The Sun.
London, England, 1840-09-30 00:00:00

VIE SUN, LONDON, WEDNESDAY, SEPTEMBER 30, 1840

declarations and gross distortions ;" and we ut-
terly deny that we are, or ever have been, actuated
by the motive of hostility to railways, or that we are
in the slightest degree insensible of the important
benefits arisin:.; to individuals, and to the country at
large, from that method of travelling, when safely
arid properly conducted. To cast 'olarne upon men be-
cause they seek to promote their pecuniary interest by
embarking in such undertakings, would be as unreason-
able, as it is ridiculous to claim for them the credit of
patriotism upon the same account. The spirit of enter-
prise is rife in a busy and commercial age, the improve-
ments of science are well understood, the effect of com-
bination is appreciated, and the increase of weaqh
throws men continually upon the search for new and
more profitable investments of capital. In all this
there is no matter either for praise or for blame ;
and these are, beyond all question, the causes to which
we owe the establishment of railways. That enter-
prise has taken this direction, and has succeeded in
so doing is with us a subject of congratulation. But,
having no interest in the matter beyond that which we
share in common with the public, we are not so trans-
ported with our admiration of the improvements of
science, or so blinded by an exclusive contemplation
of the brighter side of the results, as not to see the ob-
vious probability that enterprise,- when flushed with
success, may be wanting in caution ; that a monopoly
of the means of communication, as well as of other
things, may lead to remissness, insolence, and extor-
tion on the part of the monopolists ; and that the
public safe), may possibly require a more jealous and
less one-sided guardianship than that of Directors
whose labours, after all, have nothing for their final
cause but the production of the largest possible divi-
dend at quarter-day.

FROM THE EVENING PAPERS OF YESTERDAY.
(From the Globe.)
Church and State are more and more narrowed, in
the Tory view, to parsons and landlords ; and in their
most deliberate publications, it is plain they mean
nothing else. It is time that those who believe these
words, which we hope to see still venerated, mean
something else, and something more, than the Tories
mean by them, should vindicate their larger views of
the frame of a body politic. The attempt is making, in
good earnest, though at present only by " discourse of
reason"—or rather, of authority—which, it is held,
ought to control reason—to rivet the yoke of one
church, and one class, upon all others. This zeal has
chiefly arisen since the Reform of Parliament. The seat
of Tory ascendancy is confined more exclusively to the
territorial part of' the representation than it was for-
merly. The monied and manufacturing interests stand
rather as its rivals than its slaves. The land-mono-
poly of subsistence is threatened by the newly enfran-
chised boroughs. The priestly monopoly of spiritual
guidance is threatened from the same quarters, Accord-
ingly, the scribes of territorial oligarchy, and exclusive
priesthood are beginning to rival the Chartists in de-
nouncing monied wealth and manufactures !—in de-
nouncing the tyranny of capital, and the avarice of em-
ployers of labour. This is a very, very dangerous
game. Whenever the Tories shall succeed in raising
the populace against their political rivals, let them
be sure the siege of Belvoir and Clumber is not
tar distant ! Such insane rhapsodies as those of
the Tory landlord-and-priest party of late on
every subject connected with every civil and religious
body but their own—it they excite anything but con-
tempt, must excite conflagration, We trust contempt
will be all their recompense. We are no enemies
of Church or landlords. We trust their present
parasites and toad-eaters will not be successful in raising
a flame which, whatever else it consumes, full surely
will involve them. The Church, with pretensions more
moderate, and means of utility more equalised—the
landlords, with foot on the soil, but fingers out of our
pockets—these classes we believe to have much, very
much in them that is valuable. We believe there is in
each a very considerable share of the qualities which
form the moral stability and firm frankness of the
English character. We do not think we could do so
well without them ; we are at least certain that the ex-
periment must be costly, bloody, doubtful, and danger-
ous ; and that it would most likely leave us without that
vigour which is still our distinction. However, priest-
hood and aristocracy may be paid for a trifle too dear ;
and England is not England if it pays the price that is
now asked for them.

(From the Courier.)
It is no less lamentable than true, that the inventions
which have most largely contributed to the happiness
and safety of mankind, encountered on their first pro-
mulgation the most determined hostility and opposition.
The interested views of the few combined with the ibtino=
ranee of the many, to postpone and limit their applica-
tion, even after experience had removed from the public
mind all doubts of their efficiency. Thus it has been
from the beginning, and thus, we presume, it will
be to the end., Discoveries pregnant with blessings
to unborn generations were scouted as " dangerous
innovations" by contemporaries, and were produc-
tive to their illustrious authors of nothing' in such
abundance as of enmity, hatred, and jealousy. Loudly
as we may boast of the progress of civilization, and of
the enlightenment of the nineteenth century, the old
leaven of prejudice, ay, and of ignorance too, is still
widely spread amongst us, and we are as prone as ever
to view suspiciously the adoption of those wonder-
working productions of mechanical skill, which almost
supersede animal labour, and grudgingly to acknow-
ledge their benefits. Considering the astonishing power
of steam, its exhaustless capability, and the useful and
beneficial purposes to which it has been made subservient,
we were not, we confess, prepared for the violent out-
cry raised against its agency in locomotion by no in-
considerable or influential portion of the press—nor
were we prepared to see it raised on such false and
feeble pretences as it has been. Ode of our Contem-
poraries accounts for the " surprising" popularity of
railroad travelling by attributing it to the " utili-
tarianism of the present age." Now we do not
pretend to an intimate acquaintance with the modes
of life or habits of thought that prevailed with our
ancestors on the subject of travelling, but we arc
much disposed to think that even they would have pre-
ferred a cheap, comfortable, and rapid mode of con-
vevance, to one that was expensive, uncomfortable, and
tedious ; and, furtherinore, we venture to assert that
their adoption and patronage of the latter for so many
centuries is not so much ascribable to their love of that,
as to the want of any other.

ELECTION OF LORI) MAYOR.

(YESTEEZDAY.)

The Hall was crowded again at three o'clock, when
the polling commenced with great spirit, and was car-
ried on till four o'clock, at which hour the poll-books
were closed till nine o'clock to-morrow morning.
Alderman Harmer was present, and bowed his
thanks for the votes given in his favour. As will be
seen from the state of the pull below, the worthy Al-
derman has polled unwards of two to one.
Toe poll-book having been closed, the numbers were
announced to be as follows :

Harmer - - - - 291
Pirie - - - _ _ . 141

Johnson

The anuouncemeat was received with the most en-
thusiastic cheering in a hall crowded almost to suffo-
cation.

Mr. Alderman HARMER then came forward, and
was greeted with deafening cheers. He said, Gentle-
men of the Livi ry, calumniated as I have been for
some months past, it is a highly gratifying circumstance
to find myself supported as I have been by the Lavery
of London —(Great cheering.) Every term of abuse
known to the English language has been applied
to me. I have been called Infidel, Atheist, and
I hardly know what ; but I defy my oppo-
nents to point out a single instance of my
reviling religion or doing a dishonourable action.
—(Great cheering.) My opponents, Gentlemen, pro-
fess Christian principles ; I endeavour to act upon them
and to practise them.—( Loud cheering.) My opponent
has told you that he went round with his protest to get
signatures—that some signed—that others refused to do
so, but said that they would come to vote against me. My
only wonder is into what quarters he went. I think,
however, the evidence that you have shown to-day
proves that he has not acted fairly towards the Times
Newspaper.—(Great cheers.) I throw myself upon
the Livery, and if they return me, and I am returned
by the Court of Aldermen, of which I have no doubt,
my friends will find that the confidence they have re-
posed in me has not been misplaced ; and my
opponents will be shown that they have been deceived.
—(Great cheering.) I only urge you to persevere to-
morrow as you have done to-day, and I think by then
the contest will be at an end.—(Cheering.)
Mr. Deputy STEVENS wished the Livery to in-
quire where Alderman Pirie and Alderman Johnson
were.—(Great cheering.) If they were put up
against their own wishes, he trusted the Livery would
not allow themselves to be led from their busi-
ness to vote for two gentlemen who did
(IA not want the situation. —(Loud cheering.)
One word more and he had done. He trusted if Al-
dermen Pirie and Johnson were not present that day,
and (lid not, therefore, wish the situation, they would be
found in the Court of Aldermen voting for Mr. Alder-
man Harmer.—(Cheers.) The Livery had only to
pursue the same course to-morrow which they had
done that day, and the election of Alderman Harmer
was secure.—(Cheers.)
The Hall then adjourned till to-morrow, at
nine o'clock, at which hour the polling will commence,
and continue till three o'clock.

RAMSGATE, SEPT. 2S.—Notwithstanding the
unsettled and boisterous state of the weather, we have still
to boast of a large assemblage of nobility and gentry,
amongst whom may be named the following :—The Earl
of Belfast, Marquis of Conyngham, Lnrd and Lady Tor-
rington, Lady Chamberlaine, Dowager Countess of
Chatleville, Lord Braybrooke and family, S. L. Fox,
Esq., M.P., Countess of Scarborough, Countess of Ash-
buroham, Sir George Talbot: Sir William Curtis and
family, Lord and Lady Poltimore, the family of Lord
Jahn Russell, Sir Robert and Lady Campbell, Sir James
and Lady Campbell, Colonel Sibthorp, M P.,
Lord W.
Harvey, Alderman Farebrother, and Sir C. Parker, &c.