The Sun.
London, England, 1842-10-05 00:00:00

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LONDON:
WEDNESDAY MORNING. OCTOBER 5, 1842.

Nov that M. DE LA MARTINE has asserted
that the world is becoming mechanical or manu-
facturing, and insisted, in his poetical way, that
statesmen must accept this as a part of society,
and seek to give it a soul, there can be little
doubt but that the opinion will find general
favour with our Tory journalists, as it has already
found favour with more than one. For our
parts, ready as we have been to give currency to
m. DE LA MARTINE's oration, we had nothing to
• :earn from him on this head, and have several
times, and years ago, insisted, in this journal, that
:he growth of manufactures was a natural and
Necessary step in the progress of mankind. We
:Jaye pointed out the circumstance, namely—the
employmen t of proportionably fewer hands to feed
ociety as the art of agriculture is improved—which
compels men to be manufacturers, if they have
not the means to live without employment, and
tve have briefly, as occasion served, alluded to
iome of the moral effects—which we regard as
altogether beneficent—of the growth of manu-
:actures, and the increasing use of machinery.
On this important question, therefore, we had
tiothing to learn, and have learned nothing, from
A. DE LA MARTINE, though we are glad of him
s an auxiliary to impress on our readers the
,ruth, that society is becoming, and must be-
,.ome, mechanical or manufacturing.
But this important truth is denied by the
rories, and not merely is the truth denied, but
;heir actions are dictated by a contrary opinion.
With an Arcadian simplicity, a remnant of the
in a golden. age, they insist that agricul-
-are, because it was earlier practised than menu-
; ictures, is a far more suitable employment for
iaciety; and, far from allowing individuals to
istribute themselves as is most for their advan-
•.ige, in manufacturing or agricultural occupa-
:tons, they have insisted, and do insist, on forcing
[l. 'undue number to engage in cultivating the
-Ali and in preventing a: increasing number
am gaining a living by making and selling ma-
ufactures. If M. DE LA 'MARTINE and we are
ight, the statesmen who adopt the Tory princi-
de, and try to extend agriculture and check the
rowth of manufactures by laws, are engaged in
?,sisting the natural and necessary progress of
„ociety, and are responsible, by their erring
,onduct, fir much of the misery which exists.
. a Sir RoBERT PEEL'S imagination it may not
very poetical or picturesque to have the
Aole community crowded into large towns con-
ected by railways, and. he may think it worthy
f a statesman to make laws on such a snarling
•iew of what society may possibly become; but
ociety has hitherto obtained, and will most pro-
Ably in future obtain, the mere means of sub-
stence by a decreasing quantity of labour, and
e statesman who thwarts or resists that benevo-
item and beat:tidal progress from some fancied
peric;rity u agriculture, is the enemy of his

)ecies.
We hear much said now ~f the general peace
Europe, mid we rejoice, day alter day, that
it ce.hunns contain none of the excitement of
ar ; but it is somewhat singular to find general
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:stress and general discontent existing in con- • Tie pt ronsgt
Post-office authorities
and s ha v e jus t
;:nction with general peace. Is it, however, the been concluded between
and the directors of the railway for the transmission
et that there is peace in society, though there of both the day and night mails. Hitherto the day
e peace betwixt nations? If our previous oh- mail only has been carried by railway, the night mail
rvations be correct, those who frame our insti- travelling by the old road, owing to several of the
, tions, and govern society, may be said to be at towns within its delivery not being adjacent
the
iwill
'ar with its progress. The passages we quoted railway. Mail eart3 from the various stations
esterday from the Times, "the movement of now convey the letters to these towns, and the new
timbers against wealth and rank," imply nothing arrangements will come into operation in the course
of the present week.,