The Sun.
London, England, 1842-05-26 00:00:00

THE SUN', LONDON% TETURSpAN

21. .16.‘
Jmg 1,1141,

LONDON
',NING, MAY 26, 1842.

THURSDAY MMOi•.

:ct consu-
mers We drew attention the day before este
tender care which the Tories exhibited w rdahye
to h
in Newfoundland,. and to their equal dis7egard of
the interests of the consumers in England. Last night
brouglit a parallel case to that of Newloundland before
the House of Commons, and exhibited another specimen
of their shamelea's inconsistency. As *lig as this coun-
try must import food at all, such as bacon, butter, hams,
the price given or obtained for the last portion of the ne-
cessary supply will regulate the price of all the bacon,
butter, and hams in the market. If we require, for ex-
ample, butter from Holland, and hums from Ainer:ca,
the price of American hams, and of Dutch butter, plus
the duty levied oa them, will determine the price of hams
and-butter. Accordingly, if American hams can be ha-
ported from Canada, on payment of half the duty imposed
on ihose hams when imported di: ect, and we require, and
can pay fbr hams directly imported, half of that duty will
go into the pockets of the Canadian,.. '
Last night Mr. MILES showed' that the freight of
salted meat from New Orleans would be Is. Gd. and the
duty Bs. per cwt., together, 9s. Gd. Imported through
Canada, the freight would be 4s. ld. and the duty 2s. Gd.,
making 6s. 7il. par cwt. Similar facts apply to bacon and
ham, giving a different:o of Ss. per cwt. in favour of the
Canadians. We are not advocating the imposition of a
duty on salt meat, on bacon and hams, imported into Ca-
nada from the United States ; but we cannot see in what
this case differs from that of American flour, on which
the Ministers have placed a duty, because they
would not allow the Canadians to gain 2s. per
barrel by the duty when they carried American flour
to the inhabitants of Newfoundland. The two cases are
identical, and they show that the lfinisters will not
tolerate the Canadians in obtaining 2s. at the expense of
the consumers or Newfoundland, and they will tolerate
theta getting Bs. at the expense. of the consumers in
E le" land. As we have already reawrked, the Ministers
think the people of England lair game to be plucked as
long aa they will iubmit to it.
Lord Ilowtca proprrly stated, that if Ministers acted
sin their Own principle, they ought to impose a duty
all bacon introduced into Canada front the United( Sty onates•
The Noble Lord suggested a lower rate of ditty for all
bacon and for all meat, but declined to press lii*
sug-
gestion, though he., was aware of the inconsistency of the
Ministers. In one month they propose to tax American
flour when it passes into Canada, in order to prevent the
Canadians from sharing the duty •on flour . levied in
:Newfoundland; and in the next month they pass a law to
enable these said Canadians to share largely in the duty
these very Ministers exact from the people of England,
kni bacon, hams, and salt meat.

Mr. WAKLEY'S motion to substitute a duty of five
yew cent., ud valorem, on apples, for the proposed duty
of Gd. per bushel, was lost on Tuesday night by a con-
siderable majority. The majority would not, have been
much greater had he proposed to abolish the dUty alto-
gether ; anti lie committed a mistake by not making that
proposition,. ll* could not possibly have been in a
Iv( wse. position than to lose his motion, and
Then he would have appeared to every person
who may hereafter consult the records of the
House of Cimuon.s, as having propounded the
genuine principle of free trade. As his motion was
framed he will appear to have advocated, in 1842, the
imposition of a duty of five per cent. on apples, not for
the sake of revenue, but to give protection to fruit
growers. Hereafter his motion, though proposed with
the best intentions, may be quoted against him as pro-
posing and defending a partial monopoly.
From his failure, and from believing that in all other
,similar eases when the reduction of a duty is proposed
by the Liberals they will be sure to be defeated, we draw
the conclusion that they should stick to their principles,

and never advocate or,propose a smaller protecting duty
than the one proposed in the 'tariff: They ought to re-
sist the imposition of all protective duties, and, whenever
they make any motion concerning them; they ought to
pr Those their total abolition. They are sure, at present,
we are aware, to be defeated, but by opposing all pro-
tecting duties, they preserve, by proposin ; to modify
them they forfeit, their character for consistency.
It is, we know, said that such a stubborn adherence to
principle makes a man impracticable. But this is not
a case. of compromise with a view to bringing about
the combined action of many individuals. There is
no hOpe of effecting any immediate change in the
tariff by such propositions, and to leave the lofty ground
of principle, is to sacrifice it without gaining any advan-
tage. The interest of the community will be better
served by having correct principles and important
truths enunciated in Parliament, than by making a
bundle of new and imperfect laws, which, after they
have inflicted all the mischief the people will bear, must
be superseded by other laws. When men are required
to act together, they must, perhaps, compromise their
opinions ; but when they are discussing a subject, it is
essential, even to promote their agreement, that each
individual fearlessly and honestly express his own opi-
nions. Above all, when one man or one party is attacking
the opinions of another, it is necessary that he take
truth and principle to his aid, as the only arms by which
he can conquer. We must insist, therefore, that it is the
duty of Members of the Opposition, in submitting mo-
tions which they know will not be carried, not to consult
the probable or conjectured opinion of others, but fear-
lessly to state their own, and to make no propositions
which are not in strict accordance with their convictions
and their principles. '
Mr. VILLIERS acted in this way when he proposed to
admit cattle at a nominal duty. He carried out, consist-
ently and honourably, the doctrines of free trade, and
though he lost Lord J. RUSSELL'S vote, and the votesof
some of the Cavendishes, he had a respectable minority.
We should not have been worse pleased had he even cast
aside the nominal duty of ls., which was only proposed for
the sake of the statisticians of the Board of Trade, who
delight in telling off the.human race. The use of such
duties is only to enable them to number and record the
possessions of individuals, and put the country to an
enormous expense by printing a prodigious mass of use-
less information. Their views, however, are, we know,
not now to be slighted, and Mr. VILLIERS acted strictly
according to his own principles, when he proposed the
nominal duty.
We hold up his conduct for the imitation of other
Members. They can have no hope of modifying the
tariff; and unless, therefore, a principle be at stake, they
ought not to meddle with it. Protecting or discriminat-
ing duties they ought seldom to touch, unless it be
to abolish them. Duties for revenue they may acquiesce
in ; duties for protection are an abomination in the eyes
of a free trader; and his business is to get rid of them, not
b modify and continue them.
Mr. M. PHILIPS, Lord Howlett, and Sir J. GUEST,
were last night obnoxious to the censure we have cast
on Mr. WARLEY. They each of them proposed a re-
duction on the duties on butter and cheese, intended for
protection, and will hereafter have the credit of having
wished to tax the butter of the people 10s. per cwt., and
their cheese 7s. 6d. and ss. These are Duties which, for
the sake of the people, whose principal food, after bread
and potatoes, is cheese and butter, ought to be abolished.
That Sir R. PEEL will not make these small reductions
is another proof that he cares very little for the working
people.

A return has been laid on the table of the House of
Commons, and printed, of the sums expended in the pur-
chase of fresh meat, &c., for the use of Greenwich Hos-
pital, from 1835 to 1841, and of the contract prices of
salt provisions supplied to the Navy for the same period,
which is well worthy of the public attention. While the
working-classes cannot get bread or potatoes, while they
are living on dead dogs and rotten cows, and while they
are reduced to a state of actual famine, which is not to
be paralleled out of India or China, Sir ROBERT
PEEL and his considerate friends pretend to relieve
them by a measure which is calculated to lower the price
of meat, perhaps a halfpenny in the pound. The grounds
on which Sir ROBERT PEEL proposes to make this poor
reduction, is the gradual, and yet great rise, which has
taken place in the price of meat. The public will recol-
lect how elaborately he proved, on the 10th inst., in
order to soothe his agricultural friends, and demonstrate
the necessity of allowing the introduction of foreign
cattle, that the rise in the price of meat had been very
extraordinary since the year 1835. Now these returns
do undoubtedly show a great rise in the price of meat
since that period. We shall content ourselves with
quoting the beginning and the end of the series, observ-
ing that the change between the two was gradual and
successive.

In 1835 the average price of fresh meat purchased for
Greenwich Hospital was 40s. ?-id. per cwt. ; and in
1841 it was 565. Old., showing 'an increase, speaking
roughly, of 37 per cent. In 1815 the average contract
price of fresh beef for the Navy was 11. 15s. 4d. per cwt.,
and in 1841 it had risen to 21. 9s. 2d., also an increase
of 37 percent. In 1835 the. contract price for a tierce of salt
beef, was 5/. 16s. id., and in 1841 it was 71 ss. 4d., an
increase of 25 per cent. In 1835 the contract price of a
tierce of salt pork was 41. 14s. 8(1., and in 1841 it was
71. 3s. 5d., an increase of 52 per cent. ; a very considerable
rise. which amply justifies the cautious Sir IL PEEL in
relaxing a little the restriction which confines our people
to the area of these islands to obtain • their supplies of
meat.

'Sir R..PEEL, however, did not, that we recollect, say
anything at the same time about any corresponding rise
in the price of wheat. At least we are quite sure that
he never dwelt on any equally alarming rise in that be-
twen 1835 and 1841, as an all-sufficient reason for largely
extending the area whence the people, who cannot com-
mand meat, who rarely or never see it, may procure a
supply of wheat, flour, and bread. Now these returns
enable us to complete that part of the picture which he
left, we believe designedly, unfinished; and when we have
laid them before our readers, we believe they will con-
clude with us, that if the rise in the price of meat be-
tween 1835 and 184,1 required Sir R. PEEL to enlarge the
area of the supply, the rise in the price of flour ought
to have been much more imperative on hint to increase
the quantity of bread corn.
In 1835 the average price of wheat flour per sack
as purchased for Greenwich Hospital was 31s. and
in 1841 it was 525. 5441., or an increase of GS per cent.
In 1835 the average price of red wheat per quarter was
2/. Os. 4d., in 1841 it was 21. 9s. 2d., an increase of more
than 70 per cent. Thus we see that while between-1835
and 1841 meat rose in the proportion of 37, 25, and 52
per cent., wheat and flour rose 68 and 70 per cent. Ali
the arguments, therefore, which Sir IionERT PEEL has
urged for admitting cattle at a comparatively low duty,
tell with nearly double force in favour of extending the
area whence our people can obtain wheat and flour.

In one part of the Report of the Commissioners on
Mines, it is stated that the food of the colliers consists
chiefly of bread and butter and bread and cheese. A
large number of those hard-working men cannot corn
mand meat. They, however, are comparatively well
P., and we therefore conclude that the bulk of the
labouring' classes of this country now consum, very
little or no moat, They are far I..ss interested, then -
fore, in the reduction of the price of meat than in the
reduction of the price of flour ; yet Sir R. PEEL,
while he pretends to study the interuste t)f the working
classes, takes no notice of the exorbitant rise in the
price of their provisions, and takes no measure what-
ever, except the tedttetion of the duty on potatoes, to
reduce the price of their food. Meat is con•
sumed chiefly by the rich and, particularly
in the present circumstances of the people, the reduction
caused in. its price by Sir R. PEEL'S tariff; whatever it
may be, which will, we believe, be very little, will be all
fur the advantage of the rich, At the same time, it is
clear, from the far greater proportionate rise iu the price
of flour and wheat, the chief food of the labouring Pi 4.0951
than in the rise of the price of meat, that a reasonable
and just statesman would have directed his exertions
ratherl to lower the price of the former than the latter
l
t Sir R. PEEL has taken a different course, while he
has pretended to feel for the poor, is only another prof
to be added to the
many painful proofs we have already
at different times adduced,
that be is one of the greatest
deceivers that ever stood at the
present
tesehnitli.gpii..Z.
of
These statements warrant, head
of
nation's
affairs.
vation. They show that the
etitl4ll sm(a)fdithearlc 'reptanritesr,otthae
cattle, on which all the Caletd.
b
graziers, and the public have
agricultural produce. A •
egaelLenttilrreisfeedi nwtiltl eh
Siraitceproodf 2r,jr.the ' t,iLe
be in some degree proportionate to the price
Whether any cattle or none be brought into England tiow
foreign countries will depend, therefore,
on our harvests
and on the price of wheat in England. We see no rea
sou
when the seasons turn, as perhaps they DM will, and
when the population is nearly starved down, it, 44 P re:
stilt, to the quantity of food produced in averageyear.,by England, why prices should not again decline till
they reach the level of /835. On the contrary, we think
there arc many reasons why such Should be the result
Two successive abundant harvests, *itk P 9 exten-
sion of trade, of which we see no signs, We l 4
bring it about. Under those circumstances, the price.
of cattle as well as wheat would fall to about the con-
tinental level; and the renowned tariff, for which we are to
submit to an income•tax, will not introduce into the
land a single head of either fat or lean lane, Which-
ever way our attention is directed to the commergisl
measures of Ministers, the more firmly are we persuaded

that the whole is a great mass of delusion, and thcs e
who expect public benefit from such a complification of
ignorance, inconsistency, and deceit, will find themselve
egregiously mistaken.

LITERATURE.
DE VALENCOURT—A TRAGEDY.
Mitchell, London, 1842.

We learn from the title-page of this remarkable
drama, that it is the joint production of two gentle-
men, rejoicing in the names of William Henry Hos-
kins, and Horatio. Huntley Hoskins, and that it has
already been performed td the Norwich and Lynn
theatres. In what form it was played there—whether
as a tragedy, comedy, or farce, the authors do not in-
form • us, but as they style it a tragedy, we may reason-
ably presume that it was performed as such ; and truly
there is much in it of a deeply tragic character, for
common sense is assassinated in the very first act ;
grammar put to the most wanton tortures ; and pro-
babilitysubjected to such grievous shocks, as might
make even stones weep ! When we bear in mind
that this surprising composition is a sort of Beau-
mont-and-Fletcher concern, _we feel a natural
curiosity, in which the public will no doubt share,
to ascertain how much of it is due to William
Henry Hoskins, and how much to Horatio Huntley
Hoskins:—who did the funny; and who the pathetic
parts—who manufactured the prose, and who the
poesy ; unfortunately, however, we are left in the
dark, as to the exact share which each gentleman had
in the piece ; and we are not a little uneasy, there-
fore, least while courteously protesting against certain
portions of it, we may make William Henry wince,
when Horatio Huntley should be the object of our mild
objurgation.—The tragedy opens with a fight between
Vitelli, an Italian peer, and Jacques, a foolish
footman, which is interrupted by the entrance of
Traversaro, a Judge of Ferrara, and Regent during
the Duke's absence, who taunts the combatants with
seeking "to untie each other's lives," whereupon
Vitelli proceeds to explain theeause of the row, which
originated—as most skriminages do—in a woman.
It seems that Eufrania Galeazzo, a wealthy, and
high-
born lady of Ferrara, had some time before been sub-
jected to the importunate addresses of Vitelli, which
so annoyed her sweet-heart, Fernando de Valencourt,
a prodigal peer, that he ordered his footman, Jacques, to
pitch into him the first convenient opportunity. Hence
the " disturbant riot," to quote our author's phraseo-
logy. In the next scene, we learn that Eufrania has
been clapped in Quod for high treason, having ven-
tured to plead for the pardon of her father, who had
been unjustly executed by the late Duke of Ferrara
for a traitor. Feeling, as might be expected,
exceedingly uncomfortable in her cell, especially
as she is in chains, the disconsolate young woman
pours forth her griefs in soliloquy to a bird, which is in
a cage beside her, reminding the feathered warbler
how kind she had been to him in happier days, and
requesting him as a particular favour to tune up. On
his refusing to comply with her strenuous solicitations,
she expresses her astonishment at his obstinate silence,
but immediately afterwards discovers that it is from
a delicate regard to her feelings that he declines to
sing her " requiem," and touchingly adds,
"Oh, honest bird !
How like-the faithful dog ! How. different
_ From faithless man !" •

Generally speaking, there is unquestionably a great
difference between a man and a bird, though we
have known some men who bore a most marvellous
semblance to a goose.—The next scene introduces us
to Francisco, the Duke of Ferrara, and Eufrania's
sweet-heart, Fernando. Both are in a high state of
excitement, for the one is relating, and the other is
listening to, the particulars of the lady's imprisonment.
" Her arms," observes the indignant Fernando—
" Which once lent lustre to fine polished armlets, were
manacled with rusty iron to her silver thighs ; round
her fair neck, which wore a carcarret of unexcelled mag-
nificence, a brazen band was coarsely gartered, and her
pure and vestal temple ingil t with ruffians. In fine, her
rank was paid no compliment, but in the common prison,
there—there was she with Ferrara's scum vilely incar-
cerated."

There is a pleasing ambiguity in this passage,
which possesses all the charm of an enigma ; but as
we are indifferent guessers at riddles, we shall make
no further comment on it, than just to express our in-
dignation at the wretches who could clap rusty chains
on a gentlewoman's " silver thighs," and tie a garter
round her neck ! Had they possessed the slightest
spark of sentiment, they would have died rather than
have done so, for, mark, how the fair object of their
brutality is described by her impassioned lover Fer-
nando !

" Oh ! her eyes do beggar Heaven's brightest stars in
lustre—!ter hair long and luxuriant, dark as the jettest
raven's—her fair forehead mild and expressive as iEgean
Jove's—her mouth a paradise of flowers secured by gates
of whitest ivory, made jocund by her nimble tongue, that
ever and anon would warble strains of varied and of
cadent harmony, which should outdo each feathered
songster of the grove ! She is in form the very proto-
type of grace,—and then her mind !--Oh, it is a glass,
whereat Truth and Virtue robe themselves when they
would convert a protlivtte ! " _

This animated description so works upon the Duke
Francisco, that he expresses the strongest sym-
pathy with Eufrania, and adds, addressing himself to
Fernando,

" As a man, I feel and share your sorrow ; but then
my mind is so moulded, that I can whistle shallow sighs
off to their native element, when action is required."
.We would give much to have seen the Duke of
Ferrara engaged in the occupation of whistling a
sigh off to its native element, and regret that he did
not inform us by what means such a perplexing feat
was to be achieved. The result of the confabulation
between him and Fernando is, that the latter resolves
on pleading Eufrania's cause, •in the disguise of a
doctor of laws, before Traversaro, the judge, who,
happening to be an exceeding , rogue, is bent on pro-
curing the prisoner's conviction, as in that case, he
will be put in possesion of her estates. Accordingly,
after the case for the prosecution is closed, he declares
Eufrania to be guilty, notwithstanding an energetic
protest from Fernando; when, lo! just as Traversaro
is about to put on the black cap, an order comes from
Francisco, commanding him to quit the judgment..
seat, and stand at the bar as a criminal ! Of course
he has no alternative but to obey ; and evidence
being adduced against him, he is found guilty of
corrupt practices as a judge, and sentenced to be
hanged, while his intended victim is honourably ac-
quitted. Fernando, still disguised as a lawyer, now
thinks himself entitled to his client's lasting gratitude ;
and in a long and sentimental dialogue with her, thus
alludes to a lady whom he deeply loved :
" Her riches were as countless as the gnat
Which, summer through,
Teazes the reaper as he toils ; her mind•
Was as a sacred Faille lit up with Truth,
With Vir tie sentinelled, and fretted o'er
With silver hieroglyphs of Innocence !"
There is infinite pastoral beauty in the image of the
gnat teasing the reaper, though it is•by no means im-
probable that the reaper himself may be of a different
opinion. When Fernando has brought his speech to
an anchor, Eufrania sets to' • and candidly acknowledges
that she -is in love with him, upon which he throws
off his disguise, and tells her that, if she has no ob-
jection, he will marry her on the spot, observing,
" We'll strait at Church
Be confirmed in our loves, and in the glee
And jocund jollity, with which from hence
We will demean ourselves, we will inspire
Ferrara all afresh dance but we
Will mingle in, and track each other's steps
All through the giddy maze !—no masquerade
But we will there be seen in lover's guise,
And thou shalt be my Juliet, and I
'l'hy Romeo ! No tilt, no tournament,
But we will be conspicuons in for carriage,
And for well governed steeds ! No theatre but

Shall have can. patronage !"
Fernando keeps his promise to the letter. After
his marriage with Eufrania, he indulges in all sorts
of fun--bets at horse-racei—games—gives splendid
feeds—goes half-price to the play—and soon runs
through a very pretty property. But mischief mean-
time is at work, for we find his rival Vitolll plotting
in the second act with a worthy agent, one Cavigni—
a horrid scamp—the young Benedict's utter ruin.
ft seems that the Duke de Guise and the Mar-
quis and Marchioness de Brion are shortly ex-
pected at Ferrara, on learning which Qatvigid waylays
and murders them, and then, with \riteill, and a lady
of easy virtue, by name Cleora, takes upon himself to
personate them, and being introduced to Fernando,
pip-mg hatyl over ears in debts of honour. In the
third act we 11n4 141441114 Finging far the
footman, and asking him where her "L'ord
replying that he has gone forth to hunt with his illus-
trious French guests, and threatening a long speech
on tio guhiepti or, cuts him short by remarking,
tf..Fr? YO 4R; PiF6IOFR_PYP;'
And orders him to go to PIP 14Rqic,CAP the ilPit
room, and

"Reach the English hook
Upon the Art or Angling, writ by Walton !"
Now, as the milk, of this.iragedy are supposed by
the authors to have occured in
.the you Ma
period Izaac Walton was only five years old, we are
puzzled to understand how Eufrania could have had
his work on Angling in her possession ! But to re-
SUMO. Thg IlAy is soon roused • from her piScatory
studies by the abrupt OittfalliV of bor In4ll-407
having at length discovered that he is insobTlit? 411q4
not unlikely to figure among the bankrupt in tIW
Gazette, flies into a rage with his wife—and
form company, too, which makes the • matter
worse. ThiOng ths disembarrassed himself of a
portion of his sp!een, Nvr,kuiio 013.p4 to burro
money of his aristocratic French friends ; `but 'they,
having a natural objection to lend, except on
good security, politely decline compliance with
Tp(pest ; which so enrages him, that he telly
them they 419 INlVhing but
.gentlemen, and
announces his intention of sh4rtli 0410Pfi tit ni
g
with the severest pains and penalties. Accordingly,
we discover him, in the fifth act, pursuing the voca-
tion of a money lender, living in an obscure alley, ,
4.9l'gPF a beard like a he-goat's, growing stingier
and stinsipr pyppy o,y, rninino• as many nobleine4

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