The Sun.
London, England, 1847-01-02 00:00:00

cilEAr RE-ISSUE OF " THE NELSON LETTERS."
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PART I. OF THE NELSON LETTERS
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COPYRIGHT EDITIONS.
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VOLUME VI. of
BENTLEY'S MODERN LITERATURE.
Completing
THE LETTERS OF 'MACE WALPOLE.
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THE WEATIIER.—SuN OFFICE, JANUARY 2.
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BAROMETER, 29.93.—W1ND E., fine.

MUD WATER AT LONDON-BRIDGE THIS DAY.
horning .. 1G minutes after 2. I Evening .. 37 salnutts after 2.

Its►
LONDON, SATURDAY, JANUARY 2, 1847.

In reviewing the different events which have
occurred throughout the world during 1846, we
yesterday afforded sufficient testimony of the accuracy
of our assertions as to the extraordinary character of
the past twelve months. We did this, moreover,
merely by an enumeration of circumstances taking
place beyond the shores of the British islands. Our
proofs were of a cosmopolitan rather than of a na-
tional species. We glanced over the more memorable
European, Asiatic, African, and American occur-
rences, reserving those peculiarly connected with
these dominions for a separate mention. A cursory
reminiscence of what has happened during 1846 in
England and its dependencies, must agitate every
patriotic mind with anxieties and anticipations about
the possible events of 1847. We remember the
miseries which have befallen this empire during the
old year, and we dread their repetition during the
new year. 'We remember that during the old year
the Parliament achieved moral victories over the evils
of centuries, and we marvel whether the session of t'ae
new year will be illustrated by comparable pro-
ceedings. We remember that the old year
witnessed the disruption of parties, and we endeg.-
your to conjecture the consequences of that disrup
tion in the futurity of the new year. From all then e
conflicting considerations the re-assembling of the
popular representatives and the Peers, at Westminster,
on the 19th proximo, is looked forward to with the
utmost curiosity.
Foremost among the events of 1846 were the re-
peal of the corn-laws, and the consequent annihilation of monopoly. After a toil for the realisation of free
trade, extending over a period which might la
counted by decades, after a toil which at first pro—
mised to be interminable and fruitless, the boon wens
obtained, whereby the national commerce was invigos-
rated, and the national agriculture relieved from :a
disgraceful and pernicious "Protection." Simultre-
neously with that brilliant success over the prejudice S 3
of many generations, the true principles of politic al
economy were engrafted upon the mercantile code of
England. The interests of the revenue were in t
forgotten, while the perfect freedom of trade wn
ensured. The ignorance or the covetousness of th !
so-called " country party " was repaid by the over e-
throw of their venerable fallacies, but a respite
three years was at the same time conceded to them
Then, again, the great Conservative party was de • •
stroyed—the strong Government was splintered int e
fragments—the Peel Administrations was compelled t c
resign. Many of those who during somewhere abou
a quarter of a century hail associated themselves wit'
the late Premier, and who had ultimately, spon • •
taneously, and deliberately selected him for thei
political chieftain, took the occasion of his noble con .-
version to the Free-traders to asperse his characte r
with a revengefulness, a bitterness, a ferocity, and a;
relentlessness to which the pages of HANSARD fur-.
nish no parallel. Because he had the courage and;
magnanimity to avow the mistakes of a long and
honourable career, and to announce, on the floor or the House of Commons, and in the face of the whole!
world, that, after a painful and laborious cones
sideration of the matter, he had come -to thee
conclusion that Free Trade was alone conso- •
nant with the principles of Justice and the'
laws of Nature, his quondam followers maligned him -
with an acerbity more applicable to a malefactor
than to a Minister of the Crown. For altering his-
opinion upon one question of policy, the Protec-
tionists declared that the whole life of the Premier
•
was odious, from his continual tergiversation. They-
asserted that his whole life was execrable and repre-
hensible from his conduct having been invariably
modelled upon expediency. Supposing this assertion to •
be correct, then does it recoil with redoubled impetus
upon the very men who gave it utterance. For, if
the life of Sir ROBERT PEEL was thus odious and
thus execrable, sorry indeed must have been the
character of the party who had wilfully selected him
for their leader—poor must have been their combina-
tion of ability and integrity when they could only
discover such a man to undertake their guidance—
most miserable, most odious, and most execrable
must they have been who were so long the obsequious
followers of a man of such a shameless career ! On
their own showing, the Protectionists are only
worthy of distrust and contumely. But Sir ROBERT
PEEL, when he invoked the hatred of a contemptible
few, assured to himself the love and admiration of the
million. By his proceedings in 1846 he has con-
signed his name to the grateful and perpetual remem-
brance of his fellow-countrymen, he has rendered it
inevitable that that name will henceforth be uttered
with expressions of gratitude "in the cottages of
those whose lot it is to labour," he has assumed
for ever a prominent place amongst the most pa-
triotic and the most illustrious of the statesmen of
England. -

Another Member of the Commons' House of Par-
liament has likewise, during 1846, attracted towards
himself, in a remarkable degree, the admiration
of the public. In the past year RICHARD COBDEN
consummated that great struggle for commercial
emancipation with which he will ever be so honour-
ably associated. In that year, also, he com-
menced a pilgrimage of civilisation through the
various states of Europe—a pilgrimage more honour..
able, if possible, than all his previous exertions. In
consequence of the acceptation of the free •trade prin-
ciples by the Legislature, the Anti-Corn-law League
was dissolved. Another remarkable association of
a peculiarly popular character had been already,
namely, about the commencement of 1846, dis-

et
.h e 1
nS s3lcBi4et6y,
solved in
Diffuliskioen mofanunesre—fulw
moreover, the present Government, under the
elCninmevalendg
leadership of Lord Jous RUSSELL, was installed I
in office ; and from the known disposition of the dif-
ferent members of the Administration every con-
fidence is reposed in the intentions and capacity of
that Government. In 1846 the condition of Ire-
land
became snore perilous ment of than at any previous mo-
first ar •
se amon her history. In 1846 a misunderstanding
tion Ha •
og the Itepealers in Concilia-
ll. In 1846 the father of the ant' 0,
slavery agitation, THOMAS CLARKSON, died. In 18 AG,
the entente cordiale was ruptured. In 1846 , „Lir
quarrel with the American Government was lax orte lit
to a satisfactory conclusion. In 1846 we had, firai' a
positive Ministerial promise of those san:4tory an a
educational measures which had been BQ long and : to
ardently desired. Such have been the most co: 1-
spicuous events of the bygone twelvemonth, such hal re
been the advantages realised, the evils avoided, tl le
calamities experienced during that memorable lute) ;..

•
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erio•-c, A.
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SECOND EDITION.