The Sun.
London, England, 1826-10-14 00:00:00

SPIRIT OF TUE PUBLIC JOURNALS.

Having no particular interests to serve beyond those
of tl* country at :hire, and being desirous, therefore,
of holding an -evetihand between the extremes of party
zeal upon all subjects, it is seldom that our views of
public measures, -or of the • circumstances of the
country;•'fallin With those either of the warm adher-
ents or opponents of Ministers,.. However credulous
and sincere a few partisans on either side may be, the
good sense of the country has long since begins to
decry that " madness of many for the gain of a few,"
as what they see the folly and absurdity of falling into ;
and the press, we think, is sadly tnis-employed when
it attempts to administer to the over-eager exaggera-
tions of those who are either too sanguine or too
gloomy in their views of public affairs. Truth, and
truth alone, should be the object of every public
writer ;, and though in the search of it he may not
flatter thewarm or the despondent hopes of opposite
factions, he will in the end best secure the sanction of
the discerning and the good opinion of those whose
sanction is disinterested, and worth possessing. The
late announcemeot of the Quarter's Revenue is a topic
of this description ; some part of the public Prost re-
presenting it as a token of actual ruin and desponden-
cy, while others hold it up.as a matter of absolute
congratulation. To us it is neither the one nor
the other. The deficieucy on the Quarter, and, in-
deed, on the whole year, is not greater than, under
the circumstances of the country, we were led to ex-
pect ; but, at the same time, we think it is such as
cannot be viewed with indifference by those who re-
collect what the public burdens amount to. The mere
inatter'of comparison is, we think, carried to almost a
puerile extent. Numerous articles of die Revenue
must, front their very nature, vary very, widely, every
year.. llops, for instance, are productive one year,
and a Ailing crop the next; and many other articles
may,: from venous causes, fall off, or exceed the
amount of the preceding year, without furnishing any
material topic or remark, or justifying anything like
that dose degree of comparison, which the ingenuity
of certain writers is for, ever exercising, so soon as the
quarterly accounts carne forth from the Treasury.—
Morning Herald.
The understatement of the balance against the last
quarter's revenue, as compared with the corresponding
one 0r"1825,' was'a disgrace to the Treasury, whence
it issued. 'We' exposed the deception on the day of
its appearance, adducing the recorded fact of a draw-
back payment on the wine in store, to the amount of
1,050,000/. sterling, whish ought to have been ac-
knowledged without our interference, and credited to
the October quarter of 1825. We were, according
to custom, yelled at fbr this performance of a public
duty, and the falsehood of our representation insi-
nuated; though it could not be directly denied. Now
the truth is admitted on all hands, and in the teeth of
the official doemnent published on the 10th instant,
the cello'e of the last quarter's revenue stands within a
trifle of 2,000,0001. of money. But it has been
asked, " what proof' have you that the wine draw-
back came out of the October quarter ? We answer,
that the proof is to he found An the Excise-office,
whence regular notice was transmitted to the wine-
merchants, to attend there in the latter part of July,
1825, for the purpose' :sif receiving their money. It
is further in -positive evideice' that no pail of the
*limey was paid before that pertod, and that the whole
of it was paid before the expiration of the October
quarter. This tti the actual tact., So w:lth respect to
the corn, duties received within the last Octoli,7,
r ar-
ter. Certain persons affirmed that none had uCell
received. We assert that the denial is wholly untrue,
and that our original allegation is the correct one.
The foreign wheat, winch bad been bonded, was ad-
mitted to entry for home consumption, upon paying it
duty of 12s. per quarter, and hat/that duty was made
payable on or before the gat of July. What became
then of the other half? Why, it would, as a matter
of course, come into the October quarter. The repu-
tati9o of that cause cannot be very high, nor its con-
intim) very enviable, Vlid) resorts to tricks of false-
hoods fol. the concealment of any public misfortune
which it iiiteyests the whole nation to know amt re-
We insert a lettOr on the corn laws, signed, " A
Consutner, and not a Grower of Corn ;" the writer of
which takes a different view of the subject from our-
selvCs. His observations, which are in the ',form of
questions, deserve a remark or two. lie asks first.
which of the two interests are most important to the
country, the agricultural or or the man:Aletoring.?—
'We answer, that we do not understand this' loestTn
nor deco he himself, for it .11as no meaning. 11 he
speaks of the individuals, the landowners and the
Mandacturers—those men are the most valuable who
possess most moral worth. If of the articles in which
they deal—so. many manufactured goods converted
into money will by so much land ; and vice versa, so
much l!itul or its produce will buy so many manufac-
tired goods, But there is this difference between
manufactures and lamb., as to national importance--
that we have npthing to fear with respect to the land ;
we cannot lose it it must remain with us as long as
the world remains, :aid will always be
haute
nothingd up
to
to
the frill demand for its prOduce. We
fear, therefore,--we repeat. the assertion,—respecting
the land; but with respect to our manufactures, we
have every thing to fear. We may lose them : we are
losing them;, audit', they finally quit us, will the com.
rolittvely few ores, of which this kingdom consists up-
hold our grefttnesq ? Our correspondent may
Appreleltd•thil the present race of land owners will he
oiyreased:' They will not hitire their high rents opt-
least for, a while. The farmers will not
have Lila exiithitant war prices. Both classes may
revert to- dm emulit'umin which they were befbre the
last war ; and it is only a thriving commerce that can
peenumently lift them out of it. if our manufactures
• and commerce pariah, the agricultural people of all
classes toot soon sanki and that irrecoverably,;--
Our correspondent.
complains that the master-imams
uted in a iist roon
facturers have
II their
for the relief of their diqressed jouj rneypmenp. ortiTo
if the cornptaint be true, they
theirsheree.he it
are ungrateful ,and uneeling. Wet recollect, also, that
even
„oh& the price of grain was exorbitant, while
m the luxury (4f
landlords and tenants were
Ito
price. 3, the agrAll Mt poor,
high rents and higher
Were, sent to eft • and in the midst.
the pariah vestries to receive half tut
wage'. Their Ali-kits were.brok
titev were cruelly cor,„
of industry and employment, r
into vinpers. It is asked a whewhetherLwionted.ril
vow .
riot- be equally Jto
-lust invade the pro
the andl
pertr
chant or the fundholder with that of ihierr.), ?'
The fact is, that an experiment is making at the
k
of all commercial people whatever, of the very saute
kind as tbit at which the landholder is making such
pother—by the admission of foreign articles, and with
respect to the British fundholder, he claims no pro-
tection whatever against the foreign market. Any one
;nay buy foreign stock that pleases. Speculators are

•
making purchases of this kind daily ; and were such
purchases and: investments prohibited, (as the land-
holder requires in the case of his article), there is no
question but that the British fundholder's stock or pro-
perty, or money estate, call it which you will, would
double itself in value in a short time.: Our corm!,
spondent says that " our opinion is fixed," He is
right—but fixed only es are the principles of justice
and sound policy. • We are no enemies to landlords
or farmers.: on the contrary, we are their firmest and
most discreet friends. We seek their interest ; for
they may be 'assured, that if they are euffered to spoil
our commerce, they spoil themselves. They say all
the taxes fall ultimately upon the land. They will fall
directly upon the land (that is, by the way, upon the
consumers of its products), if there be no commerce to
ward the blow.---./bid.
To Tau Famixon..—Sir,—As a constant reader, I beg to pro-
pose, and wish to see inserted in your valuable paper, a few ques-
time in relation to the corn laws. The sole end in proposing
them is to induce as much as possitle a cool and impartial investi-
gation of the subject, without which any act of the Legislature
will certainly prove injurious. I ask then, which of the two in-
terests is must important to the well-being of the country—the
agricultural or the manufacturing? Has not the distress of the
,operations in the manufacturing districts arisen principally out of
the measures which their masters have voluntarily and unwarily
adopted ? Have the master manufacturers contributed, of the im-
mense fortunes they have amassed from the labour of the distrens-
ed, a due proportion for their present relief? If Government le-
gislate for the support of the distressed, does not justice and sound
policy demand that the burden of their support should be equally
divided among all classes ? Would it not be equally just to invade
the property of the merchant or the fundhelder for this purpose,
as to invade that of the landholder ? Can a reduction of rent be
obtained front the owners of land, without first driving the oc-
cupiers from their employ, or mincing them to penury ? Is the
present price of grain more than a remunerating one for the far-
mer's capital, skill, and industry ? Will not a legislative enact-
ment, lowering time price of corn, become an unjust and oppres-
sive measure, by operating upon one class of the community alone,
to their utter ruin ?—Though your opinion, Sir, is fixed, 1 trust
to your impartiality to insert the above, as many of your readers
may yet wish for some assistance to extend their views and to lead
them to a just conclusion. lam a friend to the principle of free
trade, but ant convinced the experiment will be dangerous, and
the measure if adopted disastrous, unless we have a free and ade-
gusto representation of the whole community in the Commons
House of Parliament. 01-
A CONSUMBR AND NOT A (MOWER OF CORN.
Oct. 12, 1226.
A Report or the Connaught Provisional Meeting
of Catholics, held at Ballinasloe, on Sunday last, is,
in many respects, deserving of attention. The Duke
of Montebello and two other Frenchmen of distinc-
tion were present. The Duke's Speech is not the least
singular part of the proceedings. It is quite an un-
derstood matter that there will be no more wars in
Europe, and therefore we need not be in the least
alarmed on account of the consequences which Mr.
She'd pointed out as possible in Ireland, in case of a
war between this country and some of the Continental
Powers. But were we not assured of the impossibi-
lity of any rupture between England and France, we
should say that there was much in what he said de-
serving of very serious consideration. Mr. Shell
states, and the experience of all revolutions justifies
him, that should circumstances enable his countrymen
to • attempt to recover their independence, with any
hope of success, himself and the other men, who,
looking to the ultimate issue, might endeavour to dis-
suade them from giving way to their feelings, would
be, ninon; the first to all a sacrifice to popular fury.
We ;Tree with him, that in the divided state of Ire-
land, no foreigu aid 'could possibly enable the Catholics
to establish their intlependenea'by force of arms. But
mat are 011110 at certain, males, fitvournble circumstances,
the attempt would he male. The gentry, both Ca-
tholic and Protestant, have a deep interest in the eon,
section between the two islands, which opens to them
a ii tie field of ambition, both here and in the Colo-
nies; but the peasantry of Ireland and the priests,
eruog from and related to the peasantry, and iden-
ttficd with them in feeling, are out of the reach of
all influence of this sort, and would, no doubt,
listen only .to the desire of vengeance, regardless'
of the wishes and interests of the gentry. Were reli-
gion only concerned, the settlement of Ireland would
present few difficulties. ' Unfortunately, there is pro-
property at issue, and the Aristocracy of England and
Ireland have taken it into their heads, that the settle-
ment of religious differences, might, in some way or
other, come ultimately to affect the Church property.
They have an idea, that so long as the Exclusion Laws
are continued, the same thing will happen to the rich
Catholics that happens to the Dissenters—the rich
will, in nine cases out of ten, go over to the Esta-
blished Church ; but that were the professors of both
religions to be equal in the eye of the law, there
would not be the Same motive for the conversion of the
rich Catholics, and thus the Protestant Church would,
in time, see a great part of the landed property of the
country in the hands of the Catholics. Facts, in some
degree, bear theta Mit. Mr. Cook, the Moderator of
the Synod of Ulster, eteted, in his evidence, that it
was a eommon saying in Belfast, that when a man first
came to that town, lie frequented an Old Light Meet-
ing-house ; when be was able to keep a gig, lie fre-
quented a New Light Meeting-house ;
.and when he
kept his carriage, he went over teethe Established
Church. In this country we see the Quakers, as soon
as they become wealthy, go over to the Establish
meat--WitOCAN the Gilmer, the Barclays, &e. It is
the same with the Dissenters. Among the Catho-
lics, a few old families, from a sort of pride rather
than religion' because it is the , oldest. But it is
otherwise with the novi heroines, Thus we ob-
serve, that a candidate for the City of Cork, O'Cal-
highan, whose family are Catholics, has dropt the 0,
Slit the guttural combination of consonants, and
become Protestant. The English and Irish Aristo-
cracy arc afraid, that if the landed prop
ad
erty should
not be nearly all on Alts side of the Establishment, the
Church of Ireland might tiee(OtP fairly extinet
then
thus the only condition on. which tithiestoc,ttiii:old
Cbaeticioolr
con-
tinued, would be the trensferring .
Church. But this would be equivalent to renouncing
it would not look
for .
the hope of benefiting by them ;
well to have one son educated for the
Catholic
Church and another for The Proustont—
to have one
son Catholic Archbishop of Dublin,
read Ilnother
Protestant Bishop of DUrinn. Religious quarrels
are soon appeased, when the cause of
cont
'er
merely the . next world, but it is quite anoth ention is
affair
when such serious concerns as tithes and church lands
t
are in question. In Germany, whore the State left
Protestant and Catholic Churches equally destitute of
.
the fuel of aniinosity, the members of the two The
gloat live on the best tonne with each other. _
warm Church
,ftlritiquently serves for both, and the Pi 0-
4crupte to borrLs"aralrtneonft iiiiilsatel)
versa.
worth 50,000/.
Um, had there been B' I ''' ' s in German
13 10prIC ,
fiercely as in Englau I oii
so- Ii b scanty,oti rsnaliallc,,es no
religious zeal 1 ' 4
elear, and Livings worth Io,ooot
would have continue— to- burn as
influence of interest ' ' o•
•'• • • e
in quieting as well us inflanun,,
religious animosities •
r Ireland. To show the
, we may notice one eiiman--
stance which powerfully contributes . to reconcile
Catholics and Protestants to each other, Toward the

middle of last, century the system of prohibition of
Protestant books in the Catholic States of Germany
began to be relaxed, and it was understood that books
not offensive to the religion of the Catholics, the pro-
duction of Protestant writers, and printed in Protest-
ant States, might be sold in Austria, Bavaria, Wurtz-
burg, &c. When Protestant writers found that the
indulgence of abuse might be attended with the incon-
venience of confining the circulation of their works to
ten or twelve millions of people, instead of twenty-five
millions, and, consequently, lowering the price of copy-
rights, they became all at once exceedingly courteous
to those who differed with them in matters of religion.
Instead of the rancorous abuse of each other's religion,
in which it had been customary for Catholic and Pro-
testant writers to indulge, as in this country, they be-
gan to see only each other's good qualities. But to
return to the meeting at Ballmasloe, we rejoi'oe to see
the spirit with which the Catholics arc proceeding.--
They may rest assured that, so long as they remain
patient, we will remain patient. The only chance they
have of obtaining emancipation, is by making it de-
sirable to the Protestant Aristocracy of the two coun-
tries, that they should obtain it. The rebellion of the
freeholders has done more for them than all the ora-
tions ever delivered in their favour by the most bril-
liant orators whom the sacred cause of religious liberty
ever yet fired.—Morning Chronicle. '