The Sun.
London, England, 1845-08-25 00:00:00

csbirn/114

,ON.DON, MONDAY, AUGUST 25, 1."•;4h.

The two Members for South Wiltshire, Mr. SIDNEY
HERBERT and Mr. BENETT—one a Cabinet Minister,
the other his Parliamentary follower--have lately at-
tende,l, and spoken at, a farmers' club dinner at War-
minster ; and there is much in the time and place of
meeting, in the names and characters of the speakers, and
in the speeches themselves, to give importance to the
Warminster oratory.
A North Wilshire Member, Mr. SOTHERON, has lately
been perplexing agriculturists with fear of change, and,
with supposed authority from the Prime Minister him-
( self, telling the Wiltshire farmers that a repeal of the
corn-laws in a short time is certain. A Cabinet Minis-
ter goes down to the affrighted neighbourhood, has the
opportunity of speaking to a farmers' club, speaks, and
does he give an authoritative contradiction to the So-
THERON announcement ? No such thing ; he is content
to give an explanation of a speech of his own, delivered
some months back in the House of Commons, in which
he had been thought to tell the agriculturists not to go
whining to Parliament, and by which speech, so under-
stood, he had given umbrage to agriculturists, but in which
what he really did say was (so Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT
now informs the farmers of Warminster), that it would
be distasteful to agriculturists to go whining to Par-
liament, and that they would riot do it. Was it worth
the while of a Cabinet Minister to go down to Warmin-
ster, and make a speech for the purpose of giving this
explanation ? Better, indeed, that Mr. SIDNEY HER-
BERT had left his speech unexplained. The advice which
he was represented to have given the agriculturists was
good advice, and, we should say, so long as agriculturists
call for agricultural protection, wanted. But the state-
meat, that it would be distasteful to the agriculturists to
go whining to Parliament fur assistance, is, we should
say, with all proper respect for Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT,
so long as agriculturists call for agricultural protection,
u a:rue. And Mr. SIDNEY HERBERT has not even the

excuse of having heard no " whining" at the Warminster
dinner. Mr. BENETT had spoken before him, and is
there no " whining" here?--

" This was a serious period for all who were engaged in agri-
culture. Agriculturists hardly knew what to be about ; they
scarcely knew what laws might stand, or what be ;repealed, in
the next or succeeding years. They were told they were to
have a repeal of the corn-laws. He, tor one, did not believe
it ; for he did not think it possible that a measure which would
create universal distress among all classes would b.. permitted
to be carried into effect. * * Heretofore the agricul-
turkts had possessed the greater power, but it was now become
a serious contest. They had now Ministers, too, rather lean-
ing to the new doctrines ; their position was now altered, and
the question arose, what course they ought to pursue? " • •
Still (said Mr. Benett) if they would let us alone we should be
perfectly satisfied; bu► they will not let us go on in the old
jug-trot way—our labourers in comfort, and ourselves happy
and contented.—(Laughter.) 1 see that there is a leaning
towards the trading interest by those who are high in power;
while, at the same time, I have heard them make declarations
of their continued attachment to the land. But lam not de-
spairing, and would have none of you to despair."
Very like whining, if not whining in reality, notwith-
standing the magnanimous disclaimer of despair with