The Sun.
London, England, 1838-10-22 00:00:00

ES.—No. I. j CORN-LAW FALLACIES, WITH THE
ANSWERS.

I' NDOR'S EPISTL.

"Mr. O'Connell, I am informed, condescends to answer
my letter. It is an attention I scarcely could have expected
from a gentleman so fully occupied, and running to and fro in
such a variety of directions. I can only offer my small piece
of old advice (but I off,r it with all due deference and since-
-1.4) to this energetic friend of Ireland, the unique controllerof -the United Parliament. Should our Church, resisting the
reolamations of justice, and the spirit of its institution, be
tardy in coming to anchor, and obstinate in refusing to break
bulk, let. him throw her upon her beam-ends, apply his ham-
mer, and knock off the remora wherever he finds it sticking.
Some partisans of the Learned Gentleman, I hear, are less
courteous to me than he is, generous as they are in attributing
to me brilliant things to which I have no pretension. With
unreigned respect for the abilities displayed by the principal
journals of both partie, I must be excused if, from my natu-
ral indolence and mere literary habits, I decline all discussion.
And it is psrticularly irksome to hold an argument when a heavy
man tugs at the other end of it."—Vide Mr. Landor's Letter
to O'Connell in the Examiner of yesterday.

Dan, for want of something better,
Has answered, I'm informed, my letter,
Which is an unforseen attention
I'm naturally proud to mention ;
For how, in reason's name, could I
Have e'er expectefi a reply,
From one who, like a raree-show,
Is always running to and fro ?

In his long letter,* frank and free,
As Dan's are always apt to be,
He gives me much advice, I see ;
In turn, I'll give advice to he. t

Should old dame Church all thoughts eschew
Of doing what she ought to do ;
Refuse to cash out of her bank, or
Be slow in coming to an anchor;
Why, then, I recommend you, Dan—
For you're the fittest gentleman--
To throw her on her beam ends (d—n her 0
Strap her tight down, apply sour hammer,
And, spite of all her screams and kicking,
Give the b—h a precious licking 1 !

Some zealous partizans, I hear,
Of your's, Dan, but far less sincere,
Charge me, 'mid other sneering flings,
With saying many brilliant things:—
Tow this is meat unkind, and why?
Because it's an atrocious lie
I never said to man or wife,
A brilliant thing in all my life,
Whether in hut, or bower, or ball;
And feel convinced I never shall

But hold, enough—l'll write no more,
For writing's an exceeding bore,
And irksome's even the intent
To hold a lengthy argum-nt,
When scribblers, heavier than a ohale,
Keep fiercely tugging at it► tail,
Hi-sing the while like any gander ;
Your's truly,

WALTER SAVAGE LANDOR.

" Verbosa et grandis epistola venit." JUVENAL.
t " The rhyme obliges me to this sometimes,
Rings are not more imperative than rhymes."
DON JUAN.

(Continued from The Sun of Wednesday.)

I4l.—At this moment let me congratulate you that the
agricultural interest is progressing and not retrograding. It
is something to have achieved even this. We are certainly at
this time in a better position than we have been for some years,
during which I have had the pleasure of dining annually at
your market table. During these years we have seen and
bewailed much distress, and it is now a matter of no small
satisfaction` to know that the condition of the farmer is im-
proved.—Speech of the Marquis of Chandos at the Aylesbury
Market Ordinary. F►om the Bucks Herald of October
20, 1838. _ _

A,—So in spite of the Corn-laws the Agricultural In-
terest has retrograded, and has been distressed ; and it' it
is not so at this moment, it is something to have achieved
even this! A strong hint to the agriculturists, as well as
the classes who complain of the Corn-laws, that the Corn-
laws are, from beginning to end, a blunder for the advantage
of a few. If men put their own prices on their wares, and
cannot prosper after all, can any thing be wanted to prove,
that there is some inherent source of retribution, which
makes the injury to others impolitic as well as cruel ?

142. —The great topic of the day, which concerns us most
newly, is the attempts at a repeal of the Corn Laws ; 1 con-
sider it my duty, as your representative, unhesitatingly and fully
to express my opinion on this and every other subject aff,cting
agriculture and its interests, a..d 1 consider it my bounden
duty at this time, and before this meeting, to express my firm
adherence to my frequently expressed opinion of the fairness
of the present Corn-laws to all classes, and of the necessity
of their maintenance, as they now exist, if we would preserve
the agricultural interest from destruction.—ld.
A.—What would the farmers say of the fairness to all
classes of a law which taxed home-grown corn for the sake
of increasing the sales of the manufacturing. interest ; and
what would they think of an interest which declared that
nothing but the maintonance of such a tax could preserve
it from destruction ? Would not they think, that like ver-
min in a corn-stack, the sonner it was destroyed the better?
But the grand argument with the farmers should be, that
they have been retrograding and distressed themselves.

143.—We have had very recent proof of the proper work-
ing of these Corn-laws (passed during the Duke of Welling-
ton's Administration). Prices rose to the shilling duty, and
the ports opened of themselves, and there was a considerable
importation of grain ; bread did not become cheaper, because
the corn was in the hands of the dealers in London ; the prices
base since fallen, and thus all imputations, so freely cast on
the farmer, of being a monopolist, are decidedly and most satis-
factorilyanswered and refuted.—ld.

A.—Who made bread rise to the price it was at before?
If the dealers in London did not sell the corn that came
into their hands under the shillieg duty, it. was because
they doubted whether the demand for corn would not be
greater than it is ; and it is doubtful Do the farmers
sell corn, when they expect prices will be higher ; and is
an}body such a dunce as to say they ought ?

144.—We are no monopoliser;—we did not keep up the
p; ice. of corn—corn has been up in price, the ports have been
opened, and those who hold the keys of the granaries stored
with corn, know alt about the modes of raising prices and
keeping them up, but rot we, who have no more to do with
it than any other class of her Mejesty's subjects.—/d.
A.— Fancy the manufacturers saying all this,—and having
all the time a tax on home-grown corn.
The charge against the agricu!tural monopolists, is not
that they sell their corn at their own time and market, but
that they keep corn from coming- into the market at any
time at all. A ploughman would know the difference be-
tween the two.

145.-1 consider, then, that the present graduated system
of Corn-laws is admirably adapted to the just protection of
the farmer, without allowing him any monopoly or injuring
any other classes in society. —ld.
A.—Fancy all this applied to the case where the manu-
facturer had a tax on home-grown corn. And never forget
that all this is part of the defence. What must the case
be that is so defended?

146 —We must be determined in maintaining the law, as it
now stands. Some mly be timid and shaken in their opinion
for fear of clamour; but let us, by our firm demeanour, en-
courage the fearful, unite with the resolute, and say that we
will not consent to a repeal or alteration of the Corn-laws,
which are the fair and just protection given by the Legislature
to the farmer, to which he has a just right, and which, I hope,
he will be able to maintain fearlessly and successfully. .
A.—What is to be done, if the manufacturers should
be equally resolute in saying they will not pay rents out of
their pockets any longer ? And what, if they should go
to the further step of getting a tax on home-grown corn,
and calling it " the fair and just protection given by the
Legislature to the manufactures, to which he has a just
right, and which he hopes to be able to maintain fearlessly
and successfully ?" There is wisdom in finding out before
it is too late, that the middle road of justice is the safest for
all.—ld.

147.—The Agrieulturi4s have always been tranquil and
loyal, and a continuance of the tranquillity will manly depend
on the agricultural classes, who will, I know, be always ready
to prove their lnyalt), and their determination to preserve good
order, and maintain uninjured the institutions of the country
in Church and State.—ld.

A.—lt appears they do not mean to serve God for
naught. Give the mlnufacturers a tax on home-grown
corn, for the sake of increasing what must he purchased
with their goods abroad, and see how they will keep the
grumbling pglieulturists in order in return. But why can-
not men be tranquil and loyal, without being paid for it at
the expense of their neighbours ? And what are institu-
tions good for, that can only be maintained by paying one-
half the people out of the pockets of the other ?

i 4 —To uphol.d the laws, and support the Sovereign on
the Throne in peace and happiness, ever have been, and ever
will continue to be, the first principles that the agricultural
interest adot:ts, promotes, aid maintains. —ld

A.— I here has been another principle—yes, there has—
which was before them all, and that was that the agricul-
tural interest should snake the laws. Else why did they
keep everybody out of Parliament that did not swear to
being one of themselves ?

149,—When the Corn-laws Were spin discussed in March
last, he rejoiced to see the wealth, respectability, and strength
of the House of Commons united in their defvnce, whilst
their opponents were men who did net look at the rent rolls,
because they had none to look at, for he had never heard
where their estates wet e.-31r. Houghton. Id.
A.—A poor argument. Suppose th manufacturers
were to say, that when the plan was discussed for la3ing a
tax on home-grown corn, they had never heard where the
factories of their opponents acre. And suppo,e eten that
the friends of the Corn-laws were rich and their orvments
poor, does that prove any more, than when one man has
taken a purse and another lost it ? The same argument
might be brought for the Wtst India planters, in support
of negro ilavery.

150.—He appealed to the country at large, if it would not
have been confi,cation of property to have ropoaled the Corn-
laws upon the dictates of such men, as it would have ruined
him and others, v4o, in the occupation and cultivation of land,
had staked their 011.—Id.

A.—Would it be confiscation of property to stop the
expected profits of rnt'n who had staked their all on the
trade of receiving stolen goods? This is enough to show
that the mere fact of men having staked 6( it all, doe 3 ❑ot
make a concern necessarily one to be encouraged. But
there is a mistake from the first. The farmers have not
staked their all upon the robbery of their countrymen,
though they may think they have. It is related in ancient
history, that the crew of a Carthaginian ship which circum-
navigated Africa, landed on one part of the coast, where

they killed two native women who were hairy, and brought
their skins to Cartilage. There cannot be the smallest
doubt that they killed oran-outangs. Query, were these
Carthaginians, in faro conscientice as the learned say, guilty
of murder or not ? The lamas seem to be in something
like the same case of conscience.

151.—He was not quite prepared to state what he consi-
der, d would be the fittest tefttionial to yr, sent to one who
had been their firm friend, who had adsised them in their
greatest difficulties, and so aided agriculture by his exertions
and his votes, that they had now before them a dawn of better
days.—ld.
A.—Twenty-three years since the imposition of the
Corn-laws, and the agriculturists are only at " the dawn of
better days." " Set me down one fur that," as the man says
in the play.

)52.—The farmers did not desire to interfere with any class.
They wished to see nyttintgeture prosper, hand in hand with
agriculture He vropos-d the In alai of Mr. Cooke, and suc-
cess to ounufacture Munk with three times three. and obe
cheer more for the manufacturer).—Lord Chandos. Id.
A.—Wait till Mr. Cooke has got a tax on home-grown
corn, and then see bow many of the agriculturists will Le
kept quiet by his drinking " Lord Chandos and success to
bgriculture."

153.—Mr. Cooke returned thanks. He never knew any
manufacturer who properly regarded his own interest, who did
not desire to see agriculture flourish as their manufactures then
flourished.—( Cheers.
A.—Mr. Cooke muct be an extraorXnary man ; and
bale lived in an extraordinary neighbourhood. The proper
reward for him would be, that when the Corn-laws are
taken off, a special exception should he made in favour of
allowing him to maintain as much agriculture as he pleases
out of his own pocket.