The Sun.
London, England, 1852-04-10 00:00:00

sidering the innumerable branches of industry affected
by such works, it will be admitted that such internal

prosperity must have resulted from the fact that, whereas
in 1845, only 2,024 miles of railroad had been opened.
costing 71,649,0001., in 1851, there had been opened
dose on 7,000 miles, involving an expenditure of
236,841,4201. Now, whence, I would ask, came this extra
investment of 165,000,0001. in the six years, or twenty-
six millions the average per annum? Whence but from
the unexampled prosperity of trade. Nor is it in this
channel only that capital has been fruitfully flowing. The
creation has gone on apace of mills, factories, docks,
wharfs, and warehouses; not a little has also gone on in
ship building; there was no neglect of Lord Derby's ad-
vice as to draining; and yet capital has continued to
abound at 21 per cent. in all monetary avenues ; while
nearly twenty millions of gold are lying in the vaults of
the Bank of England. Again : at the commencement
of free trade in shipping, in 1848, the amount of our
mercantile tonnage was 4,050,190 tons, employing
236,906 men; in three years, at the close of 1851, the
tonnage exceeded 4,300,000 tons, and the men 240,000."

He also proves that there has been a diminution of
crime and intemperance, and a saving in the latter
half of 1851, when compared with that of 1850, of no
leas than 11 per cent. in pauper maintenance, a
"most material direct relief," as Mr. PETO justly
remarks, " to the landed interest, who, it is to be re-
membered, have likewise shared in the general benefit
of reduced cost of living, and in the indescribable
advantage resulting from a state of society where the
masses, being employed, well paid, and well fed, are
necessarily contented, and attached to the institutions
which secure them against the encroachments of
others."

It is unnecessary to follow up the arguments ol
the Hon. Gentleman on this subject, which must
convince any unprejudiced auditor of the inestimable
advantages of untaxed food, of the right of every man
" to eat the bread for which he has laboured," with-
out paying heavy tribute to any man or
body of men. He, however, declares that
whilst strenuously advocating the continuance of
free trade, he is fully prepared to remove
any burden that is borne unfairly by the land.
" The whole subject," he declares, " of the taxation
to which the land is liable, is a fair matter of inquiry
before the Legislature and if there are burdens by
taxation on land to promote national objects, let them
no longer be borne by the land exclusively." This is
fair and proper. It is acting up to the Christian
principle of " doing as we would be done by." While
insisting on full justice for ourselves, let us b 3 pre-
pared to do justice to all without exception, to show
that we seek for nothing which we are not
equally prepared to render to all in due season.
On the great question of Parliamentary reform
Mr. Pee° is equally satisfactory. He holds out a
hope of something better than the mockery of reform
which led to the change of the Alinistry. While
condemning the members of the present Ca-
binet, and asserting the impossibility of their
continuance in office, he still expresses his
belief that -they will unintentionally be
the occasion of much abiding national good,"
and that " already there have been evolved the ele-
ments not only of a still more liberalised Government
than the last, but there has been a mutual recognition
among all sections of Parliamentary Liberals
of the basis of a measure that shall go a long
way towards remedying abuses that have
been the scandal of our electoral system."
He adds, " This co-operation alone is wanting.
Without it pclitical improvement throughout the
kingdom will again be arrested fur an indefinite time.
Not only will there be no re-adjustment of the fran-
chise, but there will be no security for the just enjoy-
ment of what is already possessed; and it is for you,
and for all large constituencies, to say, whether you
will permit any Government to stand between you
and the reforms you desire ? Of those reforms an
extension of the suffrage is one of the most pressing.
It must also be apportioned on a principle that shall
give numbers and intelligence their just weight."
We heartily commend this admirable declaration of
political faith to the calm and attentive perusal, not
only of the electors of Norwich, to whom it is more
immediately directed, but also of every constituency
in the country. It will teach them a valuable lesson
as to what they may fairly demand and have a right
to expect from their representatives. It cannot be
anticipated that many such men can be found as
SAMUEL MORTON PETo has proved himself to be ;
but let those who have the power endeavour to find
worthy coadjutors, who will co-operate with him in
sustaining the line of policy and promoting the views
which he has so ably and distinctly enunciated.

THE FRENCH REPUBLIC.

We have received the Paris journals of yesterday.
The _Mats contains an article by M. EMILE CHE-
VALIER, in reply to one in the Constitutionnel, in
support of the protective system. The Constitu•
tionnel is rather protectionist, and declares that any
imitation of the free trade policy of England would
be fatal to the interests of France. The, Detats, on
the contrary, is of opinion that the protective or
rather prohibitive system might be relaxed with the
greatest safety for French manufacturers, and the
greatest advantage to the public, who would no longer
be the victims of a monopoly which checks competi-
tion and paralyses enterprise. It concludes by
saying " The question is no longer to know if pro-
tection is good. That system has had its day ; it
cannot now retain the mastery any longer, it can
only capitulate on as good terms a- it can find. We
are of opinion that most honourable terms be granted
it, and that time be accorded for the transition. But
from the present time, all ought to understand that
free trade is the point advanced to. And in speaking
thus, we are certain that we give the Government a
counsel salutary for itself as well as advantageous for
the country."
We find the following in the Presse, with the sig-
nature of M. DE GIEARDIN _ _

" In his speech on the occasion of the reception of the
oath of the judges, the President of the Republic raised
universal suffrage to the height of a principle; ho de-
clared that it was the national will itself, and that the
sovereignty of the people was a dogma. From this de-
claration I draw the conclusion that the Presi•
dent of the Republic, if he reads the news-
papers, and if he reads these lines, will immediately give
orders for the release of the only one of the elect of
universal suffrage, who was arrested on 2d December,
1851, and who is still in custody, the 7th April, 1852.
To detain any longer M. Idiot., elected representative of
the people fcr the department of Nievre, would bo not
only to attack and strike universal suffrage in his person,
but would cause a man to pass before a principle."
The Minister of Finance has, says the Moniteur,
received from all the departments, except Corsica, the
amounts of the demands for the reimbursements of

the Three per Cents. The total of these demands
amounts to 1,936,783 f. of rente, representing a capital
of 38,735,660 f.
The Union says,—" The list of senators who are
to receive pension has, it is said, been just made out.
The number amounts to 38. The dotations, it is
said, vary from 10,000 f. to 30,000 f."
There is a long article by M. GRANIEU DE CASSAG-
NAC in the Constitutionnel of Thursday, on the
collective lettersof General CAVAIGNAC, M. CAUNOT,
and M. HENON, declaring their refusal to take the
oath prescribed by the Constitution. M. GBANIER
DE CASSAGNAC criticises the letter paragraph by para-
graph. Ile concludes thus :
" It is not for General Cavaignac to speak of public
liberties, on the ruin of which his power had been ele-
vated; and when the rigours of arbitrary rule are spoken
of in collective letter, that this is certainly strange in
the mouth of a man, who, in the name of a dictatorship
of his own making, which never received any national
sanction, transported 14,000 men without judgment,
stehvee n h
edealys.
A of
suspended or suppressed eighteen journals, and kept M.
d. Gmiarnardniinvinh
asevcereftocrognofittneenmtehnatttohretwpleancteyd-
his boot on the dignity and liberty of a country, but
afterwards forwards to assume
he does not merit to be looked on as being serious
"'hen he comes
before;:p
id
n4thatth
C.cneduianatrteys, the airs of a protector and
avenger. The day on which Banton, tired
')f
huratt blood
d seemed desirous of preaching up die-
nienev,
Just replied
, .
the writers
' We do not admit,' continue...
iht:nri:h.
td,ust replied to him, the crocodile is then also
of the legtiearS 1
tile hodyierth: that the electors sent us to sit in a legis-
achbenildveelatdo..ruelante,:orii
least without
literally, I"
thhaevi violation
npowers
tiredly
oo
fp
r which
gh hi et, h'
d That not
d e gc
lo r the
.a t i o lengthn
, taken o
that of the "14
denote in the mind of the elector r, as in
only a middling respect for that
re-
stitution had ber Pl°accepted
tthheeysuwpeproert
acnce,r,nLa long time promulgated. They
elected wh iwhich
the Legislative body, it f•ll ththeecy
Con-
who
vaignac, M. Carnot, sanctioning; and if Gen. Ca-
were doing, What tife'u a candidateship knew what they
ing, and a protest which M. Ilenon did not intend to sit in
Carnot
what and against who
tbAs a mere comedy they were
Against institutions institutions freery did
France, and against a Chierll
eY were preparing. But:against
they want to protest?
their side, right does not c
tlemen choose very badly their regularly accepted by all
citizens, If such political sleeted by eight millions of
48Powers have not right on
time to suggest disorder
property, fe,mily ties, rei( • "
when the most frightful ansrohrvtlic powers. It is not
when
lutions! General Cavaignac,
have been saved, that it can be gia''ua talk f i nay li'e itself
friends do not appear to comprehe been escaped from,
led to popularise revo-
Carnot, and their
fr.
laci With what old rags