The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-07 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, rnmAY, MAY 7, lB4l_._

Mr. HUME said that as there were so few Members
present, he would postpone the motion of which he had
given notice, to call the attention of the House to the Re-
port of the Printing Committee, and to its recommends-
tinns in regard to returns to be moved for in the House.
Th.; Hon. Member trusted that when he brought the sub-
ject under tl.e consideration of the House, there would be
a fuller attendance.—Motion postponed.
The Exchequer Bills (11,000,0001.) Bill was read a
second time.

The other Orgers of the Day were then disposed of,
and the House adjourned at a (barter past Seven o'Clock.

SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
FROM Tim EVENING PAPERS OF YEsTERPAY.
G LO B E.—The country is to choose between statesmen
who have something to say to them, and statesmen who
have nothing to say to them, about their most urgent in-
terests--between men who have views, and men who
have no views, of the course to be taken, in the present
commercial and financial crisis—for that is what it really
amounts to—the crisis which must decide our future pros-
perous progress, or distress and decline. There is indeed no
occasion for alarm in the amount of deficiency occasioned in
our revenues by increased expenditure. There is no cause
of alarm for the present, but much of consideration for the
future. Our expenditure has again outstripped our income,
and the question arises, has our economy no resources but
those of times of national and commercial warfare ? Are
we again to run the gauntlet through a new series of
loans and taxes ? Are we again to regard ourselves as
isolated, as the war party proclaimed France last year—
again to meet Berlin decreca by Orders in Council, and
take exclusion from European and American markets as
a matter of course ? Are we to suffer Prussian leagues
to consolidate, Brazilian treaties to expire, American
tariffs to rise against us, without a thought of averting
the consequences? Are we to rest in this easy attitude,
in the face of the warning which is given us by a revenue
stationary despite of increased taxation stationary,
despite the attempt to raise, by increased taxes on con-
sumption, the means of meeting the recent increase of
public expenditure The limit of taxation in this direction
has clearly been reached ; and to find that we have reached
that limit is surely sufficient warning to !examine
whether we have not sinned against wise maxims of pub-
lic economy, and whether it is not in recurrence to
those maxims that we must seek salvation. We find that
from 1833 to 1836, notwithstanding the reductions made
in each year both in the Customs and Excise duties,
the receipts rapidly increased, even in a greater ratio
than the supposed increase of population. In the four
following years, instead of the surplus (of 14,646/. in
1834, of 1,707,0931. in 1835, of 2,075,991/, in 1836),
we find a falling-off in the proceeds of taxes upon con-
sumption, and we now find we have reached the limit
to which those taxes can be raised. All this, it may be
said, indicates only temporary depression ; and the
springs of prosperity, and sources of revenue, will recover
their vigour. Surely, however, it is the duty of States-
men to examine the causes of diminished resources (in
proportion to increased population and public expendi-
ture); and if perverse restrictions arc amongst those
causes, to propose their removal, as a weight upon the
springs of prosperity fatal to their elastic play.
STANDARD.—The proposition before the country is
to admit foreign sugar on such terms as shall entitle
it to compete with the sugar of our own free colonies.
The proposition must mean this, whatever be the
scale of duties suggested, or it means nothing ; for
if foreign sugar be still charged with a prohibitory
duty, neither can the revenue be better for the
change, nor the article cheaper or more abundant.
The supply of foreign sugar must, for much the
greater part, come from the Brazils and from Cuba, and
from whatever quarter it may come, it must be the pro-
duction of slaves. What, then, is the state of the slave-
trade in the Brazils and in Cuba ? We entreat that our
readeis will mark the distinction between slavery and the
slave.trade. Slavery, without the slave-trade, is an evil ;
but it is an evil infinitely mitigated by the value of
the slave to his proprietor. Slavery, accompanied by the
slave-trade, is the evil in its whole abominable wickedness.
The extent of importation is not alone the measure of mur-
ders committed in procuring the slaves; it is as certainly the
index of the murders and cruelties committed in the coun-
try to which the slaves are carried. As we have seen,
no importation of slaves was found necessary to our West
India colonies during a quarter of a century, because
iu those colonies slaves were protected by British
law ; but what is the case with the Brazils and with
Cuba ? In the 34th page of Sir Thomas Fowell
Buxton's work on the Atrican Slave-trade, published
last year—_a work which we could wish to see in every
hand at this moment—we find the number of slaves IM-
PORTED ANNUALLY into THE BRAZILS AND CUBA rated
upon the averages of 183 6-1837,
at ONE HUNE'RED
AND FIFTY THOUSAND. The number is incredible ;
but whoever will follow Sir Thomas in his minute and
careful calculation must come to the conclusion that it is
not exaggerated. Here, then, is a waste of the lives of
slaves in the Brazils and in Cuba, calling for an annual
supply of one hundred and filly thousand, notwithstanding
the tendency of the Negro population to increase beyond
the ordinary rate of the human race. The waste of life
which calls for an annual supply of 150,000, must
exceed 200,000. This, however, is not all: bad as it is,
that 150,000 of our fellow-creatures are yearly dragged
into slavery and exile, to replace more than 150,000 mur-
dered in their chains, as bad or worse remains. Sir Thos.
Powell Buxton calculates that for 150,000 slaves landed
250,000 are destroyed in the capture or the middle passage,
but as the calculation (p. 200) is short and clear we will
copy it :--
The annual victims are
Viz., one-half perish before embarkation 200,000
One-fourth in the middle passage 50,000
Landed only
And of these one-fifth die in the seasoning, leaving in fact
but 120,000 slaves available, at a cost of 400,000 lives.
The slavery and slave.trade of the Brazils and Cuba from
this calculation appears to cost 400,000 lives, for the
150,000 imported are merely necessary to replace 150,000
previously destroyed. And this is the accursed traffic
which we are summoned, to perpetuate and pamper by
bounties, in the hope, forsooth, of realising 700,000/.—less
than the deficiency in the Post-office revenue alone !
COURIER.—The Ministerial press is right enough,
at least we hope so, in its announcement this morning.
One of them dolorously exclaims—" The tactics of the
Tories begin to be unfolded. West India monopolists,
timber monopolists, and corn monopolists, have entered into
a treaty of alliance, offensive and defensive. The We it
Indian advance first, under a banner on which is inscribed
"rho rights of the negro,' and No slave grown sugar.' "
It is only by such a cornbinion of force that the inte-
rests of one and every class can be defended, and the
murderous assaults of the common foe of each decisively
repelled. Would these kind and considerate destrue-
fives, for example, have the agricultural interest to stand
tamely by, hands crossed in apathetic acquiescence,
whilst West India interests were sacrificed, and Cana-
dian staples rendered valueless ? Or, on the other
hand, would they counsel to the colonial inte-
rests the suicidal policy of aiding and abetting to pull
down the home landed interest, the great parent of all ?
No, no; the Government scribes are right enough sa
far as they go, but they are not right to all the extent,
for East India interests arc banded in the same cauFe
with the West, and the great shipping interest of the
country is already among the first and foremost in the
field to contend for the rights and the protection
equally due to all. It is indeed a "holy league," and
will shortly ripen into a " Covenant" also, when retell and
every interest now so suddenly menaced in the first and
vital conditions, not alone of their prosperity, but of their
ry existence. shall have had somewhat more tme to
meet together in deliberation, and to mature their plans
fur the overthrow of a scheme of the most comprehen-
sive and gi:Ontie spoilatiori which ever was meditated
by ia volutianary government since or before the
days of the first French Revolution, when church pro-
perty was confiscated one day and the rights of property of
the noble and wealthy swept away the next with the &an-
litian of the monarchy itself. We shall not have long to
wait now for the decision of the all-important question,
whether that Government, blind, besotted, and furious as
Samson caught in the toils, shall have strength left, in the
desperation of present struggles for ascendancy, to pull
down the pillars of the State, and so finally to .accelerate
in any case the advent of their own fall and irretrievable
prostration hereaf,Pr.

THE PRICE OF BREAD IN PARIS AND
LONDON.—The presmt assize or fixed price of the first
quality of bread in Paris, as established by the municipal
authority of that city, is 27 centimes for the loaf of the
weight of one kilogramme. which, at the present course of ex-
change in Paris on London, as above, for bills of ose months'
date, or short paper, of 25f. 30c. money per pound sterling,
answers to 41(1. and very near three-fifths (or, more exactly,
fifty-seven hundredths) of a farthing for the English four-
pound loaf; and the present price at which the best, or, as it
is termed, " full .priced " bread is currently sold in London,
being 91d. for the four-pound loaf (although in so:ne quarters
of the town lod. is demanded), shows that that the best bread
is dearer in London than in Paris by and rather more
than two-fifths (or, more exactly, forty-three hundredths) of
a farthing for the four-pound loaf, being at the rate of one
hundred ant four and very nearly three-quarters (within a mi-
nute fraction) per cent., or more than double the price for
the same quantity
and quality ; and that the same amount of
money, namely, 20., as above, which can purchase in London
no more than four pounds of the best bread, there may be
xa es regulated price in
ob-
tained at this time in Paris eight pounds three ounces and
l t
second of bre a
quality,
assize o r fixed
wheaten,rather exceeding half a dram, English weight, of the first qua-
ybyi law, is at pre.
Paris for bread of
the
sent 20 centimes for the loaf weighing
fy one kilogramme, cor-
esponding with 3id. and throe-quarters of a farthing for the
English four-pound loaf ; and as the price of wheaten or se
email-priced bread in London is now Bd. for the four-pound
loaf, it is seen that bread of that quality is dearer in London
than in Paris by 41,4 d. and one-quarter of a farthing for the
four-pound loaf, being considerably more than double the price
for the same quality of bread, as for the same price, namely,
8., as above, which is the cast of but four pounds of wheaten
bread in London, there may be bought in Paris nine pounds
four ounces, and thirteen drams, English weight, of the second
quality of bread.

SA D IVltstiAP.—From a gentleman, who re-
sides in St. James's-street, London, we have the following
note under date May 1 :—" An alarming fire occurred last
night close to my abode, which not only dui a great deal of
wasmischief,jadeofthreatenedstilllady'smaidseriousconsequences.
placing a lighted
candle too near a giuze window curtain, the casement itself
being at the time open. In a very brief space the flames
spread rapidly, and on finding the place too hot fur her, she
very coolly collected her mistress's diamonds, and decamped
without saying a syllable on the subject. The alarm was first
given from without, and anxiously as the firemen worked
to save the property and the adjoining buildings, very little
of the furniture was rescued. Among the sufferers are the
Rev. Mr. Candlish and his two non-intrusion coadjutors, who
have come to town, it is said, for the purpose of tutoring the
Duke of Argyll. After depositing their credentials at the
house, they were out dining with Mr. Fox Maule, and on re-
turning home found the whole artillery of the cause they ad-
vocate, manuscripts and sermons, bag and baggage, reduced
to dust and ashes. es Courier.
P
wshtiochbe lands ap
plied for by the proprietors
kUnlowFn
OGRiasL A WYERS.-4t was mentioned to a
thatwell
of
Doolan and Redding are ordered to be hanged); Ah I
said t ho wit, it is very clear that if there is not an interdict
there will be a suspension. —Glasg Chronicle.
Crotshill