The Sun.
London, England, 1847-02-10 00:00:00

eitentas AUL

- -
LONDON, WEDNESDAY, FEBRUARY 10, 1847

Legislation is so entirely based upon-contingencies,
:hat there is a beneficent principle in the British
Constitution to the effect that one Parliament cannot
definitively bind another. As in medicine the dis-
covery of a panacea for all diseases indiscriminately
is hopeless, and as the researches after that discovery
are as chimerical as the dreamings of the alchymist,
so in the government of a people the fabrication of a
code applicable at all times and under all circum-
stances, is an impossibility. The main sagacity of a
Legislature is exhibited in the timely modification of
existing enactments, or in their total abrogation,
whenever they are found to be either antiquated and
injurious. In these are comprised the principal duties
devolving upon the Imperial Parliament. Should the
operation of any ancient laws act prejudicially upon
the interests of the community, without affording it
any adequate compensation, it becomes incumbent
upon the representatives of the people to abolish those
laws, or to adapt them to the alterations which have
been effected in society since their original construc-
tion. Should there be any suspicion, again, that the
enactments made by our ancestors are not calculated
to benefit the nation, it becomes equally incumbent
upon our representatives to examine into the matter
thoroughly, and to shape their course according to
the conclusions arrived at during their inquiries.
What we have here observed is directly applicable
to the navigation•laws. A suspicion does exist that
the operation of those laws is to the material dis-
advantage of the population of the United Kingdoms.
And, in obedience to the principle of justice which
we have already expressed, it is the bounden duty of
Parliament to countenance a rigid, investigation of
the subject. Supposing the result of that investiga-
tion be the demonstration of the accuracy of the
suspicion, then, in Heaven's name, let the navigation-
laws be modified, or even expunged from our maritime
code. Civilisation has made such extraordinary pro-
gress that the perpetual preservation of any substan-
tial stumbling-block is altogether hopeless. If, there-
fore, the laws affecting navigation are, in point of
fact, injurious to the people at large and beneficial
only to a single class, any attempt on the part
of that class to prevent the abrogation of those
laws, and even to quash a motion for an in-
quiry into their operation, is both futile and
criminal. It is not our intention at this moment to
enter into any discussion as to the merits or demerits
of the navigation-laws : our purpose just now is
simply to insist upon the necessity which exists for
the permission of some such an inquiry as the one
demanded from Parliament by the lion. Gentleman,
the Member for Stoke-upon-Trent. The endeavour
made by Lord G. BENTINCK and his brethren of
the ragged-bannner of Protection, to reject the
motion of Mr. Ricaano, was as mistaken as it
was impotent. Allow, for the sake of argument, that
the abrogation of the navigation-laws would seriously
affect the interestaofour shipowners, ofour shipbuilders,
and even of our naval service itself. What then ? Mr.
RICARDO tells us, as plainly as language can express
his meaning, " I do not move for a repeal of those laws,
1 only ask for an inquiry." Supposing, therefore, that
it was clearly demonstrable (as the Protectionists
maintain it to be) that the restrictions still
made against the importation of foreign merchan-
dize in foreign vessels were directly to the emolu-
ment and safety of the empire, the inquiry would
only strengthen their cause and remove a large
amount of odium from the existing system. Nay,
even presuming that the navigation-laws were shown
to be advantageous to the naval service of Great Bri-
tain, and at the same time were proved to militate
against the interests of the nation, we are satisfied
that there would be no anxiety to sacrifice our wooden
walls for the sake of a few copper pieces upon
sugar or barley. The empire has to look as much to
its defence as to its nourishment. In the event,
egain, of the facts adduced before the Committee of
Inquiry demonstrating that a mere class (say the
shipowners) were the only gainers by the exclusion
of
major
feiitgn v,easels from our harbours, whilst the vast
oftiTiee,tproipe
tuilnant i.... 0 (the
scaoyn s%uv
em, eir)lso)wwtehree
losers by] the the
vigation-laws to the wind. r
This is, m We ll none of them.
:Host certainly, not the hour to expound the
evil consequences resulting from
of protection. The effulgent
awanig one-sided system
n of free trade
h
is not the most favourable ligt d
for
old goblins of monopoly.
Ththee
artificial nature
of the
of those goblins is now so palpable, that what w
in-
tendedas to inspire us with awe and affright
only fills us with sentiments of contempt
and indignation. It is but reasonable to
conceive that a code of laws dating their