The Sun.
London, England, 1842-12-13 00:00:00

THE SUN, LONDON, TUES

who maintain them in possession of their emo-
luments—who are, in truth just as much exposed
to temptation, and to become the prey of the Devil,
as meaner men. It is only charitable in us and
the League to attribute the law, which crushes
the energies and the lives of the people, to the
agency of his Satanic Majesty, and not to states-
men. It is clear that the Corn-laws are
not GOD ALMIGHTY'S laws, for they starve
his creatures. It is equally clear that they are
not the laws of Nature, for they must be main-
tained by force, and would cease tomorrow, so
opposed are they to the laws of Nature,
were they not upheld by punishments and
penalties. Being neither the laws of GOD nor
the laws of Nature, by what agency can they
have been enacted but that which the Reviewer
says ought not to be mentioned ?

Through all time and through all nations there
has been a struggle between good and evil, and
all men at every period have ascribel the evil
to a wicked spirit. Without saying that the
League, and those who go with the League, are
all good—for evil and good are mixed in every
individual—we may say, so great, so enormous
are the evils of the Corn-laws, that they can only
be referred to the wicked spirit that has ever
been troubling mankind. The Quarterly Review
and is party have never hesitated to seek his
alliance and aid when it suited their pur-
poses; in fact, they live by assuring the
people that they are always exposed to his ma-
chinations; but, directly the same doctrine is
applied to themselves and their acts, they lift up
their hands with the air of injured saints, and
cry out in the manner we have seen against the
wicked League. We should be slow to make such
remarks, but when we find the Quarterly Re-
viewer deliberately utterinT such falsehoods as
we have exposed, and using such hypocritical
arguments as we have just pointed out, no lan-
guage we can use can inflict on him and his party
an adequate castigation.

From the time of King JOHN to the present
day, monopolies have been the bane of this coun-
try. In the more early ages the Sovereigns
granted exclusive privileges to deal in
certain articles, to Court favourites, or sold
them to companies to raise money for their pri-
vate uses. What the Sovereigns in those days
did, has, to a certain extent, been continued by
the Legislature. Without adverting to those re-
strictions on trade, and that class legislation
which benefit a few to the injury of the great
body of the public, we may state, that within the
last fifty years more monopolies have been esta-
blished by Acts of Parliament, than during any
similar period in any former reigns. We have
water monopolies, gas monopolies, railroad mo-
nopolies, and twenty others, which, though placed
under certain restrictions, cause nearly as great
inconvenience, and levy as exorbitant profits, as
those established by the most needy Monarchs.
We hear from almost every quarter of the me-
tropolis loud complaints against these evils.
The inhabitants of Lambeth complain of the
water monopolists, who have conspired, as they
assert, but who certainly from being bitter rivals
have become good friends, and laid their heads
together to fleece the public. These complaints
are re-echoed by the populous and extensive
borough of Marylebone, which, it would ap-
pear, is fleeced by the gas monopolists, they
also having found it convenient to form a friend-
ship at the expense of their customers.
In the eastern parts of the metropolis,
too, the same grievances existed to such
an extent that the trades people were compelled
in self-defence to establish associations, in order
to put down the monopoly. Thus, there are three
or four companies who have each been at the
same expense (that ultimately falling on the con-
sutners) in constructing works of great magnitude
for the supply of gas and water, which one, if
properly regulated by Act of Parliament, could
have done equally well, and at much less ex-
pense. Railroads, tog, may be said to be great
monopolies. A road that costs sortie ten millions
sterling, is in little danger of a rival, even if
Members of Parliament were sufficiently virtuous
to forego their selfish interests, and grant other
companies a charter for a competing line.
It is needless to say that these com-
panies are placed under certain restrictions,
as to the charges per mile, and the convenience
of passengers; for it is well known that Acts of
Parliament are easily evaded, and that a coach
and four, in the words of Mr. O'CONNELL, may
be driven through the best of them. No one
can grudge ample remuneration to those enter-
prising companies who have established such
magnificent national works as the Great Western
and Birmingham Railways; but is it reasonable
or just that they should have the power of
charging rates which raise the shares to 100 per
cent. premium ? That, however, is not the least
evil, for, from the partiality of secretaries and
managing directors, facilities and favours are
given to one class to the prejudice of others.
Loud and just complaints were made
against the Birmingham Railway direction, if
we recollect right, by a carrying company, on
the ground that it was not allowed the same pri-
vileges granted to a rival concern. If this is done
in one instance, it may be done in fifty, and
render these great highways the most dangerous
monopolies ever established in any country.
We will give a proof. The proprietors of rival
newspapers are anxious to send expresses
by railway, but the one that bids highest.,
or has shares in the company, or has
some other means of procuring a preference, is
enabled to outstrip all the rest. No Act of Par-
liament can prevent this, for there is an infinite
variety of methods, which cannot be provided
against, for effecting the object of the monopo-
list. The managing director can refuse a special
train, or if he grants it, can interpose delays, pur-
posely intended, so as to suit the arrangements of
the favoured party. This is a grievance for which
a special remedy is required. Railroads have
driven all coaches off the road. They were in-
tended by Parliament for the benefit of the
public, and if preference of this kind is continued
Parliament will be justified (and will carry a
measure to that effect, too), in disfranchising, or,
if we may coin a word, in dischartering all com-
panies which do not allow their lines of railroad
to be as free and open as the Queen's highway.
What Parliament gave it can take away, on good
cause being shown that any company has
abused its powers, and perverted a system, which
was intended for the benefit of all, to party pur.
poses, or, what is worse, to the pecuniary ad.
vantages of the more venial directors.

under the muchsundrylncome
-tax,
are
uneasinessT hn
There
are signs in ,
so numerous as we would wish them to
be. They would be,
the Ministryhowever,i with efficient
uneasy.
Therehelp,
can enoughbe n 0
00
doubt
te
too thatthe
inlius eh landownersand
Aabtio the
tatn
and farmers, who are suffering very
ri
many of whom attribute their su
Ministry, would readily join with the i
of towns to put down the - Income-tax. On this
subject all the tax payers have a common in-
terest. But the people want leaders. There is
no Anti-Income-tax League. There is no for-

midable opposition, desirous of exposing the
errors of PEEL, and occupying his place. All
our great Parliamentary men have been so care-
less of the public expenditure, and they delight
so much in a large revenue, that while they
think they may have to administer that, both
shame and hope will keep the Whigs from taking
an active part in getting up opposition to the
Income-tax.

If any stir were visible in the country for an
object which they could take part in, and which
would serve their purposes, the Whig agents
and hangers-on, scattered through every town
in the kingdom, would soon be set in motion,
and public meetings would rouse the whole com-
munity to a due sense of whatever injustice it
was thought fitting to complain of. It is at pre-
sent, however, a public misfortune that the
wishes and wants of the public and the de-
signs of politicians, whether in opposition or in
the minority, do not harmonise. There is
no union betwixt them, and though the
country has been in a worse condition during the
last twelve months than for many years before,
there have been no public meetings to which the i