The Sun.
London, England, 1820-05-09 00:00:00

[PitICE BEVENPENCT.

maul of fortune had at that time been so easy of
access, that we had not been sutticient!y scrupu-
lous as to the node Of irtainitig,it. It was to

remit) of that state of thing that the present Cali
was trade upon the House. One case of the
distress was, that the trade v've had lost had gone
into all the different chalitiels of Europe—they had

all now a share of it. At the sa►i►e ►ime it was to
be considered, that, trooß riot having had any

competitors, we now had them in every part of
dm world. To this end, it seemed to him to be

important for them to come to a recurrence of
those old-established opinions And maxims on the
subject of ttade, which first led to their pros-
perity. It was unfortunate, that with the loss
of a great part of their commerce, they still re-
tained their immense load of debt.—(Hear, hear 1.)
That debt was largely added to by their departura
from a proper currency.--(Hear, heat !)---Ft oat
having viewed this subject carelessly during their
prosperity, they nom felt the evils of it. The ope-
ration of the taxes was amp her aggravation upon

the labour of the cottony, which disclualilird u• for
an equal Corilpell,lolt with 001t9
countries. U~~-
der this state of affiirs, it was disheartening to

see Ministers coi...ing down with prophecies of the

increasing prosperity of the country for many
years past. The croaker might now have his
turn, for he was sure that there were no appre-
hensious which had been given vent to since the
peace, which had not been fully verified. Ott
the subject of the Corn Lsws he bad never tittered
his opinion. That they were impolitic he still
thought, but at the same time he was ready to
yield out that point rather than disturb the peace
of the country, or irritate the minds of the dis-
tressed by taking any audden step for the present
with respect to them. It was expedient to con-
sider what were the principles through which we
bad arrived at our last prosperity. For that pur-
pose we must go back to the old times. We should
there find that those great principles were found-
ed on the secority of property, arising from free-
dom of trade, carried to the utmost extent it was
possible for practical purposes. Oil that point
the petitioners themselves ventured to express
their opinions. The atici-'n“ ins ittitions of tl.e
country having solved the great problem of con-
nectiug older and liberty—a respectful defe-
rence for the laws, with the greatest liberty it
was possible to enjoy, afforded us an example
which served as an instructive lesson in nor pe-
sent calamities. Nothing was more fatal to the
cause of industry, than insubordination; those
who had the task of enlightening the minds of the
people, should be earefel to establish, in the
strongest manner, the necessity of order. With
a people, like the Scotch, on whose minds any
thing like common sense was calculated to make
an impression, the betieficiel results of sehoidina-
tion, duly explained, were calculated to produce
the most desirable t ffects in their present lament-
able coniiition. Ile was softy to hear that at
Paisley many persons of large property, from
whose exertions the country derived great benefit,
were about withdrawing all their capital etnintrk-
ed in manufactures, in consequence of the risk to
which their property was exposed, from the state
of insubordination too prevalent in that part of
the country. It was a pity they did not take a
lesson from a country which was next to them.—
, Iu that country, the only ostensible (lett intent to
its reaching the height of prosperity in manufac-
tures, was the spirit of insithordination which it
had always shown in so great a degree. The
Hon. Member alluded to America as an instance
of the certain plospetity arising from the freedom,
of trade. It was a general complaint, that the
American merchants met us in all our enterprises
in every part of the mold. The increasing pro.
sperity of France was to be attributed to the same
principles. He had lately received a letter from
a Gentleman orCalais, relative to the state of
things in that country, wherein he represented
that the enischievoes" clamour which had been
raised throughout the kingdom had not infleeeced
the mass of the people. The manufacturer found
more employment than of late, and the labouter
was in no want of something to do. lie did not
despair, that with the moral feelings and good
sense of the people of tide country, they would
see their error ere it was too late to retrieve it.
The words of the petition might be supposed to
infer a wish for the repeal of the Corn Laws, but
at the same time it was not to be conaider.ed that the
petitioners or himself desired the adop•ion of any
sodden measure. Something, it was evident, most
he done.—(Hear !)—He, therefore, would nom
take the liberty to state his opinion, that tench
of the present distress was owing to the apathy
of Government ; who, instead of entering
into the state of the country like States-
men, seemed to show a disposition to go on
from year to year, getting more and more
in-
voived, without( mekiug a single effort to remedy
the evil. 'ln this they only folloreed the astute
course as in the fieanceeffairs.—(Hear, hem !)
Wben a vestion came on between prey and
party, Government stood aloof, as it %vete, to see
which side wools be able to give them the grea.est
share of interest in that bear !)
It was gurettil to see, in old burrs, the bold mew.
nee in which, owlet- cif cumstances of greater
party difficulties, questions invoking the interests
of the coetory wet< entered upon. Ministers did
not then "me down weighing between party and
party, ac hated as it were by no other considera-
tion than EON to keep their placer anodicr year.
lie would, however, return to the Petit lot. 5 slid
having stated, that the olieet of the Petiii,meis
was to procine a greater freedom of trade—to re•
store it on its ancient basis, by removing the mo-
dern restriction ; he would state some of those
pointi on which he collet iced improvement might
he made. The first principle Wild) the Poi.
tioners had to combat as as, that tenacious tioc.