The Sun.
London, England, 1840-02-29 00:00:00

It is customary to speaf: of the Liberal papers as
intent on depreciating all authority, and therefore
not to be implicitly believed when they give au un-
favourable representation of the motives and cha-
racters of public men. No such charge can lie on
this ground against the following passage, which
appeared yesterday in the Morning Post :
As to the Corn-law question, we suppose that we may
trust to even the present House of Commons, stupid, sel-
fish, and tyrannical as by its majorities it so.often loves to
show itself, for not countenancing the licws of the dirty
little Radical knot. We hope that upon that question, at
all events, we shall not find Sir Robert Wel and Lord
John Russell joining with Mr. Hume and Mr. Wakley, in
order that ultra-democratic theories may be carried out to
their most extreme baits. Some people may think that
after what has happened, we ought to take care not to be
too sanguine even upon this point. We certainly would
not be so sanguine, if we had no other hope than
than which rests upon the public spirit and the love of
justice of the House of Commons. But happily in this
matter the interests of those who own and those who cul-
tivate the land are evidently the same. 11 no one were to
suffer by the repeal of the Corn-laws but the millions if
people whose daily bread depends upon the continuance of
British agriculture, we certainly should have much fear
that Noble Lords and Right Honourable Gentlemen might
find it convenient to concur with certain low-thoughted ty-
rants in carrying out their crude and impudent conceits.
But in the Corn-law question the country labourer cannot
be sacrificed to rabble brawlers, without the landowner
being sacrificed at the same this matter it is im-
possible to abandon the old pride and security of England,
and to humour the upstart insolence of vulgar pretenders
to legislative wisdom and absolute. power, without aban-
doning rents, and suffering estates, which are now valu-
able, to become unprofitable wastes,. In this, so far as the
House of Commons is concerned, lies the security of the
farmers and their labourers.

...„
Here it is distinctly admitted and asserted, by an
advocate of the Corn-laws, that the owners of
estates who make the Corn-laivs care nothing for
the millions, and care only foi" their own interests.
It is further asserted that the landlords, but for those
interests impelling them in the path which the
Post presumes to be right, would be ready to sacri-
fice the millions to certain low-thoughted tyrants.
No high character belonging :t6 the Post party is
exempted from this description, for in one passage
a doubt is expressed of the integrity of Sir ROBERT
PEEL, and in another, it is distinctly averred that
there is reason to fear, that, but for the interest of
the landowners, the Right Hon, Gentleman might
find it convenient to concur in promoting the suc-
cess of the democracy. The majorities of the
House of Commons, of course including those
which have defeated the Ministers on several occa-
sions this Session, are described as stupid, selfish,
and tyrannical, and the great leader of the Tories
is spoken of as a man who is to-be trusted only as
long as his pecuniary and political interest
makes it advantageous for him. to be a Tory.
Such is the " low-thoughted' description which
the Conservative Morning Post gives of the House
of Commons and of the greatest' public men of its
own party.

This is by no means the only example which bas
lately occurred •of the Tory Journals sneering at
Sir It. PEEL, or openly abusitig him. - The Post
hor done it more than once Wore' in relation to
the part' be has taken on the priiiiiege question, and
the Herald. has. several times openly depreciated
and vilified him on the same ziccount. The meet-
ing at the Freemasons' Tavern yesterday, was
chiefly composed of Tories ;, and their virulent
abuse was directed against the course of which Sir
ROBERT PEEL has been the ablest champion.
That a separation has taken place between him and
his ultra supporters on the question of the Catholics
and of Irish Corporations, is, open and avowed;
and now we find him in hostility with the Tory
press, and the bulk of his followers, on the privilege
question, while suspicion of- his integrity is en-
couraged by the most devoted of his worshippers.
These are facts, and they suggest one or two in-
ferences which Sir ROBERT and his friends should
take into consideration.

It is a maxim of party warfare, that one party
is not to force another out of office unless it be pre-
pared to take its place, otherwise there might be a
suspension of Government giving the upper hand
to anarchy. The divisions, however, above indi-
cated, show that Sir ROBERT PEEL would not he
able to carry on the Government ; he would not be
supported either in the House of Cw.nmons or in
the country. He will inflict, then, a severe wound on
the Conservative cause, by harrassing, weakening,
and destroying a Government of which he cannot
supply the, place. The Radicals and Chartists
got co of sea letitidn't tfle is play*
their game. -Whatever-weakens -t -re- Government
or promotes changes; either in the Adininisttation
or the la*.s, lessens the &nee of authority and
stription: It -opens the way for further changes and,
the adoption td: new principles, On: this ground-
the •MOre'far-seeing:orthe Chartists.are the allies
of the 'Tories. They go with. them to help for Ward.
the revolution which the
.Tories seem, under some
kind of compulsion, to. promote. .

At a numerous Vestry Meeting of St. Martin's,
held yesterday, it was unanimously resolved to pe-
tition Parliament for the iminzdiate and total repeal
of the Corn-laws. Such an example ought to be
followed. The Landowners and the Parsons, acting
in concert, can easily get up petitions from two-
thirds of the agricultural parishes in the empire.
The town parishes ought to act on a similar
Policy, and by the numerous petitions, numerously
signed, obtain that influence over the Legislature
which is due to the vast number of the inhabitants
of towns. If town parishes do that, there can be
little doubt of ultimate success.