The Sun.
London, England, 1833-12-03 00:00:00

CORN LAWS.

.77 711

TO THE EDITUROP T fAti.A.
Slap—l am induced, froinirsr general c.ndour and
readiness to insert in your vr4l(e.errcniatinz, and most use-
ful paper, any fair opinion thtsitnay concern the public at
large, to believe you will notiobject to insert the f,..!lowir,g
remarks on the cotn laws an)Llanrled interest in general.
The question of the Corn)liirt, as they now stand,
have called forth a variety of oplitOtii, and the majority
p
if which ere, as far as the public Prints ao, I thintc, evi-
lently for abolishing all duty on the iiiip• rn and flour imported into this kingdo
or foreign
(
This view of the question cannot be too soon fairly corn.
batted, as I fear it emanates in public clamour, or in igno-
once of the true situation and responsibilities the landed
merest of this kingdom, as the laws now stand, ale

liable to.
I think it does not, or at least ought not to require much
argument to convince the dispassionate and thinking part
of the community of the injustice free trade in corn and
flour would subject the landed interest to, unless the laws
Are made at the same time to hear equally on all prouerty,
is regards the support of the poor and unemployed labourers
of all grades and callings, and its other responsibilities.
The speculative manufacturer, tradesman, mining inter-
at, have long found no difficulty in stopping their
vorks and running away from any unprofitable speculation,
,nd leave the landholder to provide for the poor labourers
hey leave behind them. This injustice towards the landed
,nterest is not fairly met by the manufacturing, &C.,
interests, when they cry out for a free trade in corn ; but
which reckless feeling _behoves the landed interest to look
Sharp after their fair interest, as the public opittion at this
moment on this subject is most alarming, all of 571hich I

•onsider aris-s out of an erroneous view of the case.

I beg to call the attention of the public to the true
hearing of the claims the landed interest have to a protec-
tion on corn grown in this kingdom over the produce of
the foreign countries, and warn them not to in their judos
meta and justice be run away with by the reasoning of the
interested few who only look at one side of the question,
viz., their own interest, and who are daily calling up ,u
he landed interest to go back to the primitive rate of rent
rhey received before the late disastrous war which has
entailed upon the land of this kingdom a burden of debt

,hlrh. I fear, all our industry and perseverance can never
liquidate.
W..aie this monstrous debt of, I believe, 800,000,000/.
,nd interest is to he paid, how can any man in hi. sen.es
.uppos the landed interest, who are b iund hand and foot
,o this frightful debt, can return at once to the same rate
►f rent as before this d ht was tied upon t' eir property ?
Suppose but for one moment that the silk and cotton
,nanulactures should fall off, and the millions of .outs

(now fortunately mostly in employ) should be thrown on
,ociety at I age for support, who are to support teem
when all other means are gone? Why, the landed inte. est,
they are the „.t..n.ihle body that all protection in time
of need must come from.
The pi °pile tors iit the land cannot with these burdens
'led to them meet the manufacturers, &c., who can it a
lay's notice shut up their factories (ba:tars for multi,
olying human beings) the moment they find the working
of them yield. no profit, and have the me ins of vesting
their capital abroad, or in the funds, or become m-rtga e-
holders, or any thing to evade, as much as possible, the
support of the poor, or charges of the state, all which I
admit is natural on the part of individuals so placed, but
very unwise in the government and people to let such
discrepancies exist.
These, and many other reasons, show evidently the
landed interest, who may be said to be only guardians and
'rusts of the people, must or ought in good times so to
improve the land and their general means, as to enable
them to meet the demands of the poor labourer when
thrown out of employ, which will be quite out of the
question if the duty on corn is taken off the importations
to this kingdom, as the foreign merchants, no doubt, can
bring corn into this state forthwith at half the price the
English farmer can grow it at from the cause I hive
',efore stated of the heavy burdens of taxation, &c., he
and his landland have to hear.
Remove the duty on corn and flour, and I feel confident
,he present race of farmers are bankrupted the first year of
the removal, which would bring on such a panic that
would, I have no doubt, lead to a revolution.
I sin ready to admit the present corn laws and
fluctuating scale of duty are most fallacious, and prove
how careful the people should be in the choice of theic
statesmen. The Duke of Wellington and his party were the
movers of the present corn laws, and they took great
credit to themselves for the enforcing of these laws.
The graduated scale and means of bonding the corn
have enabled the prudent importer at all times to secure a
high rate of profit by enabling him to bond his corn at
the very lowest scale of duty, and giving him the power of
releasing it at the vety highest possible price. In place
if our present system, I recommend a fixed duty to be
paid down when the corn is landed, and a proper draw-
back made, if again exported.
To find out the fair amount of duty to be paid, let
the Government ascertain the real price the diff•rent
foreign growers of corn can raise it at, and the expense
of delivering it into this kingdom ; then take a fair average
price of what it can be grown in this kingdom for, and
put a duty on accordingly. This done, and the Irish poor
laws enforced, then, and not till then, shall we have
any thine like a healthy state of business as regards our
landed interest.
Leland can deliver, from the present facilities it finds
in steam carriage, corn, flour, cattle, and the produce of
the land of all kinds, considerably lower tban England
can, from the simple cause of England not only keeping
her own poor, but nearly one third of the Irish poor also.
Let the bonding system of corn be got rid of, and the
duty on foreign corn be paid when imported as a fired
duty, then depend upon it the English shipowners will
be the caldera of nearly all the imported corn, which is
now carried in foreign bottoms, and I have no doubt it
would lead to a barter trade in the place of the present
demand of cash for all corn brought into the kingdom.
In closing this letter, which I fear you will think
already too long, I cannot help making one more observa..
tion, that is, I recommend, if a fixed duty is put on im-
ported corn and flour, that, be the price what it may, it
shall be put in juxtaposition with the national debt, and
as a certain number of millions may be cleared off the debt,
the duty on foreign corn and fl ur shall be lowered, and
so in proportion if said debt should be by any unforeseen
cause increased, in the like manner the duty advanced.
I am, Sir, your obedient servant,
Lichfield, Nov. 30. R. T.

SHIPPING INTELLIGENCE-(THIS DAY.)

FROM LLOYD'S.

DEAL, Drc. 2.—Wind N.W., light.—Arrived from
the River and sailed the Horatio, Hatfield, for Madras.
Arrived from the River and remain the Mary Ann, for
the Cape of Good Hope; and Mandieo, Burgin, fr..m
London for Jamaica. The Moffat, for New South Wales,
sailed this morning ; and the William, for Guernsey. The
•iutward bound remain; p.m., the Elizai.eth, for Gre-
nada, and several brigs, are under weigh.
PORTSMOUTH, Mx. 2.—Wind S W. to N. W.—Sailed
his Majeopy's ship SeAlower, for Lisbon. His Maj s'y's
ship R •mney, for Cork, has 'trapped dawn to St. H ten's.
FALMOUTH. DEC. I.—Wind W.S.W. to S.W., strung
tirrez,s and squally.
PENZANCE, DEC. I.—Arrived off port the Diana,
Dahlia, from Lisbon.
kinL,:vfrv,i,tinvoos%,vaDnnvac. h;l.—andAvTiaysed the
sijy\viTlikecyu, mwecub, Ti
Wulff, from
St. ersburgh.
GREENOCK, Nov. SO.—Arrived the Canada, Allan,
from Quebec.
DUNDEE, Nov. 30.—The Malvina, Miller, from Riga
to London, which was assisted into Carlsharn after being
on shore, is sunk in that harbour.

The Hope, Irving, from Liverpool to --, Content,
Roberts, from Towey to Liverpool, Prosperity, R ,brrts,
and the Cygnet, Robert, from Cardiff to Liverpool, were
driven on shore near Pwllhele during a tremendous gale
on the 29th ult.—crew saved.
The Langton, trothLeith to St. Vincent, and the Venus,
from Be,gen to Leghorn, were driven on shore near Gal-
way the 29th ult.
The Mary Ann, M'Kenzie, of Srornaway, from Cape
Breton to Limerick, was wrecked near Cape Cornwall
the 29th ult. _

The Malvina, Cholwick, from Cork to Liverpool, sunk
near Southport the 29th ult.—crew drowned.
The George Canning, bound to New Orleans, has put
back to Liverpool, and must discharge, having struck on
Hoyle Bank.
The Fume, from Newry to Liverpool, is wrecked near
Carnarvom—crew saved.
wasrr diterivOenrwoenl,shGoircrsen,t ftrhoombiLeiovferivpiononl
oton
FNreidwayOLleoarenws,

saved.
The Glasgow steamer, Kyle, Argo, Potts, Euphetnius,
a violent gale on Friday,
SMl:gnotoc,uarinndg Thorney Close, Cooper, were on shore at

The inquiry into the corporation of Liverpool
closed on Saturday afternoon, after having lasted fin one
mouth.

COURT OF KING'S BENCH, DEC. 2.

THE KING V. WILLIAM JOHN EANKES, ESQ., M.T., AND

JAMES FLOWER.
(Concluded from The Sun of yesterday.)
At half-past one o'clock Sir JAMES SCARLETT
rose to reply.ant: delivered one of the most able and
eloquent speecoes ever addressed to a Jury.
Mr. KELLY. on the part of Flower, the soldier,
offered a few observations.

Mr. Thomas Montgomery, Mr. S. Rogers, Mr.
H. Barikes (father), George Read (a servant), Mr.
G. Bankes (brother), Mr. D. Hughes, the Duke of
Welling.on, Lord Fitzroy Somerset; Mr. Smedley,
the Deputy High Bailiff of 'Westminster ; Dr. But-
ler, Master of Harrow School; Dr. Chambers, the
physician ; Lord Burghersh, Mr. Knight, the Earl
of Ripon, the Earl of Caledon, the Rev. H. Jones,
Sir E. Kerrison, Mr. W. S. Rowe; Mr. Harcourt,
M.P. for Gloucester; Dr. Beanie, Master of Hert-
ford College, Lord Brownlow, Captain Yoike, M.P.
for Cambridge; Mr. Clive, Mr. Bond; Mr. Gordon,
M.P. for Cricklade; Mr. Harris, one of the Com-
missioners of the Insolvent Debtor's Court; Mr.
Dundas; Mr. H"nry Alexander, the barrister ; Lord
Gage, Mr. Beckett; Capt. Peach, late M.P. for
Truro; the Hon. Mr. Best, Mr. Arbuthnot, Lord
C,,wley, Lord Brecknock, Sir C. Grant, Professor
Smyth of Cambridge, H. Beechey, Esq., Mr. Alex-
ander, Lord Stuart de Rothsay, Mr. Bayley, the
Rev. Mr. Picard, Mr. Dominick Browne, M.P.,
and many other witnesses of the highest respect-
ability, deposed in the strongest terms, and from
long and intimate acquaintance with Mr. B inkes, to
the excellence of his character, and the general pro-
priety of his deportment.
William Goul—Knew Parker, who went to Ame-
rica. He had some words with another, and asked
the witness to go with him to the London Docks
rind get him a ship, as he was determined to go.
On the night the charge was made against Mr.
Bankes, the witness had taken a ship for him. He
took a passage for him on board the Amity.
William Ladd, a shipping clerk, proved that a
berth was taken for Parker before June.
William Smith, the charterer of the Amity, said
several passengers were taken out. Four ptiunds
four shillings and sixpence were paid for the passage
of Parker. This was before the Ist of June.
Mr. Faulkner, attorney for Mr. Bankes, first dis-
covered that Parker had taken his passage for Ame-
rica in November. The witness went to the Quarter
Sessions, arid endeavoured to stop him.
The Attorney's clerk went to the ports to stop
the Amity and take out the witness, but could not
overtake her.

Several witnesses deposed to the general good
character of the defendant Flower, and to circum-
stances respecting him which rendered the offence
highly improbable.

The SOLICITOR-GENERAL, at twenty minutes to
seven, addressed the Jury in reply.
The LORD CHIEF JUSTICE then summed up the
evidence, and the Jury, after consulting together
about twelve minutes, returned a verdict of Not
Guilty. The Foreman, Colonel Astell, added—
" I am further directed by the Jury to declare their
unanimous opinion that the defendants leave this
Court without the least stain upon their characters
from this trial."

Some applause in the body of the Court followed
the delivery of this verdict.

COURT OF EXCHEQUER, DEC. 2.

LIBEL ON MR. lIUNT.--lIUNT V. AGER.

This case being called on, and the Jury sworn,
Mr. Hunt, who had previously taken up his posi-
tion in the seat allo!ted to King's Counsel, rose up
and addressed the Court and Jury to the following
effect :
" May it please your Lordship and Gentlemen of
the July—This is an action commenced by myself
against John Ager, Patrick Grant, and John Bell ;
against Ager, as printer; and against Grant and
Bell, as proprietors of the True Sun, for a libel. It
is my misfortune to have been in this Court once
before, relative to an action of a similar tendency;
but I now appear under such peculiar circumstances
that I hope I shall be allowed to differ from the
course I adopted on the former occasion, and enter
a little more at length into the motives of the par-
ties, which I feel my duty to my country, my family,
and myself, calls on me to do. Gentlemen, this
libel, which is contained in three counts—why the
lawyers will tell you—charges the defendants with
a malicious intention to do me an injury. Before I
proceed further, I will read you the libel complained
of. It is in the True Sun of December 18, 1832.
Riot at Preston.—(From the Liverpool Cou-
rier.)—It appeals that Hunt, the late Member,
pointed to Counsellor Sag,ar in the mob, and said,
That is the black sheep.' The mob fell upon and
murdered him. In the affray Hunt had his nose cut
off."—(Great laughter in Court.) I have heard a
similar laugh to that before, but those who now
laugh, if their noses were cut off, would laugh on
the wrong side of their mouths.—(Renewed laugh-
ter.) The paragraph goes on thus The Co-
roner's inquest has brought in a verdict of wilful
murder' against Hunt, and he is in custody--
Fudge !" Now, Gentlemen, when I, in the first
instance, state to you that this is a falsehood from
beginning to end, that no such extract appeared in
the Liverpool Courier; that the whole is a perfect
falsehood; that in point of fact it was manufactured
at the True Sun office, you will doubtless be sur-
prised at the defence which will be set up. I have a
witness here who will produce the files of the Liver-
pool Courier for weeks before the transaction. I
will put these files into the hands of the Counsel for
the defendants, and if they can find the paragraph,
or anything like it, I will consent to withdraw this
action and pay the costs. My appearance in my
own proper person will at least convince you that
one part of the libel is untrue, and that my nose still
remains on my face.—(A laugh.) If any attempt
should be made to increase the laugh against me on
this subject, I ask you to look on the face of
that eloquent and Learned Counsel (turning to Mr.
Hutnfrey, whose features are large, and whose nose is
somewhat prominent), and in the midst of his elo-
quence on this subject, just imagine what a pretty
figure he would cut if somebody would only cut the
nose off his face.—(Laughter.) I hope no attempt
will be made to turn this part of the case into ridi-
cub. A libel is inserted against me in a public
newspaper, in which I am charged with having ex-
cited a mob to commit a murder—it is said that a
minder was committed—a coroner's inquest held on
the body—a vetdic: brought in against me, and I
myself committed to gaol to be tried for a capital
offence. If ever there was a malignant slander,
surety this is one. lam accused of the highest
crime known to the law, and if I were found guilty,
I should have but very few hours allowed me before
I expiated my offence upon the gallows. This is
no electioneering squib. It is downright malignant
slander. It may be asked ashy I have proceeded
against the present defendants, after having obtained
damages on former actions, which might be deemed
sufficient to satisfy the attacks on my character ?
I had instructed my attorney to settle this action if
any reasonable apology hed been offered, but no
such offer was made. Nay, I was even urged by
one of the most eminent men at this bar, to file a
criminal information against the parties, because he
conceived the libel too atrocious to be satisfied by
an action for damages. But I have always hi-
rnented that such a mode of proceeding on
actions of libel should ever have existed, and
I certainly never will proceed in any
way
without giving the defendants an opportu-
nity of juitifying their conduct. The efforts made
by the public press have, no doubt, made an im-
pression on the minds of the public, and I dare say
of the Jury, in opposition to the law of libel. We
know horn the public papers that Lord Durham
has been filing criminal informations, and that the
present Ministers, the Whigs, who have been the
loudest in their abuse of the law of libel, have fol-
lowed it up with as much virulence as those who
preceded them ; and no doubt you have been told
in addition, that Hunt, the Radical, has also to en