The Sun.
London, England, 1847-03-20 00:00:00

applied. Among the more conspicuous of the still
toler.ted grievance.,, the quarantine laws may be
enumerated. Thee laws are almost singular in this
respect, that no class, not even an individual in the
kingdom, save the employer paid for carrying them
into execution, is benefited in any the slightest
degree, and yet by their operation the free-
dom of intercourse between nations is materially
impaired, the feelings of humanity are outraged,
those requiring every comfort and assistance are cut
oar from the aid they would otierwise receive, and
a heavy and onerous burden is imposed on the trading
part of the community, which of course is levied
with additions from the people generally. They
were originally founded on mstaken views of the
law of contagion, which the ligit of science has, in a
great degree, dispelled within the last few
years. The able and elaborate report of
the Commissioners appointed by the Royal
Academy of Medicine in France, and the valuable
body of evidence on which that report was
based—the facts collected extending over a period of
several centuries—incontestably establish that the
beat means of protection against the ravages of the
plague, that fearful scourge, for the prevention of
which the quarantine laws ware originally enacted,
and have since been continued, are to be found in the
increase of ventilation and drainage, the improvement
of the habitations, and the promotion of the cleanliness
of the million ; the removal of all impurities calcu-
lated to taint the atmosphere, of decayed animal and
vegetable substances ; a sufficient supply of plain and
wholesome food ; and generally of everything cal-
culated to improve the moral and physical condition
of the people, and not in the establishment of a
cordon sanitaire, intended to prevent the entrance of
the dreaded foe. In America and in the East
Indies there are neither quarantine establishments
or quarantine laws, and yet the plague has
never made its appearance in either of these coun-
tries. With the full knowledge of these facts, then,
why is it that the objectionable system is still re-
tained ?—that an actual cost of 140,0001. sterling is
annually incurred for its maintenance, which, ac-
cording to Nlr. flustE—an excellent authority on
such questions—is not a tithe of the expense that the
country is put to by the delays and loss thereby im-
posed on our commerce? "Cessat ratio, cessat lex,"
a sound maxim ; and it having been ascertained that
the reasons for which the law was established no
longer exist, the law itself should be immediately
abrogated.

But there is another peculiarity connected with the
code, that renders it impossible to deal with it in the
summary and expeditious manner that would be de-
sirable if Great Britain alone was concerned. If the
laws were abrogated without the assent of other na,
tions where the erroneous impressions are still re-
tained, a greater degree of delay and inconvenience
might be occasioned than at present exists. It is, there-
fore, by enlightening these kingdoms,,by negotiations
and treaties that the object can alone be attained. The
Government has, we believe, been exerting itself most
creditably, and the prompt and ready manner in which
the motion of Dr. I3owaiNG, Thursday night, for copies
of the correspondence on the subject, since the returns
granted during the last session, was acceded to, affords.
the most satisfactory evidence of their anxiety to
render the operation of these laws as little injurious
as possible to the country. Dr. BOWRING, too, has
entitled himself to the best thanks of the community
For the able and temperate manner in which he
brought the question before the House, and fur his
continued exertions to enlighten the public mind on
the subject—exertions which, we doubt not, will
eventually be crowned with well-merited success.

The Berlin Gazette of the 13th states that the frost
and snow, added to the great speculation, had caused
the prices of corn to rise, and, that in addition to this,
very small quantities had been imported.
The Frankfurter journal states, that in the pro-
vince of Starkenburg the population of four villages,
one containing 1,400 inhabitants, has demanded per-
mission from the Government to emigrate to the
United States. This disposition has also been parti-
cularly perceptible in the Grand Duchy of Hesse-
Darmstadt. The Cologne Gazette states, that in the
town of Bocholt, in Westphalia, the fourth part of
the inhabitants are making preparations to emigrate
in the beginning of spring.

Madrid papers of the I2th have arrived.

A motion was brought forward in the Chamber of
Deputies on the 11th for an extension of the am-
nesty. In opposing the motion, the Minister of the
interior said that if an unlimited amnesty were
granted it might tend to foment civil war, but that
no individual applications had been refused. The
:notion was rejected by a majority of 98 to 71.

Senor PacnEco has been re-elected !or Cordova.

Large quantities of wheat have been imported into
Cadiz since the permission to that effect has been
‘,-.;iven, and it is said that the stocks of grain in the
province of Seville are large.
MADRID BoLSA, MAlicti 12.—Three per Cents.,
30i ; Five per Cents., 19i- Exchange on London, 374.

\V have received the Paris papers of We Inesday.
The Journal des Debais, in noticing the refusal of
Lord Jour RUSSELL to prohibit the export of corn,
makes the following sensible observations on the

subject:—
"In the countries in which the harvest has been bad, you
prohinit the exportation of grain, and of certain descriptions
et flour, because the populations are agitated, and the emo-
tion of the population arises from an increase in the price of
wheat of 50 per cent. in certain provinces, and of 100 per
cent. in others. What think you, then, has passed in the
ports of the Baltic, at Dantzic, at Riga, at St. Petersburgh,
or in those of the Black Sea, or in those other commercial
metropolises bathed by the Atlantic in the United States?
Precisely the same thing. This advance of 100 per cent.,
which afflicts you in certain of your provinces, has been re-
peated in the ports of Russia. At New York the advance
ties been .50 per cent., exactly as in some other parts of
Europe. If this increase in the price of corn be a misfor-
tune in the west of Europe, can it be taken as a matter of
indifference by the populations of eastern Europe, or in the
regions of the New World? Now, what would be thought
it the Governments of those countries, placing themselves
at the same point of view as ourselves, were to interdict the
exportation of -rain, as the Pacha of Salonica, political chief
of one of ttie regions rich in corn, has just done, in conse-
quence of a riot ? A violent clamour would be raised in all
parts of Europe.
We should accuse the Russian Govern-
ment of barbarity. We should say to the Congress of the
r,eiri tasohheEe
United States, that history would apply infamous epithets to
it. From Washington and St. Petersburg, however, the
that they had done nothing but
that they had followed the ex-
ample' hhriddP etdaoln' oeeril troubleliilehrebseeif
been influenced by the same reasons as those by which she
was inspired. 'What would Europe have to reply ? To such
an answer from Washington and SL Petersburg there could be
no reply. The eysrein of exclusive supplies in corn, when
examined with sore attention in relation to ethers as well
as to oneself, cannot be sustained, and consequently, the
prohibition toexport is a bad measure, a grave fault. People
must admit this, must persuade themselves of it, and re-
member it in future. The pretension to receive and to give
nothing is contrary to equity, contrary to good sense, con-
trary to the interest well understood of each state. It may
succeed once by chance, but the secret is soon discovered,
and when once made public, may be turned against us. As
the late Mr. Huskisson said in Parliament, on another sub-
ject, the trick is found out, the patent has expired, and we
must give it up. For merchandise as for corn, which no-
thing can replace, which nothing can dispense men from con-
suming, there is not a nation that can flatter itself that it
will not have need of others to-morrow. as was seen in
when England helped to feed the United States. With
respect to grain it is therefore not permitted to any one to
isolate himself, but it is especially when one demands the
assistance of another that it is dangerous to set the ex-
ample of shutting oneself up at home. Lord John Russell
was right then : the only system that is tine, that is humane,
that is useful, that can supply a scarcity, or soften its
rigour, is diametrically opposed to that of the national
markets being reserved; it is that of one single market for
all civilised people, of a market without obstacles on which
every one may place his excess of corn, or come to take what
he wants. Beyond that there are only false or equivocal
notions, specious for 'the observer who does not give himself
the trouble to investigate, but disastrous in the opinion Of
every one who renders to himself an account of the situation
and of the comparative wants of nations, and as well as of the
difficulties which surround different Governments. This
thought of entering in communication, without admitting
any barrier at any time, with the general corn market of the
world, is that to which, after long deliberation, a great na-
tian, our near neighbour, has ranged itself, and yet it would
have seemed that she ha:i in her territorial organization more
motives than any other for acting differently. It is impos-
sible for the sane idea not to obtain, that of which it is
worthy—the assent of all nations, which, as much as Great
Britain, are proud of their enlightenment, and flatter them-
selves that they understand their interests."
In the saute journal we find the following state-
ment with regard to the recent riots at Pisa :
" We have received letters from Italy, which enable us to
complete, and in some respects correct, what we said yester-
day with regard to the event which threw the city of Pisa
into commotion. The Prince who was the object of a foolish
and wicked
attempt is nut, as was stated, brother of the
Emperor of Austria; he is the Archduke Ferdinand of Este,
distantly related to the Emperor, and uncle of the reigning
Duke of Modena, and consequently of the Duchess de Bor-
deaux also. Ile inherited from his mother, the Duchess.
Beatrice of Este, some considerable estates, called Agnano,
situated at a short distance from Pisa. To visit this property
he goes from time to time to Tuscany, and, as the house of
Este does not enjoy great popularity in Italy, it had already
happened for a brother of the last Duke of Modena to be re-
ceived during a visit to Pisa in anything but a favourable
manner by the inhabitants. The events in Gallicia, in which
it was supposed, rightly or wrongly, that the Archduke For-