The Sun.
London, England, 1845-11-04 00:00:00

. .
LORD OF HER MAJESTY'S TREASURY, &C. &C.
" The memorial of the Directors of the Chamber of Com-
merce and Manufactures, at Manchester,
" Sheweth—That long experience has taught your me-
morialists that the prosperity of the cotton trade mainly de-
pends upon the price of food, that an abundant and cheap
supply of the first necessaries of life has never failed to be
coincident with increased employment and a higher rate of
wages, whilst dearness and scarcity of provisions have as in-
variably been attended with a diminished demand for labour,
and a reduction of the earnings of the working classes.
" That the cost of wheaten flour and oatmeal has risen
50 per cent. within a few months, and the price of potatoes
is kept down only by the eagerness with which the growers
force them upon the market, on account of their inferior
quality, and from a fear that they will decay; but this in-
creases the danger of future deficiency • whilst the reported
failure of the crop in many parts of Ireland adds a fearful
gloom over the prospects of that portion of the empire, in
whose fate this country is indissoluby involved. From
these facts your memorialists fear that a period of scarcity
and privation is impending, which may endanger the well-
being of this district, and subject the surrounding population
to a repetition of those sufferings from which they have so
recently emerged.
"That, under these circumstances, your memorialists beg
leave respectfully to urge upon your attention the necessity
of devising some means for securing a sufficient supply of
food for the people. In the opinion' of your memorialists,
often expressed to the Government and the Legislature, that
object would have been best secured by removing at a former
period all restrictions upon the trade in corn, believing that
the enterprise and capital of our merchants, which have ac-
cumulated in our warehouses a stock of cotton equal to eight
months' consumption, would have made a similar provision
against a casual deficiency of food, had corn, like cotton, been
left to the unimpeded operations of commerce. But so long
as a law is maintained to prevent the regular exchange of our
manufactures for foreign grain—virtually deterring other
nations from providing for our wants, and prohibiting our
capitalists from storing up a supplyfor future emergencies—so
long as such a law is enforoxi, the Government invests itself
with the responsibility of securing a sufficient supply of food
at all times for the people.
" Your memorialists call your attention to the difficulties
which present . themselves at the present moment arising
from the scarcity of food in Rolland and Belgium, in parts of
Germany, and even in portions of Russia. Those countries,
which in former periods of scarcity ministered to our wants,
are now competing for the scanty stocks in more distant
Markets. But thir Governments having wisely and
humanely offered facilities !or the importation of food, which
are denied in this country, their merchants are forestalling
us in the grain markets everywhere, not exmting our own
shores.

"That, under these vircumstance!t; your memorialists are
of opinion that itebeekii-lei the duty of Government to open
the ports for the free admission:of. food of pll khyls. 'rho
success even. of.. this decisive reinedy, -depends mainly upon
the promptitude with Which it is applied, and, therefore, your
memorialist:4 ,urge the. imperative necessity of adopting it
without delay. by means of an Order in Connell, -and they
feel assured that such an act, dictated alike by prudence,
justice, And humanity, would have the sanction of Parliament
aaci , the • enthusiastic approval of the nation."
Whitehall, Oct 27,1845.

, .
„ . .. _
. ." 'ir---1 have the honour to acknowledge the receipt of the
memorial of the Directors of the Chamber of Commerce and
Manufactures at Manchester, which bears date the 22d of
October. I am, Sir,your obedient servant,
" Thos. Baziey, Esq." " ROBERT PEEL.
—lllanchesier Guardian.

UNITARIANS v. SLAVERY.
(From the New Yon* Journal of Commerce.)
One hundred and seventy Unitarian ministers, residing
chiefly in New England, have issued a protest against the
system of slavery practised, in the southern portion of this
country,—
Because it is a violation of the law of Right, being the
sum of all unrighteousness which man can do to man, depriv-
ing him not only of his possessions but of himself. And, as
in the possession of one's self are included all other posses-
sions, and in the right of one's self are included all other
rights, he who makes a man a slave commits the greatest
possible robbery and the greatest possible wrong.
Because it violates the law of Love, which says. "What-
soever ye would that men should do unto you, do ye even so
unto them."
Because it degrades man, the image of God, into a thing;
changes persons into property; and, by violating the dignity
of the human soul, is a constant sacrilee against that soul
which the Scriptures declare to be the "Temple of the Holy
Ghost."
Because it necessarily tends to pollute the soul of the slave
—producing all vices and fostering habits of indolence, sen-
suality, falsehood, treachery, theft, moral stupor and per-
petual childhood—by taking away Hope, which God has ap-
pointed as the lightener of toil, the spur to exertion, and the
seed of progress, and by destroying the sense of responsibility,
which is the bond that connects the soul with God.
Because it tends to defile the soul of the master, as un-
limited power must generally produce self-indulgence, licen-
tiousness, cruelty, arrogance, and a domineering spirit—
qualities utterly opposed to the humility, meekness, and self-
denial of Christ. We cheerfully admit that some, both of the
slaveholders and slaves, have nobly resisted these in-
fluences and shown us virtues which we should be proud
to imitate; but we know that the prevailing tendency of
the system is nevertheless evil, and that it must always
offer manifold temptations and inevitable occasions to sin.
Because this system, as the indispensable condition of its
continuance, must restrict education, keep the Bible from the
slave, make life insecure in the hands of irresponsible power,
deprive female innocence of protection, sanction adultery,
tear children from parents and husbands from wives, violate
the divine institution of families, and by hard and hopeless
toil make existence a burden.
Because slavery, as all history testifies, eats out the heart
of nations, and tends every year more and more to sear the
popular conscience and impair the virtue of the people.
It neutralizes the influence which we ought to exert on
the world as a nation whose mission it is to extend
the principles of political freedom. It degrades our
national character, making us appear before mankind as
solemn hypocrites, who declare " that all men are equal," and
yet persist in holding a portion of them as slaves—who de-
clare " that all are endowed with certain inalienable rights,
among which are life, liberty, and the pursuit of happiness,"
and yet take these rights from a sixth part of their own
community. Constantly to psofe3s one thing and constantly
to practise another must destroy the sinews of national virtue.

RAILROADS AND TIIRtPIRES.—N otwithstanding
the railroad mania and building; turnpikes continue to bring
their prices. The Montrose turnpike, for instance, wss last
week put up for letting, and brought an advance of 1004 be-
yond what its tolls let for last year.