The Sun.
London, England, 1842-07-04 00:00:00

Ott .1110 •

LONDON•
MONDAY MORNING. JULY 4, 1842.

perish amidst the animation of battle than by the lin-
gering, heart-withering process of starvation. Con-
vulsion ought to be, avoidel at any cost of time or
money, and it can only be avoided, we are afraid,
by allowing the suffering millions to get • bread
for themselves. They must be fed, or they
must be convinced that the want of food is
entirely their own fault: As long as the Legislature
persists in making laws which are the mere. emana-
tion of Sir ROBERT PEEL'S will, or the will of the
aristocracy—as long as it refusal to inquire, and per-
sists in maintaining restrictions, the people will not
get food, and will not be convinced that the destitution
is not the consequence of the law. To guard against
a convulsion, therefore, inquiry and the abolition of
restrictions are indispensible, and we trust the House
of Commons will insist on entering into an inquiry.

We hope and trust that the reported attempt on her
MAJESTY, of -which we insert the particulars else-
whercy, will be found, though very criminal, to be
far less criminal than a deliberate design to attack her
life. The `'oung miscreant seems to have had nc
other object in view than to make himself a little
notorious,: and perhaps get a living. The act is not
sit sill calculated, we are inclined to believe, to make
MAJESTY'Sher advisers repent of the mercy they have
IDhown to FRANCIS.

There are many things about which a prudent
man holds his tongue, and in our opinion the re-
ported indiscretion of Colonel DUNDAS js one. of them.
Men may talk about it in society ; it is a bit of gossip
proper to set the tongues of small wits, who at
" clubs do congregate," in motion, but what can the
Legislature have to do with such verbiage ? We
therefore see it announced with some regret that
Lord Woltsi.Ey is to ask Sir R. PELL a question
on the subject this evening. We presume Sir
ROBERT PEEL will treat the matter with supreme
contempt. To notice ribaldry in Parliament is
to give it importance. It is evident, from
the prompt manner in which, according to re-
port, the imprudence of the Gallant Officer was met
and corrected, that her MAJESTY will find protection
in every company, and that she does not need the in-
terference of Lord WORSLEY, Sir R. PEEL, and the
House of Commons, to ensure her, from tha bulk of
the people, a heartfelt respect.

Some of the Liberal party object to the terms and
form of Mr. WALLACE'S motion. Though that does
not ap?ear to us • a good reason for voting against
it, when it is es,entially a motion for inquiry, it might
po33ibly be advisable for Mr. WALLACE to withdraw
it, find allow some of his friends to substitute- for it
a motion fur the House to resolve it:elf into a Com-
mittee of the whole House, to inquire into the state of
the national distress, with a view of ascertaining the

eause of it, and providing a re:nedy for it, if possible.
Such a motion Nill be strictly in fbrm ; and must.

Our readers will remember that the House of
Commons, a short time back, rejected, by 110 to 7, a
clause which Mr. PAKIbIGTON proposed to foist into
the Public-houses Bill, prohibiting licensed victuallers
from opening their houses before one o'clock in the
afternoon of Sunday, Christmas-day, or Good
Friday. Before that clause was rejected, a Bill for
the improvement of Liverpool had been introduced,
which contained a similar clause, and it was allowed to
pass through the House of Commons, with the under-
itanding that it should follow the fate of Mr. PA-
KIKGTON'S clause. With a want of good wish, how-
ever, as we are informed, the Tory Corporation of
Liverpool is now endeavouring to carry the Liverpool
Bill through the House of Lords with the reprobated
clause, which it will not give up. Lord SHAFTES-
BURY, Lord BROUGHAM, the DUKE of RICHMOND,
and other Noble Lords are opposed to this unworthy
proceeding, , but it finds supporters amongst those,
who, like the inquisitors of old, are always tormenting
the people for their " soul's health." To 'introduce
uch a clause into a private Act of Parliament is an
infringement on the ordinary practices of legislation
To apply it to such a place as Liverpool, where a
great maritime population is every day driven from
the ships as they arrive, and is obliged to take refuge
in public-houses, or worse places, is an outrage on
humanity. To limit it to the borough, while,that is
surrounded by suburbs with not even a wall between
them, is a gross act of injustice to the publicans of
the borough of Liverpool. To insert such a clause in
any Act of Parliament, or to make such a law, is a
wanton and pharasaical interference with tha liberties
and enjoyments of the people. We heartily hckpe,
therefore, that the Peers will reject this clause, which
will be discussed this evening, we believe, on bringing
up the Report on the Bill.

wo apprehend, after Sir ROBERT PEEL'S and Sir J.
GRAILIM'S admissions, find numerous supporters, if
it do not command the assent of a majority of the
House of Commons.

Sir R. PEEL knows that the bulk of the House.
including many of his usual opponents, thought well
of his tariff, and hoped that it and his other measures
might contribute to the relief of the country. They
acquiesced consequently in his mode of conducting
the public business. They were :not aware of the ex-
tent Of the distress, and did not foresee its rapid in •
crease. Now, when they are made aware of the fact.

and propose•an inquiry, Sir It. PEEL taunts them w
neat having proposed it before. They had some re•
liauce on his skill, and, therefore, they never though
of taking the patient out of his hands. He reward
this deference by contumely and shows himself a:
saucy and insulting as he is ignorant.
His reproach that inquiry was not before demandei.
that it was and is necessary. He seems tc
think it desirable to relieve him of some of the vas,
responaibility that is crushing him by its weight. Hi
al*ays been anxious to win the sanction of thi
House of Commose ; he has done much even to gair
. (overeversaries, and he would no doubt be glad to have
such an inquiry as would really make the House 01
Commons, in its collective capacity, and not Sir It
Pear., exclusively, responsible for the condition of the
country. That is one ground on which we think s
10,06011 for inquiry only would meet much support.
Another ground is the stertemont of Sir JAMES
aIIAM. He admitted that distress existed to a
very- great degree, and he asserted "that there were no
raeawresexceptfhoSe which the Government proposed
by which the distress of the working classes could be
relieved:" That distress, therefore, great as it is.
and • increasing as it does daily, is, according to Si;
j'Augg GiortAm and the other Ministers, hopeles!.
'nd rernediless: But surely the House of Commons,
the whole., Legislature, will not give in to such
tlreaklful despair, which is tantamount to consigning
a treat` multitude of people to slow starvation and
miveral of our towns to ruin. The House of Corn-
...
I:it4ons cannot acquiesce in such a conclusion, but
-- mint be convinced that the- Ministers who hold such
Aingusge have not probed the question to the bottom,
and must, for its own honour and character, con-
stitute a searching inquiry.
To adopt Sir JAMES Gamcsin's conclusion is
virtually to abdicate the functions of Government
the House of Commona dare to tell the peopl(
" we, the Commons of England, undertake t(
that
regulate public affairs ; we will provide against tilt
smallest evil, such as the overturning of a railwa3
carriage, or the neglect of Sabbath observances; we
.will ensure an ample revenue at all times to the
priesthood ; we will never allow the Government tk
be in want of sixpence—all its officers shall he well
paid, and they shall• be as numerous as possible :
we will carefully keep up the rent of the land-
owner and the profit of the farmer ; and we will at the
• same time tell the manufacturers, who are stdtving by
thousands, we can do nothing whatever for them r
• The starving manufacturers may say, "Why then
tax us--why appoint Miniiters with large salaries to
promote our welfare ? If you can do nothing for 11F,
must look for other rulers. If you can give us n(
.proteetion and no assistance ; if all your cares an
limited to protecting the, property of the Church and
the landowners, we owe you no allegiance, and we
will not pay for useless and valueless services." No
the House of Com-rins dare not; considering its vas'
pretensions, adopt the conclusion of Sir J. Gamime,
and, by telling the starving people it can do nothing
for them, invite them to seek other rulers. The
House of Commons must inquire, and must give relief,
or it will abdicate its functions.
Betwixt restoring prosperity to the people and
risking a great national convulsion, there is, we are
efraid, no alternative. To avoid the latter is for the
general good, but if the bulk of the artisans be to
continua in their present state of destitution it is not
for their good. if they must perish, it is better to

THE SUN, LONDON, MONDAY EVENING, JULY 4, 1812.

THE WEATHER.—Noon, JULY 4.
'OVAL GALLERY OF SCIENCE, A ONLAIDE7STREET
'Thermometer.— 70 1 Highest 7O I Lowest
Barometer 29.84.—Wind S.W.

HIGH \V ATER AT LONDON BRIDGE THIS DAY.
Morning minute's after 9 i Evening .... f 4 minutes alto 10.

ey f 5 •