The Sun.
London, England, 1840-11-30 00:00:00

(Tin c.c:-.:,1t11+

LONDON:
MONDAY, NOVEMBER 30, 1840.

An attempt is making to convince our rulers that
the Chartist agitation, and all similar agitation, is
nearly or quite extinct. Should there be no good
ground for the attempt, and should it succeed, it
may in the end be injurious to the peace and pro-
gress of society, by persuading men in power that
there is no occasion to set about needful reform.
We hold it our duty, therefore, to state our opinions
on the subject, in order to guard against an impor-
tant mistake.

,t is very true that much less now is said about
,he Charter than formerly, but silence is not death.
it is also true that several leading men amongst the
Chartists have turned their thoughts to education,
to checking the consumption of spirituous liquors,
and generally to improving the moral habits of the
people ; but these projects are embraced as a more
safe and certain means of obtaining tire cud pro-
posed by the Chatter, the thorough and complete,
emancipation of labour, the thorough and complete
equalization of all classes and conditions, as to poli-
tical and civil rights. It is further true, that a con;
sidcrable ',number of newspapers which formerly
were started on Chartist principles, and obtained an
ephemeral circulation, have disappeared, and that at
present the number of -such journals in England
scarcely exceeds. three. But that is much more a
proof that a race of adventurers who endeavoured to
turn the discontent of the people to their profit have
not succeeded than that Chartism is dead. News-

papers may fall, leaders may desert the people or
apostatize, the words Charter and Chartism may
become extinct, but the thing, -the substance which
rulers should regard, has, we believe increased, and
will increase, till a great and effectual change has
been made in our political institutions.
What in reality is Chartism ? Discontent, dccp
and wide-spread discontent with our political insti-
tutions. Is that diminished ? Has anything hap-
pened, or has anything been done, to diminish it ?
Nothing whatever. Labour is just as much op-
pressed, or more oppressed, just as suffering, or
more suffering, than ever. With every month, and
even with every day, is:the conviction strengthened
that justice is denied to the labouring classes.
Discontent, instead of being appeased, is sinking
deeper into their hearts, and becoming incorporated
with their existence. It will 'soon wholly usurp
'le place of that prescript:ve love for our instil-

ions on which statesmen rely. Discontent,instead
of becoming silent and abashed, is taking a bolder
tone—as witness the Chartists of Norwich bearding
the gentry of Norfolk—and is embracing a greater
number of persons.
Chartism is spreading into the classes above the
labourers. The master-manufacturers, erewhile the
most opposed to the Chartists, are becoming
Chartists in fact, if not in name. Bad markets,
falling prices, accumulating stocks, ruined trade,
bankruptcy, and want, are now filling the
masters with discontent. Chartism in this sense
may be seen at Leeds and Leicester, demanding a
great extension of the suffrage, and taking means
to procure it. Chartism in this sense is widely em-
braced at Manchester, and stimulates the demand
for a total and immediate repeal of the Corn-laws.
Chartism in this sense seems to pervade the awi-
cultural, as well as manufacturing districts, where
it breathes forth expressions of hatred to the New
Poor-law, and to property, and where a
large rural police is required to prevent
riot and depredation. The Charter has recently
found one Member of Parliament to de-
clare in its favour, and many more must, from the
necessity of the times, become the organs of the
public discontent, or cease to represent the people.
There is nothing in our political institutions—
nothing in the distribution of political power—
nothing in the existing right of property—nothing
in the Church Establishment—nothing in our re-
presentative system—nothing in the mcde of mak-
ing laws—nothing in the mode of administering
them, which speaks to the hearts and the reason of
the masses. From all the advantages of out poli-
tical institutions they arc carefully excluded, though
to exclude them from the advantages of society,
such as the increase of knowledge, the extension of
skill, the growth of civilization, the enlargement of
power,
is beyond the reach of the politician.
Hence the source of increasing Chartism or na-
tional discontent. The masses increase, irrespective
of property, in power, skill, knowledge, and civiliza-
tion, and the political rules of society refuse to make
political institutions 'conform to the change. Ever•
increasing discontent with those political institu-
tions is the inevitable consequence, till human