The Sun.
London, England, 1837-09-26 00:00:00

THE CORN LAWS.

A correspondent of the Kendal _Mercury writes—" I
wish to draw the attention of the farmer to the time when
a scarcity of corn prevailed. At that time they had a Corn
Bill to protect them. The price of goods then got out of
all proportion with the manufacturers' wages, and the con-
sequence was that the country was in a most alarming and
agitated state, so much so t,►at Ministers, Tory Ministers
(of course immaculate), found it necessary to pass an order
in Council allowing the importation and introduction into
the market of foreign grain, to save the people from starv-
ing. I admit that this was an act of mercy, or rather of
justice to the manufacturer but a gross act of injustice to-
wards the farmer. Honest men will naturally ask, had the
farmer no compensation ? We answer—none! none what-
ever ! But the Ministers for this transaction were de-
fended by the landed interest in the Lower House, pre-
ferring the ruin of their tenantry to endangering their own
property by t► national convulsion, brought on by the Corn-
Laws starving the poor. So much for Cor■ Bills pro-
tecting the farmer. _ . .

" I shall now pass on from individual interests, and en-
deavour to defend Free Trade on the broad principle of
universal good ; indeed, without it, half the bounties of
Providence are made useless to mankind in general. Had
all nations been equal in soil, climate, and produce, it would
have only been necessary to proportion the people to the
extent of each kingdom, and free trade would have then
been unnece-sary. Any man, let his acquaintaece with
the world be ever so circumscribed, must observe that the
discrepancies are so great, that without free intercourse our
privations must be in the same proportion. Yes!
the most careless observer will discover that the greater
the disparity in nations and produce, the greater the bene-
fits of free trade.

" But, by way of illustration, let us suppose two nations
of equal magnitude and population, but that one of them
possesses superior climate and soil, and that its inhabitants
by working three hours a•day could produce food sufficient
for all ; but being deficient in every thing that makes them
speedy and efficient as manufacturers, it requires nine hours
a-thy to provide for clothing and other requisites—so that
twelve hours a-day is occupied in providing food and cloth-
ing. Let us suppose the other nation just the reverse of
this : the consequence would be, that without Free Trade,
each would have to labour twelve hours a-day to
provide all the necessaries of life ; but with Free Trade
they need only labour six hours to produce the same. But
perhaps it may be said that the disproportion here men-
tioned is never so great betwixt any nations. Be it so ;
but this I assert, be it more or less, the blessings of Free
Trade will ever be the same in proportion."

Sir F. Burdett has subscribed 1001. towards the
building of the new church at Trowbridge.

A GRAIN OF OATS.—We have just been favoured
with the inspection of the produce of one pickle of oats
from the garden of Mr. Geikie, Lauriston. It consists of
eighteen stalks, on each of which there are about seventy
pickles, making in all upwards of twelve hundred grains of
oats from one single seed I—Scotsman.

Mr. John Parkyn, of Polperro, lately caught a con-
ger, and brought it on shore alive. On going to bed, he
hung it up in a basket ; but, in the course of the night, it
managed to escape to the floor, where a battle took place
between it and a large rat, that had for some time infested
the house. The next morning the rat was found in the
conger's mouth, and both the combatants were quite dead.
—West Briton.

A gentleman holding a high Ministerial of in
Greece married, about the end of last month, the sister of
his brother's wife, contrary to the ecclesiastical law of the
country. He has, in consequence, been excommunicated
by the Bishop of Attica, and the anathema pronounced
against him extends not only to himself, his wife, and chil-
dren, but to all those who speak to them, salute them, or
hold any communication with them.
A Tory society has, within the last few days been
established in Newcastle, " to maintain the ancient prin-
ciple: on which the Constitution is founded ;" the nature
and object of such a club are perfectly understood. Mr.
John Hodgson Hinde, M.P., and Mr. Richard Hodgson,
M.P., are conspicuous supporters of this society.—Berwick
Advertiser.

The foundation stone of a new Catholic Chapel at
Hereford was laid on Tuesday last amidst an immense con-
course of spectators.

As a proof of the mildness of the present autumn
there is now an apple-tree in a garden at Dorchester, in
full bloom, which had a good crop of apples picked off it
about three weeks since ; and also another at the village of
Bockhampton, near that town, which is entirely covered
with blossom.— Wilts Herald.

CHURCH-RATES.—The poll at Ashton-under-
Lyne, upon a motion for the laying of a church-rate, has
terminated in the complete defeat of the church party, the
votes being at the close of the contest—.
Against the rate
For it

Majority
A similar contest has taken place at Mottram with a still
more triumphant result, the poll at its conclusion standing
thus--
.Against the rate
For it

Majority
It is evident from these and similar manifestations in other
parts of the country that church-rates will not much longer
he granted. The Tories, who have resisted the appropria-
tion clause in the Irish Church Bill, and refused their con-
sent to a measure which would have provided for the re-
pair of Churches in England by giving an increased value
to the church lands, have done their best to put an end to
the payment of tithes in the one country and of Church-
rates in the other. We thank them for their foolish zeal.
The London Anti-church-rate Society, which contributed
so much last year to give concentration to public opinion
upon this question, is, we understand, to take the field
again before the meeting of Parliament ; and we trust its
secretary, who is to visit us next week, will meet with the
hearty co-operation of every opponent of ecclesiastical ex-
action in our town and neighbourhood.—Manchester Times.
Union among Reformers is the arch of their strength,
but the Ballot is the key-stone ; without which it is alto-
gether impossible that the arch can ever subsist. To this
measure the Whigs must and will be driven. All mea-
sures short of this, for the purpose of securing our cause,
are futile, absurd, and delusory. Let there be agitation,
let there be meetings, but let the end and object of them
all be the Ballot ! The dinner at which Lord Moreton j, of -_t„
presided in this town, on Thursday last was a strong dc- London: Printed and The Pseuinbli(tet,tebyNoh.lUnft,2DsOtrand,in county
112, Strand, at.
monstration how cordially the large majority of Reformers
concur in the opinion we hold.—Cheltenham Free Press. I of Middlesex.—Tuesday, September 26, 163/.

--------
DIED.
On the 22d inst., William Child, Esq., of Denmark-hill,
and of Lower Thames-street, aged 72. _f 3,11,
On the 22d inst., at llollingdon-grove, Susanna,
widow 0
E. Martin, of Mile, end, surgeon, aged 79. daog 11-
On the 24th inst., in Sloane-street, Chelsea, Mary Anne,
ter of the late J. Jack, Esq• , T ,ier Ser
On Thursday, the 14th inst., at his father's house, in vPr- 3E,tb
in the
moor-street, Euston-square, Mr. Benjamin Tyrrell,
year of his age. ,_uabter
On the 22d inst., at Tenby, Elizabetha Camilla, only a'', %ire,
and heiress of the late Catiwall,tder Edwards, Esq., of nal Y
county Wexford. ea 0'
On the 22d inst„ at Blackheath, aged 23, Emily, second
ter of F. L. Rogers, Esq. f car
On the 19th inst., at Twickenham, Michael, eldest son 0
tain IL Stewart, R.N., aged 17.
____--....+""'"_.;.;,
suffer,