The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-27 00:00:00

TO CORRESPONDENTS.

We cannot find room for the insertion of the communication
of " W. F. G."
The communication of the "Rev. R. Eckett" is left for him
at the office. Its extreme length (it fills twenty-one closely
written pages of foolscap) is sufficient to prever. t its insertion.

Lul WEATHER.—SUN OFFICE, MARCH 27.
riIEEMOMETIR, Lowest, 42 ; Highest. 59; Noon, 55.

BAROMETER, 30.04.—Wind S.W., fine.

HIGH WATER AT LONDON-BRIDGE THIS DAY.
Morning .. 6 minutes after 11. I Evening .. 39 minutes after 11.

territorial confiscation, because—because what ?
because, forsooth, the peasantry would be induced to
place their reliance not so much upon their own
corporeal industry as upon the subsistence derivable
from the workhouse ! Why, the argument is
about the most blundering paradox legislator
ever uttered. "The peasantry would rely more upon
the subsistence 'ensured them by the law than upon
their own corporeal exertions ?" Why the subsistence
afforded them by the law will only come in payment
of, and compensation for, their own corporeal exer-
tions—the provisions handed to the able-bodied la-
bourer through the wicket of the local workhouse will
only be in return for the expenditure of so much
muscular energy in so much local employment—the
test upon which the legal alms of the parochial au-
thorities can be alone obtained will be the readiness
of the destitute to toil for his pittance. No money
whatever will be disbursed to the out-door paupers ;
the assistance will be solely limited to food, and
that food they can alone obtain by proving their
willingness to work industriously. And yet Lord
MONTEAGLE stigmatises the proposition of Govern-
ment as a virtual confiscation of property, inasmuch
as he maintains it will promote indolence and
encourage pauperism among the Irish peasantry !
Disjointed as was the logic of Lord MONTEAGEB in
his observations upon the introduction of the poor-
law into Ireland, it was immeasurably exceeded, in
regard to its fallacy, by the reasoning of Archbishop
WIIATELEY. With all reverence for the genius of
that illustrious prelate, with all admiration for the
keenness of his philosophic acumen, and with all re•
spect for him as a man whose mind has become
ripened by erudition and experience, we cannot but
acknowledge ourselves amazed at the shallowness of
the arguments upon which he bases his opposition to
the plans of the Government. He protests against
the distribution of relief to the able-bodied labourers
of Ireland, because—again, say we, because what ?
because (it is the Archbishop of DUBLIN who is
responding), with the Irish labourer, " inured to
hardship, accustomed from his early days to privation,
your relief will be actual luxury to him. He will
be in the land of Cockaigne !" says the Archbishop.
So, then, an English labourer, who is described as
living habitually in the midst of the comforts and
amenities of competence, is to be afforded the bread
and gruel of the workhouse more readily than the
miserable wretch who, as a type of the Irish
peasantry, is depicted by the Most Reverend Orator
as living perpetually on the brink of bankruptcy and
starvation ! Give the workhouse crusts to the
English peasant, says the Archbishop, give them to
him because they will taste unpalatable after his more
agreeable fare, and because they will smack to him
of wretchedness and degradation. Don't give the
workhouse crusts to the Irish peasant, he continues,
because they will seem to his palate like dainties, and
because they will impress upon his mind the notion
that his condition as a pauper is more elevated and
creditable than heretofore. The result of this reason-
ing is simply that those should be welcomed by the
parochial authorities with open and sheltering arms
who can best afford to tarry longer without relief,
and for whose destitution there is the least possible
excuse; while the unfortunate beings whose debili-
tated bodies are utterly unfitted to withstand the en-
croachments of inanition, and whose ordinary condi-
tion is that of the extremest poverty, are, by reason of
their very feebleness and pauperism, to be spurned from
the precincts of the benignant board! " But he
will be in the land of Cockaigne !" insists the Arch-
bishop. Why what a sorry prevarication is this !
Because the able-bodied pauper will be "in the land
of Cockaigne," by merely devouring the meagre
rations of a workhouse, because the slice of bread, or
the basin of diluted porridge, will be to his fasting
lips as delicious as a dish of lampreys or ortolans to
those of an epicure—he must be sent back to his cabin
to sweep together the husks in his meal-bin, to sit
down and to die like a decent and uncomplaining
Christian ! What a land of Cockaigne to begrudge
the Irish pauper ! What luxuries to deny him as de-
moralising ! What exquisite inducements to idleness
and pauperism ! Archbishop WHATELEY could not
have employed any language better calculated to en-
force the necessity of accepting the Government
measure of relief than the language used by that Most
Reverend Prelate to crush the plan of her MA-
JESTY'S Minister, and to annihilate the upholders of
an extended Poor-law. Thus far the motion of Lord
MONTEAGLB has proved more beneficial to the
Administration than by imparting to it the ephemeral
credit of having rejected that motion by a majority of
twenty-seven. It has demonstrated, even in the an-
tagonism of the supporters of Lord MONTEAGLB, the
fact that the Poor Relief (Ireland) Bill is abso-
lutely essential to the eery existence of the destitute
peasantry.

The tide of emigration has set in with more than
usual rapidity. The widest calculations have fallen
short of the number of those about to bid a long fare-
well to their native shores, and to seek on a foreign
strand that maintenance and means of livelihood
which they despair of being enabled to obtain in their
fatherland. Those who have taken up the idea that
the extent of her population is the chief source of
Irish wretchedness, and that the social condition of
her people can be ameliorated only by an. extraordi-
nary diminution in their numbers—•that a wholesale
deportation must take place, and that hundreds of
thousands of industrious families must be expatriated
before prosperity and happiness can be hoped for, or
reasonably expected—may be gratified by this result;
but we confess that we are not of the number, and
that we regard the loss of the sturdy and intelligent
yeomen, who constitute the great bulk of the emi-
grants, as well as the amount of capital which they
will take with them to more propitious climes,
as a national misfortune of no ordinary magnitude.
It has never been asserted that Ireland possessed a
superabundance of capital, or that she could easily
bear a large drain in addition to that anuually borne
from her shores in the shape of rents for absentee
landlords. On the contrary, she possesses a soil of
unexampled fertility and natural advantages of the
highest order ; but her fields have remained uncul-
tivated, her capabilities undeveloped ; and while there
is every facility for advancing her to a high position in
the scale of nations, and rendering her people happy
and contented, in the possession of everything necessary
for their simple wants and wishes, she, unfortunately,
is placed in the lowest rank, and her children are
suffering to a degree of misery and wretchedness un-
paralleled in the. history of civilised communities.
The want of capital for the necessary improvements
is the chief cause of this lamentable state of things..
The 14,000,000 of acres nominally in tillage are not
half cultivated. It is admitted on all hands that the
produce might be quadrupled if adequate exertions
were made to effect that purpose ; the chief ingredient
necessary to attain that object is the employment of
sufficient labour on the lands. It is in abundance at
the very thresholds, and obtainable at one-half the price
that should in this country be paid for it, and yet it
remains idle and unproductive, and the fields barren
and unimproved. It will not be asserted that the
natural capabilities of Ireland are inferior to those of
England, and yet the produce of the same extent of
land is sixty per cent. less than in this country, while
the proportion of labourers is nearly as five to two
ready to be employed in its cultivation, but unable to
get that employment so necessary for the comfort of
themselves and families, and the well• being of their
common country.

Why are these things suffered to remain in such a
state ? Why have not these improvements been
effected ? Simply because there is a deficiency of
capital in the country applicable to agricultural pur-
poses. And yet the very persons who admit the
accuracy of this statement contend that the country
is to be benefited by sending a considerable portion of
that deficient capital from the island, together with
men able and willing to work, who may well be
called the thews and sinews of the country. To
reduce the proportion of the smaller farmers and
labourers of Ireland to the same as that which now
exists in England, it would require the exportation of
no less than 700,000 families, averaging 3,500,000
human beings. The very lowest expense at which
this could be accomplished, calculating the cost of
passage and the sum necessary to settle them in their
new residences, and support them until the arrival of
the first harvest, would be from 100/. to 1201. per
family (it has never beau calculated by the
advocates of emigration lower) ; this would at
once cost the country from sixty to seventy-two

A letter from Copenhagen of the lath says that,
in consequence of the dearness of food, the KING has
issued an ordinance declaring that grain, vegetables, po-
tatoes, flour, and other alimentary products:Ash all be free
from the duties levied at Lauembourg, whatever may
be their destination on the Elbe. The ordinance is
to be in force from the opening of the navigation
until the end of September.

A letter from Turin, of the 20th, says, that the
health of the King of SARDINIA has greatly improved,
and that his MAJESTY has been able to transact
business with his Ministers.

The Augsburgk Gazette publishes a letter from
Poland, which says—" The misery now prevailing in
the western provinces of Austrian Gallicia is fright-
ful. An absolute famine prevails, and the starving
poor eagerly seize on the bodies of those who die of
want as food."

A letter from Warsaw gives a now explanation of
the movement of Russian troops towards the frontier
of Gallicia. " They are," it says, " part of the corps
of General KREUTZ, previously quartered in Lithu-
ania, and now occupying Poland. The corps of
General RUDIGER 18 to quit Poland to return to
Russia. General KREUTZ has already arrived in this
city."
The Augsburgh Gazette of the 19th states that
Prince JABLONOWITZ, a few days back, presented to
the Emperor of AUSTRIA a petition from the Nobles
of Gallicia, praying for some modifications in the
edicts relative to the forced labour of the peasantry.
The Emperor, to prevent the recurrence of die-
turbances, consented to receive a deputation of large
proprietors on this subject.
A Berlin letter of the 19th informs us that the
Prussian Government intends to reduce its army, and
that a great number of officers have already been
placed on the retired list.

The Hanover Gazette states that the Government
intends to declare Harburn and Geets free ports.

The Rhenish Observer announces that Senora
LOLL MoNTEz has at last been created Countess DB
STERNIIEIM, and that the diploma conferring Bava-
rian naturalisation is to be given to her on the anni-
versary of her birthday.

The Madrid Mail of the 20th hut. had not arrived
in Paris.
The Foment.° of Barcelona announces that General
PAVIA. has commuted the sentence passed by a
court-martial on five prisoners belonging to the Car-
list band of Jaime Montserrat from death to banish-
ment for ten years to a Presidio.

We have received the Paris papers of Thursday.
The debate on the proposition of N. DUMGIER
DE HAUSANNE, for electoral reform, still continues
in the Chamber of Deputies. During the discussion
on Wednesday the Minister of the Interior, M. Dsu-
CUATEL, declared that the Ministry had determined
to make this a Cabinet question, and that if even the
prise en consideration of the proposition were carried
they would resign.
Count SALVANDY has published a letter in the
Moniteur Parisien denying that he has been made a
Duke.

The official returns of imports during the first two
months of the year have been published in the .31oni-
tear. They show a diminution of receipts of 4,903,000
francs, as compared with the two corresponding months
of 1846, but of only 326,000 francs, as compared with
1845. The falling off this year must be attributed to
the free admission of grain. But for this deficit,
which makes a difference of more than 3,500,000 f., the
general receipts of the Customs would have, not merely
equalled, but have actually exceeded those of last year.
The importations of raw materials has, however,
somewhat suffered, in consequence of the general re-
laxation of trade during the two months in question.
Thus there has been a decline in mahogany, cotton,
wool, silk, linen, threads, lead, zinc, &c. On the
other hand there is an increase in sugar, coffee, cast
iron, coal, lard, nitrates, and particularly in linseed,
and sesame, which in spite of the rigours of the tariff,
have risen to a considerable figure (49,000 metrical
quintals from 19,400).
The Moniteur also announces that tho importation
of kreign grain in the harbours of France continued
with unabated activity during the first fortnight of
March. It amounted to 472,445 hectolitres, exceed-

ing by 80,000 hectolires the quantity imported
during the second half cf February.
In consequence of thi large importation, the price
of corn and flour has falen in most of the principal
markets of the kingdom
The Siecle publish the following letter from
Toulon :

" Six ships of war areat present being armed in this
port, viz., the ships of tle line the Jemappes and Her-
cule, the Pursuviante ad the Charte, thelender Rhin,
and the corvette Astrohbe. The two ships of the line
are to form part of the squadron under the orders of
Vice-Admiral the Prime de Joinville. The frigate the
Pursuviante is to receive on board Rear-Admiral Lego-
arant de Tromolin, wlo is to replace Rear-Admiral
Hamelin in the commani of the naval station in the Pa-
cific. The frigate Charte is to proceed to the Plata, to
remain there. The tenter the Rhin is to sail for New
Zealand, and the corvette the Astrolabe is, it is said, to
explore the river Amazon. 3,000 seamen are required
to man those ships, but vhich it is difficult to procure."
Mr. O'ComIELL arrived in Paris on Wednesday,
en route for Italy. lie was accompanied by one of
his sons.

The Bourse of Pari► was animated on Thursday.
Securities of nearly every species rose in price. The
Three per Cents. closed. at 79f. 25c. ; the Five per
Cents. at 1171. 25c. shares were also much in de-
mand, those of the Northern line in particular, it
having become known in the course of the day that
the receipts for the last week had risen to 255,000 f.
and upwards, being, as compared with those of the
preceding week, an inc7ease of nearly 20,0001.

The Three per Cents. closed on the Paris Bourse on
Thursday, at 79f. 25c.; the Five per Cents., 117 f. 25c.;
Orleans Railroad Shares, 1,278 f. 75c.; Rouen, 8721. 50c. ;
Havre, 675 f. ; Great Northern, 631 f. 25e. ; Avignon, 813 f.
75c.; Vierzon, 570 f. ; Bordeaux, 520 f.; Boulogne, 407 f.
50c. ; Basle, 206 f. 25c. ; Paris and Strasburg. 415 f. ; Nantes,
430 f. ; Paris and Lyons, 450 f.; Lyons and Avignon, 4801.;
Cette, 4501. ; Spanish Three per Cents., 34%.

BUSINESS lONIC IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXS.IIANGE, MARcK 26.
'""

Boulogne 1:11(1.im 16%--Bordeaux, Toulouse, and Cette
(Constituted), 114—Luxembourg, 1 IA —Northern of France, 13;i
Paris and Lyons, sn —West Flinders, 214

BANKRUPTCY.-(THIS DAY.)
(Before Mr. Commissioner FANE.)

IN RE COX.

This bankrupt had carried on business extensively as
a barge-builder at Lambeth, and he now applied for his
certificate.

The case had been under the notice of the Court on
several cccasions, in consequence of alleged misconduct
of the broker of the Court in making his valuation, and
some strong remarks were made on the bankrupt's
conduct, and a strong opposition made to his passing his
last examination.

The solicitor to the assignees now said that, after the
examination of the bankrupt, they did not feel it their
duty to make any opposition to his having his cer-
tificate, as, in their opinion, he had explained the
doubtful parts of his conduct.
His HONOUR said, that he had anticipated an opposi-
tion; but as there was none he did not Feel justified in
giving a decision on the point at the moment, but must
consider the different facts which had been elicited in
the course of the proceedings.
Mr. Cox then went into a detail of the bankrupt's
affairs, showing that his losses were the result of un-
foreseen and unavoidable difficulties.
The decision was reserved.

SURREY SESSIONS.-(THIS DAY.)
Joseph Go, dchild, for feloniously stealing a truck, the
property of William liasgood, a baker, of No. 2, Spring-
grove, Wandsworth road, was sentenced to two months'
imprisonment.
Catharine Plum, an inmate of St. Saviour's union,
was indicted for feloniously stealing at Christchurch, two
pounds weight of soap, the property of the board of
guardians.
James M`Kay, the porter of the above union, said that
on the eveni,,g of Saturday, the 13th day of February
last, the prisoner was leaving the workhouse. Perceiving
something under her shawl, he asked to look there, ,when
he found upwards of 21hs. of soap. Several robberies
of a similar description having take❑ place in the work-
house, he sent for a police-constable and gave her into
custody.
The prisoner said, in her defence, that the soap in
question was her perquisites ; that she had been a long
time employed at the wash-tub, and the soap found on
her she had saved.

M4Kay said that none of tho inmates were allowed
such perquisites. The soap found on her had not been
used.

The CHAIRMAN briefly summed up, and the jury
returned a verdict of Guilty. The sentence of the Court
was, that she be imprisoned in the House of Correction
for one month.

- •
->.
, .
„•,: 4(),
- -I•:%tv 4;4, _
so-
•