The Sun.
London, England, 1849-11-02 00:00:00

He says:—
" What I mean by protection is this—a system that
will secure to the landed proprietor that position which
the constitution has allotted to him, and which will permit
him to remain the natural leader of the people ; a system
which will make the cultivation of the soil the principal
branch of the industry of the country, which wi!l make
Agriculture nourish, and agriculture cannot flmrish un-
less the farmer and the labourer receive, the one re-
munerating prices, and the other ample and proper
wa4es. I mean by protection' the main:envie° of the
territorial constitution of the country, which cannot re-
main unless agriculture is the most flourishing pursuit cj
England, just the same as I witl show you, before I have
done, that agriculture cannot remain the most 11 ,urish
ing industry of this country witnout the maiu:ainance
of the territorial constitution."
The Honourable Gentleman is at least candid and
straightforward in the exposition of his views and
feelings. It is not merely " equality "he seeks, or
the removal of the peculiar burdens that press upon
land. He will not be contented with anything less than
agricultural supremacy. It is not sufficient that the
landed interest should participate in the general pros-
perity of the entire nation. No ; " the cultivation
of the soil" must be the principal branch of the
industry of the country, and agriculture must be
" the most flourishing pursuit of England." We
now, at length, understand, from unquestionable
authority, the true intent and purpose of the term
" protection," and what the party who have adopted
it as their principle of action and rallying cry really
mean thereby. It is for the mercantile, manufac-
turing, and trading interests of this great commercial
country—for the operatives and artizans throughout
the length and breadth of the land, to say whether they
would be satisfied with such a consummation, or be
contented with an inferior and secondary position.
The greatest man of modern times has described
us as a " nation of shopkeepers:" It was by
our trade and commerce that we were enabled
to oppose his will, and finally to subvert his power.
Had it not been for these, the Imperial Dynasty had
still flourished on the throne of France. It was by
means of these that a small island was enabled to
maintain a prominent position among the nations of
the earth, to plant her colonies in every quarter of the
globe, so that the sun can never set on the dominions
of the SOVEREIGN of Great Britain. But Mr.
Disaa.sm would alter all that. We must no longer
feel proud of that British enterprise which bears the
products of our industry to all parts of the world.
i‘re must relapse into the primitive state
and become merely an agricultural nation, for that
would be the inevitable result if "the cultivation of
the soil were the principal branch of the industry of
the country," and if agriculture were really " the
most flourishing pursuit of England," and if what he
is pleased to term the " territorial constitution" were
fully established.
Although, however, this ultimate object was thrown
out to enliven the bucolic fancy and excite their
imaginations, the Hon. Gentleman clearly perceives
that it is useless to hope for such a result under the
present constitution of Parliament. Ile admits that
the establishment of "protection" is out of the ques-
tion just at present. He does not, however, take the
gloomy view that so many of his colleagues have
recently indulged ia, or counsel despair or apathy
because the full extent of their views is not imme-
diately attainable. lie therefore recommends that
they should direct all their energies to obtain a cer-
tain degree of relief, which he still believes to be
within their reach, and for this purpose he suggests
two points to which more especially they should turn
their attention and apply their exertions.
First. The local and peculiar burdens, that bear ex-
clusively upon real property, including poor-rates,
county cess, and the various systems of taxation by
which no less than 12,000.0001. sterling is raised in
each and every year, is to be transferred to the Con-
solidated Fund, and provided for from the general
taxation of the nation.
Secondly. A bona fide sinking fund of .5,000,0001.
per annum is to be established, by which the
rate of interest on Government Securities
would speedily be reduced to 2 per cent.,
and territorial lords of the soil could ob-
tain money on mortgage at a cheap rate, to pay off
existing ineumbrances, and to be enabled to make
advances
landa
dlibt
and
the
libitum to
adoption of improvedtheirtenany for the
m
he
ode
drainages
of their of

culture.
IVe shall not at present enter into any considera-
tion of the advantages .to be derived from these
propositions. If they could be carried into
practical operation, the owners and occupiers
of every description of real property would
undoubtedly derive considerable relief from