The Sun.
London, England, 1844-03-14 00:00:00

great outlay, and in their present state of insecurity no
one will erect to-day what may be taken from him to-
morrow. The same observation applies to their crops,
their mills, and all permanent improvements. Nothing
arrests energy so much as uncertainty. Has uncer-
tainty of tenure contributed to the prosperity of Ireland?
Do you seek to perpetuate such a system there? Or
has a Commission of Landlord and Tenant been sitting for
nearly a year, for the very purpose of removing such a
monster grievance, and such a bar to the improvement
of the country? The same uncertainty of tenure in
New South Wales affects them in every relation of life;
it affects their morality. These settlers lead a pastoral
life, in all but the social comforts and domestic virtues.
Nineteen out of twenty of the stockholders beyond the
boundaries are unmarried, not that the marriage state
there is a more expensive one—it is the reverse; but in
the dwellings they occupy, they cannot enjoy the com-
forts of social or domestic life, and they dare not, under
the existing law, afford the risk of improvement ; and
that which applies to the masters applies also to those
whom they employ. Matthew Moreham, protector of
the Aborigines, states that now the females are a fre-
quent subject of quarrel between the blacks and settlers.
The redress of these grievances, the remedy of these
evils, the reform of these abuses, is the right of pre-
emption—the right to purchase, at the minimum Govern-
ment price, the lands which they have discovered almost
as much as Columbus discovered America, and to which
they, and they alone, have given the value they
now have. This right has been given by America
to those occupying lands in the interior. Consider the
question in a commercial point of view. Is the House
aware of the immense amount of increase in value im-
ported from Great Brita;n into the colony—namely,
from 409,3441. in 1832, to 1,837,000/ in 1841 ? And the
whole of this amount is paid for in wool, of which the
quantity imported, in 1832, was 1,500,000 lbs., and last
year was 10,500,0001b5. Nor letit be forgotten that by far
the greater quantity of the wool, of which the increase
has been so surprising, and which goes to pay for the ex-
ports above enumerated, has been raised by the very men
who live beyond the boundaries, and in whose behalf
the question is thus brought before you, and is the only
article in which they can pay you. The House is
aware of the wealth, of the importance, of the enterprise
and intelligence of these men, and all these are so many
and grave reasons for taking these complaints into con-
sideration; but there is yet another and more grave.
There are no less than 1,000 stockholders who have
licenses beyond the boundaries, and about double that
number besides, who hold stock running on the stations
of licensed occupiers. Thus there are about three
thousand persons in and around the counties of the
colony, comprising almost all that is distinguished
for property, education, character, or energy ; these
men are powerful, but they are not contented.
I have stated the number of flock masters. In
1839 Sir G. Gipps stated that they had 7,000 or 8,000
tenders, or shepherds, and he also gave the numbers
of their stock, which he believed to be very much
underrated at 1,334,000 sheep, and, taking the average
rate of increase since 1832, we are warranted in assum-
ing that the present number of sheep amounts to nearly
three millions. They occupy a tract of country 1,200
miles of coast in extent, stretching around and beyond
the colony, along the whole line of frontier and of sea
coast, from Portland Bay to the 25th parallel of latitude,
and dipping about 300 miles into the interior, and making
an average advance latterly of from 50 to 70 miles a year.
These men are possessed of vast extent of property and
power, but they are not satisfied ; and I ash whether it
would not be a stroke of wisdom and sound policy, as
well as of justice, to conciliate them by the concession of
their reasonable demands, or by a recommendation to the
Colonial Government to adopt measures for that purpose?
Colonies are the roots which the parent tree of England
has thrown into distant and newer soil, which at once
strengthen and sustain the poorest stem and add fresh
vigour to the branches. In the event, however remote,
of some foreign power seeking to establish a rival do-
minion in the Pacific or the Southern Seas, would it not
be most desirable to endeavour to cement the affections
of the offspring to the parent? If I did not believe that
this measure would not hurt the wool-growers of this
country. connected as I am with a county which supplies
large quantities of wool to the manufacturers, I silould
be the last person in this House to bring forward such
a measure ; but believing as I do, that the competition
is not between home growers and the colonial, but be-
tween the colonial and the foreign, I bring forward the
question with the confidence that it will meet with the
support of her Majesty's Government.
Mr. HOPE did not oppose the return, and the motion
was agreed to.
The House then adjourned at Nine o'Clock.

JOURNEYMEN TAILORS' BENE-
VOLENT INSTITUTION.

The anniversary dinner of the above most excellent
institution took place at the Freemasons' Tavern, on
Tuesday. Upwards of 250 supporters of the charity
were present. Lord Ashley was to have taken the
chair, but owing to pressing business in the (louse of
Commons his Lordship was obliged to send an apolo-
getic letter. Mr. Walesby, Barrister-at Law, and De-
puty-Chairman of the Middlesex County Magistrates,
presided. The usual loyal toasts having been drunk,
the Learned Chairman passed a feeling and most elo-
quent eulogium on Lord Ashley's character, and re-
ferred to his Lordships' well-known philanthropic.
questions in terms which elicited from the crowded
assembly the most rapturous applause. The health of
the President, Mr. Stultz, who has devoted immense
funds (we believe already above 14,0000 to the benefit
of the Institution, was received in the way which it well
deserves. " That excellent individual," observed the
Chairman, "had not bequeathed his means for the sup-
port of the poor and needy waiting till the portal of the
grave had rendered them to himself superfluous, neither
had he, having exhausted the resources of luxury, fur-
nished merely what he was unable to enjoy but in the
full vigour of manhood; he had appropriated to those
who in this life could give him no recompense, a fortune
which his own severe exertions were acquiring, and
which he had the option of applying to his own self-
gratification." A variety of songs and glees were sung
in a very spirited and effective manner by Messrs.
Young, Machin, and other performers. Mr. Toole
officiated as toast-master, and discharged the office in a
way which contributed much to the merriment of 1
the evening. The company dispersed at about half-
past eleven o'clock. Upwards of 520 L was subscribed
in the room during the evening.

ALARMING FIRE at WOODLANDS.

FIVE STACKS BURNT.

We regret to state that, early in the morning of
Tuesday last, the lower corn-yard at Woodlands,
near Dingwall, was discovered to be on fire. The
alarm having been given by one of Mr. Munro
Limlair's shepherds, esiding near. Mr. M'Ewen
and his servants were promptly on the spot,
and every exertion was used, by throwing snow
and water on the burning stacks, to subdue the devour-
ing element. When the stacks were first seen by Mr.
MeEwen, five of them were blazing, ignited to about the
same extent ; and this number was actually destroyed,
one of which consisted of wheat, and the other three of
oats. There were eight other stacks in the same yard,
which were saved by the great exertions of those
present. There is no doubt that the fire was not the result
of accident, but is attributable to some diabolical incen-
diary. We - understand that sheaves were pulled out of
several of the remaining stacks, and that tarry rope
was found in the holes occasioned by the removal
of the sheaves. Thus a regular train was in a man-
ner laid for igniting the whole yard, and it is
fortunate that the fire was so soon observed,
and that the morning was calm, otherwise
.the
whole must have been destroyed. The yard is re-
moved several yards from the steading, and conse-
quently was not exposed to any accidental contact
from that quarter. Mr. M'Ewen's loss cannot be
much under.; 120/.,' and, we are glad to say that
he is insured. buring harvest and since, Mr.
M-Twen was threatened with the burning of his pre-
mises, and we fear that some individual or indi-
viduals, too enthusiastic and reckless in support of their
religious system, have wreaked their over-excited zeal
upon one adhering to the Church, who, in regard to the
secession, enacted no offensive part. The Procurator-
Fiscal has taken up the matter, and of course the case
will be thoroughly sifted. In the meantime, we forbear
from any further remarks.—. Ross-shire Advertiser.

THE ROMANCE OF * " CHATSWORTH," Edited by
the Author of " Tremaine," and "De Vere."—The brilliant
portraits which form so remarkable a feature in the new novel
of "Chatsworth," will contribute not a little to the success
which that work seems destined to attain, and though it is
clear that no one of them can be fixed, with any show of
fairness, on any of the living celebrities of the day, it is
equally certain that not one among those sparkling sketches
but will be attributed to at least half a dozen of people to
each of whom some one feature of it may be supposed to
apply. Which among our half-dozen most popular writers
will not aspire to be thought the "Admirable Crichton of
his day"—Mr. Reginald Beltravers—which of the half score
of " Geniuses" in which our literature rejoices, will not fancy
himself (or his friends fancy it for him) typified in that
cleverest of oddities, Mr. Tresyllian Thoms ? and as for the
" Lady Bab Brilliants" of the literary and fashionable world
—they so abound (in everything but the cleverness) that
there will be no end to the claims upon the proprietorship of that
portrait. Some of the others being rather less acceptable,
will probably not be so eagerly appropriated.
THE PROHIBITED COMEDY.—A great sensation
will doubtless be created by the article which appears in
Colburn's New Monthly Maguzine for the present month, re-
lative to the prohibition, by the Lord Chamberlain, of the five-
act comedy entitled Richelieu in Love; or, The Youth of
Charles the First. It is observed, " This is a question which
affects the freedom of literature at large—not merely stage
literature. It affects the right of all English authors when
any author is thus struck down, without trial, without being
allowed to defend himself, without being allowed to amend
his error, if any had been proved against him, and above all,
without the right of appeal. No man but an English dra-
matist can be thus treated in England. Well may the author
of Richelieu demand, Is it just or unjust to put any citizen
out of the pale of the Constitution, and into the power of an
irresponsible and arbitrary tribunal ? Why should the drama
be the only species of literature still marked with the brand
of slavery ?' We repeat, this is a question which concerns all
men of letters, and we ask them, will they submit to the in-
fliction of so flagrant an injustice ?"
THE PROPERTY-TAX TERMINATING IN 1815.—Tht
Right Hon. N. Vansittart, in the Committees of Ways and
Means, in the House of Commons, February, 1815, stated
that there had been actually paid by the property-tax
126 millions of money, by which an additional charge
of above 180 millions of stock, and almost nine
millions of permanent taxes, had been avoided. With
what would the country have been burthened if it
had not been for the operation of this tax, which has
been :so much reprobated? He proceeded to- justify
its eaaatment by a reference to the Act of Queen Anne
(Ist ADM), see, R, chap. 15), passed on the renewal of the
French war, for the purpose of defraying the subsidieJ of that
time ; by which a duty of 50s. per cent. was imposed on the
Fspitg) of stock in trade ; 255. per cent. on debts of interest ; 4s
in the riound on pgpsions and annuities; and 4s. in the pound
on profusgpai
Fronts,