The Sun.
London, England, 1842-09-01 00:00:00

PUBLIC OPINION.

Speaking of the late riots in the mining and ma •
nufacturing districts, the Times says :—" We ear-
nestly trust that the mass of the workmen have been
entrapped by their reckless and designing leaders into
a position in which they have appeared as advocates
of a. cause to which they are not, and do not intend
to be, attached. We hope this may be so. But it is
a favourable view which cannot and ought not to be
too carelessly adopted. Their first words may have
done injustice to their designs, but it is at least
equally possible that they may not. The failure of
the Chartist cry may have resulted from a want of
sympathy in them frcm whom it professed to emanate,
but it may have proceeded from a perception of those
motives of policy to which we have already alluded.
We may hope the former, but we cannot forget the
latter alternative. We cannot shut our eyes to the
symptoms which have appeared that Manchester was
led to act as a kind of forlorn hope to an organised
political movement; and that by the success which
crowned the efforts in that neighbourhood (we are
alluding especially to what appeared probable at
Merthyr) was the course pursued in distant parts of
the country to be determined. And being alive to
these symptoms, we cannot but provide against the
evil which they menace. The law of self-defence,
our duty to society, and to the cause of order, bind ,
us to gain a marked victory to defeat this power which
has measured its strength with the law; they have
appealed from justice to power, and it must be—we
hope has been—clearly shown where that power re-
sides. So only can we check in our present opponents
that exaggerated notion of their of 11 strength which
must produce the most fearful restilts."
The following is from the Post:—" Amongst the
devices resorted to by ,the interested clamourers for
free-trade and low wages, we krmy no more favourite
one than that of an allusion to the 'disposition of other
nations to deal with us for manufactured articles if
we deal with them for corn. It is coolly advanced
that foreign countries are animated by a more than
Christian anxiety to keep us stout and thriving on
their beef and bread, if we but forego the care of pro-
viding beef and bread for ourselves.. And this bene-
volent disposition is plausibly accounted for., We are
to send them manufactures, and they, ,‘ in exchange,'
are to send us food. 'Very good,' say file half-witted
imbeciles whom the knaves of the" League have im-
posed upon ; 'if this be so, let us have 'free trade and
Corn-law repeal by all means.' We should not cry
' very good,' even supposing the representation to be
true, for we believe labour in nature's glorious garden
is far more conducive to man's happiness than the
labour performed in the unwholesome air of the tem-
ple dedicated to selfish avarice. But setting this aside
we have another reason for refusing to cry ' very
good,' viz., that the prospective represcntaticn of a
mutual interchange of productions with other nations
contingent on England's abandonment or discourage-
ment of her native agriculture, is not true, but quite
untrue, and we shall presently prove it to be so."
The Herald says:—" Lord Auckland has had no
audience of reception from her Majesty. Strange and
ominous as'is this circumstance, we still can soarcely
indulge in the hope that there is left in any man's
mind connected with public affairs sufficient gravity
of thought to counsel such a reproof on the part of
her Majesty, towards a man who has had the dis-
tinction of being the instrument of great crimes.
We again implore that so circumvented Nobleman
to weigh himself against his coadjutors, and to con-
sider whether it is safe for him to put himself in their
power, and whether it is possible for him to retain
honesty of purpose, unless he saves himself from cons-
munication with those whom he must know have
without
dealt falsely with him, have spoken falsely of h,,
;
and that to serve no object that he can comprehend,
We are as yet but at the beginning of our
Indian
troubles, dishonours, and dangers. Lord Auckland
has not only brought upon us enemies from
insurrection from within—he has not onl •
ro
over' o
Asia and over India the (lark shadow fu ht
the
Northern Colossus ; but he has destroyed the sense of
duty in British officers, and of suhrJrdination in the
British service. What can we expect but insub
dination and disaffection in our troops when thousands
of them, in perishing, went to the grave with the
knowledge that their dying anguish was commanded
by no stern necessity, and imposed by no national
duty—that they were the victims of the " intrigues
of women and of secretaries ?"

The Chronicle, alluding to the present state of the
manufacturing districts, observes,—" The question of
wages is now the only one which seems to affect the
manufacturing districts. At Aberdeen the Chartists
have met, and agreed not to turn out for the Charter
or anything else. An attempt to get up a Chartist
meeting at Glasgow on Saturday last, turned out a
complete failure. Still we perceive that in Lancashire
the men do not return to their work so generally at
was anticipated. The accounts from Manchester of
Monday night distinctly state that the greater part of
the factory operalives still remain out,' and declare
that they win not resume their employment until their
masters advance their wages. One account states
that, L all the power-loom weavers, and a great
oortien of the fine spinners are still out, and some
persons accuse the manufacturers of being impli-
cated in the prolonged cessation of work, in order
to get rid of their large stocks, which they have
been enabled to do at a considerable advance in the
prices. It is also said that many respectable mill-
owners and others are subscribing to the support of
the workmen in order to enable them to continue out.'
The interruption of the public peace by bands of men
who compel those who are willing to work to turn
out,' is quite a distinct matter from such combina-
tions as are above alluded to. Of the prudence or
expediency of the latter, the unitiated are without the
means of judging. We know it has often been stated
that wealthy millowners occasionally supply cora-
binators with funds, to secure themselves against the
competition of rivals who would extend their opera-
tions by means of reducing wages. In all trades
there are secrets. The masters and workmen must
be left to fight the matter out as they best can. In a
town like Manchester the turn-outs can do little mis-
chief after the authorities are put on their guard. But
in the midland mining districts we fear a turn-out of
colliers generally means disturbance."