The Sun.
London, England, 1841-05-27 00:00:00

MORNIN G EDITION.

A WORD OF WARNING TO
ELECTORS.
The cis inertice of Government is at length overcome.
A power stronger than the wishes, an authority more
imperative than the demands, of the people, has laid our
rulers under obligation to move. Events which no human
sagacity could foresee, which no conventional arrange-
ments could resist, have unexpectedly and happily sat m
motion, once again, the chariot-wheels of 'reform. Hope,
resolution,. and vigilance make up the state of mind most
fitting to be cherished by the country at this crisfs.--hope
which will nerve resolution, resolution which will realise
hope, vigilance which will guard both against delusion.
The time has come when the silent people may again
speak, and speak with effect. The aristocratic barrier
which stood around' monopolies, guarded by which they
have sucked the life-blood of the nation, begins to yield
beneath the pressure of circumstances. The moment is
auspicious for one earnest, hearty, resolute, united exer-
tion of strength, and the monster brood may be destroyed.
Three cheers fur the overthrow of monopolies; and then,
with British prowess, forward to the conflict I
'Tis something to chain injustice—'tis better far to kill
it. The realisation of the Ministerial project Wcrtiki no
doubt prove a great relief to burdened industry. The
languishing interests of the country, however, cry aloud
for something. more. The move is in the right direction,
though it fall far short of the wished-for goal. If the
electors are now true to the mighty trust devolved upon
them, we believe they have it in their power to give
such an impulse to the present movement as to push it
right beyond. the point of protection, and force it for-
ward to complete repeal. Aiming at this, they can lose
nothing, they may gain much. For them it is always
safest to attempt great things.
" He that withholdeth corn, the people shall curse him."
Happy will our legislators be, if, before the curse lights
upon them, enters their bones and eats up their marrow,
they hearken to the dictates of justice and compassion.
A record is lodged against them in that Court from
which there is no appeal even for the proudest of our
aristocracy, which may well make them pause and
tremble. From the abodes of squalid penury, from the
crowded and steaming haunts of the unfed poor, for
years past, there have gone up to the ear of Heaven, the
sobs of unnumbered hearts wrung with anguish by op-
pression, the wailings of untold misery, if not created,
aggravated ten-fold by the laws of 'selfish and grasping
monopolists. Supreme vengeance sleeps not though it
may seem slow. The history of all countries, and em-
phatically that of neighbouring Franee, is but one proof
long drawn out, that if ever the wrath of the Omnipotent
is let loose upon man, without restraint, it is against
those who " grind the faces of the poor."'
We quoted the sentence, however, for the benefit of
electors. Ere long they are to occupy a position (and for
this we praise the Government and give them thanks) to
avert, it may be from thoughtless or heartless legislators,
the fearful curse, or to bring it down upon their own heads.
Would that the sentence were burnt into the Conscience.of
every man of them ! Would that it might ring in the ears
of every elector when he goes up to the poll,. to re-
cord his vote I " Will you rob the poor—rob them of
their daily bread—of that bread for which they toil be-
yond their strength, and prematurely wear out the
powers of nature ?"—is a question which we could wish
might haunt every man who has the franchise, through
the day of the forthcoming election. Whether for good
or evil, whether in wisdom or in folly, the constitution of
the empire commits to the guardianship of a compara-
tively small body of electors, the rights of millions.
They are trustees on behalf of the people—and to the
people they are morally responsible. Let them under-
stand aright the question at issue. Every shilling of
fixed duty abstracts from the common stock upwards of
2,000,0001. worth of bread, for the benefit of higher
prices to the landowner. The question is, 16,000,0001.
of bread more or less per year, for the poor, the chief con-.
sumers. The electors are now invested with a power
equivalent to that of the seasons. They are called upon to
decide 'by vote, whether coming years shall be years of
plenty or of scarcity—whether fulness or famine shall
prevail. Not for all that earth could offer would we
voluntarily choose the latter, in preference to the former.
No greater foes to our country's peace should we be, if
possessing, we used the power of breathing a blight over
the waving corn fields of Old England.
We have spoken of the corn monopoly only, and the
position of electors in regard to that. We do not under-
rate the mischief inflicted by all other monopolies. But
the same blow which destroys the parent, will kill the off-
spring too. The removal of all commercial' restrictions
must follow close upon the heels of the Corn-law repeal. It
would be the commencement of a new era of prosperity.
—the dawn of brighter and of happier days.—./Voncon-
formist.

EXTRAORDINARY CASE OF
CHILD STEALING.
On Monday, the 17th of May, a highland woman,
named Kirsty Ross, called at the house of Peter M'Lach-
lan, sailor, Ann-street, Port Dundas, 'and requested
lodgings. Mrs. M'Lachlan, observing she was a stranger,
and unable almost to speak a word of English, bade her
come in, and said she could not give her lodgings her-
self, but she would send a girl with her to a luiuse in the
neighbourhood, where she would be accommodated.
Next morning Ross returned, affecting to thank Mrs.
M'Lachlan for this kindness, and asked if she might
have breakfast, which being granted, she took the child,
a boy four months old, and, fondling it for some time,
said that she would take a walk down to the house where
she had passed the night, and pa`V her way; find get her
umbrella—taking the infant alOng With ither. Mrs.
M'Lachlan could not suspect any 4ungpr to her baby,
by such a proposal, and the Woman was . allowed to go.
The time appearing long before she returned to break-
fast, a girl was sent down to the lodging-house,
where she was informed that the yenmaa. ‘aad child had
left some time since. Surprised a little at this intelli-
gence, Mrs. M'Lachlan thought she must have mistaken
her way back, and went out in search of her ; but soon
all hope fr nri this cause forsook her, and she gave way
to the most poignant grief for the false confidence which
she had placed in the base. woman who had robbed her of
her child. The whole of Port Dundas and Cowcaddens
were soon informed of the fact—but still it was believed
that the child would be restored before nightfall. But no;
nothing transpired to unravel this mysterious affair.
Next morning, a gentleman who lives on Garnet-hill,
having heard of the lamentable occurrence, called on the
bereaved family, and caused bills to be printed, and made
a minute investigation into the circumstances. He was
informed that a Highland woman, who lives in the
neighbourhood, had said that she thought she knew the
thief of the child, and attempted to assuage the mother's
grief, by assuring her that no injury would be sustained
by the infant, for as soon as the woman's purpose was
served it would be restored. This person he subjected to a
most rigid examination, and elicited from her, with much
difficulty, some traces of the flight of the heartless fugi-
tive. He learned from the keeper of the Round Toll, at
Black Quarry, that a Highland woman, with an infant
wrapped in a tartan shawl, had inquired, on Wednes-
day afternoon, for the Aberfoyle carrier, and on learn-
ing he was not past, walked forward on the road. As
this was in the direction where she had formerly been a
servant, Ewan Kennedy, a Highland man, was imme-
diately despatched after the carts ; but; being five hours
behind them in starting, it was not expected that he
would overtake them before they reached Aberfoyle, a
distance of thirty miles. From inquiries, hoWever, which
he made on the road, he did not find the Round Toll-
man's story corroborated. No woman had been seen -on.
the Aberfoyle carts, and, as it was excessively wet, he was
about to lodge for the night in Strathblane. From some
information which he obtained there, however, he was in-
duced to pursue his journey by way of Drummond, and
on arriving there matters began to brighten.. The' story
of the capture was there before him, and the whole town
turned out to assist him in the pursuit. The woman was
known there ; her name was liirstv RosS, and had left
the place a few months ago, pretending "to•be with child
to a shepherd of the name of M'Neil. In the direction
of the farm where M'Neil was employed in the capa-
city of a servantTaithimt their way, and there the culprit
was found feeding the child with a spoon. No language
can express the astonishment of the shepherd when this
discovery of the treachery of his quondam sweetheart
was revealed to his wondering eyes. The woman herself
was by no means so much affected, and as for the poor
infant, every eye was directed to it to see how it had fared
during its long journey ; and, to tell the truth, there
did not appear to be much wrong with it. It had now
been three days absent from its mother, and subjected to
spoon meat, which it had never tasted before y•
but it ap-
peared what it wanted in its mother's milk was made up
to it by the pure air of the Highland hills. - Before the
arrival of the party who apprehended the culprit, she had
been to the ruling elder of the parish, and said that the
child was M'Neil's, and requested to.be .subjected to
Church censure in order that she might have the privi-
r4gies with
pro-
Itgebleohf
M'Neil, and as she seemed to be pretty expert in doing
ebrapotbi ;mutt onin
atlhletahpispruo,aaschtointfri.4.ltebbat
business, it is not unlikely this might have been consum-
mated, had her detection been a little lon delayed.-
-Glasgow Post.

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axtract of a letter.)__
TUE PRESIDENT.—‘
new hopes opened to us by
the
this morning contains allthat •
is
29, lon. 40. The Times of
except the certainty that the steamer
The following is what I conhseidsetreatinnebre
.meeonst
known
an on ntlithereeseen could not have been the Dee. On the
then
the Dee spoke the Thompson, from Palermo to
same day
k I presume), in lat. 41, loft. 42, (compare
N. Y., (New or
this with the other, and there is. no possibility-of their identity. )
at Liverpool, r.nd will, I have not the least
subject.
d by the log of the Dee, for which an Ml'
This intelligence has been received from the agent of the Na-
eadvoigtuisobtnti,°hnbt:Cscoboemneffpnrammn3ead' e to the Admiralty, as yet unanswered.
THE CHARTIST PETITION.—Tuesday after-
noon a great crowd was attracted around the approaches to the
House of Commons, it having been announced that the Chartist
petition, with 1,300,000 signatures, was to be brought down in
procession, and to be entrusted to the care of Mr. Thomas Dun-
combe, by him to be presented to the House, previously to his
motion for an address praying her Majesty to release all persons at
present confined for political offences. Shortly after four o'clock
the procession arrived opposite the Abbey; the enormous petition
being borne on a strong framework, placed upon the shoulders of
eight sturdy labouring men, dressed in fustian coats. This proces-
sion was headed by some of the leading Chartists, many of them
well known fur the conspicuous part they have recently taken in
the political meetings in and around the metros 'is. A short
delay occurred at the side entrance to the House, through the
iron gateway, as the bearers stopped to send a message to Mr.
Duncombe, to announce the arrival of his protege. An an-
swer was soon returned for !he petitioh to be carried up, and
it was accordingly conveyed through a dense crowd (contain-
ing many Members of Parliament among it) to the lobby,
where it was received by Messrs. Duncombe and O'Connell,
who, with some difficulty, managed at length to roll it
through the entrance, along, the floor of the House, and in
front of the table, opposite the seat, where Mr. T. Duncombe
awaited the opportunity of presenting this tremendous pe.
tition.
TRIESTE, MAY 13.—The steam-boat which
arrived yesterday brought the suite of. his Royal Highness the
Prince of Salerno, Colonel of the Regiment of Prince Leo•
gold of the Two Sicilies, which is here In garrison. The Prince
himself, accompanied by his Consort and daughter, travel by
land, and are expected here today et .to-raorror.