The Sun.
London, England, 1821-11-14 00:00:00

FOR THE SUN...

THE LAIDED INTERESTS._
touroa—The following EXPOSE, (SUCh is
the word) of the state of- the French Nation,.
contained in their Monarch's late Speech, at the
Openitig of the Session of the Chambers, on Mon-
day the sth inst., may, perhaps, by the contrast,
prove not altogether uninteresting :
lie says, " if we take a view of our domestic state, what mo-
tives have we not to bless Providence. The sensible progress
of Industry, Agriculture, and the Arts, gives ample proof of
the advances of Commerce also : and very soon new channels
will extend the general good to all parts of the Kingdom. Our
auspicious situation, and the return of internal and external
tranquillity, have already admitted of a diminution in one of
the most burthcnsome of the taxes—that which attacks repro-
duction in its very source, by over-charging landed property,
(viz. the land-tax).—Next year those to assessed will wholly
enjoy this reduction."
Let us examine, (and truly examination is re-
quisite) a little into the state of more than one
neighbouring community ; would not the una-
voidable reply to inquiry, if dictated by truth,
for one at least be couched in terms somewhat
analogous to the following in a document of the

like kind :
" The manufacturing interests of the country have again re-
vived, and full employment is every where to be found for those
engaged in such pursuits, which were never in so universally
and extensively flourishing a state as at present; whilst the pro-
gress of trade, which alone can give an impulse to labour of
that kind, is thereby clearly indicated. The agricultural part of
the community is,- however, notwithstanding the prosperity of
manufactures and trade, still in so
.deplorable a condition of lan-
gour and wretchedness as shortly- to threaten its temporry ex-
tinction, at least."

What a picture is this ? What a contrast in
the condition of two such neighbours, seven
years after the conclusion of a treaty of peace
on both sides which had put an end to a struggle
'for power of 25 years' duration, the whole of
which period had been passed in a state of the
most rancorous open warfare. The first•sketch
is one,of solid and increasing prosperity, in actual
being, not imagined, but possessed; whether pro-
perly enjoyed or otherwise, is not the question. The
second is one of heart-sickening gloom, creating
feelings approaching those of despondency ; front
the too certain intelligence it conveys, that what
it represents is rapidly approximating the verge
of an unfathomable abyss. But however strange,
it is yet true, that the victor from the contest
mentioned is the suffering victim ; and the van-
quished the triumphant possessor of-the good in
being, and also the apparent heir to that which
may soon- be in reversion—to wit, internal tran-
-quillity,
No one can read the speech .of the good old
:man through, without being struck by the forci-
ble but unpretending sentiments of devotional
piety, and triumphant, though thankful, exulta-
tion, which at the various. points appear to burst
forth spontaneously. But. the present object is
to examine a little further ; and since there can
be but few readers who by the time they arrive
thus far will not have already perceived that the
second sketch refers to the state of this coun-
try, we will proceed upon that supposition.—
The great body of the people is composed of the
Landed Interests, and.those dependent thereon—
the solely Mercantile, and the-strictly Manufac-.
Wring class, working artisans, being -so called—
the first division and its dependencies comprise
from two-thirds to three-fourths of the whole
as to numbers • and importance ;' the other two
divisions may perhaps contribute to
.form
.the
remainder, in portions pretty nearly, equal be-
tweet' them. That the state of the Manufac-
turers. is good, every source of intelligence fur-
nishes additional proof,and their local press teems
with daily declarations of it ; which could not be
the case were' not that of trade or.commerce brisk
from some cause , or, other. Our institutions
civil, municipal and criminal, which collectively
are termed our Constitution, do both in- theory
and practice far outstrip every other on the road
towards perfection, and leave us little or nothing
to desire beyond what the frame of society itself
can supply. What then are the causes of such
ailments ? would be .a natural inquiry, and the
reply would be no less obvious, viz. sucP(as arise
and necessarily result from too great a .degree of
generosity and nobleness of soul, which
,has fre-
quently prompted not only the wish, but also led
to reiterated attempts at serving- all the world
rather than attend, to our own necessities. But
in .the result at length, like. the old man. with his
boy and ass. in the fable, we Shave failed. in pleas-
ing those for whom we have gratuitously exhaust-
ed ourselves, by- endeavouring to aid them ; and
iu addition_ thereto. have lost the substance in the
combined stream of time and events, the former
of which, like an irrevocable flood, and the latter
an irresistible' torrent., are every Moment'Precini-
tating all things over their brink into the gulf of
.eternity.: Regret for the; past is therefore now
unavailing ; butt° speak plainly, the.truth must
thus be rendered. The British Empire, as" a
total,is in a state, of exhaustion'and extreme em 7
barrassment ; nor is it of any use longer to at-
tempt to disguise the fact—it has sacrificed itself
at the shrine of a romantic, but truly -imaginary,
though as truly noble, a sense of feeling for
others. It now becoMes only too sensible of the
effects of that arduous chivalric spirit .•vitli which
it was, and would doubtless,but for hitter past ex-
perience,be again completely animated and excited
into action, in order to accomplish it. It is sincerely
to be hoped that it has gained wisdom with its dear-
bought
experience. But by What means we:
may be enabled once more to settle into a state
of tranquil prosperity, so that 'not one or two
classes of society, and those' the smallest, but that
all may prosper and flourish, is at 'present the
grand difficulty, not with this or that party alone,.
but with all. = The 'regaining Of which appears,.
with our present accumulated load of debt, and
state of taxation necessarily incident thereto, to
be out of the reach of human effort, or probabi-;
'lay of attainment; before a general convulsion
shall have shaken offthe cumbersome and Weighty,
burden which. now oppresses the. Country and
.bows it down to earth, tdo nevertheless assert
it tonbe perfectly practicable, and may, it is not
.unlikely, attempt. to prove, perhaps even with
Some chance of success, that a convulsive effort
not,is needful, in Order to restore the Country'
generally to a prosperous condition... In 'the firstplace., and in my own person,l abjure all party'
considerations, save Those'bf truth aod the welfare,
of my native land. And with this assertion of
motive thus' broadly,, and in 'so unqualified

manner made, i 'm'ay be allowed to proceed in
the consideration, of the means whereby this end
may be attained. Our burthens are nut suscepff
tible of diminution to any very great'extelit, and
were there no demand for the unavoidable expellees
of GoVernment,.the. interest: only of the Na
w-
tional Debt would require. a revenue:-of from
45 to 50 millions annually. It
.is quite needless
to labour to prove this point ; and it must
be equally so to go about to establish the fact
that no State can exist without having the means
furufshed.to it for defraying the current expenses of
its executive power. Seeing then that the pressure
cannot be alleviated" in that quarter by any pos-
sibility, what folly ! nay, more, what mischiev-
ous madness, is it not to raise the empty cry of
lighten of Our burdens, lessen our taxations
And of like fertility it will prove to make a po-

pular clamour-of ‘‘ reduce the rents, lower the
poor s' rates, diminish the other inevitable out-
goings and demands." As well, .and as reason-
ably might it be said in words, do what is impos-
sible—do what is impracticable,—do what is out
of your power—do, in short, that which none but
lunatics could demand, or the ill designed even
contemplate. That something however should
speedily be done for the effectual protection of
that class whose major interests of the whole
community are so seriously threatened with ruin,
must be admitted ; for in truth, the very exist-
ence of agricultural and landed property is open-
ly menaced with ultimate annihilation as to value.
That this never could have been designed, but
must be the unforeseen and unavoidable result of
combined events, which were perhaps only the
offspring of others still more remote and uncon-
troulable, is Clear, one *Would think, to the most
unretlecting,and shallow capacity. There can be
no doubt but that any Government in the world
similarly situated must wish things in a diffe-
rent state; and" that wish, the father to thought;
and grandsire to its-legitimate offspring; action,
would Without question induce such Government
to dowhateverlay within -its pOwer to remedy so
growing 'an evil, so .truly dangerous itt its-nature
and tendency. Nor-need-there beta shadow of
doubt butthat our own" Government, upon pro-
per representation,- would -lend its. countenance
and protection,' and -perhaps even its assistance,.
to-promote that which.would be-for its own ad-
vantage when .once:put:in‘ a,clear light. Prosper-
ous as the state of :manufactures and trade lIQW
itwould be rendered much more.s.o by-the proSperity
of the other class (Agriculture) beingsuperadded.
This if once permanently.secured, as it necessa-
rily must. be, when :and. would as soon .as. the
farmer received. a, compeasating price foi; his. pro.
duce, could. not fail, in. addition to the foreign
demand for the manufactures..of the country, Ma-.
terially to increase,.
,say double, perhaps
the prosperity of the other two classes, Who;
whatever they may be pleased to * think, 'are,
after all, mainly dependent upon the demand of
the home market for their own well-being. And
who truly cause the.'hoine'detnand ?, • Is fit . not
the bulk of the inhabitants,of the country,..?„, Is
it not the Landed. Interests, and those depen.;.
dent upon them, fOrining the first divisiod:Of so
ciety.in the British Empire, and comprising from
two-thirds to three-fourths of. the whole, 'both in
numbers •and..importance, as.'we have'Lseen, -and.
as has been admitted from the, first ? I am really.
ashamed to. haVebeen obliged to labour thus at
length, in order to prove a point not, lesS clear
than that 'fivo and tivo make 'four.- But'having
at last established the point that Agriculture and its
dependencies form a vast majority of the Nation,
what egregious folly is it not on' the parts of the
Manufacturers to attempt either to injure or im-
pede its success ; since in so doing they not only
lessen-their own advantages, but at times almost
destroy them, or, at. least, they thereby sometimes
deprive themselves of all benefit. -1 must, however,
acquit the. Manufacturers as a.body of,acting so
insane a part ; but whilst I do this I charge them
with a responSibility perhaps still more heavy, in
suffering their character to be pot forward, and
made the ostensible bugbears of a faction, in
whose hands they are nothing better than
the merest tools. Their cause, and that of
the Agriculturists, is truly, one and'indivisible ;
'why then can they not agree together ? I will
tell them—because they suffer otriers, of all, and
every, and no name nor character, to assume
and usurp theirs, to drag forth their pretended
interests, in professed advocacy but real injury,
at every turn, and on all occasions, to serve their
own blind ends Or nefarious purposes. You can-
not protect the farmers, cry they, for in so doing
you will ruin or at least injure the Manufacturer.
by compelling him .to eat a dear loaf—lying pur-
blind knaves that they are Is this, can this pos.;
sibly betheir motive, that the artisan should have
bread cheap, nothing less ; with this in their
,mouths indeed, nothing .on earth can be ftirther
from their.hcarts. Such however is the. outcry,
constant, hollow, and loud,. of modern political
economists, so called, but truly designated. only
by the term of political quacks.. My object is
not however now to expose thetn---7-it is to tell the
Agricultural and Lauded Inteyests, that the re-
medy is in their own hands, if. they will .but use
it; not merely to allay or palliate the present
-evil which preys on their vitals,- and will soup
otherwise end in death, but to perfect their future
security, if it d.o not alsO furnish them with in-
demnity for the past. They are not so besotted,
I trust, as to slight or neglect the warning; if
they are,. they can only be cOmpared'tO one, who.
being told that his most valuable property was
burning, but that.the 'means of effectually arrest-
ing the progress 'of the flames were -within reach,
and were such as it W.as in his individual power
to apply, as well'and as'efficaCiously as could be
done with the assistance of others,should answer
" Um! what of that ?" the Churl, 'however he
might be pitied, could only be left to his fate. I
mtist'howeVer here take my leave-of- the matter,
'and let it remain for your feelings and sufferings'

. •
* This Was done to a-ridietilous extent on Saturday the. 10th
inst. by THE TIMES Newspaper, when •it reluctantly found,
itself compelled to say something ajholkt.relief to. the Agricul-
tural part of the Community ; from which .it etas hung back as
long as it possibly- could, like a sullen Wheel-horse,- not like
Leader, to which character,.if it,should lay claim in this busiaess,
(of justice to the. Public in the price of its Bread,. remuneration
to the Farmer for cultivation, or protection to th'e Landowner
in his inherent•rights) it must be_to that of.-an .of&licader ;and.
why not? our wkraseology changes, and becomes ..sometirnes
enriched thereby ; we have Eheiiffs, WlNefore not Off.
Leaders, to describe wayward bolting stubborn jades.

to teach you the truth; and truly they
awaken any othcr beings than yourse. tre, and
.will some day awaken yoni. thotighlo do it Inayi
possibly not be in the power of a mere
London, Nov. 12, 1821. BY-STANDER.

FROM LAST NIGHT'S GAZETTE.

BANKRUPTCY ENLARGED.
H. Williams, Plough.coart, Lombard-street, merchant, from
Nov: 3, to Dec. 22.

BANK RUPTS

J. Esden, Stangate4treet, 7 Lambeth,' slater, Nov. 17, 24,
and Dec. 25, at ten, at Guildhall- Solicitors, Messrs. Rogei!
and' Co., Manchester-buildings, Westminster. • '
A. Millar, Cardigan-place, Vauxhall-road, tallow-chandler,
Nov. 24, Dec. 1, and at eleven, stit Guildhall. Solicitor,
Mr. Williams, Gray's Inn-place, Ho/born.
C. G. and. H. B. Hall, Grosvenor-street West, Pimlico,
Carpenters' -Nov. 24, Dec. 1, and 25, at eleven, at Guildhall;
Solicitor, Mr. Kiss, Clifford's-inn.
. .