The Sun.
London, England, 1841-11-13 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, SATITRDAN,&„Novvg,,Bot 1841.

LITER AT U RE.

AMERICA AND THE CORN-LAWS; or,
FACTS AND EVIDENCE SHOWING THE
EXTENSIVE SUPPLY OF FOOD WHICH
MAY BE BROUGHT FROM AMERICA,
AND THE EFFECTS OF THE RESTRIC-
TIVE SYSTEM ON THE BRITISH AND
AMERICAN TRADE.

By JOHN CURTIS, of Ohio, United States.
This is a most valuable pamphlet, full of facts
and cogent reasoning. Mr. Curtis appears in the
light of a great benefactor to the two nations,
and if their rulers • had half his knowledge and
philanthropy, the peace between them would be,
in spite of frontier brawlers and newspaper in-
cendiaries, for ever assured. We quote the
following specinven from page 15 :
Wheat once formed a leading article in, the exports of
the United States. The trade of that country with
Great Britain was then double the present amount, in
proportion to the number of the population. Had the
trade of the two countries continued free, it would have
increased with the increase of population and capital.
The legitimate exchange trade has decreased between
England and America for thirty years. What part has
the restrictive system had in producing this result ? A
few facts may enable us not only to answer this question,
but to anticipate the consequence of a continuance of the
same policy. From the time of the revolutionary war in
America until 1812, the trade between the two countries
regularly increased with the increase of the population.
The average annual consumption of foreign merchandise
in the United States, for each inhabitant, was—
Frem 1790 to 1800, 395. 4d.

1' 1800 to 1810, 41s. Bd.
In 1812 came the second American war, and in 1815 the
British Corn-law, which was promptly followed by the
high American tariff of 1816. For ten years prior to
1830 the annual average consumption of merchandise
had fallen to 225. 6d., while the population of the States
was nearly double, and their capital treble that of the
ten years preceding 1810. Soon after 1830 followed the
modification of the American tariff, and the importations
based on the great transatlantic loans of that pariod.
But, notwithstanding the stimulation and extravagance
of the time, the average annual consumption amounted
to only 31s. per head of foreign produce during the ten
years prior to 1840. Abating the importation based on
the loans of the last few years, and the trade of England
with the United States has not increased in amount for
the last thirty years, while the population of England has
increased from eighteen to twenty-seven millions, and
that of the States from seven to seventeen millions.

CORN AND COTTON. With a POSTSCRIPT
on DISTRESS. By ONE OF THE PEOPLE.

This pamphlet contains the substance of a
series of articles which appeared in opposition to
the repeal of the Corn-laws, in a landlord's
journal, which was written rather to flatter the
prejudices of the landlords than expound the
principles of the important question at issue. A
specimen of the unfairness—the one-sidedness of
its facts—and of the hollowness of its reasoning,
may be found in the Postcript at p. 61,where the
trade to the United States, from the example of
the year 1837, when they were lessening a small
portion of their indebtedness to England, and ex-
ported to this country, for a wonder, a million ster-
ling more than they imported, is represented as a
trade of which the balance is against us, and
must be habitually paid. with money. Every
person at all acquainted with the fact knows that
.he reverse was, till 1837, and is, on the average

. Ull ..ile
the case, and that annually the exports from
England to the United States exceed the exports
from the United States to England. One-third
of their whole foreign trade is carried on with
England, and in the ten years ending 1839 their
imports exceeded their exports by 53,032,1641., a
great part of which went from England. Even
during the last-three years-1535,1839, awl 1840,
the exports exceeded the imports by 21,351,097
dollars. Bating the partisanship and one-sided-
ness of the pamphlet, however, it is extremely
well-written, arid bad the ingenious author a
better cause to advocate he would have done it,
we have no doubt, with distinguished success.

A TREATISE ON THE COMMERCIAL SY S-
TEM. AND STAMP LAWS OF GREA7' BRI-
TAIN, By AYLING CIIAMBERLAIN.
A pamphlet directed against the restrictive
system, and especially advocating a revision of
the stamp duties as well as the tariff. The fol-
lowing specimen shows how the rich have been
able to influence the Legislature to make partial
laws in their favour :

Suppose the estate of a deceased mrson to be worth
2,0001. ,• it will be seen by referring to the Stamp Act,
that 50/. probate duty must be paid on proving the
will. But suppose another to be worth 10,0001. ; common
sense and common justice, one would think, demand that
this estate, being five times the amount, pay five times
as much duty, viz., 2501. ; but no, 2001. only is de-
manded. Here, then, supposing the 'duty on 2,0001. to
be no more than it ought to be, is clearly a loss to the
revenue of 50/. • But suppose a third estate to be worth
20,0001.. an every=day occurrence recollect, certainly if
50/. is to be levied on 2,0001., 5001. ought in fairness to
be levied on the 20,0001. ; but how stands the case ?
Look at the Stamp Act, and you will seo this 20,0001.
is only charged with 3,50/ ; the revenue therefore
loses 1501. But, suppose a fourth estate to be worth
100,0001., a very common case ; why is not this
100,000/ to be charged with 2,500/, if 2,0001. is charged
with 501. ? But it is only charged with, 1,5001. ; a loss
to the revenue therefore take's plaoe of no less a sum
than 1,000/. from the proportion of taxes which ought to
be received from the estate of one individual, if_those who
are poorer do not pay too much. There is another part of
this schedule by which the effects of intestate persons are
taxed, and as much fault may be found of it as of the other.
The tax is levied most partially; a few words will
prove this. Suppose a person to die intestate, worth
1,0001. in personal property, his effects would be
charged with 451; but suppose another to die worth
7,0001, his effects should be charged with what? Seven
times as much, I am told, 315/. It should be so; but
2101. is all that is demanded; 105/. too little, if 451 on
1,0001. is no more than right. Suppose again, eight
individuals to die intestate, worth respectively, in per-
sonal property, 12, 14, 16, 18, 20, 25, 30, and 35 thou-
sand pounds; assuming 451. to be a just charge on
1,000/, the revenue, in consequence of these sums being
taxed at a lower rate would lose no less than 3,4751. It
is really difficult to imagine upon what principle or
method of calculation the framers of these schedules
have proceeded: if indeed they have proceeded upon
any principle or method at all. To this should be
added the fact, that no administration duty whatever
is charged on freehold land and houses; so that while
the estate of a person of the middling class, who may
at any time die and leave to his family a bare provision
in personal property, is. charged with a very heavy tax
in probate duty; the' fttmily of a rich landed proprietor,
who dies possessed of freehold estates to the amount of
perhaps 500,000/, or in fact to any amount, however
great, is not called upon to pay one farthing in this way.
This is fair taxation indeed! 'Wise legislation!

MEND YOUR FIRST FAULT.—The Queen (of
George the Second), once said to Whiston, " I hear you
are good at telling persons their faults ; now, as every
body has some fault of other, I should like to know
what you have chserved wrong in me." Whiston
would have evaded the question, but the Queen was
not to be denied. " Why then, Madam," said Whiston,
" the people complain that you talk to the King when at
chapel, instead of minding the service." " I believe,"
answered her Majesty, " there is some truth in what
you say. But now tell me of another fault." " No,
Madam," said the old monitor, " let me see you mend
the first before I mention another."—Memoirs of George
the Fourth.

CITIZENS ENNOBLED, &C.—The following
notice of citizens who have been ennobled will probably
be considered interesting at the present moment. John
Coventry was an opulent mercer of the City of London,
and Mayor in 1425. From him is descended the pre-
sent E&rl. of Coientry. Sir Stephen Brown, Mayor in
1438, and again in 1448, was a grocer, and gave to us
another peer, in the person of Sir Anthony Brown, created
Viscount Montague by Philip and Mary in 1554. The
Legges rose to be Earls of Dartmouth. The gallant sea
officer, George Legge, was the first who was nobilitated,
created Earl of Dartmouth in 1682. He was descended
from one who was Lord Mayor of London in 1347,
and in 1354, having, by his industry as a skinner, at-
tained to great wealth. Sir Geoffry Bullen, Mayor in
1458, was grandfather to Thomas, Earl of Wiltshire,
father of Anne Bullen, and grandfather to Queen Eliza-
beth, the highest genealogical honour the City ever pos-
sessed. Sir Baptist Hicks was created Viscount Camp-
den ;he was a mercer. The Capels, Earls of Essex,
are descended from Sir William Capel, draper ; he was
Lord Mayor in 1503. Edward Osborne, cloth-worker,
was Lord Mayor in 1502—he gave origin to the Dukes
of Leeds. From Sir "William Craven, merchant-tailor,
Mayor in 1611, sprung the Earl Craven. Lord Viscount
Dudley and Ward is descended from William Ward, a
wealthy goldsmith of London, and jeweller to Henrietta
Maria, Queen of Charles I.

ORGANIC R EM A I N s.—A rare discovery has re-
cently been made in Mr. Brewer's quarry, in Box-
field, Box, of Fo.3sil bones. They were found in a
cavern, 70 feet under, the surface, and have the same
appearance as the freestone, or oolite, but are much
lighter. They are numerous, and amongst them the
vertebrae are very; d'istin6tr'llnd some have bones like
legs, and a head, but there fOicothing to indicate that
they belong to any existing *cies. Nothing of the
kind has ever before been7ptindinhe locality, nor in
cutting the Box tunnel; kVtll.kli sOcAmens of vegetables
and fish have been fotinditiloe, inferior oolite, and the
clay on which it was reeunibeelit.,—lfiltshire Independent.
MACH INERY.—A great 'change in the trade of
the machinist has taken place since 1820—namely, the
introduction of a multitude of refined and elaborate
mechanical inventions, under the name of tools. " In-
stead of being, as formerly, simple implements, of
easy construction, they are of great power and
nicety, and in fact are indi▪
spensable to the fabri-
cation of good machinery ; thei▪ r value ranges from 1001.
to 2,0001. By means of them machinery may be con-
structed by mere labourers much better than it was
formerly made by first-rate workmen. With some ma-
chines a boy will perform work formerly requiring the
labour of two men, whilst many are self-acting. The
machinery produced by these tools is also better as well
as cheaper, and although they have had the effect of dis-
placing the machine-mahing labour to the extent in
some instances of one-half, yet the aggregate number
of individuals engaged in the trade of machine-
'whiny has increased materially. In fact, tools have
introduced a revolution in machinery, and tool-
making has b:come a distinct branch of mechanics,

. . .
and a very hi pofiant trade, although twenty years ago
it was scarcely known. Mr. Jenkinson says, r‘ that where
501. were expended in tools formerly,- 1,000/. are in-
vested now." We recommend the passage in italics to
those who ascribe the sufferings of particular classes
to the displacement of labour by machinery. It
would be easy to produce a multitude of parallel
eases. The ..atctcliing4atne, no doubt; stipeitedecl
a certaih'nuniter of Workmen or workwomen at
first ; but it has enabled those countries of Europe where
it was intrOanced to make stockings for the world, and
the manufacture now employs probably six times as many
persons as it would have dune, if knitting by the hand
had still been the only proces in use. Even the power-
loom, we have no doubt, employs many more individuals
than it has superseded.—Edinburgh Paper.
VERY LIKE A W. 14 A LE.—....011 Saturday, Alex.
Kerr and John Ross, fishermen, whilst fishing at the
tail of the Scaur in Lochryan, caught a hallibut, weigh.
ing,llst. 411 b., in the following manner:—ln pulling up
a long line, they found the monster attached to it, and
endeavoured to draw it into the boat with clops, which,
however, were broken in the attempt. Kerr then thrust
his arm through the gills of the fish, and succeeded,
after a desperate struggle, in getting it into the boat.
On examination, it was found that the hallibut hadswal-
lowed a cod weighing 171 b., which had previously been
caught on one of the hooks of the long line.—Stranraer
Advertiser.

'Thursday morning, about a quarter before eleven
o'clock, a most alarming fire broke out on the premises
Of Mr. Smellie, copper-plate printer, in Bedford-court,
Covent-garden. The Chandos-street engine was almost
instantly on the spot, followed by others. Luckily, a
plentiful supply of water was obtained, otherwise the
damage must have been serious, owing to the denseness
of the neighbourhood. The loss has been variously ru-
moured, but,:from-what we could gather, does not ex-
ceed 100/. Mr. Smellie is insured in the Hand-in-Hand<
offbce,

CURIOUS li o
was B
passingEßY °
then
thieves
sthe procession
were, as might be expected, very busily employed.
Lord
Mansion Mayor's
House,
se D,
a the
Amongst the persons robbed was a French gentleman.
The way in which the robbery was committed had a good
deal of coolness and comedy about it. The gentleman had
his watch, to which there was a guard, in one waistcoat
pocket, and a purse containing 15 sovereigns in the other,
and he kept his arms down so as to protect the property
in both pockets. As he walked along a well-dressed
person, who had noticed him for some time, said to him,
" Oh, Sir, if you carry your arms in that way,
you will have your pockets picked as sure as ever
you were born." " Ah," said the French gentleman,
"Sere, I shall thank you let me knoW how I carry my
arms." " Why, this way to be surf.," replied the polite
adviser ; and taking hold of one of the Frenchman's,
rased it up, and, with amazing quickness, whipped out
the purse, while the grateful foreigner passed along,
saying, " Sare, I thank you vera much fur showing me
how not to be robbed." The gentleman aid not ascer-
tain that he had lost anything till he got into Wood-
street, where he visited a family and mentioned the ad-
venture pretty nearly as it is stated above. The state-
ment of this robbery at the Mansion House brought to
mind an impudent robbery which was committed on
Ludgate-hill in the mayoralty of Alderman Thompson.
Upon that occasion a little elderly dre;sy man, who had a
diamond pin in his shirt, stood out of the crowd upon the
steps of a hall door, and was enjoying the procession with
great dignity. The sparkling gem in his shirt, however,
soon attracted the attention of a gang of thieves, who
went over to the place on which he stood, and held him
by the arms, while one of the fraternity quietly took the
pin out of the little fellow's shirt, and fixing it in his
own, said, " I say, old fellow, don't it look a precious
sight better where it is now, eh ?" It was in vain the
loser cried out. The gang drowned his voice by their
vociferations; and, getting among the crowd, proceeded
in their work without any interruption from him.
COACH ACCIDENT.--On Thursday morning,
about ten o'clock, as the Birmingham mail was proceed-
ing along Barr's. lane, it came in contact with a timber
waggon unloading at the yard of Mr. Trapnell. The
concussion was so violent that the coachman and three
of the passengers were thrown off, one of whom was
severely injured. He was immediately conveyed to Mr.
Macdonald's, surgeon, in St. James's Barton, where he
was promptly attended to by that gentleman, and imme-
diately afterwards proceeded to Reading, the place of his
residence. One Gf the horses received some slight
bruises, but we are happy to add that no Turther injury
was done.—Sherborne Journal.

MURDER WILL OUT.—A mason of La Marche,
in the Nievre, lately undertook, for a reward of 10E, to
carry the illegitimate child of a poor neighbour to the
Hospice at Autun, but next day the body of the infant
was found drowned in a river. The unfortunate mother,
hoping that at some future day she might be able to re-
claim her child, had written its baptismal name and the
name of its godmother on a piece of paper, and sewed it
to part of the dress. This remained unobliterated by
the water, and led to the ascertaining of the identity of
the child. The man has not yet been arrested, but the
officers of justice are in pursuit of him.—Paris paper.
GREAT MINDS IN SMALL BODIES.—It Would
cost little exertion of memory to swell the list of
great minds in diminutive frames, who, " ingentes animos
augusto in corpore versant." The names of David. Alex-
ander, Pepin, Tamerlane, Napoleon, are best known
among the rulers of the earth ; and in private eminence
those of Horace, Pomponatius, Fracastor, Vida, Galli-
leo, Sarpi, Pope, Rousseau, Wilberforce, Grattan, Cur-
ran, Gibbon, Erskine, Sir Humphrey Davy, the Ven-
dean chief Charette ; and so many more, among whom
are some living statesmen—Guizot, Thiers, and Lord
John Russell, who resemble the homuncio exilis staturcv,
of Demosthenes.—Gentleman's Magazine for November.
DREADFUL ACCIDENT.—A few days ago, a
gentleman of the name of Gibbs (of London) was riding
a very beautiful and spirited horse, on the road about a
mile and a half out of Dartford, at the turn of two roads
the animal took fright at a pointing- post, and galloped
off at a dreadful rate down the hill till he came to the
chalk-pits. The animal gave a plunge and fell near 90
feet over the cliff. Mr. Gibbs beim, warned by two or
three persons, who witnessed his frightful situation,
had the presence of mind to throw himself from his horse.
He was immediately taken up, and it was found he had
broken his arm in two places. The horse was killed on
the spot.
On Thursday last about thirty individuals of
the labouring population left Mclksham as emigrants to
the island of Jamaica, whither several had before gone,
who are doing well. They are employed on the coffee
plantations on the hills.— Wiltshire Independent.
CORN-LAWS.—On Tuesday night a lecture on
the Corn-laws was delivered by Mr. George Thompson,
in Bristo-street Church, Edinburgh. The audience,
which was highly respectable, amounted to about four-
teen hundred, and was admitted by tickets at sixpence
each, admitting two. The lecture lasted nearly three hours.
STATE OF TRADE AT MANCHESTER.—
There was little change in the market on Tuesday.
Owing to the advance of the season, and the non-arrival
of a Ilamburgh mail, the demand for yarn for the conti-
nent of Europe has considerably abated, but no material
alteration has taken place in pripes. Manufactured
goods, with the exception of fustians, continue greatly
depressed, and it is difficult to force sales without sub-
mitting to serious sacrifices. Some attempts have been
making to bring about a more general agreement for
limiting the hours of, labour ; but hitherto, we believe,
without suzeess.—Manchester Guardian.
SHANNON IMPROVEMENT.—The first stone
of the new bridge across the Shannon, at Athlone, was
laid on the 6th inst. by Mr. Long and Mr. Buck, the
engineers. It is expected that the new bridge, with the
other improvements at Athlone, by the Shannon Com-
missioners, will be completed in less than four years.—
Dublin Pilot.

THE IRISH PRESENT TO JERUSALEM.-A
letter from Messrs. Briggs and Co., of Alexandria, dated
October 21, has been received by Mr. Hamilton, an-
nouncing the safe arrival at that city, and subsequently
at Beyrout, of the Catholic Testimonial in Hebrew,
Arabic, Latin, Greek, and English, that " God is mer-
ciful," and that " Holy is his name." It must, there-
fore, have long since arrived in the Holy City, its in-
tended destination."—Dublin Pilot.

CORONER'S INQUEST.—Last evening an in-
quest was held at the sign of the Life-Guardsman,
Knightsbridge, before Mr. Higgs, the Coroner for West-
minster, on view of the body of a female unknown.
Thomas Spredrow, the Beadle of Knightstridge, pro-
duced for the inspection of the Jury a Leghorn bonnet,
trimmed with green watered silk, a black lace veil, and
a pair of black kid gloves, found on the banks of the
liver, and which are supposed to have belonged to the
deceased, also a pair of gold ear-rings, two gold finger.
rings (one plain, and the other set with six pearls and a
turquoise in the centre), and a platted hair neck-chain
with gold snaps and four slides, which were found about
the person of the deceased. The Jury then proceeded
to view the body, which is that of a female about twenty
or twenty-five years of age, of rather stout make and
short stature, dark hair and fresh complexioned. One
of her fingers was much marked by needlework. She
had on a muslin gown with light pink shaded flower,
white petticoat, a red chequered shawl, very fine white
cotton stockings, and a p of nearly new winter boots
edged and lined with fur ; her apparel was of the best
quality. There were no marks of violence about the
body. The Coroner said that through the medium of
the public papers no doubt, the relatives or friends of the
deceased would be found. Verdict—Found Drowned.
The flannel pAticoat of the deceased was marked S. 8.,
No. 3.
SINGULAR DEATH OF A GREENWICH PEN-
SlONER.—Yesterday morning, just before six o'clock, the
body of an old Greenwich pensioner, named John Phill-
potts, aged 75, was discovered hanging from the bedpost
in a ward in the Infirmary : his throat was also cut, and
when found he was quite dead. It would appear that the
unfortunate man, who had been in a bad state of health
for some time, had suspended himself by the cord of the
bedstead, aid afterwards, repenting of the act, had at-
tempted to cut that part of the rope which was round his
neck with a knife that was afterwards found near his
person, but had failed in doing so, and in the attempt
had so lacerated his throat that he died of the wounds.
MOTHER AND DAUGHTER BURNT TO
DEATH.—An inquest was held on Monday last, at
Bevercotes, near Tuxford, over the bodies of Elizabeth
Whittington, aged 52, and Elizabeth Whittington, the
younger, aged 15. The daughter, who was an idiot, was,
on Sunday last, left in the house by her mother whilst
she went to feed her pig, and, on her return. she found
her enveloped in flames ; as soon as the girl perceived
her
mother
to extinguishreturning shetbe
anmueps to
the
her,
mother's clothes and, in endea-
vouringcaught fire—their shrieks were heard by a neighbour,
Mrs. Baker, who ran to their assistance, when she saw
the poor idiotic girl burnt to death, and lying on the
floor, and the mother trying to stop the progress of the
flames by pumping water over herself. The poor woman
lingered in a state of extreme suffering until evening,
when she expired. Verdict, Accidentally burnt to death.
Nottingham Review.

Sifrill-10iiii'S CONVERSION,

" The Limerick Reporter announces the Coliiersion. to fhe
Catholic faith of the Rev. Mr. Sibthorp. What will his
brother, the ultra-1 cry Member for Lincoln; Fay to this
His very whiskers, we suspect, will bristle up hke a cat's back
with horror."-- London Sun of Saturday.
No such thing. We should not be surprised were the
gallant thlitiderer against Maynooth to follow the ex-
ample so well set by his reverend brolier. The
honester the zealot, the more chances there are in his
favour of the triumph of truth. We have had extraor-
dinary instances, within the last few years, of the spread
of Catholicism among a portion of the English Aristo-
as nay the most violently opposed to its doctrines. What
reason is there to suppose that Colonel Sibthorp, with
all his bigotry, may not soon be among the number ? 'or
our part we should not be surprised if he became before
long a thorough-going Catholic. He is a zealot, It is
true, and, we firmly believe, an honest one ; and the
g re2er likelihood, we repeat, that he may open his
eyes to error, and embrace the faith he now inveighs
against with the acrimony of the Grand Turk,—
Limerick Reporter,

THE GRAND POLISH BALL AND
CONCERT IN GUILDHALL.
A numerous meeting of the members of the Common
Council and of the Committee of the Literary Associa-
tion of the Friends of Poland took place at the Guild-
hall yesterday. Deputy Peacock in the Chair, for the
porp6se of making the necessary arrangementlsftyiritihte
ball and concert alL:ounced for Wednesday the 7 1
Mt. AT4DERTON stated -t the sale of tickets, both at
the West-end and in the City, ha., already been so great
that he felt it his duty ehended,
to recommend u 2 the Committee
the propriety of raising the price, as many ap,
from former experience, that the Hall might be over-
from
whilst, as the ball and concert were merely
a.
signed to encourage a charitable object,
he thought the
public could have no reason to complain of such an ad-
vance in the price of admission.—(Hear.)
The Cl/AU- WAN stated in reply that the Committee
had already taken due precautions to limit the issue of
tickets to the ntruber which the Hell could accommo-
date. These precautions were now become doubly ne-
cessary, since he had the gratification to announce that
Miss Adelaide Kemble had, on being applied to, at
once acceded to the wish of the Committee, and pro-
mised to lend the attraction of her name and talents to
the approaching concert.—(Great cheering.) Talent was
the inheritance of a liemble, but when devoted to the
advancement of a noble and interesting charity, at the
moment when public enthusiasm had 11-ailed the rising
of a new and a brighter star above the horizon of the
musical world, our admiration for her talents deepened
into esteem.—(Cheers.) There could now be no doubt
that the ball would exceed in brilliancy an its prede-
cessors and he hoped the Noble Lord near him (Lord
Dudley Stuart) had some gratifying announcement to
make, and he would therefore call upon his Lordship to
address the meeting.
Lord DUDLEY STUART then said he had been an-

„....
ticipated by their worthy Chairman, in one of the most
important statements which he had to make, namely,
that in relation to Miss Adelaide Kemble. He felt also
that he we totally inadequate to render that amiable
young lady justice for the cordial manner in which she •
had promised them her support, and the hearty sym-
pathy which she had manifested towards the unfortunaiel
Polish exiles. There was an old Latin proverb, ” Bis
dat, qui dat cito," which he would take the liberty of
translating into
" Who gives at once what he intends,
Gives twice his gift, and makes more friends," •
a proverb never more appropriately exemplified than
in the case of Miss Adelaide Kemble, who had doubled
the favour she granted by the handsome manner in
which it had been conferred.—(Cheers.) It was with
great pleasure, also, that he announced the intention of
Lord and Lady Palmerston to be present at the ball, a
letter from whom to that effect was in, the Chairman's
hands. It was no less gratifying to find that Lord and
Lady Stanley and Sir James Graham had signified their
desire to patronize the ball, whilst Lord and Lady
Wharncliffe and Lord and Lady Sandon had also ex-
pressed their intention of being present.—(Cheers.) his
Royal Highness the Duke of Sussex had likewise de-
clared his intention, not merely to patronize, but to be
present at the ball, accompanied by the Duchess of In-
verness. Lord Chesterfield, Count D'Orsay, and several
ethers, whose names, in consequence of the rapidity
with which they were uttered, we could not catch, were
likewise mentioned by Lord Dudley Stuart as having
promised to attend. his Lordship warmly thanked
the Chairman, the Honorary Secretary of the Managing
Committee (Mr. Carr), and the other members of the
Corporation, for the great zeal and activity they had
displayed. The unfortunate men for whom such exer-
tions were made might challenge the strictest scrutiny
into their conduct, and would to God it were upon the
merit of that conduct their prosperity were to depend.
The time was now long past since the first ebullition of
• enthusiasm burst forth in their favour, yet they
were the same Poles who in 1831 withstood the whole
power of the Russian armies, and could not be subdued,
until at last, under the combination of brute force and
diabolical treachery, nature itself gave way. They were
the same Poles who fought for the independence of their
native land against odds that would have deterred a com-
munity of lions, while many of them flung into the scale
with their lives, the advantages of rank and fortune, and
other gifts of prosperity. They were the same Poles who,
to the astonishment of all Europe, held out against the
mighty armies of their -oppressor, with a courage that
equalled the proudest memories of Greece, and realised,
in every thing but in success, the days of Marathon and
Platea—and great must have been the display of that
valour, and glorious the constancy of that suffering,
which could dignify defeat itself with the laurels that
belonged to victory.—(Great cheering.) He (Lord
Dudley Stuart) knew that English men, as well as Eng-
lish women, felt and resolved that those who survived
the conflict, as it were, to show how they could endure
adversity in its more slow, but not less appalling horrors,
should not at last sink under their accumulation.—
(Cheers.)
Resolutions were subsequently passed, to the effect
that preparations on a grander scale than have been
hitherto made in the Guidhall, should at once commence,
in the expectation of a more brilliant attendance than
has been witnessed, even when the appeals made to our
fair countrywomen were most powerfully supported.
Miss Adelaide Kemble will be heard to the greatest
advantage in the Guildhall, which was pronounced .by
Sir George Smart, on the night of the Polish ball, which
followed the visit of her Majesty to the Guildhall, the
finest area in England for song.

BURDEN OF THE CORN-LAWS.
The following estimate of the tax imposed on the
community by the Corn-laws, is from a spirited little
pamphlet, which we arc happy to see has reached the
third edition, entitled " A Plea for the Total and Im•
mediate Repeal of the Corn-laws" :
" The amount of taxation occasioned by the opera-
tion of the Corn-laws, since their enactment in 1660,
down to the present time, has been so great, that even
au approximation towards it cannot be made without
exciting the disbelief even of those who are acquainted
with their principle of operation. But the magni-
tude of the oppression on the national industry is
not less true on that account. The landed interest,
since they attained the power "‘ to prescribe the rule of
civil action," have been determined to tax the public for
their own benefit. Accordingly, when, the unprin-
cipled system of the bounty had ceased to be operative,
from the increase of population raising the price so high
at home as to prevent exportation even with the bounty,
duties on importation were imposed for the express
purpose of artificially maintaining high average prices.
And as the bounty on exportation bad the effect of im-
posing a heavy load of taxes on the community, so the
import duties had and have now a still more oppres-
sive operation. To impose an import duty, and to
exempt the home produce, is to legislate that Go-
vernment shall receive the tax on the small quantity
imported, and that the farmers shall collect a like
excess of price on the whole quantity sold by them, the
Government receiving about five per cent. of the tax
imposed, and the home grower collecting the remaining
ninety-five, to be transferred to the landowners in the
shape of increased rent.* For there can be no ground
for believing that under a free trade in corn the price
in London would exceed the price at Amsterdam, as
neither England nor Holland produces a sufficient sup-
ply for the requisite consumption. Both are importing
countries, and as the expense of conveying corn from
the place of growth to London would not be greater
than to Amsterdam, it follows that the prices would
equalize at the two ports. The average price of wheat
at Amsterdam, from 1822 to 1831 was 345. 41d.,
and therefore may be taken (less abut 4s. 4d. of import
duty) as a fair average of the natural priee of wheat in
Europe during those ten years. In England, the average
price for the same period was 61s. 8/d., or an excess of
31s. 41 which can be attributed to no other cause thon
the existence of restrictions on importationt. Then
as " the difference between the natural price of an
article imported from abroad, and the high price of a
similar article produced at home, is a tax imposed upon
the whole community in order to put the difference
into the pockets of the producer of the homemade
article ;" it follows that the community paid this ex-
cess of 31e. 4id. on the whole amount consumed
in the country. Now, supposing that this excess
is an average of the increased price of food during
the twenty-six years from 1815 to the present
time, 1841, the population being 20,000,000, and
the estimated consumption for each person to be
equal in value to two quarters of wheat, we shall then
arrive at a tolerably correct estimate of the annual
taxation, collected by the farmers, and transferred into
the pockets of the la nodoo oc,robaocyoy
t, oe3r
oswasted.m4m .ii6nt2;u6tno7potr,hosefi3tiaalibn. unprofitable
cultivation. Thus :
years, of 1,629,441 6"
()mo cr2or°ars 'eu°g:r than°aindd°so Xu totals2b9le overpaid42t
°h6 'e
National Debt !! But3B a sum
immense
it is probablyaid
in not one-half of
eratiee beeno p
of the
as this sum may appear,
laws
occasioned the actual
by the which has eprotectxcess ,
:thtoe
the land-owners." It has been officially estimated
by the Secretaries of the Board of Trade, " that the
annual taxation imposed upon the country by our
duty on corn, and the provision duties and prohi-
bitions, are far greater,probably much more than
double, the amount f the taxation paid to the
Treasury." Such an extraordinary fact appears capa-
ble of the most perfect demonstration : and yet there
are statesmen who deny it ; but they are so dis-
trustful of their ability to sustain their opinions, that
they are determined to resist inquiry—a line of conduct
not calculated to raise them in the est:mation of the
public. No political combination can long uphold such
an unparalleled system of public robbery and oppres-
sion. If it is attempted to be continued, it ought to
justify a confederacy of the national manhood to resist
such en undoubted usurpation of the sovereignty at
the taxation of the people for other than national ob-
jects. It is not merely the triple load of taxation
which it imposes upon the country, that constitutes the
full amount of the grievance, but the loss occasioned by
the reduction of the value of labour, the diminution of
the profit on capital, and the bankruptcies and insol-
vencies which are certainly attributable to these laws.
The national wealth is wasted by this vicious legisla-
tion to an amount probably equal to the eatire land-
rental of the United Kingdom.
" Some remarks of all intelligent and experienced
Scotch agriculturist have been transmitted to the writer
on this illustration; it is not here meant, as has been
supposed, that the farmers are benefitted by the Corn-
laws—on the contrary, they are merely the tax-collectors
for the landowners, and not one farthing of the excess is
allowed to be appropriated by them in the long-run: the
table of the increase of land-rent will satisfactorily ex-

plait ato whom it is transferred. The author has never
;iced or expressed " a hostile feeling towards agri-
cult, [lists," that is, the farmers, On the contrary,
his : object is to attempt, like the Scotch agn-
cultt tsist, "to direct attention filly to the whole ft:j-
-ell:I:6 er of the system, which are chargeable solely on
the imz:entors and supporters of the Corn-lues." He has
also :eat pleasure in attaching the accompanying extract
from " his letter :—° wince 1815, more farmers hare been
than in any other trade ; take for example one of
the i i chest and most agricultural districts in Scotland,
Hadd ingtonshire, and you will find two sets of tenants
(gene rally on leases ofniueteen years) have been swept
at!cl the condition of the existing set it might seem
inri.dirMus to speak about—at least for one tenant that has
ted in his occupancy since 1815, there have besn
thrsc r;, In 1791 the land-rental of the parish of
Haddingtonshire, was 2,0001. ; in 1840 it was
yt;ster •
Will this not satisfy the farmers that they are
8,
deiudo blandishment of the public enemy ?
nls editions of this tract, the excess was
't
In the prey,:
ined."
43,61.7 s the author was not aware that in.
taken at 27
an import duty of about' 4s. 4d.
Prussia an excise tax is
II C 25') r
[See .C. • -
levied on the whole gto.ntiO• consumed, which if an ind there w4:24 .
im-
port duty is tcis country, ought alt,
to be imposed to a like min; then the tax on the
community Itvlbiledcw°ll‘otilnly":gaolitlicyLtlaile'p.ll revenue.