The Sun.
London, England, 1845-12-04 00:00:00

Frill

at it aras it!1?;
,thee inni
ai of Pr'
)un ts
cpsnent PI

ant
tie rS ch Dr
3 o

ore Cotl;
(11ing the
bou baddot 4
,haII ci
ect
the subj
lie coul32so:bil'cli
aPartrtiwith ktls;
:ought itlll6o
botd toh
to •ilsrbicl3
l;
letters
rot
the --t 04
interes"

)urt tbat 1111
oider
tIU
mat.

I.)
r," tic 4
Jilsgr.
'ore.

r 134 F"

)1,°1.b - ii de
otiva if i

iit " '
t,, sub"

ger
nt to os- Ase• .
o
r th the „VP tr
D
rit,
feod4l
The,lej
the ht).sessltiQt.
ifbri;
uld
psfe
defendant t gte,
dGfel7r tbef'si
j-orir, foxl
the
e water-40,
>iAged two
e; toof.
jj 0 set
Dr $
wells
ter ;
houid r „Liter
91aintiff 'a be
oi4
iefer
endall yoti 0
due, ,ed
AcceP‘
f the fe
Fits
° to preeu
lowa t
, ,$.
ha" tot "ebe
ting' in
[witted

tcceptedi 16".
enarit3
Brea„p
de liVliken
gree aoeitioly
the,cgc rd 4.1111
oat;
carrie'
vlti 1-1, to 10e.
etas,' tee,'"
he c
't 0' 0'
01'1 fol..
;5 it 1V.19,011
putt

A It.LBRo'-STPLEET.—(T HIS DAY.)
George Loveland was fully committed for trial on the fol-
lowing charge •
Tottenham
oho man to Mr. Thomas Parker, of No. 54,
Court-road, hatter, stated that, between five and
six o'clock last evening, as he was sitting at tea in the par-
lour behind the Cop, the prisoner opened the door from the
tat,: tn,gand walking deliberately up to the counter snatched
bP a new hat, and ran off with it. Witness pursued him,
Stop thief;" and, after running a considerable dis-.
lane?, the prisoner threw away the hat. He was at length
at l/Pe'l by police-constable No. 94 of the E
Ilertnwicit asked the prisoner if he wished to say any-
nrigin his defence? Prisoner—lt's no use my saying any-
'ling- You would not believe me if I said that I did not
Steal the hat.
Charles Montague, described in the 13olice cbarge-sheet as
residing at No. 4 Euston-square, St.. Pancras, a gentleman,
of charged with furious driving, being at the time in a state
o intoxication.
appeared that about six o'clock last evening, the de-
;`,4,", am, in a gig drawn by a very spirited horse, came
on the at a most furious rate along Oxford-street, urging
IT the animal by whipping it with much severi. I
Tent-street the gig came in contact with an omnibus,
44d the defendant' was pitched out on his head, but fortu-
t_n escaped with but very slight injury. He was then
'lAir t into custody by the police.
RARnwiex imposed a fine of 40s. on the defendant.
The fine was immediately paid.
CLERKEN WELL.—(THIS DAY.)
ell\,:iath Riley and Patrick Drury were charged, by Mr.
'"enoll, a coffeehouse-keeper in Gray's Inn-lane, under
utistances of an outrageous character. t6The prisoners, and some other fellows, entered the shop of
.wil'iPrusalutor, and called for eggs, bacon, and coffee, with
ule," tNey were served by Mr. Nichol!, who demanded payd-
%l" The prisoner Drury seized the eatables, and calle
h._ to big companions to " Hook it." They run away.
WO7: tirYilesnwtorele police e would smash the landlord's nose if he were
11
icewoefreru,
ruffians came
sent for,
and made
and sau
des-
if e
ss e
Riley andal
gang
if it ii;td ate at tack ou Mr. Nichol! who would have been murdered
pilehook ot. been for the timely arrival of a party of police, who
lamed 11Y into custody. Before Riley was, secured, a man
iheacif ,anaan, who came to Mr. Nichol' s assistane, warts
of th T'Y beaten by the ruffians on the head and upper pa
e prisoner was remanded.
WA 11,
RLO 0 -BR EDGE COMPANY.
A general (THIS DAY.)
held at t ingofthe Proprietors of this Company
Crown Pose of
and
receiving Anchor Tavern, for the pur-
Teing half- the report of the Directors for the
Pr.he it year.
Mr. Rush was called to the chair.
lryg iee SECRETARY read the report, of which the
.fol-
laentsg is„ an abstract:—ln compliance with the reqlnre-
eor,„ of the Act of Parliament, the Directors of the
the ,r,a''Y had prepared a report of the proceedings of
jefo,„,rsrinll2 half-year, and they had the satisfaction of
half, the Proprietors that the tolls received for the
,34-B)4e4r, ending the 23d of August, amounted to
Q14114,4_3. 10d. At the last general meeting h
:024 ,s:inkseervees
titrg," reported that, after defraying all the
Ilattade' 1_ and paving a dividend of 3s. in the
13s.
and , rertinned a balance of 1,899/.
-"g th tney had ii,7w to report that after avail-f
of that surplus to the extent o
Ileities'.2,ld., and providing for the interest on an-
°fPc'eX° bonds, and aying a dividend of 30. in the
13 jet% remainedpa balance at the end of August
Pirip etors",„7B. Bd. It would be also the duty of the Pro-
°eta of ,"" elect four members of committee in the
:.ditor,,Ter retiring. They would also have to elect an
?Pr we). Were, however, aware that the gentlemen who
he e:ent filled the office were eligible to re-election.
anrc'tn th°llarnittee anticited considerable advantages
,1:11th jedi.atlways which would have the terminus on the
"Ley 1,82-„-e of the river, and, within the last two months,
eFtapB4l-i4 entered into negotiations with several of these
/laduct e'• The London. Railway proposed to erect a
141)tintlei tlZtethe bridge, but the committee had ascer-
vtight before projects of that company would not be
st.ti. th
tt andSouthernr in
app! pext session.. The
;„ Panv•Company ppied. to know. if the
''Pns ^entd object to give up their bridge for the
tht eS Of •
were ra;lway, and if they had no such objection,
rei,adY to snake a tender for it. The Cen yal
n-sotiat•o" Ileilway Company had also entered. into
c)-
the 1-113' and they proposed to carry their railway
art)ire,d°tllliotssiedeetions eeoof
.Their directors had re-
0, urll3nies to tztrnish them with the plans
.4;1111iie their railways, but they had not yet re-
ormation they r
gl.4n required,
,atlitohnoutgoh
atphpelcyomto-
Ala, !flout notice of their Intel.
ae next session, and had lodged their
)vOu' co,,enrdancewith the standing orders of the Hou.se.
Alr be-411ittee could assure them that every attention
14'aid to the interests of the proprietary.
lk:tße.ner,l"ra. Proposed the first resolution—" That
meeting do approve of and confirm the re-
wa
rcleicorntnittee."
if Etl3,
answer ution having been seconded, was carried, as
tt'oPort of the auditors.
° a question from an HoN. PROPRIETOR,
soul n he
ti AR%AN
e plans said that the Committee had notd
of the several railway companies, an
31TThticlge i!elure say hemswhe r not they had taken
he'
91eir calculatio 11,4.1114 h, retiring members of committee, the Rev.
//shov(i, Beadenel, Sir John Rennie, and Mr.
d 44 r• \V, ° e re
LE-elected, as was the retiring auditor.
0414(1 2r Proposed a vote of thanks to the Chair-
agreed era t°, the of committee, which being unani-
meeting broke up.
ODt

OF PORTS.
VINO OF T
f the
To.o.
meeting o u
h.
f.(.t01:43' a fol and respectable
the
l‘a,k, sand other inhabitants of
NtN4,.,41, held at twelve o'clock,
consider the a
of the
°t,t, tf`l°Y tbe high Bailiff, to
deficiency the
h'411., the e(juntry, arising from
.e.in the Town Hall,
Emanuel
AihN t,
-or. ,i,
i.°°l)er rifue gentlemen present we recognisedThomaa Chadwick,
14eieke,
;11., 1i,a.81, Thomas Martin?_Es(l.,Bangh, Elia.,ms,
Esq.
't rY Thomas Esq., vv m
„,epi tsti a„h'gt)3ll' n Esq., and W. Williams,
Humd-
N. y after
the n Beacon,
thepro,
Ws% i'' °lle 131 the Uenbigs for the Borough,
Thoorily
cheer es
Esq.,) presided on
111' e:,ll!qh tailifi (Wm. Pritchard, eedin
ding
The ia,41°.4.
FF rea
gs'arrived, an
BAILIFF 14 hug,
was d
by the HIGH
which, he pro-
t,
opened
meeting; after - were called
teed to address °g the
He said, they
opinion re-
*tti ether for
the the meeting.
of expressingan
44
,11,3,,the hpenliangi'P°fsethe ports for theim
Dolliie"' 41(,c1. Re had the highest confidences Southwark, and
ou,
44cier 81)44 of the inhabitants of
requisition
'vas the • ,
when the
considered it his
free
lety
tllrestetot;ircutnstaillices, . _ e
h expression
of
their.
in the
Z,1)14joo ,Il them tOretlLin; for the
nln
.averting
-'4eli 4
el such au-importat quehsteio
iroduce of the
i a.
Zoillitry, 4hallait3' as the failure of
the
a deep ebi gnd
1., 4 t,) at.._e.eonsidered they were
theiru
themea-
tifreelya
4`4,,,?artial'i?!orward to express
q`.(ifc', t() ti% itl sUch a crisis. With re
-'er e Pt" Posed for the evil that
waswhatever differenced
" 4:111j (4°l,jui Id opinion
rd
pending,to
o
re a t
rise yet . he hope
Y itint might wou
• a in 'this meeting,
kt4.zould
grant afplievail:
impartial
their own
t't:ell'% 1)(3'111 I.'
h e 4 r• ) and4They would best
advance
tu others liiicahr
ii4e,l,t It4'‘filrl.l:iat llbertyltowf
asePtehee high a_nad.rPeay—
hearingto every
itilc,„_tr of the people of England to allow
hist 1 PI
opinion, a
kir 4 ev,rY NrBoo whatever might be
remarks he would
`:411 o/'l alld no favo'sr•With these
_tio to
ir4t to coin gentl n-i ho had
a 113 r Peting. The
41)11, "ctte I.orardea-ndllaywit before the Me
eneral
eh gtntk
,-.4. ~,aa sat down amidst loud and g
t re 01u-
titli.* -',44,h0.,..,,
an
_ havingThat
prlti 4t ti,,T'sui.ajecl the meeting Itlietle en0..7.1-',C9OPER rose tot i move
ng : the firs -
such- a
iii:pitto as
_lsivailiff to preside
sor u
of their late
of opinion
tkizflgt
ear, foi4nieso.rtl
Whatever
differences
tere was
th tely
t 4 en the sub' f a remedy,
deficiency of
'ler any di
!) opinion
to the
-ivuer them.
High
N °ll9. 1 erenCe of p as
.i the potato
failure e'w,la t e
ktitt,Pli,lkt lAttl_.l)art there was a
-0 reat
rite
„11 In ibt"..ula ly in Ireland. b
Sin,,,lgetsit”`"senuntry, that the Government scientific
4 ;to or seudin t a commission of
the potato,.
cil) ;luire - g °ll
titit aori into the condition of
had sent
l'h '4014 , e'en the leading journals
inquiries.
had seen
Nq'evil 1 eounnis ' to make similarlt. alt'he
~,t, , vv4.3, 3,__
.. stoners, _
~.., it
of
l''k ill "as (I,3tieeY did not see the end u' ^ww•as certain
.:
aecure,
tired while the other half
N,, they h,they Would then know.
not so; fo
preyq the -`1 to grap 1 with. But it w
ground for
't • Pettit P 6
Atli , 4104 oes were put under the
they were
eit. tatltsaut aPParently in good condition,
as
the de-
exactly the ditlir
tai °y tioafinll,,.,eoMpletely destroyed. Neritwwas ascer:
it it,7 the ~,h'ee to the potato crops, but
the extent of
thcAil%dt, IS per" crop
was also a failure, to
average one
t, Oe, ~,,,, eeTII. eonipared with what •an
Hear.)
tri:ii tla Ili eonThined with the scarcity of the potato
tilti," irehe,„^tts every prosneet of a famine.—th
raise
ii. ' voi '' c; every '
• h their duty -- .11 in
r,latit,A•eell ai tustauces. It was t e
it'h -Nip t aloe With the eat towns of the nor._
t 444. he opooin f
the
whenwent.()
Ina h__ , g o
.41 not concluded we
4 h
till 4, N1544.-----------_____ _
difficult
14,, t4111;4118 orl'eAr:. OPRRATION.--
f Thisver in sal:
111,'50(1,:piorrg :4911,1:v1as success u yh performed
~„.,dford and
r. Ra
& rsda "leek, 3' "
far at
to press.]
13,11,1 Of -r:,„' ;lirgeoll • and 3' derstand that,. so net
kilo% 111,-gry a fortni h we
Illin mother and child are
one
kl. q4.i• 44,40ing vvellg tii:3l4 stated that there is but
_ng
beles,
141;1'1411v - Well-authen. Ccatisds e of this operation i
pll, cif ,pfk,rnied in England, namely, by Mr. Know
LAt,fAl tlllt Pzull'lNhanu.--Ittanclteter Guarthan.
/thi,,411 '..t. k;Attoo or p IGN WHEAT BONDED.
rs, %lit_ ,„, , ORE
under
rt ship,
bop t,
I::,Ne,i frlY
_learn that the first cargo of foreign
kNrci hag Jost b,svLni..irveerool, f.ott;,_theipo
9t111;;1dt1ie.......act jutant
of
181,10nsare.,d
tincir.e bonded warehousest
'-_;,. Buckle
and Newton, of
qtr:k: buTlkteechester Quarwan•
IN THE
Ztliltilt qltAkr,,Z OFF GLAsS. ImPRovEmENT
out
at
ltZoNot, irpat improvement is being carrietdheroof
lIZI Of tieri'lade t„:: eßeat-street, by the removal of
terrace,
ori,i. sli,,s
andsubstitute one of glass. From the dark-
t4 ,i,oritti oil
sligrf of forming a prom!nade, garden, rvkt g-. 441
(14. the rooms above, but under the
n_
or co
be ‘.sityli , 'lie terrace
in order
ty.lt 14443 Rtlti, 8,0. „ t
.w. as ncessarily given ,
It will now
l.trltre, aati
be gottivlill!ers sfzes and h'i's
ftttithe help. e e 1 nt both to eshOpkeepers and
, ql14141141) Of ier,itliattnin Harrison M.A.,
'clt, 'lll of ---Nurfs Chaplains is to be the newl
11,. it)h to
theMaidstone, acant b Archdeacon Lynn a
loal 11l of t 0
I)eanery of:vcant buY
,i,,q'vritin `'o late br. 1,,, er FY* one of the
i Arthur
tp443e 4.11R4 .-...,, satorcit; T ade, winch was in his own
tile I°:'l4lleati%b•llli, Vij'ef4g.ust_t\-!c311 11:4?ca ' .ek, give
441,,Y,,140,,Mr. Thee,,karY Anai Eastnlafel Der, third daughter of
~,-i alr°4lY arid-,Z '-',rafer,_ of De;eham, Norfolk, all
-rft4,4;1,41110' allat.4"!CW, ”d moneys in hand and due to me,
trtchl of anks,ai
oln. Cornish mines, money in annu.iti
)tti:''' 111:114t kii.,l ::etreerh stipends and fees, and nielxoectnur_
Vki4e4 atiejl3,lZil tat for f tivie'lpeahyteultsolfli' probate duty

I SPIRIT of the PUBLIC JOURNALS.
FROM THE MORNING PAPERS OF THIS DAY.
TIMES.—The decision of the Cabinet is no longer a
secret. Parliament, it is confidently reported, is to be
summoned for the first week in January ; anti the Royal
Speech will, it is added, recommend an immediate con-
sideration of the corn-laws, preparatory to their total
repeal. Sir Robert Peel in one house, and the Duke of
Wellington in the other, will, wo are told, be prepared
to give immediate effect to the recommendation thus
conveyed. An announcement of such immeasurable im-
portance, and to the larger portion of the community so
unspeakably gratifying, almost precludes the possibility
I of comment. No pen can keep pace with the reflecions
which must spontaneously crowd upon every thoughtful
and sensitive mind. They who have long desired this
change, and have long traced its manifold bearings on
the welfare and happiness of the world, will in one mo
I ment see the realisation of that fair prospect, and will
I hardly endure to be informed of what they already be-
; hold. The approaching event, therefore, which we this
' day communicate to our readers, must be left to speak for
itself. It is understood that until Parliament meets
nothing is to be done. For the Legislature will be
reserved the responsibility and the glory of opening
the ports. We presume that none will quarrel with
this brief appearance of delay, now that the resolution
of the Cabinet is known. The moral certainty of an
early opening will be equivalent in its operation to an
immediate order in council. It is enough for the mks-
chant and the capitalist to know that by the end et
January at the latest, the produce of all countries will
enter the British market on an absolute equality with
our own, excepting only those disadvantages which
Nature itself has made, and which man cannot entirely
remove. Any unnecessary appearance of haste would
only create alarm, and might thus defeat, for a time at
least, the very object of the measure. Happily there is
no occasion for haste, even if haste were not almost
certain to interfere with speed. It is said that the deci-
sion has been made with that unanimity which perhaps
the compulsion of circumstances alone can inspire.
The reported exceptions are both insignificant and
doubtful, and not of a sort to interfere with the construc-
tion of the Cabinet. There is, of course, one man who had
it in his power to offer an enormous impediment
and create a frightful collision ; but experience com-
ing to the aid of his own intuitive sagacity, has,
we are told, taught him to retire from an eventually
fruitless opposition, and to husband his strength for
more attainable objects. Fortunately for the present
peace, if not for the ultimate prosperity of the nation, he
has long exemplified that which the chief writer on the
British Constitution has declared to be the most decisive
and triumphant test of its soundness—viz., the abso-
lute impotence of military greatness against the con-
stitutional movements of the popular will. It is
scarcely fair to imagine a contingency from which the
possible author has himself most judiciously recoiled ;
but we feel very sure that the Upper House will
be only too thnkful to be spared an unequal and, per-
haps, a disastrous conflict with the Ministers of the
Crown and the representatives of the people. It is
evident that this is the only quarter from which the
Premier's position has been seriously threatened.
From that quarter he might have been over-
thrown if his assailants felt sufficient interest in
their cause to wish to be buried in its ruins; but the
British aristocracy feels no such injurious and sui-
cidal ambition. It is either too good or too wise to
strike wiih such force that its own life is spent in the
blow. The Premier has not been blind to the security
afforded by the alternative of a common destruction. lie
has set his political existence against the Lords, and
won the stake. Our traditionary reverence for the first
estate of the realm may lead us to regret that it should
ever be thrown into a psition involving defeat by so
unequal a combatant. We may justly regret that it
has not lately been more accustomed to draw on the
known resources of hereditary wisdom—that it has
allowed itself to be represented by a few, and has thus
changed its broad, aristocratical basis, for the more
manageable, and, therefore, less enduring, form of an
oligarchy—and, above all, that it has delegated its credit
and authority to leaders who are kind only in flattering
its foibles, bold only in committing it to errors, and
wise only in consenting to defeat. The other parties
with whom Sir Robert Peel might have been called
upon to measure his strength really, like some
countries we see on the maps, have, at the pre-
sent moment, rather a geographical than a political
existence. In whatever way it has come to
pass, so it is. the agriculturists have just now no
more power than the animals they are industriously
bringing to such magnificent proportions. What they
wish, or hate, or fear, their interests and their
grievances, have literally been dropped out of the calcu-
lation. The Premier, who has enjoyed their support,
has a just sense of its value, and is atno pains to conceal
that he can do without it. Whether his is the case of
the steward who grows rich himself while his employer
cle!!ays, we will not now inquire, but the result is the
same. From this quarter nothing was to be feared, and
to imagfoe a danger would have been simply a mistake.
They, however, who expect to see us r!. nation of heroe
and martyrs wolikl probably have desired that the pre-
s
sent patriotic surrendssr should have been the voluntary
and gratuitous act of those at whose risk, if not at whose
loss, it is done. But if the Conservatives should be
broken up, the Whigs would come in. Here wss a sub-
stantial, a political, an historical foe, whom Sir
Robert might remember and fear ! Truly hey are
an historical foe —magni nominis umbra. The meinbe7B
of the party may survive and reign in another form ;
but the party itself is scattered and overthrown. It is
an unfortunate circumstance that so good a deed should
literally go a-begging for an author. The nation has
done it, but who is the instrument ? It is in Sir Robert
Peel's hand, but is it his property ? Nor have the
Whigs much more claim to it. They only proposed to
give up the corn-laws when it was evident the peril of
the experiment would be the inheritance of their succes-
sors. Shall we, again, call the League the true hero of
the crisis—the real Simon Pure of free trade ? Truth
compels us to answer in the affirmative ; but the idea is
still somewhat distasteful, and human nature itself will
cavil at a patriotism, the virtues of which were so closely
allied with its interests. The Premier appeals to the
good sense and the growing intelligence of the nation.
We are flattered by an appeal whichi assures us that we
are wiser than our forefathers. Still, it is unusual to see
those mutations of opinion which are usually spread over
ages, and divided by successive generations, concentrated
in one man. Grant that it is a piece of good sense,
and wisdom, and intelligence, it is distressing to reflect
how long we have been denied it. The appeal. is
next made to our experience. The sliding-scale has
been tried in every form, and every form has required
a change. The last change has not been the most suc-
cessful. Never since it began has it done any good to
the farmer, till just now, when the country will not bear
it. Grant that the experiment is a failure ; but whose
experiment was it ? Some, perhaps, will not trust the
same experimentalist again. The appeal to our condo-
nation is the next resort. The nation is merciful, and
Sir Robert has had too many proofs of its forgiving
temper not to confide once more in that amiable ele-
ment. But why are people to forgive when there is no
help for it ? It is mockery to carry a matter againi t
a person's will and then ask his pardon. The truth is
that it must be done. Necessity knows no laws. The
sliding-scale cannot and will not stand. Protection can-
not be maintained. The country cannot be kept in a
state of civil war, with the most fearful jealousies daily
ripening and coming to a head. The thing must be
done, and it is Sir Robert Peel's common sense and con-
venient view of the case that he is the actual Premier,
and therefore bound to do it.
ADVERTISER.--A rumour of great importance
reached us yesterday, namely, that Sir Robert Peel had,
at the Cabinet Council of Tuesday, threatened his resig-
nation. We are bound to say that subsequent inquiries
have not tended to confirm this rumour. From the par-
ticular circle to which it may he traced, the wish may be
expected to be "father to the thought." Hence, while
we give it currency, we deny it credit. Not that we
should be very much astonished at such a result, come
when it may, but at present it appears premature,
and would affix a most mortifying importance to the let-
ters of political rivals. Sir Robert Peel is much more
sensitive to the opinions of a party than a nation. His
arguments in the House are directed to " the Noble
Lord" with much greater frequency than to the coun-
try. He seems to consider, that if he fall there is none
to replace him but the party in opposition ; hence his
constant endeavours to damage or silence them,
rather than satisfy the millions outside. To resign
just now would be the greatest homage that could
be paid to Lords Russell and Morpeth, as nothing of im-
portance has occurred since the preceding Cabinet
Council save the publication of their letters. The letter
of Lord John Russell seems to shut the door to the pos-
sibility of a coalition Ministry, whatever may be the
similarity of sentiments between the great leaders. Al-
most every point that is made is a personal one,
and is
the more biting from the quiet language in which it is
expressed. An air of the most mortifying triumph runs
through the whole, and the instances of vacillation and
tergiversation at the most critical periods, and on the
most important measures of the last quarter of a cen-
tury, must be gall and wormwood to the present Premier.
We are for " measures, not men." Nevertheless, we
do not shut our eyes to the philosophy of Bacon's obser-
vation, that " measures without men are dead images."
Catholic Emancipation was extorted by fear, not pro-
moted by love. It was the result of a certain letter from
a certain Commander-in-Chief in Ireland, rather than of
any altered convictions. At that time the Duke of Wel-
lington, as well as Sir R. Peel, was not insensible to the
evils and hazards of a national outbreak. These states-
men granted emancipation in appearance to quiet Ire-
land, determined to deny it in fact as much as they could.
They enabled Roman Catholics to fill thirty-three situa-
tions, from which religion had previously excluded them,
but they took especial care that not one of those situa-
tions should a Roman Catholic actually fill. That no
Peel-faith or punic. faith could prevent the people en-
joying free-trade if they once got it on the Statute-book,
we can readily believe ; nevertheless there are many
things a friendly Administration might do to promote it,
which a hostile one would not. Hence we would rather
have it from those who agree with it in principle, than
from those who concede it as a necessity. Lord John
Russell and Lord Morpeth are now as much pledged to it
from conviction as Messrs. Cobden, Bright, and Villiers;
while to hammer it into the heads of any set of men, or
any party with whom Sir Robert could now connect him-
self, would be a work of great delay and difficulty. ,
POST.—Constituted as society is at present in this
country, with habits of political discussion so generally
diffused, and with habits of assertion regarding public
matters so little guarded, there appears to be a great
want of some more regular and constant mode of
authentic communication between the Government and
the public. For some weeks past, in certain widely-
circulated newspapers, and at public meetings convened
for the purposes of political agitation, assertions have
been made, producing an effect on the public mind of
the most serious importance. In short, impressions of
the probability of approaching scarcity—perhaps of
famine—have been produced by these assertions. And

• it has been even alleged that Government is in possession
of information which proves such alarming assertions to
be well founded. Now, whatever may be thought of
their own dignity by men in office, and whatever may
be. the contempt they entertain for the individuals
who harangue at Anti-Corn-law meetings, or who
write in newspapers, it surely is a serious pra.nical matter
that a general impression of the probability of scarcity
or famine should be produced, if there be no good foun-
dation for it. We ourselves believe that there is none.
We believe, that notwithstanding the spoutings of Mr.
Cobden and his set at public meetings, notwithstanding
the acknowledged writing of Lord John Russell, and
the anonymous writings of others in newspapers of great
circulation and influence, that there is no good founda-
tion for the alarm about probable famine, and that the
speakers and writers to whom we allude have themselves
no belief iu the probability of the calamities which they
prophesy. We believe that all these forebodings are
published merely from a wish to do mischief to political
opponents, or to serve certain ends which are not likely
to be served by the promulgation of truth. But our
belief is not the belief of the multitudes who
listen to Anti-Corn-law harangues, or who read
the articles of Lord John Russell, or other men, in
the newspapers which favour the views of the Anti-
Corn-law League. It cannot be that the Government
discerns no mischief in the wide circulation of un-
founded apprehensions. But the Government does
nothing in any way to set the public right, if indeed it
be wrong to think that famine is probable ; and if it
be not wrong, then the Government should before now
have interposed with cautions and directions suitable to
such a state of things. It may be said, that the public
may very well be left to judge for themselves of what is
true and what is untrue, in regard to the probability of
scarcity. We deny, however, that it is safe to leave
the public to their own errors, and their own means of
finding out errors in such matters. We know how much
it is the fashion now for Government to leave every-
thing to " find its own level." Falsehood, avarice, au-
dacity, are not to be interfered with. Government is
merely to give away places, and to allow the people to
struggle as they may, the strong with the weak, the
wealthy with the poor, the crafty with the simple.
There is to be no interference, for it is the
law of liberality to allow such things to find their
own level. We believe that such liberality must come
to a ruinous end, and therefore we protest against it.
It is a mistake to suppose that the good sense of
the people is enough to protect them against being im-
posed upon by misrepresentation. The newspapers
which. venture upon misrepresentation know the public
better. The Times of yesterday, for instance, quotes
speeches in its leading article with a view of showing
that bread is at this moment half as dear again as it
was last May. The Times ventures upon this, although
well knowing that every one in London who will take
the trouble of looking at the bakers' bills, or of in-
quiring of his wife or housekeeper what the price of
bread was in May, and what it is now, must discover
the untruth. But readers will not take that trouble.
They will assume the fact, because their prejudices are
in favour of some measure to which the fact is supposed
to lead. The Times says much about the large aggre-
gate sum paid every week in the United Kingdon
for bread, beyond that which was paid this time last
year. This difference is cited as an overwhelming
argument for repeal of the corn-laws. True,
it is not shown that the repeal of the corn-
laws would lessen the present expenditure by
a single penny ; but that is assumes, and hasty
readers swallow the assumption. It is true
also, that in December, 1839, wheat was much dearer
than it is now, and employment much more difficult to
be obtained, and the corn-law imposed much heavier
duties than it does now ; and yet at that time the Times
did not make any clamour about the necessity or expe-
diency of establishing free trade in corn; but readers of
the present day do not remember that. They imagine
that the Times writes as it does from established prin-
ciples of political economy, and from a sincere view of
that which is needful for the public safety. Thus are
the public deluded, and the Government looks on and
does nothing but hold Cabinet Councils which the Times
says are for the purpose of considering " whether there
is a sufficient likelihood of a scarcity to call for any
special precautions." We believe that the Times does
not know what has been done at recent Cabinet Councils,
or what has been considered, more than it does of what
happened on any of these days in the moon; but the
assertion is made, and there is nothing to guard the pub-
lic against being misled.