The Sun.
London, England, 1841-06-09 00:00:00

,§un.

LONDON:
WEDNESDAY, JUNE 9, 1841.

Again in the House of Lords the Corn-laws was the
subject of conversation.

The Earl of RADNOR took the opportunity of some pe-
titions being presented to re-state, on the authority of the
Poor-law Commissioners for Ireland, the fact, which some
Noble Lords had questioned, that the average of wages
in Irelandis from 4d. to sd. per day.
Lord Bitouciutx presented the City petition, which
he said was signed by 21,000 persons in four days. A
little conversation arose as to its prayer, which is, we
believe, fora reduction of duties, with a view to their abo-
lition. Lord ASUBIIRTON thought it had been misre-
presented; and that it was not for repeal.

The Earl of WiscimsEA declared that the total abo-
lition of protective duties would render it impossible to
pay the national debt. This Lord has no more notion
of the origin of wealth than a horse. What pays
the national debt ? what pays Lord WINCHILSEA'S rent ?
Labour, which now, as at first, is the purchase money of
all the wealth of the world. The whole income of the
Noble Lord and all the dividends are annually consumed
and annually produced ; and the industry of the people
produces both. Now Lord WINCHLLSEA. says that the
industry of the country will be less able to pay the divi-
dends only, than the dividends and the br( al- ax. He
says that to take away from industry the burden which
the bread-tax lays on it, will render it unable to bear the
burden of the dividends. That discovery is more valuable
even than, the Kentish fire, for if the Noble Lord's
principle be true, in proportion as burdens are accumu-
lated on industry it must bear them easily. If it be
now enabled to pay the national debt by having the
bread-tax to pay, the true way to make it able to pay
more is to levy more :axes on it. We understand now
why the Tories resist the reduction of the planters' tax
of our sugar ; it is to enable the people the better to
-pay the bread-tax. They ought on the same principle to
praise the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER for increas-
ing the national debt, for the larger the annual interest
the better able will industry be, according to Wnr-
enti.sEa, tci pay heavy, tithes and exorbitant rents.
Lord WINCHILSEA ia'evidently an ingenious man, who
has invented a theory of political economy of his own, to
justify the landlords' plunder.
The Earl of FITZWILLIAX wished to have a return of
the number of petitions and signatures presented in fa-
vour of the Ministerial measure, but did not persist in
his motion after it had been represented that there would
not be time to comply with his wish.
Their Lordships adjourned to Thursday.

In the Commons, the CHANCELLOR of the EXCHEQUER
explained that the petition agaiiist the Corn-laws, about
which Mr. G. PALMER inquired the night before, had
been placed in that part of the Excise buildings which
been granted by the Government to the merchants of
London as an Exchange.

The County Coroners' Bill, the Irish Chancery Bill, the.
Factories Bill, and the Medical Reform Bill, were all

given up.
The Clerk of the Peace of Hertfordshire was again at
the Bar,.and was called on to deliver the copy of the
register, but, on the motion of the Soucrroa-GENERAL,
he was ordered to produce a copy on Thursday nextii
Mr. WYNN moved that the ATTORNEY-GENERAL be
directed to prosecute Dr.' RICHARD WEBSTER for
bribery at the last St. Alban's election. The facts of the
case werp„all brought before the public when the St.
Alban's committee sat ; and therefore it is only neces-
sary to-say that, after a short debate, the motion was
agt,,:ed
A short conversation took place about convicts and
penal settlements, occasioned by Sir C. GREY submitting
a motion to make Labrador a penal settlement, but it led
to nothing. ~
Withoinetransacting any business of public importance,
the Ho* sat till Half-past Twelve.

We hear a great deal about improper candi-
dates, .and about the want of candidates, and
about gentlemen unrequested coming forward
to solicit the suffrages of electors. We hear and
read, too, of local great men, who manage
boroughs for the gratification of their own
pride, sir their personal aggrandisement. We
regret .to hear all this, because the elec-
tors forget
.their duty to themselves and their
country when they allow any individuals to
select their representatives, and when they dO
not at once frown down the person, be he who
he may, who unasked solicits their suffrages.
At Liverpool and London, the Reformers
have got up requisitions to Lord PALMERSTON
and LordJ. RUSSELL; at Leeds they have deter-
mined on electing Mr. HUME; at Bath they have
decided in favour of Lord DUNCAN and Mr.
ROEBUCK; in Marylebone they are to bring for-
ward Sir B. HALL and Commodore NAPIER,
which is acting properiy, and we should be glad
to see the electors everywhere imitating such
good examples, and everywhere resolving to send
their representative; to Parliament free of all
expense. By doing that they will be
well served, not well mastered. If the
electors wish to preserve their independence
they will confer their representation on some
thy man as an honour, and not allow them-
selves to be cajoled or seduced into votinc, for
INEwtt he noraitAfe of any influential person, or for any man more ambitious of serving himself than his
constituents.
It is, undoubtedly, one great misfortune of
the Liberal 'cause, that there is a whole ar my
(~f intriguers who seek to hoist themselves, by ,

public excitement, into place and power. The
constituencies should be on their guard against
such persons, and where they cannot select
some man well known for his public services, and
well proved for his integrity to represent them,
it will be better for them to select the least in-
formed of their townsmen, provided he be ho-
nest, than any of the persons who embark in
politics as a profitable speculation.
If we do not mistake the present contest, it
turns exclusively on bread-tax or no bread-tax,
and a stubborn citizen, resolved on achieving the
repeal of the Corn-laws, though he may never
have thought of any other branch of national po-
licy, will now be the most approved representative
of every suffering bread•taxed community. The
next Parliament will be, and ought to be, a col-
lection of delegates to procure or resist the repeal
of the Corn-laws, and nothing else. It will sit,
we apprehend, for only a short period. The
people are appealed to on one particular subject,
and, that decided, some new question will cer-
tainly arise which the Parliament now to be
elected will be unfit to decide. Let the consti-
tuencies, therefore, not trouble themselves about
selecting accomplished orators and profound poli-
ticians, but let them send to Parliament men
determined to abrogate the bread-tax, and so
put an end to the vilest system of fraud that ever
was perpetrated in the name of law—bringing all
legislation into contempt and hatred—and that
ever disgraced a civilized land.

In the debate on the Confidence motion,
Lord STANLEY threw out some accusations
against Mr. HANDLEY which were loudly
cheered by the Tories, and. damaged that
gentleman in the eyes of his friends and the
public. To the circulation of the accusa-
tions so made no limit can be set. A libeller in
one newspaper is limited to the circulation of
that journal; but a libeller in Parliament may
spread his calumnies through every journal of
the world. It becomes gentlemen, therefore,
who speak in the House of Commons, and parti-
cularly leading speakers, the oracles of party, to
be extremely cautious in what they say, and,
above all, cautious in making charges against
individuals. Lord STANLEY, however, appears to
have no restraint over his tongue, and, according
to a correspondence which has passed between
the Noble Lord and Mr. HANDLEY, and which
we insert elsewhere, the Noble Lord, to gain a
temporary advantage, libelled a political oppo-
nent most grossly. We never place much con-
fidence in what Lord STANLEY says. He studies
effect, not truth ; and he has before now proved
that he can libel a nation as well as an indi-
vidual. We refer to the debates on the Irish
Coercion Bill and to Mr. HANDLEY'S lettei• to
establish both delinquencies.
As to libelling a nation, that is so common an
occurrence on the part of the Lord STANLEYS of
all ages, that it is regarded as a matter of course.
Half their power is founded on depreciating and
calumniating mankind, and more than half the
Statute-book has originated in such libels. Men
with a ready tongue and a black heart make long
speeches against some class or other of their
fellow-creatures, and, as speedily as forms will
allow, the libel is embodied into a law, and
after a few years becomes the " wisdom of our
ancestors." We are grateful to Lord STANLEY
for affording us a clear illustration, both by his
former and his recent speeches, of the possibility
of laws being merely the embodiment of per-
sonal malignity. Libels against a nation are not
so easily detected and repelled as libels against
an individual; but, happily for the instruction
of mankind, Mr. HANDLEY has been able to ex-
pose the carelessness with which Lord STANLEY,
to gain his ends, throws out unjust accusations.
It is good just now to be reminded that the Tory
cause derives all the semblance it has of justice
from the vile libels which the Tories, in all ages,
have heaped on individuals and nations.

The Hanover Gazette, of the 2d inst., has just reached
us. On that day King ERNEST was graciously pleased
to open the General Assembly of the Estates of his
Kingdom in the following Speech from the Throne,
upon which we are prevented by the crowded state of
our columns from offering a syllable of comment :
" Gentlemen,—l am happy at having besn able now to
summon the Estates of my Kingdem. Circumstances alone,
which were out of my power to control, caused the delay.
Many of you may, perhaps, be inconvenienced by the convoca-
tion having been deferred, but your attendance in such num-
bers in this Assembly atihe aovanced season of the yea' must
give general sathfaction, for it is a proof of the patriotic feeling
prevailing in the country, my confidence in which I have never
lost ; this confidence has always encouraged me in the many
and great difficulties with which I have had to contend
in order,to accomplish the dearest wish of my heart, the regu-
lation of the Constitution of the kingdom. I shall not require
your Session to be prolonged beyond the time necessary for
the settlement of, matters which the good of the country will
not allow to be dehyed. The events which. for nearly a year
past, have seriously clouded our political prospects, are well
known to you. I was obliged to take those steps, which my
duty, as a Member of the German Confederation, imposed on
me. I am happy, however, to add, that no increase of the
burdens of my faithful subjects has been required. The ex-
penses could not be avoided. You will all join with me in
imploring from Heaven the continuance of pear*, which is the
greatest blessing that nations can enjoy ; but to ensure
peace it is necessary to be always ready to make
a vigorous defence. You are all aware of our inviolable
duties to the German Confederation for this purpose, and in
order to fulfil them 1 rely the more confidently on your faithful
support and your serious co-operation, as you must know that
no one has more at heart than myself the real welfare of all.
May God protect this happy land, for with feelings of joy and
gratitude to Providence 1 may justly call it so, in comparison
with many others. I hope and trust that in everything relating
to the public affairs of Germany, I shall find in you the same
views and principles by which I have always been animated
and guided. These are, that Germany, as one whole, wid al-
wa3 sbe strong and powerful ; able to defend its rights. That,
it will not have cause to fear any danger, so long as we remain
united. That this may always be the case is my most fervent
wish. I declare the General Assembly of the States to be
opened.

The Ministerial crisis in France, and the want of con-
fidence vote of the House of Commons in England, afford
ample materials for the occupation of the Paris journals
of Sunday. The Moniteur Parisien, the ex-Government
evening journal, thus speaks of the rumoured resigna-
tion of Marshal SOULT :-
1n consequence of the indisposition of the Marshal, and the
adoption of General d'Ambrugeax's amendment, which seems
to adjourn to the next Session the definitive adoption of the
project of law of recruitment by the two Chambers, the report
was spread that the President of the Council had given in his
resignation. This rumour has no foundation. The Marshal
will not certainly deprive of his great experience the Cabinet,
at the head of which he has been placed by the confidence of
the King.
The Presse, which is the organ of Count MoLE, and
equally well informed upon what usually passes at Court,
says :
Rumours of resignation circulated this day at the Bourse.
The Afoniteur Parisien, whilst it had the air of contradicting
these reports, expresses itself in terms more calculated to con-
firm than to contradict them. We believe, in fact, that they
were well founded during a certain part of the day; but on
Saturday evening the friends. of the President of the Council
hoped that he would depart from a resolution justified by no
serious motive.

The Mes.sa ger and the Moniteufr, the two official jour-
nals, lss,d are soilreinntteuipidosn subjecttthoedo
hiaaone
Th?is
showst%.hat thehn
tGnoovedrenersieolint
TRIN nlardtg.frienhd
se, Cgiovnesst tt. thue-
had been come to on Su.nd
tionnel, the oracle of M.
following account of the reported resignation of the Pre-
sident
cote
otiftttihaegl
,cieurutcahinatffheactiaefdt eart Friday'sthe the President
of the Council :
Chamber went
of 'fllet Capopuenancil
to the Tuileries to give in his resignation to
interview umaid long, it is affirmed that in despite of all the
entreaties made to him the Alarsial maintainedesp his resolution.
What, ab-)ve all, made the deepest impreshion on
that the Duke of Orleans, who made use of his right ismind
aas was
and conscientiously judged the law, rose twiceavou
in f Preeri
General d'Ambrugeax's amendment. It was after If °-
is visit to
Neuilly, and on returning home, the Marshal was so seriously
attacked."
The Univers, the Commerce, the Courrier Francais, the
Temps, and nearly all the other journals, with the excep-
tion of? the Debate, give similar accounts of the ur-
rences which followed the vote on Friday. There is,
therefore, no doula whatever but that Marshal SOULT
did place his resignation in the hands of the KING,
although he may since have been prevailed upon to re-
main in office.
The observations of the French Papers on the Want
of Confidence Vote •in the House of Commons, are not.
of sufficient interest for a place,in our columns. They
all anticipate a dissolution, and a new Parliament which
shall have sufficient confidence in the MELBOURNE Cabi-
net to unite with it in abolishing the Corn-laws.
The following official news from Africa. appears in the
Moniteur of Sunday :
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