The Sun.
London, England, 1846-12-14 00:00:00

more than nine-tenths of the fourteen million acres
already in tillage, so badly cared for, that it is the
opinion of the best judges, that by the employment of
more labour in thorough draining, and bringing it
into high cultivation, its produce might be qua-
drupled. In addition thereto there is an abundance of
unemployed capital in the United Kingdoms, the posses-
sors of which are anxiously seeking favourable channels
for its investment. If these elements can be brought
in harmonious co-operation, every object will be
attained, an abundant supply of food will be procured,
not merely sufficient to provide the common neces-
saries of life for the people, but to add some of the
comforts. The capital that now lies idle and unpro-
ductive will be fully occupied, and return a fair dividend
to its owner, and the able-bodied pauper will no
longer be in a destitute and starving condition ; he
will be turned into the industrious and contented
labourer, with a sufficiency of plain, wholesome food,
and fair remuneration for his toil ; in place of being
clothed in rags, he will become a good customer to
our manufacturers. The barren wastes, now the
secure haunt and impenetrable refuge of the outlaw
or robber, will be turned into fertile gardens, the
abodes of peace and tranquillity.
The state of society in these kingdoms has been
happily compared to a pyramid, standing on a broad
and enlarged foundation, and gradually tapering to a
point. Our SOVEREIGN is at the summit, the hard
working and laborious classes form the base. On
their condition must depend the state of the entire
structure; if the base is in an unsound and decayed
condition, there can be no security for the more ele-
vated portions of the building. If it sink and fall
into ruin, the loftier parts cannot be maintained, and
their fall will be the greater in proportion to the
height at which they are placed ; but, on
the other hand, it is impossible to raise
the condition of the labouring
.classes, without the
beneficial influence being extended and its advan-
tages diffused amongst all other ranks. The great
object then is to improve the social condition of the
labourer. Every restrictive law that stands in the
way, or obstructs the attainment, of that great de-
sideratum must be modified or abrogated; the laws
that were suitable some centuries ago, when the po-
pulation was not one-half of what it is at present,
will require attentive consideration and revision.
The monopoly of land must be got rid of ; land-
owners, as well as other important interests in the
State, must submit to new arrangements. The glorious
principles of free trade must be extended to the soil
as well as to merchandise. Commercial freedom
with all the world is an invaluable blessing ;
but we must also look for domestic freedom,
for the full and free employment of British and Irish
industry in their native land. Enlarged and compre-
hensive measures will be necessary to secure these
great blessings, and we have a Government that will
not be restricted by antiquated prejudices, but will be
prepared to legislate for the country in a spirit of en-
larged and statesmanlike enlightment. To their hands
we fearlessly entrust the necessary arrangements.
We shall not be wanting in pointing out what may
appear to be desirable or necessary.

A letter from Schleswig, of the 4th, in the New
Hamburgh Gazette, says—" Thirty-four Deputies
of the States have withdrawn from the Chamber, and
declared that they will no more take part in the dis-
cussions, as they consider that the right of petition
has been suppressed, the Royal Commissioner having
returned to the President the petitions which had
been presented on the subject of the independence of
the States."

Russia and Prussia have each appointed a consul at
Cracow, but none of the German Powers have fol-
lowed these examples, notwithstanding the wish ex-
pressed by Austria. Their declining to do so is
regarded by a German journal as a tacit protest
against the incorporation.

On the occasion of the death of the Grand Duchess
MARIA the Emperor of RUSSIA has issued the follow-
ing manifesto :

" By the grace of God, we, Nicholas 1., Emperor and
Autocrat of all the liussias, to all our faithful subjects
make known :—lt has pleased Divine Providence to try
our Imperial House with a new affliction. The eldest
daughter of our well-beloved brother the Grand Duke
Michael Paulowitch, our dear niece the Grand Duchess
Maria Micaelouna, died on the 7th (19th) of this present
month of November, at Vienna, after a f bort but serious
illness, with which she Nas attacked on her return into
Russia. Partaking in the deep grief of her august
parents, we pray the Sovereign Dispenser of all good to
pour into their hearts the consolation of faith in his
holy and unsearchable providence, and to receive the
soul of the deceased Grand Ducht ss to eternal repose in
the heavenly abodes of the just. We call upon our
faithful subjects to join their prayers to ours. Given at
Tzarskoe Zelo, this 13th day of November, in the year
of grace, 1846, and the 21st of our reign.
"NICHOLAS."

Intelligence has been received from Lisbon of the
sth. In consequence of the rainy season having set
in it was supposed SALDANIIA would be forced to
suspend his operations before Santarem ; SCLIWAL-
BACK had joined SALDANIIA with 2,500, and DAS
ANTAS, it was said, had been reinforced by the
arrival at Santarem of BOMFIM at the head of 2,000
men. Colonel LAPA, at the head of the column, en-
tered Coimbra on the 4th, thus cutting off the
communications between Sa DE BANDEIRA at Oporto
and DAs ANTAS at Santarem. CASAL was at Ama-
ranths. According to some accounts, he intended to in •
vest Oporto, which is perfectly prepared to repel his
attack; according to others, he was to join SAL-
DANIIA : but as an extensive Miguelite guerilla,
commanded by General MacDortNELL, has proclaimed
Don MIGUEL at Braga, it is probable that CASAL will
have to disperse them before he will be at liberty to
act either against SA DA BANDEIBA or DAS ANTAS•
The Junto of Oporto were expecting reinforcements
of money and men from the Island of St. Michael's.

Madrid papers of the sth have been received.

The conflict between Mort and ISTURITZ still conti-
nues, and it is said that Don ENRIQUE has demanded
the dismissal of the latter, who was the principal cause
of the expulsion of the Prince from Spain. MON
seems to be intriguing with PACHECO ; and the
Clamor Public° states confidently that the entire of
the Isturits Cabinet have resigned, and that a Mon
and Pacheco Ministry is in the course of formation.

MADRID BOLSA, DEC. s.—The Three per Cents.
closed at 341; the Four per Cents., at 21; the Five per
Cents. 21; Conpons, 191.

We have received the Paris papers of Friday.
The Courrier Francais says that, in consequence of
the representations of Lord PALMERSTON, M. GUIZOT
and his colleagues have decided that M. BARBET DE
JOUY, the French Consul at the Mauritius, shall be
removed to another post.
From the tenor of an article in the Journal des
Debats, on the subject of the tariff, we should ima-
gine that the French Ministry are beginning to see
the necessity of gradually adopting,
or rather revert-
ing to, the principles of free-trade. After reminding
the protectionists that CoLBEJtT never imposed any
prohibition on the import of articles of foreign manu-
facture, and that the highest import duty imposed by
him was only 10 per cent, the Debuts thus pro-
ceeds
Let us quote a few examples chosen amongst :arti-
cles which have given rise to the greatest difference of
opinion. An import duty of 6f. a head was imposed by
Colbert on oxen. Another example,—iron was taxed in
1664 and in 1667 at 1 livre 15 sous for 1,000 pounds
weight of cast metal,
_ and 3 livres per 1,000 pounds
weight of bar iron. Between the years 1667 and 1791
the tariff was frequently altered, but always in the same
spirit, and if prohibitory enactments were sometimes
introduced, it was accidentally, and on articles of trifling
importance. We shall indicate in a few words the
changes which have taken place in the duties imposed on
cattle and iron. In 1669 the duty on cattle was placed
momentarily at 6 livres the head on oxen, and in 1688
at 12 livres; in 1698 it was reduced to 3 livree, and in
1713 to 1 livre 3 sous. We see the same variations
with resgect to iron. In 1687 all descriptions of hard-
ware and iron were made subject to a duty of 4 francs
59 centimes per 100 kilogrammes ; but in the year
1701 cast metal paid 53 centimes, bar iron 1 franc 53 cen-
times, heavy hardware 3 francs 6 centimes, fine hard-
ware 6 francs 12 centimes. The tariff of 1664 continued
on the same footing, more or less amended, until 1791.
It was, as a commercial system, extremely defective.
Not that the duties were too high, for they did not
average higher than one-fourth of the existing duties,
and the prohibition which now excludes so many articles
did not exist. But Colbert, all-powerful as he was,
with the assistance of Louis XIV., had failed in the
principal object at which he aimed by his ordinance of
1664, viz., commercial unity in France. The spirit of
expiring feudality was stronger than he. His tariff was
carried into effect in only a certain number of provinces,
denominated the 'Five Great Farms.' A second cate-
gory of provinces was classed under the title of 'Re-
puted Foreigners,' and each maintained its ancient
customs. In fine, a third category, that of the pro,
vines treated as foreign countries, comprised Alsace ;