The Sun.
London, England, 1841-03-08 00:00:00

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TRADE WITH THE BRAZILS.

Yesterday week a meeting of the Cutlers' Company
was held to consider the propriety of petitioning the
House of Commons for an alteration in the existing
Customs' Duties with the Brazils. The present com-
mercial treaty by which our manufactures were admitted
at the lowest rate of duty, the same as to the most
favoured nation, expires next year, end their Govern-
ment is understood to have intimated to ours, that un-
less we will admit on more favourable terms their pro-
duce, they, in retaliation, will raise their tariff, and put
it on the same footing with our duties. The present
duty on the Brazilian sugar, 61d. per lb., and
Coffee, Is. 3d. per lb., which is an entire prohi-
bition; while Sugar from our West India Colonic 's,
is 245. per cwt., or little more than 23-d. per lb.,
and Coffee 6d. per lb. A member of the Com-
pany observed that he would contract to supply the
inhabitants with Raw Sugar, fully equal in quality to
the average of what is now consumed, at 51d. per lb.,
out of which he would pay a duty of 50 per cent., and
Coffee a little more than half its present price, if admit-
ted on the same terms as from our West India Colo-
nies. A communication was read from the Chamber
of Commerce in Liverpool, showing the injustice of the
present duties, and that to bolster up the interests of
a few West India planters, the country should be
imposed upon by such an exhorbitatit price. The pe-
tition was, after a very long discussion, adopted, to al-
low sugar to be admitted, the produce of Brazils, at a
duty of 265. per cwt., i. e. a little more than aid. per
lb., and Coffee 9d. per lb. ; thus giving the West India
planters a bonus of 50 per cent. It was mentioned
that the produce of the Brazils was the produc-
tion of slave labour ; but in reply, it was very justly
observed, that we took their cotton, and also cotton
from the United States, at a very trifling duty, which
is the produce of slave labour ; so the opponents of the
proposed alteration, to be consistent, must petition to
exclude cotton, both from the United States and the
Brazils. It should also be borne in mind that the
Brazils (with the exception of the United States) takes
the greatest amount of our manufactures of any coun-
try in the world, and a trade to that extent ought not
to be put in jeopardy for the interest of a few planters.
One gentleman stated that his house shipped a large
amount of goods to the Brazils, and took produce in
return ; but they could not import lib. of sugar or
coffee to this country, but had it shipped to Hamburgh
and other foreign markets, in foreign ships, thereby
losing to this country a most valuable trade to our
shipping interest. The discussion arose merely, whether
tho Company should petition for a rovision of the whole
of our Customs, or that relating to the Brazils. The
latter was unanimously adopted, but several gentlemen,
who supported this course, declared they would, at a
future opportunity, petition for a remodificatinn of the
whole of the Customs' Duties.—Shrffield lifercury.

LAW FOR THE POOR.

In our observations on the " private arrangement "
in favour of Lord Waldegrave, we promised to watch
the issue of ether prosecutions for the same offence, the
parties in which might not happen to be Lords.
The first which has occured since the Waldegrave
case is the prosecution of Stephen Hodge, on the West-
ern Circuit, for assaulting a constable in the exercise
of his duty, and cutting him with intent to do him
grievous bodily harm.
The Judge in this case did not suggest " a private
arrangement."
The trial proceeded, and it appeared that the pri-
soner had a scuffle with the officer, in which he struck
him w:th souse cutting instrument. Tue act of violence
was not wanton, it was committed in the heat of blood,
and in an attempt to escape from apprehension. It was
not an attack on the person of the cfficer for the sport
of cruelty. The constable was not injured for life ; at
the end of seven weeks he was able to leave the infir-
mary. The prisorer was of course convicted, and Mr.
Justice Erskine passed sectence of fifteen years' trans-
portation. _ _

Such is law for the poor ! What law for the rich is,
Lord Denman has shown in a far worse case, and we
may now more emphatically repeat the words of Lord
Waldegrave's Counsel, that he has reason to feel
" greatly indebted to ti e Chief Justice."—Examiner.

THE DISCUSSION IN PARLIA-
MENT ON LORD CARDIGAN'S CASE.

Lord Cardigan has found two zealous defenders in
Mr. Macaulay and Lord John Russell. They find no
fault with the Noble Lord ; they blame only the public
for an unjust and intemperate clamour against the in-
jured Nobleman, and Lord John declares that it is only
because he is an Earl, and rich, that he is so perse.
cuted ; Lord John having, it F ems, discovered that
there is a strong prejudice in England against wealth
and rank.