The Sun.
London, England, 1845-05-15 00:00:00

Itenins

LONDON, THURSDAY, MAY 15, 1845.

We trust it may be very long ere we have to apply
to any lesson of political wisdom, that the example of
France may teach us, the well-known maxim—"fas
est et ab hoste doceri." In a much more friendly
spirit, however, we may safely argue that there can
be no harm in our taking some leaves out of the
book of France, when their contents happen to be
applicable to the case of this country, and the
best mode of dealing with its most important inte-
rests. In our pages of yesterday we had to transfer
no less than three of such leaves into our
own journal. The first was a statistical and well
arranged list of the French navy, effective and not
effective—its actual and its growing amount, and the
extended elements of its increase. The seconl was
the passing of a Bill through the Chamber of De-
puties for the truly national purpose of protecting
the ancient monuments of France. The third was
the somewhat unusual event in the French Legis-
lature of the presentation of a petition signed by
25,000 people. Its prayer was for an inquiry into
the condition of the working classes. _

To begin, first, with the last but not the least im-
portant of these matters, it must be owned that Lord
J. RUSSELL has already anticipated it by his forthcom-
ing motion on the same subject—the sufferings of our
industrial classes. The proceeding of M. ROLLIN,
however, may serve to fortify the case which his
Lordship will have to urge upon the House of Com-
mons, by showing that similar evil influences are
seriously affecting in act one of the most meritorious
as well as largest communities in our social system.
If our own opinion or advice might avail, it would
be given in the way of exhortation to the French as
well as to the English statesman, to persevere in the
design they have respectively avowed. There can be
no question but that one of the most dangerous aspects
which a great country like England or France can
exhibit, is, an accumulating aggregate of unemployed
or of miserably underpaid labour. When able-bodied
labour cannot realize wages on which it is possible to
subsist itself, and those who depend immediately and
entirely *Fon its efforts, it very naturally determines
that it may as well cease to work, whilst industry
fails to procure any better return than the pittance
grudgingly given at all times to unemployed pau-
perism. But when able-bodied labour, ready and
anxious for the employment it seeks, can obtain none,
then by as natural a process, though it be a more un-
fortunate one of reasoning, it arrives at the conclusion
that what it cannot obtain on the fair conditions it is
prepared to fulfil, that is of hard working, it must take,
to satisfy the primary duty as well as appetite—
that of self-preservation. Now, the sooner you can turn
masses of men from the habitual, though unconscious,
study of these political ethics, which determine in the
running of a vicious parallel between the rights of
labour and the liabilities of property, the better.
For when these masses are left in the full leisure for
indulging in these perilous communings of compul-
sory want with repudiated industry, the disorganisa-
tion of society is at hand. The only chance of grap-
pling with so perilous a disease is one of anticipatory
treatment—preventive rather than remedial. We
would implore Lord Jowl RUSSELL to bring to
this great social question, involving the solution, as
it does, of one of the most complicated, and yet
most frequently recurring political problem, the whole
resources, information, and energy of his gifted and
sagacious mind. In M. ROLLIN'S hands we have no
doubt, looking to the advantageous light in which his
talents have been already developed to the public,
that the same comprehensive theme will be very ably
treated. It is greatly to the interest of European
civilisation, and the peace and repose of all its States,
that these topics should be thoroughly and dispassion-
•ately discussed in the Legislatures of two of
its mightiest kingdoms, with a view to the
devising of some scheme for providing per-
manent guarantees against the fearful tenden-
cies of unoccupied and pauperised industry. It is a
disturbing force in the working machinery of our
existing social system, which, if you cannot control
by giving to it its necessary evolution within assigned
limits, will inevitably acquire an explosive power,
that once generated will annihilate the engine within
which it has hitherto revolved.

With regard to the Bill to protect the ancient
monuments of their country, the Chamber of Deputies
has ceittainly had the start of the British Parliament.
And yet what country abounds with more numerous
or ennobling reminiscences of its past history, of this
kind, than Great Britain ? In what country
shall we find grey ruins and sculptured
effigies, the associations and originals connected
with which are better calculated to inspire
the present generation —especially the younger
branches of it—with more generous emulation of