The Sun.
London, England, 1838-09-17 00:00:00

live on a " coarser kind of food.'' The Poor-law has not
forced up wheat to 735. a quarter; but the landlord's mono-
poly has, and will probably keep it thereabout.
eDme si rs y
lams."
s cTh iheef
Physical suffering ibeesonnlcyalpleadrttohfe
created by what have
father and his family work as hard as ever, or harder ; but they
come home to a reduced, a scanty meal. There is discontent
where there should be happiness, want where plenty has been.
Home becomes uncomfortable, and the " gin-palace" is at
hand. For a while, better habits, gained in better times, will
prevail; but the continuance of short commons at home, will,
as sure as fate, drive the sufferer to intemperance and to crime.
The honest and well-disposed workman must be turned into a
savage, eager to revenge his wrongs on the society whose law
has borne him down. Think of the extensive wretchedness
thus created. There are millions now in England pinched by
hunger, and their condition during the winter will become more
grievous.
A fearful worsening of the morals of the great bulk of the
people must necessarily be the consequence of the continued
dearness of food. Physical wretchedness and moral depravity are
generally coexistent. The supporters, therefore, of the Corn-
laws—the artificial regulations which create scarcity of food—
are answerable for much more than they imagine. They may
subscribe thousands to churches and schools, make fine
speeches about blacks in the Indies, of enslaved white children
in factories at home, and sport their philanthropy in all quar-
ters ; but as long as they wring high rents by means of Corn-
laws from the sweat of a starving population, all their profes
sions are as " sounding brass and a tinkling cymbal." They
are practically the authors of wretchedness and crime : they
are a plague-spot tainting the land.
We understand that the prospect of two or three years' high
prices has alarmed a class of capitalists, who would not much
regard a temporary difficulty. They dread the effect upon
their own profits, and upon the disposition of the masses
among whom they live. Perhaps they may be induced to join
a movement from which they have hitherto held aloof : their
union with the masses would give additional strength and
importance to the very formidable assault which the landowners
must sustain before long.

POST-OFFICE REFORM.

TO THE EDITOR OF THE SUN.

Strt—l have just read your remarks in The Sun of the 11th,
on the evidence I had proposed to give before the Committee
on Postage, on the management of the Post-office ; and am
extremely sorry to observe you have fallen into a great mistake,
when supposing that its being withdrawn arose from an unwil-
lingness on the part of certain Members of the Committee to
receive it. The only objections taken were a doubt of the pro-
priety of my giving such evidence before a Committee of which
I was Chairman ; but the most substantial cause of its being
withdrawn was, what will be evident to every reader, that it
goes much more into the question of general management than
that of reduction of postage, which latter was the proper
subject entrusted to the Committee to inquire into. On these
grounds, which appeared to myself so perfectly sufficient, lat
once withdrew my proposal.
I have only to add, that which affords me sincere pleasure,
that the most perfect harmony and good feeling pervaded the
Committee during the whole period of its protracted sittings.
I am particularly desirous this should immediately appear
in The Sun, so that no time may be lost in placing the
matter in its true light; and I will take it particularly kind of
other papers taking the trouble to make this explanation, pro-
vided they may have copied your remarks.
I am, Sir, your very obedient servant,
Kelly, Sept. 13, 1838. ROBERT WALLACE.