The Sun.
London, England, 1836-03-23 00:00:00

STURIZ.

We have received German Papers of the latest
dates. They represent the great Northern Powers as
making preparations for war ! However, we are not
apprehensive, as Lord PALMERSTON and- Louis
PHILIPPE are pledged to maintain the peace of Eu-
rope. Under such guardianship England and France
can have nothing to fear.

Mr. PETER BORTHWICK brought forward his long
threatened motion on the Mauritius last night—with a
view, we suppose,--tu-prevent-the—Houte from pro-
ceeding with more pressing and important business—
at least we can assign no other reason for his conduct ;
for his motion was by no means of an urgent nature,
and might very safely have been postponed for a few
nights. Sir R. PEEL, however, appeared to think
otherwise ; and accordingly urged the Hon. Member
to persevere, paying him, at the same time, by way of
inducement, sundry small compliments on his " for-
bearance," which may serve to console him for the
apathy with which his prosy speech was listened to by
a drowsy House. In the deplorable condition, as re-
spects both numbers and energy, to which the Tory party
is just now reduced, we do not wonder at Sir R. PEEL,
as head of that party, essaying the complimentary ; for
many a Waverer, like BORTIIWICK, has ere now been
caught by a few adroit and honeyed phrases. No
Reformer, however, will grudge him the acquisition of
such a prize as PETER ; it being notorious that PETER
is one of those dry sticks to whom Mr. MACKINNON
aptly alluded the other day, as abounding among the
Tories. Throw a net, any hour you please, across
the Strand, and we will lay a wager that at the very
first bawl, you shall catch a dozen better speakers than
PETER.

We avail ourselves of the postponement of the dis-
cussion on the Tithe Commutation Bill, to make a few
remarks which have been suggested to us by certain
objections urged against the measure. We do not
participate either in the alarm expressed by some, or
the doubts thrown out by others, of our Contempo-
raries, as to the effects to be produced by the Bill,
should it be carried forward without altering its main
principle. That there are great difficulties in the way
of a final settlement cannot be denied—how could it
be otherwise where conflicting interests are to be ad-
justed ? It is, perhaps, not the least of these difficul-
ties, that the great majority of those who have to deter-
mine the question at issue, are too deeply interested in
the result, to approach it with that Calmness and im-
partiality which are necessary to an equitable and
satisfactory decision.
The landowners, and those who adopt their views,
are dissatisfied with the principle which the Bill lays
do-Ism for converting Tithe into a rent charge. It is
totally inadmissible, they say, that the average value
of Tithes for the last seven years should be taken as
the measure of a burden to be permanently fixed on
the land, because the land may not in future be so
productive as it has been heretofore, and because the
prices of agricultural produce having been higher
during these seven years than they are at present, or
are ever likely to be again, the rate of commutation is
unjust to the landowner. The titheowner is reminded of
the fluctuating nature and precarious tenure of his pro-
perty, and admonished of the necessity of making some
sacrifice, in order to render his Tithe more secure.
Now, in all this there is an imposing sound, and little
else. Does the tithe-owner in reality make no sacri-
fice ? What are the undisputed rights which he pos-
sesses at present ? Does any one deny that he is en-
titled to the tenth part of the produce of all the land
in England, which either now is, or may hereafter be,
brought under cultivation ? He is, in future, to have
no interest in any land, except that which at present
pays Tithe. From all the benefit which he might de-
rive from improved modes of husbandry, increased out-
lay of capital on land, and the cultivation of lands not
now under the plough, he is entirely and for ever cut
of; and in addition to the forfeiture of all these pro-
spective advantages, he gives up from one-fourth to
two-fifths of the amount of his present claims. Yet
he is called upon to make sacrifices !
Let us next see how the land-owner is affected.
The Bill proposes that the tithe paid (luring the last
seven years shall be valued at the average price during
this period, and that this value shall be converted into

an equivalent quantity of grain, according to the average
price to the same period, which quantity of grain is
really the rent charge to be fixed on the land. The
landowner objects to this on account of the high price
of agricultural produce. Now, this is the first time
we ever heard such a complaint from the mouth
of a landlord, and, we must say, it comes with a very
bad grace from such a quarter. The universal cry
among the landholders for many years past has been,
that prices have been ruinously low ; but it seems when
it suits their purpose, or (which is the same thing)
when they think it does so, these ruinously low prices
can become ruinously high. It is an enviable privi-
lege to be allowed to blow hot and cold with the same
breath. But the truth is, that the higher the price of
grain has been during the last seven years, the better
will it be for the landowner in the commutation. The
Tithe,lit must be observed, is first valued in money,
and this money is converted into a certain number
of bushels of wheat, barley, and oats, as a rent-
charge. Now, it is evident that the dearer these
articles are, the smaller will be the number of
bushels of them which the money value of the Tithe
will purchase, and consequently the smaller the rent-
charge fixed upon the land. As far as the Tithe con-
sists of wheat, barley, and oats, the commodities
of which the rent-charge is to consist, it will make no
difference whether prices have been high or low—but
when other articles have to be commuted, the high
price of grain is altogether in favour of the landlord.

We had intended to notice some of the other objec-
tions which have been made by ;the landlords ; but we
have been obliged, by want of room, to reserve our
observations for to-morrow.

DUBLIN ELECTION COMMITTEE.

(THIS DAY.)

The Committee met this morning at the usual hour, when
the second objection, taken by Mr. Austen yesterday, namely,
that there was no demand made by the contractor of the
Pipe Water Tax, was argued by counsel on both
sides. Mr. Harrison addressed the Committee for the
petitioners, and Mr. Austen was heard in reply. After
which the Committee retired, but had not come to any deci-
sion on the point when our reporter left.