The Sun.
London, England, 1839-12-28 00:00:00

Zfn '-altl,l'.

LONDON :
SATURDAY, DECEMBER 23, 1839.

The Globe begins at length to see that the,
country is threatened with a nearer and greater
danger than any the No Popery cry, or the No
Church-rate demand is calculated to avert. It
talks of a revolution, of a bread war, of the wrang-
lers for trifles standing on a volcanic soil, and it
mourns, as well it may, over the difficulty there is
in defending our institutions while Corn-laws enlist
agait►st them the strongest passions of the masses.
We ccpy our Contemporary's remarks, and earnestly
hope the;' may command the attention of her
MAJESTY'S Ministers.

We have long been convinced, from the strange
doctrines which are afloat in the community—from
the strange acts of our legislators, which have jus-
tified the strangest deductions against them—hom
the strange conduct of the upper and middle classes,
—as if it were intended to alienate from them all the
humbler classes, and which has been followed
by equally strange conduct in the alienated
classes—from the manner in which i!te first
rin-
ciples of political society and of property have
been discussed, as if revolutions were soon to be
every day occurrences—from what we continually
hear and see, and have long heard and seen, we are
convinced that the view now taken by th Globe
is correct, and that it will not do for the Statesmen
of any party longer to treat these matters as trifles,
or fancy that this great commotion of society can
be stilled by waving a birch xod. The efforts of
the Tories to stay the waves of Reform were aptly
compared, during the progress of the Bill, to Dame
PARTINGTON endeavouring to mop up the At-
lantic—and the efforts of all our: Statesmen com-
bined will, we are afraid, unless they leave all
minor matters, and bend their thoughts seriously,
earnestly, and religiOusly to this great work, be as
unavailing to extinguish the volcano which
is now beneath our feet, or blow it off
harmless, as were the efforts of the Dame and
the Tories. Such being our conviction, we shall
conclude that the Ministers are much to blame if
they do not bend all their energy to avert the cala-
mities which are pending over England from the 1
nNsrliar condition of our working population.
We ;ism. ,:nuch whispered about legislgion for
Canada, and leos,fi
,on for Jamaica, and legisiatioh
for the slaves; but we Flo not hear, except some
intimation that the Ministers mean to propose to
substitute a fixed tax on corn, for the fluctuating
tax, of any legislation to amend the condition of
the neople. We trust that the idea of effecting
tilat is not given up in despair ; for nothing else 1
can save the country from a great calamity. We
trust it is riot to be said that the condition of the
people is the result of natural laws, which no poii•
tical power can amend ; f,i if that doctrine be
held, after the exercise of political power has
brought the country into its present difficuitiez, we
must despair that it *4l ever be peacefully and
tranquilly extricated.
But we are to have elaborate I,fie,iFiation
for Canada ; the two provinces bundled itii4;
one, and some nice plan for collecting Red
presentatives which will please persons at
home. What, however, does any man in
England know about Canada, that he should
deem it within the compass of his ability to make
good laws for that partially settled country ? Lord
JOHN RUSSELL, with the help of official informa-
tion, seeing all things through a medium that re-
fiacts, distorts, and discolours them, has been
closely studying the question of Canada for six
months. Though we have not studied it at all, we
will answer that it is no longer the same question
as when he began his investigations. A few lite-
rary men, who have taken a note or two of of-
ficial despatches—have read a few books of travels
in Canada—.-and have read the party news-
papers, probably of one side only, think they
are well acquainted with the Colonies, and could
make laws for Canada. Perhaps, too, a ship cap-
tain who has been at Quebec, or a merchant who
has sent thither a few cargoes, and has an agent on
the spot, is quite convinced that lie knows all about
the matter. With great deference to all these gen-
tlemen, even to the ship captain, we beg leave to
doubt, seeing what a miserable bungling work
our pious bishops, our well-educated peers, our
enlightened country gentlemen, and our captains,
colonels, and merchants, who sit in the House of
Commons, have made of legislation at home, whe-
ther they are so very competent to make laws for
Canada, that other matters should be neglected.
One thing is quite certain, that the legisla-
tion will have to be carried into effect or en-
forced,
if necessary, by the power of our people ;
and whatever may be the knowledge of the ship
esabidulklitoefratryhemen,and Lord
community and
, JOHN
captain, oof th e
RUSSELL,a aforesaid literary men, and Lord
JOHN RUSSELL, t rhe
the bulk of its representatives are no more fit to