The Sun.
London, England, 1826-11-20 00:00:00

the Noble anti Lefn4cl Lord to stibstitute Tuesday for
Monday. 'What will happen on Tuesday, we know not-7
but that something will happen to prevent a judgment on
Tuesday, we would stake our existence. If almost seems
as if some malignant demon wtte bent on thwerting hi;
Lordship. Titesthiy is the day his Majesty repuirs to the
House of Lords; and we dare to
.sity it did not &Cur to
the Noble and Learned Lord; when be fixed .On Ttlesdav
that time would be Wanting on that. day fOr entering on
so intricate and difficult a case. A history of the causes
of delv of judgment in this case from first to last, would
be curious.: We are,sure we Only do justickhowever, to
the Noble and Learned Lord, when we express our..con-
viction of the uneasiness he feels at theist Cielso,...Ator,„
ing Chronicle.
The. titiAtion of the country is now different in so many
respects from what it was when the present Corn Laws
were enacted, that no proposition,can be more reesmetble
than that it is proper for the Letrisitittite to reconsider and
revise them. .Ittlio inatevai, a great diminution of taxa-
tion hat taken place ; and that single circumstance makes
it fitting to examine anew, how far the existing restrictions
on the importation of foreign corn may be modified, with
safety to those great interests which Parliaitietit
to protect, In pnrsithit this iiiijttiry, we hope that Par-
liament will init lie Ihiluenced by the clamours and paltry
sophitinti of those who call for the repeal of the Corn Laws
as a measure required by the principles of political eco-
nomy. Let our Legislators trace minutely and accurately
the effects which any proposed dello will produce
upon the individuals tind dames who come within the
sphere of ita operation,'and the secondary consequences
upon hther individuals and classes, which will result from
its primary effects; let them follow out these "chains of
consequences, till their whole assemblage, and the whole
series of operations comprised 10 each of them, are before
their view; and shit,, and thus only, let them decide on a
question Which is not a dream of theoretical speculation,
but a problem of practical prudence. General theorems
and abstract reasonings are worth nothing in matters
of policy; the study of them niay be indirectly use-
ful, as a tra,iningi tO enable the mind to analyze and
foresee With increased facility the specific results of specific
measures under given circumstances; but in no case must
they be adopted as a rule of conduct. It is to particular
combinations of events. and to particular consequences,
that the Statesman must look ; if he relies on general
principles and abstract reasonings, be may be fit for suc-
ceeding Jirougham or Joseph Hume as the Rector of a
Scotch College, or a Director of the London University,
but he is an unsafe person to have any share in the ma-
nagement of the concerns of a nation. We have from
time to time, exposed many of the blunders of the men
who dub themselves politicid economists, inconsequence of
their having learned to repeat the rant phrases of the
Edinburgi _Review, and of Mr. Lecturer IVlaectilloch ; and
who, With the empty: conceit which the knowledge of
words and ignorance of things usually produce,presume to
dictate to our Ministers the course which they ought to
pursue. There is another error, in addition to those we
have already pointed out, which insinuates itself into:
nearly all the reasonings by which our sages demonstrate (to
their own satisfaetion) the necessity of repealing the Corn
Laws. The admission of Foreign Corn, they say, will
produce a corresponding' increase of our trade; for that corn
will be paid for by manufactures and colonial produce; and
then, with all the wonder and admiration of men to whom
knowledge is new, they enter into en elaborate exposition
of the trite truth, that it is: only by means of comMo-
dities that one country can purchase the commodities of
another. We are perfectly willing to concede that the,
corn we import will be paid for by an exportation of maH
nufactures ; but it is an error to consider that exportation,
as an augmentation of our trade; it is merely a substitution
of one branch of commerce for another. Suppose, instead
of supplying our wants with home-grown corn, a million
of quarters of grain were to be imported annually, an in-
creased importation of goods would be the natural conse-
quence, or rather the inevitable accompaniment of that
state of things. But another species of change would be
going on at the same time in by far the most important
branch of industry. The imported grain would replace an
equal, or nearly equal quantity, of home grain in the mar-
ket. In that proportion the production:of-the latterwould

he lessened,,and the home demand for, and home consump-'
tion of, manufactured goods, would fall off. , Our foreign
commerce would be augmented, but our home trade would
sustain a corresponding diminution. Where, then,
would be the gain -even to our manufacturers or
our merchants. ? They would not sell a greater
quantity of goods ; the only • difference would be,
that they would Sell ..for the consumption of Poland and
America, what they before sold for the consumption of our
own farmers and labourers. Is such a change for their be-
nelit ? Does a distant foreign commerce afford better and
more rapid returns than a near and sure home trade ?
While the manufacturer does not gain, the country sus-
tains a positive lossin opulence and industry. It formerly
enjoyed the benefit of both, the production and the con-
sumption, as well of the million quartera'of grain, as of
goods for which that grain was exchanged. But when
the- grain is imported; it has only the. production of the
manufactures, and the consumption of the corn ; the pro-
duction of the corn, and the consumption of the manufac-
tures, are removed to a foreign land. Such a change is an
evil, to which, under extraordinary circumstances, and
from extraordinary inducements, it might be proper to
submit; but that any set of men should think that it ought
to be courted us a' blessing, does excite our surprise. We
had always conceived, that, even in theory, the wealth and.
industry of 'a .eoararrdepend: on the amount of its pro-
duction and consumption ;• and it was reserved for the
modern enemies of the Corn Laws to discover, that to di-
ntinish .production and consumption is the best mode of
promoting the Welfare of it natiod.—Aretti Times. • .