The Sun.
London, England, 1841-06-18 00:00:00

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.

FROM THE DAILY PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
GLOBE.—What the Tories want, and what we have
got, in the present contest, is a good cause—a rallying
cry which can procure them unpurchased supporters.
They will find this want expensive ; and find it already
embarrassing. When any Tory, anywhere, can excite
such an honest enthusiasm as greeted Lord John Rus-
sell, both inside and outside the London Tavern—when
any Tory, anywhere, can command such an address, so
signed, as that which we publish in our to-day's columns,
pledging its authors, " individually and collectively, to
shrink from no sacrifices, and to spare no exertions by
which we can promote the triumphant return of Lord
John Russell," then they may hope more from the un-
stinted and unscrupulous exercise of those other means in
which we admit their undoubted superiority. But with this
utter want of a watchword—this utter bankruptcy, not
of purse, but of principles—we have good hope they
will have to exclaim, after all, " Truly our fine gold hath
perished ! It might as well have been ' fructifying' in our
pockets as spent on bribes and bullies. Lord John and
his colleagues have found out a bribe for the unbribeable
—they have bought, with a word, better efforts than
money can buy for us. And that word is one which we
dare not openly to contradict." Was ever " a great na-
tional party" so hard put to it for a cause or pretext ?
The Address to the City electors states as follows the
dilemma of the Tories :—" If the opponents of the
existing Government are thrust into power, either the
present measures will, under some specious disguise,
be carried by those who are now the loudest in de-
nouncing them, in which case not only the efficacy of
the measures themselves will be impaired, but all confi-
dence in public men will be utterly subverted ; or, in
place of the wise and beneficial policy now recommend-
ed to you, we must look for a heavy increase of direct
taxation, accompanied by the retention of those com-
mercial- fetters by which your power of sustaining even
your present burthens is seriously crippled." The same
document asks forcibly, " Why is it, with the multiplied
advantages which this country possesses—skill, capital,
machinery, coal, means of communication by land and
by sea, intelligence, industry, and a moral tone of feeling
superior to most other countries—we are still thus dis-
tressed ? It is because, in the vain hope of serving a
few favoured interests, we interfere with trade, and make
that, which can only exist in a healthy state when left
free to pursue its own objects, the subject of restrictions
equally absurd and unjust."
STANDARD.—It has been subject of complaint
against the Conservatives that there were but twenty-
four members of the House of Commons in attendance to
discuss Mr. Scholefield's motion ; and the fact is used as
an argument to show the unwillingness of the Conserva-
tive party to meet an investigation of the Corn-law
question. Such a charge against one-half the House of Com-
mons, where,if there be guilt, all must be equally guilty, is
at the least absurd. If it was criminal for 317 Conservatives
to be absent, was it not equally criminal for 317 Whig-
Radicals to neglect their duty ? or, rather, was not the
negleet much more criminal on the part of Ministers
specially charged to watch over public interests, and
for a party professing to agree in Mr. Scholefield's
views. to desert that gentleman, than for Conser-
vatives, who have no official obligation to be
present at all debates, and who have no political
relations with the Member for Birmingham ? Be-
sides, Conservatives had been told by the Ministerial
leader that the Corn-law question, or any other ques-
tion affording a pretext for " hustings speeches,"
iS not to be raised during the remnant of the
Session ; and on the faith of such an en-
gagement they might very well absent themselves,
though as much cannot be said for the members of
the party who sent down the President of the Board of
Trade with a prepared speech in violation of the
engagement. When, therefore, it is said, as the Morning
Chronicle says with reference to the thin House of Tues-
day night—" What a party to have the assurance to lay
claim to the Government of this country, without having
the manliness to meet their political opponents on
the very question at issue between them ! Matters
are come to a strange pass, indeed, if conduct like
this finds favour in the eyes of the people of Eng-
land"—we can retort, with a very slight change in
the words, " What a party to have the assurance to
retain the Government of this country, in defiance of
multiplied defeats and of a distinct vote of condemnation,
without having the manliness to meet their opponents,
though officially bound to be present, upon the very ques-
tion at issue between them—nay, having the meanness to
skulk from the fair discussion of that question upon a false
engagement. Matters are come to a strange pass indeed,
if conduct like this finds favour in the eyes of the people
of England."
CO (JRIER.—The Chronicle, which has notoriously
long been complained of by
its own party as intolerably
dull when not ridiculously ranting, has, we are glad to
see, taken to diversify the scene with a little fun and
foolery. In the very first paragraph of the first leader this
morning this first appearance of a new line is made, and