The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-21 00:00:00

verned on this detestable principle. It is worse
than the ruling principle of banditti, for thieves'
honour will not allow them to plunder one an-
other, while to plunder one another is the essence
of the so-called system of protection.
Upon the ground, then, that these very im-
portant questions are new—that the present
Parliament was not assembled with any view to
them—that the people would not be contented
with a decision pronounced by a Parliament
so assembled, we hold that the circum-
stances not only justify, they command the
Ministers to appeal to the people by dissolving
the Parliament. Is it to be supposed, were a
Parliament assembled expressly on .account of
these questions, involving such great moral prin-
ciples and such great commercial interests,
that Liverpool would be represented by
Viscount SANDON and Mr. CRESSWELL;
that Bath would have sent such Members as my
Lord PowERSCOURT and Mr. BRUGES ; or that
Sunderland and Whitby should find no better
organs of their interests than Mr. Alderman
THOMPSON and Mr. A. CIIAPMAN l The princi-
ples now at issue, and the interests now involved,
demand for the public service the most high-
souled, most energetic, and most sagacious men
of the whole empire; and the present Parlia-
ment, called in peaceful quiet times, and for holi-
day purposes, contains very few such men.
Whatever the Constitution may say, though,
as we read and recollect it, the Ministers
will act perfectly in accordance with its letter
and its spirit, the peculiar circumstances we have
adverted to, and circumstances overrule all human
enactments, fully justify the appeal which we are
now confident the Ministers mean to make to
the people. As the electors decide, so will this
magnificent empire be renovated by a really
honest policy, or stifled and destroyed by its laws
being made to promote corruption, favour dis-
honesty, and sanction plunder.

We learn with pleasure that the shipowners
of Gateshead have taken the field against the
Corn-laws, and we are only surprised that the
shipowners as a body have not before come for-
ward to aid this cause in every part of the
empire. Whatever augments our commerce
must increase the demand for our shipping.
The repeal of the Corn and Provision-laws
would not only increase our trade, enabling our
manufacturers to export and import much more,
but they would enable the shipowners to pro-
vision and sail their ships cheaper. Ma-
terials would not cost so much, :and the ship-
owners would have more to do, and they would
have more profit on what they did. Though a
great outcry was made against Mr. HusKlssoN's
alterations on account of the injury it was said
they would do our shipping, there is at present
no intelligent shipowner who will not admit that
they have benefited the shipping interest.
But the Corn-laws are bound up with other
injurious restrictions. The tin/her duties injure
no class of men so much as ship-builders and ship-
owners. They compel the builders to use worse
materials and the shipowners to give a higher
price for a worse article. They induce them to
shove off needful repairs, on account of the
great expense, till ships, and crews, and cargoes,
are lost. Trade is the daughter of freedom, and
will extend, as restrictions are lessened or re-
moved; shipowners have a great interest in re-
moving restrictions on trade ; they are amongst
her most favoured servants and instruments,
and can only thrive as she thrives. It will
be disgraceful, we think, therefore, should
the shipowners of London, Liverpool, Leith,
Greenock, Newcastle, Hull, Shields, Whitby,
&c. &c., not imitate the good example set at
Gateshead, and exert themselves to procure a
repeal of the Corn-laws and a reduction of the
duty on sugar and timber. Trade depends on
production and consumption, and both will be
increased, causing more to be exchanged, and
augmenting freights by removing vexatious
restrictions. Sailors, too, and all who are con-
nected with them, love freedom and honesty,
and they will not be true to their character if
they do not exert themselves to set trade free
and put down the knavery of the landlords.

We have been often puzzling ourselves to
learn from the French Papers what becomes of
the French troops sent to Africa. In all tele-
graphic accounts of battles fought with the Arabs,
the usual proportion of French killed never
exceeds two to a hundred of the enemy, and
as we never hear of any extraordinary
mortality among the French soldiers, we
should like to know what becomes of the
20,000 men per annum, which, according to M•
DUPIN, and other Members of the Chamber of
Deputies, her conquests in Africa cost France ?
Do they disappear from among men, like
RomuLus and Numa ; or, are they undying,
like a constitional Sovereign of Great Bri-
tain? Can their precise fate he surmised,
like NIOBE'S, by a moisture; or, Dr,
FAUSTUS' by an intolerable smell of sulphur? It
s certainly very odd that so little is heard of
them, save in connection with their countless
victories, after their departure from Toulon.

There is another, and a very different,
matter upon which we should like to ob-
tain information. The National states, that
M. GUIZOT, anticipating a change of Minis-
try in England, applied to Sir R. PEEL
to know in what way would he conduct the re-
lations between the two countries. The slippery
Baronet assured him that no exertions on his
part would be wanting to re-unite the two coun-
tries in the bonds of friendship, which assurance
so gratified the French Minister, that all the
Journals subservient to him were ordered
to take every occasion to recommend a
change in the British Cabinet. Hence it is,
according to the National, that the Dchats,
which supports the Ministerial plan for modify-
ing the Corn-laws, endeavours to make it appear
that Sir ROBERT PEEL is the only proper person
to carry it into effect. Has, then, Sir ROBERT
explained his Corn-law policy to the French Fo-
reign Mini3ter ? Is his shuffling pledge to the Tories
to do nothing for a year, to be followed by his
throwing such another political summerset as he
did upon the Catholic question ? If the Right
Hon. Baronet has concealed his intentions from
the Liberals, it cannot be said that he was more
communicative to the Tories. Has he deposited
his secret in a French bosom, and are we to con-
clude from the Debats, that he wants but a year
in office to betray the aristocracy by abolishing
the Corn-laws?

The Journal des Debuts of Tuesday has another long
article, on the Corn-laws, the debate upon which, in the
British Parli:unent, in connection with the sugar duties,
excites the liveliest interest upon the Continent. The
Debuts is the Coqrt oracle, consequently all its articles
have a decided l
Dtheeb,adisi,stroecasraocusy.
uplotnmtah:,e,
be proper to premise,
eaiin
beaten upon a division, and that upon the Tories would
otiti
assumption that the Ministers would at once resign if
leaning
thatt andst
devolve the consistent and pleasing task of supplying the
working classes with cheap food :
The English
.people in general only em brace with ardour
questions in their totality. What is popularEngl England is
the total repeal of the Corn-laws. The
Ministry propose
simply a reformin measure, and not a revolutionary one. Its
moderation will gain the approbation of all persons moderatel •
g
inclined ; but the same quality will just as certainly deprive it
of the support of the masses. For our own part, if we had
seen in this question only the prospect of a struggle between
the rich and and the pmr, or the sacrifice of property to
numbers, we should have reproved these measures as
loudly as we have denounced the factious character with
which the Ministry hive invested them. But the proposed
reform appears to us founded as much on equity as on
humanity, because, whilst it lessens the charges weighing so
heavily on the consumers, it preserves to the landed yro-
prietor a protecting right over the agricultural class. fills
last-named class in England support the greatest part of the
public charges, pay tithes, and, generally speaking, the poor-
rates. It is only justice, then, that they should be protected
against the competition of foreign production by a due equi-
valent to the taxes which they pay. The abolition of all
duty on imported corn would not be equitable unless it was
accompanied by the abolition of tithes. The great, the use-
ful effect of the proposed reform will be to introduce
economy amongst the poor, by holding out to them the cer-
tainty. of fixed prices, and this in the minds of reflecting
men, is undoubtedly a real benefit. But slow and moderate
reforms, which are the most durable, are also the least po-
pular. The mere principle of safety is not a matter suffi-
ciently palpable to strike the perception of the masses, and
it is not in hutan astute to exhibit enthusiasm for mere

tranquillity. Hence we doubt much that this proposed reform
will be received by the people with the enthusiasm which the
Whigs are endeavouring to exciter. If it succeed, which, in-
deed, we think, cannot be doubted) the success will be owing
rather to that class, so rapidly increasing in England, which
represents her commercial wealth. These men feel that the
Continent is avenging itself on England fur its prohibitive
policy, by adopting in its turn a similar plan, and they per-
ceive themselves by degrees becoming excluded from the great
commercial markets of the wcrld. Manufacturers in England
cry out against this state of things, and their cry must be
heard, for her real strength is in her manufactures. The able
men who, in the opposition as well as in the Government,
direct the destinies of their country, are aware of this perilous
position, and, for our own part, we are convinced that one of
the first acts of Sir It. Peel, on coming to power, would be to
reform the Corn-law enactments.

The Debats mistakes the temper of the English people,
who are never indifferent to political questions because
they are not promised all that they want. Their greatest
straggles have been for half measures, among the fore-
most of which we class the Reform Bill. They are always
ready to fight manfully for what they can get, well
knowing that the slightest change in a good direction
necessarily produces others. Perhaps there is no people
in the world whom slight modifications of a system satis-
fies so well as the English. The reason, is because we
are an eminently practical people, and never step in
the dark if we can help it. The bulk of the people are
certainly in favour of a total repeal of the Corn-
laws, not for the reason assigned by the Debuts, but be-
cause the Corn-laws were a political experiment, which
has failed after a patient trial of twenty-five yeats. Ne-
vertheless, they will not, on that account, less cordially
and enthusiastically support the Ministerial proposition.
They know that the social and political machine, once
set in motion, will not stop at one rotation of the wheels.
Besides, they are fully sensible, that in a great commer-
cial country like this, the proposed amount of fixed duty
will have very little influence upon the price of bread.
We enter not here into the merits of the Corn ques-
tion. This is done at sufficient length in other articles
in The Sun. The Debats falls into the vulgar Conti-
nental error, that the support of the Church falls exclu-
sively upon the agriculturists. No fleece escapes the
ecclesiastical shears in England. Even the goats are as
closely clipped as the sheep.

The Paris Journals of Wednesday have all
reached us. We copy from the Prcsse, a Minis-
terial paper, the following paragraph :
M. Piscatory is charged with a missen, with regard to which
we have collected information that we have every reason to be-
lieve exact, but which it appears to us ought not to be made
public at the present moment. It is confidently s'ated that,
within a very few days, a strong squadron, under command of
Rear-Admiral de la Susse, will leave Toulon for the coasts of
Greece. This expedition is closely connected with the mission
of M. Piscatory.

It was rumoured in Paris that the object of M.
PISCATORY'S mission is to compel the Greek Go-
vernment to pay the dividend upon the loan gua-
ranteed by France. This is going the proper way
to work. King OTHO is incapable of being honest
except by compulsion. His creditors should
therefore always demand payment from the
quarter-deck of a man of war. If France has
actually taken such a step Lord PALMERSTON
ought to lose no time in following her example.
The high price of butchers' meat in Paris was
the subject of general conversation in the Hall
of the Chamber of Deputies on Tuesday. The
Deputies are not fond of horse-flesh or dog-flesh,
and rather than have horse-tail soup served up
to them for ox-tail, we believe they will make
some effort to lower the import duty on beef.
When Deputies are politely requested to be con-
tent with a joint of meat supplied by the knack-
ers, they immediately discover that a system of
monopoly can be carried too far. The home-
producers-will of course be quite savage at any
attempt to lower the duty on meat, and in
France they constitute a very numerous class,
consisting not only of the rearers of cows, sheep,
swine, and poultry, but likewise the proprietors
of spavined, broken-winded horses, donkeys,
dogs, and those feline substitutes for rabbits so
beloved by antiquated spinsters, and so hated by
old bachelors. We should like amazingly to see
some Deputy charged with a petition from the
cat-growers of France, for compensation in the
event of any reduction being made on the import
duty on beef.
The Courrier Belge, in giving an account of events in the
East, has the following
The movements of the Christians of the East are being
developed and organised in a manner very remarkable. Ac-
cording to the last accounts from Thessaly, the chief inha-
bitants of the province have proclaimed its independence at
a solemn meeting held on Holy Thursday on Mount Olympus.
They announce their desire to be united to Greece or to the
Eastern empire, if it should please Providence to re-establish
it on Christian bases. General Valenzas takes the command
of the independent army. He has published a proclama-
tion to his troops, concluding with this energetic appeal
Greeks, Christians, Brothers !—To arms ! To arms ! On to
Constantinople, now or never ! Our standard is the white
cross on a blue field and our war-cry Jesus Christ and St.
Sophia. Given at our head-quarters on Olympus, this holy
day of Easter, in the year 1841 of Christian liberty.—Va-
lenzas, Commander-in-Chief of the Christian Orthodox Libe.
rating Army of Thessalv." In Albania a provisional Govern-
ment was constituted at Wrana on Holy Thursday. and the
Christian population drove out a band of Mussidman Arnauts
who oppressed the country. A tax of a tenth has been esta-
blished to cover the expenses of the army of deliverance. Va-
rious other tribes have submitted to the government of Alba-
with
Alba-
nia. The insurgents at Cassandra seem to have acknowledged
wthe i
calui tthhoeryi tlyn
intend to
at
01 e
antztaasc, k andthe
Turks.
yksrit emsessesso ships,
sby news
of the 30th April, the island of Cyprus was inclined to rise in
insurrection."
(From the Private Correspondence of the Constitutionnel.)
ARZISW, MAY 6.—For some days past the whole country
between the Sig and Montaganem is covered with Arabian
horsemen, who scour the plain. We have no news of the re-
gular infantry, only it is said that it is engaged in observing
the column of General Bugeaud. This report seems to agree
with the developement of the plant for the campaign laid down
by the Emir, which I have already mentioned to you, which
is to avoid any general action, and only to harrass our posses-
sions when destitute of troops ; but they have been rather in a
hurry in carrying these plans into execution in our province,
for being misinformed by their spies, they believed
that the two corps of Algiers and Oran were
combined ; and while the cavalry of Ben Salem
made an incursion into the province of Algiers, that of Mus-
tapho Barn Timmy, as I have stated, spread over the plains near
our places on the sea-coast, and our outposts. They have
been much surprised at finding us ready to receive them, and
did not attempt any skirmish. They even pretended to retreat
towards Mascara, spreading reports of a great assemblage of
all the forces of Abd-el-Kader in the plain Grafi.; ; but these
tricks are old, and the division of Oran has too much experi-
ence to be deceived by them. It seems that the views of the
Governor-General are very seriously directed to Mostaganem,
for fresh supplies are being conveyed to that little town. Not-
withstanding all the motions of the Arabs, we firmly believe that
they are at their last stake, and that the war is nearly at an end,
if we do not stop in the course which we are now following. The
Emir has at this moment ten thousand horsemen at the most.
His regular infantry may be five thousand men, in a word, the
whole Regency cannot assemble more than eighteen thousand
fighting men, even if all the contingents and entire tribes are
collected. Add to this, that these eighteen thousand men can-
not from their soc:al organisation encamp together for above
a week. Hence you may judge of our immense superiority,
for our army in Africa is magnificent and experienced, the
weather is very fine, and wo have no sick.
BOURSE—PARIS, WEDNESDAY, MAY 19.

,
first Highest Lowest Lest
Price Price. Pric.. Price
telich 5 per Cents ll4 85 ... 114 90 14 75 ... 114 90
4 per Cents 99 SU ... 99 20 99 20 .. 99 20
3 per Cants 793) %9 40 ... 79 30 ... 19 40
Ruil of mince 250 ...3i2r,0
Lailltte Gant I,onot.sl arcs 1185 1(65 ...Iffy —1065
NOOK Si,ares 5150 ...5140 ...5 I4U ...5140
Ileigian Zank
1841 ,

5 per Cents... ------
101 ... 101 ... 101 .. 101
New Loan.... ----- 11'14: ... 1 1.1; ... 101% ... 101%
.4.3nixit Aclive f4% ... 241 ... `24% ... :4.7,
Portuguese :1 per Cents 2O ... 20 ... 2,/ ... 20
• eapolttAn lO4 10 —. 104 25 .. '',l. 10 .. .04 25
Roman
PAILV*AY stIARE.s

Versailles. LB
232 50 232 50 ... 231 25 ;31 25
It. P. 357 50 ... 3:a 50 ... 357 50 ... 357 s')
iouen 460 ... 41() 460 ... 460
()nem'. '' 4'N 75 •.. 468 7, ... 487 50 4b7 50
Strasburg to hale 230 ... 231 ... 230 231 25
DUTCH FUNDS.—ANISTEEDASI MAY 13
Done 7. bills.
anal Debt, 254 per Cent
Jitto, ditto 5 per ceilt.
A.1:411. Syndic, 414 per cent ............... 9 "Is 91
Ditto, ditto, 3% per cent
Commercial Company, per cent 16514 a 3614
Ditto (1635 and 1637) S per cent.
Loan 1637, 5 per cent. 9Pa WIN
Exchange on London, (Inc month I 05
Two months
Dutch Papers, May 19.
ELM MAN 1. UNDS—llausszbi, MAY 19.
Actual Debt, 2% per Cent. ...................
Rothschild's Loan. 5 per C.. 11 t ................... 109 X
Loan of Thirty Millions, 4 per Cent.
3 per Cent.
Thirtysoven-•••• ...... 70%
(I'40) .................. ICON
Loan of City, 1832, 4 per Cent ................... 811%
Society of Commerce, 4 y„; per Cent lOO
Bank of Belgium, 5 per Cent... .......... 76N
National Society. .................................. .
Exchange on London (short) ............... 11 95
—Brussels Papers, 'May 19.
AUSTRIAN FUNDS.--VisPINA, MAY 13
Five per Cents, Mctalliques • .............................• 109%
Four per Cents
Three per Cents.
Ban) :hares ...................... ......... ......... 1C43
--AF'ermerne Zeitung May 16
PRUSSIAN FUNDS.—BERLIN, MAY 13
Bids, Money.
St. Sehuld. Sch., 4,e per cent. .........••••11(11,(4
Prussian English Loan, 1830 4 per cvnt' "14 101%
Exchange on London, three months •..6 19%
—Prussian Stale Gazelle. May I 1;.

ERRATUM.—In The Sll7l Of • Tuesday, it is
stated that Sir He,kett. Fleetwood presented a petition in favour
of the repeal of the Corn-lava, sigiled by 1,500 inhabitants of
Preston, whereas the petition referred to was signed by 16,050
persons.
IRON MINES IN THE HIGIILANDS.—We
understand that that spirited nobleman the Duke of Richmond
has had a number of workmen employed for some weAs past
in the mountains of Strathdouni on an experiment, to try the
practicability of working the several
last season. The metals. were submitted to an eminent chy
mist, and on an analysis gave the most promising result.
minerals discovered there
Should his Grace be successful in working the mines, the em-
ployment they would afford would be of the greatest import-
tance in that district of the country, where the crops are so
Precarious. '1 he long land carriage is the most serious imps.
diluent to the successful working. Aberdeen Journal.