The Sun.
London, England, 1842-11-15 00:00:00

rHE SUN,* riIIVD.ON;

may have been written at College, or on his way
home from India. Granted. We know nothing
on the subject. But why are they published
now? Why does Mr. MACAULAY seek at this
time to divert public attention from the suffering
of England to the legends of Rome ? There are
triflers enough in the land. There is a whole
army—almost a myriad of them—who certainly
amuse, but who fritter away the public mind by
imaginary tales. They tend to destroy all hearti•
ness and all earnestness. They lull the public
into insensibility to the condition of the people,
and are some of the best allies of that misgovern-
ment which leads to revolution. If Mr. MACA
LAT feels no interest in the condition of England,
he does well to emulate these triflers, and publish
at this time his boyish effusions, and the studies
that served to dissipate the ennui of a long sea
voyage. But we must inform him that the suf-
ferings of the people have given sternness to their
temper, and by now amusing himself with these
literary trifles he displays an insensibility to
their condition, and exposes himself to public
contempt.

The Scotsman says, " Mr. MACAULAY is the
representative of Edinburgh, and he is not aware
that any party there chkge him with neglecting
their interest." More shame for the men of
Edinburgh. But as we have had the pleasure of
hearing Mr. DUNCAN M'LAREN speak eloquently
against the Corn-laws, as we remember the
stern, but just, terms, in which they were de-
nounced by the Edinbnrgh Guild of Merchants,
we must be permitted to doubt the accuracy of
the Scotsman's assertion. Mr. MACAULAY has
done little or nothing to release the throat of the
people from the gripe of the landlords, and if the
Anti-Corn-law party in Edinburgh are satisfied
with his exertions, they must send him to Par-
liament rather to thwart than promote their
views. One or two speeches of comparatively
little importance are the sum of the Right Hon.
Gentleman's exertions since he was released
from the trammels of office ; and while in office,
like the rest of the Whigs, he sacrificed the
principles of free trade for the purposes of party.
In the last session, some most eventful mea-
sures were brought forward. The people were
then cursed with an Income-tax. A whole sys-
tem of new differential duties was imposed on
commerce ; a piece of charlatanism in the shape
of a sliding scale received the sanction of the
House of Commons, and we have no recollection
of any great efforts which Mr. MACAULAY made
to expose the cunning and the iniquity of that
legislation. What exertions did the Right Hon.
Gentleman make to stir up the spirit of the peo-
ple, and stop the measures that are now gall-.
ing them to the quick ? He had little time to
consider such important matters ; he was im-
mersed, it appears, in the mythe of ancient,
or the superstitions of modern Rome. If the
Right Hon. Gentleman prefer these amusements
to the dry details of Corn and Provision-laws, we
shall make no objection to his pursuits ; but we
shall feel it to be our duty to warn the public
that a gentleman of such a cultivated taste can-
not possibly attend to the vulgar wants of the
people.

We cannot doubt but that the Anti-Corn-law
League is making a rapid progress to power,
The notice taken of it by its enemies attests this
fact. The Times reports its proceedings at great
length, and the other Tory journals emulate its
example. Their comments on the League betray
their fear. Circumstances, too, help the League.
Trade does not get any better, and agriculture
gets worse. The discontent of the manufacturers
is a trifle compared to the growling discontent
of the farmers, and very soon the bulk of the
nation will demand a serious change.
Much, too, is due to the organization of the
League. They have divided England and Wales
into twelve districts, for the registration ()fall those
who will support them. To every district a lecturer
and a superintending registrar are appointed, and
all members are to be enrolled who are willing to
pay one penny. The grand objectis to ascertain
the electoral strength of those who will support
the League, and the exact amount of public
opinion they can bring to bear on the Parliament.
To get at this, ;towns like Birmingham are di-
vided into wards or sections—there they amount
to thirteen. In every ward a Committee is or-
ganised, and it is to be regularly canvassed.
Such a system will carry the League home to
every man's door, and will. call 9n,him to Say
whether he be for monopoly or free trade.
It will scarcely allow of neutrality. If the
League be already powerful, such a plan will
add amazingly to its power, or destroy it.
We believe, as the cause is righteous
and the times favourable, that it Will
add much to the power of the League.
After learning so much of its intentions and its
progress, we are not surprised that the mono-
polist Government is alarmed, and that reports
are rife of new coercive plans to secure mono-
poly—if possible—and put down by force the
advocates of unrestricted industry.