monday), i
appears that on the Ist &pt. mber last there were 6,0.
drivers of ns.ckuey carriages licensed, including 1,061 propel
tors. Ihe amount received for this license., at 514 each,"
4501. 15a.
•