The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-26 00:00:00

THE METROPOLITAN POLICE RATE.

On Saturday a numerous deputation from the metro-
politan parishes waited upon Mr. Wa'pate, the Home
tircrAary, at his official residence, to induen the
(.Ititlecrian to exercise his itllaenee to retic.:,.e, the p.,lice
rate of the county of Middlesex, which the new 955585-
mqnt by the county magistrates raised, to an enormous
amount. The deputation was headed by Dudley
Stuart and Sir Benjamin Hall, 11.1.).. Mr. Gecuge
introduced the subject by slating that in. 1847, through
the comity magistrates re-assessina the county. the as-
;seqaments were raised from 6,367,4561. to 7,792,168/.,
although, when the police were first established, it was
intended by the Legislature that the.then county assess-
ment' should form the basis of the police rate. Mr.
Nei/son said that in St. James's parish the police rate
was suddenly raised from 6 000/. to 10,548/, at the very
time thit they reduced the local expenditure from 47,0001.
to 22,0001. He urged the blessings of free trade, which
so reduced the price of the necessaries of lifo, as a strong
reason for reducing the police rate. Lord Dudley Stuart
and Si, B. Hail detailed and explained the unavailing
efforts made sinco 1847 to effect a reduction and a uni-
formity of the police rate over tho whole metropolitan
counties. They also charged the late Home Secretary
:with having broken faith with them in not reducing the
rate as he promised. Lord Dudley Stuart said that an
experienced officer in the police force assured him that
, that force might be safely reduced 1.000 men. The
Chief Commissioner of Police also admitted that a reduc-
tion from sixpence to fivepence ought to be made. The
aurae Secretary highly approved of a uniformity of
rating,• and, without pledging himself to any particular
course, assured the several representatives of the different
parishes that the subject would engage hi 4 most serious
attention, and he would 4o all in his.power to meet their
TENANT-FARMERS AND THEIR

"FRIENDS."
(From the Derbyßeporter.)
No one can look fairly at the state of agriculture
for the last six years without feeling much sympathy
with tenant-farmers. For many years, in conse-
quence of legislative interference, they received prices
for their produce which were oppressive on the con-
sumers, and incurred in consequence some obloquy
which they little deserved. But even with this assistance
they were by no means a thriving class. Tax, tithe,
rate, and rent ever trode close on the heels of ad-
vencing prices, and showed by no means the same
alacrity in following their downward course. This
has arisen from the strong internal competition
which affected the occupation of land sooner than
other pursuits, for this reason, that a great deal of
land in England is occupied for fashion, or for plea-
sure, or for convenience, or for some other reason
than mere profit. If amateur hosiers bore the same
proportion in their trade, which amateur graziers do
in their pursuit, no doubt the making of stockings
would yield as small a profit as the making of beef.
But, as the case has stood for the last half century, if
we take equal numbers of hosiers and farmers we
shall find ten hosiers who have realized a retiring
competence for one farmer; though the farmer sup-
poses himself to have been for nearly the whole
period the pet of the Legislature. And if we com-
pare trade and agriculture in general, every large
town will furnish more instances of the acquisition
of large fortunes than the whole agriculture of Eng-
land can produce. The agriculturists have gene-
rally been engaged in political strife, originally as
aggressors, but of late years in vain attempts to
maintain untenable positions. As every position
fell, the tenant-farmer has suffered. When the
landed interest were beat out of 803. a quarter for
wheat, the tenant-farmer suffered; the same when
they were driven from 654.; then from 56s.—and
when they were finally reduced to the natural price.
In no one of these instances were the charges on the
tenant-farmer reduced in the proportion of the price
of his produce. Strife and defeat are the necessary
results of protection in a free country. Where there
is no general pressure on the population protection
may be maintained ; but general pressure and protec-
tion caenot co-exist in a free country. The tenant-
farmers have been loyal to those who aspired to be
their leaders, and professed to be their friends. They
have been docile to their own injury. A retrospect
over ten ypaeo w:11
vain boastings, bad advice, delusive promises,
ee erre—a...a 5 r They Were *4l iaa on
to exert themselves, under the assurance that
the sliding scale should be maintained. And
they did exert themselves, and as they were
told, with honour and glorioue success; but the scale
slid from under their feet. They were told to reject
with scorn a duty of Bs. on wheat, and they did re-
ject it; and they have been told since to sue humbly
for a duty of Sc., and they know that they shall sue
unsuccessfully. They were told that to talk of a
reduction of rent was absurd, for that they could not
cultivate to profit even if they paid no rent ; and
they now know that to that source more than to any
other they must look for relief. They were told
that relief to arise from a reduction of rates, or from
a remission of taxation, was quite beneath their
notice; protection, and protection alone, could be
of any avail. And now every county Member who
addresses his constituents as a supporter of Lord
Derby's Government, tells them that they must
give up the idea of protection, and that some un-
defined and unexplained relief is to arise from these
very sources which were so much derided, But they
are to confide in Lord Derby's Government. Con-
fide ! Why ? Is it because these are the very men,
the very party, who have deceived and deluded, even
if they had not betrayed them. Let the tenant-
farmers remember that though the struggle for pro-
tection has been a losing game for them, it has
suited these gentlemen admirably. Many a man now
enjoys place and power and rank who in the ordinary
course of Parliamentary service could not have at-
tained to them, and who has only attained to them
now by bawling for protection, and deserting it
when it had served his turn. The tenant-farmers
deserted Sir R. Peel because they thought that he
had betrayed them; but at least he spoke out and
defended what they supposed to be his treason ;
but they are now told to confide in miserable sneak-
ing traitors, who won't speak at all. Probably
agriculturists are beginning to discover that their in-
terests have been miserably managed in the House
of Commons ; and the truth is, that where their
interests clash with those of other classes, they fail
to obtain bare justice on account of the quality of
their representatives. Trading constituencies choose
their Members simply on account of their ability,
activity, and industry : men whose voices are heard
in every debate; whose names are seen in every
division: men; provincial perhaps in their manners
and in their dialect, but who thoroughly understand
the interests which they represent, are able to com-
municate information, and have consequently the
ear of the House of Commons. Two-thirds of the
representatives of agricultural constituencies are
mere dilettanti legislators ; seen much more regu-
larly in the hunting field and in the Opera House
than on the benches of the House of Commons:
men chosen on account of their possessions, or on
account of their connexions, or even sometimes on
account of their mediocrity; men whose voices the
House neither knows nor desires to know. We are
inclined to hope that many landlords will not endea-
vour to coerce their tenants at the coming elections,
some from good principle and feeling, and some be-
cause the practice is justly regarded with increasing
odium. The advice which we would tender to
tenant- farmers is not to place a blind confidence in
an Administration which shrouds itself in a mist :
not to commit their interest to a class of men who
have proved utterly incompetent to their protection;
but to follow the example of the trading and manu-
facturing classes, and to select as their represent at
who
men of ability, knowledge, and industry;
shall. not be ashamed to speak with their enmeemnies in
cultural
the gate. They will then assure for.the agri
which is
interest equal justice and equal privileges,
all that it ought to desire.

INFANTICIDE' IN SPITALFIELDS --On Friday fore-
noon an inquest, adjourned from Wednesday last, was re-
sumed before Mr. Baker, at the Ten Bells, Church-street,
Spitalfields, on view of the body of a
n
ewy b
lorn male infant,
the illegitimate offspring. of Msrgaret Whitma, aged 22,
a single woman, who is In the female workhouse of White-
chapel Union, in the custody of the police mother o
. The f
the accused, who resides at No. 38, Dorset-street. Spital-
fields, was on Tuesday last charged before Mr. D'Eyncourt
at the Worship street Police-court, with the murder of the
deceased, but there was not sufficient evidence to implicate
her, and she was discharged. Additional evidence was given
yesterday, and the jury, alter a short consultation, returned
a verdict of Wilful Murder against Margaret Whitman. The
coroner issued his warrant for the committal of the accused,
and the witnesses were bound over to prosecute.
SERMONS NOT COPYRIGHT.he case which oc-
curred two years ago in the Paisley court, between the Rev.
John Macnaughtan and Mr. Wilson. of the late Ren
frewshiv;
Advertiser, in which effect was given to the plea maintainede
for Mr. Wilson, that sermonsdhefliovewreidll fbroomio
ha
pouielpmitortyo
of
g
congregation were not copyri
most of our readers. Professor Shank More has introduced
notice of the case into the lectures on Scotch law, andhaas
intimated, ex cathedra, that he concurs in the opinion that
sermons and speeches, once delivered and spoken in an as-
sembly, no longer the exclusive property of the speaker,
poseasion of the public, who may print
but paiainto the
dispose of them at ploaaaro,-.044500 . Y end
Vnronicie.