The Sun.
London, England, 1838-09-18 00:00:00

wealthy classes do look with a very jaundiced and
ti:nid eye on the labouring classes. He said that he
doubted " whether there are 100 men in Undon,
worth 20,000/. each, who do not hate and fear every
workman who is supposed to have a mind of his own."
That is exaegeration probably, hut it expresses the pre-
valent sentiment of the persons he spoke of. We know,
and so does every reflecting man know, that, however
disguised under party or religious names,the great agitat-
iog topic of this generation is the question of property,
of who shall get and who shall keep. Therefore it is
that we regret that the middle classes have not earlier
stepped forward and urged the repeal of the Starvation-
laws. Therefore it was that we urged that on them
before the meeting took place. Our observations on
the subject, which have been often quoted, seem to
have been misunderstood, and were not meant to im-
ply that the working men were going to assail the
property of the other classes, but that other classes
would be apprehensive they were, and on that appre-
hension would, and will, act. Our object, therefore,
was to excite the middle classes to come forward and
demand the repeal of the Starvation-laws, as the only
means by which the fearful contest which awaits
society, on the question of property, can be quietly
solved. Masses of hungry men, and masses of
suffering men are bad law-makers. Masses of
hungry, suffering, and discontented men are, however,
admirable instruments for turbulent and ambitious
demagogues to work with ; and greatly therefore
do we regret that the first step taken was not by get-
ting rid of the Devil's laws, to satisfy the hungry—to
put an end to suffering—and to assuage discontent.
Reform accomplished by a well fed and satisfied people
is far more safe than change effected by long outraged
and despairing masses. With our people in a kindly
condition Universal Suffrage might be a blessing,
but to bestow it on those whose hearts are justly filled
with hatred would make us dread the establishment of
a system of proscription and revenge. Therefore
it is that Age are first for doing justice to the
people by getting rid of the Corn-laws ; first, for
soothing them by adequate food, and adequate
comforts ; first, for reconciling, if possible, the lower
classes to the present system of property, by putting an
end to one of its most outrageous and most
unjust offsets ; and then, for giving them a full
share of all that the Constitution can bestow.
It suited, however, neither the purpose of those who
are setting the people in motion, nor of those who
ought to have stepped forward to influence and guide
them, to take the course we humbly but earnestly
recommended ; and the fiat has gone uncontradicted
forth that the whole of the working classes are now,
while they are yet a prey to extreme poverty, intense
suffering, and flagrant injustice, to unite for
the total destruction of all our institutions in Church
and State. Such, we cannot for a moment doubt, will
he the inevitable result of attempting to establish the
People's Charter without first getting rid of.the exas-
crating Devil's laws.

We learn with satisfaction that our notice of last
Wednesday on Lord BROUGHAM'S speech in the
House of Lords on August 14th, has produced, as we
trusted it would, an explanation. Lord BROUGHAM
has written, we are informed, to a friend in town, to
say, that when in the House of Commons, he had
gone with Mr. RICA RDO in advocating a fixed duty
in preference to the varying duty, such a change being
at that time, before the monstrous evils, moral, politi-

cal, and pecuniary of the Corn-laws had been made
manifest, all that could possibly be hoped for in the
road to improvement. It was, we believe, with the
impression on his Lordship's mind of the course
he had formerly taken, rather than a due consi-
deration of the course which it now behoves
him and all influential men to take, that he
delivered his sentiments on August 14th. Further

( xperience, however, and the present disposition of the
people, particularly the strong expression which has
gone forth of the opinion, that total abolition is the
,nil) safe arid just course, have not been without their
rncs on Lord 13nouG it AM. Whatever may be sup-
posed due to the vested interests created by the Devil's
laws, so as to justify, perhaps, a return to complete
freedom by annual abatements of a fixed duty, will not
he overlooked ; but we feel assured, that neither Lord
BROUGHAM nor the community will now be satisfied
with acting on any other principle than that of the
complete and total abolition of the Starvation-laws.
It is universally felt, except by the poor, wrong-headed
dolts of landlords, that the subsistence of this mighty
nation, of such varied industry, is far too momentous
a snbject to be placed under the controul of the very
ignorant, and. therefore, very confident gentlemen who
compose the hereditary and representative houses of
Parliament. Such a conviction will have its t fleets on
Lord B ROUG II A M ; bn t we need not give any further
and imperfect explanations of his opinions on this in-
teresting topic, for the Noble Lord is, we understand,
about to give them to the world, in an authentic shape.
We have only to express our satisfaction, at learning
that he will go for the complete and total abolition
of the Starvation-laws.
Let us now say a word on another Nobleman, who
spoke in :11e, same debate of August 14. The Duke
hen referred to Ireland, ar.d
of WELLINGTON !
to the dependence on other tia:ons for food, which
it was possible the abolition of the C;:rn-laws
night cause. We wonder that the name of Ire-
land, in conjunction with laws to limit the supply of
food, did not make even him sick at heart. What is
complained of as to that country ? Why, that the
people are starving. And what are the Corn-laws ?
Why, a restriction on the supply of food, and a bounty
for the landlords of Ireland to export from that
country every grain they can collect to sell in thin. The
Irish are reproached with living on potatoes, and we
make a law to keep them from feeding on wheat.
They are reproached with excessive poverty, and the
Duke of WELLINGTON supports an enactment to
make food dear in Ireland as well as England.
What horrible injustice! to condemn men to poverty-, and
then to reproach them with it ; to doom them to pota-
toes, and then to complain that they do not eat wheaten
bread. The abolition of the Corn-laws, which would
beat down rent in Ireland, and enhance the quantity of
food at the command of thi Irish, would be an amazing
benefit to them ; and, next to abating. the Established
Church in England, we look to the cutting down the
rent of the Irish landlords, as one of the most eminent
collateral advantages which would result from putting
an end to the Devil's laws.
With respect to the abolition of the Corn-laws,
making us dependent on foreigners : if that supposi-
tion, to support cruel injustice, had not already been dis•
posed of, by the case of our cotton manufacture, which
in fact makes us more dependent as a nation than ever
importing food could, we should say that the dependence
was according to the laws of Nature, and would be
beneficial. Since the peace of 1815, a very bad spirit
has existed amongst our Tories towards the United
States. They have seen with a jaundiced eve the
prosperity of that great Republican community, and
have laboured assiduously to sow the seeds of dis-
sension between the two countries. Why have
they not succeeded ? Why hare we not had
another war with the United States ? The vast com-
mercial relations of the two countries have kept us at
peace. Our dependence on the United States for
cotton, and their dependence on us for cloth and hard-
ware, have stifled the animosity and blood-thirstiness of
the Tories of both hemispheres. It is good, therefore,