The Sun.
London, England, 1846-02-10 00:00:00

Lord SANDON, although he did not approve altogether
of doing away with all protection, would yet, consider- '
ing the circumstances of the case, vote in favour of the
Ministerial proposition.
Lord J. RUSSELL, although he would have preferred
a measure for the total and immediate repeal of the corn-
laws, would yet vote in favour of the Ministerial propo-
sition. The Noble Lord, in a very caustic manner,
contrasted the conduct which the Whigs were pursuing,
in giving their support to the Conservative Ministry to
carry Liberal measures, with the factious opposition
which was offered to the Whig Ministry by Sir R. PEEL
and the Conservative opposition.
Sir R. INaus and Captain FITZMAURICE spoke
against the Ministerial proposition.
Mr. S. HERBERT supported the measure, and defended
the course that had been pursued by the Government,
and the change that had taken place in their opinions
with respect to the corn•laws. He derided the notion of
the corn-laws being part of the constitution of the coun-
try, because they were contrary to it. He believed that
the proposal of the Government was calculated to
cement the interests of the agriculturists and the
manufacturers, and gave an opportunity of repairing
one of the greatest errors that was ever committed by
the Legislature of this country. He was confident of
the success of the measure in that House.

The debate was then adjourned to to-morrow.
The other Orders of the Day were then disposed of,
and the House adjourned at One o'Clock.

Much interest, it appears, had been excited in various
quarters by the first night's debate on the eorn-laws
in the Commons. The House was thronged last evening
at an early hour, and numerous groups were col-
lected in the • streets, as if in anticipation of some
momentous disclosure, or splendid oratorical displays from
leading Members on both sides of the House. But never was
disappointment greater ;—for, taking the discussion altogether,
it was from beginning to end the most heavy, dull, contempti-
ble Parliamentary exhibition that could well be imagined. Ob-
solete opinions raked up, old tales repeated, Tory abuse of
the Tory leader, lamentation over the downfal of the
strong Ministry, speeches without argument, and
quotations from old songs, and of the most com-
monplace and even ridiculous character, occupied
the popular branch of the Legislature for some
six or seven hours. Even the speech of Lord Ram RUSSELL
possessed the smallest possible interest. He had nothing
new to tell, he had no arguments to• answer; not one of the
speakers on the other side advanced any charge against him
or his party, 'and the same scene will be repeated for at least
three or four nights more. On no occasion in the history of
Parliament was there ever such a lack of even third-rate
speakers (for those of the first and second class do not
exist), as are to be found among that party who regard
themselves as the 'pillars of the State, the guardians of
England's rights, and the only real friends of the poor,
helpless labourer, the oppressed farmer, and even the operative
manufacturer; It is unfortunate, as well as singular, that
such a good cause should be so destitute of defenders, and that
all the able men of both parties should be so blind to the
best interests of their country as to forget even their poli-
tical animosities and unite in ruining these pa-
triots and philanthropists. A fatality has seized.
our statesmen. PEEL and Russ Enc and O'CON-
NELL end HUME, have formed.a most unholy and
dangerous alliance, the very Court has lent its ski
to carry out their mischievous schemes, and there
are few to resist their machinations except such
men as MILES and FITZMAURICE, and BUCKINGHAM
and Iticamostis, backed by the Spitslfields' weavers.
What the result may be our readers can easily divine•
Mind must prevail over matter, and statesmen of long expe-
rience—men, too, *who have no interest in changing their
opinions, except for the welfare of their common country,
who, for this, have sacrificed political ties, personal friend-
ship, and renounced long-cherished principles from the fullest
conviction—must in the end obtain the victory and carry their
plans into eflect. In the meantime, however, their task is
very irksome. They are compelled to listen to the most vapid
and incoherent harangues, and nothing is advanced by their•
opponents except what excites ridicule or contempt.
Mr. lIorE compares PEEL to WOLSEY, tells why the LORD
CHANCELLOR sits on a sack of wool, and laments that
the commercial system of centuries is to• be put an
end to, like " a mere flea-bite." Captain FITZMAURICE
showed that it came to the same thing, whether
a man was killed by one thrust of a sword or by
inserting into his body ten thousand needles ; that
Sir ROBERT PEEL'S views were traced in steam, and after
lamenting the protracted agonies of British farmers,
said they might well sing " Blow ye wintry
winds." These are fair specimens of the orations
made by the protectionists last evening, and we fear also of
those yet to come. The public, however, will bear with
them patiently, for they are of good omen. They announce
that monopoly will be destroyed without further agitation,
and that the most important commercial reforms that ever
distinguished and blessed a nation will be carried by the
most peaceable means.

• The accounts from Ireland of the progress of famine and
of its attendant pestilence are really fearful. We have re-
ceived from Mr. SvNtiorr, the Secretary of the Dublin Man-
sion-house Committee on the Potato Disease, the recently
published report of the Committee on the subject, which
gives us returns from every part of Ireland up to the 22d of
January, 1846, being nearly two months later than the
accounts which have been laid on the table of the House
of Commons. On the Bth of November the Com-
mittee sent circulars to the ministers of religion of every
denomination throughout Ireland, to the deputy-
lieutenants, justices of the peace, and landed proprietors, and
to all the Poor-law Boards, containing, among others, thefol-
lowing queries :
" Ist—Whether the crop of potatoes was in point of quan-
tity an average crop?
"2d—What proportion of the crop has been already lost by
decomposition, or otherwise?
" 3d—What is your opinion as to the probability of the re-
maining portion continuing sound during the year?"
983 letters, from all parts of Ireland, were received
in answer, between the 12th November and the
6th December, 1845, and from these it appears that
in 415 cases the crop was above the average ; that in 409 in-
stances there was an average crop ; and that in 117 cases the
crop was below the average ; that the proportion of the crop
lost by disease, up to 6th December, 1845, Was in 292 cases
under one-third; in 291 cases fully one-third; in 242
cases one-half ; and in 81 cases more than a halt
Then, with regard to the chances of saving the remainder:
428 of the respondents declared themselves unable to form
an opinion, 185 thought the remainder might be saved, ant;
262 were of opinion that it could not be saved. Be it remem-
bered, that during the whole of this time, and in the very face
of these facts, the monopolist party in England and Ireland were
loudly denying the existence of any failure of the potato
crop, and when at length compelled reluctantly to admit
that a disease had existed, they as loudly proclaimed that it
had ceased, and that the supply of sound potatoes was stilt
ample. Now let us test those assertions by facts. On tin.
10th of December the Mansion-house Committee ad-
dressed the following queries to their former corre-
spondents

" Ist—ls there any change, and especially is there any
favourable change, in the potato crop in your vicinity since
the date of your last letter?
"2d—Do you see any reason to alter or add to the
opinions given by you in that letter? If so, be so good as to
state the same.

"3d—What, according to your judgment, is the present
prospect of there being a sufficiency of potato food for the
people in your locality for the coming seasoa?
"4th—What quantity of the potato crop in your neigh-
bourhood do you consider to have become unfit for human
food?"

They had received 523 letters in reply up to the 22d of
January, 1846. In ninety instances it was stated that there
was a prospect of a sufficiency of potato food during the en-
suing season—in 364 instances the supply of potato food was
insufficient. Then, with regard to the quantity of the po-
tato crop unfit for human food, in 111 cases it was under one-
third, in 110 cases it was one-third, in 148 cases it was one-
half, and in 84 cases it was more than one-half. Already
have the people of Ireland suffered severely from at,
insufficient supply of food—already has fever, the conse-
quence of famine, made its appearance in the south of Ire-
land. Its ravages at Dungarvan have been fearful. If,
within the next two months, something is not done to secure
to the poor Irish a sufficient supply of cheap and nutritive
food, they will be dying by hundreds of actual starvation,
and a famine and a pestilence, more horrible and more ex-
terminating than ever before afflicted this unhappy country,
will rage throughout the length and breadth of the land.
And yet Mr. PHILIP MILLS, last evening, with all that cool-
ness which is so characteristic of the rashness of
ignorance, declared in the House of Commons that
notwithstanding the failure of the pototo crop, there was no
danger of a famine in Ireland, because there had been an
ample crop of barley and oats. As well might he have said
that there had been an ample crop of pine-apples. " The
Irish agricultural labourers and their families," says
my Lord DEVON, in a report which Mr. PHILIP
MILES should have carefully studied before he ven-
tured to give an opinion as to the probability of
the occurrence of a famine in Ireland—" the Irish
agricultural labourers and their families are calculated
to amount to more than four Millions of human beings,
whose only food is the'potato, whose only drink is water,
whose houses are pervious to the rain, to whom
a bed or blanket is a luxury almost unknown,
and who are more wretched than any other people
in Europe." How are these unfortunate persons
to purchase barley and• oats at monopolists' prices. Admit
foreign grain and maize, and they may become purchasers,
because by increasing the supply the price of, food in Ireland
would be decreased, and that, and that alone, could place
corn food within the reach of those who have hitherto
depended entirely on the potato for subsistence. The
Government has proposed to the Legislature a
measure, which, by throwing open the ports, will go fr-r to-
wards increasing the supply and decreasing the price of fl),,e
in Ireland. On those who, for their own srlush and avari-
cious purposes, shall obstruct the progress of that measure
will rest the responsibility of whatever may occur in Ireland,
in consequence of such obstruction, as on those who, in
November, thwarted in the Cabinet the wise and beneficent
measures proposed by the Premier rests the responsibility of
whatever has occurred there up to the present time.

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