The Sun.
London, England, 1851-12-09 00:00:00

'., '' britlling Mt

LONDON, TUESDAY, DECEMBER 9, 1851.

Agriculture, as the immediate source of the vitality
of the country, is entitled to the most sedulous en-
couragement. All that Free-traders protested
against from the outset was the absorption of all the
em-rgies of the State in the development of this one
source of national prosperity almost exclusively, and
by consequence of course to the detriment of all
other sources indiscriminately. Not that they ignored
the value or the importance of agriculture, but that
they recognize the value and the importance of other
things besides iagriculture„such for example as
commerce and manufactures. Because however of
the perversity of the sticklers for the old system, it
became necessary to compete with them fur the time,
upon the level of their own prejudices or misappre-
hensions. If they were still resolved, at all hazards,
to retain the supreme predominance over all the re-
maining abuses throughout the United Kingdom, then
it was absolutely requisite that, if only for an interval,
they should be dragged down to a greater depth of
despondency than would otherwise have been neces-
sary. Compromise of any kind whatsoever was re-
fuied by them with contumelyl and indigna-
tion. Therefore they were beaten back with
weapons like their own, and degraded with the very
bitterest sense_ of their abasement. It was in this
manner that the Country Party had themselves to
thank for the extreme character of their subjugation
by the Reformers. Their blind and wilful obduracy
—an obduracy persisted in notwithstanding the
reasonable, and protracted, and conscientious argu-
ments brought forward by those who differed from
them in opinion ; their scornful refusal to
listen to any diminution in the imports

laid upon foreign grain or other imported
commodities; their inflexible determination to enjoy
the sole and exclusive advantages of protection, ina-

pilled their antagonists to act for the time being
upon somewhat similar principles, and to bring the
champions of the old system down proportionably
as low as they aspired to raise themselve high above
the rest of the population. The thorough and com•
plete nature of the changes effected partook conse-
quently somewhat of the character of a retribution.
They afforded a new and striking illustration of
the ancient saying, " Pride shall have a fall." For
ourselves, seeing these facts very plainly marked out
before us, we regarded with no sentiments' of amaze-
ment the increasing dismay manifest throughout the
farming interests of the country as time " wore on"
after the passing of the great measures laid by Sir
ROBERT PEEL before the Imperial Parliament.
Accustomed for so long a period to the unnatural
aid of the imposts now removed, the agriculturists
became alarmed, of course, and anxious as to the
consequences. Every one of those momentary depres-
sions to which they were accustomed, even in the
good old times," was exaggerated into the portent
of disasters leading (so their fears taught them
to believe) to inevitable and irretrievable destruction.
It was thus, that during long intervals since 1846 up
to this present year of 1851, the farmers gave voice to
their terror in very uproarious cries of lamentation.

They were to be beggared and turned out of
doors. Their children were to experience all the
miseries of mendicancy. Pauperism stared them
in the face, and they were only to escape
the workhouse by submitting to a death by starva-
tion. Land was to remain uncultivated, seeing from
their calculations that the results of farming ne-
cessitated the loss of capital. England was at last
to be reduced to that extremity that she must depend
upon foreign countries for her sustenance, becoming
herself transformed into one busy workshop of mills
and factories. Such was the future sketched out
for the nation by the morbid but still
lively imaginations of those who counted
upon the destruction of our national agricul-
ture I And what have been the events mark-
ing the history of the country since those predictions ?
Why, thanks to the abolition of the corn• laws, thanks
to the abandonment of the old system, thanks to the
admission of foreign provisions, the people of the
United Kingdom have been spared the miseries of a
time of scarcity. Cheap food has secured the tram•
quillity of the country when all the rest of the
powers of Europe were shaken to their very basis by
the convulsive throes of revolution. Besides this, pros-
perity has rewarded the labours of the industrial:classes,
and the agriculturists themselves in particular have not,
in fulfilment of their own prophecies, been reduced
to the uttermost extremities of want and degradation.
Whatever may still be maintained by the more lugu-
brious aspirants for the revival of the ancient system,
the farmers of England still continue to maintain
their reputation. Agriculture is still developing its
inestimable and, we believe, also, its indestructible
energies, under the influence of a very comprehensive
and generous encouragement.
It was gratifying to observe yesterday the brilliant
evidence of all we have above asserted, in the Prize
Cattle Show now annually taking place at this
season in the Bazaar, Baker-street. Satisfactory as
previous years may have been, the exhibition of 1851
—distinguished above others as par excellence the
year of exhibitions—does not yield in any
particular to the most remarkable among
its predecessors. Pew fears can be seriously
entertained in regard to the progress of
agriculture in England, after beholding any such ex-
traordinary testimony as the one which was last even-
ing afforded of the enterprise of its promoters. Our
gratification, it need scarcely be observed, was not
so much caused by seeing an astonishing assemblage
of fat oxen, plethoric sheep, and very corpulent pigs,
as in observing the skill, the assiduity, and
the success with which agriculture, in all
its branches, has, within the last twelve-
months, been developed in all parts of this kingdom.
Sooth to say it was somewhat distressing for the
uninitiated spectator to observe the same strangula-
tion of short-horned steers fed upon oilcake, barley-
meal, and mangel wurtzel—to remark the gluttonous
stupidity of the long-woolled wethers—or to witness
the unfortunate pigs panting for " the bare life" under
the combined influence of a three months' cram
on skimmed milk, peas, and boiled potatoes.
It is not, however, to this portion of yes-
terday's exhibition in Baker-street that we would
especially direct the attention of all parties interested
in the progress and development of agriculture. It is
rather to the entire display, including the remarkable
collection of agricultural implements, that we would
wish to see the notice of the public directed. Re-
garded as an evidence of enterprise in the desired
direction, the Cattle Show now opened to the general
view will be found to be singularly satisfactory.

The publican
s A
tcoi
zse T
curiosity,, which had been so strongly
excited respecting the qui tam action against Mr.
Alderman
musht remain unsatisfied for a
of mtime.
suffocation further space Court of Exchequer was
yesterday Crowded to s
i
e by parties anxious
co
to hear the eminent e
of engaged on either side,
and to discover any indication
Anotherthe feelingcase
ofd the
bench on the points at issue.
pre-
viously been disposed of, but although athte
eaappl" -
appear-
ance of Mr. MONTAGU CHAMBERS for h
tiff, and of the AITORNEr•GRNERAL forp the
defendant might have contented the most fastidious
hunters after forensic displays, a general impatience
was manifested for the great event of the day to come
off. A similar feeling to that exhibited on Epsom
Downs during the running for the stakes imme-
diately preceding the Derby, or by a Victoria au•
dience during the performance of George Barnwell
on "Boxing•night," might easily have been de-
tected. At length the case of " Spencer v.
Curtis " came to a conclusion. The jury re-
turned a verdict without much hesitation,
and the case of "Miller v. Salomon::" was calledgon
amid a buzz of intense expectation. It still seemed
to many as if their hopes could not be realized. A
large proportion of the special jurors might not be in