The Sun.
London, England, 1846-01-21 00:00:00

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LONDON, WEDNESDAY, lANUARY 21, 1846.

The Duke of RICHMOND'S latest speech at Brigh-
ton was evidently intended to inform the country of
two things—that his Grace means to take his stand in
the coming session of Parliament on the corn-law
entirely as it is; and that, if Sir ROBERT PEEL again
resigns, his Grace feels himself equal to the task of
forming an agricultural Government. The speech
to which we refer has all the appearance of having
been made to answer Lord NORRBY'S speech at Ox-
ford, in which the idea of a Richmond Ministry
was treated as a chimera, and Lord STANLEY
was represented, as from authority, as agree-
ing with Lord NORREYS in viewing a pro-
tectionist Government as impossible. It is known
that Lord STANLEY and the Duke of Rica-
:dorm have been in close consultation with one
another since the former's retirement from the Go-
vernment ; and we may fairly suppose that the Duke of
RICHMOND knows at least as much of Lord STANLEY'S
sentiments as Lord NORREIS, who, by his own state-
ment, had had them only secondhand—from Lord
STANLEY'S late Under-Secretary. The Duke of Ric n -
MOND, then, proclaims that he has no doubt he can form
a Government ; that is, he is not so indelicate as to
take for granted that the QUEEN will send for him of
all the Dukes, if she should think fit to try a bucolic
Government, when next Sir ROBERT goes out ; but
the Duke of RICHMOND is the acknowledged leader of
the Bond-street bucolics, and, as it is, he goes so far
as to " hope that he shall lead the Peers to victory."
Well, then, we may look forward to an actual at-
tempt being made to make a country-gentleman
Government. The Duke of RICHMOND is ready to
try this ; which, assuredly, if it ever is tried, will be
a reductio ad absurdum of the English Constitution.
We must suppose that the Duke knows what he is
about; but where is he to get his colleagues ?
or is he to begin by getting rid of half the offices in
the Government, having no persons fit to fill them ?
He may so make a virtue of necessity, and win popu-
larity by retrenchment. But has he any presentable
men at all in the Commons? In the Lords his diffi-
culties may not be so great. There are signs of Peers
who have always been supposed to be of temperate
character and moderate opinions rallying round the
RICHMOND banner. We refer more especially to
Lord CARNARVON and Lord Asusurcrox, at the Win-
chester meeting. But in the House of Commons, where
is the efficient capacity among bucolics ? Mr. WODE-
HOUSE is one of them—a leader among them : see his
dreadful exposure yesterday at Norwich. Mr. MILKS,
Mr. BANKES, Mr. PUSHY, Mr. STAFFORD O'BRIEN,
Sir JOHN TROLLOPS ; we have now mentioned all
who have any pretensions to intellect in the protec-
tionist section of the House of Commons. AVho is
there to lead in the House of Commons for the Rich-
mond Ministry ? It will not be possible for him to
degrade a Peer, in order to get a decent leader in the
House of Commons ; but this revival of the not un-
usual practice of making a Peer, to get a fit leader in
thei Useli. Butpp.er ilo
hutse,e
idea of a Richmondwouldbehis
only chance
Ministry is
chanceofsuiting
hmso
ridiculous, that the Duke can only speak of it in
• order to incite his followers to opposition to
bettertoSir
ROBERT PEEL, and in the hope of so getting
terms for the agriculturists, as Mr. O'Cosuiam. uses
the question of repeal, to keep up agitation which,
though repeal is itself hopeless, will get, as it has
already got, much for Ireland.
In the Brighton speech, to which we have referred,
the Duke of RICHMOND also throws off all delicacy
in speaking of the Premier. He scouts the notian of
compensation, and " will not treat," he says, " with
a man whom he cannot trust." If the uke of
RICHMOND has been mealy-mouthed heretofore, it
must be allowed that his language now comes
up to the full ideal standard of agricultural indigna-
tion at Ministerial treachery. No wonder that Lord
ARTHUR LENNOX is at last going. A place is booked
: for him, of course, in the Richmond Ministry. Be
will be aTriton among minnows there.
We stated yesterday that several resignations

among officers of the Household, and subordinate
members of the Government, were expected next
week. There are rumours, also, that there will be
resignations yet of some Cabinet Ministers. Lord
RIPON and Lord GRANVILLE SOMERSET, it is said,
are still going out. Lord SALISBURY, it is said, is
going to throw up the Lord-Lieutenancy of Middle-
sex, which he received from the present Government,
in disgust. We give these merely as rumours.
Thera is clearly a commotion in the camp. The par-
ticular rumours which are in circulation may be in-
correct; but so many rumours of dissensions and re-
signations never arise without some foundation. We
have but a short time more to wait for the mountain
to be delivered; the time of labour fast approaches,
and the throes seem very painful. What, after all, if
the birth be a mouse?

Nearer and nearer as we approach the momentous
session which is to decide the question so long and
so resolutely argued between protectionists and :free-
traders, more and more important become the opi-
nions expressed by the leaders of those two parties.
Hitherto, during the continuance of this national agi-
tation, the League doctrines and the agriculturist
doctrines have been fulminated in separate and inde-
pendent meetings. Auditors have been convened by the
advocates of the existing corn-laws, and those auditors
have been addressed exclusively by such men as
Lord BEAUMONT ; other auditors have been summoned
to assemble by the representatives of a free-trade
principle, and those auditors have listened solely to the
dogmas and deductions of such men as COBDEN : the
one party having made itself individually remarkable
for the' very nonsensical character of its reasoning ;
the other individually remarkable for its catalogue
of unanswerable facts and eqtially unanswer-
able inferences. For the first time, however,
last night these two antagonistic forces encountered
each other at Norwich, in the persons of ble3srs.
COBDEN and Wonzuousu ; a circumstance of the
more peculiar interest from its being scarcely two
days antecedent to the period of opening Parliament.
As might readily have been anticipated from all his
previous orations upon the rotten system which at pre-
sent nominally protects, but actually cripples agricul-
ture, Mr.CoBDEN's speech was merely another demon-
stration—clear and emphatic in its application—of the
absolute necessity of abolition of restrictions upon trade.
One point in the address was, nevertheless, particu-
larly worthy of observation, and came with exceeding
appropriateness to his audience ; it was in eluci-
dation of the perfect inefficacy of any interference on
the past of Parliament to benefit the landed interest-
" In 1815," said the speaker, " there was a law passed
to secure fifty shillings a quarter, and yet in 1822
it would appear, from one number of the
Norwich Mercury, there were no less than one hundred
and sixty-eight advertisements of farms to be sold.'
Assuredly this was a marvellous way of affording as-
sistance to landlords ; assuredly it was a rare instance
of sagacity, and forethought, and calculation, on the
part of the landed aristocracy. Yet it is in some
measure proportioned with the vast argumentative
wisdom of these agricultural orators. The promoters
of commercial freedom have done well in restrict-
ing their allusions to thole frivolous and
abortive attempts to sly sarcasms and casual curlings
of the lip, when a more direct exposition of their
folly would have been an useless expenditure of
power—something tantamount to the employment
of an avalanche against the webs of a spider. If co-
operation on the part of the populace can be regarded
as a criterion upon the merits of a question,
undoubtedly the League must be acknowledged to
have obtained that criterion in their favour ;
and upon the present most imminent juncture it may
not possibly be considered antiquarian to revive that
old, and truthful, and oft-quoted ejaculation of
JUNIUS—" The people are seldom wrong in their
opinions, in their sentiments never." That those
sentiments have been evidenced almost unanimously
as coincident with the views of abolition, none
but a voluntary or involuntary dunce can gain-
say. Even upon this Norwich meeting, a
meeting convened with the approbation of the
local mayor, for the express purpose of eliciting a
free discussion upon both sides, , the bulk of the
parties present were manifestly supporters of the
Anti-Corn-law League. Nor is it surprising that a
multitude of men, thoroughly convinced of the truth
and correctness of their views, should testify some

impatience at the repetition of the sound of those
phantom arguments which have recently issued, like
another Minerva, from the brains of the protectionists,
clad in the panoply of assurance. That Mr.WODEHOUSE
should hare called down upon himself the disapproba-
tion of a number of sensible persons cannot be matter
of astonishment, when we find him deserting the
track of controversy—neglecting the production of
any one single fact wherewith to sustain his posi-
tions—and contenting himself with the idle and self-
opinionated assertion, " That what is called free trade
is nothing more than a beautiful vision, existing only
in the imagination of philosophers and theorists, and
practically repudiated by all nations." Is this logic
—is it common sense—is it, in shcift, worthy of ob-
taining listeners ? Mr. Wontnousa declares, then,
that what the inhabitants of tilt; kingdom are now
struggling for so vigorously and so manfully is a de-
lusion and a dream. Does Mr. WODEHOUSH call the
annihilation of import duties upon cotton, a dream—
the expunging of four hundred foreign articles
from the Customs-book, a dream—the abolition
of excise on glass, a dream ? and yet all
these are things already accomplished, as we yester-
day had occasion to remind the public, and all these
are but sections in the stupendous volume of fi ee
trade. In, this, as in divers other points, the argu-
ments advanced by the representative of Norwich
were misrepresentations of the question in the
most extravagant manner conceivable. Is not such a
system of proceeding on the part of the agri-
culturists a misprision of sound judgment ? For
within a very brief time, what they proclaim to be a
chimera will prove a great, incontestible, and colossal
reality. The days of the corn-laws are numbered ;
the landed interest is aware of it, and, with the
desperation of the knowledge, is endeavouring to
eke out its existence, yet a little while, by pretexts
that are scarcely specious.

Accounts from Athens to the 3d instant state that
the COLETTI Ministry, notwithstanding strong efforts
on the part of the Opposition, had been successful in
securing majorities in the Chambers. For a week
after the opening of session great confusion prevailed,
and the different parties that generally support
COLETTI demanded a reconstruction of the
Ministry. On the other hand a coalition was
proposed between the Metaxas section and that
of which AAAVROCORDATO and ZOGRA.I.HAS are the
leaders. As one of the conditions, M. METAXAS
wanted to be supported for the office of President,
whilst the others demanded that he should unite with
them in getting General DELLYANI, a friend to Eng-
land, elected. In the end, the majority desisted from
their wish to have the Ministry reconstituted, and
the alliance between MM. MAYROCORDATO and
MRTAxAs could not be brought about. The Minis-
terial candidates were returned in all cases on the
first ballot. For the office of President, RHIGA PA-
LAMEDES obtained 66 votes, METAXAS 32, DELLYANI
42. It thus appears that the French party has pre-
vailed.

We have accounts from Madrid to the 13th. In
the Chamber of Deputies the discussion on the Ad-
dress relative to the negotiations with the Court of
Rome led to explanations on the part of the Govern-
ment. MARTINEZ DB LA ROSA, Foreign Minister,
said the Government had done all in its power to ad-
just the differences, and with some success, for the
Porß now addressed her MAJESTY as ISABELLA 11.,
Queen of SPAIN. The Finance Minister also de-
clared that all that could possibly be done for the
clergy had been accomplished. The Madrid Gazette
of the 13th announces that the Minister of the In-
terior had received a communication from the political
chief of Guipuzcoa, stating that a bottle had been found
floating in the sea near Motrico, containing a paper, of
which only the following words were legible :—" Ship
President.—We are blocked up in ice, and we can't
live much time
our We are dying of hunger I am
fainting ..... . If, if " The bottle had been
picked up by some fishermen, and delivered to the
Alcalde of Motrico, a small town eighteen miles
west of St. Sebastian. A copy of the paper had been
sent to Mr. BULwER, the British Minister.

On the lath the Three per Cents. closed at 33i

for cash, and 344-, at sixty days; and the Five per
Cents. at 24i at sixty days.

In the French Chamber of Deputies, on Monday,
the debate on the Address was commenced by M.
CORNE, an Opposition Member, who was followed by
M. LEYRAUD, but their speeches contained nothing of
the slightest interest. Nearly all the journals con-
tain articles cn the news brought from the United
States by the Acadia, which they regard as of a war-
like character. The Government journals state truly
that Congress have proposed certain Bills so outrage-
ous that, if they pass into a law, war is inevitable.
The Opposition papers seem to be more occapied
about a coalition of America and France than the
merits of the point at issue. "It is impossible," says
the Siecle, "to terminate our summary of the ac-
counts from the TJnited States without expressing
a wish, that in the solemn diseussion which is about
to be commenced in the Chamber of Deputies, the
policy of France with rlstiect to the United States
may become the object of a most profound examina-
tion. In a war purely continental, France and the
United States might preserve their mutual inde-
pendence; but in a contest in which the liberty
of the seas and the rights of national flags are
necessarily engaged, there is between the United
States and us a complete and consolidated alliance."
The Constitutionnel, with the most glaring injustice,
attacks M. GUIZOT for asserting the rights of France
and even attributes to him the annexation of Texas.
M. GUIZOT could not possibly have anything to do
with that deceitful transaction. France acknow-
ledged the independence of Texas in 1838—the real
cause of the annexation, when we believe Count
MOLE was Minister and M. TRIERS was very power-
ful. M. GuizoT had nothing whatever to do with
the affair, and his object, which is truly a French ob-
ject, is now to guard against similar encroachments;
" if the imprudent words spoken by M. GUIZOT,'
says M. TRIERS' paper, " be known sufficiently early
in -the United States—words which the English

journals so greedily seized upon—they may create
the same irritation throughout the country which
his speech of last year excited, and cause a complete
change of public opinion. Is M. GUIZOT,
after having accomplished the annexation of
Texas, destined to accelerate the occupation
of Oregon ?" The National says, "It appears
by the accounts from the United States, beyond all
doubt, that public opinion in the Union is in favour
of the occupation of the contested territory without
any concession to England. At present the solution
of the discussion cannot be distant, and even admit-

ting that it may be adjourned by some Parliamentary
tactics, it will be impotent to prevent the wishes of
the nation from being accemplished. Oregon must
belong sooner or later to the United States, and if
England refuses to yield it, it is war." The Courrier
Francais is of opinion that an opening will be found
for an arrangement, and notices the fall in the
American funds under the dread of war, as a proof
that there is a strong feeling against it amongt those
without whose aid it cannot be carried on.

The intelligence from Berne is important, and
leaves no doubt that the constitution of that influ-
ential canton will be remodelled without delay. The
following is an outline of the proceedings which took
place in the Grand Council, at the sitting of the 15th

,nst. :

" The proposition of the Government was first put to the
Tote in thea• words :--' The Grand Council decrees a total

revision of the Constitution, and charges a Committee to
draw a new one up, as well as to revise specially Art. 96 of
the present Constitution, so that should the new Constitution
prepared by the Committee be rejected, Art. 96 might be so
altered as to render the establishmentof a constituent assem-
bly possible by legal means.' Out of '2ll Members, 112 voted
for this proposition, and 99 against it. The latter de-
sired a law to be passed forthwith, and ordering the
revision to be confided to the care of a constituent
assembly, or that the primary assemblies should be
consulted on the question of ascertaining to whom the
work of revision should be entrusted. This victory of
the Government received a check by the adoption of an ad-
ditional proposition thus worded-' After the nomination of
the Committee, the decree of revision shall be presented to
the acceptation of the people in the primary assemblies, and
there shall be submitted to them, in proper form, the question
if they sanction the decisions come to. The Executive Council
is charged with the task of communicating the result of this
operation to the Grand Council, and of taking such ulterior
measures as may be suitable.' This was adopted by 152 votes
to 44. The Radical party has gained 40 votes since the ses-
sion of September. All the Foreign Ministers sent off dis-
patches immediately after the vote of the Grand Council.
The Second Chamber of the States of Saxony adopted by
a large majority, on the 14th inst., the proposition of the
Committee for a Bill giving to the members of the German
Catholic Church in Saxony the right to perform divine ser-
vice according to their creed in the Protestant churches.
A considerable fall took place in the French Funds on
Monday, and Railway Shares were also generally lower.
The Tin ee per Cents. closed at 82f. 75c. ; the Five per
Cents., 121 f. ; the Orleans Railroad Shares, 1,255 f 50e. ;
Rouen, 1,020 f. ; llavre, 757 f. 50c. ; Avignon, 97if. ; Vier-
zon,
61900nf e; rBo
aour,d4esasf u x.
6B4asi fle2, sc.
25. ; Great;f3°uiegtle'Nsosr°fthe Troyes
and blontereau, Northern, 746 f.
'2sc. ; Fampoux, 505 f. Spanish Three per Cents., 38%.
' •
The following are the quotations for other lines :-
The Paris and Lyons Definitive, 625 f. • Paris and Stras-
gfp.na;ln Tours and Nantes, ditto, 572 f. 25c.
(Talabot), 512 f.; ditto (Lecointe),
nie Meridionale), 503 f. 50c. ; Bordeaux
5071.; ditto
ditto,
and
cAsosvmsi
and Cotte (Mackenzie), 502 f. 50c.; ditto (Espeleta),
507 f 50c. ; Caen, 507 f. 50c. ; (Delarnarre), 503 f 50c.
MARSEILLES, JAN. li.-Marseilles and Avignon, 9601.
LTONZ, JAN. 17.-Paris and Orleans, 1,250 E ; Paris and
Rouen, 1,013 f. 75c.
BUSINESS DONE IN FOREIGN RAILWAYS AT THE
LONDON STOCK EXCHANGE, J.Lx. 20.
Angle-Belgian - Madrid aid Valencia... 1
Barbadoes - Mauritius
Boulogne and Amiens.. 12% Namur and Liege 33/4
Bordeaux &Mediterran - North Jamaica ... -
Bordeaux and Toulouse - Orleans and Vierzon -
Do. & Catte (Espeleta) - Orleans and Bordeaux 114
Do. ( Mackenzie's) .. 2% Over Yssel
Callao, Lima, and Pa- Paris& Lyens (Laffitte) -
cid; Ccast - Ditto (Ganueroa's). -
Central of Spain - Ditto (Calon's).... -
Ceylon .
Demerara - Paris and Orleans...-. 49
Dendre Valley
Dutch Rhenish ...... Paris and Strasburg
Dieppe & Paris Janet. - (Ganneron's)
Dijon and Malhouae - Do. (Compe de L'Est) -
East Indian ........ 1% Do. (Aymard's) -
Fampeux & Hazebrouk - Paris aud St. Quentin -
Grt Northern of France Rouen and Havre-- -
Constituted l5l/ Royal North of Spain. -
Great ludian Peninsular •7;ii Sambre and Meuse ....
Great Paris and Lyons. 2A, Strasburg and Bale .... -
Great Western Bengal 44 Tournay,Jurbise, Lan-
Great Wester* Canada 3% den, and Ilasselt ... -
Italian and Austrian - Tours and Nantes
Jamaica S. Mid. Janction 4% (Mackenzie's)
De. North Midland... - Do. ( Lefebvre's)
Do. Extension
Jersey
Loavain and Jemappe.. Verona and Ancona.... -
Lyons sad - West Flanders
Liixenalsoarg '

PRIVY COUNCIL.—Most of the Ministers were ex-
pected to be present at the Privy Council held at
half-past three o'clock this afternoon, for the purpose
of arranging the Royal Speech on opening the session
of Parliament. The Duke of Buccleuch and Lord
Haddington will be appointed to their respective
offices as Lord President and Lord Privy Seal. The
Queen and Prince Albert arrived at Buckingham
Palace from Windsor Castle, attended by the Ladies
and Gentlemen in Waiting. The Queen's Speech
will be read in the evening by the Premier and the
Duke of Wellington, at their grand political dinner
parties.

LLOYD'S SHIPPING—(THIS DAY.)I
LONDON, JAN. 21.—Wind at noon W.S.W., light breezes,
hazy, with drizzling rain.
Orr MARGATE, JAN. 20.—Emily, Carew, St. Helena.
m 110 NI:RPOOL, JAN. 20.—WindW. fresh.—Arrd. Martha, Pos-
session Island; Tinamara, Ceara; Liffey, Cuthbert, St, Do-
Thames, Selsby, Mobile ; Frederica, Lunt, ditto ; St.
Patrick, Proal, New York ; Alfred, Myers, New Orleans ;
Meteor, Lawrence, ditto • Commerce, Philadelphia ; Albion,
Hall, St. John's, New Br'unswick. Put back, Margaret, for
Valparaiso. A barque or ship_ was driven on
shore this morning at Mud Wharf, reported to
be the
fromSusanAniaohbile ofto
thisPortpsomrt,outh ;
the Formaby
life-boat has gone to her assistance. Diem.—The Susannah
Cumming,
off Port Lynas. The was
fr spoken
New
yesterday
Orleans,
Emblem, Dyer
parted her chains this morning, and was run on shore in
the George's Basin, but came off on the flood, without appa-
rent injury. The Siddons, Cobb, from New York, drove on
shore this morning against the wall of the North Dock, and
has come off with no apparent damage, after partly dis-
charging.
COWES, JAN. 20.—1 t blew a heavy gale from Southward
and Westward all last night.—The Gratis Poland, from Per-
nambuco, and the American, both at anchor in the roads,
got in contact, the former lost bowsprit and hesd• rails, and
starboard bow, much damaged, and must come into the har-
bour to overhaul ; the latter' received trifling damage to
bulwarks.
FALMOUTH, JAN. 20.—1 t blew a heavy gale last night, with
violent squalls from S.S.W. to W.N.W., but moderated to-
wards daylight.
BIDEFORD, JAN. 20.—The Pheasant, Sisley, of Arundel,
from Cardiff to Littlehampton, sunk near Hartland Point
yesterday ; crew saved.
CA3IPBELTOWN, JAN. 17.—The Ben Lomond, Hall, from
Greenock to Mobile, struck on Shap island, and was run on
shore on the main land near Sanda, full of water; crew saved.
DEAL, JAN. 20.—Arrd. Reward, Holms, Jamaica; Lady
Sarah Bailey, Canning, ditto • Flora, Havannali ; Westmin-
ster: Ilovey, New York • Aqueduct, Masher, ditto. Arrd.
from the river, Mary Ann,' Grey, Cape of Good Hope.
DUBLIN, JAN. 17.—Sid. Rover, Percy, St. John's, New
Brunswick. 18. Birman, Kenir, ditto.
WATERFORD, JAN. 18.—Arrd. Perseverance, Bennett, St.
John's, New Brunswick.
CORK, JAN. 18.—Arrd. City of Adelaide, Sutherland, Hon-
duras ; Isabella, Young, New York ; Governor Harvey,
Monkton, Newfoundland.
LONGHOPE, JAN. 13.—Sid. William Carey, Dove, Ha-
vannah ; Pink, Youn Savannah ; Alfred, Beveridge, St.
John's, New Brunswick; with all the wind bound.
CLAY, JAN. 20.—The Star, Spencer, from Shields to Lon-
don, was assisted into Blakeney Harbour last night, in a
very leaky state.