The Sun.
London, England, 1842-06-17 00:00:00

R u^n 517 50 ... 517 50 515 515
tlleans
Strasburg to Bale 2OB 75 ... 208 75 ... 2(5 ... 206 25

THE MORNING POST AND THE "ESTABLISHED HA-
I BITS" PRINCIPLE OF LEGISLATION.—The Morning Post
observes, in an article on the subject of the Tariff
changes —" The theorist who legislates in disregard of
established habits, legislates in disregard of the creature
for whom he is legislating, to wit, man." This is an
ultra-Tory doctrine worthy even of an Eldon, and such
as that staunch advocate of the stand-still principle
of Government would have recognised as the most exalted
of truths. It will not, however, bear an instant's con-
sideration ; indeed its gross absurdity must be obvious
to the most ordinary capacity. Had it ever been
seriously maintained and persevered in as a principle of
legislation, not one of the great social and political
changes that have taken place within the last three or
four centuries, could possibly have occurred. It was is
" disregard of established habits" that the Reformation
was effected in England, and Popery, with all its super-
stitious observances, trampled under foot. It was in
" disregard of establirihed habits" that witchcraft was alio •
fished, and old women freed from the apprehensions th.
being " done to a turn" over a slow fire, for their presume ,1
intercourse with Satan. It was in " disregard of established
habits" that James the Second, the rightful occupier of the
throne, was cashiered, • and the alien William called to
the throne of England. Coming down to a later peri,d,
we may add, that it was in " disregard of established
habits" that the Test and Corporation Acts were
pealed, Catholic Emancipation granted, hanging for
forgery abolished, the statute law revised by Sir Robert
Peel, arid the raew police system introduced into the me -
tropolis and elsewhere. In fact, every beneficial reform
that has been effected since the country was blessed with
a Constitution, has been effected in "disregard of esta-
blished habits." To.legislate in obsequious deference to
these " habits," is to put a stop to all human improve-
ment ; to countenance the monstrous hypothesis that the
national mind is incapable of progression ; anh
to act on the assumption that it must eve-
continue to remain in the same state of imperfect clever
lopment in which it now is. What is steam—what, thas
railway system—what, the spinning-jenny, and the
hundred other scientific and mechanical discoveries that
have of late years conduced so much to benefit the
country I—what are all these discoveries, but so maoy
bold innovations on the old order of things, effected in
utter disregard of " established habits?" If our ultra-
Tory Contemporary must needs talk nonsense, let him at
least talk such nonsense as is suited to the prejudices of
the day, and not the nonsense that belongs exclusively to
an age of barbarism.
POST-OFFICE.—On the motion of Mr. Wallace nume-
rous returns respecting this establishment have been laid
before Parliament, of which the following are abstracts:
—I. The total number of cases in which persons in the
employ of the Post-office have been convicted of steal-
ing letters containing money, in England and Wales, f
the four years ending sth January, 1840, is 52, and the
amount 1,2381. Bs. 9d. 2. The total amount of cola
and bank-notes contained in letters applied for through
the Post-offices of London, Edinburgh, and Dublin
as undelivered for the same years, was 94,936/. 165.;
namely, at the General Post-office London, 68,1971.,
Edinburgh 1,498/., and Dublin 15,566/. The whole, or
nearly the whole, of this large sum, we presume, was
lost. 3. The number of persons dismissed under the
allegation of having purloined money-letters, for the
same period, in England, Scotland, and Ireland, was
110 ; namely, 44 for England, 19 for Scotland, and 17
for Ireland. 4. The number of persons who had actu-
ally defrauded the revenue department of the Post-office,
and been dismissed, during the four years mentioned,
was 28, all fur the first offence.

MONEY and COM3IERCIAL NEWS
CITY, QUARTER TO THREE.
The market remains in the same stagnant condition, with the
indisposition to enter into business which which has been vi-
sible now for many days. The prices, however, are firm, and
Consols 913 914 for the opening ex dividend; Three per
Cents. Reduced, 914 913 ; Three-and-a-Half per Cents. Re-
duced, 1004 100#; India Stock, 23; Exchequer Bills, Old, 45
47; New, 40 42 premium.
In Foreign Securities the price for Belgian is quoted 192
103 ; Dutch Two-and-a-Half per Cent., 523 528 ; the Five
per Cents., 101- 1013; Danish, 803 813 ; Brazilian, 66 67.
The quotation for Mexican is 364 563.
The Share Market has been very flat, and sales to some ex-
tent have been made in Edinburgh and Glasgow, 471 A ; Grand
Junction, 190; Great Western, 88; South Western, 611/2 ;
South Eastern, 251; Blackwall, 103 ; Brighton, 363 ;
land Counties, Quarters, 17.
The prospect of a dividend has caused the speculators in
Spanish Bonds to operate for a rise, and accordingly they are
now quoted at 234 for the Three per Cents., and 213 for tin-
Five per Cents. The other bonds noticed to-day are Colombian,
2.54, and Portuguese Five per Cents., 373.
A proclamation has been posted in the city this morning, an-
nouneing the issue of half-farthings, which are to be a legal
tender to the extent of six-penny-worth. It is difficult to per-
ceive the particular object this small money is to answer,
though it doubtless will be a relief to the poorer class, who at
prsent lose much by fractions in purchasing
.small quantities of
articles.
A better feeling in the produce market is now visible in con-
sequence of the final completion of the tariff. The duties upon
many articles are still considered to be very objectionable, and
to require alteration, but the measure as a whole is generally
looked upon as satisfactory, and now that all uncertainty is
ended it is expected that trade will revive. The concessions
made to the manufacturing interest by the reductions on the
raw material will prove of great benefit to them, and especially
on those articles, such as dyes, &c., which so largely elver
into their consumption. Some large parcels of Gums have
since been brought forward, and the good effect of the altera-
tion was plainly perceptible, as well as on many other goods o:
a similar nature. The present year, however, may be re-
garded as a bad one, owing to the great stagnation which ex-
isted during the first six months, it not being to be expected
that during the period which is to come it will be sufficientll
brisk to counterbalance the loss already sustained.
PRICES OF SHARES THIS DAY AT ONE.
RAILWAYS. Paid. Per Share.
Edinburgh and Glasgow 5O 473- to 483
Ditto New ...
Great Western
Grand Junction 100 l9O
London and. Brighton
London and Blackwall
London and Birmingham 90
Ditto New
London and South Western 434 613 to
Midland Counties 100
Ditto 4 Shares
South Eastern and Dever. .. 50
Ditto Scrip
JOINT STOCK BANKS.
London and Westminster . -
LIVERPOOL COTTON MARKET, JUNE 16.—The sales to-
day were about 4.000 bales; the common sorts of American
were offered freely, and rather lower than on Friday, but other
sorts remained steady.
LIVERPOOL SHARE MARKET, JUNE 16—Was extremely
dull and languid, and the only sales reported at the Stock Ex-
change were Grand Junction at 185.
MANCHESTER STOCK EXCH.A NOE, JUNE 16.—We have
again to report a quiet market; the transactions merely com-
prise—Liverpool and Manchester Halves, 854; Manchester
and Birmingham, 254 ; New Eastern Counties, 61. 14s. 2d.