The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-05 00:00:00

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LONDON:
WEDNESDAY, MAY 5, 1841.

The Marquis of LANSDOWNE gave an important notice last
night in the House of Lords, namely, for a Committee to in-
quire into the rate of interest paid on promissory notes and bills
of exchange. We hope that in the inquiry both the lenders
and the borrowers will be examined, so that light may be
thrown on the transactions of those who have certainly turned
to "good account for themselves the partial repeal of the Usury-
laws.

The Drainage Bill was read a third time. Several additions
were made to it, and several amendments proposed, but Ox-
ford University was, at the suggestion of the Duke of WEL-
LINGTON, exempted from the Bill. Birmingham was ex-
empted, on the motion of Lord LYNDHURST. Derby and
ether towns were not exempted from its operation. After
getting through the Bill their Lordships adjourned.
The Commons did not collect in sufficient number to make a
House, and stand adjourned till this day.

The Provincial Papers which we received yes-
terday assure us that the propositions of the
Ministers to reduce the planter's tax on sugar,
the shipowner's and Canadian's tax on timber,
and the landlord's tax on bread, are hailed with
delight, and will immediately find a correspond-
ing and great suf)port.. It could not be other-
wise. These reductions are the very things the
people have been justly clamorous for, and it
would betoken imbecility or fatuity not eagerly
to seize the good which is offered. Every where,
except where some sinister and corrupt interest
enchains men, they will get up meetings and
forward petitions to Parliament.
At present sugar is almost as much a necessary
of life as bread. Last year much fruit was
spoiled in consequence of the high price and
scarcity of sugar. At present there is again a
great show of fruit. The proposed measure of
Ministers will reduce the price of sugar nearly
to the Continental level, or probably not much
short of cent. per cent., and enable the fruit-
growers both to obtain sugar cheap for them-
selves, and get a good price for their. fruit. To
all classes—for all are consumers of sugar, which
is extremely nourishing, and may be substituted
for other food—such an increase of the supply,
and such a reduction of price, will be an im-
mense benefit. All the consumers of sugar, all
the mothers of the empire who know how much
the health of children depends on nourishing
food, all fruit growers, we are assured, will
exert themselves to secure the great advantages
which the Ministers offer, and which they have
no chance, we are sure, of getting from any
other hands.

The people will not so readily appreciate the
value of the change in the timber duties, though
that will spare a number of long voyages,
cheapen a most useful article, and save the lives
of many brave mariners, who now annually
perish in the timber vessels which are eapsizedor
wrecked at sea. But the advantages of the reduc-
tion of the Corn tax, they will readily be sen-
sible of. The fixed duty, low as it will be, will
reduce the price of corn to the continental level,
phis that duty and the expenses of bringing it
here, and will ensure a continual and steady
supply. The price of bread will fall in propor-
tion, more bread will be purchased with
the same money, employment will be
more abundant and steadier, and all will
be made happier by the change. Poverty
and hunger are the parents of many
crimes, and hunger and poverty will be lessenod
by the Ministerial plan. All, therefore, who
live by industry, all who wish to see it properly
and justly rewarded, and men made virtuous and
contented, will at once bestir themselves to se-
cure the immense advantages of cheap bread as
well as cheap sugar.

we are not habitually given to trust too im-
plicitly to
the Ministers, but their pre-
sent plan is so much in accordance with
vve have espoused, and so
the principles
well calculated to promote further im-
call on all our readers
provement, that We
to exert themselves to obtain for it complete suc-
cess. By so doing they may gain immense ad-
vantages for themselves ; by being supine or
slaggish they will ensure a continuance of the
landlords' bread tax and the planters' sugar tax.
To both those taxes the Tories are pledged, and
will support them to the utmost. The Tories are
nearly all corruptionists, monopolists, and
job-
bers; hypocrites who plunder the in the
name of the country,people
and in the still more sacred
name of religion. The sinews of their power arc
cut from the hearts cf the people. Vampire-
like they live by suekins; the strength and blood
of the nation. By withdrawing theirnourishment,
by uniting one and all, first to limit, and ulti-
mately to stop altogether, the supplies they
whole from us by bread taxes, sugar taxes
whole host of other taxes levied for their ' a
a and
dvan-
tage, we shall starve them out of existence, and
again gather health, strength, freedom and
prosperity.

The present Earl of RIPON, formerly Mr.
FREDERICK ROBINSON, was the parent of the
original Corn-law in 1815, which was so mon-
strous that it could not be executed, and after it
had been set aside in two or three instances by
Orders in. Council, it was at length made to give
place to the present less monstrous regulation.
The enactment of that law, which was $o bad