The Sun.
London, England, 1841-02-27 00:00:00

CORN LAWS.

(From the Morning Chronicle.)
We have elsewhere inserted a report of a meeting at Stockport,
on Monday last, of a Deputation of the National Anti-Corn-law
League and the electors of that borough.
The movement on the subject of free trade is now general
throughout the country. The belief prevails that the time is come
when a great blow may be struck for liberating our commerce from
the thraldom under which it suffers.

The landowners of this country have shamefully abused the le.
gislative power in their hands, by 'giving to themselves a monopoly
of food. Laws imposing taxes, not for purposes of revenue, but
to enable one class to plunder the other classes, are an abomination
in the sight of God and man. These laws must be repealed. The
people have long submitted patiently to the injustice; laxt patience
has its limits. It is only necessary that the people should pull to-
gether to enable them to force their opponents to terms.
Of all classes in the community, the one for which every

thing is done is precisely that which is of the least importance.
A branch of industry may decay, and the community may suffer
greatly in consequence. But there can be no danger of a want of
persons to take that share of the produce of the soil which remains
after the profits of capital and the expenses of cultivation have
been cleared—namely, the rent. Fortunately for this class, in a
country densely peopled, from which manufactures are largely ex.
ported, the price of food must be higher than in other countries;
and would they be contented with their good fortune, without seek-
ing to add to these advantages by means which threaten to cut up
the prosperity of the nation by the roots, no one would repine at it.
The people of this country know that property must be respected,
and that though the class which lives on rents, is the least import-
ant in an economical sense, still there must be a class of consumers
of rents. But it is one thing to acquiesce in arrangements spring-
ing out of a just regard for property, and another thing to allow
the class of landowners to oppress the other industrious classes, by
imposing on them, in addition to their fair share of taxes to the
State, a heavy tax through a monopoly of food.
We would wish to see all classes of the community living in
peace and harmony together : but the oppressed and the oppressors,
from the very nature of things, must hate each other. At this present
moment, the industrious classes do generally view the landowners
in tire light of men who have abused their trust—of spoilers of
their fellow.citizens—of authors of the diseases engendered by fa-
mine, which scourge our cities and towns. There is not a reflect-
ing man who witnesses the appalling destitution in Manchester,
Glasgow, Leeds, Dundee, and Paisley, who does not exclaim—
This is the work of our landowners. It is time that an endeavour
should be made to propitiate the people by a return to justice. It
is only the bankrupt landowners who can have anything to fear
from the termination of the monopoly.
Mr. Cobden. of Manchester, spoke a language which will sink
deep into the hearts of the people, when he exclaimed—
" But what say our governors—what say the very men who
have imposed this law, and maintain this law, when the question
affects not the bread of the people but articles which minister to
their own comforts or their own luxuries? Do they forego one
single good to be found on the face of the the earth itself ? Do
they allow any argument which prevents you being fed with
the grain of Russia to prevent them bringing furs from Russia
to clothe their skins in the winter season ?—(Applause.) Go to
the Mediterranean, and touch at any of the ports ; ask what it
is that that port exports ; seek out the very best quality of that
article; inquire its destination, and you will be told it is going
to London. Go to Oporto, and seek out the very best brands
of wine ; inquire whither it is destined ; the answer is, for
London—for the English aristocracy. Go a little further, to
Malaga, a great fruit country : and ask for whom are those de-
licate grapes and raisins, and wines, all packed up with the
greatest care, intended ? They are for the London
market.—(Hear, hear, and applause.) Go a little further
to Genoa; wo find them there manufacturing an article called
macaroni, which is nothing more than very fine wheaten flour
prepared and made up in a particular way—it is designed for Lon-
don ; Jar the English aristocracy. If you drop in at Smyrna,
which is celebrated for its figs, or go to any of tire other ports of
the Levant, or ascend to the top of the Alps, where the cheese is
being prepared by the Swiss shepherd, and ask the destination of
the best of everything—you will be told it is London. But if you
go a little further, and enter on the extensive plains of Russia,
you will see wide-spreading corn fields waving with beautiful grain ;
you will see boors clothed in sheep skins turning pigs into the
field, to eat up the corn ; and if you ask, why this is not going to
England to feed the poor, you will be told that there is a law
passed by the English aristocracy to prevent it."—(Loud applause.)
If the aristocracy think they are strong enough to be able to
despise these accusations, they commit a grievous mistake. No
class of men can afford to be held up as authors of injustice, of the
destitution which tills our gaols with wretches driven to steal for
subsistence, and our hospitals with the victims of disease. We
warn the aristocracy of their danger.

MONEY MARKET and CITY NEWS.