The Sun.
London, England, 1822-05-01 00:00:00

TILE LONDON JOURNALS.

SATHACTS FROM THE DAILY 'MORNING PAPERS,

May 1, 1822.

[TII E I'l M ES.]
The effect of the Marquis of Londonderry's
speech on Monday evening, on what may really
be called the state of the nation, though agricul-
tural distress was the technical subject of dis-
cussion, has not yet completely developed itself.
People do not yet understand the bearing of so
many measures proposed or threatened, and look
in each other's faces for information. It would
be presumptuous in us to pretend to instruct
their ignorance : we may in some degree console
the consciousness of it, by stating,• that those
who propose the measures in question, are pro-
bably in as great uncertainty respecting their
tendency and practical result, as the most per-
plexed of those who look tip for explanation.—
We shall, therefore, consider the subject,
as we should any unexpected phenomenon
of nature that might have occurred—a stone
of immense magnitude and various colours
fallen from the. Heavens, or a chasm of great
depth and various breadth opened in the earth—
and shall discuss its probable operation on the
world we live in, without passion or prejudice.—
There is sornewhat portentous in the acknow-
ledged truth that the measures under recommen-
dation are new,
.and that they spring from men,
who, however they may appear when measured
with those at present around or near them-, are
not, in talent, dignity, or political consideration,
to be -compared with those whom we recollect.—
It is unfortunate, certainly, that the errors of
great men should come • to be corrected by
little ones : but this is not wholly the fool(
of those on whom the present administration
of affairs has alighted. We hasten from ge-
neral remarks to particular ones. Agricultural
distress is the first subject under consideration,
and for the relief of this, Lord Londonderry can-
didly acknowledges that he does not think any
effectual remedy can be administered. He, how"-
ever, proposes one, namely, " the advance of
" public money to farmers upon corn stored."
What weight this plan may have even in his Lord-
ship's mind (we go no farther at present) is ob-
vious from the consideration, that he had before
opposed it in the committee as useless. The
ground (he says)• on which he now prOposes it,
after having opposed it in the committee, is, that
it tends to produce no unnatural or artificial
change in the market :" that is, in reality, that it
tends to produce no change at all ! But
change or none, there was certainly the same'
reason for objecting to the measure out of
the committee as in it : and it would have
been a most prodigious thing to find a Mi-
nister, in any other times than the present, pro-
posing and urging upon the House for its accept-
ance that measure which in the Committee he'
had declared to be improper, inadequate, and
foolish. One really hardly knows what to say•
of a mad, that can do this, except that he does
not know what to do; and having no proposition
of his own to make, must accept and recommend
that of others, though he knows it to be useless.

[NrwEs.:l
Lord Londonderry's speech has been 'the sub-
ject of much discussion in the City ; and so far
as we have been able to observe the impression
which it has produced, has been highly favourable
to public credit, Consols for Account having
closed yesterday at MU. That feature of the
plan, which consists in converting the life annui-
ties of the Pensioners of the State into smaller
permanent annuities, with a fund for their re-
demption, is considered as likely to prove pecu-
liarly beneficial. It will leave a Sinking Fund
of Five Millions to operate, at compound inte-
rest, on the reduction of the existing debt,
while the new annuity will tt:rminate in
forty-five years, and in the meanwhile a large
remission of taxes may be expetced. We have not
space to enter upon the other details of the Noble
Marquis's speech—a speech, in all points- of view,
most important, and most gratifying. While on
the one hand it exhibits the flourishing condition
of the country, with the exception of the Agri-
cultural Interests, it shews, on the other, the
anxious and unremitting efforts which Ministers
have employed, in every possible way, to pro-
duce that flourishing condition, and to alleviate

that partial distress. It is not saying too much,
indeed, to affirm, that at no period of our his-
tory can be found the evidence of such-unwearied,
such sincere, and, happily- we may add, such suc-
cessful exertions for the general good, as have
been made by his Majesty's Ministers, during the
present Session of Parliament.

ChiOWNING CIIRONICLE.I

The debate last night acquired additional inte-
rest from the idea that it would affjord Mr. Canning
an occasion for the display of his powerful elo-
quence, such as might not again occur before his
departure for India ; the attendance of Members
was, therefOre, unusually great ; and the gallery
was crowded at a very early hour. The antici-
pation of the, effect to be produced was indeed
so powerful in one, Member, that he declared he
actually trembled at the thought of it. But
then, to be sure, much must be, allowed for
idiosyncrasy, for the peculiar disposition of this
Honourable Member to trembling, and allow-
ing his hair to stand on end. However, though
Mr:Canning's speech against Reform had ope-
rated so powerfully on_, this very distinguished
and very susceptible Member, as to induce
him to forego the intention with which he had
entered the House of voting for Lord J, Russell,
and naturally led him to fear that it might " be
equally persuasive over the minds of others, and
lead them from the true and strict path of their
duty, " we were sorry to find that notwith-
standing the Orator's arguments were infinitely
more powerful last night than on the former oc-
casion, the captivating effect of them was much
less perceptible in the votes ,of the House.
Stripped as the question was of all the difficulties
connected with the interference of a FOreign Ec-
clesiastical Potentate., a Veto, &c. and resolving
itself into the simple proposition whether an Act,