The Sun.
London, England, 1846-03-14 00:00:00

THE PRESENT CRISIS.

We have much pleasure in acceding to ' a request with
which we are honoured by the Duke of Newcastle, for the in-
sertion of the following earnest address by his Grace:—
" To an' COUNTRYMEN,
" Encouraged by your former kindness and consideration,
I trust that it may not be mistimed nor unacceptable that I
now again venture to intrude upon your attention.
" About this time last year I presumed to address you
upon a subject of intense national interest then in progress.
I then hazarded an opinion that the same ruthless hand
which planned the elevation of Popery would not scruple to
work the downfall of our agricultural system. You have
now too much cause to lameat with me, that my words have
not proved untrue. You have witnessed with astonishment
and detestation the hideous treachery and tergiversation of
public men, which burst forth suddenly upon your incredu-
lous view in the full blaze of its triumphant deformity, sup-
ported by a shameless effrontery unexampled in the annals
of well-regulated states.
"As virtue is proverbially said to be its own reward, so
treachery may be said to be its own perdition,—and thus it
is in this case. The Prime Minister expected that he had so
contrived and so securely plotted his arrangements that suc-
cess was certain, failure impossible. No man was ever more
mistaken in his calculations, no Minister ever more deceived
in an estimate of his own controlling (if not despotic) power,
and individual essentiality. Instead of dismay from the fear
of losing hint, he finds that no one desires to retain his
services; and where he thought to raise entreaty, he has
only raised a pitiless storm of scoffs and indignation. Faith
and confidence in him have ceased, and his political sun is set.
" Under protective laws we have flourished, under
them and by them observe well, not in spite of them
Great Britain has grown into an empire of the first rank for
wealth and power in the universe. Who, in truth, can deny
this fact? Not the merchant, the manufacturer, the trades-
man, the shopkeeper, the artisan, or that humbler but most
deserving class, upon whose industry and labour the wealthiest
merchants and producers depend, as in turn the work-
man depends upon his employer for ample remuneration in
the shape f liberal wages—all of these must perceive that
without protection their prosperity will decline into abject
poverty, and that a full protection is as indispensably neces-
sary to them, as to the British farmers and labourers in
husbandry.
"Now, then, gentlemen.of England, stand forward. The
clergy, bold yeomen, trusty &Miens, worthy labourers—
all those interested in the cultivation of the soil—stand
forward. Must I stop here ? No; general protection is a
question of vital interest to you also, and you cannot, mus:
not, shall not, be excluded from the appeal. Without the
grossest injustice to your high national feelings, and an un-
pardonable insult to your patriotism, to your acknowledged
intellect, and comprehensive understanding, I cannot
omit you. I call upon you, merchants, manufactu-
rers, and traders of England, to come forth frankly, boldly,
nobly, as an essentially component part of our great English
brotherhood—stand forward, join us freely, without any
mental reservation whatsoever, and unite with us, your
British brothers, with all your heart and all your soul, in de-
fence and preservation of our Church and State, for involved
in and most intimately connected with them, is the all ab-
sorbing question of general protection to British industry.
" I confidently, call upon you, all and each, for your assist-
ance. By your timely aid and determined support you may
bring inte.power men who, I trust, think like yourselves—
men who have no party but their country, no aspirations
but for its solid and permanent welfare—who are identified
with you and your interests, and who, by their plain deal-
ing, honesty, and English uprightness, will scorn all crooked
ways, and will undeviatingly pursue those of equity and
truth.

"You must be prompt and energetic. A general election
may be near at hand. I have just witnessed in my own
county a most extraordinary result of British virtue and
moral courage, emanating front and conducted by the agri-
cultural interest alone, which may well be a model of action
and an example to the whole country.
" Believing, as I confidently believe, that we all most
earnestly desire, the peace, welfare, order, and prosperity of
our loved native soil, allow me to entreat you to adopt the
measures so successfully employed in Nottinghamshire.
" Then lose not a day or an hour ; instantly and
busily set to work to form and organise Protec-
tion Societies in every county in England—especially
make choice of a good and influential chairman and a
working committee—associate with you all the fri nds
of protection to British industry, whether farmers or
others—make yourselves acquainted with all your brother
electors—pay the closest and most minute attention to
the registers, and select and communicate with fit, and none
but the fittest men, to represent you in Parliament ;
leave nothing undone ; let your preparations be com-
plete at the earliest period:; and, the done, calmly, but
most determinedly, await the hour of trial, and, when-
ever it does arrive, take into your own hands what is
your own business ; regulate. execute everything for
yourselves, with the energy, the intelligence, the just
and fair, but unbending determination of Englishmen,
and you may reasonably hope that, by God's blessing,
you may be enabled to save your insulted and injured coun-
try from the most fearful perils which the machinations or
infatuation of false men and treacherous statesmen ever de-
vised for the degradation and ruin of the land of their birth—.
a land whose natives are worthy of all protection, and deserv-
ing of the most ardent exercise of your purest and most
exalted patriotism.

" Believe me to be
" Your ever faithful friend,
" NEWCASTLE.
" P.S. I can scarcely anticipate that this revolutionary
measure, now under discussion, can ever become the law of
the land ; but if, most unfortunately, it should be so, as-
suredly a future national majority will at once decide that an
enactment so atrocious shall no longer continue on the Statute-
book.
" London, March, 1846."

GRAND ENTERTAINMENT AT THE MaNstorr-HousE.
—On Thursday evening the Right Hon. the Lord Mayor
gave a splendid dinner to between 170 and 180 gentlemen,
in the Egyptian Hall. Amongst the company were—Baron
Andlaw, *Sir F. Booth, Sir William Poland, Mr. Calvert,
Captain G. Bagne, Mr. Harmer, Mr. Johnson. Mr. Seeger ;
Aldermen Lucas, Farebrother, Humphrey ; Sir C. Marshall
and Sir William Magnay, Barts.; Deputy Brown, and seve-
ral of the gentlemen of Dowgate Ward ; several of the
Magistrates of the county of Middlesex ; the Commissioners
of Sewers; the principal members of the Oporto, the St.
John's, and the Centenary Clubs; the Principals of Dulwich
College, and of several other institutions in and around the
metropolis; the Rev. Charles Farebrother, Hawes, Voul, Ge-
rard, Blunt, Lusegnen, and Benthall ; &c. &c. The tables
were sumptuously furnished by Messrs. Ring and Brymer,
of Cornhill, and the wines were of the finest quality.
ALARMING FIRES —Thursday morning, shortly after
three o'clock, a fire broke out upon the premises of Mr. Kneller
Smart, bullion dealer and refiner, No. 60, Princes-street, Leicester-
square. It originated in the smelting house at the back of the dwell-
ing, and when first discovered threatened very serious consequences.
The speedy arrival'of the engines prevented the flames from extend-
ing further, but they were not entirely extinguished until the stock
in trade, fixtures, and utensils in the smelting-house were very con-
siderably burned. The cause of the fire could not be 'Nulled. The
same morning a fire was discovered on the premises occupied by Mr.
0. Mackay, No. 12, Market-street, Northampton-square, Clerken-
well It was caused by the spark of a candle falling upon some linen,
which becoming ignited quickly communicated with the bed, window
curtains, bedding, Sce. Owing to the exertions of the imitates and
police, the fire was soon extinguished, but not before much damage
was done to the budding and the contents. Shortly before the last
tire the brigade were callled to attend the premises of Mr. G. Hester,
a cowkeeper, No. 19, Webb street, Bermondsey street. It appears
that one of the boys, after be went to bed, commenced mending his
clothes, when he iet the candle fall amongst the bed-doilies, which
were speedily in a blaze. The boy escaped without being burnt, and
the fire was soon subdued.

MONEY LOST AND FOUND AT THE GENERAL POST
OrrtcE.--On Thursday one of the officers on duty in the hall at the
General Post Office picked up a 101. which a gentleman unconsciously
dropped in pulling out sonic papers. On the previous day another
officer found a reticule near the money order office, containing a
considerable sum of money. The strings appeared to have been cut, no
doubt by thieves.
The Wth Hussars, who were to have succeeded the
17th Lancers at Brighton, are to go out to India. The 17th Lancers
have been sudd_•uly called away from our cavalry barracks to Not-
tingham, and we believe will go to Ireland in a few days, prepara-
tory to their embarkation for Canada. Their heavy baggage is left
at Brighton. It is said that Prince George of Cambridge will accom-
pany his regiment to [Maud. A company of the Grenadier Guards
under the command of Colonel Thornton, arrived here on Monday,
tor the purpose of taking the Palace duty. As soon as it became
known here that the 10th Hussars were ordered to India, no less
than 20 applications were made at our cavalry barracks by young
men desirous of enlisting in that regiment. It would seem, there-
fore, that there ill be no great difficulty in procuring recruits.—
Brighton Garet.