The Sun.
London, England, 1841-12-16 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, THURSDAY, DECEMBER 16, 1841

actively bestir itself in the question of Puseyism. is obvious
enough ; it is afraid to take a strong decided part, lest it
should betray its inherent weakness, and the distrusts
and jealousies that rage within the sacred pale. The
very audacity of the Puseyites, who are daily more and
more unmasking their batteries, and revealing their
ulterior views, are the best proofs of the inherent weak-
ness of their orthodox opponents.
The Advertiser, in an article on the Corn-laws, and
the demoralising effects produced by this impost, makes
the following remarks:—" With the fearful commercial
disasters, and the incalculable amount of individual mi-
sery produced by the corn monopoly, staring him in the
face, Sir Robert Peel not only gives no intimation of
his intention to bring forward any measure for abolish-
ing that monopoly, but even persists in his determination
not to summon Parliament together, to devise measures
for administering temporary relief, before the usual pe- ,
riod. The conduct of the Premier, in adopting this
course, is as perilous as it is heartless. What may occur
before the 3d of February, in the present dreadful com-
mercial crisis, and with so many of the elements of poli-
tical dissatisfaction in full operation, it is impossible to
foretell. It is to be hoped that there may be more virtue
in the ruled, than there is humanity in the rulers."—
Sir Robert Peel may twist and wriggle, and make wry
faces, but, despite his reluctance, he must alter the
Corn-laws, or bid a long adieu to office and its sweets.
He has no alternative left him. The question is now come
to that pass, that to stop is madness, to go back to hazard
the whole frame-work of society.
The Worcester Herald thus refers to the late Derby
Conference:—" The large assembly of manufacturers,
held the other day at Derby, for the purpose of receiving
and comparing evidence against the Corn-laws, is an
event pregnant with importance. It is impossible too
highly to appreciate the value of the statistical facts
which were published at that meeting."
The Dublin Evening Post makes the following obser-
vations on the subject of the present manufacturing dis-
tress :—" The struggle between the manufacturing
population and the Corn.law monopolists is assuming a
very formidable aspect. The distress of the manufacturers
has become so general and so overwhelming that all seem
to feel the necessity of a determined and persevering exer-
tion, as the only means of averting actual ruin. The
movement now in progress throughout Great Britain
embraces all descriptions of trade. The statements put
forth at the various meetings prove that I the pressure is
universal ; and, by all, the Corn-laws are regarded as
the main cause of the paralysis which has fallen upon
the national industry."
Speaking of the great falling-off in the sale of cheap
publications, the Cheltenham Examiner says :—" This
is but a natural consequence of the growing dis-
tress ; with work scarce, food dear, and wages depre-
ciating, the working man cannot spare even the few
pence he used to devote to his mental improvement ;
consequently, the spread of knowledge, that bugbear
to tyranny and bigotry, is effectually checked, and the
people remain in ignorance. This may be all very good
policy for those who benefit by ignorance, who are no
doubt ' wise in their generation,' and yet it may not an-
swer their purpose as well as they imagine. In their
crusade against knOWledge they may be only laying one
evil spirit to conjure up another more formidable in its
stead.

The York Courant remarks, in allusion to the late
Derby Conference :—" Surely the startling mass of evi-
dence which is collecting—the intelligence and the re-
spectability of the authority upon which it is established
—will impress upon the Legislature and the Govern-
ment the awful precipice, upon the very verge of which
the dearest—nay, even the very vital interests of the
country tremble—and arouse them to immediate, and
useful, and honest exertion."