The Sun.
London, England, 1822-03-22 00:00:00

[BRITISH PRESS.]

The Agricultural Committee, it is affirmed,
have iesolved upon the following scale of Pro-
tecting duties .
"1. That the future import price of wheat shall be seventy
instead of eighty. shillings.
" 2. That a duty of twelve shillings be imposed upon im.
ported wheat:, when the price is frcm 70s. to 80s.
" 3. That a duty of ss. be imposed upon imported wheat,
when the price is from 80s. to 855.; after which the duty shall
be reduced to Is.

" 4. That a further additional duty of ss. shall be imposed
upon imported iyheat, for the first three months after the ports
open, and when the price is from 70s. to 855."
—if this statement be correct, a Bill will, we
presume, be submitted to the house of Commons,
for the purpose of Carrying these Resolutions into
effect. The first Resolution, separately consi-
dered, might be desirable, in comparison with
the existing law ; but connected with the subse-
quent Resolutions, it offers no change in the ge-
neral principle of this law which deserves the
expenditure of parchment and printing. In con-
sidering the means of relieving the' distress of
the agriculturists, the interests of the rest of the
community ought not to be wholly disregarded.
Such, however, was the effect of
.the last Corn

law, and this effect is sought to be still further
confirmed by the measure now contemplated by
the Agricultural Committee. The present price
at which wheat may be imported is 80s. a
quarter; the price proposed by the Committee,
including the duty of" 12s. is 82s. a quar-
ter. The prohibition of importation is there-
by rather increased than diminished ; but to
this price will be added, for the first three months
after the opening of the ports, a further tax of
55.: so that if the market price of wheat be 70s.
a duty of 17s. will be imposed on the. importa-
tion, and the consumers, if they require foreign
corn, must pay for it at the rate of at least 87s.
Should the distress of the country, however, be
so great as that wheat should be raised to 85s. in
the home markets, the famine will be aggravated
by the proposed law, and the hunger of the
people cannot be appeased under 905. a quarter.

[MORNING HERALD.]
It is somew hat curious that at the moment
when we have accounts from Portugal, contain-
ing the mutual gratulations of the King and the
Cortes upon the cordial attachment of all his
Most Faithful Majesty's subjects in Europe and
in America, we should also receive intelligence
from Rio de Janeiro of the virtual, if not formal,
separation of the Brazils from the mother country.
The European Portuguese have, no doubt, a
'hankering after their colonial dominions ; but
they must have clearly foreseen that the return
of the King to Europe was a death-blow to that
power. The departure of the King produced a
new and inverted order, which the Brazilian po-
pulation, considering its numbers and its distance
from Europe, could not be expected to endure. The
presence of the King gave the Brazils a metropolitan,'
not colonial existence ; his departure forced them
back to a compass which their stature had out-
grown. The Brazils have been in a state of
chaos ever since his return to Europe. This State

either has already settled—or will ultimately,
and at no great distance of time, settle—into an
independent existence. The only remaining
question seems to be what form the independent
Government will assume. The population of the
Brazils is three-fold—Portuguese, Brazilian, and
Negro. The first anxiously desire a Constitu-
tional Monarchy—the second a Republic, like
the emancipated colonies of Spain—and the third,
the Negroes, have merely formidable numbers,

the sense of horrible oppressions, and the cruelty
of barbarians, to make them a desperate balanc-
ing, or auxiliary power, should the two first be
divided against each other. This seems a kind
of retribution in reserve for the infamous ra-
pacity which has so stocked the Brazils with
Negro slaves, that they are become the terror
of their tyrants. From the evident reluct-
ance of the Prince of Portugal to remain in the
Brazils, and the many occasions in which he has
shown himself ill at ease, it is not unlikely that
Monarchy itself will cease to exist there. The
people will probably place themselves in nearer
sympathy with their neighbours, by assuming the
same form and denomination of political exist-
This country has no reason, on this event,
'or surprise or regret—perhapS rather for a sen-
timent of satisfaction. Our age is so familiar
with wonders in the march of mind and the
aspect of nations, that this seems but a partial
result of a general movement.

ence.

[MORNING POST.]
The factious wise-acres of the Common Coun-
cil, it will be seen, passed a vote of censure
yesterday on Sic William Curtis, for having in the
House of Commons (on the occasion of the pre-
sentation of their Petition relative to the dis-
graceful riots at Knightsbridge) justly designat-
ed that low faction as a set of beings" always
meddling with matters with which they have no-
thing to do, and which are far above their wis-
dom and their comprehension." We most cor-
dially congratulate the worthy Baronet on this
additional tribute to his genuine patriotism and
public virtue, by a party cabal, whose approbate
tion honourable men can run but little risk of in-
curring—" whose praise is -censure, and whose

censure's praise"

I f we may judge from the latest intelligence
from the Brazils, the Portuguese possessions in
the new world are likely soon to follow the
_ex-
ample of the gpanish provinces,and shake off the
European yoke. We leirn, by advices from
Pernambuco to the 12th February, and from
Janeiro to the 19th January, that both these
provinces are determined on independence. On

the arrival at Rio Janeiro of the order of the
Cortes, recalling the Prince Royal to Europe,

the discontent of the inhabitants became very
significant. Their first step was to remonstate
with the Prince Regent on his departure, in the
most solemn manner ; and when the Prince,
who seemed to ha-:e no alternative, acceded to
their request, the greatest rejoicings followed.
Some movements, however, on the part of the
Portuguese regulars, especially their taking pos-
session of a strong fort which commanded the
palace, created a suspicion ; and in consequence
all the native Brazilian regiments were called
into the town, and the result was, a negociation,
which ended in an arrangement, that the Portu-
guese troops should be allowed to retain their
arms, but that they should consent to be conveyed

to the other side of ti►e bav until vessels could

be prepared to carry them to. Portugal ; an ar-
rangement, which it now seems, both from our
own and the American accounts, has been carried
into complete effect. What puts the ultimate
fate of these colonies out of all doubt, the same
conduct has been adopted at Pernambuco, and
followed up to the letter•. The Portuguese Go-
vernment indeed are forwarding troops to the
Brazils in opposition to these proceedings; but
they are not only late, but inadequate in point of
numbers, to cope with a determination upon
in-
dependence so deeply and widely diffused.—
Every thing, in fact, shows that the whole con-
tinent of South America will rapidly have no
other than a commercial dependence upon Europe
—a dependence which, as it is the only one that
can be maintained, is the only one which ought
to be attempted.—(lbid.)

[NEW TIMES.]
The Meeting of the Bank Directors yesterday
did not produce the result expected from their
deliberations. None but routine business was
transacted ; and nothing was determined on re-
specting the proposed measure of discounting at
Four instead of Five per Cent. We are sorry
that the Bank does not act with more decision
and liberality on this subject. We believe it
will be found that the lower rate of discount
would be more beneficial to the Proprietors
of Bank Stock, by the increase of their busi-
ness, as well as to the discounting individuals,
by the extension of the accommodations. In
speaking yesterday of the reduction of the Five
per Cent. Stock, a slight o.•_tission which occurred
in Qur leading article gave to our remarks a mean-
ing much more favourable than we intended to
the dissentients. What we meant to state was,
that 64 they are at liberty to receive on the sth
of April, 1011. ss. or on the sth of July, 1021.
10s. including the dividend." The words in
italics were' accidentally omitted ; but this was
perhaps of the less consequence, as it is obvious
that only a quarter's dividend (being 1/. 55.) can
be due in April, and that the half-year's dividend
(being V. 10s.) will not be due till July. The
dissentients may be paid, at either period, their
principal of 1001. with the interest due at the
time of payment ; but beyond that time they,
of, course can have no claim : and taking it at
the highest, they can only receive in July 1021.
10s. for what, if they had not dissented, would,
at present, fetch them 1041. 15s. in the market.