The Sun.
London, England, 1842-02-01 00:00:00

At the same time we are more grieved than
disappointed by the result of the contest. We
have for some days been aware that there was a
considerable portion of the Liberal party not
hearty in the cause. They would vote only for
an Irishman and a Repealer. Mr. O'CorrNELL's
hobby, we believe, has to some extent run away
with him. There are, we are told, numerous
Repealers in Dublin and other parts of Ireland
who, like the Chartists of England, will not hear
of compromise, and will support no views but their
own. The feelings of nationality will not be curbed
by him who has roused them. When we add
the unscrupulousness with which the power of
the Government, which is very considerable, has
been used, to the division amongst our friends,
we see sufficient to account for Lord MORPETH'S
defeat, without laying much stress on partiality in
assessors, and unjust distribution of the means of
voting. We have - said little about Earl DE
GREY'S conduct, because nearly all men in office
do the same, and his use of political power to
deprive the electors of their independence is
much more a vice of the system than a pecu-
liarity of the Tories. The remedy for it must be
discovered and applied by the people. States-
men can no more be expected to upset the basis
of their power than a whole people be expected
to commit suicide.

UpwardS of sixty cotton manufacturers of
Manchester have addressed a Circular to the
wholesale houses in London, interested in the
manufacture, on its present condition. Their
main object is to direct attention to the fact,
that the present depression of the trade arises,
in a great measure, from a diminution of the
home consumption.
It appears, they say, that 1,274,729 bales of
cotton were entered for home consumption in
1840, and only 1,118,717 bales in 1841, showing
a decrease, in the last year, of 156,012 bales.
.Notwithstanding the decrease in the consump-
tion of raw cotton, amounting to 3,000 bales
per week, the quantity of manufactured cottons
exported in 1841 exceeded those of 1840, by
yarns, 8,208,908 lbs.; thread, 2,038,400 lbs. ;
printed calico, 25,077,132 yards; plain calico,
65,106,416 yards ;—thus demonstrating that the
whole of the enormous decrease in the quantity
of cotton ,manufactured in 1841—and a quantity
more than that equal to the excess of the ex-
portation7-has been caused by the diminished
consumption at home. Such a fact is well calcu-
lated to open the eyes of those who maintain that
the Corn-laws increase the home market of the
manufacturer.
The Circular ascribes this diminished con-
sumption to the high price of corn during the last
few years.

" Experience," it says, "has shown us that when pro-
visions are cheap the home trade in manufactures is pros-
perous, and vice versa. By applying the test of this
principle to the last three years, it appears to us that
the high price of subsistence accounts for the great
diminution in the cotton trade and that if we go back
to 1834-5-6, the prosperity of those years is attributable
to the cheapness of the first necessaries of life.
"The :average price of wheat, for the three years
1834-5-6, was 2I 4s. Bd. a quarter, and for the three
years 1839-40-41, it was 31. Bs. a quarter, being an in-
crease of more than 50 per cent., and other provisions
were in proportion. If we suppose that the whole of the
food of the people cost in the cheaper period eighty millions
sterling a-year (any other sum will serve equally well
for illustration), the same quantity would have cost one
hundred and twenty millions per annum during the
latter period; and as the means of the consumers under-
went uo increase, but were, on the contrary, diminished,
owing to the consequent bad state of trade, it follows,
that, during the last three years, one hundred and twenty
millions of money less was expended in the purchase of
manufactures and other necessaries, which is sufficient
to account for the falling off in the cotton trade."
Another mode of looking at the question is to
take the quantities of agricultural' produce.
Thus, if We suppose that the harvests of 1834,
1835, 1836, were plentiful, and that those of
1838, 1839, 1840, 1841, were each one-third less
than the former harvests, and assuming 20
millions of quarters of wheat as the annual con-
snmption of Great Britain, we shall have in the
latter years 6,600,000 quarters of wheat less than
in former years for consumption. Now, as the
upper and middle classes would make reductions
in most other things 'before they reduce the
quantity of bread they consume, it follows that
on the labouring classes almost exclusively must
the terrible misfortune of having so much less to
eat have fallen. If we assume that the manu-
facturers constitute one-half of the population, it
follows that they must have received in each of
these latter years 3,300,000 quarters less in ex-
change for their produce than in the years when
the harvests were abundant. Taking 60s. as the
average price of the quarter of wheat, the ma-
nufacturers must have received nearly 10,000,0001.
sterling a-year less in the sterile years in•ex-
change for the goods they sold at home than in
the fertile years.
Of course the labouring classes, whether manu-
facturing or agricultural, would make the greatest
possible sacrifices of other things to get food, and
the short supply of that, eked out as it was by
importations from abroad by no means com-
mensurate to the deficiency, explains the pre- I
sent great sufferings of the labouring classes, and
particularly the sufferings of the manufacturing
labourers, seeing that there was so m&h less a
quantity of food to exchange for what they pro-
duced. The less sum, too, received by the manu-
facturers also expla'ais their distress, their dimi-
nished profit, and their shutting up their mills.
It may perhaps be asserted that this diminished
quantity of food, the result of the seasons, is a
natural calamity to which our population must
submitvith patience. Those who make the as-
sertion should remember, that though our
country is densely peopled, there are other coun•
I tries where land is more abundant in proportion
to population, and that the inhabitants of those
countries could and would most gladly use their
_peculiar advantages to.grow food for our people,
and exchange it for those commodities we have
advantages for producing. If that were the case
our people would run much less risk of being at
any time deficient of food, as they could draw a I
supply from otliercountries in addition to England.
Manitbld sources of supply would then be open
to them ; they would, have the 20,000,000 qrs.
grown at home, and perhaps 20,000,000 qrs.
grown abroad, to feed them, and such a terrible
diminution in the quantity- of food as (hey have
experienced during the last four years could not
possibly occur.

The Manchester manufacturers attribute the
Unexampled depression in the borne trade to the
operation of the Corn-laws, which they propose
should be repealed; and they solicit their London
friends to imitate them in petitioning the Legis-
lature for the purpose. They conclude by saying
" We shall' only add the expression of otir belief, that
there is no reasonable prospect of a revival of the trade
of this country, so long as the first necessaries of life continue at their present high price. Cheapness of food
lies at the foundation of the prosperity of the home
trade. - Nor can there be,. inAour opinion, any security

in the manufacturing districts on the result,
and bid them look out for happier days, we
call upon them, at the same time, not to
slacken their exertions, but to fight nobly till
the bulwark, which so long kept them in sub-
jection, is levelled with the dust. Their enemies
are still numerous and powerful, and can be
defeated only by a long pull, a strong pull, and
a pull altogether.

. We regret very much the termination of the
Dublin election in the rejection of Lord MOR-
, PETH, but we do not regret that the attempt to
elect him was made. It was honourable alike
to the 'Noble Lord, as a testimony of the
respect of his fellow men, and to the citi-
zens of Dublin, as a proof of their gratitude for
eminent services. By a mild and steady perse-
verance in political rectitude, by governing Ire-
land for the whole people, and not for a party,
Lord MORPETH deserved better of his country-
men than statesmen of much more resplendent
talents, but less honesty of purpose, and less
kindliness of heart. If it were only that he
might, by his love of peace, assauge the asperi-
ties of debate in Parliament, as he assuaged by
his bland manners the fierceness of political con-
tention in Ireland, we wish that the electors of
Dublin bad been more united in his favour, and
by electing the Noble Lord, had conferred addi-
tional honour on themselves and him.

We agree with a Correspondent, whose letter
will be found elsewhere, that the people will ne-
glect their own interest and their duty if they do
not inform her MAJESTY, on the day after to-
morrow, of the great unpopularity of the Minis-
ters. Since her accession to the throne, no voice
but of gratitude and praise has reached her.
Indeed, she has nerer deserved anything else.
Her MAJESTY has always done her duty well,
consistently with her station; but she is now un-
fortunately surrounded wtth Ministers who have
taken office for the purpose of maintaining an un-
just and ruinous monopoly. To convey that truth
with certainty and effect to her MAJESTY, is the
duty of the people. On that point there ought to
be no mistake. The aristocracy have reduced the
Royal authority to be little more than a pageant
for their purposes; but the democracy may use
that pageant to bring the Royal authority on
their side, and make it a substantial power for
good.

That the aristocracy, and particularly the
Tories, fear the honest and peaceable expression
of the people's opinions, is evident from the in-
struments and plans they have used to coax
them into quietness and subserviency. What
arc all the Short-time Deputations and inter-
views, we have lately heard of? what the
promises of a Ten-hour Bill ? what the
talk about emigration ?—but lures to carry
the people over to Toryism, and make them
acquiesce in their own and their country's
degradation. We have said before, and we re-
peat it, that a nation cannot be enslaved against
its will ; and if the people continue hereafter
under the yoke of the landlords, it will be their
own fatilt. A peaceful and respectful exterior
on Thursday may serve the QUEEN as well as
save the country.

The French Ministerial Journals are as savage
as the Opposition papers are delighted with
Friday's debate in the French Chamber of Depu-
ties upon the Address. The speech of M. Bit.-
LOUT, and the acclamations which interrupted
its delivery from the Left, extremely disconcerted
the second-rate men of the Cabinet. M. BILLOUT
told the Chamber some wholdsome truths, and
the Ministers admitted, by their uneasiness
that they felt their application very keenly,
He said that three institutions were the
practical results of two great Revolutions,
one of which had shook the very frame-work of
European society. These institutions were—
the Freedom of the Press, Trial by Jury, and
the 'National Guards. The National Guards,
when not the obsequious tools of the Court,
were now'trented with indifference, because the
Government had learned to derive support on all
occasions from the troops of the line. The Li-
berty of the Press was a mockery. Ministerial
circulars invited to prosecutions of the press in
terms scandalous in a free country, and even in
cases where there could exist no hope of a con-
viction. Of the latter fact, the Hon. Deputy
cited numerous instances. Eight journals were
threatened with prosecptions in one day, yet not
one of them was brought to trial, the Government
being sensible that they had committed no of-
fence. Journalists had been dragged to prison
chained by the neck, who were subsequently
acquitted of the shadow of an offence by
Juries—the object of the Government being
to goad them into some violation of the Septem-
ber Laws. But these enormities fell short of in-
voking the aid of an irresponsible body, like the
Chamber of Peers. The Court of Peers was the
only irresponsible body in France, and yet its
members were called in to persecute men whose
alleged offences were not found to come within
the operation of any criminal enactments. And
such was the rancour with which the Court of
Peers undertook this base office, that it had con-
verted the printers of Journals into censors of
their contents, as otherwise they dreaded incur-
ring the vengeance of this terrible and irrespon-
sible tribunal. As regarded Trial by Jury, the
Hon. Deputy demonstrated that it existed only
in name. The Jury lists were prepared by the
tools of Government in such a way as to exclude
from them almost every man opposed to the
existing order of- things. Both in the capi-
tal and the provinces Jurymen were as carefully
selected as Prefects on account of their political
opinions. The Jury list for the capital for the
present year con tainedl,soo names, of ►vhom jus
)ne-third were persons in the service of the Go.
vern in en t.

This speech, of which the above is a mere
Outline, created an extraordinary sensation
in the Chamber. The Left cheered it, and
altogether the excitement was extreme. The
Minister of Justice attempted f.a reply,
which only made matters worse. He defended
the prosecution of the Journals, but denied that
he was influenced by unconstitutional motives.
He eulogized the firmness, the impartiality, and
the patriotic services of the Court of Peers,
which was replied to by a shout of derisive
laughter. M. BILLOUT having stated, on the
authority of a Judge and Deputy, M•
ISAMBERT,
that the Government had addressed.. a letter to
Itiotn, recommending the packing ofJuries, the
Minister of Finance gave the _statement a flat
contradiction, adding that, if such were the case,
the Learned Judge understood his duty too well
toyeveal the secrets of the Govern meat. Hereupon
ISAMBERT rose, and said that he had read the
letter, that he had communicated its purport to
M. BuLour, and that in so doing he con-
ceived that he was performing only his
duty as a Deputy. M. PORTAL'S, another
Judge, started up, • and applauded the
conduct of M. ISAMBERT, and declared that if ,
similarly circumstanced he would do the same.
M. ODILON BARROT took the same view of M.
ISAMBERT'S conduct, and thanked him, in the
name of his friends, for his faithful discharge
of his duty to the Chamber. The Cabinet
and the Peers will not soon forget M. Bu.-
LOUT'S speech on Friday last, however the
Journal des .Debate of Sunday may affect to.
sneer at it. A Correspondent assures us that
it produced a sort of panic at Court, that se-
veral regiments were under arms, and that at
one time an insurrection was seriously appre-
hended: Moderate men begin now to think that
the greatest enemy of the ORLEANS dynasty is

Ifor the capital of the wholesale trader, whilst it is ex-
posed to those fluctuations in the value of money, caused
by the operations of the present Corn-law upon' the
currency."

We hope that self-interest, if not patriotism,
will induce the "wholesale houses in London
interested in the cotton-trade " to support their
Manchester friends, and make a combined effort
to save the cotton-trade from ruin.

According to a late number of the Mark-lane
Express, the anticipations of the corn-dealers
have been disappointed. That journal of the
corn-market says :

" From week to week, prices have given way, not-
withstanding the well-ascertained fact that the harvest of
1841 was decidedly deficient, both in quantity and qua-
lity ; and that the stocks of old wheat of our own growth
were, by the time that the new came into consumption,
in a very exhausted state. The present position of things
is in many respects singular, and even the best informed
have been grieviously out in their calculations. Not
three months ago, it was confidently expected that prices
of wheat would have got up sufficiently high by Febru-
ary or March to reduce the duty to a very low, if not mi-
nimum point ; the time has nearly arrived, and so far
from these predictions being fulfilled, the returns of each
week come lower and -lower, and we have at present a
duty of 245. Bd. per quarter."
It ascribes this disappointment to the opinion
that Sir R. PEEL will make an alteration in the
Corn-laws, to admit foreign grain on easier
terms than at present,—but it is more likely to
be caused by the greatly diminished means
and diminished consumption of the people. The
speculators calculated the consumption and the
price by ordinary years, but in consequence of
the diminished employment in the manufactur-
ing districts and lowered wages throughout the
country, the consumption of the lower classes
has been reduced to the smallest possible quan-
tity. Hundreds and thousands of the popula-
tion have ceased to consume wheaten bread ;
and the corn-growers are now feeling, in their
own purses, a slight, taste of that misery that
they have suffered themselves to be made instru-
mental in inflicting on the labouring classes.